Archive for the ‘Art’ Category

What’s it mean when you win a badge in cyberspace?

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

An army of cats took over deviantART for April Fool’s Day. Random thumbnails were replaced propaganda posters and clicking on anything pretty much meant you were going to get some weird fact about cats. Did you know that a cat’s jaw is designed in such a way that makes it physically impossible for it to grind its sharp little teeth? Well, ya do now.

When I first saw it, I was sorta meh on the whole deal. Cats? Really? Not a fan. The mudkip invasion was much better.

Then I saw The Note. And The Note said that anyone who submitted a cat picture would get a cat BADGE. Oh, and there was something about getting 15000 submissions in order to release the dA logo from captivity, but the important thing here was the BADGE.

I saw The Note late. I hadn’t drawn anything in a year and I’d certainly never drawn a cat. I thought briefly about making my brother wear my neko-ear cap and taking a photo, but then realized he would have put a pox on all our houses if I posted it. So I figured I’d draw the Cheshire Cat. Pretty easy, yeah? I mean, most of the time he’s all face anyway.

Drew the line art. Had fun with the eyes. Remembered that my scanner has been broken since January. Took a picture with my phone and uploaded the sucker anyway. For some reason it’s on its side and I have no idea why. It’s quite well-behaved on my computer. Cheshire tease.

But I got my badge! Everything I dreamed it would be –>

I love internet badges and stickers. You can tell that just looking at my stories page. Every time a reviewer awards a badge or sticker to one of my books, it is on my site as fast as I can code it. Often in varying sizes depending on the page. I make a conscious effort to not learn exactly what GetGlue is because I see all my twitter friends earning stickers there and I have a feeling I’d never leave. I would definitely never write again.

But back to the cat badge. Once I got it, I figured I should at least finish the original picture. So I did. Remembered *again* that my scanner is busted. Sighed loudly in that frequency that only moms can hear.

She asked me what was wrong. I told her about my scanner (she was there when it bit the dust so my story of yearning packed quite the angsty punch) and suggested I try it again and see if it works now.

My words were literally, “Yeah, Mom. Maybe Jesus will come down from on high just to give my scanner a sweet, gentle kiss, raising the machine from the dead because it’s Easter.”

I laughed. She laughed. We both laughed.

So anyway here’s the scanned pic:



Cheshire by ~rpm77 on deviantART

It was, ah, posted on the day after Easter. Scanned on Sunday.

Heh heh heh.

Heh heh.

Heh.

There you have it. There is a God. Although considering the absolute creepy nature of the image, I’m sort of inclined to believe that it was the devil making sweet sweet love to my scanner. That or Holy Humor has a bit of twistyness to it. Makes for an interesting afterlife, either way. 😉

Wishful Thinking – Self Portrait

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

I always wonder what people think of me the first time they meet me in real life. I’ve had fans believe to the core of their being that I’m one or another of my characters, and that can be intimidating because they never pick the ones that are messes (Ace, Nick). They always seem to think I’m Paul or Charlie (Paul’s Dream, Flow). It doesn’t help that every once in a while I do have a moment of bonafide cool, but said moments usually cost me mad cool points and I have to spend weeks, even months recouping.

At any rate, I drew a rough comic depicting how I’d like to be and how I am. Sort of. Posting it below. 🙂



Wishful Thinking by ~rpm77 on deviantART

***

Note: For those who didn’t get a chance to read it, “Flow” is a story that was originally up at the Evolution Forum. I’ve since taken it down because, pending massive rewrites, I’ve gotten permission to submit the story to a publisher. While I’m daunted by the prospect of writing what will essentially be a whole new book, I’m also wicked excited. 😀

I’m not so great at teh drawing.

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

But I’m learning, and that’s what counts, yeah?

According to DeviantArt, I’ve been a member of the site for two years. I joined because I wanted to teach myself how to draw (something other than stick figures in compromising positions) and I wanted to keep an art journal of sorts tracking my progress. Currently, I’m around 200 hits away from reaching 10,000 views, which surprises the hell out of me. Usually when I draw something new, I post the direct link to the picture–bypassing the front page. Reaching 10k views there means people are actually interested in what I’m doing. Who would have thought?

I think I’ve improved a bit over the years, and I’m just now finally getting to the point where I’m edging away from my favorite head angle. Most of my drawings still require source pictures, but I’ve managed a few original characters here and there.

I figured I’d share a few of my pics here. Starting with the very first one. 🙂

1st try by ~rpm77 on deviantART
Man, I *still* cringe looking at this. I very nearly chucked the whole idea of learning to draw.

***

Gaara 2 by ~rpm77 on deviantART
Gaara. One of my favorite characters of all time. I’m actually thinking of drawing him again. 🙂

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Akabane 1 by ~rpm77 on deviantART
Akabane. It’s all about the hat.

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HG 1 – line art by ~rpm77 on deviantART
Mmm. Muscle.

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Lelouch 1 – Shading by ~rpm77 on deviantART
This is still my favorite picture out of all I’ve done.

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Mookyul – shaded by ~rpm77 on deviantART
Clothing folds! I was so proud.

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Viral Red by ~rpm77 on deviantART
A bit of anger.

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Colors by ~rpm77 on deviantART
A bit of angst.

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Hand of Destiny – Line Art by ~rpm77 on deviantART
Hand practice.

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Audrick’s face – inked by ~rpm77 on deviantART
A character from my royal alien rock star yaoi. 🙂

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Sketch – Kamui 1 by ~rpm77 on deviantART
And Kamui. Was stressed out and basically chucked all my responsibilities so I could draw him and relax.

***

So that’s a peek at the progress I’ve made, such as it is. If you’d like to see more of my stuff, you can at http://rpm77.deviantart.com/ . I’m also giving away a prize if you can screencap my front page when it hits the 10,000 views mark. More information on that is listed on the page. 🙂

PS– I apologize for the number of images in this post. Usually I try to go light on the pictures, but in this case I just couldn’t help myself.

Boy Meets Bishie

Thursday, March 5th, 2009

Note: This blog was originally published on my MySpace blog, January 6, 2009.


I have a brand new logo, drawn by the fabulous Anne Cain:

Rowan McBride's Boy Meets Bishie logo

You’re drooling, aren’t ya? Admit it. 

Faded Letter and Angsty Eyes

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Note: This blog was originally published on my MySpace blog, June 25, 2008.


I have a fic up at Gay Flash Fiction!  Check out Faded Letter in the new edition, along with five other authors at http://www.gayflashfiction.com/current_issue.htm.  Then come back here and lemme know what you think. 

Also, I’ve put up a new pic on my DeviantArt site.  Mori’s Eyes, it’s kinda neat:  http://rpm77.deviantart.com/art/Mori-s-Eyes-89774753.

My week actually got off to a somewhat rocky start, but I’m feelin’ pretty chill now.

Sleepless

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Note: This blog was originally published on my MySpace blog, November 23, 2007


Earlier this week, I got an idea for a new story. I’m really, really tempted to pursue it, but I’ve got edits and revisions and three novels that are actually close to being finished, and I knew it wouldn’t be a good idea at this time. Whenever I start something new and have the bad judgment to announce it, I get a flurry of emails from readers asking (sometimes begging, sometimes demanding) after a favorite storyline or character. It can get ugly, and these days I try to stay focused on the worlds I live in right now.

That said, I did write the first two chapters this week. Just so I wouldn’t lose the feel for the idea and the characters, you understand.

The new book’s called Sleepless. Because it’s so far from being finished and because it’s fairly low on the writing schedule, I probably shouldn’t get into it too much yet. But I’m totally in love with the main character, and this week I took a crack at drawing him. He didn’t turn out how I have him in my head—looks much younger, for one—but I still like the image. Sleepless (the main character) is followed and worshiped by creatures called Shades. For the most part they look like wisps of night and shadow, but they can put a wicked hurt on you if you piss Sleepless off. I tried to put them in the picture with him.

One of my darker stories, definitely. Much fun.

Sleepless is currently hanging out on my DeviantArt site at http://rpm77.deviantart.com/art/Sleepless-70447620. Drawing is still really new to me, but if you check him out, let me know what you think!

I hope everyone is having a good holiday weekend. I’m writing this blog at midnight because I got to spend Thanksgiving with an assortment of vibrant and eclectic relatives, and now most of them are asleep. That turkey, it’ll get ya.

Even if it’s not a holiday where you are, I hope you’re doing well, and that you get to spend time with good people.

Okay, I’m being a little sentimental. Can I blame that the turkey too, you think?

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How to Edit a Novel (if You’re Rowan McBride)

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Note: This blog was originally published on my MySpace blog, August 18, 2007.


Scan through all the colored notes your editor inserted into what you had erroneously thought was a clean manuscript. Try not to have flashback of insane elementary school teacher as you look at all that red.

Scroll up to beginning of file. Take deep breath. Get up to snag a glass of water.

Begin reading manuscript. As you hit first set of suggested edits, declare aloud that the editor is nuts.

Anywhere from 5 seconds to 10 minutes later, realize that—damn!—the editor is probably right.

Get through fifteen pages. Totally rewrite six different paragraphs. As you’re staring at the online thesaurus looking for yet another word for “fire,” switch screens abruptly to write a poem. Post poem on blog.

Stare at manuscript. Decide that the episode of Bleach you’ve seen two times already is more important. Switch to Cartoon Network. Drool over Ishida.

Check blog to see if it’s gotten any comments.

At around two in the morning, tell yourself that you’re doing your manuscript and yourself a favor by getting some sleep.

Repeat this ritual more or less verbatim for the next three days.

On the fourth day (around page 52) drop everything to draw a fairly decent picture of Sasuke from Naruto.

Rework three paragraphs in a row. Check DeviantArt page to see if Sasuke pic got any comments or faves.

After another ten pages, get up to snag another glass of ice water. Wonder briefly if you’re getting enough water, down that glass and refill it. As you walk by your desk, you spot your scrapbook and note that you still haven’t pasted in the reviews for Just Wait. You’ve already put them on your site, but you haven’t printed them up yet and you really should—

You shake the thought away and sit down to your manuscript.

Check blog. Check DeviantArt account. Check email. Watch Bleach.

Decide that your scrapbook is taunting you. Stay strong. Spend a good ten minutes trying to figure out which Sins belong to which characters in Full Metal Alchemist. You’ve got five of them pinned down, but which one belongs to Mustang? You wonder if you should Google it.

Realize with a start how much time has passed since you started this damned thing. Realize you’ll never get to write your uber cool royal alien rock star yaoi story if you don’t finish your revisions. Realize if you don’t finish your revisions, Paul’s Dream will never be published, and your manga addiction is gonna hurt.


Finally buckle down.

You read. You focus. You fall into a depression because your freaking novel SUCKS.

You’re too action oriented when you write. You don’t have enough internal dialogue. You don’t vary your sentence structure enough. You certainly don’t have enough emotion. And why is this section so poorly written?

Revise. Revise. Revise.

Try to teach yourself new ways to write things on the fly. Hit the halfway point in the novel. Ignore scrapbook. Skip dinner.

After reading a while, wonder why this half reads so much easier than the first half. Begin to worry.


What made me think I could ever be a writer?

Shake off doubt. Keep reading and revising. Fall in love with characters all over again. Remember that you have two sequels planned and smile.

Reach last line in manuscript. Imagine what your cover might look like. Stretch your sore muscles, then jump up to watch the Naruto hundo marathon thing on CN. Help yourself to the ice cream you bought just because one of your characters adores it.

Relax. Swear you’ll write a blog about the entire ordeal.

Eat your ice cream, and feel pretty good.

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Plush Madness

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Note: This blog was originally published on my MySpace blog, June 24, 2007.


A while back, I blogged about my utterly cool, super kawaii Gaara plush. You can read the story of him and his Urahara hat here, and you can see the pictures of him (cuteness of DOOM) here.

A few weeks ago, a friend got me an Urahara mini plush. Incredibly cool. I may have squee’d. Of course, I put him on the same shelf as Gaara. And, awww, weren’t they cute together with their matching hats! Brothers, even!

Shyeah, right. For the next few weeks, more often than not, I’d walk into the room to find poor Urahara on the floor. It was bizarre. And kinda scary. Bottom line, the plushies were not brothers. Gaara was apparently kicking ass in my absence.

So a different friend, sensitive to my plight, sent me yet another plush. This one was also a mini, but of Toshiro. Very scowly and in street clothes, so you know I loved him instantly. The note attached said, “I figure if anyone can keep Gaara in line, Toshiro can.”

My friend and I just met Toshiro on Bleach. For some strange reason that even we don’t understand, we’ve decided to ration our Naruto and Bleach episodes to what comes on CN every Saturday. So right now Naruto’s learning Jiraiya’s spinning chakra jutsu and Ichigo’s on a race to free Rukia from the tower.

You think I’m digressing, but I’m not. Had to give you a bit of exposition, because I wrote this insane script of what happened when my three plushies (why does that sound like a sitcom?) got together:

Gaara peering over the shelf: And stay on the floor!

Urahara: It’s my hat! You’re copying me!

Gaara: You think you can come into my house and talk that smack?! Next time you’re up here I’ll knock you back down AND use the sand coffin… hey, what’s that?

{rowan sets toshiro on shelf, picks up urahara and returns him to his place}

Toshiro: What the hell is going on here?

Gaara: Oh, great! Another one!

Toshiro: Hey, I recognize you. You’re from a different shonen jump manga. {looks at urahara} Dude! It’s you! Haven’t seen you since you left the spirit realm!

Urahara: {clutches hat}

Toshiro: {looking at gaara again} Were you messing with my homeboy?

Gaara: Oh, the both of you are so hitting the floor.

Toshiro: I don’t think so, red. I’m a captain ya know.

Gaara: I’m probably kazekage by now!

Toshiro: … I don’t even know what that means, but nobody’s hittin’ the floor.

Gaara: I’m like three times bigger than you!

Toshiro: I’ve got a scowl and I’m wearin’ street clothes.

Gaara: {uncorking the gourd}

Toshiro: {whipping out zanpakutou}

_______

Anyway, that’s how I think it went. I’m not 100% sure who won, but right now all plushies are co-existing on the same shelf. 🙂

Now I have three plushes, which I think makes it an official collection. And they’re not killing each other, which is good. Is it weird that I want to take them back to Johnson and get a ‘family’ photo taken of them? That’s weird, isn’t it? Forget I said anything.

But don’t be surprised if those pics end up on this page.

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Note: Originally many of the links in this blog led to MySpace, and have since been changed to make them easier to access from this portal.

A Thousand Views and a Death Note

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Note: This blog was originally published on my MySpace blog, June 7, 2007.


Both my DeviantArt and MySpace have hit 1000 views!  MySpace reached it a while ago–DA was a little longer in catching up.  All around, though, I’m amazed that it happened so fast!  Thanks to all the visitors of both sites.  You guys rock.

To celebrate, I drew a picture and posted it on DeviantArt:  Light Yagami, tempting his lover/victim/uke/innocent bystander with an apple.  I think it’s pretty good, certainly the best I’ve drawn so far.  Having just finished volume 7, I’m currently mourning the loss of a certain character.  Maybe I should draw him next?  What do you guys think?

You can view Light here:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/57085602/

How do you like him?

Sexy Hakama

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Note: This blog was originally published on my MySpace blog, May 29, 2007.


I’ve always thought that hakamas are sexy.  I particularly like art that features a hot guy wearing only a hakama, with upper body exposed and a teasing view of the hips.  Granted, no self-respecting samurai would go around wearing just that, but that’s what makes fantasy (and fantasy art) so great.

I’ve just drawn my own hakama wearing guy.  First time, and although it’s rough, I think it turned out pretty well.  If you’d like to see him, check him out on my DeviantArt site:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/56425831/

Let me know what you think. 

 

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