Art Roundup, week of December 27th
To round out 2020, I posted additional name placards, more work that used the liquify tool, and a somewhat old doodle I made of a mage mixing things in his cauldron. And while I love the work that I’ve done, I still have my eyes set on a loftier goal. I want to draw characters from all of my stories. And while I attempt to draw characters, I’m still a long way from being satisfied with that work. While I develop those skills, I still need to smile with the work I’m doing. And those smiles come from the doodles I’m posting, though I’ll be shifting that process...
Haven
With Burnout and Second Chance published, my focus snapped to the only remaining piece of flash fiction for December, a Fantasy. From the moment the monthly poll closed, I knew that this narrative would explore Darren’s home. I cracked open my notes for Darren Gilbert’s life and thumbed through everything, and I located the notes for the story where Darren stumbled upon his home. While I’m eager to tell that story, it’s not one I want to publish on Patreon. So, I thought about some other storylines I’ve written, and I chose to highlight an interaction between Darren and his oldest friend, Roland...
New Leadership
The leadership of Aurora has completed its colonization of the Aurorian system. While Olyver has pushed for the Federation’s creation, Quinn and Caitlin have delayed the process until the planets have become self-sufficient. Now that each of the new worlds is thriving, Quinn and Caitlin invite the leaders to Aurora as they seek to complete the birth of the new Federation. However, each of the new governments is wary about the fledgling Federation’s leadership and placement...
Art Roundup, week of December 20th
My focus for art last week was to fully explore the liquify tool. I’ve been posting some compositions of liquified clouds, and the last of those early pieces has been uploaded to DeviantArt. Aside from the liquified textures, I have completed another nameplate, this time for my niece, and a couple of other doodles. Finger Claws was one of my initial uses of Autodesk SketchBook, and it was a fun experience. While the Android app can create some fun pictures, it’s not ideal when all I have are my fingers...
Fluttering Eyes
Over the last installments, a former shipmate orchestrated Rylan’s beating, and a detective informed Annabelle of the crime. From that moment on, she’s spent every waking moment with her unconscious husband. Over the next few months, the doctors try to get her to leave, but she uses her family’s influence to take up occupancy in Rylan’s hospital room. Her constant presence compels the doctors to redouble their efforts to rouse Rylan from his coma...
Second Chance
When I finished writing Burnout, I turned my attention to the second piece for my patrons, a Drama. When I collected the results of the poll, It’s A Wonderful Life must have been in my mind because I gripped that thread and let my mind build a tale off that premise. While I knew the rough strokes of the narrative, I needed to flush out the details. So, I turned to NYC Midnight and plucked a random Drama prompt, placing my tale in front of a foreclosed home. When my fingers started typing, my mind twisted the required prosthetic into a pair of crutches, but thankfully I’m not submitting this to judges...
Intrusion
From the moment Maxwell dumped Wayne with his former roommate, Darren does everything he can think of to avoid his arrogant and distant relative. As the weeks churn, he alters every aspect of his life except for his classes. The teachers refuse to make further alterations to their classes to accommodate the childish behavior. With that avenue removed from him, Darren continues to isolate himself from Wayne and his classmates. So, the rumors of a new student never reach Darren’s ears...
Art Roundup, week of December 13th
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up my stylus and started making some doodles. While they are fun to make, I wanted to learn how to make a marble design. With that desire entrenched in my mind, I turned to YouTube and explored the vast collection of videos on the subject. After going through a handful of videos, I started working with the liquify tool, and I’m excited about creating these organic pieces. While I’ve added the liquify tool to my arsenal, I’ll continue using and mastering the tools I’ve already added...
Burnout
For the first time since I started doing these polls, I’ve instantly had an idea for each of the three genres selected for the month. When I announced the genres for December, I mentioned that I was going to draw inspiration from Die Hard. But aside from that rather general statement, I needed some context for the rough plotline tumbling about in my mind. So, I turned to NYC Midnight and plucked a random prompt for Action Adventure. With a smile, my plot points quickly and roughly fell into place...
Discovery
After landing the vessel, Jarvis enlists Dyrk’s help in cataloging the exotic wildlife using the ship’s sensors while the remaining crew establishes their basecamp. Meanwhile, a small squadron, led by Fenton, one of Jarvis’s closest advisors, head into the forest to explore and catalog their ancestors’ crashed spaceship. Fully expecting to encounter some outlandish creatures, members of the team is uneasy with their uneventful hike across the unknown planet...