What I love apart from the tea parties, the dandiness and the campy absurdity of it all, is Alexia’s awesome parasol/s. I haven’t read the novels in a long time, though am currently starting Blameless, so I couldn’t remember what it looked like—or on that note, what her dresses were like—so I simply fashioned my own.

This took quite a long time (I didn’t keep track) but boy I had fun in Photoshop.  I took a much more Impressionistic approach than previous artwork. I went rather ker-razy with it all, which kind of fits, I suppose.

I modelled Alexia after Édouard Manet’s Woman with a Parasol (1881) and attempted—keyword attempted—to implement the very characteristic Italian face.

Can’t tell you how delighted I was to see SUSPENSE as the key topic. That got my noir love going all sorts of places. Hee!

I referenced an awesome Detective Stories cover from my copy of True Crime: Detective Stories (1924–1969). Tried to be more Impressionistic here, but also just wanted to emphasise that vivid red frame. View in full scale to see the details!

Yeah, powerful stuff.

And because I am such a masochist for Victorian misery, I very much enjoyed drawing up the anguished Jane here.

Tried a different technique in Photoshop here – was trying to loosen up my brushwork. What do you think? Please view in full size!

I bought the blu-ray of the movie recently. I need to get round to watching it, no interruptions (hard to manage). I also need to review Dario Marianelli’s score. So much to do!

That said, I’ve been listening to the soundtrack tonight, which has heavy Romani elements laced into it; then again, so did the first score. I’d already had an idea to draw a dancer, but the nomadic freedom of the Romani people was certainly more alluring in the forefront of my mind, so I just went along with it.

This time I drew out the sketch much more quickly—finished the whole lot in an hour and a half. I like leaving the linework rough but still defined, so there’s still a hint of frenetic energy. I know, I drew it on my moleskine so there’s the unappealing fold in the middle, but I think it’s fine the way it is. The ...]]> I saw Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows last night, and I enjoyed it immensely—it was campy, fun and tense. And of course, a visual stunner. I loved the side characters, Mycroft (Stephen Fry FTW), Irene, and Simza, while Jared Harris was delicious as Moriarty. The unresolved tension between Watson and Holmes seems to have intensified even further. I always have loved them together—the quintessential bromance, if you will, but the chemistry between Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr is electrifyingly sizzling.

That said, I’ve been listening to the soundtrack tonight, which has heavy Romani elements laced into it; then again, so did the first score. I’d already had an idea to draw a dancer, but the nomadic freedom of the Romani people was certainly more alluring in the forefront of my mind, so I just went along with it.

This time I drew out the sketch much more quickly—finished the whole lot in an hour and a half. I like leaving the linework rough but still defined, so there’s still a hint of frenetic energy. I know, I drew it on my moleskine so there’s the unappealing fold in the middle, but I think it’s fine the way it is. The legs ought to be longer, but I didn’t want her feet to fall off the page, hah!

I am perpetually in a DC Comics frame of mind it seems. When I first saw the prompt word, this just somehow meandered into my mind. I can never get enough of Bruce in a half-dressed state in the comics or indeed any medium, and this is how I see him preparing to slip into his Batman persona—as some kind of fiendish and terrifying demon.

It’s been a while since I drew the male figure (makes me want to take up life drawing class again, heh), so I had to refer to those nifty diagrams of the human form in my drawing manuals. I also have little idea on how to draw scar tissue… Heh. Think I was more interested in using different brushes than making accurate textures.

I spent about 2.5 hours working on this, which I consider very slow. And this despite working very roughly. Originally I had a sketch of Batman holding up traffic lights, one red light and one green light (go figure, Kryptonite!) which would then “ground” Superman. But in the end, I wasn’t too motivated to finish the idea, so I did something simpler with Supergirl instead! :)

First time I’ve ever drawn Kara. I had to model myself to get the reference—I rather like the Wonder Woman-inspired pose.  Also, I pretend the New 52 costume doesn’t exist. Do you like my lame Photoshopped light rays?

Again this was done entirely on Corel Painter 12, but with some colour adjustment in Photoshop. I’m practicing with the oil brushes; I really want to do more blending and glazing techniques. You can see I’ve just begun to experiment there.

You may also have noticed I’ve tweaked a few things with the current layout.

I have been quite happily doing my own thing freelancing for a while, learning the scopes, stumbling along the way to be sure, but a little more street-wise and self-aware, which is just going to come with age (or so I imagine). I’ve consolidated my client base, earning new contacts and expanding my network, so I’m growing. Next year I hope to achieve something more secure and stable in my career.

January was spent procrastinating an awful lot, wondering what to do in my post-university state and watching the Australian Open. As you do. And of course I was super excited to see Li Na reach the final. Azn prYde.

In February I got out of my 6 or 7 odd year K-drama dry spell by getting hooked on My Princess, and I mean HOOKED. Following that I watched Que Sera, Sera, Personal Preference and then Sign, so throughout this whole year I only watched two 2011 K-dramas (four K-dramas in total), which is more than enough for me, ...]]> Another year over and a new one just begun, as the Christmas song goes. I think this year personally was a time of limbo, even though I hadn’t actually intended on it—it simply happened.

I have been quite happily doing my own thing freelancing for a while, learning the scopes, stumbling along the way to be sure, but a little more street-wise and self-aware, which is just going to come with age (or so I imagine). I’ve consolidated my client base, earning new contacts and expanding my network, so I’m growing. Next year I hope to achieve something more secure and stable in my career.

January was spent procrastinating an awful lot, wondering what to do in my post-university state and watching the Australian Open. As you do. And of course I was super excited to see Li Na reach the final. Azn prYde.

In February I got out of my 6 or 7 odd year K-drama dry spell by getting hooked on My Princess, and I mean HOOKED. Following that I watched Que Sera, Sera, Personal Preference and then Sign, so throughout this whole year I only watched two 2011 K-dramas (four K-dramas in total), which is more than enough for me, all things considered. I am currently in the middle of City Hunter. Well, not even the middle. I only finished episode one a few months ago! These serials are so draining, more so than Western ones. I still prefer K-movies.

March was an exciting month – I got a new smartphone (after four years of despairing over my old LG, which was small and the opposite of smart), the HTC Desire, so this was a big deal! Apparently I am betraying my fellow graphic designers by not purchasing an iPhone, but I don’t feel such a loss, even though occasionally the Android bothers me. Part of the reason I bought an Android was so that I’d have access to two different operating systems for mobile testing. It’s for work, duh!

I went with my buddy Camille to Sydney for the Australian Romance Readers Convention, wherein I met a lot of awesome writers and readers and got a helluva lot of books. Probably 20 odd kilos worth. And while Melbourne will always be the best (biased and unashamed of it), Sydney is still a great holiday spot. Can’t count how many times I’ve been.

Graduation with Honours came in April, and there was finally a sense of finality, knowing quite likely I wouldn’t be back. And then there was that Royal Wedding. Yawn. I’m only interested in the kitsch that comes with Royal Weddings!

Caught up with new Doctor Who series in May, with the beautiful The Doctor’s Wife episode as a standout gem. And then there was the Eurovision Song Contest on SBS, which is an annual ritual. Julia Zemiro’s commentary is always classic. Chris Lilley’s Angry Boys finally began to air in Australia, and I was surprised to be divided in my opinion—it was brilliant in some parts but then downright terrible in others. Nathan and Daniel (previously seen in Lilley’s first mockumentary series, We Can Be Heroes) were standouts, as was new character Gran Sims (the twins’ grandma, and youth detention warden).

June saw SBS’s thrilling, controversial Go Back to Where You Came From docudrama (well, I call it that) and that was some amazing television, not to mention it collectively raked in so many comments, most of which drove me mad yet a bit happier.

Around this time DC Comics announced they’d turn the DC Universe upside down and inside out with a completely new retconned kind of playground, mish-mashing all the Earths together (well, I still don’t get the mechanics of it, to this day), in “The New 52″. Needless to say, many of the fans weren’t pleased.

In July I had a good excuse to be very posh and ladylike, with high tea at the Hopetoun Tea Rooms for my 23rd birthday.

Then of course, there was the eighth and final Harry Potter film, which just couldn’t disappoint me on principle (even though it wasn’t as cinematic as Part 1, funnily enough). Alexandre Desplat’s score never left my playlist for several months.

August finally had me at a good point to buy a shiny iPad 2! I used to scoff at the idea of having one back in its infant period, but it seriously is an amazing device for leisure and for work. I love it. I called it Alfred II.

In September The New 52 launched, and as I figured I only picked up a handful of titles: Batman, Aquaman, Batwoman, Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark. Also, the Huntress mini-series and I continued to collect American Vampire from the Vertigo line. I read a few other titles but couldn’t stay interested, and/or was appalled by the quality (Imma lookin’ at you, Catwoman).

September and October were great months, work-wise. I was kept busy busy busy, and was constantly on my feet!

October consisted of meeting Batman aka Kevin Conroy while he was in town to promote Arkham City (I still need to get this, geebus)—and that is simply the highlight of that month. Maybe the year.

I went to China in  November, which I am now summarising on the blog. I stayed for a month, in time for my dude cousin’s wedding in early December. As with any overseas travel, it was an eye-opener and one great shopping trip and meal ticket. ;)

So I’ve watched a few more movies than I used to and read an awful lot less (164 compared to 309 the previous year) and hoarded way too much stuff, let’s hope I can be more productive and austere with my savings next year! Calling it a ” new year’s resolution” just isn’t going to work, I know this. Semantics!

Happy new year.