Parfay

Is my face doing the right thing?

2013-07-21T07:51:00.002-07:00

Hello!

As we are getting dangerously close to an entire year without posts, I just wanted to do a little blog to say how sorry I am for going totally awol. I don't really want to go into it, but for a tldr version: when I'm not happy, I can't art. I'm sure I'll be happy and arty again someday (soon I hope).

In the mean time, I would urge anyone and everyone to read Hyperbole and a Half, as the author manages to put into words (and pictures) something I could never describe!

x

ACEO #12 - The Alchemist

2012-09-16T01:43:00.001-07:00

Here is the third ACEO for my little steampunk ladies set - and probably my favourite one of all! Mostly because I think I managed to do purple and yellow without reminding me of a Cadbury's Caramel bar.

I just love thinking up steampunk characters so much, I'm not quite sure I can stop at 3 of them...

ACEO #11, Time for your Medicine

2012-09-11T14:05:00.001-07:00

A little ACEO that's been a sketch since the last MCM Expo, though after someone on DA pointed me to the resemblance I'm considering renaming this to "Herbert West's Grandma."

Double -Drawing Sunday!

2012-09-02T09:58:00.001-07:00

OK, so maybe I just forgot to upload some little bits. oops! Here is a birthday present for the fantabulous Fran of Penny Blackfeather fame (www.pennyblackfeather.co.uk):

And, here is page 3 of Marci Chapter 2! The months of hiatus on Marci is due to me freaking out over the words and dialogue, as the story is complex enough now that they've become necessary, but at the same time it's taking me farther and farther away from my original intentions of the project. So I've decided (although it will mean some reworking of the first 2 pages) that Chapter 2 will be a sort of "storybook", with pictures taking up the majority of the page, and then any accompanying words underneath (unless the odd one fits in nicely like they do in this page). This now however presents a slight problem as my online comic viewer majigger doesn't allow descriptions in which the accompanying text could sit, so any suggestions about how best to display this online would be most welcome. Anyway, on to page 3!

"Use the bloodhounds, but have them bring her alive. Lead them yourself- you understand what's at stake here. Now, GO!!"

Etsy Shop Launch & Doodle

2012-08-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

Life has been busy and turbulent recently, and as a result I've had neither the time nor the will to paint- This painting has been a kind of sandbox for me over the last week, to try and get me back in to the swing. Also, freckles rock my socks!

In other news, I did manage to actually put up all of my current prints and ACEOs and things on to Etsy! I hope you like :) - http://www.etsy.com/shop/parfay

Marci, Ch 02 Page 02

2012-05-12T02:11:00.001-07:00

So, FINALLY it's page 02. I had real trouble finishing this one, and all but scrapped one version. Huge thanks to Francesca, creator of the gorgeous Penny Blackfeather ([link]) for her constant nagging- without it I'm not sure how long it would have taken me!

I'm still struggling with a comic that requires words, so I've switched to a font rather than handwriting... I'm so concerned about people not being able to read it, but at the same time I want it to look scratchy and not "KABLAM-y"... argh!

The price of Dragons

2012-04-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

Uh oh, someone's been reading too much game of thrones!

Seriously, it's still like reading "Dan Brown goes to Mordor" and i hate myself a little bit but i JUST CAN'T STOP, and now it's infected my art-brain! argh!

Quick Marci Portrait

2012-04-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

A quick portrait of Marci to get me back in to the swing of painting, after a really long block. the first digital painting of Marci ever! I hope it looks like her.

New Marci!

2012-03-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

So here we are, the very first page of issue 2! Text and words and things are all very new to me, so I'm trying to keep it simple and retain the painty feel by handwriting all my lines. The only problem is... I'm not sure people can read my hand writing! So, if you feel my penmanship is too sloppy to make out at this size, please do let me know and I will tidy things up quick smart :)

Anyway, on with the Marci- new people, new locations, NEEEW!

Masquerade ACEO

2012-03-18T15:53:00.003-07:00

Only the 1 upload this week, a little something I did in between paint drying- next week I really hope to be able to show you page 1 of the second issue of Marci! It’s taken a lot longer than expected, but I really don’t want to rush it.

Mini Marker Monsters - 4

2012-03-08T06:38:00.001-08:00

This is my final little monster for the time being, I won’t say much except that she was intended to be the sister of number 1

Mini Marker Monsters- 3

2012-03-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

You know, I did make up little background stories for each of these ladies- but I'm too embarrassed to post them! So please, just enjoy the pictures and make up your own imaginings as to their lives, and why so many different races have all come together for this Monster's Ball :)

Mini Marker Monsters – 2

2012-03-04T03:46:00.004-08:00

All of this little series is mixed media- markers, colour pencils, gel pens and metallic paints. Working so small was really tricky, but looking around at some other ACEOs some people manage to cram whole backgrounds in- how do they do that!?

Mini Marker Monsters – 1

2012-03-03T14:27:00.003-08:00

OK this is attempt 2 of doing some ACEOs. Muuuch less madness when I cut the cards out before starting

These ACEOs are crazy fun to do, for 2 reasons-
1) You get to poke your tongue out at all the teachers who, throughout school, chastise you for drawing too small. These babies are a teeny 2.5″ by 3.5″ – the picture below is bigger than actual size!
2) Because they are small, they take about 2.5 hours each to do. That’s pretty short for drawing, so you get a really quick positive feedback loop and that lovely feeling gained by completing a picture. It’s kind of like those first few levels in WoW, where killing 1 blind boar gives you a bazillion levels and you feel like a god.

Anyway, here is number 1 of a group of pictures themed around a Monster’s Ball. Apparently that phrase comes from medieval England- prisoners awaiting execution were called monsters, and the ball was their last meal- grizzly!

Mini Marker Elves: Winter

2012-03-01T12:13:00.001-08:00

And finishing with Winter! It really was nice picking a little theme to go along with for a while, but I don't think I'll be trying out horoscopes or the entire female contingent of the Wheel of Time series just yet :)

Mini Marker Elves: Autumn

2012-02-29T13:03:00.004-08:00

Back on Track with my Mini Marker Elves, here is bountiful and brazen Autumn.

Mini Marker Elves: Summer

2012-02-28T12:57:00.004-08:00

Today is, i must admit, my least favorite Elf- before they go to Expo she’ll have to be redone to fit in the series better.

Still, here is Summer; and tomorrow, Autumn!

Mini Marker Elves: Spring

2012-02-27T16:22:00.002-08:00

Here is part 1 of a little series of seasonal fairies done over the weekend- on a little bit of a marker rampage! The alternative theme for these is “barely covered nippleage.”

I say little because these were meant to be ACEO sized- 2.5″ by 3.5″. However, drawing this small is a lot harder than I gave it credit for, so these are just under postcard sized, to either be ruthlessly cropped down, or… not.

Today is actually my favorite elf, Spring.

Tomorrow, Summer!

Happy Birthday Philip!

2012-02-24T03:23:00.003-08:00

So it’s the fella’s Birthday today, and in honor of his enormous hair (and his love for space cowboys), he gets this:

Markers & Bristol Board with a bit of coloured pencil. Cowboy Bebop Characters (c) Shinichiro Watanabe & Keiko Nobumoto

Marci Rebellion

2012-02-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

As is always the way, as soon as you *need* to get on with 1 project, you become flushed with inspiration / distraction / procrastination… must get on!
Shout out to amazing concept artist Josh Atack http://badgertracks.net/ Who gave me some invaluable pointers on my last pic, I hope I’m going in the right direction
Anyway, back to the world of Marci. Things are about to get pretty awesome!

Do you know, I don't think Hippos have tongues!

2012-01-28T14:53:00.001-08:00

It seems like a popular recipe of making a terrifying and above all foreign enemy in fantasy books is to

1) take one unconventional / not-previously-encountered steed

2) armor your warrior to resemble an unrelated, unconventional / not-previously-encountered beastie.

Inspired by the *spoilers!* cat-riding ant warriors and the camel-riding elephant warriors from the wheel of time and game of thrones respectively, I present to you a hippo-riding dung beetle warrior. With Morning Star.

Happy 2012!

2012-01-20T09:24:00.000-08:00

It’s 2012! Live this new year like it’s your last

Apologies for the lack of updates, after expo I got rushed back into to full-time employment for 4 weeks to help out some folks, and then a wonderful 4 week vacation to Sydney via Singapore and Japan!

However now I am back, and happy to say that work will resume on the second Chapter of my 3-part mini comic, Marci.

In the mean time, please have a little painting! This was an attempt at a speed painting, but at about 7 hours total scumbag brain clearly did not understand the concept!
I’m delighted to have finally worked out how to extract cleaner hand-drawn lineart, thanks entirely to my lightbox (which is thanks entirely to my Dad who MADE me one), and this lovely tutorial here: http://www.studioqube.com/tutorials/painting/index.html
Other references and influences: PoseManiacs, the fantastic artwork of Rune Factory 3, and wonderful Hyung Tae Kim costumes!

Rain Clowned

2011-10-28T16:39:00.000-07:00

An old favorite of mine that I painted back in June, before this blog was created. It's a rain-cloud themed clown girl. Based on the wonderful mjranum-stock: [link]

I would have updated the signature from my old DA-based one of "Amari" but again the original file is on my long-lost and un-backed-up mac- doh!

1 day to go!

2011-10-27T04:29:00.000-07:00

This is an old bookmark lineart I found and decided to colour anew- the original was finished in markers but I have lost the scan and physical piece :( It doesn't matter though, since going back to digital painting after 3 months of watercolour was AMAZING. I actually had a montage while I was painting, it was THAT fun.

In other news, EXPO IS TOMORROW!

After a right royal cock up by the couriers, my comics should be delivered to me at 9.30am tomorrow- nothing like leaving it till the last minute!

And now for something completely different!

2011-10-26T03:18:00.000-07:00

I got completely lost in looking at all the beautiful Maiko / Geiko photos in this girl's blog: http://mboogiedown-japan.blogspot.com/ (scroll pass Reese Witherspoon looking silly and it gets better).

In Marci news, my comics are all printed now, but apparently they've been delivered and signed for.... just not to me! GULP! Let's just hope I can track these down before Friday, eh??