Sketching with Reckless Abandon

Rambling a Bit for a Burning World

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 03:27:00 +0000

Best outcome, next few years suck, trump gets out, dems and whoever gets in, rollback on all the bullshit

Worse outcome, next several years suck worse, trump gets out, republicans and whoever gets in, bullshit gets reenforced

Also Worse and really bullshit outcome, next several years suck, trump gets out, dems get in, but bullshit stays for a long time until a significant social and political change force hands - which while inevitable (something got to give) will also suck, but things will change but not as they were

Anyway, I had a good cry today about current times. A month ago, I had a minor epiphany that all we had to do is survive the next few years with the bullshit and just get trump out and get past this era and fix things and we will be - still hurting - but at least escape the worst of it.

But now, I'm not sure about anything anymore.

I'm sure you have heard about the Mastercard and Visa censorship, UK's Online Safety Act, USA's KOSA and SCREEN Acts, and so on. I have no words. This is disgusting, dangerous, privacy violating, destructive censorship that will strip many adult and child users of the internet and of their rights. This is not about protecting women and kids (hint: I'm AFAB, and I reject these censorships btw they don't speak for me), this whole thing is about controlling what information we can see, what can we buy, what can we make, and what can we say.

So, now that my grief for the current free internet is out of the way, let me say this:

If you have the means to do so, the money and time, I suggest becoming an archivist. Save as much as you can, learn how to do backups properly, join archival groups to keep track and save information out there. Especially of LGBTQ+ Rights and Culture, Civil Rights, Human Rights, and so on. If you have to sail the high seas, do it. Download a copy of your bookmarks (if you don't have any saved in your browser, start saving now), on articles use print then send to PDF to save a copy, maybe get something like Joplin, Obsidion, or other local notebook to save information as text and back that up, both through local storage and cloud.

Text docs are light, rendered text docs are a little heavy, images and videos get heavy quick. Backup your backups your backups.

You don't have to save everything, but at least small bits of pieces here and there if you could. Remember the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of data, two in different media, 1 offsite either in another location or on the cloud.

If it helps, here's something from my most recent journal entry.

The cost of data storage goes up, especially for cloud. There are other options.

As of 7/30/2025:

Wasabi $7.00 per TB per month pricing as you go
Backblaze is another option starting at $9.99 per month, Backblaze B2 Hot Storage $6/TB/Month
Storj.io starting at $0.004/BG/Month ($4/TB/Month)
CrashPlan Professional unlimited backups $7.33 per user/month
Idrive.com $9.95 per month for Personal
pCloud $9.99 2TB or $19.99 10TB - Lifetime $399 ($599) or $1190 10TB for life
AWS S3 Glacier Deep Archive - $0.00099 per GB - Warning, known to have expensive egress and additional charges.

I'm thinking about learning encryption, too, for more sensitive stuff.

I currently have a, unfortunately a basic and low paying, job and access to at least two survey sites that give me some small amount of pay. After getting a new tablet in Sept, I plan to get at least two 2TB drives, sort through the files I have either collected or made, back that up, and create and maintain my History Keeper folder for collecting a few snapshots of recent events. Then backup to cloud, something hopefully more secure than Google Drive (any affordable recommendations is welcomed).

It's a start. I'm gonna try to keep the folder below 50GB, so I'll limit the amount I collect over time. Goal is to keep track of what's going on, as long as I have access. If things shake out a little where information is limited but not horribly erased or censored, okay, but I rather be safe than sorry.

I'll search for archival groups to join or at least support them if I want to contribute. Outside of this, the backups are also for my art and stories, just in case.

I'll still work on my art and stories. I want WOR to be reality and all its stories, too. I want to get back to working on Eightenate and creating new 3D models of my characters to test the look for my comics or whatever media I decide to put this in. I do feel bad for not having a consistent period of work and not being successful artist, but I refuse to let my creative light die. I will make something out of this, one way or another.

But yeah, I'm deeply scare of the future. I'm scared for everyone. There's so much art, blogs, forums, servers, and other places I hate to see disappear from the internet or censored to the point I can't see them.

And while I do not believe this forever - this entire censorship thing is not sustainable at all and is very unpopular across the countries this will affect - there is a possibility if it gets through, this will have staying power depending on future leadership for the next few decades.

A brighter world is out there. Keep fighting for it in anyway you can. Resistance is always possible, even when things get dark. Sometimes, some take it easy and other take it hard and fast, damn the risk and consequences.

ArtFight Attacks!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 01:05:00 +0000

Cactus Addax for Socereus!

Nebula for Eternal_Starstorm!

Owen Yin for SkelliDog!

Lady Blade Gwuenevere - Updated for Artfight

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 23:11:00 +0000

Very late for Artfight, but here's updated art of Gwuenevere with her magic Thread and her Woven Blade.

Gwuenevere prepares an attack with a flourish of magical splendor. Sprouting from her fingers are thin thread, flowing together into long cords of crystalized ichor which is then molded into a blade. Woven by thousands of magical Threads, the blade takes on a piercing shape. Like that of a sewing needle, it displays an eye by which Gwuenevere's Thread flows through.

It seems to be made with precise attention, but it is short and deceptively brittle. While Gwuenevere 's Woven Blade does not cut well, it is made to puncture. To quickly dart and dig into the enemy's core and out again. The blade carries her Thread into their wounds, which its strands then burst into a painful cluster of metal crystals. With their interiors made from Gwuenevere's ichor, these crystals bleed themselves deeper and grow more of themselves from within.

A devastating sight to witness. Yet many witless War-Fitted would find themselves bearing ichor scars from their battles with Gwuenevere. Some, if very unfortunate, would face their demise by her blade. Those crystals creep deep, damaging the integrity of one's ichor structure, leaving a wake of destruction that corrodes throughout.

A ruination that finds no cure by any measure.

THOU ART BLADENLESS!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 17:03:00 +0000

It's over rendered a bit, but I like this comic! Please enjoy!

Loving the ichordic hair texturing, though a bit inconsistent with lighting in the scene. I didn't have an idea (yet) on a background, so I just borrowed some inspiration from the Byzantine mosaics of golden backgrounds for this. The border was from this photo of an interior of a basilica in Hagia Sophia by Raimond Klavins.

Image ID below:

A four panel comic of two siege-status war-torches, Thermite (the five horned torch with reddish toned ichor) and Caelestis (the two horned torch with purple toned ichor). The comic is set within a worn decorative blue and gold panels with golden background behind the two brother torches.

Thermite just flown into the first panel, teasing his annoyed brother on his low mood.

"Oh, my dearest hatch-brother," Thermite said with sly smile on his wooden face and a finger upon his chin, "Thou look so glum!

Caelestis makes no response to his brother's jest, but Thermite continues, turning to his brother with his fingers interlocked.

"Hast thou lost someone important? Mislaid a lady blade?

Caelestis seems to finally take note of his brother's incoming joke as Thermite, struggling to keep back a laugh with a squirming smile.

"Thou appearest...

His face breaking into a exaggerated cartoony smile, Thermite lands his punchline.

"BLADENLESS!!!"

"Please cease talking to my sword wyfe," Caelestis retorts with an angry glare as his ichor shifts from a cool purple to a harsh red.

Details update goofy ahhhhh

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:47:00 +0000

Colors progress! Trying to keep them looking both similar and different at the same time.

Blogger Update your site please

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 19:05:00 +0000

You do the most funniest thing right now

Like, Tumblr and Wordpress is probably dying and if Tumblr and Wordpress goes there's Pillowfort annnnnnnd

annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd

Blogger

(I know there's more blog sites out there but hear me out)

Blogger you can bring back web 1.0 or whatever like web3.5 idk

Please just update your site so I can find other users more easily pls

Or just have a webring function pls

THOU ART MAIDENLESS

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 01:10:00 +0000

The Janthizeran Siege Arches Thermite and Caelestis

You're stuck babysitting the world's most annoying brother (outside of your five other brothers).

Unfortunately, you need him to keep the empire stable.

The Janthizeran Brothers ruled for centuries, but they still have their sibling rivalry moments.

Like debates over district expansions, who's the face of the empire, fighting over their lords' loyalty, and stealing each other suitors

Just normal sibling stuff

WIP - The Jantherizeran Brothers - Big Turtle Preview ahhahahhahahah

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 01:33:00 +0000

Welcome to Big Dead Turtle City

It's dead and a city at the same time!!

And maybe an empire oh no :D

Commissions Open through March to the end of May 2025!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 13:37:00 +0000

Commissions Open through March to end of May! See my portfolio, penwrythe.carrd.co, for examples of my work. I accept requests through either Artistree or Ko-Fi. Paypal invoice is also included.

For Terms of Service: see my TOS here!

If you just want to support me, no problem! Just buy me a delicious decaf Coffee!

Seven of Wands - Seven Brothers WIP

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 17:39:00 +0000

✨💫🔪✨🔪✨🔪⭐fucking betrays you⭐🔪✨🔪✨🔪✨💫

EVERYTHING IS COMPLETED AND DONE-ISH!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 19:25:00 +0000

Eightenate Character, Sword prop, and callout sheets are completed!

I can finally move on to finalizing her character model in Blender and adding her sword as a model, too. But before that, I need to work on some 3D animation and hard surface modeling practices, which might take most of March. The completion of the character model itself might be around June or July.

For anyone who was here when I started on this saga last year, remember that this project was to create a style guide for future World of Relics 3D comics. I know this model, the first of three characters for the style, took about a year to get to this point. This is mostly because I'm relearning a lot of things related to 3D character design for NPR (non-photorealistic rendering) styles, including building my own shaders, style matching between 2D and 3D, sculpting and retopolgy, UVs and texture baking, and so on. So, yeeeaaah, kinda taking a long time for this style guide.

The good thing is that the more I learn, the faster this 3D character creation will be. Also, most of what I learned will become second nature, so no like three or four weeks of learning how to do proper topology so the model won't look weird if shaded the wrong way (no I'm not kidding). I still have 3D (and 2D) animation, advanced character sculpting, and character rigging to learn, however. This year will be all learning!

I have no start time (aside from a trello reminder for 2027) for starting my Rise of Relics comic. I'm thinking about while developing the character models, just start traditionally with drawn characters and environments. Then eventually added the 3D characters and environments as I go along, especially for more complex scenes.

Anyway though, this was an enjoyable process. Hope to have Eightenate's character model completed soon!

Credits for the stock images used in the above callout sheet:

Photo by Alex Suprun on Pixnio
Photo by benjamin lehman on Unsplash
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Photo by PDTillman on Wikimedia
My own example of a crystal blade
Arpit Sahani from Pixabay
Photo by Andreas Haubold on Unsplash

OOOHHauuuhhhhhhhhhhggggghh perspective hard

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 02:02:00 +0000

Fixing and correcting old sword design to updated version.

Old version

New WIP update

Cleanup stage 2

Thank you so much Krita for the perspective tool. I'm not sure if this is correct buuut yeah.

Callout/Reference Page for Eightenate

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 17:10:00 +0000

One more WIP page for my character Eightenate! This will show a callout/reference sheet for textures needed and design notes for Eightenate. I should have done this before working on her 3D model, but that's okay, I'm learning!

Happy Valentines Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 02:26:00 +0000

I don't have anything special for Valentines Day, but to answer a few unanswered questions about my World of Relics objectocs:

Yes, you can date them, if you can survive the miasma they emit that turns you to stone.
No, they cannot eat candy, they only eat the materials they are made of.
Yes, my objectocs have a wide assortment of genders, all based celestial changes and motions in the sky - you must know your astrology!
No, that is impossible and possibly dangerous, you know who you are.
Yes, they'll love your (very breakable and flammable) gifts.
No, you cannot lovingly gaze into their eyes (you'll enthrall them and possibly have a stroke while they pummel someone).
I don't know, unless you have good magic and fire resistance, good luck dating Wands or Torches.
I do not recommend hugging anyone that is a giant Sword. Or anyone with spikes. Or anyone made of glass.
Are you sure you want them to join your reality show?? That's not romantic- oh wait, Bachelor shows are a thing, lol.
No, you cannot wear them or use them as tools or weapons. They are too big and heavy for any use for any human.
Addendum to the above: some Apparelkind don't mind being worn as long as you ask first. Just know, they are a bit oversized.
Additional addendum: some instruments might like being played (platonically). You could make a band if you want!
Objectkind have no concept of the fragility of humankind...or the fact humans can't be revived at all after death. So, just be careful.

Calderian Earthenkind ages and sizes

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 00:29:00 +0000

Made a rough size and age sketch sheet of my Calderian Earthenkind, with a human (5'4") to show scale. Upper section shows Eightenate's size at age 25 due to her stunted growth next to an Adult Earthenkind around the same age. Bottom section shows normal growth over years.

Eightenate Character model Progress!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 02:04:00 +0000

So, over the past year, I've been working on Eightenate character model for a World of Relics style guide. The goal of the style guide is to help develop a consistent aesthetic, themes, style, and visual worldbuilding concepts for the overall look of the setting of World of Relics, and its sub universes, Rise of Relics and The Mundane Realm.

The goal of the Eightenate model is to test out how my designs translate to 3D space, while keeping my 2D painterly/comic book style. This means months of learning NPR styled shading and modeling, from Anime-styled renders to Arcane and Spiderverse styled shading. I'm still learning most of this stuff, as a lot of this style of 3D art and design is still new and developing. But once Eightenate's model is complete with body and facial rigging, with a plan on how to keep Appeal of my 3D models intact for comics, the process of asset creation of my future comics will go by faster.

Currently, the status of Eightenate's character model is the following:

Original 2D design

There are a few corrections I need to do for this model before moving on to rigging:

Finalize Shaders and Textures
Fix right scar over eye taper shape
Once that's fix, repaint scar to be close to reference
Reshape holdout geo over right eye and scar
Fix tassels shading to be closer to reference
Complete cape with two holes from reference and improve shading (Look up Arcane Cloth shading)
Make sword after learning hard surface modeling

Eightenate sword updates and upcoming character sheet corrections!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 01:42:00 +0000

I made corrections on Eightenate's sword, shown here in a previous post. Check it out:

The reason why I went with this design was due to the environment that Eightenate lived in was incompatible with the original hooked sword from her previous sheets. The original sword design was for breaching and bypassing the armor of war-fitted objects like war-torches and other polearms and fighting against swords by using the hook to redirect their swings.

But Kingdom of Calderia is largely populated by Earthenkind made of multiple layers of solid stone, which includes Eightenate - despite her stunted size. I don’t think that hook design will survive long in this setting. So I went with a thick stone sword with a wedged blade, designed to still breach armor and stone, wedge between exposed cracks, and act as a tool for breaking through barriers or aid in climbing. And some additional traits like punching with the bolted hilt or stone pommel.

Also, there’s a bit of an additional worldbuilding note for Eightenate: because of her stunted growth, she is unable to grow spines on the underside of her arm. While most adult Earthenkind (of stony variety) grow spines upon coming-of-age at 20, Eightenate was five years late in that growth and lacked the additional offensive and defensive benefits she would have gained from them.

This sword was a gift given to her by an elder Earthen, who took care of her shortly after the lost of her past Guardian during her curiohood. The sword, once used in a higher position before Calderia’s downturn just years ago, was in poor condition and took a long time for Eightenate to take care of it. After some time, it gained a similar hue as Eightenate’s own chrysocolla core.

Next to be updated:

Correct textures on Expressions and Pose Sheets.
Update Sword Design on Pose Sheet.

Future use of this blog and my socials yay!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 02:27:00 +0000

Making a note to reorganize a few things between my socials.

First, make Blogger my archive, which means making all future art progress posts must be made there first before anywhere else. This will help with keeping track of projects more easily in one place. Once posted on Blogger, these posts will be copied and mass posted to all my other socials via Postybirb (with relevant edits if needed).

At this current time, I'm active on (in matter on priority for future posts):

Archive: Blogger
Career related: My Portfolio, Linkedin, Artstation, and Cara
Youtube (soon-ish) - Speedpaints and Project Journal
Ko-Fi
Newgrounds
Bluesky
Tumblr
Reddit
Instagram - Family
Toyhouse

Debating where I stay active or not:

Furaffinity - Alt aside, not sure if I feel comfy about posting there as my main. IDK, there's a few professional artists I like there, tho, so it might be okay as long things are kept separate.
Deviantart - AI bullshit
Artfol - I keep forgetting
Pillowfort - I keep forgetting

Anyway, in a few days, on Tumblr I will retro-post a lot of my past art so the older stuff get more views on them. Moving forward, this will be only done once a year, with future reblogs/reposts to be made once every month. On sites like this (Blogger), just do a reminder post once a month, and have Bluesky and Reddit reposts once a month.

Eightenate Poses and Expressions

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 20:48:00 +0000

Totally forgot to post her pose sheet a few months ago, but here's Eightenate's pose and expressions sheet!

Final Artfight Attack! Luxury the Cobra for Yellowflowerevy!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 04:32:00 +0000

Final attack! Almost ran out of time, so the quality suffered a bit. But it's okay!

Final Artfight Attack! Luxury the Cobra for Yellowflowerevy!

Artfight Attack: Archangel Sky Scythe for Unleader

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 01:54:00 +0000

Archangel Sky Scythe for Unleader! Here's their ToyHouse!

Artfight Attack! Vox for Kiri-Miko

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 01:18:00 +0000

Vox for Kiri-Miko! Here's her Instagram!

Progress below!

Friendly Fire attack on Jonathan Burl for Possumbreath

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 01:17:00 +0000

Possumbreath's profile on ArtFight and Toyhouse!

Breakdown below!

ArtFight 2024 - The Raining Star for Worlds of Woe

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 18:50:00 +0000

See Worlds_of_Woe character here!

Breakdown below!

Late entry, but I'm in ArtFight!!

noreply@blogger.com (Penwrythe) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 18:49:00 +0000

See my profile here! Come and attack me!