[Personal] Just Another Update

So... I haven't been posting on my blog again. I've been through a lot of changes recently. I quit my job for a more challenging role. It was a tough decision as I had to choose from a managerial role in a high profile company over a more technical role in a start up company. Most of my friends wanted me to take the first offer but I wanted a more technical role to leverage my skills. Currently, I like what I am doing, despite the long hours and the long commute home.

Aside from the new job, I'm also in the process of refurnishing my room. I have successfully reduced my clutter by a HUGE amount and I'm left with just a fraction of clutter compared to what I had before. I'm still in search for an Ikea Expedit knock off shelf here so I can get rid of what's left of my clutter.. Hopefully, before the year ends. :)

Lastly, my laptop died. I have been sleeping well for the past few weeks because I have no more distractions when I am home. I am seriously contemplating on prolonging this "unplugged" state that I am in. However, I won't be able to draw digitally for a while.

I'm trying to post this entry using my phone and I hope it will turn out ok

Tokyo Adventure Day 4: Meiji Jingu and Shibuya

Meiji Jingu was one of the best places I visited during my trip to Tokyo. I couldn't help but feel amazed by the efforts the Japanese made to preserve their culture!

Everything was massive, the Gates (Torii), the trees, the path... I was overwhelmed when I entered. While walking towards the shrine, I couldn't help but imagine what it was like during the time it was built (1920's). People walking around wearing traditional clothing and all...

Torii

Tokyo Adventure Day 3: Shinjuku Gyoen National Park

Influenced by an animated movie, I included the Shinjuku Gyoen National Park in my itinerary~! It was huge! I was only able to see the French Formal Garden, the English Landscape Garden and the Japanese Garden.

Small path towards the Japanese Garden

Tokyo Adventure Day 2: Asakusa, Ueno Park and Akihabara

I went to Asakusa, Ueno Park and Akihabara on the second day for my Tokyo adventure. I had planned other sites like Tokyo Tower, Zojoji Temple, Sumida Park, and Hikawa Jinja (the shrine at which Rei Hino/Sailor Mars live and work at) in Akihabara but I miscalculated a few things. I did not expect my feet to turn to jello at Asakusa then tortured even more when we reached Ueno Park... Good walking shoes is a must! Even though most sites are practically beside each other in Google maps... =_= It was hot and some streets were quite steep... =__=

Anyway here are some photos I managed to get:

Kaminarimon - Thunder Gate

Tokyo Adventure Day 1: Arrival

It has always been a dream of mine to travel to Japan ever since high school and it finally came true! Tokyo was absolutely beyond what I expected! The first few hours in Tokyo was already surreal and overwhelming!

During my train ride from Narita to Shinjuku Station, I noticed that everything was so clean and vibrant. The buildings all looked freshly painted, the grass were bright green and the trees were in huge clusters! Here's a 16 second video of my train ride scenery in Narita. Sorry for the low res, I didn't know how to set up my phone cam. >_<

I stayed in a hotel in Kabuki-cho Shinjuku, which is supposedly one of the most dangerous areas in Tokyo at night... However, everyone I encountered in Kabuki-cho were very friendly and helpful. Yes, there were a whole lot of host clubs touts but none of them paid attention to me except for one Filipino tout who has been living in Tokyo for 19 years. He told me that it was really obvious that I was a tourist. He also said that if he only met us earlier he would have been glad to give us a tour! Filipino hospitality at it's best!

[Artwork] Overwhelmed and Defeated

So I finally had time to pick up my graphics tablet and continue a WIP. Unfortunately, I got stuck on drawing hair again and I tried to watch some speed paint/tutorial videos...

Then I got overwhelmed =__= This always happens whenever I get stuck on something and try to look for references.. I was so overwhelmed I took 2 hours just to draw a chibi one.. *sighs*

I can't explain this without sounding like I'm bragging... but please bear with me a bit... I usually learn fast and I subconsciously expect myself to get things at the first try not because I'm confident about my skills but because I'm used to learning things quickly.

Whenever I'm asked about my strengths and weaknesses in job interviews, I usually say that learning fast is both a strength and a weakness of mine because I get exploited impatient when I can't understand and I try to look for the easiest way rather than practice for days, months or years. =_=

I also keep on saying, "As long as you have the right tools (doesn't have to be the best), you can learn or do anything." On the other hand, I have contradicted myself on this blog many times when ever I post about make up, painting and drawing hair on my digital works *khhhhhhh* =_=

*sighs*

[Personal] Good Morning!

Good Morning! I started my day late but several things made me happy today.

I don't have any pending artworks to share since I have been a little busy with personal things. Even if I go home early, I usually don't have time to do anything else and since my family successfully vanquished the evil stepmother out of our home, we started functioning like a normal family, going out every weekend and visiting each other every now and then. I even got conned into meeting some guy =_= No wonder everyone told me to dress up and wear make up =__= *sighs* family...

Artwork Update: Looking Down

I have so many unfinished artworks since I started practicing different sketches of the eyes. I am currently trying to finish most of my practice drawing but this time I'll do it gradually. :)

Here's an update on my half open eye sketch I posted last time:

Cool toned version

Merging Styles

Here's another unfinished artwork for this month. I've been drawing a lot lately but I haven't finished an artwork T_T

Oh.. I messed up the left lashes =_=

Not my usual style, right? I was asking for advice from my friend who is a digital artist about how to draw a certain expression. He said  that I drew better than him and just game me a silly comment >_< I told him that we had different styles that we were good at and that he was better than me in coloring and anime style artworks. That's where I got really frustrated.

Unfortunately, I suck at line art and coloring so all my anime styled works are scrap. But this time I tried to merge the styles of my art references to make my own! I think it looks good.. better than my previous artwork, right?

Practice - Smiling Eyes

Most of my artworks look really stoic and lifeless because of the eyes. I can't draw expressions in the eyes because I don't know how to. Even in pen and paper/anime style art...

So I decided to start by drawing smiling eyes...

I didn't bother with the brows =_=

It took me a while to figure out what was different from normal eyes and happy looking eyes. I asked my friend about it and he said the eyes look like an inverted U... Hence the photo reference =_=

I cheated a bit in my drawing though. I drew slightly squinting normal eyes then skewed it to make it look "happier" lol.. then I duplicated the sketch~! I don't usually like duplicating my sketches so I can practice drawing both sides, but since I already cheated, I might as well duplicate the eyes right? Hehehehe!

I like the fact that I was able to draw happy eyes but I don't like how the picture turned out.. :( I wish it looked more... anime-ish T^T

Graduation...

My Korean language class is finally over! The classes ended last weekend... It was so much fun I actually bought another Korean language book immediately after our graduation. ^__^

일번호 문제...

[Personal] Take Me With You!

Since I started working in the IT industry, I have always worked with "certain people". I always hated their work ethics and how they talk. Through the years I have accumulated quite a lot of resentment towards them and eventually generalized that they were all the same.

I just had to write a post about this because I would never have expected that a person from the "people I resented" so much could make me feel like I am doing great at work and that I should do more. Not because they are doing so bad and making me look great but because of all the encouragement I got. :)

My First Gachapons - Hakuouki: Shinsengumi Kitan

I did mention how much of a fangirl I became while I was playing Hakuouki: Shinsengumi Kitan on my 3DS, right? I even pre-ordered some gachapons online last October because there were no Nendoroids for Hakuouki T^T. The Hakuouki gachapons are the only figures I have that are not Nendoroids. If they release Nendoroids for Hakuouki, I would probably buy Saito, Sano, and Hijikata.

Kirino was excited too!

I Should Be Studying...

I should be studying for a test tomorrow but I just had the urge to draw something. I have been sketching half open eyes for the past few days and I really wanted to try drawing it digitally...

Still a work in progress since I just drew it on a whim with out any plan/concept in mind. I'll try to finish it once I can finally focus on other things. 3 weekends to go!!!

Nendoroid: Ui is Spazzing Out

I recently discovered that the Sylvanian Families sets were a better match for Nendoroids than Re-ment. I love Re-ment because of their food miniatures but I was always frustrated about the scale of their furnitures.

It never really crossed my mind to use the Sylvanian Family sets I impulsively bought last year until I saw pictures kixkillradio and Nodoka. They have so many gorgeous pictures and kixkillradio shares how she sets up her photos. Her blog is totally worth a visit!

I decided to try it out and I was really happy with the outcome. Unfortunately, I couldn't really go all out and set up an elaborate room since I had little time. Next time, I'll take better shots.

UI is Spazzing out while cooking

[Personal] Mixed Emotions

I would have drawn something instead of posting a poorly written blog entry but I don't have time. I'm only taking a short break from reviewing for my exams later this evening and if I don't let this out I feel like I might explode...

So many things happened this past few weeks and I am a wreck.

Not all things bad though, I just celebrated my birthday and a lot of people made me feel really special so it kinda balances everything out. I feel so lucky to have something to clutch on to when I'm feeling crappy however, these things are my escape when I don't want to deal with the bad stuff... Unfortunately, I also can't feel 100% happy because of these crappy situations.

I can't really go into details about what is happening and all I can say is that I desperately pray that nothing bad happens to the people I love.

[Personal] 지금 뭐하세요?

한국말을배웁니다...

오랜만이다... Hehehe! I haven't posted anything in a while. I've been busy but I feel bad that I have been neglecting my blog since 2014 started. I'm not going on a hiatus.. I'm just a little busy...

So many things to share, so little time...
I just wanted to give a little update and say hi... Hi! I'm still alive~! I've enrolled in another class this summer. I think I've started a yearly tradition for myself :) It started with my unsuccessful water color class in 2012, then the resin class, art and commerce, and swimming classes (2x) in 2013, then 한국말 (Korean).

Finding My Style: Plain White Shirt

No, this is not a fashion post. :) It's an artsy fartsy one! I finally have an artwork to post~!

It's been three years already since I started drawing digitally! Unfortunately, I haven't improved as much as I wanted. There are so many things I want to do and so little time >_<

Late Post is Late, New Artwork

My first post for 2014 is a month late! I've been busy at work and I have been trying to adjust to my new office location. Trying to wake up 3 hours earlier than usual is such a pain but I hope I can keep it up. My sleeping hours haven't adjusted yet so I only get a few hours of sleep, because of that I had to postpone my coffee ban again... =_=

With that said, I haven't been able to do any artworks starting last month and I think it's about time I published another artwork to start my year, right?

Still a work in progress, I hate her hair and I still need to refine the edges of her face a bit more, however it's a great improvement from my old artworks!