Sooo, here are some updates from the last... month. I have been really bad at updating lately, so it's quite the huge load of photos in this update. I haven't been doing too much though, so only from three occassions.

( MIDSUMMER )




( SUMMER COTTAGE )




( GRILL/GAME PARTY )



So... that's the gist of it. I hope you enjoyed.

And I am still open for special summer commissions! Check out this entry for detailed information. :>

I have some special commission offers for the summer. These special prices will only be offered until the end of August - so you better grab them while they're still here.

BONUS: With every three commissions I will throw in a free, coloured 100x100 icon commission (plus it's original 300x300 size) to be used on forums and blogs, ex.; livejournal.

✐ $10 Portrait pencilart commissions. Refined pencilart, bust, no background.
For an additional $5 you also get it coloured (photoshop).

✐ $15 Fullbody pencilart commissions. Refined pencilart, fullbody, little or no background.
Some examples: [Ex. 1] [Ex. 2] [Ex. 3] [Ex. 4]
5$ for each additional character (2 characters would be 20$ and so on).

✐ Pixelart commissions - sprites, portraits, buttons, you name it! Prices start at around $10 and are depending on size and complexity.
Some varied examples: [Ex. 1] [Ex. 2] [Ex. 3] [Ex. 4]

✐ Shipping of originals (worldwide) is an additional $3.

PAYMENT: I only accept paypal: mirrew @ gmail . com (remove the blanks). Email me (at that same address) or comment here if you are interested!


★ CURRENT WORKLIST ★
1) spikecomix: 2 characters fullbody + colours ☆
2) OPEN ☆
3) OPEN ☆
4) OPEN ☆
5) OPEN ☆
6) OPEN ☆
.
.
.

▶ What is the character you've drawn the most (Can be original or fanart)?
Lotiki or Shayna. Probably Lotiki, though most has been sketches.

▶ What colour do you most often use?
Blue.

▶ Any colour you are bad at using?
Yellow.

▶ When drawing people, where do you start?
Pose sketch to get anathomy, balance and flow right. After that it's the head.

▶ What is a character only your eraser will love?
I guess Kai... he never comes out right. I kinda want to redesign him as well.

▶ Which of your works took the longest time?
I have NO idea. I never keep track of the time when I draw - as I work on my pieces a little at a time over a long span of time usually. But a guess would be the jungle carnival picture.

▶ What techniques do you use when you want to improve in drawing?
Read up on it, and practise. Right now I'm trying to improve in perspective, buildings and backgrounds.

▶ What art tools/media are you good with?
I guess lead pencil, watercolour and pixel art.

▶ Art tools/media you are bad at?
Not really bad as much as I haven't really had a chance to try it yet. I'd like to learn oils... but I also want to get better at CGing. I'm so slow that it's painful with Photoshop.

▶ What do you think about your own art?
I kinda like it. Right now Im starting to have alot of pieces that I actually enjoy looking at! That was not the case a couple of years ago. I also know in what general areas I need to improve, but sometimes I need someone to point out other things about it that I can't discover on my own.

▶ Do you consult magazines for your drawings?
Nope. I consult artistic friends mostly. And google for quick references! ;)

▶ What do you like about your art?
That I finally have a style to call my own. It's recognizable as mine. I also like my own attention to details, as it is something I search for in others' artwork.

▶ What habits do you have while drawing?
I like to have music on (often only one artist/album/song on repeat), and sometimes even TV-series - but on my laptop so that I can pause when I want to. I also draw intently for a little while (say 10 min) and then take a break, then go back to drawing again. So that is part of why it takes me so long to draw. I can't always focus for a long period of time. But sometimes I also get really into it and forget all about time.

▶ Are you good at drawing faces facing right?
I don't really think about it. I guess I am?

▶ How frequently do you draw?
Not always that often. If I'm studying/working then that can tire me out quite alot then I'd draw about 3-5 times/week ...but mostly sketches. If I have more time on my hands I'll draw every or every other day - sketches or complete pictures.

▶ What do you do when you have artist's block?
Read, look at others' art to inspire me, and also sometimes force myself to draw until the block goes away.

▶ What must you have when you draw?
A computer, a lead-pencil, white paper and privacy. I get really antsy if someone watches me draw.

▶ Do you have a lot of stray lines (messy lineart)?
Only in the initial stages... or if it's part of the style/texture I'm trying to convey.

▶ What is drawing to you?
Some sort of meditation I think. Drawing makes me calmer and happier no matter if I show it to anyone or just keep it to myself. I also feel accomplished when I finish an art piece.

▶ Your goal from now on:
To get better at the things I'm not that great at yet, to try new media, and to draw more frequently.

▶ Artists you've had influence from?
Hans Arnold, John Bauer, Chris Riddell and many more.

▶ Artists you like?
Same as above.

▶ Which is easier to draw, humans or animals?
It's about the same I guess... though I need references more often for animals as I don't draw them as often as humans.

▶ Please tell us the title(s) of your own comic(s)
Not Existing Yet. :P

▶ Show us an old picture

I drew this when I was about 5 years old. :D It's Goldilocks.

▶ What is the charm-point of your art?
I... have no clue? I guess most people find different things about my art that they like.

▶ What is the first thing you would draw if we're talking about fantasy?
Mythological creatures... probably stuff from Nordic folk tales. After that high fantasy inspired stuff, trolls, elves, warriors, bards, etc.

▶ Please draw your most beloved character:

Haha!

▶ When thinking of characters is it mostly female? male? or androgynous/no sex?
Pretty much androgynous. Though at the moment the majority of my OC's are female, but that is soon to be corrected as I try to keep it pretty even and have a few more male characters planned that don't have profiles up just yet.

▶ What did you draw yesterday?
Worked on a pixelart sprite for feral_grinn!

▶ What is the funnest part to draw?
It differs. I like drawing silly faces, but also hip-areas on both males/females, hair, and feet. Oh, and design clothes. I love designing outfits!

▶ What part of other people's drawings do you notice first?
Originality, creativity, variety, if they have that "thing". It needs to draw me to it... I know some really talented artists that I can't even stand to look at their art anymore because all the characters look the same, are too pretty, and all the art just blends into a mass of the same stuff. A good artist can vary themselves and are not afraid to try new things.

▶ Regarding backgrounds, what is your method of making it easier to draw?
I don't think I have a method... I'm not that awesome at backgrounds. If I get stuck I try to think around the problem and look at lots of references for new ideas or a way to implement the original idea.

▶ What colour coordinations do you like?
Cold tones, or warm tones mixed with cold shading. I like strong colours, not that much a fan of pastels (which might sound a bit odd since I like to paint with watercolours, haha).

▶ What character did you last draw?
Of my original ones it was a new character for the Unavisi comm called Lingon. Working on his character sheet.

▶ Does your style change easily?
It used to, until I found my own style (around 2005). It does change as I evolve of course, just not as dramatically. But I can still copy styles quite easily.

▶ What part of drawing do you pay most attention to?
Flow, balance/lack of balance, anathomy.

▶ How do you feel about drawing H pictures?
Don't really do it myself...

▶ Do you like criticism from others?
Yes, when I ask for it. Which I actually do quite often, and I really try to keep all the advice I receive in mind - even though I might only select some of it to act on in the specific drawing. Some I keep to influence my art over time (if it's something bigger - like a common anathomical flaw that I might have with my art), and some I chose not to act on as I like those things the way they are because it might be part of my style.

This week was really good. I applied to another (local) art school after I got the rejection letter from Konstfack. And on Monday I got a letter from this school saying I got in! Only 10 out of 60+ got accepted so it makes me feel special. :D *gets a big head* Anyways, this is really, really good news for me! Basically, since I learnt to draw by myself and never studied art before it's really hard for me to get into the Bachelors' program I want (and also to get freelance jobs). This school that I got into has a basic one-year art program - which is precisely what I need. I will try for both Konstfack's "Grafisk Design och Illustration" and Mälardalens Högskola's "Informativ Illustration" next year and with the help of this basic program and advice from teachers I hope I'll get accepted into one of them. I must say that it feels really good to have some sort of plan for the next couple of years, and to see things actually coming into place.

Mostly for my application I sent in art that I had done before (a couple of PE arts as well!), but also two new pieces that I want to show you guys. Also linking to the old art that I re-fried for this purpose ;) ...in case anyone is curious to what got me accepted.

( ART UNDER HERE )



I have also been working on some commissions. Specifically pixel art commissions:

I did this for enerjak based on her design and character.

I'm also working on a huge set of sprites for feral_grinn that I will show when they are finished. But I must say that they are progressing very nicely.

Oh, and I am open to commissions as always if anyone else should be interested. Not only pixel art of course - you can commission anything you'd like from me! I need more commissions to work on so that I can pay the school fee come the end of August.



And not on the topic of art - we recently decided on a name for our cat. She is now named Skugga ("shadow" in Swedish). She is such a little charmer. She really likes to cuddle and be petted. But she is also quite mischevious! I've had to rearrange alot of things in my room so that she won't get her paws on them or accidentally knock things over. She has a very curious resting place as well, I took a video of it in fact.

We picked up our kitten today. She is twelve weeks old, and of mixed races (some siamese in the mix too). Her mother had a really nice personality, it was great to see that. We hope she'll turn out quite the charming lady, sh is already very well behaved and cuddly. So far she's nameless, but among the suggestions are: Lakrits (liquorice), Salmiak, Skugga (shadow), and Aska (ash).

Say hello to our newest family member:

( MOAR PICTURS! )

It is as if I have been reluctant to write a new entry here since it will make me feel that it is really over. That my year in Japan is really in the past now.

I have been back in Sweden for about a month now. It took a while to get adjusted to how it is here. I will probably always miss Japan and my time there, but that doesn't mean that I'm not happy to be home. But I have actually been keeping myself pretty busy, to take my mind off things.

The last weeks in Japan were pretty hectic. My family came over for a couple of weeks, and I'm going to put up some photos from that later. And then I packed like mad, had a hard time understanding that I was really going home, and said farewell to all my friends. Was in a bit of a daze the first few days (jetlag?) and then I have been spending time with friends and family, looking for job, and working on another application for an art school. We also went to our summercottage to celebrate my grandmother who turned 90 years last week! And today is my brother's 18th birthday! So many big days, hehe...

Here are the assignments that I completed for the art school in Sweden that I want to enter. Not too happy with all of them since I didn't really have all the materials necessary (not surprising since I'm living abroad at the moment), and also too little time to work on them. Anyways...

( HERE THEY ARE )

Hello! Sorry for the lack of updates the last month. I have just been really, really busy. So, what has happend lately? Well...

- I worked my ass off with the entrance assignments for Konstfack - a Swedish art school that I want to enter. It's very prestigeous and alot of people apply for this school and precise program so I'm quite sure I won't get in this time. But if I don't then I'll try next year again!

- I graduated from the language school. It was both relieving and sad at the same time. I learnt so much during my year there, and I made some wonderful friends. I can also easily say that this was the best class I have ever been in during all my years of studying. Everyone was so nice, welcoming, supportive, helpful and funny in their own ways. I guess I am going to miss my classmates the most... but some of the teachers were also great! Not going to miss some parts of the studying that much though, haha. But I will keep it up back in Sweden. I definitely don't want to forget the stuff I have learnt here, and I hope I can become even better at Japanese.

- I've been free the last three weeks, and the first two were spent doing alot of stuff with Viktoria around town, changing my visa status, hanging out with friends, etc. We went to the local zoo among other things!

- I moved in with Viktoria. I was sort of kicked out of my apartment because they needed it for the new students that are coming now. So, the landlord suggested that I move in with Viktoria the remaining time. It is working well so far, though we live very cramped and have stuff all over the place! Her brother and his girlfriend are also visiting so we don't spend too much time together in the room though.

- My family (father, mother, and younger brother) came here a week ago. I have been their tourguide/interpretor here and we have had a great time together. The weather had been great! And it is so beautiful right now with all the sakura trees blossoming.

YES!
YES!
YES!
FOR REAL!



( MORE PHOTOS )

This is what I did on Sunday. Me, Viktoria and Naoko went to Osaka to do some shopping and get pierced. I had decided to get my septum pierced because I have wanted this piercing since I was about 16 years old. At the time I decided between my lip piercing and the septum one and the lip won. But I have still wanted this one too. So I figured, "why not?" And then I went and got it. I can easily say that this was my most painful body mod so far.

Look what I got in the mail last week!





...and suddenly I felt very relieved.