working on a pseudo-commission

So in between work, spending time with my wife and kid (It's still weird to think of myself as a dad.), occasional game playing, and the sometimes more scarce sleep than I'd like, I've been working on an image for my brother. In keeping with what little I feel like I know about being a professional artist, I think I might need his permission to show WIPs, but since it's not really a paid commission (and we don't have a contract), I think I'll post a bit.

The idea is creating a new pantheon of sorts, with each member being a great warrior riding on a giant war-beast.

I've also been brainstorming on some writing stuff, and I think I'm going to set up a blog for that so I can brainstorm with my wife, who loves to write, and my sister, who is beginning to get into writing.

I'm working as a programmer, so I start to crave creativity and I think I'm starting to find ways to make that happen.

...now if I could only find time to play guitar...

I think I want to make this blog worth looking at...

So I just looked and it's been at least 14 months since I last posted anything. I know all you (non-existant) readers are probably disappointed that nothing's been done with this in a long time.

But since you don't exist, I suppose your disappointment isn't too bad.

About the building:
I got to the point where it needed to be textured and it occurred to me that I don't know very much about how to texture in Maya. I figured it would be a nice learning experience for me, but then I started on a "Python in Maya" CGSociety workshop. That went well and I learned some cool stuff. Also, in January I found out that my wife was pregnant. Seeing the potential need for greater income and living space, we went about looking for (and eventually finding) a place to live, and a better job for me.

I'm now working full-time as a RIA Software Engineer, we're living closer to work, and until recently I had completely forgotten about the building.

I was also modeling a chaos defiler (a Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 thing) for a while before the baby was born and there was no longer room for me in what was temporarily my office.

So there it is. Live is what happened to me while I was busy making other plans, to borrow a favorite line from a good song.

a 3D building

First off, an update about NaNoWriMo. I finished my novel on the 29th of November at around three in the morning. I haven't looked at it since, because I've decided that December I'll let it sit and I'll hopefully come back to it in January with some fresh eyes.


And now, here's a 3D model I've been trying to work on, to teach myself how to do better 3D modeling. I based this off an image in the "Final Fantasy XII Art Collection" book that came with my players' guide. I've got it about as modeled as I want to make it, and now I'm working on texturing it.

Just passed the halfway point... late...

So NaNoWriMo is going pretty well, although every other day is a struggle lately...

I just passed the halfway point on the word count and it's technically 2 days after halfway through the month.

I'm starting to wonder whether I care... But I want to succeed. I only hope I'll be able to catch up on Saturday...

halfway through NaNoWriMo

For all of you reading this (and for now I'll assume you're basically just imagined) I thought I might explain why I haven't posted anything new this month.

This month I've been doing NaNoWriMo. I'm writing a book this month. And I don't know whether I'll care to read it when I'm done. I'm about 3000 words behind and hope to catch up this weekend if my Saturday isn't too full.

Before this month, I spent a lot of time looking for work or playing a game to avoid thinking about how badly I needed to find work. I got a job in June, so things area better, but I still need to make more.

I'm hoping that working with my friend's company on some projects will help me get enough to survive, but in the mean time, I'll just keep looking, I suppose.

And the goal of drawing and posting will still go on, if a bit neglected.

~M@

Idea revised

Here's that idea again, with a redrawn moon and fox thing.

UPDATE (a slightly more than half-formed idea :p)

I put a moon in the top right and changed the tree to try to make it in a similar style to the fox.

Yet another half-formed idea

Here's an idea I've been messing with lately... I should really start posting some finished stuff...


So with this image, I get the feeling I should throw something in to the top right corner, but I'm not sure what...