Psychopomp II: Bunny Love: Thoughts and Interior art

We are finally done with BunnyBunnychan! Now it's on the hands of the printer, so let us rejoice and hope that everything comes out perfectly! *HOPES*

For those that don't know yet (how come you don't  know? I talk about it all the time!) Bunny Love is the second volume of Gutter's collection of anthologies, "Psychopomp". The first one was Fantastic Baby, a fantasy-themed anthology. This one is Bunny Love, an erotica anthology.

It's a naughty child!

Or more like a traumatized, sexy, turbulent, passionate child. As the first volume, it features both short stories (for which I did some art thingies, which you can see beloooow) and comics, plus a wonderfully beautiful gallery of pretty.

Yes, it's THAT pretty.

Also, it's a big step from the first volume. We were five artists+writers on the first book. Now we are sixteen. From 140+ pages we went to 150+. And we were able to cover most of the printing costs thanks to crowd funding (and for *that* I will love you all forever. Your support is the one that allows us to keep on fightiiiing!), which I had always wanted to try. Thank youuuu.

You know, now that I am talking with more art-related people, I've been getting the "where can I find your work? where have you published things?" question more often. To which I answer that, well, I've self-published a lot (a loooooooooooooot) and there are some thingies by me in some OMGOTH awesome projects I was invited to take part of. 

Because, well, with the years I've learnt that I just love doing this. The whole "making the book". Putting it together, seeing it come to liiiiife. There's so much freedom and magick and wonderfulness in that. And the "come play with us in our book, lookie, here you have this many pages and a theme, go wild!", which I also enjoy.

I was also told, by some, how people overlook self-published things. To that... well, I really don't give a damn o.o Why are we thinking and talking so much when all the guts-instinct is saying "go this waaaaay"? Gogogogogo!

Putting so much care and effort into making something grow is too much fun, plus an awesome learning experience. All the lack of sleep, back ache and drama? All the mistakes? pfft, that's just comes with the job. There's so much I've learnt on each project I was a part of, so much I've learnt on this book, that will be seen on the next, as if to care about external noise.

I really *really* hope you enjoy it one it's out! ^_^ It's been fun. 

weapon of choice

Earlier today I posted the work in progress of miss flowery up here, and was asked on facebook about inking and inking materials.

When it comes to inking itself, there's little I can say here except... practice makes perfect and follow your gut-instinct? Well, that and watch the line. Watch it carefully and remember to play with the volume (the thickness/thinness ratio) in case you want to, well, have any volume in the drawing o.o

If you don't, then keep it all the same, great artists have worked that way all their lives, who am I to say otherwise?

(but if you want some volume, play with the line, dammit! play with it!)

I think the question also had to do with how to avoid stiff finished inks. 

In my case, I have very untidy and messy pencils, so half of the illu gets finished while inking, keeping the process very fun, instinctive and organic. But again, here follow your gut instinct, or whatever works best for you.

There are no rules here! :D Artistiiiiiiiiic anarchyyyyyyy! 

As for materials, I like them all. I do. The great quality ones, the not-so-good-but-hey-it-makes-that-awesome-scratch/wash/magick!, the old, the new, the ones that don't seem like drawing materials at all and the ones that make me stare at the art shop's window with glittery eyes full of longing. Anything that can be used to make thingies come to life on paper has my utter love.

But it's true that there are some materials I use more than others, so here are my current "used more often" weapons of choice, which are very traditional and easy to get o.o (minus ballpoint pens, because I forgot to add them for the piccie) :

These are the well-behaved ones. I am biased towards the kingdom of Rotring (.02, .04 and .06 are here), I know, but they are so pretty and useful and oooh *sigh of pure love*:

These are the wild-side ones. There are no kingdoms here, I think I found one of the pens at my grandparents' house, the other two are from these cheap "manga pens" sets I found at a wood shop. They came with lots of tips, so I find them pretty awesome. 

I am not very good at taking care of my brushes, except for two of the three here (the two black ones), which get special treatment because they are the ones I use more often. The third one I used today, so it got into the picture. And yes, that's my favourite correction fluid, because I like the triangular sponge it has instead of the usual brush:

There are times I mix and match everything, but these last few years I've been playing more with the "well-behaved" team (I do have a soft spot for the crisp finish you can get with rotring pens). 

Anyway, I hope this was useful :/ I doubt my "follow your guts!" way of working would be useful for a tutorial, but if anyone wants one I can put something together o.o

sketch dump XI: the sensualist

Give me cold and windy days, for they make me run after the sun's touch and bask under it like a cat. Give me beautiful colours and shapes, and places that lift my spirit and embrace me like a prayer. Give me the tension of those that dare, standing right between heaven and hell. Give me fluffy coats and lace and soft fabrics, and warm arms that are gentle. Give me a challenge and a resting place, and a million little instants that are just magical and right. 

Don't fuck with my spirit.

(Yesterday I had an interesting chat with my therapist about the things that give me pleasure)

Rambling: Shopping spree

Today I went to look for a present for one of my friends. It was her birthday this week, so a gift was needed! She makes things in stained glass and is very artsy (she is also a make up artist and makes stages for theatre plays. She beats the hell out of me at multi-tasking o.o) , so one would think to go the art stuff way, considering, well, I also make artsy things, we can so bond over that!.

Can we?

The problem is our aesthetic sense is totally different. TOTALLY. As in opposing forces that hate each other guts sort of different and no way in hell we are going to like something the other likes. Bigger chances of us burning it at the shout of "Heresy!!!"

No art stuff, nonono.

So I went to the bookshop and got her a short stories collection (with one of my bookmarks ^^y hohoho, ninja-bookmark!). You can't mess up with short stories. She's bound to at least like one of them, and I am forcing her to read and making people read is good for their sake. Gain-gain situation. Aren't I the nicest person evah?

Of course, as I was there already, I also made myself a present and got a new astro-book for le collection. It was the cover. How could I refuse that cover? I must share!!

Lo and behold:

Naked old guy showing his manly attributes. And there is also a lion and a guy on his head. 

I don't know the author, but the content seemed ok and I think will come in handy when friends want an overview of their astro-stuff, in a "here, check this out as an introduction and let me be" way.

I also got this thingie (is a salt shaker), because it was flashy and I like how the two colours work together. Green and purple, mmh, sassy:

Expect some illustrations in these colours. Look at them. They scream "use me! use me!". Yes, they do. I know you can hear them.

Here are words, not drawings. It happens from time to time.

All over the place, from the popular culture to the propaganda system, there is constant pressure to make people feel that they are helpless, that the only role they can have is to ratify decisions and to consume.

Noam Chomsky

I was reading a newsletter on freelancing, of which I follow plenty as there's always some useful article in most of them and I like practical stuff even if it's obvious 80% of the time. The one I was reading was on social media, with some good advice here and there, some very obvious tips on most of it, and then there was something I had stumbled a few times before, and which sent me, well, here.

To ramble to my heart's desire <3 . 

You see, one of the advices was about steering clear of sharing stuff on subjects that were touchy or controversial, even if you feel passionate about it, to avoid losing a part of your followers. 

I have a love/hate relationship with marketing. I can understand it. I can use it. I am appalled and awed by its efficiency and practicality and consider it almost an invincible tool.

That's why I love it, and why I hate it. We are bombarded with it all the time, forced to deal with the mental pressure and mental work of separating the seaaaa of marketed information we receive into "ok, this I do want/need/is important" from "this is bullshit and someone is just trying to get me to buy their stuff/lie/whatever"

And I do understand that being all smiles and neutral on everything that matters is a good way to keep oneself from being disliked by people who might think differently. Please, we see it happening all the time from politicians, public figures and the like. Smile smile be nice, smile more, say you care, care a looooot, say you are sorry and that you worry if something really big and bad happens, post pictures of cute cats after that, smile again and do nothing about anything. And you won't get on anyone's bad sides like that, at all. 

This also, in my opinion, makes you a spineless bastard.  

If you believe in something, shout it to the skies, and embrace all that makes you feel passion. What is a greatest joy than that? Who the hell are you if you don't say words you believe in? Don't shy from debate, listen to others points of view, don't be afraid to change your mind if you feel you've been proven wrong, don't be afraid to maintain your position if you feel it's worth defending. Use your brain. 

And if you do want to become a cookie-cut figure who smiles and lacks any content in order not to piss off anyone while treating everyone as just a number to add to your friends' list (as if that would be part of being "nice"...) because that will increase your "popularity", then by all means go ahead and do so, coward.

(... you would also count as manipulative in that case, but weeeeeeeeell, what's marketing but manipulation?)

All this reminds me to the whole heartless and primordial "appeal to the sense of survival, necessity and sex" one can find on marketing cook-books. Believe me, I do find the beast beautiful, but sometimes it just spouts stuff on how to lose all the blood in your veins, and that's when all the pretty becomes kind of nauseating. >_>

No son mis órganos reproductivos los que dibujan

(be prepared for a major ramble in spanish, my dearest readers!)

O cómo los 80s ya terminaron.

Lud fue tan amable de mostrarme (otra) nota más sobre las mujeres como dibujantes. O las dibujantes mujeres. O cuán duro es ser mujer y dibujante. O algo por el estilo. Lloremos juntas, hermanas de género!

 (la nota de turno era a Patricia Breccia, si tuviera el link gustosamente lo compartiría, tal vez alguien que esté leyendo esto lo pueda aportar *flutter eyelashes*). 

Este tema particular es recurrente, especialmente si una es mujer y dibujante. Alguna persona lo va a preguntar. Porque supuestamente somos pocas, o en un tiempo atrás, muy atrás, antes de mi nacimiento (OHMYGOTH!!), no había ninguna.

Épico, no? Somos como Highlander en rewind.

Lo que pasa, según la mayoría de las personas que escriben ese tipo de notas, es que mis órganos reproductivos me definen de forma absoluta. Todos somos o mujeres, o hombres, y eso nos predetermina completamente a la hora de encarar el papel en blanco. Es más, incluso hace que lo encaremos o no.

Cómo dibuje, lo que dibuje, si dibujo, todo tiene que ver con mi vagina. Pobre vagina, tanta responsabilidad. Según la mayoría de esas personas, también todas las mujeres dibujamos igual, desde las mismas inquietudes, las mismas capacidades. 

Si.

Para ser justa, los escritores también parecen indicar lo mismo sobre los hombres.

(no creo que sea necesario que les diga que busquen dos dibujantes del mismo género y se fijen si dibujan igual o no, confío en la capacidad lógica de mis lectores)

Este blog se mantuvo pretty much libre de este tema (aunque sí respondí a esta pregunta en eventos o entrevistas, y la gente que me conoce me escuchó haciendo largos monólogos al respecto), pero hoy por hoy, estoy bastante hasta las bolas -que no tengo- de estas categorizaciones llenas de complejos de inferioridad que no corresponden a la época en la que vivimos. 

Debo decir que, en mi experiencia personal, muy pocos dibujantes o guionistas varones argentinos hicieron comentarios negativos sobre mi género en relación a mi trabajo, o hicieron referencia a la (creciente) presencia femenina en el ambiente, o a *mi* presencia en particular ( y seriamente dudo que esta minoría sea una manifestación del "ambiente" o de la """""industria"""", y me parece que es más señal de un problema individual de las personas que los hicieron, y de sus propias inseguridades)

El resto (que son la mayoría) tuvieron la capacidad cerebral necesaria para hablar de dibujo, entablar conversaciones normales entre personas, y en los casos donde el tema era mi obra, de comentar sobre lo que estaba en el papel.

Ahora , a la hora de la actividad profesional en sí, y no la parte social, jamás fue un tema que sea mujer. 

Estoy segura que en un par de años, las notas sobre las mujeres en el ambiente van a ser reemplazadas, y con la misma falta de validez, con los gays y lesbianas en el ambiente. Y después con los extranjeros y las minorías étnicas. 

*Yo* soy lo que hago, si, y definitivamente me considero que soy muchísimo más que mi género, algo que es aplicable a cualquier persona que esté haciendo algo, independiente de la raza, sexo y religión. Por algo lo creativo está conectado con la auto-expresión.

Un pensamiento básico y que sólo requiere dos minutos de uso cerebral por su obviedad. Dos minutos que los escritores de notas de ese tipo no se tomaron, mientras sí crean sostenes para complejos y categorizaciones divisorias que son limitantes y perjudiciales, y no tienen nada que ver con la actividad creativa en sí.

___________________________________________

Pequeños detalles que me gustaría que la gente que se dedica a hacer artículos sobre el tema tomara en consideración antes de empezarlos:

Desde el 47 que las mujeres pueden votar en la Argentina

Desde los 80s que la idea de una mujer dedicándose a algo fuera del hogar está bastante naturalizada y se acerca más a la norma que a las excepciones (gracias Secretaria Ejecutiva y Flashdance)

La Argentina en particular todavía tiene un karma de machismo intrínseco (directo e inverso) que sanar, que se expande a todas las áreas y prácticas.

Por qué no hay tantas mujeres dibujantes en la Argentina, como hombres dibujantes? Por resabios históricos, sociales, y culturales caducos. Fin de la nota, hablemos de otro tema.

NaNoWriMo Time

More like almost time, but now is as good as ever to join the writing madness. Which has, truthfully, many issues, starting with identity problems (like, why is it national when people outside the states can join?), slight sadism (that many words in a bloody month??), and is the home of a whole army of masochists who are eager to see how long can they last.

And that's just the beginning.

50.000 words in a month. My, November will be fun ;)

Me against the Muzik

Current drawing playlist:

• 1. Britney Spears - I'm a Slave For You Thunderpuss Club Mix (8:48)
• 2. Britney Spears - If U Seek Amy (3:36)
• 3. Britney Spears - Womanizer (3:43)
• 4. Britney Spears - Overprotected (3:22)
• 5. Britney Spears - Outrageous (3:29)
• 6. Britney Spears - My Prerogative (3:35)
• 7. Britney Spears - Me Against The Music feat. Mad (3:47)
• 8. Britney Spears - Boys (The Co-Ed Remix) (Ft Pharrell Williams) (3:49)
• 9. Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time (3:34)
• 10. Britney Spears - Toxic (3:21)

and I actually hope great art shall follow :D

I know people who behave like this, LE GASP!!! O_O

"How To Fail as an Artist"


On a more serious note, It can also be considered sound tongue-in-cheek advice worth reading ^^

25 de Mayo: It's a celebratiooon

Yesterday I went to the Colón's reinauguration. I was sort of hoping for the show outside to be longer, but it was nice nonetheless. Loved loved the black dress on the Swan Lake, also loved how many people went to see the show.

The day before, I stumbled with the Horse Grenadiers when going home, while they were heading to the parade. I was so happy to see all the pretty huge horses, and the streets without cars, oh, so very awesome to take a walk.

These days were quite cool to get in touch with some really lovely things, I hope you enjoyed them as well.

(some info on the bicentennial for those who are not in/from Argentina)

Formspring

Formspring widget to your right *points* --->

I've added it mostly in case anyone has any technical question (though random ones are also welcomed) I might be able to answer, as lately I've had no time to chat on msn or answer e-mails/notes. This should help to keep communication flowing.

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Agregué el widget de formspring (a su derecha, dear readers -->), en caso de que alguien tenga ganas de hacer alguna pregunta (especialmente si son art-related, y si me es posible contestarlas, aunque preguntas for the fun of it también son bienvenidas)


(Si, el blog se sigue extendiendo cual little spider XD)

Writing Update

Historia corta nueva para Leviathan Rising (también está online en Transmission, el blog mellizo criado en otro idioma -o con temitas cognitivos, son libres de elegir-); que ahora tiene banner nuevo y todo, oooh. Blog Magick!


(el art update va a ser a la noche, so stay tuned)

Pimping

computadoraaas, calculadooooras, todo invento nos lleva a la destruccióoooon

ahora el blog tiene Teh Facebooken of Evil widget, join if you dare, hehe --->

B'tx me había gustado bastante, especialmente el final O.O

ka-boom, ka-boom!

PUNK'S NOT DEAD!!

nuevo layout, que no es nada para nada absolutamente nada punk.

but well, no esta muerto anyway ;)

O (objectification again!)

o como la curiosidad aburrió al gato this time.

Empecé a leer "The Story of O" por curiosité (I like erotic fiction) y sólo terminé el libro uno, porque O me aburre. Tanto que ni siquiera esperé a que se secaran las acuarelas para escannear el sketchy doo de Miss O.

El libro *tiene* un par de elementos interesantes visualmente, pero cuando estoy pasando más tiempo buscando razones para encontrar algo positivo en un libro para evitar parar de leerlo, en lugar de directamente tener ganas de terminarlo, no es tan entretenido que digamos.
Maybe Sir Stephen sea un personaje mas interesante que René and co. Maybe not. Maybe O siga siendo tan aburrida en su carrera por transformarse en the perfect blow up doll.

Time will tell!

finished reading the damn thing!

Lo and behold! los tres siguientes capítulos tienen plot! -a diferencia del primero, que entra mas en porn que en ero-, y justifican un poco mas al personaje de O, que pasa a ser una blow up doll con opiniones. Surprise surprise.

El libro no terminó siendo tan aburrido como lo era el primer capítulo (tal vez a alguien que tenga un interés mayor en the vast world of D/s le resulte mas interesante)

now off to finish reading Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen (ese libro si me está gustando ^-^)

Do not despaiiir...

... my pretty ponies!

( o cómo a los medios les encanta jugar con la paranoia de la -in-consciencia de masa y el lemming effect)

bgm courtesy of depeche


up to date info sobre la gripe del mwal (care y precauciones sin tanto OOOOH PANICOOOOO)

-como así, nota al pasar, miren el mapa con las areas de the states con widespread cases, y piensen en tooodas las consecuencias del horror que está sufriendo Mexico en comparación. No pareciera que las mismas medidas se estuvieran aplicando a esos estados, right? -

y más info aún sobre las gripes del mwal (the lies we are told! the lieees!)

TEST YOUR MIGHT

*insert bgm*

O como uno sabe que sus amigos son maravillosos el día en que están dispuestos a enfrentarte face to face, eye to eye, en una batalla de auto-publicación sin piedad alguna.

I promise to hit them with my best shot #^-^#

(más noticias sobre esto la próxima semana, resultados a fines de julio, por ahora... enjoy the cliffhanger y el random oekaki de asmo y eblis!)

En algo completamente no artístico...

noticia que me alegró el día ^.^

como algo completamente irónico, unilever -la empresa behind axe-, es la misma empresa behind dove y rexona.

^-^ we are ruled by marketing and believe in slogans, trala la la la.


more (es el mal que esta publicidad sea de hace 25 años >.> la gente... es lenta para resolver cosas obvias. Pero igualmente está bueno ver intentos de cambios y que no soy la única que se indigna mal con las publicidades actuales. Someday, someday. Al menos la ley nueva y el caso de axe ya son un comienzo ) :