The Art Blog of Emily Gonsalves

Green Corner: Paes 18 and 19

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 04:29:00 +0000

New pages have been uploaded to the Green Corner website.

Enjoy! And Happy New Year!

Green Corner: Page 17

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 22:46:00 +0000

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Page 17 has been uploaded. Please visit the Green Corner website to see it.

Have a great day!

My Tutorial Promoted on Vectortuts

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:33:00 +0000

I usually don't post this frequently, but I wanted to mention that my tutorial for creating comics with Illustrator is being promoted over on Vectortuts.

Vectortuts is a vector tutorial blog that I regularly read and recommend to anyone who wants to find some quality Illustrator tutorials online. Everyone has different techniques, and there's always an opportunity to learn something new to help you be more efficient. The article is called 20 Challenging Illustrator Tutorials on DeviantArt, and my tutorial is listed at #10.

This is the same tutorial that was featured on Dani Jones's blog a while back, when I won second place in her Art and Learning contest.

I will be posting more Illustrator tips and tricks here in the future. If there's anything you've seen in the pages of Green Corner that you'd like to ask about; please do!

Green Corner: Holiday Story

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:58:00 +0000

This is an original short story I wrote as a companion piece to the "Naughty and Nice" image. I hope you enjoy reading it!

Naughty and Nice: Yule with the Eritsuro Family
Aena entered the living room, to find her older sister curled up on the couch in front of a roaring fire, reading a book. It was a Saturday afternoon, and it was cold outside. While Zalanda appeared to be enjoying the warm, cozy environment of the room; Aena was hoping to go outside and play in the snow. She was very much a child at heart.

There was finally enough snow on the ground to make a snowman, and Aena wanted to enlist her sister's help. She approached, and suggested going outside. Zalanda asked for a reason, complaining that it was "beastly cold."

"I wanted to make a snowman," Aena said, hoping the offer would be inviting. Zalanda was not interested in the slightest. She dismissed Aena quickly, telling her to make the snowman on her own as she didn't need help for that.

"Mom and Dad also want us to take a picture to put on cards for Yule," Aena reminded her.

Zalanda groaned in disappointment. "Seriously? What's the ridiculous theme this time?"

"Naughty and nice," Aena replied. "I get to be 'nice.'"

"Of course you do," Zalanda said, unsurprised and slightly annoyed.

Reluctantly agreeing to the photo shoot, Zalanda made a point of telling her sister that she would not be helping to make a snowman like the humans do. Aena would just have to play in the snow on her own, or find someone else to freeze with her. Aena accepted the deal, resolving to call friends over later.

With that, they dressed in their themed outfits and went outside. Their parents had warmed the air with magick, to make the scene more comfortable. Their father was grinning from ear to ear. He loved photographing his daughters, and it was always a fight to get Zalanda to participate. He'd hoped this theme would appease her, but she still appeared to be hoping to get things over with as quickly as possible.

Mrs. Eritsuro helped the girls with their placement, gave them tips on posing, and reminded them both to smile. Zalanda loudly complained that the whole thing was lame and childish.

"Really, Zalanda," he mother said disapprovingly, "Consider it a gift to your father and I. We do like to have pictures of both of you for keepsakes. It's not like you'll be living with us much longer."

"You're so dramatic!" Zalanda retorted, "I'll probably be here at least another four years."

"Four years that we'll treasure," her mother reminded her, "Now be cheerful. This is for Yule. Have fun with it."

"As long a Dad doesn't call us his 'little models' until we're done," Zalanda said, staring pointedly at her father as he adjusted his photography equipment.

Mr. Eritsuro denied ever calling his daughters models during a shoot. But, everyone knew he would have enjoyed working with them more frequently in his work as a professional photographer.

Aena looked over at Zalanda with a smile. "Just think, it won't be many more shoots before you move out."

Zalanda smiled in response, and decided to enjoy the shoot. She did look great in her outfit. And it was, after all, only once a year.

Green Corner: Page 16

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:57:00 +0000

Please visit the Green Corner website to see the completed page 16.

Progress images through page 15 and new avatars added to the image gallery. Vote incentives are close-ups from page 16.

Enjoy the page :)

More T-Shirts Available at Mysoti

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:29:00 +0000

You can always find my T-shirts on Mysoti on my products page.

New shirts include:

Aena Witch
Jumping Aena (with or without bubbles)
Magick Smoke
Red and the Woodsman (no logo)
Springtime Magick (no logo)
Valentine Kiss
Winter Holidays
Zalanda in a Hot Red Bikini (no logo)

All shirts available in Men's and Women's styles, in a variety of colours.

New T-shirts at Mysoti

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:40:00 +0000

The "Naughty and Nice" special is now available on T-shirts at Mysoti.

Available for men and women on white, red, green, or light blue T-shirts.

I'll upload more artwork for Mysoti T-shirts, but it takes a while to process. If there's art you want bumped to the head of my queue, please let me know. Also, feel free to request a specific T-shirt colour.

Free Shipping from CafePress to Addresses in the US

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:31:00 +0000

Free Economy or Standard shipping for CafePress.com purchases of $50 or more, excluding shipping charges and applicable sales tax. Delivery address must be within the United States and cannot be a PO Box. Offer ends November 28, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. (PST).

The coupon code is FEMHOL10 (to be entered at checkout).

If you'd like to get some of my cards in your order, check out:
The "Nice" cards
The "Naughty and Nice" cards

Green Corner: Pages 14 and 15

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:10:00 +0000

Two pages this time. Please visit the Green Corner website to see the new pages.

Enjoy!

Winter Holiday Special: Naughty and Nice

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:24:00 +0000

I have completed this year's winter holiday special for Green Corner, featuring Zalanda (naughty) and Aena (nice).

Prints available! Order this from my Bubblesite

And here's the "Nice" greeting card:
"Nice" cards (Aena only) are available in my Cafepress shop. (in packs of 10 or 20 cards)

Free desktop wallpaper:
A 1440 x 900 wallpaper version is available for download from the Midori Forest group.
If you'd like a different size, please request with your screen dimensions in pixels.

Green Corner: Page 13

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:58:00 +0000

Please visit the Green Corner website to see the completed page 13.

New avatars and progress images for page 12 also added to the image gallery. Please vote to see close-ups from page 13.

Enjoy!

Green Corner: Page 12

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:04:00 +0000

Please visit the Green Corner website to see the completed page 12. Vote to see progress images for page 12.

I've also made some other updates to the site, including progress images for page 11, new avatars, and more organization for the image gallery. Links have also been added for artwork available in prints.

Enjoy!

Wallpaper: Zalanda and Kasha

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:01:00 +0000

This wallpaper leaves lots of rooms for icons on your desktop. It features Zalanda and Kasha from page 10 of Green Corner.

The file is 1440 x 900 pixels. If you'd like another size, please request with your screen dimensions in pixels. Other background colours also available on request.

Free Shipping from My Bubblesite

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:58:00 +0000

RedBubble is having a promotion until October 30th.

Free standard shipping when you use the coupon code: friendsandfamily
(Free Shipping coupons expire 23:59 October 30 (GMT), and are only available for the standard shipping option.)

Go check out my Bubblesite. Now is a great time to buy prints :)

Red and the Woodsman: The Completed Special

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:54:00 +0000

Here is the completed 2008 Hallowe'en special for Green Corner, featuring Aena dressed as "Red" and Barudo dressed as the Woodsman, of Red Riding Hood.

Total time was 13 hours, 57 minutes (Illustrator began to slow down about halfway through)

A 1440 x 900 desktop version is available for download from the Midori Forest group. If you'd like another size, please request with your screen dimensions in pixels.

Prints are available on my Bubblesite.

Red and the Woodsman: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:32:00 +0000

I've continued working on the latest Green Corner special.

I did try beginning the background another way before, but I scrapped it and took some photos outside for inspiration. I will be uploading the photos I took to my Flickr account soon.

The grasses, sand patches, and the patches of leaves are all symbols that came with Illustrator (under "nature"). I added a stroke to some of the leaves and changed that symbol's colours; but the others were only coloured, not edited. The trees are from Bittbox (you can download the vectors here).

I'm nearly done shading the figures now, aside from a few things for Barudo and other minor adjustments. As this picture gets more detailed, Illustrator's response time is slowing, so it's taking a little longer to continue the work. I won't be listing the time it took to get to this point from the line work, but I will post the total time once the image is complete.

I'm very happy with how this image is progressing, and I look forward to finishing it. It will definitely be available in my RedBubble store when complete. There isn't much there at the moment, as I'm working on formatting more artwork to add. But if you want some Hallowe'en cards of Aena in her witch costume, that is available.

Please let me know if you have any comments or constructive criticism to share. I'm almost done with this piece, so this is the best time to let me know if you find something awkward.

Hope you like it so far.

Hallowe'en Special: Red and the Woodsman

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:44:00 +0000

Here's my initial line work for the latest Green Corner special in progress. I'm using a more natural style for this special, but the comic has more of a manga influence.

Aena is dressed as Red Riding Hood, Barudo is playing the Woodsman. Line work for Aena took 2 hours, 43.5 minutes (mainly because of the detail), and 2 hours 14 minutes for Barudo. I usually use less detail for the hair and clothing in the comic because it's too time-consuming, but I can add more detail in the specials.

I have some minor edits to make to Barudo, but the line work is pretty much set. I will probably show a shirtless version of Barudo later, as I did draw his muscles underneath the shirt. I'll be starting on the colouring and the background next.

Hope you like it so far.

Green Corner: Page 11

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:56:00 +0000

Green Corner has been updated.

Completed page eleven is now published. Progress images for page ten and avatars for page eleven added to the image gallery.

Don't forget to use the voting links on the main page to show your support. (voting incentives are progress images from page eleven)

Thanks and enjoy the page!

Art Post: Various Sketches

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 15:34:00 +0000

I've been sketching more than usual in my sketchbook recently. I often sketch on loose paper, and I think it's partly because my sketchbook is a bit larger than I'd like at 11" x 14". I prefer 9" x 12". These are from the past few days, drawn with mechanical pencil. I may end up making digital illustrations of all of these. All sketches were darkened and treated to minor cleanup in Photoshop.

I hope you like them!
Aena from Green Corner in a more natural, human style (no pointy ears). The dress and hair is inspired a little by style in the 1930's. It's not meant to be accurate for that time period, I just wanted to create a classy look. Sketched 9/18/08, finished 9/20/08.

Practice in a more natural style. I used a photo of myself for reference (for the expression and the hand), and I think that's come through a little in the face, though it's not intended to be a self-portrait. I really like how the hand turned out. Drawn 9/20/08.

Aena from Green Corner in a bit of a gothic lolita style. Photo reference used for the pose. I'm not happy with the hand between her knees, so I'll probably change that when I make a digital version.

I was originally trying to have Aena cosplaying as a stuffed doll, but ended up going in this direction instead. I'm pretty happy with this. I have trouble with seated poses sometimes, but the body has turned out quite well here. Drawn 9/20/08.

Useful Software

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:29:00 +0000

I use a variety of software for work and personal use. I primarily use a MacBook Pro running OS X, but I also have an older desktop system that runs XP and I regularly used a laptop running Vista at a previous job. I've only had minor exposure to Linux.

I'll be noting OS's (Operating Systems) with each of the applications I mention. No games, and no native Mac applications listed here (I'm sure there are tons of lists online for those).

I'll only briefly discuss Adobe software in this post. I can discuss my experience more in-depth at another time, but there's plenty of extended information on their website about the capabilities of their software.

Adobe Creative Suite (OS X, XP, Vista)
I use CS3 Design Premium which contains:

InDesign CS3 (for page layout)
Photoshop CS3 Extended (bitmap/ raster graphics editor)
Illustrator CS3 (vector graphics editor)
Flash CS3 (for interactive content, some animation)
Dreamweaver CS3 (for website coding)
Acrobat 8 Professional (for PDFs, including forms and enabling rights for Reader)
Bridge CS3 (for previewing files)

I probably use Illustrator, InDesign, and Dreamweaver the most. There are other suite options, for different purposes. This was the one that I found was the best fit for what I do (a mix of print and web design).

I've used Quark Xpress before for page layout, and that's what I was taught to use in college. InDesign was launched after I completed most of my core courses, so I taught myself to use it. I found it easy to switch, and prefer the integration possible with InDesign. You can link ai and psd files in InDesign, but you need to be careful about this, as you're generally expected to only send eps and tiff images to press. If using unusal image formats, it's better to export to PDF for press.

Dreamweaver is primarily a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor. There's a text editor option that I use frequently (I almost exclusively use split view), but sometimes I switch to an external text editor (see below). The auto-complete feature for hand-coding is very useful, as are the validator and browser compatibility checker (I use the W3C validators afterward). I also love being able to change links site-wide. It really simplifies things.

I use Illustrator a lot for website mockups, and tend to make website graphics in Illustrator rather than Photoshop. For simple graphics, it keeps file sizes down while giving me the flexibility to make changes easily. I also use it regularly to illustrate my sequential art series, Green Corner. For corporate design, I use Illustrator when I can. I always use it for logos and branding elements like icons. Photoshop is not meant for that type of work.

I used to use older versions of Illustrator and Photoshop on Windows 98 (which prompted the computer to spontaneously die – really, one day it just gave up) and Windows XP (which enjoys crashing Photoshop). I found that, especially for Photoshop, you need extra RAM.

Crashes happened more frequently with XP for me, so I became a compulsive saver. It's also a good idea to delete your preferences (they get corrupted easily) for Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign at the first sign of tools acting strangely. You can find instructions by searching online for "delete preferences" followed by the program name and version. Add your OS if necessary to your search terms. After deleting them, default preferences will be re-created on re-start of the program.

Arachnophilia (everything)
Freeware. A text editor that I mostly use for HTML and CSS coding. It can be used for some programming as well. The "beautify" feature is useful for HTML coding, and lets you know if you need to fix anything. You still need to find the errors, but the indentation and number of errors to look for helps. Colour-coded tags make viewing the code easier on the eyes.

Works with Java, so it's completely cross-platform. Expects PC style shortcut keys to be used (Control instead of Command, for Mac users). I didn't have much luck changing them, so I reverted to the defaults. It's a minor thing, but you do need to be conscious of the keyboard shortcuts you use.

Autoruns (Windows)
This should really be installed natively for Windows, but it isn't. It allows you to control which programs are allowed to automatically run. Those little utilities that launch on startup that you don't need to be on all the time? You can stop them. It can look a little intimidating, but take a look at the description and program name. If you're unsure, leave the settings alone. I usually used this to stop software associated with printers from running on startup (they're initiated when you use the printer anyway).

Character Pal (OS X widget)
Free. Reminds you of key combinations for special characters (keyboard and HTML). Quicker than using a reference PDF or printout.

Enkoder (everything)
Freeware. Encrypts e-mail addresses with JavaScript. Practically eliminates spam. Downloadable version is OS X only, but there's also a web form that can be used by anyone.

Firefox (Windows, OS X, Linux)
Free, open source. I switched years ago from Netscape (another Mozilla browser). I like Apple's Safari as well, but the customizability of Firefox is very impressive.

Fugu (OS X)
Free, open source. Easy to use, secure FTP client.

Giffy (Windows)
Free. Converts bmp to gif and vice versa. Can also make gifs transparent (without needing a matte border for smooth transitions!). I'd like a Mac equivalent for this. I still need to define a colour for a matte border when saving transparent images for the web, and it just feels wrong.

Gimp (Windows, Unix, OS X with X11)
Free, open source image manipulation program. Similar to Photoshop.

Inkscape (OS X with X11, Windows, Linux)
Free, open source vector graphics editor. Similar to Illustrator.

InstantShot! (OS X)
Free. Screen grab utility. Similar to Apple's Grab and Microsoft's Snipping Tool for Vista.

Open Office (Windows, Linux, Solaris, OS X) and Neo Office (OS X)
Free, open source. An office suite that includes programs for word processing (Writer), spreadsheets (Calc), Presentations (Impress), drawing (Draw), database management (Base). Neo Office integrates native mac features (including regular keyboard shortcuts) so it's a better choice for Mac, but they're otherwise identical.

You can export nice PDFs directly from Writer, without having to own Acrobat Standard or Professional.

Pidgin (Windows, Unix) and Adium (OS X)
Free, open source. Instant messaging applications for running multiple chat services simultaneously. No voice or video support (they're working on it), so you need a separate application for those.

The Daily Grind (OS X widget)
Free. Simple to use timer. Press play to time, pause to stop. You can name and colour your timers as well.

Word Counter (OS X)
Free. Counts words. Application and widget versions available. Can work independently or in conjunction with other applications.

X11 (OS X)
Free. An Apple application, but not natively installed. It gives more options for software you can use and will be updated with Software Update like other Apple software. May also be on your OS X installer disc. Launches automatically when needed. Note that applications running with X11 will require more RAM and may run a little slower.

Zipeg (XP, Vista, OS X)
Free. Similar to Winzip and StuffIt. Allows you to preview the contents of certain archive files. You'll still need the free StuffIt Expander to open sit documents though.

Any more programs you'd add to the list? Please leave a comment.

Green Corner: Page 10

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 04:02:00 +0000

Green Corner has been updated.

Completed page ten is now published. Progress images for page nine and avatars for pages nine and ten added to the image gallery.

Don't forget to use the voting links on the main page to show your support. (voting incentives are progress images from page ten)

Thanks and enjoy the page!

Green Corner: Page 9 (with Wallpaper)

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:23:00 +0000

Green Corner has been updated.

Published page 9 viewable here.

New desktop wallpaper in the Midori Forest group files: friends2_1440x900.jpg
(it's a larger version of page nine)

The specials are also available as wallpapers. Send me an email with screen dimensions if there's a particular size you'd like.

I also added more pencils (up to page nine) and progress images (up to page eight) to the image gallery. A couple of progress images for page nine are also viewable as vote incentives. And there's a new link to add Green Corner to your favourites on Online Comics.

Enjoy!

Portfolio Website Update

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:31:00 +0000

I've made some updates to my portfolio website. There's some new and updated pieces there, along with some streamlining of the site design and coding. I also added a link back to my art blog in the navigation.

I'm considering the addition of some other pieces as well. I'd especially like to add to the illustration page, as I removed some older pieces from there, and it seems rather short since I widened the content. I'll have some new pieces ready to show soon, and I'll be sure to post an update here when they're added.

Resource Post: Illustration and Photo Reference

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:54:00 +0000

This is not a complete list, but I hope that you find these sites useful. Feel free to share others in the comments. I'll likely post more in future.

Traditional Media and Illustration
Will Eisner's Comics & Sequential Art
This is an excellent book. It's not so much for figure reference, but more about the design side of creating comics, which can be helpful to illustrators in general. There are parts about expressions and viewing angles of figures.

Figure Drawing Classes
If you want to expand your abilities in drawing the human figure, taking figure drawing (or life drawing) classes can really help, especially if you take classes at a college or university known for visual arts. When I studied graphic design in college, we were required to take two Drawing courses where we learned the basics of figure drawing using the box method and applied this knowledge to drawing live models. There were additional electives in Illustration and Life Drawing. I also took one of the Illustration courses, which expanded on what we learned in Drawing 1 and 2, and required the use of various traditional media (pencil, pen and ink, and scratch board).

How to Draw Manga: Male Characters
Even if you don't particularly want to work in a cartooning or manga-influenced style, I've found some good points in here that apply to drawing male figures in general. There's also mention of the differences between male and female anatomy (aside from the obvious). As a female illustrator, I've found this very useful.

Temple of the Seven Golden Camels
Mark Kennedy makes very detailed and insightful posts about illustration, especially figure drawing. The majority of his posts are instructional.

Using Photographic Reference and Live Models
Once you know the basics of figure drawing, practice is what will help you improve the most. Note that you do not need nude models to practice, but it does help when you're starting out if you can really see the shape of your model. Models in underwear or form-fitting swimsuits (no shorts!) are fine if you're uncomfortable with using nude reference material. From there, progress to fully clothed models, and you will have a better understanding of how the parts of the body fit together underneath the clothing. See the list below for places to acquire photographic reference.

Photographic Reference and Stock Photography
Warning: a lot of these include nude photography and are thus considered not safe for work. Always check the policies of those who provide photos before using them. Some of them have specifications about how their photos can be used. If in doubt, contact the photographer or model. In the case of stocky photography houses, most require payment to use their images. Many individual models and photographers will be open to allowing you to use their provided photos for pose reference, but you should still politely request permission if it isn't explicitly stated.

Art Dibujar's deviantART gallery
This photographer has a wealth of excellent photos in his gallery of adult males (nude and clothed). There are lots of interesting poses here. Note: you may need to have a deviantART account and be 18+ to view the nude photos.

Corbis Stock Photography
Commercial stock images. Multiple options to help you refine searches.

darkprophecy's deviantART gallery
This gallery includes photos of the gallery owner (his face is not visible) as well as other models. There are nude shots here, but nothing revealing.

David C's deviantART gallery
Male and female models, with a variety of clothed and nude subjects. There are also some beautiful landscapes here. Note: you may need to have a deviantART account and be 18+ to view the nude photos.

Female Anatomy for Artists
Female models, primarily nude. A great variety of poses. A pay site, but there are some free samples available so that you can see the quality. Members can request poses.

Gimp Savvy Public Domain Images
Free, public domain images available. Most of the images are from: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Their photo sources have separate conditions for their use, so you will need to go off site to ensure that your intended use is approved (mostly this applies to people in photos if they're recognizable).

Human Anatomy for Artists
This has a wealth of excellent photos to use for illustrative reference. Primarily nude male models. A pay site, but there are some free samples available so that you can see the quality. Members can request poses.

iStockphoto
Commercial stock images, videos, and Flash files. Subscription or pay as you go. Search low resolution images free.

morgueFile
Free, high resolution stock photography.

Stock.xchng
Free stock photos. Browse by category or use the site search.

Use-Photos.com
Free photo resources. Mostly objects, scenery, and animals.

Virtual Model
Female and male options. Virtual models can be viewed from different angles in the same pose. Additional features available if you sign up.

Green Corner Website Update

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:35:00 +0000

I've just uploaded quite a few changes to the Green Corner site.

New things you may notice:

The new Setting page combines the Midori Forest and Yousei Academy information
New avatars/ icons
Changed character bios (Aena's and Barudo's have new images)
New About page (different from the FAQ)
Progress images added to the gallery through page seven
New Comics main page and added navigation for the Comics section (click on pages to move forward)
Minor formatting and edits to the script
New images on the main page

I removed the sketchbooks. I may add thumbnail image galleries in the future, but right now I'd like to get back to drawing comics :)

Hope you like the changes. If anything looks weird, please let me know. I don't have IE, so I had to trust Dreamweaver to find compatibility issues. Renders correctly in Firefox 3.

Edit: Fixed for Safari 3.