Updates+Old Rough-Sketch Dump

Kanda and Lavi, drawn 2008

Blithe, Aein, and Phys, drawn 2008

Group shot (Erebos, Aein, Blithe, Hoale and Edel): drawn 2008

Group shot: drawn 2008
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Guess what I found this year when I was home last month? Old sketches, so old and so amateur that my toes started to curl upon first sighting! But I need to document them somewhere, since the originals are disintegrating rapidly (curses, humidity!) Plus, always nice to have a laugh when I refer to these again in the future.

Back in the U.K. (after an eventful month back home; including my birthday, Home Office visa worries, intestinal infections), and the new school term has started. Much readings to do, essays to write. And since my last post, I've decided to move back into college; couldn't stand my anti-social flatmate anymore. Not only did she have this strange deluded opinion that I was making a mess in the kitchen (a miracle, considering I don't cook at all), she also invites strange guests into the flat without prior warning. And when she goes on vacation, she turns off the main fuse without thinking that I would still be living there in her absence.The moment she started hanging her Christmas decorations all over the flat and on my room door, it was time to go bye-bye.

College-living is nice, especially since my friends are around. It does have a bit of a downside; recently went to a folk dance (college event), paired up with one college-mate for two songs, and the next day he messages about wanting to know where in college I live (didn't ask to meet in a cafe or somewhere public, but my room. No thanks, I like my privacy.) I don't even tell my parents where in college I live, much less a stranger who I just met. (I'm sure he is a nice person, and that I am being oversensitive; but I do have a huge personal 'buffer zone'.) Think I'll just wear a hoodie for the next few...weeks. Or months. That is the last time I go to any social events.

Goodness. I've caught the sniffles. Better go remedy that. Will post holiday photos later.

Mooncakes on Monday (technically Sunday)

Work in progress (again!)....of Kidd. I still need to neaten the outline and etc....I really ought to draw with a specific process instead of flipping back and forth. I just read the RAW for the newest chapter, and I'm amazed how the art style has changed over the past few months. The fight scenes are so much more awesome to read...which makes me wonder whether or not Bones is going to animate that chapter later on (seriously, how are they going to fit everything from the manga into 51 episodes?) But back to the current chapter; it was very interesting to see that Kid's hair isn't permanently like that... wonder what he'll look like in the future?

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The aforementioned Mid Autumn image-- Mid Autumn was on Sunday, though we were given Monday as a public holiday. (And a rough image of Maka, because I haven't drawn anything of her for a while). Obviously I had no idea which direction to take the image, hence the electic elements here and there. Ah well.

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And I forgot to mention the Legco election outcome. Everything turned out relatively fine, with the democrats (not the pseudo-ones) winning enough chairs to veto any bad ideas coming from the government. One of my favourite politicians got another term there, so its bound to be another 4 years of amusing government meetings and arguements all over again. Heh.

Tuesday Blurbs

I have a knack for creating weird looking things. Here is my warped version of Snow White-- it'll be so much fun if I could design these things as an occupation (I know there is a job like that, but they're super competitive and unpredictable....if you don't create something popular all the time, you're dead in the industry.) But if I do happen to be able to contribute a character to the fuzzy-mascot industry, that would really be great.

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Here is a rough draft of Erebos Rose's outfit; the hoodie idea was already in my head, but the gold bangles and necklace only came to be after having dug through my sister's jewelry box (to be fair, I was looking for my sister's USC flash drive, and once she even had it inside a tissue box....so no surprises I'm searching in such random places.)

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I'm so tired after having ran around Hong Kong for the past four days. Meeting relatives, friends and other people I-think-I-know before I leave for the UK. Was worried about meeting people in such hot weather (because I sweat bucketloads under direct sunlight and in high humidity places), but most of the people I met were also from abroad....and were also sweating profusely. So to any local HK person, we just looked like a group of people who went swimming. Delightful. As sad as I will be to leave HK on the 29th, I'm also glad to be out of the horrid weather....and to the rainy gray skies of England.

For crying out loud, it's September already; cool breezes are supposed to have arrived! Why are we still having a heatwave now....don't recall the temperatures ever reaching so high for such an extended period of time. Reaching the 30Cs was a rarity back in the highschool years-- whereas this year everyday was over 30C. Normally by mid-autumn festival we can don on our long-sleeve shirts already. Speaking of mid-autumn, the festival is on Monday and I have every intention of going to the lantern parade on campus. I got a goldfish lantern as a gift this year, except the thing feels too damn flammable and I'm too scared to put a candle inside...so I'm using a torch instead. Not environmentally friendly, but I would like to have my hand remain ...noncrispy. Woot, Mooncakes! Woot, Full moon! Eurgh, and children.

Might go crazy if I see a horde of children carrying plastic lanterns (the electrical kind with the music players included...)

Geez....I must have spent half my summer postings here complaining about the effing weather in HK. I love the city, but would totally relocate the entire thing (infrastructure, people and the land itself) to an area with a colder climate (everyone looks good in winter coats....that's an axiom!)

Rabbit Hop

A new image to commemorate my new laptop being in official use! I am still a little heartbroken over the extra money spent on this laptop, but it doesn't really matter when it's still a great and usable device. My only other woe? It's vista. Open Canvas threatened not to open several days ago, but the problem vanished the moment I downloaded the wacom vista driver...hopefully that is the end of that.

But there is always something unnerving about using a new version of Windows software....I'm so used to XP I feel like they shouldn't have changed anything at all. Of course, that's really up to the people are Windows, who do what their increasingly large bank accounts tell them to do (I'm joking. Gates does a lot of charity work around the world.)

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In other news, the Hong Kong legco elections are coming up (Sept 7th), and alot of the current candidates are looking not-so-fabulous. It's not that they're scandal ridden, it is more that they don't seem likely to be able to improve anything. They keep promising to control inflation, look out for the middle class; but how exactly will they do that? And there are candidates who even declare themselves 'independent' but are actually affiliated with government officials from the mainland-- seriously, what are we suppose to think?

Bruises and Cuts

Just read the latest Soul Eater chapter (had to get the Chinese scanlations instead of the RAW...took me forever to understand what was going on). Now I'm left pondering what happens in the next issue. Couple of spoilers ----->Eibon [sans mask] actually makes a surprise appearance this time around, while Free and Kidd decide to cooperate to fight Mosquito. That's pretty much the summary of the entire chapter 52. Their fight was really awesome though, and who knew they would work so well together? But will they really die from those injuries? One of them is an immortal, the other is...a god? Who knows. Damn cliffhangers.

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The plot in X'am:d is progressing at a nice pace, though I still have my suspicions whether those 26 episodes could really cover everything and include character development. On the other hand, Code Geass R2 is progressing way too fast. I didn't really like any of the characters in the beginning, but after the series became an extermination-fest, things got interesting. I'm sort of left wondering if the only people left standing at the end would be the antagonist and the....well, other antagonist. (There aren't any good people in the series...they're all mentally warped.)

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Oh hell, why did TVB hire a bunch of random people for their Olympics coverage? Not only are they guessing the rules half the time, they're making pointless commentary about each other. Not to mention that one of their correspondents they sent up to Beijing can't speak Mandarin properly (seen her guess her way through several sentences before.) Not that ATV is any better, but at least they get experts on their show to explain what constitutes a winning move by the athletes. Too bad I hate the rest of the channel (as in the television series, and misc. crappy programming.)

Warm Weather, Cold Fuji Apples

My friend came over today and made me watch the entire Mononoke series (as well as the three chapters of Ayakashi)...and what a fabulous series it is! Was skeptical about the animation techniques and the character designs, but it all proved to make each episode so addictive to watch. Especially love the direction and how the plot progresses, how each frame is composed, and especially the ideas with the fight scenes. So many colours, so much more awesome.
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Alas, last Sunday a level-5 fire occurred in Mong Kok, and two firemen (and two civilians) died because of it. And the media showed footage of one fireman's daughter cry non-stop in front of the fire station later that day, as well as the entire family in mourning ;____; (heartstrings!). Not surprisingly, many 852ers also bought flowers and paid their respects in front of the burnt building...it really is good to see everyone in Hong Kong is expressing their appreciation for everything the firemen did. Firemen in general really deserve more status in society...they put up with fires, rescue people in rural areas and fish surfers out of the waters during typhoons. I hope the 852 government will do building checks more regularly now so things like this never happen again.
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In a lighter topic, I must thank whoever introduced men's volleyball/gymnastics/synchronized diving to the Olympics. Never knew how much fun it would be watching all the athletes run across the television screen, while we (indoors with air-con) snack on fuji apples (bought 24 of them in one go because they were on sale) and just...gawk.

Scribbles and more

The new chapter of Soul Eater is out today, but I haven't read it yet. Yet to see what happens this time- who will fight who? Anyway, just a quick scribble here of the best comedy duo in the series. (Someone's suit is getting stained by grubby fingerprints, and someone else is going to get beaten to a pulp.)

I don't draw Maka nearly enough; which is strange, considering she is one of those female characters in a series which is likable and has a spine. So prepare to see how doodles of her here later on. Drat, I should really head to the beach to cool off in this weather, but not bothered to call people out+pack+travel+clean out sand from shoes later on.
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So the Olympics have started, and I have got to admit that the opening ceremony was awesome. Especially loved the segment where the people in scholar-garb were paying respects to the word '和'. The colour pairings between the costumes and the environment was wonderful, and never expected to see the torch be light that way. Some people thought the entire event was too flashy and over-the-top, but people are entitled to their opinions and mine happen to be different.

Now, time to watch the diving events....love watching people spring off those boards. And then flipping the channel to the men's gymnastics. (There are so many perks to living in almost the same time-zone as the Olympic host city....live broadcasts!)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Check out the geological characteristics of 852! They say 852 used to be infested with pirates during the imperial period, and I think I see why; too many caves and coves and natural ports to hide in. Awesome, I would love to explore these places when I have the means and the time someday....

Ponderous Day

An image of Kidd; just testing the tablet. Used to have an aversion towards drawing on the computer...but now it's so much fun. Not to mention how much less eraser dust there is involved in the process. I'm starting to wonder if I'll even need to bring my sketchbook over to graduate school this fall (limited suitcase capacity).

Oh, and I have a new venture with a few other online people: making personalized graphic design stickers. I'll post several of my ideas within the next few days.
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Yesterday was one of those days (this sentence sounds grammatically incorrect already) where you're just hoping the rain wouldn't flood your house and your brain. It was a typhoon 8, and while I'm glad my parents got a day off....they got the day off to spend with me. I know I shouldn't complain, but there is always something vexing about not having full control over your own schedule. Bah, I'll stop whining. I ought to be grateful that I get to spend a few more hours around them, since it'll be 'weekly-phonecalls' soon again. Drat, and I promised myself I won't think such depressing thoughts for now...

Another topic: did I mention how much I dislike the equestrian events already? I don't mind the horses; I just mind the fact they're holding the event here in 852. The only reason they're having the horses here is due to a technically in animal-import policy up in the mainland....and knowing this sort of ruined the entire mood already. Combine that with the super motivating speech of the Hong Kong equestrian representatives today on television (something along the lines of "not needing to win, just to represent"), makes us all so much eager for the event to take place.

If the computer screen is precipitating, that's just my sarcasm at an all-time high.

But I need to clear something up first: I'm not against the Olympics or the participants, I'm just grumpy that they're only having an event in the 852 because of a rule. Personally I like watching the waterboard divers, but the gymnastics event look too painful... so I tend to skip over these.

Death Bunnies over Horses anyday

Death the Kidd with Death Bunnies. Generally, I think all rabbits are evil anyways, so they make a fitting pair. (Or trio, if you want to get all technical here.) It's good to see that Soul Eater has finally resumed the plot after a week of filler...though I wonder if the anime is going to conform closely with the manga later on. The anime is meant to last 51 episodes, but the manga is now at chapter 51 and they're still not done fighting. Who knows?

It's going to be a busy Fall this time around. Plenty of shows to watch, and I don't only mean anime.
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I totally forgot that the equestrian events are being held in Hong Kong this Summer. That would explain the recurring images of horses on the television, in the shopping malls and...well....that's it. Good job advertising the event, 852 gov. Way to promote.

But then I shouldn't be expecting that much. Afterall, the 852 gov is famous for promoting the voting process for legco this September, and hell knows how much effort they put to convey registration instructions to young people. They did such a stellar job that I missed the news and didn't hear that the registration cut-off was....a year ago. I shall now shake my fist and wait for the next round.

Back to the horses: I have a friend who is apparently volunteering for the equestrian event, and told me that the security there is absolutely horrendous. Not that the guards are lax, but that the technological capabilities the security firm employs to detect weapons and explosives is simply not up to par. Though the security people deserve some credit for bringing in real scanners to put on a show, rather than nick cardboard boxes from old ladies and stand there making "beeping" noises themselves.

It's August; no countdown yet?

That the rate fashion is going (changing fast, going in circles), I wouldn't be surprised is overalls made it back onto the streets bigtime. Personally, overalls should only be worn if i)you're working in construction/other manual-labour-intensive jobs ii)you're under the age of 12. I already saw some jumpsuits last time I was in Causeway Bay (bear in mind it is summertime right now, and people drink plenty of liquids so toilet-trips are frequent; so the jumpsuit makes no logistical sense at all!) Or maybe such worries of the overall-revival is pointless. Afterall, I remember some people in L.A. tried to reintroduce the trend but were pretty much ignored.

Not going to explain the title to this post, because it'll just make me depressed. And I've managed to escape the bouts of melancholy so far this Summer (save once), so I would appreciate not having it return. Yet. Save the mopey-ness for when I head over to the U.K., and I have to start living by myself again.
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And I just started watching X'am:d Lost Memories by Bones. It's made by almost the same team that brought Eureka Seven, so there were worries that the plot would be too similar, that the characters would resemble the last series too much. Let's just say that's not the case here. It's supposed to last only 26 episodes, so not sure whether the scale of the plot is going to be as grande as Eureka Seven at all-- but things look interesting so far so it's probably going to be the most interesting series of the Summer.
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EDIT:
The previous illust (Thought Puddles, see last post of July) was too messy, so I decided to draw Aein again (albeit as a 'scribble' instead of 'illust'.) As one can tell, wasn't too bothered with the outfit design here...but do like the colour scheme.

illust: thought puddles

Why is the weather so spastic right now? One minute it was awesomely sunny, the next it felt as though we were having a typhoon. I don't remember 852 weather ever behaving in such a manner.

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My intestinal issues from last week are pretty much gone, so it means I can eat solid foods again. Not sure whether I should go to the doctor to make sure it is nothing chronic, but I honestly feel horrible if I had to spend money again in such a short period of time. This guilt is thanks to my sister, who has been amazing passive-aggressive in her emails as of late. I wouldn't have cared (since I don't exactly like her anyways...people thought it was strange that I didn't cry when she left for college or got married, but honestly, we're not close) but I know some of the things she said are true.

Namely, going to an expensive college. Not like that was my fault, I had no idea what the tuition was before setting off four years ago. My parents told me not to worry about it. And now my parents are offering to pay for my grad tuition as well-- I didn't ask for it, they just offered. In contrast, my sister had to pay for her own grad programme, so understandably she's not exactly happy about it. She didn't say this out loud in the emails, but kept asking over and over if I was going to be "financially responsible" for myself, or whether I was going to "get a part-time job in England".

First off, whatever our parents do for her is none of my business. Adversely, whatever our parents do for me is not her concern. (Hell, I didn't even care that our parents paid for her car and part of her flat). And what is with her having me get a part-time job in the U.K.? The student visas have incredible limitations with it comes to employment, and I've done several years of work as an undergrad. I think some of that money would cover the costs. Plus, she didn't even get a job during her grad days....

...eurgh, I'm just annoyed at my sister and her attitude. I just hope this isn't one of those things that'll last a lifetime.

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In case anyone is interested, The Kooks are playing in 852 on Aug 21st; I didn't open my email for several days to read the livenation notice. Tickets are 380HKD to 580HKD each, so they're a little on the pricey side...

Scribbles II

Just another scribble, a break in between finishing my stash of WIPs from last year. Yes, last year. I'm so bad with time management and motivation when it comes to finishing off something related to art. It's a good thing I don't intend to become a professional artist since one of the key ingredients--patience-- is lacking in me. Don't know how I managed to draw a winter image when the aim was to draw a summer one; maybe I long for the cold days to return.
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Oh yes, the official 'hot days' [from the ancient agricultural calender, pronounced 'dai shu'] has settled into the 852. Temperatures are soaring to the 30s, and already this past weekend a dozen people fell ill from the heat. (Of course, some people were just asking for trouble when to decide to hike up a mountain in the middle of summer). Don't reckon the days will cool off anytime soon, but as long as we all stay indoors and hydrated, everything should be okay. Now if only it was considered fashionable to sweat bucketloads (there is such a stigma against sweating in Hong Kong. It's such a bother; afterall, sweating is a natural human process to cool down the body! If people continue idolizing the image of pale skinny girls prancing in the sun without a bead of sweat...hell, lost my point) life would be much more enjoyable.
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Random news: I fell ill again. Some sort of intestinal infection, nothing serious-- just means I'll be having a rendezvous with the toilet more often than I'll like to. The pain is not as bad as the time I got food poisoning (though pretty damn close); and I ended up with cold sweats, itchy skin, abdominal cramps, and general sense of fatigue. The cramps normally subside after I sleep for a while, and only reoccurs during the night. Maybe I should keep the lights on and fool my intestines into thinking that night doesn't exist....

Sardine post!

Happy winter, happy new year, happy start of semester (?), happy every other holiday, etc etc. Too many events occured and I can barely keep track.

I haven't updated in a while, though it is pretty simple; I was in Hong Kong for the entire month. It was a fairly hectic month as well, with personal affairs, school work and misc obligations to uphold each time I see my family and friends. (I won't bother posting the photos of my trip on this blog since I stuffed them all onto facebook. Although I must admit that the lack of privacy on facebook is unnerving, it is also a very spiffy tool when it comes to sharing our own experiences with others). Lots of eating, but less shopping done in Hong Kong this year (trying to break the cycles of consumerism). So my family and I just went walking around the old villages in Tai Po, whereas my friend and I went photographing and wandering around the old HK island districts.

I am, however, sort of dissapointed with how quickly the old historical landmarks around HK are vanishing so quickly. I can barely remember HK looking like this before, with its recent infestation of sterile and impersonal megamalls rampaging through the west kowloon side. (That's some biased language I used there....but this is my blog, and I can say whatever I bloody well want to). And then there are the influx of tourists in the area; not that I mind the tourists themselves as people, but they do crowd the streets even more. Human traffic jam.

PS: The finals went well, I managed to rack up a pretty decent report scare for the fall semester (surprise surprise).

On the Yue scale, this HK trip ranks as: Awesome, with room for improvement.

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Anyways, today is the second day of the semester and I am already so bloody tired. Doesn't help that my first class......is.....at 6:00pm...on tuesday. Gaspage. And I'm back to my jittery glory with the whole grad-school application process.