Potluck Eve

The title of this post has little to do with the image itself; I'm just going to a potluck in a hour or so. Anyways, a rough scribble of random characters...I really need to practice drawing more often this summer. Not really sure who the caption belongs to in the image, but I'll leave that open for interpretation.

Despite the exams and work from the previous term, I have been watching several anime series. I actually quite like Chrome Shelled Regios for the animation quality (and the illustrations used by the RPG itself are lovely), except some of the characters are annoying (and seems to effectively work against the progress of the plot)...and then there was Sengoku Basra, which ended up being hilarious (and I have my suspicions that it wasn't meant to be that way)....other than that, I haven't been watching much. Fullmetal Alchemist by BONES would be an interesting watch, but have been reluctant to watch the series again since they left it off pretty well in the previous season.

Procrastination Blues

After a couple of days (more like a week) of procrastination, socializing, and endless bar visits, I can say that my brain is on the verge of a meltdown. (Which might explain why I drew such a wonky picture....it really wasn't supposed to turn out this way at all. In fact, I started by drawing Maka. I have absolutely no control over my hand today.) Nonetheless, this is the first picture in months. Months....since easter break, before revision and exams really took up all of my time.

So the partying has died down a bit, but now my friends are moving away for the summer (and some are bound never to return) so a bunch of good-bye gatherings are to be expected. And it is also the time of year for disappointments; where students find out what grades they get (we get ours this coming Friday), realize that they don't have enough money for tuition next year (and hence have to drop out of school), or find out that their academic dreams are dashed because of personal problems.

Yes, I've encountered some crying friends recently. And no, I have no idea how to cope with such moments. I know its not about me, but it really is difficult to find a suitable way to comfort someone when they're crying their eyes out. Should I give them a hug? Or do what I was taught to do since I was a kid, and leave them to their own devices? Well, hopefully there will only be good news after these few weeks.

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On a brighter note, I'm going to head to Norway for a couple of days. How delightful it is to realize that I don't need a Schegen (is this how I spell it?) visa to travel around Europe...I suppose that is when my passport really comes in handy. But before the summer travels begin, must write my dissertation, and enjoy a few more days of sunshine and snoozing in the grass....

...and then there is the more difficult task of avoiding people I don't want to see in town. Of course, not that there is anyone I absolutely hate, but there is this one girl where each time I come close to thinking she is a decent human being, would just go out and try to prove me wrong. She would do things like i)being an hour late or not showing up for meetings ii)act slightly antagonistically when others contradict her points iii)sometimes lie about the most random things. It is partially my fault that she thinks we're absolutely 'best friends', since I wasn't persistent enough (like the other people who she knows) in trying to create some social distance....maybe the best solution is just to avoid her in general.

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PS: thanks to Ancode for the post-exam well-wishes!

Post Exam Days

I am finally back after a week of intensive exams (each three hours long, and it doesn't help that we have to wear these kooky gowns that makes tourists gravitate towards you for photos). Spent the previous term writing essays, revising, cramming, despairing, and sorting other stuff out. Not I'm spent, and life seems so directionless without the stress, the reading, and the writing.

Oh wait, I do have to write a dissertation by September, and I need to get moving with that. But right now I'm just elated....this feeling will probably dissipate the moment I receive the exam results. In two weeks time.

April Blues

Blithe in uniform; rough draft. I like this sort of uniform (and had one like it back in grade school), and I'm still not set on the colour scheme. I do like her stockings though....

Kidd at the seaside....I drew this soon after I returned from my seaside weekend wander. It was most delightful, and I guess I had so much fun because I had no expectations from it whatsoever. The beautiful weather helped a lot as well. Not really sure why I gave him longer hair, but it matches him...

Young Kidd wanting a lift. Drawn soon after the series ended; I'm terrible at drawing children.

Illustration of the moment: Kidd in a strange outfit I drew this evening. Those circles remind me on Eibon/Noah's technique

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Must get back to reading and work. Am feeling super unproductive this vacation; the fact that my other classmates are all working doesn't help at all. I feel terrible about not working, but then I don't feel like working because I'm feeling so terrible...cycle of death.

I'm also resting; after donating blood this week, I was foolish enough to immediately ride a bike and almost ended up losing my mind in the middle of the street. Moment of spasticity indeed. Luckily I managed to get to a bench, sit and sweat it out for 10 minutes or so, and then walk back home. Thought about asking for help from the people around me, but I didn't have enough energy to do so/ didn't want to bother anyone and admit to my stupidity. But it was alright; no one seems to have noticed my condition (half dead, flopped over my bike, sweating in freezing conditions) so I was left to my privacy. Or should I be worried that no one offered help...?

Scribble VI

Rough sketch of character designs for the IDS (Inter Dimensional Shells). The girl on the left is called IDDS/Idds (Inter Dimensional Defense Shield) and the boy on the right is known as IDOS/Idos (Inter Dimensional Offense Sword). I still haven't figured out the exact form of the shield and sword, so I'm just placing some random shapes here first. Everyone mostly calls them by their acronyms.

Scribble V

Again with the hats! I quite like the design of this one, I might actually use it for Ue in the future. It was sort of supposed to be a marching-band-type hat, but decided halfway through that it looks better if it resembled a cap instead.

Oh, almost time to turn off the lights in preparation of Earth Hour....8:30pm, everyone!

To Paris and back!

Photos from Paris: Pont Alexandre III, Louvre, and the Petit Palais. I have more photos, but I rather put those on facebook. Let me just say that the trip was stressful, but overall it was nice seeing new sights and going to a foreign country during the vacation....though the local Parisians could have been a tad nicer, especially in the language department. The metro was fun to use (and so much more comfortable than being jam packed onto a tour bus), but the rush hours are a nightmare to sit through. Especially when you're in a hurry...more on that later.
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Just got back from Paris, and felt like drawing something strangely...strange. Here is Aein wearing a headpiece that is a mixture of bamboo-structuring, clovers, beads, and etc elements. I suppose I was thinking of drawing a french hat, but then the asian imagery just entered my mind.