Log WIP

2008.07.31 「Thanks for the opportunity...」

...Ferrum and everyone else who helped/prodded/shoved >___<. En-Syn's first collab is finally done and sent to the printers. Ahhh... My heart raced when I saw the project title on the cover and Ferrum laying down the final touches. Not to mention her cover side XDDD. Oh, man~ <3. Now to pray reallll hard that the printing would come out just fine when we see it for the first time at the event (or I will cry and scramble for the exit faster than you can say 'wao NO' - for serious). I hear things seldom go as planned when you're a newb XD.

So have the above cover art teaser <3. I'm proud of this collab, I really am. Now I'm doing other things like going back to normal life (LOL) and doing actual work at work, and missing those hectic, hermit days and sleepless nights already. Has this long, grueling process ruined me? Hahaha, yep, definitely. But I came away with many kind words and support plus a few constructive criticisms along the way. Not to mention back pains, bleary eyes and a crying liver XD. The end of Log WIP? Not yet. Not until I've covered one last thing.

*dances to Caramelldansen for the first time in months XDDDD*

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2008.07.29 「I don't know the appropriate emoticon for this...」

As we speak, I'm drawing my side of the cover art with.... with Ferrum's finished pages all downloaded in a hidden window. I'm trying my darnest not to peek at them.

*draws roses*

*stops drawing roses, cursor hovering over hidden window*

*meditates for 10 minutes on top of window*

*sighs and drags feet rose-ward*

I told her I wouldn't look at them until I'm done with my current task. Because I'll be too distracted to do anything else afterwards. Damn you, Ferrum! Although. afawgahgarhgrargarhrh. Just looking at the top of the first page......... Wait. No. NO. Self-control, Rune!

So I'm 98% certain I'll go back to the dang roses after I'm done writing up this entry. In other news. We finally have a project title, courtesy of Ferrum's wittiness <3. I love it. I love it. And I love HER for having done a bleedin' brilliant job putting everything together (I only draw T_____T, I want to be useful). I... I can't wait to see my dialogs in Japanese. It would be a surreal experience.

And now I need chocolate. *saunters outside to find a konbini*

Edit: And now I'm back with (too much) chocolate
Because my resolve is weak and I've looked at Ferrum's part of the doujin. I'm going to be looking at it for the 15th time after I'm done here~. Also, I've seen my translated script and it WAS surreal. Like. I actually tried to guess what the script I'd written myself actually said x___x. One thing I regret is not being able to provide drawn/written sound effects, because I can't do them in Japanese. English sound effects are, well, reminiscent of pop art to me. TO ME.

Randomly, someone's taken an initiative (finally) to set up a 1896 LJ comm. It still feels all kinds of funny to be reading Hibakuro-related talks in one designated place where the public can access them. Before, I always had to look for them in the shrubs XD. Cute posts so far. However. Seeing the very Youtube videos that compiled Japanese fanart (and even some of my friends') wasn't very pleasant OTL.

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2008.07.24 「And I am done here.」

I AM TOTALLY DONE HERE <3.

I can finally have my normal life back! 20 pages, finally!! XD Didn't think I'd actually get there. I mean, a year ago I wouldn't have had this much discipline (not saying a lot about my so-called discipline, mind). Your average doujinka would only take 6-7 days of solid work to do this, I think. Oh, well, everyone starts somewhere, hmm?

Now all that's left is the cover art <3 at a comfortable 300dpi. My Macbook and my liver can finally enjoy a bit of a break. I believe it's going to look like a bit like fashion photography (revisiting old habit - how nostalgic). I can't wait to see how Ferrum will execute her side of the cover, fufufu... Now to hunt for a pretty wedding dress design- er, or not. Might as well try my hand at fashion design like I've always wanted but was never confident enough to do. That Nitta Youka case? Unpretty.

Before I go on to do the cover, much fixing and touching-up are needed on these pages before I can send them off to Ferrum tomorrow for translating/typesetting/editing. I'm sorry to trouble her so much x___x. If possible at all, I'd have liked to keep the English dialogs, but I can just imagine the trouble it'll bring at the event. Anyway. For now, I'll celebrate a little by going to a nice al fresco cafe by Kuta Beach XDD.

And Because I Just Refreshed My F-List

Target 203. Hibari hates Mist users XDDD. I wonder why? LOLOL But that makes him an expert at handling these... these funky-haired sketchy rascals! Also, apparently Miss Amano STILL hasn't decided what she wants TYL!Hibari to look like. Now he kind of looks like Yamamoto with narrower eyes. OTL Amano, your fans draw him more consistently than you do. Now I gotta change the way I draw him, whut? D8

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2008.07.23 「Between amused and put off.」

I thought by laying low I had protected myself from unwanted attention. To a certain extent, it's proven true and so far I've only had a handful of cases (that I know of) in which other people repost or borrow my art/concepts without my consent. I even found one blogger who put up pictures of two characters I drew, one pic each, as an accompaniment to her pairing fic (actually a squick pairing of mine of the highest order - no thanks, Miss). The similarity between the two cases? As long as credit is there, I'm generally quite lenient about these things and don't make it a habit to unleash an army of friends on a culprit at the first hint of 'borrowed art'.

Nonetheless, there are a few things people are encouraged NOT to do. Like... manipulating the original art and giving credit after a couple of people point out that the piece of art looks familiar, for one. If the artwork is retraced over, modified and/or added on - EVEN if credit is given - it remains unacceptable. My friends were livid on my behalf while I, strangely enough, was just a little overwhelmed. Not due to this single incident, mind, but over the thought that this would only be the first of many. Yes, I am a newcomer in this and, yes, I expect more in the future. Other crazily popular artists have suffered worse and most of them no longer care, but I - this obscure being - have my own ways of handling things.

 

Throwing a fit over it wouldn't be productive of my time, so this is what I would do from now on: For every case of reinterpreted art/concepts I find, I will repost the end product on my blog and comment on the things I like and the nearly-there-but-not-quite bits. But I probably wouldn't link the sources to protect the re-interpreters from possible grilling since it's aaaall in the name of good-natured fun (on my part) and skill-building (on their part). Call it my Constructive Criticism Corner (CCC) if you like. Especially when the juxtaposition was made "with permission" - that gives me the right to proudly showcase our "collab" no? Oh, no, no. No malice intent, I can assure you. Kufufu...

In a case where art has simply passed ownerships without a single modification, you know where those links go. We have more than one set of eyes on the interwebs, after all.

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2008.07.17 「Pfft... Hahahahaaa.」

"How is Kyou-san doing, I wonder?" -> just wrote this a day ago. And.

Target 202: OUR KYOU-SAN HAS APPEARED, LADIES (AND GENTS)!!!!!! AFTER HALF A YEAR OF WAITING!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 OMG OMG OMG But, ahhh, the opportunity to cry had been wasted on Kusakabe and Chrome XDD. So right now I can only anticipate the cool action chapter ahead. Genkishi vs Hibari Kyouya. Slanted Eyes vs Slanted Eyes. Whoa now. What are we expecting to happen in this chappie besides the obligatory "LOLOL my powah. Let me sho u eet" (quoth Paul)? "Kyouya. I am your brother?" Ack. But Genkishi seems Italian (you can never tell with this kind of art style).

What I love the most is that he comes straight to Yamamoto's rescue after battling an entire army XDD. Without a tear in his immaculate Zegna suit. Which means there'll be no rescuing Hibari, be it by TYL!Dino, by TYL!Xanxus, or by anyone else for that matter. This is the Hibari we're talking around, people. Of course, I am also sad that it means we've missed a character development opportunity, but hey... I have Kyou-san back in my fandom. I am not complaining XD. So Chrome is off to face Iris, probably. Girl-to-girl. Cools. *grabs popcorn in preparation for 202*

Also, just because I couldn't keep my promise to keep stand-alone art out of this Log. Have some 20YL heads...

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2008.07.16 「Chrome-san!」

A bit more on Target 201 since I only got the chance to read the scanlations today...

F-fangirled.

Kusakabe calls her 'Chrome-san'. Not 'Dokuro-san'. Not 'Chrome Dokuro'. Chrome-san. He calls the others by their surnames without a suffix, but. Chrome-san. Chrome-suaaaaaan.

AFHAKFHKJHAKJF!!!!!

That's, like, the address I made him use on her in my doujin!!! afgagghhkjrj The 'Chrome-san' address is frigging canon! He really IS accompanying his mistress XDDD. This isn't helping the crack at all, 201, but I love you dearly for it <3. Considering my OTP have never exchanged a single word with each other, you'd have to forgive me for fangirling like crazy over such bread crumbs of an 'evidence'. Now. How is Kyou-san doing, I wonder? =) I'm sure our cloud man is allright since that worrying report on him turned out to be Chrome's doing, after all. Chrome-san <3.

In other news, I'm 2.5 pages away from the finish line now ;____;. Sans the cover art. But that job is shared between Ferrum and I so I'm confident that I can finally relax in 5 days at least. And. I felt apprehensive about posting up that Chrome-centric story but apparently it was more well-received than I expected *sighs in relief*. Most didn't comment on the pairing-y moment, but I'm glad to be of service to the Hibakuro fans in the audience, which is not many at all =D.

Ferrum: o___o I've never seen you do Reborn! in a romantic context before.

I... know. And it was hard not to headdesk while typsetting the pages.

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2008.07.11 「...Yet I am tired.」

*pathetically grabs for land*

Four more pages... to go... In thirteen days. I can do it, I can do it *repeats mantra to self*.

In a last-minute bid to shift the spotlight from Mukuhiba (at least I want to be able to pass this off as even remotely Hibakuro) I've dedicated five pages of this thing to my dear Chrome <3. And it's like.. the only non-crack one of the entire lot. I am expecting some of my usual commenters to flee after this segment (I tried to make plausible romance between two relatively apathetic characters work, believe me XD). What's bad is, I'm at this story's last page and am now uncertain about Chrome's characterisation towards the end. Which, in turn, makes me uncertain about what to draw in the remaining panels. Which means I'm stuck at page seventeen. Argh. Why now, brain? ;_____;

Another thing that I found interesting/bothersome: Gabriela brought forth the question of whether Hibari's family name (which is, um, Hibari) would be incorporated into her name in the paperwork. Wh-What would that name be, we wonder? It's not like Chrome Dokuro is a proper name, and she only went by 'Nagi'. The only possibilities we could think of sound darn ugly x___x.

Enough About Doujin! TARGET 201!!! OMG FINALLY we get a new TYL!Gokudera art *____*. E-even though he has his butt to the audience. BEST OF ALL, CHROME <3 <3 <3. AND KUSAKABE COMING WITH HER. I don't know WHY she took him along but it's amusing to me that the butler follows his madam instead of his master *dodges bricks*. I'm sorry, doujin work has devoured my mind. All in all, it is so AWESOME that I almost cried *sob sob*. Actually, I will cry for real when Amano brings Mukuro back. Oh, the agonising wait....

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2008.07.06 「No one wants to hear you're tired.」

So I guess... just keep going, eh? Can't wait for that long, luxurious break (quoth Twitch) after this is all done. 7 more pages and only 19 days to go OTL... I hope I won't have to rush for the cover illustration. In any case, gawd, I'm such a fan of Ferrum's sexy TYL!Hibari, she has no idea XD. I'm very excited for her parts <3 <3 <3. She's a multitasker from hell (just finished a doujin, is working on another 42-pager and will be drawing her part for our collab afterwards) but she always delivers. How I envy people who work quickly and effectively! Whereas I... I work my arse off just to finish a page in a day. Different people, different paces x__x.

After marathoning 13 pages, I do find it slightly more manageable to draw quickly and to my satisfaction now. And I didn't expect drawing backgrounds to be so enjoyable =DDD. Loving my research (I always have a stack of magazines and Flickr/GettyImages nearby) and finding application of details a suprisingly Zen exercise. All in all, despite my growing fatigue, I'm pretty much enjoying this process. Just several issues I need to tackle regarding my doujin:

How on earth is my subtle western humour going to translate to Japanese? OTL The other thing I'm worried about is that in my attempt to retain IC-ness I've inadvertently made Mukuhiba the main pairing OTL OTL. I feel like I've sabotaged my own goal to be "the first and probably last Hibakuro circle - YEAH" OTL OTL OTL. I hope Ferrum would fix that whenever she gets around to doing it because this so isn't helping the cover art; as in, is it going to be Hibari and Chrome OR Hibari and Mukuro? Both options would be misleading x__x. 

 

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2008.07.04 「Oh my gawd!」

Target 200! THAT IS THE BACK OF CHROME YES. Er, teen version, mind. But OMGGGG after, what, FOUR? FIVE MONTHS? You better not get our hopes up and crush them, Ms. Amano!! And the trident! Is intact! Not that Amano's managed to fool us with Mukuro's purported 'death', but... I'm just happy to see it confirmed. Also, pfft... the (fangirl foddery) possibility of Dino coming to Hibari's rescue x__x. Have Xanxus come instead! If that happened, the birth of a new pairing would be inevitable but it would be weird and awesome XDDD. Regardless, I'm pretty sure the Millefiore troops have been hoodwinked into believing that Hibari's losing. My inner fangirl hopes it's a very convincing illusion cooked up by Mukuro (ohyes) to make way for Chrome/Mukuro (ohyesss) to infiltrate the enemy's HQ and... do whatever it is they need to do there.

Are we finally seeing the end of this arc? This arc that smacks of X-Men and Pokemon? Bring in some mafia like you hinted on in the beginning, missus, and I'll be the happiest KHR fan in, urrrr, my city XDDD.

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2008.06.27 「I am optimistic, optimistic, optimistic, op...」

As the title says, this Log is going to consist of doujin process talk and possibly no stand-alone art like the past Logs. Does this sound boring? I apologise in advance. Because these days I can't even find half an hour to catch up on R2. 12 pages to go within less than a month. I must be crazy.

I must say, this has been a good exercise for both the mind and the hand (especially when you're on a supertight deadline). For one, I can now ignore little mistakes that only the artist itself (most likely) can pick out. Also, I no longer zoom in at 50% to smooth out my lines -> very unnecessary. I also learn to draw faster and more efficiently -> will come in handy at Natsucomi, Ferrum says. I've gotten comments on odd-looking facial proportions in my WIPs, but then everyone is used to seeing my illustrations x__x. It's a bit of a tall demand to want every panel looking perfect in manga. That's also something I've only begun to understand in this learning curve.

And to answer a few questions posed by one Mitsu-san:

- Yes, it's 1896 with 69>18 on the side <3
- Yes, it's going to be sold, unfortunately LOL. But we're currently aiming for a low print since, um, I'm a beginner and I'm not that confident -___-. I guess I'll do a quick preorder post on LJ at the end of the month and see if reprinting would be necessary.
- No, you don't need to be in the city you mentioned to buy it since I'll be doing this in another country and online anyway.

Also, for those who actually wondered:

- No, I don't have a DA account.

*****

Back to the factory now *dragging my feet*.