It goes without saying that I've been keeping busy - not all of it art-related, unfortunately.

With the holiday season in full swing, there is plenty to cut into the time I normally set aside to sit down and draw. On that note, I wonder if I'll be able to carry out my annual ritual of personalized holiday card sketches this year.

Even amid all the hubbub, I hope to pay another visit to the Getty Museum before the end of the year. This time, I'll sit down and actually make use of the drawing room!

More as the Wheel turns.

Current Projects
-Midnight Warriors Chapter 13 (3 pages to pencil and ink)
-Sakura and Hinata for (poses revised, refining pencils)
-Couple portrait request for coworker (studying references)
-DF relaunch (must obtain Deleter comic manuscript paper)

After the month-end madness at work, I was more than grateful when my boss gave me an extra day off this weekend.

Unfortunately, I spent much of it nursing my back. As luck would have it, Thursday morning, as I'm setting down my pair of 15 lb. dumbbells, using my knees like I'm supposed to, I feel that ol' stabbing pain in my lower back.

Nothing new. I just soldier on through the day. Originally, a coworker had put in to take Friday off, but said coworker's plans changed at the last minute, and Friday was open for me to take my day off. Needless to say, I was more than happy to spend it resting and recuperating.

Saturday morning, I was still feeling sore, but well enough to venture out to Los Angeles for Pacific Media Expo - if only for a day. In the familiar halls of the Hilton LAX, I met up with my pal Bordin Marsinkul of and David K. Wong, both of whom were at Anime Expo's Artist Alley this past summer. I got commissions from each of them of my Dance of Fire heroine Amira...

By David Wong:


By Bordin Marsinkul:




I spent a few hours watching the Filipino Martial Arts World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation Western Regional Tournament. Aside from the Dealer's Room, most of my time was spent in the console gaming room, where I finally got to sit down and enjoy Street Fighter IV (love Rose's alternate costume), The King of Fighters XII (love Leona's new outfit), and an oldie-but-goodie Elemental Gearbolt.

Later that evening, I joined my parents and sister, along with her boyfriend, for dinner at Red Robin.

Today, Sunday, I'd considered going out to the Aquarium of the Pacific for its Autumn Festival event, but by mid-morning, I'd succumbed to listlessness and just spent much of the day resting and recuperating some more - the better to be in optimal shape to face another manic Monday. And save my pennies.

I did venture out this evening to watch the movie Surrogates, which I definitely recommend to any cyberpunk fan.

Well, Morpheus beckons.

More as the Wheel turns.

~Edgard

EDIT: Don't mind the hyperlinked text in the latter half of this entry - for some reason the image code from photobucket is linking it to the second commission image. No clue why.

EDIT: Many thanks to for telling me how to get rid of the underlining.

Well, I'm back online thanks to the new power adapter I ordered for my DSL modem.

Today, I decided to do something I've been wanting to do for quite some time - visit the Getty Center.

[link]

Admission is free of charge. The $15 parking fee is all one pays to get in.

From the parking garage, visitors are treated to brief tram ride up the hill - at the very top of which, lies the Getty Center itself (along with a wonderful view of Los Angeles). It had been ages since I'd visited a museum of any kind. Thus, I made the most of it, taking my time and exploring each of the Getty's four pavilions as best as I could.

Paintings, sculpture, decorative art, photography - there was so much to take in. Remembering my CN portfolio review at Anime Expo, I paid especially close attention to the anatomy, colors and composition in the paintings.

Outdoors, there were plenty of beautiful gardens and statues. The architecture of the Center itself is a treat for the eyes.

Much to my delight, there was even a sketching room where visitors can sit down and sketch with materials provided by the staff.

Needless to say, I got a good workout with all the walking I did. This is one place that merits more than one visit to fully experience. I'll be sure to bring my sketchbook the next time I visit - and grace the sketching room with my presence, even!


Meanwhile, I've got to get ready for month-end at the office.

More as it comes.

As many of you have undoubtedly noticed, my most recent additions to my gallery are a far cry from my usual fare.

Lately, I've been channeling my energies into practicing the very things the Cartoon Network reviewer at Anime Expo advised me to do - starting with realistic life drawing and artistic nudes to hone my anatomical drawing.

To this end, I've been poring over my collection of digital photographs and images I've accumulated over the last decade, looking for subjects to render.

This weekend I unearthed from my book collection Anatomy for Fantasy Artists by Glenn Fabry and Satoshi Urushihara Cell Works. I've always admired Fabry's work - particularly the covers he painted for the Preacher comic book series. This book offers some excellent (non-nude) model reference photos for both genders.

And of course, Satoshi Urushihara needs no explanation...
*cough*Plastic Little*cough*

Expect to see more of my current studies in the coming weeks. I expect at some point, I'll shift gears to practice the other areas the reviewer advised me to work on (color theory, perspective).


All this while striving to finish up Midnight Warriors #13.
*flogs self*


More as the Wheel turns...

Caught G.I. Joe this evening at the AMC at the Block at Orange.

Like Transformers, G.I. Joe was one of the animated cartoons I grew up with during the 80's. I only collected one action figure - Crazy Legs - which I ended up breaking on accident after a few years. Looking back, I realize what enjoyed the most about the whole G.I. Joe franchise - the whimiscal villains that made up COBRA (whom I actually remember more easily than the good guys!)

Ray Park certainly did not disappoint as Snake Eyes, and neither did Lee Byung-hun as Storm Shadow. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance as Cobra Commander likewise impressed me, although part of me did long for Chris Latta's shrill, nasal voice.

Definitely not Star Wars or The Matrix, but a fun thrill ride nevertheless. Critics and purists say what they will - I enjoyed it for what it was.

I hope we get to see the Crimson Guard and the Dreadnoks in the sequel (and Zarana!)