2008 - Ogata Calendar

I finally completed the calendar featuring minor character Ogata from manga series Hikaru no Go. If you don't know who Ogata is I think you can still enjoy this calender if you have kind of suits and glasses moe or like interesting kimoi illustrations. The calendar goes up until the end of 2009 so you can use it for a long time! You can alternate between seven different illustrations.

It is a wall calendar that has been put together entirely by hand. I cut the illustrations, cardboard, and calendar portion by hand- so this is seriously a kind of DIY project.

Retailing for 5$US/CDN + 2$ shipping for US/CDN and 3$ for International. Drop me a message if you want one! I only have 18 calendars left! I also have three more copies of the Oh! Gotta Go doujinshi we created last year. All of the stories are very strong in of themselves. You don't need to know who Ogata is- we kind of created a kind of Ogata that isn't like the Ogata in the original manga and anime. It's totally awesome. Please check it out! These are probably the last three copies that you can actually purchase.

I will be creating a website for the calendar sometime soon. D: D: Hopefully in the next week but there is so much going on right now. :-(

2008/08/15 - Happy Royal International Ogata Day!

For this year's International Ogata Day I was lucky enough to spend it with Kei. This is already the third year of Ogata Day that started on the day that I met Juu and Koyar to make some silly buttons. We made some Ogata themed stamps and HUR HUR HUR'ed about a variety of silly topics relating to Ogata and dragged two other clueless people into our celebrations. Here are the fruits of our labor!

By Kei. This was so wonderful! I wish I made a wonderful stamp like this. D:


Eyes and hearts and creepy Ogata in black by Kei. The wonderful cupcake stamp is by Melanie. And scary oh-so-wrong Ogata in red is made by yours truly.


I made Ogata and bird crazy stamp with a heart stamp as well. The sparkle stamp I created as well. And it is so awesome! Now I have so much fun making many wonderful sparkles all over the place.. :D


I created a rose stamp in the spirit of Ogata. :D

There was also pre-Ogata festivities with the whole group who were involved in working on the Oh! Gotta Go doujinshi from last year. I also worked on getting together the Ogata calendar. I'll post photos of that later in the day when I get home from biking and errands today. :D

In other news I stayed up late today and finished a page or two for an upcoming Reborn doujinshi called Ventiquattr'ore su Ventiquattro my dear friends are making. I am participating as a guest (that is if they use my pages!). Edit: AW MAN, I was looking at the website and the drawing previews and am starting to feel like my drawings and comics suck so much. D: I don't think I should be guest at alll--- ah--- This book will be so awesome, like seriously. D: *FREAKS OUT*

Today I went to the artstore and bought a bunch of supplies including a kind of paper used specifically for markers and inks! I used it to create the guest page(s) and made some other sketches for fun as well that I will post some other time. Nothing like new art supplies to make me feel like drawing again.

2008/08/09 - Cards

Click for a larger image. Jirou looks like a Host here. The first time someone told me about Host (we were looking at a billboard in Shinjuku advertising the guys from this one club) I really couldn't wrap the concept around my head. It took me a long time to finally make the connection between Host is kind of like Hostess. Oscar's suit is shoulder pads. <3 I like his expression. When he gives you that look with that smile you know you're in trouble.

I finished the illustrations for the Ogata calender and got a guest illustration from glorious Juu as well. I'm so glad Juu joined in since her illustration is so sexy and it counters all of the kimoi-ness of my lame illustrations. D:


From Juu. Look at those eyes. I can't draw like this. ;_;


Snippet from the illustration I just finished today. D:

Going to work on the little things like free talk and laying out the calender tomorrow for printing on Wednesday or Thursday. Wish me luck!

2008/04/17 - No Regrets

"Make sure to live without no regrets. At least this is what I try to do."

Today I finally finished one of the illustrations for the Ogata calendar! Now I have three illustrations. About 4 more to go! Here is a preview of the illustration I recently finished coloring. The coloring took so long for this one for some reason. I worked on it for several days. D: And I fixed up the other illustrations I did by deciding to rely on the color-on-crack palette that I like to use. It's kind of heavy now, but it's awesome and pop. I'm actually very happy even though this calendar seems to feature a lot of red tones.

As you can see the calendar will be FABULOUS.
And that's fabulous in bold and italics and ALL CAPS.
I realized that Ogata has something in his mouth for
almost all of the sketches I made for
the calendar illustrations. (^^;;;

This Sunday when I have the time I'm going to sketch out the design of the calendar. It's not going to be a traditional calendar but something a bit more unique. This way I will save more money for the actual printing instead of having to worry about extra costs like binding and special calendar wire for hanging purposes. But I still wish I had a binding machine! Right now I am inking the next illustration to prepare for coloring. And there are many roses. I am having a grand time inking the leaves and petals.

2008/04/23 - Over There!

I believe that I have yet to post this. I really like their reactions. I wonder what it is that is so surprising.

Over the past few days I've been drawing more in pencil and less in Copic markers like a few months ago. (^^; I can't believe I drew this is April and now it's already a few days away from June. orz

Been working on the Ogata calendar the past few days. I'm not sure if it's going to look good or not. I have no confidence in my skills. But now that I have the tablet I can just do the line art on computer so I won't have to draw my pencils so large. July/August and September/October illustrations are pretty fail. Finished the coloring recently and it seems like something is missing from both. I need to punch up the illustration somehow. Well, I think November/December and January/February should be exciting. I haven't done the concept pencils for the other months yet. *depressed* So much to do and I have other things to work on as well. ;A; Trying my best!! *~* uuu.

2008/ Ogata Calender Preview

WORK in progress. NEED ADVICE!
This is probably the only preview that I will show since the other illustrations have to be a super-secret so that you can be super-surprised and embarrassed by them. XD;

But I'm only showing this here since I need your advice on how I should go about coloring this. Right now it looks kind of flat right? But is it okay like this? My art doesn't seem to lend itself very well to coloring maybe? I just don't have much experience in this. orz I made a preliminary pencil sketch and created another version with cleaner pencil lines then cleaned up the pencils on the computer and darkened them. Should I had inked by india ink like I usually do or go over the lines on the computer?

Click on the image for a larger version.

2008/06/09 OGATA fever

I HAVE INTERNETZ AGAIN. OMG. *A*
I'm back-- and in one day I have made the preliminary sketches for the Ogata calender! I can't believe I'm ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE IT OMG. *~*


I was reading Sabi's Death Note doujinshi and tried to draw for practice Ogata in the same pose as DDR Light in the book. It's so awesome! I can't draw dance moves at all. Sabi's works make me feel inferior. ;_;


This may be a part of the cover.


I don't think I will be using this in the calender, which is a pity since it's so awesome.


Yes, Ogata does play Go. I tend to forget that since I draw Ogata in so many weird situations not related to Go. That's when it's the most fun.

Yeah, these were generally the rejects. I assure you that Ogata will look more out there and gross and weird in the calender. It will be wonderful!!

OMAKE

Totally unrelated. :D


CALENDER TALK
This is really notes for myself to keep my thoughts organized. I haven't printed something on my own in a really long time so I'm totally clueless on how I should go about getting this calender printed. It is going to be in full color (and I'm worried about how to get the bleeds done right). I'm going to have to do the coloring myself unless someone wants to help me out. *A* I need to get a tablet first (will do so next week) and figure out how to make a pop and cool calender with my limited CG skillz (currently at level 0.005).

I love Ogata but there is no way I have the creative energy to make 12 Ogatas so it's only a 6 Ogata calender with two months to one Ogata. You get: Ogata in love, Ogata snorkeling, Ogata in suits, Discogata, Bunny suits Ogata (if I can pull it off), and Christmas Ogata. The only way to describe this whole project is キモイor不気味or 'just plain weird.' If anyone wants to make a guest drawing or contribute something more so that we can have a full 12 illustration calender please let me know--- Also, also, if you want a copy, drop me a note so that I can decide how much to make. Maybe I will make print run of 30 copies. You don't even need to know who Ogata is. If you have megane or suits moe (or both) I think it might be worth your time? Yes? Yes? :D (I can't believe I'm writing about these kinds of things in my blog now. ;A; huu huu).

Err... how will I get this coloring done? *A* I have other things to do too- arggg-- But I'm kind of excited <3.

2008/05/05 - Ogatar

It's been a long time, Ogata! I was trying to draw someone else but it ended up being Ogata. Well, he is EVERYWHERE after all.

It's going to be Ogata Day in a few months. I wonder if I should be making or doing something. Maybe I can make a webpage to commemorate the wonderfulness that is Ogata day. Last year we said maybe we would make a calender, but I don't see that happening any time soon (unless I make the calender MY OWN LONESOME).

BTW, I FINALLY UPDATED THE WEBSITE. MAYBE THERE WILL BE MORE UPDATES IN THE FUTURE. OMG. IT IS WONDERFUL!!!!! *A* *A*

2005/10/16 Butterflies of the Night

My favorite part of this sketch is the guy making that girl drink a can of some liquid.  Is it soda?  It is juice?  Is it medicine? It is hard liquor?! LOL  Can you guess why this is called butterflies of the night?

I've been so tired recently that when I wake up I have to take a nap after breakfast. D:

Anyway, I realized that my last entry wasn't so clear.

The Ogata book will come out sometime this August!  I'm so excited about it!  I need to prepare a few more materials for the book, but I haven't found the time or the energy to do so.  There's so much to do. >_<;  It looks like there will be five people or more working on the book, so I think that it will be something very wonderful and awesome!  Please look for it when it comes out! ^o^

Also, I realized that I wasn't so clear on how I work.  Usually what happens is I try to immerse myself in the mindset of the characters.  I don't usually write a script because it tends to be very stiff.  What I do is think of scenarios and various ways in which they can play out in my head.  I like to draw funny things, but I don't know if what I do can even be called comedy. Anyway, I run through these situations over and over almost to the point of obsession until I find one which maximizes the situation to hilarity or absurdity (but do I succeed?).

I then think about what I would like to happen on each page and plan out about two or three pages in advance. I also think about what the characters should say even though I never write down the words. I do the pencils in detail the first time, and these are what I use for my inking. I love using the light box, but to use it during the day I have to close my binds in order for the light to shine through well. Recently it's been getting hotter so I try to restrict my inking to the evenings when it's cooler and there's some wind.

Looking at the way I draw comics, I'm not surprised that I can't draw anything epic. Maybe my pages seem to have poor planning and the transition isn't that well done. Still far far far far away from being any good. Yet! I continue to draw. I guess we can't help ourselves!!!

2007 Mr. Ogata & His Fish (preview)

It is quite amazing, but I managed to finish a 11 page comic with pencils and inking in a week and a half. D;  I guess this happens when you haven't drawn any comics in two years or so.  I am joining with a couple of my friends to create a book about Ogata.  I don't usually draw this kind of fan stuff, so I guess this is a sort of rare opportunity for me.

I messed up on drawing his glasses in the final frame.  If I have the time I will go back and reink the frame.

How do you usually draw comics?  What I tend to do is to make pencil sketches and using a light box, ink through that way.  There are people that can do pencils and then do the final without a light box which I think is very amazing.  Using the light box can be tiring because the light is bright, and it can strain my eyes.  The box is also very hot as well.  So often times, the most I can manage to do is ink two pages and take a rest.  Well, I suppose I should take a rest anyway after all that work!

I wish that there was an easier way to do things.  I enjoy my pencils a lot and have found that it's easier to re-do panels if I still have my pencils.  I also do not have to worry about erasing after inking if I had done it directly on the pencils.  

I had some more interesting things to say about this, but now I'm really tired so I guess I might go back and edit this later. :-(

2006/10/21 Them Birds

Was inspired by a pin I was given that featured a representation of Escher art that one could wear.

I've been so tired recently.

Finishing up on Ogata comic.  I drew and inked for four days straight.  Have a few mistakes to correct with the inking (which is quite poor), the last page of the comic to pencil and ink along with the freetalk and omake.

Juu who I am working with on creating this book showed me this wonderful comic she drew featuring Ogata and penguins.  She did the first page when we met last year for Ogata day on August 16th(?) and made Ogata buttons with Koyar. I hope this year we will have glorious Ogata day again.

2005 / 2006 Dearest Emily

I just realized that I haven't updated in two days!  Oops.  Sorry about that. D;  I've just been working on comics and playing Odin Sphere so I haven't been turing on the computer at all.

Today's update is about Emily, a character I met one day about two or three years ago when I managed to draw a profile of a pretty girl with a mysterious face.  I used this actual sketch when I created the shoujo kurabu screenprint.  I was supposed to give this sketch to my friend Guiseppe as I was drawing it for him to include in a letter.  But I was so captivated that I decided to keep Emily to myself despite dedicating the drawing to him.  I am sorry!  But perhaps someday I will give Emily to you. ha ha

Here is Emily with another fond character named Borgia who is quite odd indeed.  Always doing things that are weird and surprising other people and "scaring" them.  This is Borgia's personality.  But she is quite a compassionate person as well.  Emily at the time was still a delicate girl and often cried thinking about sad and romantic things.  Here she and Borgia are making a Christmas garland.

I don't like this sketch very much, but I'll include it here since I scanned it earlier.  Emily is quite a carefree girl despite her sentimentality and weak constitution.

However, gradually I find that Emily has gotten stronger and stronger.  She is no longer the meek girl I had seen those many years ago, and I find that I can't draw her as such unless it is to show her past.  How odd to think that she can grow.

And an extra. Ogata laughing evilly.

On the comics front, I think that things are going at a decent pace.  I've only done pencils (Ogata 3 pages, Gilles and Sylvie 3 pages) and have not gotten to inking yet.  Losing a bit faith on the Gilles and Sylvie (and Louise) story, but I suppose I should tread on!