New Society6 Journal/Notebook/Whatever

Yay!  I got my new journal/notebook/whatever from my Society6 Store today.  And, needless to say, I LOVE it.  Journals like these are the reason I started all this eight years ago–in the first place.  I was tired of searching for new journals to write in.  Only to find those journals featuring wildflowers, cats, puppies, and landscapes.  I wanted something featuring something of my own.  I guess I managed to make that happen!  

Anyway, this is called the "Ain't that Mellow Mellow, Jeremi" journal.  The name is from a song featured on the 1974 Foxy Brown score produced by Willie Hutch.  Yellow.  Mellow.  Get it?

Anyway, this is a side-by-side of my retiring Zazzle journal (I bought in 2016) with my new Society6 one.  As you can see the Zazzle is spiral-bound (larger as well), whereas the Society6 one isn't.

2017 Zazzle Calendar!

Updating the Zazzle store with 2017 Wall Calendars.  I created and bought one last year and love it!  So, I decided to do it again for 2017 and share it with everyone.  Here’s a link straight to the calendar on Zazzle!  Check it out!

COMIC TOWEL 2017 CALENDAR

COMIC TOWEL 2017 CALENDAR

COMIC TOWEL 2017 CALENDAR

COMIC TOWEL 2017 CALENDAR

COMIC TOWEL 2017 CALENDAR

Getting the Hang of Zazzle

I’ve been going up the wall lately on optimizing a controlled and organized Zazzle store.  Before products were arranged in any and all kinds of order.  This left visitors scrambling all over the store.  Which isn't good!  Even I came frustrated with the disarray I’d created.  Added to my organizing, I’ve also been reviving the color of my original uploads from 2012.  A few color correcting techniques in the drawing process have stepped up since 2012.  So the difference from then and now were a little too noticeable for me to ignore.  

I wouldn’t call it grueling, but I’ve been up until like 4am all weekend redoing all my previous faults.  I think we've all been there, where it's late but we tell ourselves just one more action before we sleep.  Then one action leads to ten.  

So here are a few of my considerations to optimizing a fresh Zazzle store.

The Girl Who Lime-Eyed

Cut.  Clipped.  Edged out of a piece of Bristol board to draw a smaller picture.  Or what initially was going to be a mini-comic that just wouldn’t… mini!  So instead, I sketched a quick drawing.  As always, I found conflict with what to do with her hands.  Nonetheless, I went for the simple and clean approach.

The inking followed.  With no specific character in mind, I tossed around her eye color until I just decided to make them a limey green.  And because she’s a person of color, I shadowed her a Copic Deep Orange.  At first I wanted to leave her lips without lipstick, to instead go for a Copic Flesh Pink tone.  But later, as you’ll see, that simpleness went out the window.  Fact is, I love my girls flashy when it comes to lipstick, nail polish, etc.  Anything outside of that seems… well… basic.

Now comes one of my favorite parts: scrapbook implementations.  I’ve had this slice of cherry-themed paper for a while.  It’s smaller than my usual pieces, so it’s hard to use on bigger projects.  But since this was a smaller drawing–on a smaller piece of Bristol board–it fit perfectly.  And because it’s been years since I use dollies, I thought adding the two would work this go-round.  As always, I X-Acto Knifed her from the negative space.  Which, thankfully, wasn’t much nor complicated.

Color.  Color.  Color.  Paint and pastels.  Layers on layers.  Where to start?  Okay.  Her eyes have my traditional gradient effect.  The theme–as mentioned–is lime.  Lips colored soft pink alongside a darker shade of pink for her nails.  Her skin tone has a soften blend of clay-colored chalk pastels mixed with a peach.  To be honest, I had these scrapings (I used my X-Acto Knife to scrap chalk pastels into a pallet before blending) left over from my last drawing HERE.  I saved them, and had just enough for this girl.  I water colored her hair purple, which is tradition for me when drawing characters with dark hair.  Following the watercolor, I spotted her hair with black chalk pastel.  It always looks a little rustic look until I blend.

More layers.  Gave ground to her pupils, and an iris effect where I black-dot around her full iris (not sure where I learned that from).  Also, and it’s been a while, but I added eye shadow using a soft rub of pink chalk pastels.  Too much?  Maybe.  I followed my tradition of using three colored pencils to streak and layer her hair.  But I felt like I missed the flow around the part where she tucked her hair behind her ear.  There needed to be some definition on where that piece of hair broke from the rest of the flow.  So you can see where I added a darker line to separate the two.  But from there, I got into this mood of using the black colored pencil to begin adding more fullness by shading her hair more with it.  Experimenting I guess.

So yeah.  Basically got to the final step, scanned, and realized she wasn’t complete.  Pulling the drawing out of the scanner, I add the stickers.  I’ve always wanted to use these–as the majority of them were featured my older project HERE.  The left overs made it to this girl in the form of a cherry earring and floating fruit.  In other words: CUTENESS IN EFFECT!  No, for real.  I love stuff like floating fruit.

But yes.  In its digital process I added:

1.  Revived her color for the digital look.

2.  Retracing and filling her outline and other dark areas outside of her hair.

3.  Filling her lips and nails with color before highlighting their shine with a touch of white.

I believe that’s just about it.  So what should her name be?

Also, you can buy a journal featuring this drawing at my Zazzle Store HERE!

Zazzle Unboxing: Notebook/Journals

*ZAZZLE JOURNALS*

Zazzle Calendar Unboxed (Video)

~LINK TO CALENDAR~

Zazzle T-Shirt Unbagging (Video)

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR LINK TO ACTUAL SHIRTS!

The Boy I Tried To PNG (Test Run)

This post/drawing came with a technical purpose. It’s my attempt to create a PNG image (portable network graphic or transferable images with no accountable backdrop) out of one of my drawings. I came up with this idea because I wanted to make T-shirts featuring my characters–after some previous failed-looking attempts. The thing is that it looked weird sporting an entire drawing onto a shirt. It almost looked plopped on, with a hefty “there.” It just didn't look right having an entire portrait drawing on a shirt, though outside of Zazzle's digital design tool it may appear differently. Needless to say, I couldn't do anything with all of that.

So I had this random, unfinished sketch hanging around. I decided to get modest (is that safe to say?), sloppy and hurried in my attempt to flesh this bald guy out and transfer him into a simple PNG file to test myself. And it worked; rough and rocky, but I managed. Added to that, I decided to double this into another drawing post/video tutorial. Though I cringe at the actual drawing.  But like I said, he had a purpose.  I made sure his expression revealed such.

At the end of the post comes the video version...

Simple and clean.  Nothing fancy.  Including no hair.

For darker complexion, I'd normally add a second layer.  Not this time.  On to its purpose.

Zazzle This USB Flash Drive

Here I stood, just bought a PS4 and frustrated trying to copy recorded game play onto a USB flash drive that just wouldn't connect. It would save me so much trouble to take game play through the PS4’s DVR and into a flash drive; transfer it to my computer and then edit it from there. However, seeing the USB stick I had wouldn't connect, I decided to go onto Zazzle and create one of my own featuring my drawings. Per usual, I picked a random image and came up with this one…

From 8 to about 36 (I bought the 16GB), Zazzle offers an array of GB sizes (prices rise in accordance with size) and colors for their USB flash drive products.  I chose this pastel pink because it went well with the image.  The drive comes in a nice, clear plastic envelope.

Here is the drive semi-swiveled out.  There’s also a hook piece to attach the drive elsewhere.  Say, like to a lanyard.

I chose a fuller image perspective for the other side to keep “variety” in the piece. After pounding on discounts given by Zazzle, I paid $9.95. As for the shipping, I placed the order on the 24th and received it on the 27th (as a Black Member, standard shipping is free). It came unexpectedly. Unexpectedly fast. 

Give me a couple of days to add USB flash drives to the store. In the meantime, you can visit everything else I have to offer HERE.

Once again, thanks for all the support. Stay strong and motivated, people.  And for all my gamer follows, be on the lookout for my gaming channel.  Sub HERE!

Unbagged: Zazzle iPhone Speaker

What's up, guys!  I'm doing video after video it seems.  Here I do an unbagging of another Zazzle item I recently acquired out of my Zazzle store.  It's my way of sharing to others what these items are like once received as well as trying them out for myself.  And I really needed a new speaker!

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The product details per Zazzle's site are as follows:

Dimensions: 2.375"L x 4.5"W x 0.75"D; 3.5 ounces

Powered by 2 AAA batteries and USB cord (included)

Works with ANY standard 3.5 mm. headphone jack audio product

Designer Tip: To ensure the highest quality print, please note this product’s customizable design area measures 2.3" x 4.4". For best results please add 1/10"

Zazzle Unboxing! BOOM!

I got some still images for ya!

Click HERE For Mousepad Link

Click HERE For Truck Hat Link

As always, thanks everyone for coming aboard.