Actually it's just been a while since the last journal, and I'm kinda trying to post at least one per month.

Art output has grinded almost to a halt again lately because of work. I already mentioned this over at DrunkDuck, I really need to do things differently with Bulletproof when the next issue starts, i.e. there needs to be a buffer of preferably an entire issue. It's become pretty clear that it's either that or the problems I've been having with issue 5 are never going away because my job just is what it is. I have no idea how I'm going to make that happen, though, and I'm scared of issue 6 because it will be by far the hardest thing I've ever done. We'll see.

The most interesting thing that's happened here in recent weeks is something that probably no one but me cares about - that crappy Aayla Secura wallpaper I drew over four years ago is finally not the most popular piece in my gallery anymore. It always bugged me how this held the number one spot because it's from a phase where I was very slowly and painfully trying to get my art chops back after a pause of several years, and while looking at it does make me proud of how much I've improved since then, well, it just isn't very good.

Also, the Helghast Shocktrooper has risen through the ranks at an alarming pace, it's already #12 and by far the most popular deviation in my gallery that doesn't have boobs on it... really makes me think I need to delve further into digital painting, I just wish it wasn't so damn time consuming.

But then maybe I just need to sell my PS3. *cough*

So I just sat down at the computer and opened up the plot outline for the rest of issue 5. There's a character in the issue's climactic action scene whose design I still need to finalize, and I wanted to check that I wasn't missing something like a weapon he was supposed to be using. I say "plot" because I've been having trouble finding the spark to finish the script for this one for a while. The plot outline's been around since the spring, but no actual scripted pages beyond where I am right now (page 12).

So I look over the rest of the plot, something strikes my brain like lightning from Shockwire's fingertips, and an hour later, the script is done and feels like it's going to be so much fun to draw that I could just stay up all night doing exactly that if I didn't have to get up at six tomorrow morning.

I love when this happens. Nothing makes me feel more alive than a Hulk-sized inspiration burst like that. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's moments like this that make all the tedious stuff attached to creative work worth it.

Swiped from *ChrisMcJ because it's a cool idea.

Here are the rules:

1) For each of the 15 first people answering this journal I will put his/her avatar and three deviations I like from his/her/its gallery on the list.

2) If you answer, you'll have to do the same in your journal, putting me on the first place, completing this way the list with 15 people. The idea of this is not to get a free feature, it is to spread art around for everyone. If you answer and have already started one, just put me in the next available slot you have. If you reply but don't post a 15 journal within a day or so I'll remove you from the list, just so you know. I've been checking out some of the other journals with this going on and am surprised at the number of people who aren't holding up their end of the deal.

Go check out these awesome artists and leave them some feedback!

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Check this out: [link]

It's a combination of two Photoshop plugins that basically do the flatting for you. It recognizes closed areas in the lineart and separates them, filling under the lines. Obviously you'll still have to fix anything that isn't closed and you end up with some annoying stuff you have to fix wherever there's crosshatching and the like, but I just tried it on a few things, and it's pretty damn handy. Almost made me think for a few minutes that I should go back to coloring Bulletproof, but I got over it.

Actually I don't have any exciting news. I don't even have boring news. I got nothin'. I just wanted to post this because I like my new journal header.

So let's do a "what I've been up to since the last journal" entry instead. This has been a really shitty week, incidentially. I came back from the Obscene Extreme fest in the Czech Republic on Sunday with some manner of really nasty stomach virus that had me puking until about Tuesday, and then that segued straight into inexplicably pulling a neck muscle and being in excruciating pain for the rest of the week. And because of that, I couldn't draw and barely managed to finish the colors on the journal header illustration. So basically, I've been sitting around playing videogames and sleeping a lot. Whoop-dee-doo.

I hope my neck's okay now because I think I'm finally feeling the Bulletproof itch again, and if I get to work on it now, I should actually be able to finish all of issue 5 before it relaunches at the end of August, which would free up the time I need to work on issue 6. That one's going to be tough. I want to do the origin of Atlas, because I really need to introduce him now - he's a major character in terms of the big picture for Bulletproof, and I think I can count the panels he's been on one hand so far. But that story's going to be a bitch and a half to write, and even harder to draw.

So that's the exciting news.