Showing posts with label Thought Corner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thought Corner. Show all posts

Monday, December 31, 2018

End Of The Year Thoughts (2018)...

So, it’s New Year’s Eve. At midnight tonight, 2018 will be officially over. And with a New Year literally on the horizon, new possibilities are coming right along with it. But before 2018 is over, I want to take a look back at the blogging year I’ve had. Last time I did this type of post, I didn’t have many topics to discuss other than the changes I made to how I blogged and what I blogged about. As such, I don’t have much to say about that, because I spent 2018 continuing on with some of those changes by blogging about whatever I wanted including books, movies, music, food, and art.

So, how did those resolutions go?

Uh…okay. Here’s the thing: 2018 has been a rollercoaster of high and low points, and even the best plan has the capacity to change. Inevitably they do. And you know what? I’m totally fine with what I got done this year. I finished reading some of the series I wanted to get to such as: the first 3 novels of Sarah Kuhn’s Heroine Complex series, Ancillary Sword and Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie, as well as the last book of The Winternight Trilogy, The Winter of the Witch. There are many books I still want to read, but I fully acknowledge that it won’t happen in 2018. I’m not sad about it either, because I have time and books don’t expire or spoil like fruit. So, I’m good. I also read some poetry books. I started a new sketchbook but didn’t finish any. However, the one I’m currently using is spiral bound and I really love the paper. I also updated the look of the blog and made it more cohesive by changing out old post graphics to fit with the new header. The old birdcage rating system has not come back, and I don’t see it returning in the near future.

The Library…

Besides my resolutions, I also wanted to try more books by authors I wasn’t familiar with and tackle some backlist titles I wanted to read. So inevitably I used my local library more this year because of that. The library is truly great. Because when I do go out and buy physical copies of books to have on my shelf—like Spinning Silver and Why We Sleep—going to the library first takes away some of the guesswork behind choosing what to get. By then, I’ve already read them and know I love them.

Oh, and one last thing…

I’ve thought about it over time, and I realized resolutions are just personal goals. If they get done: then YAY, pat on the back. And if they don’t, well, there’s always another year to try again. And I tried this year: so another pat on the back.

Goodbye 2018, you won’t be missed....
 

Friday, October 19, 2018

Hilda....

I've been waiting for Netflix’s Hilda to come out since I first heard about it on Twitter a while ago. And, this show was delightful. I loved it. I got through most of the series in one day, because once I started watching, I couldn’t stop. Hilda is a show filled with a number of shining qualities. At times, Hilda dealt with serious topics—like the fear of moving to new places, etc.—while also maintaining a balance with lighthearted and fun moments. It was full of charm and whit with excellent dialogue, good animation, and characters I can’t help but want to see more of. Cough, clears throat…Netflix, I need a season two…cough-cough….

One of my favorite things is when fantasy elements—like magic or creatures—sits side by side with the ordinary, and I saw that a lot in this show. Hilda also had some major Gravity Falls vibes going on. And don’t get me wrong, the shows are their own separate things. What I mean by the comparison is the way the fantastical elements were integrated right into seemingly ordinary settings. With Hilda, the attitude toward those elements was a sort of general acceptance with those aspects being just another part of the world at large. And that mindset was more evident the farther into the series I got.

Speaking of the show design, I have to talk about it. It worked so well with the character design—particularly for the elves and giants, etc—as well as the background environments in each scene. And I like the fact that when the characters were small on screen, they were just miniaturized and simplified versions of themselves while maintaining the original integrity of the designs.

Another thing I enjoyed was the overall story. I liked each episode and the lessons Hilda learned through the adventures she went on and the other characters she met. While the focus was on Hilda, the relationship she had with her mother was one of the best things about the show. I liked how involved her mother was—that she knew about Hilda’s “friends” and accepted that—as well as her ability to listen to her daughter when she needed to talk/how they worked through their issues. I was also a huge fan of the secondary characters as well as the elves. They—the elves—were cute and reminded me of stick figures in clothes. I also enjoyed the occasional moments of fourth wall comedy.

Overall, Hilda was a great show. And if you haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend that you do. And, you know, it’s October. And Hilda is a fall-ish kind of show with supernatural themes perfect to watch during this time of year....

Have you watched Hilda? If so, what are some of your favorite moments? And, if not, would you give the show a try?


Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Recent Nonfiction Reads....


I’m very behind on writing reviews for the nonfiction books I’ve been reading. So, today, I’m going to compile my thoughts into a single post and talk about all three of the books I recently—and not so recently—checked out from the library.


Farming and the Food Supply by Debra A. Miller

Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; hardcover
Author: Debra A. Miller
Publisher/Publication Date: Greenhaven Press; June 21, 2011

Goodreads     Amazon    Barnes & Noble     Book Depository 


My Thoughts: When I think of global warming, the usual things that come to mind are extreme weather patterns and a rise in the annual, global temperature to name just a few. So, I was interested in reading more about how global warming would affect the food supply, which is what led me to Farming and the Food Supply by Debra A. Miller. This book had information from several sources; although, the majority cited a report put out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007. Farming and the Food supply was published in 2011, so some of the information could be a little outdated.  It was still an interesting read that made a lot of good points about the subject. Farming and the Food Supply also did a good job at talking about a broad range of subjects all with the common denominator of food/food supply, global warming, and the impact that food production has on the environment as well as potential solutions. All in all, this book was a good introduction to the subject. And if you’re looking or willing to delve further into researching the topic, there was also a handy section—page 117 to 123—that lists a number of different sources (like books, periodicals, websites, etc.) for further research.

Undercover Operation by Edna McPhee

Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; hardcover
Author: Edna McPhee
Publisher/Publication Date: Lucent Press; August 12, 2017

Goodreads     Amazon     Book Depository 

My Thoughts: I liked this book. It was a quick read that went over some of the basic details of how undercover operations are conducted as well as some of the history. There was mention of people like Mary Bowser, Sam Davis, and Mata Hari just to name a few. There was also a chapter for different types of investigations and another for technology. I do have to say that some sections of the book were more technical than others. And like with Farming and the Food Supply, it was more of a book to give a general idea of things while if I want to read something with more technical details, I would have to look elsewhere. Despite that, Undercover Operations was a good book.

American Art Deco by Carla Breeze

Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; hardcover
Author: Carla Breeze
Publisher/Publication Date: W.W. Norton Company; July 17, 2003

Goodreads     Amazon    Barnes & Noble     Book Depository 

My Thoughts: Out of the three nonfiction books I read, American Art Deco was probably my top-favorite. If you follow me on Instagram, I mentioned this book a while ago. It was the second book I read about Art Deco, and unlike the first one, American Art Deco focused on the US iteration of the architectural style. It discussed influences and buildings/art from around the country. It was a thoroughly eye-opening and fascinating read. I also drew some pencil sketches while reading American Art Deco. I’ll eventually talk about that page on a different blog post, but for now, if you want to see it, it’s on my Instagram…. 


So, those are the last three nonfiction books I’ve read. I do want to read more about some of these topics. What are some of your recent nonfiction or fiction reads?


Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Some Thoughts On Ready Player One (2018)


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I finally watched Ready Player One. Before that, I read the book—my review—and was surprised by how much I liked it. And based off the trailers and feedback from my sister—who saw the movie before I did—I was expecting to like it. I don’t know why I was so worried, because I did enjoy the movie. And now I have a confession to make: I liked the movie more than the book. Usually, the book and movie are on equal footing, but in this case, I’m leaning more toward the latter. It was due to the changes. There were a lot of noticeable changes between the book and the movie adaptation, particularly the challenges and how the keys were found. However, I liked those changes. It had more of an emotional impact later on, because it put the some of the characters together sooner than the events in the book allowed. Even so, the 2018 movie adaptation remains true to the basic premise of the book.

The visual effects were on point. It was one of the aspects I liked best about Ready Player One as demonstrated by the transition from a more real-world setting to the virtual one, and one of the first major scenes to take place in the OASIS. There was no background track except for the noise to match what was happening on-screen. It was pure, fast-paced, chaotic adrenaline. And I loved it. There was a lot of action and a heaping dose of pop culture references with everything from the Iron Giant, Overwatch, Halo, and even a Batmobile just to name a few. For a movie of its kind—one that basically takes place in a virtual reality, video game-esque world—the references from other media franchises just sort of worked.

So, there was a lot I liked about Ready Player One movie. It managed to balance the story with narrative changes, good acting, and spectacular visual effects. It made for an enjoyable movie. And while the end is pretty complete—just like the book—I would be open to a Ready Player One 2 book or movie. Or should I say Ready Player Two?

Have you read Ready Player One or seen the movie? If so, what are your thoughts about it?


Sunday, July 15, 2018

Sketchbook...


The more I work in my sketchbook the more I’ve thought about the ways I’m currently using it. And I realized that I haven’t blogged about my process, shared any pictures of my favorite pages, or anything like that. It’s mainly due to the fact that I’ve spent more time creating art and haven’t stopped to consider if it would make a good blog post, instagram picture, or some other kind of content. I’ve essentially been enjoying the process and learning as much as I can from it. In my sketchbook, I can be as messy or composition-conscious as I want to be. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, because it’s my sketchbook.

What I’m saying is that I use my sketchbook to experiment. I bounce around between realism and cartoonish styles, even going as far as to combine elements that I like if it seems right for whatever I'm working on. I have a lot of pages that are unfinished, some dedicated to pose/anatomy practice; concepts for watercolor, acrylic, or digital paintings; and random bits and pieces of landscape and buildings. I’ve tried out a few different things that I might otherwise have never gotten around to because I didn’t want to spend the time doing them digitally. Ironically enough, this whole discovery process involved a box of crayons.

While organizing my room I found an old box of ordinary Crayloa Crayons—the basic 24 color set—in a bin of art supplies I haven’t looked at in years. Crayons, just like ballpoint pens, are another art supply that I like to sketch with. It challenges me since I can’t go back and erase all of the lines I just made. So, even if there’s something I don’t like, I’ll have to incorporate it into the sketch anyway. Also, it’s a lot of fun to work with all the different colors. Having more options encourages me to take more risks. After a while, I wasn’t satisfied with just the basic 24 set. I wanted more. And the great thing about crayons is that they’re cheap, like, really cheap. I bought a 120 count set for about 6-7 dollars from Michaels with a coupon, because drawing with crayon is
so

much



fun....



And I can save my more expensive supplies.

So, my sketchbook is just that: my sketchbook. There doesn’t need to be any stress. There doesn’t need to be any pressure to create content for the blog or twitter or anywhere else. I may share some more pages, or I might not. I’m just going to make art.

What are your thoughts on sketchbooks? Do you have one? Are you planning to start one?



Sunday, July 1, 2018

I Made A Sketchbook...

In my mid-year resolution check-in post, I mentioned that I wanted to get a smaller sketchbook so my goal of finishing one was more manageable. In the end, I chose to make a sketchbook since I wanted to try out a different technique of binding the signatures together instead of using staples. There are a number of good tutorials on youtube, but the best ones I found were Following the White Rabbit DIY journal/sketchbook tutorial series that you can find HERE. The steps were straightforward, and the visual/ real-time tutorial made it easier to pick up on what had to go where and when. . . .

Supplies I used...
  • Hand sewing needle
  • Scissors
  • Turquoise blue/green embroidery floss
  • Pink Card stock
  • Regular old tape
  • Ribbon (black and pink)
  • Artist’s Loft 70 sheet count drawing pad; 11 in x 14 in

I had a lot of fun with this project. It was easier than I thought it was going to be. What I mean by that is that I way overestimated the difficulty of it, because it’s not difficult at all. The paper I chose was just some sketch paper I had. Because of the size, I cut the sheets in half at the center before folding them three or four at time to create my signatures. The actual binding part took a little bit of
time to get used to, but once I did, it was mostly smooth sailing from there.

After my signatures were bound together, I moved on to constructing the cover. I thought “oh hey, I’m just going to do something simple,” which was followed by “this is going to be quick.” No. that’s not how it turned out, because I added a pocket and a ribbon (to tie it shut) at the back. The cover itself was easy to put together since it’s literally three pieces cut from a single sheet of card stock, which I taped together with tape I had lying around my house. Where it got complicated was the pocket and the ribbon tie. I decided to braid the ribbon after spending at least ten minutes deciding how I wanted the pocket to look. I’m not complaining about the time I spent on it, because I like the look of it. And the skills I learned during the process will come in handy when I attempt to make another sketchbook.

Overall, I was happy with the results. If I do this again, I’ll probably use different materials such as stronger tape—preferably something with a pattern—and I would replace the card stock with cardboard and a fabric overlay as a finish. Also, my binding wasn’t as tight as I wanted it to be and it may have had to do with the type of string I used. It was quite thin. So, next time around, I might look into getting a different type that’s a little stiffer, like twine.

Have you considered making a sketchbook or journal?

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Mid-Year Resolution Check-In

It’s hard to believe that it’s already more than halfway through the month of June. So much has happened and half the year is basically gone. I got summoned for Jury duty at the beginning of June—although I was only on standby, and there went most of that week. I haven’t been reading as much as I thought I would. However, I've done other stuff like finishing the first draft of a novella. So I figured that now was as good a time as any to check my blogging goals and see where I’m at with them....


  • Finish a sketchbook… 
I have not finished my current sketchbook. I’ve made steady progress on it but am nowhere near done with it. That’s perfectly fine since I’m not trying to rush myself along, and it’s a big sketchbook with plenty of pages. I have noticed that I’m having an easier time sitting down and making quick sketches, which I’m happy about. Other than that, I might make or buy a smaller sketchbook so that this goal is a little more manageable. I have watched a couple of book binding tutorials so I might go with the DIY option since it would be easier to personalize it to the exact specifications I want (for the cover and paper combination).

  • Finish more series… 
Well, I haven't finished more than one series in the past two months or so. In fact, I’ve done the exact opposite and started a lot of new series. In my defense, there have been a lot of books that I’ve wanted to read including Sarah Kuhn’s Heroine Complex series (the third book will be out in July). So, I haven’t really finished as many series as I would have liked to, but I’m still working on it.

  • Actually read some poetry… 
For the past two months, I haven’t read any poetry. After a handful of misses, I decided to put this goal on the backburner. I also had a hard time writing reviews for the poetry books I didn’t enjoy, because it’s such a hard thing to critique. More often than not, I didn’t end up writing anything about them and moved on to books I was more likely to enjoy. That being said, poetry is something I’ll eventually return to but just not right now.

  • Allow more flexibility with the blog… 
Out of all my blogging goals, this one is the one I’ve had the easiest time with. I came into 2018 with the mindset of not stressing out over how many books I’m reading, or how many reviews I’ve written. I was also willing to adjust the style, function, and schedule whenever I need to—that's why the general look of the blog got overhauled, the ever broadening range of post types, and the more frequent week-long breaks. 


So, that’s where I’m at with my blogging goals for the year. I’m not disappointed. What were some of your 2018 resolutions? Have you accomplished anything?

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Aggretsuko...

Before I get to the main part of the latest installment of thought corner, first I've got to get to some of the technical details about the subject of today's post...

Details...
Title: Aggretsuko
Release Date: April 10, 2018
Rating: TV-14
How I Watched: Netflix Subscription
Netflix's Aggretsuko Page
Trailer from Netflix's Youtube....





Has anyone else watched Netflix’s 2018 show, Aggretsuko? I have, and now I need to talk about it....

So, back when Netflix premiered the trailer for the show, I admit that I was a little skeptical about how good it was going to be. But, I was so very-very-VERY wrong. I watched it with my little sister, and we both loved the show! So, today, I’m here to talk about all the reasons why I absolutely adored Aggretsuko in an attempt to convince other people to watch it too.

I had to take a couple of days to sit and process my thoughts about Aggretsuko. It’s such a great show and all I want to do is gush about it to anyone who might ask me if it’s worth watching. It is. Yes, definitely go watch it now. But for those who haven’t watched it, I’m going to try to keep spoilers out of this post.

So, Aggretsuko is one of the best animated shows I’ve watched. The animation style is cute (as expected of something associated with Sanrio; I mean, they’re the same company behind Hello Kitty), the humor was spot-on, and the subjects the show covered were shocking in that they were realistic—mirroring some current discussions about workplace bullying, bosses abusing their power, and even romantic relationships. The combination of characters, story, and an incredibly strong script ended up making Aggretsuko pretty awesome.

Let me explain... 

One of the most defining elements of Aggretsuko was the main character. Retsuko had a job she hated, a slew of terrible bosses, and often expressed her rage. In fact, now that I think about it, the show was all Retsuko’s daily life, which covered how she navigated all those issue. I lived for Retsuko’s reactions. And I’m glad that the creators didn’t shy away from showing Retsuko’s rage toward the unfair expectations stacked on her desk each and every day. It was refreshing to see how bluntly overworked and tired she was with certain aspects of her daily life, because rather than pushing aside the pain, anger, and fatigue, Retsuko got to express it. And that. Was. Awesome. She also had that one hobby where she could really decompress. And that was also awesome.

The whole cast was wonderful, but one thing I have to make note of was the friendships, particularly those between the female characters. And I just have to say: the portrayal of the female friendships was amazing. They actually seemed like good friends and not frenemies looking to one-up each other. Instead, they were supportive to each other and had conversations where they listened acutely to issues that they respectively faced.

Time for a couple other highlights…
  • Fenneko, the Fennec fox character—you’d have to watch the show to know what I mean. 
  • The setting—besides the whole anthropomorphic animals’ thing, the setting was pretty typical for a city. Still, I liked it a lot. 
  • I have to mention Retsuko’s love of death-metal again. It was such an integral part of her character and often served as relief during stressful situations. 
All of the above culminated into one thing: I need a season two. So, even if you don’t watch for the animation, you should do it for Retsuko and if not for her and her hobby, then for Fenneko or Gori, or even Washimi and Haida.

Have you watched Aggretsuko? If so, then what did you like about it? If not, would you watch it?

Thursday, May 10, 2018

We're Gonna Talk About Romance Tropes (Featuring The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory)...

**Quick note before I get started:  I’m going to be using Jasmine Guillory’s The Wedding Date as an example. I read it as an ARC a few months ago, and it’s a great example of putting a fresh spin on some familiar tropes. So, before you read on, be warned that there may be minor spoilers even though I will try to keep talk of specific situations to a minimum....**

If you think about it, fiction utilizes some kind of trope or another to tell a story, whether it’s in the backstory of a character, setting, whole magic systems, or even the type of character arc a MC goes through—think heroes journey. Tropes are everywhere and they’re not going away. It all comes down to the details. I think romance novels are a good example of this because the tropes in and of themselves are so recognizable. So, I decided to talk about two of my favorite romance novel tropes: accidental meetings and fake wedding dates.

Accidental meetings put two people who might not have otherwise met into the same space for an extended length of time. It essentially forces them to hold a conversation. In the case of The Wedding Date, Alexa Monroe and Drew Nichols get trapped in an elevator, and have a somewhat humorous conversation that involved good old fashioned cheese and crackers—the cheese apparently being the good kind too. They might not have crossed paths. Why? One, they were total strangers. Two, their respective careers kept them in different cities. So, they hung in different circles but happened to be in the same place at once. There was a lot to love about how Alexa and Drew were characterized—professional life and interactions.

What could possibly go wrong at a wedding? To elaborate, I like this trope because it makes the characters talk to each other while they concoct elaborate stories to keep the charade rolling. Such as establishing how they met, how long they’ve been dating, and simple facts that couples should know about each other all in an attempt to fool friends, family, and sometimes an ex.

When you put those tropes together you get chemistry. Or, theoretically, that’s how it should work anyway. What’s true with a lot of romances is that chemistry can be rediscovered or entirely spontaneous. So, with the accidental meeting and fake wedding date tropes it’s kind of spontaneous and works best for me when it’s evident in the interactions and not repeated (told). In the case of The Wedding Date, the chemistry between Drew and Alexa was there. And the rest of the book was a lot of seeing where that early chemistry would lead.

Like I said above, tropes are everywhere. I have my favorites and there are others that I can’t really stand in romance and in other genres as well. What it comes down to is whether they’re used effectively to further a story rather than hinder it, and of course personal preference. The latter is a big factor in what books I ultimately enjoy or DNF and move on. And I just happen to be a fan of fake wedding dates.

What are some of your favorite romance tropes that appear in any genre?

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

I Watched Jupiter Ascending Again...

Recently, I watched Jupiter Ascending again, and I had some thoughts once the credits started rolling. I just have to mention how awesome those end credits still are, but I digress. Back to those thoughts I mentioned. So, yes, I watched Jupiter Ascending and evaluated my initial perception of the movie, comparing it to when I first saw it in 2015 to how I view it now in 2018. It’s surprising how much of a difference almost 3 years can make. Let me tell you, my opinion is on a whole different spectrum. So it comes down to a very simple question: why is it that I consume and enjoy Jupiter Ascending's specific brand of media? What's the quality about it that brings me back again and again?

The first time I watched Jupiter Ascending, I didn’t really like the movie. There were things about it that I found interesting, and the visuals were stunning to watch on screen. But, it wasn’t my favorite movie and some parts of the dialogue left me scratching my head and wondering why it was a thing. The way the movie is structured had an almost video game quality and the bad guys’ sort of stepped on screen, were dismissed, and never seen again. At the time, I thought it was a little unsatisfying to never have gotten those concrete answers as to what ultimately happened to the antagonists. I also mentioned that the movie would have been better suited in a longer format—or at least given a sequel—to allow more time to develop those interesting story kernels and flesh-out the character backstories into something awesome. Sadly, to date there's no sequel.

Since this is a post about watching Jupiter Ascending again, rewatch it I have. I watched Jupiter Ascending again when it came on TV, went out and bought the DVD, and have watched it twice more since then. Why? Because the movie has not only grown on me, but I’ve also come to appreciate it.

I thought about it for a while while trying to come up with a good analogy to compare it to. I came up with one: comfort food. I realized that Jupiter Ascending is kind of like comfort food, and it's something that I find myself going back to again and again, especially if I need to relax. It’s not a movie with a deep, literary, metaphorical meaning that will positively make me question everything I know about, well, everything. But it doesn’t have to be. And yeah, it’s a little silly but it’s also entertaining. For example, if I’m stressed out the odds of me watching Blade Runner, or Logan’s Run, or something that’s bound to make me cry or add to that stress are next to none. No, if I’m stressed/angry/upset, I want space-werewolf-angels flying around on hover skates, and space DMVs and robot lawyers. I also want beautiful visuals and spaceships that are so extra that parts of them are probably made of gold and marble. In other words: Jupiter Ascending.

That brings me to that aha moment that led to the original thought behind this post: Jupiter Ascending is a specific kind of entertaining fluff. And I like it. There’s something about it that’s highly watchable, and that element has brought me back for a second, third, and even fifth viewing. And I'm sure that I’ll end up eventually watching the movie again. Because, the more I look critically at the types of media I consume regularly, the more I see a pattern to what I watch and when I watch it.

My stance on Jupiter Ascending just proves that opinions can change. I now see the movie from a perspective I never thought I would have. But now that I have it, I don't want to go back. What about you? Has your opinion about something ever changed after any extended length of time?


Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Lets Talk About Older Artwork...

I haven't done a discussion post in a long time. It was one of my blogging goals of 2017. "At least once a month," is what I told myself; although, I never really found my rhythm and didn't find the time to write as many as I wanted (or couldn't think of topics to write about). That being said, it's a new year, and I finally have another discussion post ready. So, today, I'm here to talk about old artwork....

Old artwork. If art is your hobby or job, you’ve inevitably got a pile of old artwork stashed in some deep, dark, and forgotten corner of a closet or drawer. I mean, I have a lot of old art—some of it is from when I was kid—and admittedly, it’s a little awkward to look at. My immediate response is to cringe at it, laugh it off, or just quickly shut that drawer and walk away. However, old artwork is a good thing. And, like it or not, it’s always going to be a thing.

I view old artwork as a roadmap to my current art ability. If not for some of my old artwork, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I didn’t get this way overnight. It took years of practice, and even to this day I still find areas that I feel aren’t as on par with other aspects of my abilities.

I say that old artwork is a good thing because it serves as a visual reminder of where I was. Its a literal documentation of all the learning curves I've gone through, the style changes, and experiments. If I look back at pieces from early 2017 and compare them to some of my current projects, there’s a big difference. By comparing old with new, I can see the areas where I have improved as well as others that I still need to work on. But the signs of improvement are often sources of encouragement to continue. For example, the pictures below. The one on the left is a drawing from 2016 and the one on the right is the redraw I did for it on March 2, 2018.


What I’m trying to say is there’s no shame in old artwork. It’s older artwork for a reason. Is it kind of awkward? Yeah, sometimes, but that doesn’t change the fact that a year from now, I'll look back at everything I'm currently working on and will label it as older artwork. And, in a way, those ones (Those roadmaps to every learning curve) will always be just as important as recent pieces of art. Where's the shame in that?

What are your thoughts on older artwork?

Monday, November 13, 2017

Thought Corner: Kind of Miscellaneous Monday Musings

I've fallen out of the habit of writing miscellaneous posts with shorter discussion topics, and participating in weekly memes like Musing Monday. So, today I’m going to talk about some of the things I wanted to mention earlier in the month but never got around to doing.

So, it’s November—NaNoWriMo; start of the holiday blog post preparation rush; all that good stuff—and I want to talk about some of my current November and upcoming December plans.

First, I'm not planning much for the month of November; however, I have a reason for that. I decided to skip a lot of extra posts in November in preparation for December. I have a couple of post ideas that I want to work on in between getting caught up on reading ARCs and posting reviews I’ve been sitting on for months. And I wouldn’t have the time to do everything I want if I didn’t scale back on blogging  in November. I also want to have the time to enjoy December. So, I'm hoping to get a lot done this month, which will involve schedule-schedule-scheduling away until I have enough posts to cover most of December.   

And second, I want to talk about subscriptions. I’m talking about the fact that I have finally joined the subscription bandwagon by signing up for my first one. Hooray! But wait, it’s not for a subscription box. I had to pick and choose what I wanted to do with my money. I thought long and hard about this, and focused on what would be more of interest to me in the long-run. That’s why I got a subscription for Discover Magazine.

There’s a pattern to what I’ve been reading recently: lots of nonfiction. I enjoy reading a variety of different subjects, because there’s always something to learn. I also want to stay somewhat up to date about what’s currently happening. So, while I think subscription boxes are great, Discover Magazine was more of a fit for me.

What about you? Do you have any subscription services you’re subscribed to? If not, is there any particular one or more you would like to join?

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

It's Halloween!: All about Star Wars & Reeves Watercolor

Well, hello. How are you doing? Today is Halloween—a.k.a. the end of the month—November is literally tomorrow. But, where’s the graphic? Why a full post? Well, typically I only post a picture on days like Halloween or Christmas, and it’s become something of a trend on Our Thoughts Precisely. However, this year, I wanted to do something a little different. So to break that trend I’m going to do an art supply review instead, which is why I saved my reeves watercolor review for Halloween. As always, a full list of supplies used will be down at the bottom of the post.
Name: Reeves Watercolor Paint
Source: Purchased
Set: 18 count
ml/fl oz.: 10ml; 0.34 fl oz.


More info...
  • Good color strenth
  • Transparent finish
Colors: Chinese White, lemon yellow, medium yellow, orange, flesh tint, brilliant red, crimson, violet, phthalo blue, ultramarine, permanent green light, sap green, viridian hue, yellow orcher, burnt sienna, burnt umber, payne's gray, and ivory black.
Today, I’m going to be talking about Reeves Watercolor paint. When I did the review for Canson watercolor paper, I used these paints, which reminded me that I hadn’t really written specifically about them in any kind of review, general thoughts, or whatever. So, I’m finally going to do that.

What I’m working on…
  • Padme Amidala fan art
Some things to know...
  • This paint does have a slight chemical odor. 
  • This paint does separate in the tube, but once everything is mixed it works perfectly fine.
  • When setting up a pallet, keep in mind that this paint can experience some cracking. That’s what happened to me, but I don’t mind since I haven’t had any cracking on my actual paintings and don't really care how messy my folding pallet is or isn't
Here's what this particular set looks like. It's pretty basic, nothing fancy.


I actually like Reeves Watercolor. For a set of 18 colors, the price isn’t very high, and the paint quality is better than say something you would find at the $5 price point. To talk more in-depth about these paints, I’m going to kind of discuss my recent fan art of Padme Amidala—a.k.a., the whole reason why I was so excited to share this post on the blog.


Normally, I try to do original art, because it challenges me more than something that I have a clear reference for. However, I was in the mood to draw one of my favorite outfits from the Star Wars franchise: Padme’s Throne Room Gown from The Phantom Menace. I mean, I like this outfit so much that when I was a kid I actually dressed up as Padme for Halloween. Yes, this outfit in particular. I've always liked the color choices and style of this outfit. The colors are so vivid, which gave me the opportunity to really test how far I could go with the paint. I layered a lot in order to achieve the color you see in the final picture. And, oh gosh, this painting basically took me two days from start to finish—that includes the initial sketch in my sketchbook, transferring it to watercolor paper, and etc.. The effort was worth it because I’m happy with the result.

All paint takes a little trial and error to really see if it suites your style. I’ve exclusively used Reeves Watercolor for months and like it a lot. It’s easy to use, and the range of basic, straight from the tube, colors offers a wide enough range of choices that I sometimes paint without mixing. In this case, I did mix the colors to get the shades I wanted.

Some other good points…

This paint doesn’t have a chalky finish that rubs away when you touch it. I honestly hate that about some cheaper brands of paint. As you can see in the picture, I can touch the dried paint without any problems (as long as my my skin is dry, otherwise the paint would reactivate). To finish my fan art of Padme, I used colored pencil and white gel pen.

Will I continue using these paints?

The answer to that is a definite yes. Eventually, I do want to try different, more expensive paints. That being said, Reeves watercolor works perfectly fine for what I'm trying to do: improve.

Finished painting…

Hop on over to Adri's blog, Toile, Think, Go, where she is reviewing some of the seasonal candy corn: It’s Halloween, Now Let's Talk About Candy Corn. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got movies to watch. Happy Halloween!
Full List of Supplies…

Canson Watercolor Paper
Reeves Watercolor
Pigma Graphic Pen
Pigma Micron 02
Artist's Loft Colored Pencils
Sakura Gelly Roll gel pen (white)
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