Thursday, January 1, 2015
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
2014: End of the Year Wrap Up & Favorite Reads
I have to say that 2014 was a much better year that 2013. I didn't read as much, but most of the books I read were pretty good. I think where the blog activity sort of dropped off for a while was during the move. And with all the books in boxes and lack of internet connection for a while, I got no reading or blogging done. But after the move was over and everything was unpacked, things picked up again. The blog also got a new look this year, and I have to say that I'm relatively happy with it. I might add a few things here and there, but mostly it'll probably stay the same.
What I learned this year...
Balancing life with blogging/reading is more important than the number of books I read, and its perfectly fine that way. Although--despite the lack of quantity--I read a bunch of good books, which makes me happy. Last year I, as a reader, still tried to finish every book. But this past year I did something a little different. I gave books the first 100 or so pages to grab my interest. And if I really wasn't feeling it then I DNF'd it. That method saved a lot of time, and I got to read the books that I truly enjoyed.
Some things from 2014...
Through October and November I did a series of post called Falling into Fall. It was just a fun way to share some of the things I wanted to do during fall. All links can be found on the Features Page. I also got involved in a couple of weekly memes: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice & Musing Mondays hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.
Favorite reads of 2014...
So, since its almost the end of the year I figured that I would share some of my favorite books that I read in 2014! Some of the books on the list were released some time ago so the year they came out doesn't matter much to me. It's in no particular order, and placement has nothing to do with how much I enjoyed the book.
- Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott
- The Warrior by Victoria Scott
- The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw by Christopher Healy
- Living Violet by Jamie Reed
- The Archived by Victoria Schwab
- Courting Magic by Stephanie Burgis
- Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
- Foundations in Comic Book Art by John Paul Lowe
- Dork Diaries 7: Tales from a Not-So-Glam TV Star by Rachel Renee Russell
- Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep
- Crystal Fire by Jordan Dane
- Double Vision: The Alias Men by F.T. Bradley
- Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne
- Words for Pictures by Brian Michael Bendis
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- Monstrously Funny Cartoons by Christopher Hart
*I will be taking a break from blogging to enjoy my holiday. Any posts that show up after this one were already scheduled (There's only 2 of them). Happy Holidays!
Friday, December 19, 2014
The Friday 56 (16)
The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE
"What personality types make for the funniest vampires? (The answers may surprise you.)"--Monstrously Funny Cartoons by Christopher HartWhat's on your page 56 this week?
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Review: Monstrously Funny Cartoons by Christopher Hart
Title:Monstrously Funny Cartoons Author: Christopher Hart
Source/Format: Blogging for Books, Paperback Review Copy
Age range: anyone
Publisher/Publication Date: Watson-Guptill, October 14, 2014
Goodreads Amazon Barnes & Noble Book Depository
Book Summary from Goodreads...
Learn to draw the silliest and scariest monsters, zombies, vampires, witches, mummies, and other creepy cartoon favorites. Cartooning master Christopher Hart teaches aspiring artists all the drawing tips and tricks they need to create laugh-out-loud renditions of their favorite monsters and scary creatures. Full Summary Here
“Compared with many of the monsters you’ve drawn so far—such as vampires with their capes—the monsters in this chapter are subject to greater interpretation” (p.107).
This book has a wide range of…I guess you could call them tutorials, that go over everything from zombies to vampires—and even creatures “born of dreams and nightmares.” There was also a variety of examples and steps for aliens, mummies, and legendary monsters like ghosts, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Abominable Snowman.
“Don’t render a scene, suggest one. Draw a limited number of elements that are designed to create associations in the eye of the observer” (p.133).
There was also a chapter on drawing backgrounds with suggestions and tips. So, if you’re interested in creating cartoons, and need an easy guide to start with I recommend Monstrously Funny Cartoons. As for me, I will be keeping this one on hand right alongside all of my other art books.
I received this book from Blogging For Books for this review, thank you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
