[Dark Optimist]'s diary

741386  Link to this entry 
Written about Tuesday 2006-01-31
Written: (6871 days ago)
Next in thread: 741971

First off, has everyone seen my latest and greatest design concept for my vampire slayer, currently displayed on my house page? If so, i'm taking suggestions for the colour(s) of her ensemble and any other nit-picks that strike your fancy.

At the moment, i'm thinking of making the coat a sort of blood-red colour, but I don't know...it seems a little cliche.
I also have a hat for her--sort of a musketeer-ish qulaity--but it interferes with the coat collar.
Also, I'm thinking of making those things on either side of her waist into collapsible/retractable swords. That's another thing i've been busy with. I've been working out the mechanics of it. It's sort of a mix between an extendable police baton/switchblade/jackknife at the moment. I tried making it out of cardboard to work out the design aspects/flaws but it doesn't bend enough and paper bends too much. Go figure. I'll find some material that works....

In other news, I have a portfolio review tomorrow that I signed up for last week. At least, I think it's tomorrow. I don't know what I was smoking, but I forgot to write down the day and time of my appointment. I think it's around 10:45 - 11:00AM or so tomorrow though. Wish me luck with that, unless you don't really think i'll need it. It can't hurt. ;) 

I've been going through my pictures and stuff trying to find some good examples of my work, but I can't seem to find any of my better pieces. Maybe the teacher's have all of it. I know I have at least three pieces in the display cases in the Drawing studio, my dragon helmet is on display in the A-Wing hallway, and it might be that my other pieces are still MIA after being in that gallery showing during the first semester. I had like 6 or 7 pieces in there....

*shakes head* Jeez, it's just like grade school when the teacher "couldn't find/lost" my portfolio at the end of the school year(Another good reason why an artist should never get too attached to their work). Of course, they miraculously find it three years later, by which time I don't want it because all of the pictures in it are of laughable quality. That's a true story, incidentally. The sad thing is, it's happened to me more than once.

Another thing is that most of my work is fantasy related and they don't accept that here at Sheridan(I still can't quite grasp why--you'd think it'd require more skill to take various bits and pieces of different animals and splice them together to resemble a believable, realistic creature than it would to simply draw an apple, but whatever...we'll leave that rant for another day).
What it means is that I pretty much have to draw boring crap for my portfolio(still lifes, room interiors, groups of people in some social setting, building exteriors, etc)-- Er, no offense to those people that enjoy that kind of thing.
Anyway, I'm seriously considering animation over illustration. Even the portfolio requirements sound like something I could have some actual fun doing. 

On a lighter note, as I was going through my gesture drawings from the beginning of the year [insert a lot of wincing and flinching(is that redundant?) here] I found one that reminds me of one of the stills from that really famous "Sasquatch" video.
You know, where it's sort of on a rocky beach/shoreline and kinda turned toward the viewer? Funny stuff. I may scan and upload it one of these days so that you can see.

~Blaine

739374  Link to this entry 
Written about Friday 2006-01-27
Written: (6874 days ago)
Next in thread: 740096

I'd like to thank everyone for the birthday wishes that added another slew of messages to my inbox(as if I didn't already have enough to go through).... *grumble* ;p

For some reason, twenty feels really old. I guess it must be some leftover stigma from the Dark Ages, where the average person was already past middle age at twenty(if they lived that long). So, I guess it's time I went into a mid-life crisis or something. Anyone have any good pointers as to how to go about that? ;)

Birthdays aside, [arafel], if you're reading this, i'd like to add some more evidence to support my claims regarding the unfailing method of SWAG(Scientific Wild-Ass Guessing for those unfamiliar with the term).

I had a Psych test on Monday(multiple choice), which I forgot all about because I was barely concious and flying on autopilot, as well as having other things on my mind(My class schedule being changed that day for one). I didn't study, because I never do(I figure that if I don't already know the material, cramming the info into my head only to forget it a few hours later seems...uh, dishonest? A waste of time)?

Anyway, the point i'm slowly getting to is that I pretty much guessed every answer based on some nebulous notion that it might be the correct one("gut-feelings", or "male intuition", if you will). It turns out that I got a 96% on it. Heh, I laughed when I saw that....

So, yeah, don't doubt the SWAG. ;)

~Blaine  
 

733445  Link to this entry 
Written about Monday 2006-01-16
Written: (6885 days ago)
Next in thread: 734010

Jeez, one day I WILL have free time(this will be my new goal in life)...it'll probably be when i'm dead, but that's just my optimistic side talking. ;p

Well, i've got to get my portfolio ready for the end of the month, as well as attend classes and extra life drawing, do the homework for said classes, make a life and career altering decision involving which program(illustration vs. animation) i'd be better suited for, keep my self alive with a regular intake of food and sleep(i'm terrible at remembering to take care of myself)...and then I might be able to update some stuff.

I responded to the most of the letters in my inbox a week or two ago, which took me, like, three hours, and I got them all back, with extra, a little later so, i'll have to reply to messages-- aside from messages from people that I correspond with fairly regularly(I use the term "regularly" loosely here)-- when I get more time as well.

I doubt you'll find such stimultaing conversation elsewhere, but... *shrugs philosophically* ...ces't la vie! =p

~Blaine  

729436  Link to this entry 
Written about Monday 2006-01-09
Written: (6892 days ago)
Next in thread: 730044

*sigh* I know I said i'd have some updates up--and I do have them...they're just not uploaded yet. ;p
It seems I underestimated feminine avarice when it comes to anime....

The highlight of my Christmas break appears to have been renting 16 movies over a period of three consecutive evenings...didn't get much sleep.

Well, I just spent the entire day travelling so i've got, like, bus-lag right now. XP The Middle-Eastern cab driver possessing a smattering of words for his English vocabulary was the icing on the cake. Truly, he made my crappy day complete.

Hmmm, my first class for the new semester is Psychology...I think someone is trying to tell me something.

~Blaine

725696  Link to this entry 
Written about Monday 2006-01-02
Written: (6899 days ago)

Heh, I know I promised updates(and you will get them), but unforeseen problems have conspired against me.
Fortunately, i'm an excellent problem solver and i've managed to fix the biggest problem, which was finding the scanner broken.
*shakes head* I don't know what my family would do if I didn't come home to fix their computer during my holidays.... ;)

I guess this means I can finally put some pictorial examples up in my Art Voodoo 101 wiki. Look for those, whenever I get a chance.

~Blaine

720533  Link to this entry 
Written about Friday 2005-12-23
Written: (6909 days ago)
Next in thread: 722212, 722233

I apologize to those still waiting for some signs of life from me.
I brought some anime home with me and the computer has been monopolized the past week while my sister's gorged themselves on Bleach, Trigun, Fruits Basket, and the like...not a pleasant sight.

I still have two weeks to get something up, so there's not quite a valid reason to panic just yet.
The women, however, can start panicking now(it's their prerogative), since they tend to be illogical and don't seem to really require a valid reason to do anything.... ;p 

Anyway, I picked my general elective for next term(I'm going with Psychology), and i've gotten my marks from first term today. My GPA is currently a 3.75, so i'd say i'm doing good.

Merry Christmas all(Or, I believe the politically correct term is now "Seasons Greetings" or some such rot),

~Blaine 

715921  Link to this entry 
Written about Thursday 2005-12-15
Written: (6917 days ago)
Next in thread: 715984

Well, I have one more day of school tomorrow, and then i'm off 'til the 9th of January. The days of "blog-happy schoolgirl"-ness are fast approaching! Be afraid! =p

Um, really though, i'll be going home saturday(8 1/2 hour trip), so don't expect me to get around to answering my messages until...sometime after that, and updating my wikis...sometime after that. ;p

Well, until sometime after then,

~Blaine 

712542  Link to this entry 
Written about Friday 2005-12-09
Written: (6923 days ago)
Next in thread: 713977

I'm so close. Just one more week of school, and then i'll have holidays coming out the wazoo. Hmmm...that could make some pretty disturbing imagery...i'm getting a mental image of somebody trying to pass a Christmas tree through their colon. "You know, this is why children should really chew their food."(The Iron Giant). I love that movie.

Anyway, i've just finished the last of my Imaging Systems homework. My landlady will probably sleep better knowing that i'll no longer be walking around her kitchen measuring everything. It kinda weirded out her guests the first time. *shrug*
She's more than paid me back in full with her various plots and schemes that center around getting me out of the house as their main objective. She's a sucker for lost causes, I guess.

I actually made it to a class rep meeting on Wednesday. It figures that the first one I attend is also the last one of the semester. =p Anyway, it turns out that the job has perks(probably the first job i've had that paid with chocolate), so i'm pleasantly surprised. I was nominated because there seems to be some sort of conspiracy involving people continually trying to make me more social. My drawing teacher is terrible for this with her "social immersion" exercises. *shakes head*

Another ironic occurence is that my most loathed subject matter in any medium, still lifes, has managed to net me my highest painting grade, to date. Don't worry Life, i'm laughing with you....

Oh, this also means that i'll soon have a lot of free time, so i'll be updating my wikis like some blog-happy schoolgirl. Yes, this includes pictures for those that are still scratching their heads over what the hell i've been talking about. I'll probably be expanding to include some perpective stuff as well. 

~Blaine

705332  Link to this entry 
Written about Sunday 2005-11-27
Written: (6936 days ago)
Next in thread: 705465, 705787

Heh, I find it pretty ironic that I was much more "social" online when I was living like a recluse. The world is a strange place....

In other news, my latest painting assignment looks like Willy Wonka. I'm talking about the Johnny Depp my-God-what-is-that-freakish-thing-?!?! version...well, a cross between him and the Crypt Keeper. My landlady's niece saw it this evening and started to cry. Damn, eliciting such strong emotion from the viewers...now that's what I call art! ;p

Oh, and if ever there was invented anything more gall-danged bloody boring than painting still-lifes, i've yet to discover it. If there is such a thing I pray, quite fervently, that it forever remains a mystery to me.

*sigh* It's back to painting for me....  

~Blaine

700433  Link to this entry 
Written about Friday 2005-11-18
Written: (6944 days ago)

To my long-neglected fans:

I've been insanely busy for the past while with homework. The end of the first semester is coming up so all of the projects need to be finished up and handed in. I've still got seven paintings to finish, as well as a gallery write-up and some other stuff. The homework load should lessen in a couple of weeks so, I will get to your messages, it's just a matter of time.

Be very afraid. ;p

~Blaine

P.S. What's with all of these people telling me that I "seem" to be something?

694813  Link to this entry 
Written about Tuesday 2005-11-08
Written: (6954 days ago)
Next in thread: 694826, 694858

There I times that I wish I had a camera. If anyone's feeling overly generous, don't be shy. And make it digital would you. ;p

For my 3D paper bag sculpture(of which i've posted the preliminary concepts on my house page), i've managed to make it look so good up until this point(wireframe) that i've even managed to impress myself.

The downside is that i'm now going to have to spend the next two weeks sniffing glue and half of my class hates me...*sigh*...it's so hard being me. =p

~Blaine 

693179  Link to this entry 
Written about Saturday 2005-11-05
Written: (6957 days ago)
Next in thread: 693859

Heh, I must be really tired, because responding to a message of "hey sup" with "No thanks, I already ate" struck me as inordinately funny. As does responding to another message consisting partly of "do I detect a hint of confusion in your typing?" with "Why, are your 'spidey senses' tingling?".

*shakes head* Lame puns are great, but I doubt these'll be half as funny when my brain is firing on all cylinders. 

God, I need some sleep. 

~Blaine

690098  Link to this entry 
Written about Sunday 2005-10-30
Written: (6963 days ago)
Next in thread: 690117, 690207

Well, i'm back in my bachelor pad after spending the past week at home. Did you guys miss me(my inbox says yes)? =p

Anyway, I just spent all day today experiencing, first-hand, the joy and majesty of inter-city transit. To quote Martin Lawrence from Nothing To Lose; "My ass is asleep! it's all tingly and shit!" =p
I have to say, a ten-hour trip becomes an eternity in hell when the bus driver decides to play a video of "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood"...i'm definitely an atheist now because, after that traumatic experience, I can't even begin to imagine there being a God(and I have an over-developed imagination). ;p 

I'll have to start replying to my messages later, because I really need to lie down right now....

~Blaine

678945  Link to this entry 
Written about Sunday 2005-10-09
Written: (6984 days ago)
Next in thread: 679453

Meh. Do you know what the hardest part of college is? It's getting back home....

To get home, i'd first need to take the public transit to the GO station and buy tickets to get on a train heading for Toronto. From there, i'd have to walk from Union Station to the Greyhound bus terminal, buy tickets, and endure an eight-and-a-half hour drive just to reach the service station at the end of my home street. From there, it's about a ten minute walk. And that's not even mentioning wait times, and all of the transfers i'd have to take...plus, I get to do it all over again, in reverse, a few days later...

...it'd probably be much easier(and cheaper) to just invent a teleporter. Is anyone any good with quantum physics? ;p

~Blaine

677704  Link to this entry 
Written about Thursday 2005-10-06
Written: (6987 days ago)
Next in thread: 678265

I hit the mother lode today for information regarding colour psychology and other art voodoo techniques. It seems that i'll be getting into colour stuff next week, so no more absract line drawings(thank God). The bad news is that I have a ton of homework(apparently, the teacher's here feel that Thanksgiving gives us another day to do homework so, accordingly, more homework was assigned), so I might not be able to upload the info to my wiki for a while.

Well, i've got some drafting homework to complete for tomorrow(isometric, axonometric, and oblique parallel line drawings of a car), so i'll add more when I have time. By the way, have you ever tried drafting on a ping-pong table? 

~Blaine

677232  Link to this entry 
Written about Thursday 2005-10-06
Written: (6988 days ago)
Next in thread: 677585

I did something tonight that should go into the "Mankind's Greatest Achievements in History" tome of greatness...I actually left the house...and went--wait for it--DOWNTOWN! *gasp* Please, hold your applause! ;p

Now, it may not seem like much but, for a guy that's been a virtual recluse for the past 4-5 years, possesses a chronic anxiety disorder, and is slightly agoraphobic, it becomes "one giant step for mankind". =p

I went out for some sushi(not bad, but the gag reflex needs some discipline), and am now a Semi-Jedi Master of chopsticks! I vow that I will master the art of eating with sticks! Hell, even chimpanzees can do it! ;p

Anyway, I have homework to complete for tomorrow, so what am I doing here, writing in my man-journal?

~Blaine

675074  Link to this entry 
Written about Sunday 2005-10-02
Written: (6991 days ago)
Next in thread: 675093

I just wanted to mention that i've got some Art Voodoo notes on "Rhythm" that I should get around to adding to my wiki sometime. It's pretty interesting, and explains why stores are EVIL! *cough* Er, just in case you ever wondered.... ;p

I'll also expand some more on the other topics(lines, shapes, etc) by adding some stuff from my textbook.

And pictures...must remember pictures.... 

~Blaine

673318  Link to this entry 
Written about Wednesday 2005-09-28
Written: (6995 days ago)

Well, I had a weird day at school today....

I'd been doing homework since 8:00 this morning, so my eyes were starting to cross. I mean, there comes a point when staring into a mirror and drawing yourself becomes plain vanity...self-portrait my ass. XP The bad thing is that I STILL don't have a very good idea of what I look like. I really should've taken some pictures of myself, or something. *shakes head*

Anyway, class started at three, so that's about seven hours of continuous homework.
During today's class(Drawing), I think I may have been elected student representative for my entire class...I'm not really sure, but my teacher(Trelawney) was saying something about her choosing me because I did a drawing that she liked and she thought(I guess judging by that one picture) that I was a "together" sort of guy and really "with it".
Meanwhile, I've been singing "I am evil. Oh, so evil. E-V-I-L!"(Lord Fear from Ace Lightning) under my breath for the past half-hour. XD I also have GAD, so I suffer from a chronic low-grade anxiety, which is pretty far from "with it". ;)

The irony is just too much.

Now, I just need to design four more rough sketches and four finals of "depicting emotions through line, shape, and texture" and paint them in gouache. But that's not all! I also have to create a 6-8 frame storyboard depicting my own scene based on the movie "Run Lola Run". And I have to have it all finished by 10:00AM tomorrow...it's gonna be a long night....

Ah, the life of a student, there's nothing quite like it. ;p

~Blaine

670065  Link to this entry 
Written about Friday 2005-09-23
Written: (7000 days ago)

Heh, my man-journal is getting a work out tonight(which reminds me, oddly, of a great episode of Dave the Barbarian). =p

Anyway, I watched a show on the paranormal yesterday, that talked about how scientist were getting involved with studying mediums and psychics, etc. There was one study with a medium done, and the scientist came up with an interesting theory.

His theory is that mediums can't really "talk to the dead" but, instead, are able to tap into and read their subjects thoughts.
He went on to explain that it was possible that we humans may have used telepathy as a form of communication but, because it was so innaccurate, we came to rely more and more heavily on verbal communication(because it was much more accurate) and that our ability to use telepathy just sort of de-evolved because we no longer needed it...like many other human characteristics(teeth, nails, hair, etc).
So, his theory is that mediums and other psychics are people that still retain a slight form of telepthy.

Not really probable, but a cool idea nonetheless....

There was also a segment on reincarnation(good stuff) and near-death experiences(there was talk of doing experiments to determine health benefits from them).
It also made mention of studies being done on conciousness because nobody really knows what it is/where it's located. Most people thought it was located in the brain, but an experiment was done that seems to have proved otherwise(a scientist tried to prick a guy's finger(who was hooked up to the monitoring equipment), and the finger had the impulse to move a half-second before it registered in his brain). 

There were also some experiments involving having your body put to sleep but having your mind/conciousness still active. So, basically, seperating your mind from your body...like astral projection, or what is said to occur during near-death experiences.

Everyone should take up an interest in the parnormal and parapsychology(actually, studies show that more and more people are).

~Blaine  

670022  Link to this entry 
Written about Friday 2005-09-23
Written: (7000 days ago)
Next in thread: 670031

Wow I just now noticed the alternate journal entry 'modes'...can't believe i've missed that for so long....

I've been using "public" because the bathroom's are always clean. ;p Er, no, wait....

Anyway, I don't see the point of a "Friends only" entry--All your friends will be notified! OMG!--as all of my *coughnumerouscough* friends are probably watching my house--the stalkers!--anyway, and so, are already informed when my man-journal has been written in.

The "Personal Secret Diary" entry A) sounds rather redundant to me, and B) gives me the horrible mental image of a young teenage girl frantically scribbling in an excited scrawl such passages as: 
"Dear Diary, Today Mark made eye contact with/smiled at me for 0.32 seconds in the hallway at school!! OMG!!!1oneone!eleven1!! *spazzes and dies*..." while hiding under a sheet, with a flashlight, on her bed after lights out(of course, I doubt said young teenager would have such good grammar. ;p)....

*shudders* I think i'll be avoiding using that mode.... ;) 
 
~Blaine

669981  Link to this entry 
Written about Friday 2005-09-23
Written: (7001 days ago)
Next in thread: 670401

Um, no Art Voodoo techniques to pass on this week(I may put pictures up this weekend). I just have another homework assignment involving more of the "depicting emotions through lines, shape, and texture(way harder than it sounds)", blah, blah, blah...my teacher is a sadist. XD He mentioned he was going to have some hand-outs on colour psychology soon though(my notes only scratch the surface), so look forward to that.

In my drawing class, i've got to create a LIFE-SIZE drawing of MY skeletal system. I actually have to measure where all of my bones are--and then draw it! *shakes head in despair* Wasn't the two hours I endured of drawing a nude man enough for you!?! *cough* Er, yeah, anyway....

For those movie buffs of you out there, I recommend "Run Lola Run"(i'm sure there should be some commas in there, but the title says not).
It's a German movie with English subtitles(not as bad as it sounds). The quality's not going to win any Best Picture awards, but it's got some great funny parts(it's kinda like one of those movies that are so bad they're good).
At first, it actually kind of reminded me of the movie "Kill Me Later" that I previously mentioned in an earlier entry.
Anyway, if you've got some time to kill, definitely check it out. I give it my personal seal of approval. ;) 

Meh, I heard on the news that there's a BIG hurricane heading for Texas now...Hurricane Rita or some such. For some reason, hearing the word/name "Rita" always reminds me of Rita MacNeil(coincidentally, also big). Now, let me have a brief moment to be an insensitive prick(It's a guy thing) by saying that if I saw this: http://www.canoe.ca/EncyclopediaImagesM/macneil_rita.jpg coming for me, i'd be evacuating my home and heading for the hills too. ;p

That's all for now.

~Blaine 

 The logged in version 

News about Elftown
Help - How does Elftown work?
Get $10 worth of Bitcoin/Ethereum for free (you have to buy cryptos for $100 to get it) and support Elftown!
 
Elftown – the social site made for fans of scifi and fantasy

Visit our facebook page