Getting Pencily...again

Well as most of you know, I've obtained a position as a Game Art intern so the vast majority of my efforts are going toward that! (I've started a blog about my experience which can be found here.) Thus, I don't really have the time to fully render out my drawings anymore... and so I'm back to posting pencil sketches. Some of these I might return to once I get the time though :)
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I decided to revisit some of my characters from Covenant! Here are the two rivals, Analise Helkiah and Celia Cottonmeadow. I revamped their designs slightly too.
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The two next sketches are both of a new character that I just designed and am already getting really fond of. I can't tell you her name yet... However, as you can see, she has a fondness for playing the saxophone...and cuddling with the saxophone?

A New Drawing of Elhiroth

Click here to enlarge.

As you may know, Elhiroth is one of my favorite original characters, both because of his design and his story. I still think it's unfortunate that I was unable to get very far on my old graphic novel project, Covenant. I'm still fond of the story and the characters. Maybe someday I will be able to return to it again. In the meantime, I can still make art of my favorite spirit-servant. :)
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For those who are interested, here is the original sketch and vector illustration that led to the final work:

Demo Reel Sneak Preview - Animated Chibis!

Well I'm still working away on my demo reel but I thought I'd show you guys a little piece of it. These five flash animations loop in the corner of the screen as other art of the character climbs up the page. They're really short but they are designed to play over and over and over again. :3 -

So anyhow, they're kind of cute :3 Enjoy.

One-Wing:

Elhiroth:

Moon Dancer & Dusk:

Falling Leaves:

Ruka & Ryru:

More Ryru & Ruka - Character Art Book

I'm almost done with my character art book now - yay! Here's a few more drawings I created of the characters Ryru and Ruka...
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A full render of Ryru, just being ...himself:
A turnaround of both characters. (Front view, quarter view, side view)

And here's the first page of their section in the actual book! (Yes, this is the first time I'm posting a page straight out of the book, but it won't be the last...)

I'm here at home right now enjoying my spring break, so I haven't been posting that much, but I have lots of new art to show once I return to school and my scanner there. Please visit again soon :)

Artbook Stuff...

I'm in the process of developing some very neat stuff ... But that's not done yet so I thought I'd just post my recent works for my character artbook. A few turnarounds and concept sketches...nothing in color. But you still might like to give them a look. :)
Elhiroth turnaround

Moon Dancer turnaround

Ruka/Ryru concept sketches

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I promise you in just a few days I will post something very neat. :3

Elhiroth Concept Sketches & Covenant News

And it's more art for my character artbook... Elhiroth!!!

For those of you keeping up with Covenant, you're probably wondering when you'll actually be finding more out about this guy! So I thought I'd let you know how progress is coming along on my graphic novel project...

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Firstly, as some might expect, Covenant has been placed on the back-burner as I have so many other projects consuming my time. So what will become of it? Well, firstly, I promise to finish Chapter Three at the very least. And Chapter Three is when Elhiroth introduces himself and we find out more about who he is, so that answers the question above. However, it will be some time before it's through. Drawing-wise I am about half-way finished with Chapter Three, but that doesn't include clean-up, rendering, etc. Yet I plan on tackling it over Christmas break and hopefully I might be able to get it done if not get significantly far on it.

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Thank you all for waiting; I hope I can make it worth the wait. :)

Chibi Ruka and Ryru

To join the rest of my little chibi collection, here is another pair, Ruka Jojiiky from G6 and her gender-swapped version, Ryru Jojiika from Covenant.
Ruka by herself - cutesy but naughty.
And Ryru looking like a little imp.
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Yes, these two don't have nearly as cute of eyes as my other chibis, but this is intentional. Ruka and Ryru are both vessels of the "Unholy" and always have quite creepy eyes.
They're still cute in their own ways though, I think. :3
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I love how these chibis exhibit just how alike and yet different these two are. They have the same eyes, similar hair, and same mischevious grin... and yet Ruka is all cutesy-cutesy in her frills and ribbons, while Ryru is much more masculine.
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It is also fun to compare these little guys to other drawings I've done of these characters:
Ruka in color: http://onewingart.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-latest-full-color-drawing.html
Ryru and Ruka sketch: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjttDgW4Zvl5VmF-VZ-CJ5a4jzmJbA5OaU970flBerVz1GCuEBXYRr1RMUk4P6_5sHp9lVKhdt7R2CBy_DYYPLyHYCWwFNq4WhLMFwibb7CDWKDFYnGirae84p5nwBTQRUtJx_Hfb-qYc/s1600-h/Ryru&Ruka+-+Ryru+side+up.png
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Now that all 6 chibis for my cover are done, I will add them to that image and then post the finished cover here! But I have 2 more chibis coming your way also... 1 is One-Wing, and the other is a mystery! Keep watching for these.

Chibi Analise

Here's another mini-character for my portfolio. This one is a character you should all know if you read Covenant - our heroine, young Analise Helkiah in her combat attire. And she's looking way cute of course!
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Here she is with Chibi Elhiroth. Awww. I kind of want to hug them.

Chibi Elhiroth!

As I mentioned before, I have been working on making little "chibi" versions of a few of my characters on Flash, based on the style that I designed Rose from "Rose's Debut." (Click on the "animation" tag to find this post.)
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And the first one is done! Awwwww isn't Little Elhiroth so cute?? I think so.
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If anyone is curious, here are the other characters that are going to be chibi-fied:
+ Analise (Covenant)
+ Moon Dancer (Moon Dancer)
+ Dusk (Moon Dancer)
+ Ruka (G6)
+ Ryru (Covenant)
and of course, One-Wing. ;3
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Also, these little guys are totally animate-able, as you can see from this little clip here:

Love them? Well, if not, I do anyway. ^__^

Covenant Characters: Elhiroth & Knuta (*HIGH QUALITY*)

If you would like to see an example of my best, most belabored work, here you go.
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Here we have two of my very favorite characters from my graphic novel series, Covenant. Unfortunately, since I am not very far along in my progress of the graphic novels themselves, you won't know too much about these characters yet (in fact, one won't show up until Chapter TEN!)

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Nonetheless, this is some of my very best art and I thought I would show it off here. The reason I decided to do these pieces on Elhiroth and Knuta was to explore just how although they appear very similar, they also have very, very many differences that can be spotted just by looking. Together, the two of them aptly express the differences between the two "sides" that are enemies with one another in Covenant.

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Firstly, we have Elhiroth, a.k.a. our mysterious man-in-the-red-cloak who graces the front cover of Covenant Volume 1, and makes an appearance once in each chapter so far, to come to Analise's rescue. I know I have been keeping his name secret, but it is revealed shortly at the beginning of the next upcoming chapter - besides, how many people actually read my blog??

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Anyhow, you can tell from his facial expressions in the two pictures that he is a stoic and fairly soft-spoken character, who puts duty before his personal wants. This especially stands out when we compare him to the other character....

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This is Knuta (Kuh-new-tah). One glance reveals just how very similar, and yet at the same time, how different he is from Elhiroth above. The two characters have almost exactly the same build, skintone, hair, and even eye color. But that is where the similarities end.

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Knuta's outfit is much more designed to catch attention than Elhiroth's. While Elhiroth's cloak all but conceals his form beneath, Knuta's hides very little about his overall shape.

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Also notably different is the color scheme and choice of symbols on the attire. Knuta's purple, black, and silver distinguishes him from Elhiroth's simple red and gold. Also, while Elhiroth's clothing is adorned with a golden circular emblem, Knuta's displays a pair of silver, rigid v-like charms.

(Even Knuta's name is composed of sharper syllables, while Elhiroth's runs more smoothly.)

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The biggest difference between the two characters, though, is not in their clothing but how their personalities shine through the drawings. While Elhiroth's expression is quiet and revealing very little emotion, Knuta sports a slight grin, his arms spread as he holds himself in a very confident and even arrogant manner.

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These differences become very significant plot points as the story of Covenant unfolds. For now, though, I'd like to show you what I've done with these four drawings - utilizing a program I have just recently learned to use and already am beginning to love, Adobe Indesign, I created a poster featuring these two characters side-by-side for easy comparison.

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And here it is!

To see these works in full quality, I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY encourage clicking on them to see the enlarged version. I was extra careful in the overall putting together of these drawings and I think it really shows.

Covenant: Chapter Two is up!!! Plus: New ways to read both chapters!

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Six months ago, I began a new project.

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And now here it is - the result of countless hours of planning, writing, drawing, working in photoshop, etc etc... Two whole chapters completed!

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Because people have been asking for it, here you go: two different, much simpler ways of reading the two chapters than ever before.

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First, the best quality:

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Click here to view Chapter Two in a photobucket slideshow.

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Click here to view Chapter One in a photobucket slideshow.

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If the slideshows move too quickly, press the pause button to turn the pages manually. Also, this is best seen in full-screen mode.

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Or, if you'd prefer...

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Click here to view Chapter Two as a facebook album (you don't need a facebook account).

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Click here to view Chapter One as a facebook album (you don't need a facebook account).

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For the facebook links, just click the first page and then click "next" to turn the page. It is very easy, but the quality is much worse than in the photobucket version.

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Don't remember what Covenant is about? Read this post: Covenant Cover and Information

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Despite all the work I have put into this, we're still not very far into the plot yet. I do feel badly that it is such slow going for my readers. But I promise it will be worth the wait - I have the entire story planned out and it will be a very fun ride. (When completed, Covenant should be about 12 chapters in length.) For now, though, I hope you enjoy the artwork and the story so far - especially the first fight scene that appears in this chapter. :)

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I'm glad to say that the next coming chapter, Chapter Three, which will be out around New Year's sometime, will answer a great deal of questions about the plot!

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Please please please leave comments. I don't usually ask for comments on my posts, but they haven't taken nearly as much time, devotion, and effort as this enormous project has.

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And above all, ENJOY.

"Covenant" Character Interview #2 - Celia Cottonmeadow

It's that time again - with Covenant Chapter 2's release just weeks away, here is a preview in the form of a character interview. This time we have here with us Celia Cottonmeadow, who made an appearance in the previous chapter. To get to know here a bit better, I've prepared a few questions.

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One-Wing: So, Celia, tell us a bit about yourself.

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Celia: Very well. I am Celia Cottonmeadow, eldest daughter of five, and from a prominent family line - on both
sides, naturally - and reside within a manor of the same name, a place very well known in the area I am from. I
currently attend Millsworth private school, which is just a little down the way from my manor.

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One-Wing: And you are in a relationship, correct?
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Celia: Indeed. I am presently seeing Derric Thistlewood, who also attends my school.
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One-Wing: How did you meet him?

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Celia: We were introduced at a social gathering many years ago - we were but children then; he's grown
significantly taller I must say - and as we grew older, we began to understand that we would make a good
match for one another. Both of our families are of good standing and fortune; we had similar upbringing, the
like. And he's a very polite man; diligent, worthy in all respects.

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One-Wing: But you're not together out of affection?

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Celia: Oh, we have fostered affection for one another; of course we have. You can tell by how I describe him
that I esteem him. And he treats me very well, very tenderly. Nor has he ever shown signs of disloyalty.

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One-Wing: Analise Helkiah is in a few of your classes, isn't she? What do you think of her?

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Celia: Pardon? Oh, right, Analise Helkiah; the red-headed girl who's friends with that boyish Klondale daughter,

I recall. I have not before heard the of Helkiah name, so they must not be of very high standing. Why she is at Millsworth is beyond me. There doesn't seem to be much that is noteworthy about the girl.

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One-Wing: What about Ryru Jojiika? You've had an encounter with him lately, haven't you?

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Celia: Yes ... So I have. I won't lie;

I wouldn't choose the boy for company. And yet, in ways, he can be...useful to have around. Although I would wish he wouldn't stare at me so noticably. One would think he'd at least have the decency to be subtle.

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One-Wing: Curious, why do you say that Ryru is "useful" ?

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Celia: Well... let's just say... he has given something to me. To Derric and I both, actually. Something...that I have been wanting.

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Well, I think that's enough to make people curious. With Chapter Two's release impending, people
will soon discover Celia's part to play in the unfolding story. It's coming soon, so keep watching for it.

*Special* The Making of Covenant

Welcome all to a very special post I've been preparing for the sake of my blog visitors. Out of all of those who have taken a look at the first chapter of my Graphic Novel/Manga project, Covenant, many have asked me how exactly I went about doing it. Since I follow a step-by-step procedure, I figured it would work well to show pictures of one page as it goes through each of these stages, so you all can get the feel of what it is I do!
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If that doesn't sound special enough to you, the page I have chosen happens to be from the yet-to-be released Chapter Two - Sealed Fate. In fact, it was specifically chosen to serve as a preview of sorts for the upcoming chapter. So, enjoy! And if any of you have not yet looked at Chapter One - Darker than Shadow, it's still here: http://covenantmanga.blogspot.com/. It shouldn't take very long to read; please take a peek :) And if the inconvienient formatting bothers you, I promise I am still looking for an easier way for people to read it.
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So without further ado, let's begin.
The Making of Covenant
Step 1: Thinking up the Story
I can't very easily show you a picture that goes along with this first step, because it is all in my mind. This is the only step that I can do anytime, anywhere - and I do! Any time that I'm doing something that requires very minimal concentration, my mind drifts off to Covenant-land and either tweaks certain scenes I already have planned, or comes up with ideas for new ones. At the moment, I have about seven chapters almost completely planned, out of the twelve total that comprise this giant project I've decided to tackle. But anything not yet drawn out is still prone to change, which is one reason making a graphic novel is better than just working on a written novel as I so often do - I get plenty of time to tweak the scenes and twist the plot until it is ideal.
Step 2: Writing the "Screenplay"
During this step, I take the story that is in my mind and turn it into dialogue, typed up on Microsoft Word. Occasionally I add notes of what is happening as well, so all-in-all it turns out to be much like a screenplay.

Step 3: Dividing the Page
This part takes more thought than one would suspect. Once I have the dialogue all written out, I decide how much I want on each page, and then use a ruler and pencil to divide my page into sections ideal sizes for each frame.
Usually, this just consists of boxes, but as you can see on the page below, there is also the outline of a figure - occasionally, this must be done when I decide I have a drawing that I do not want to have in a frame, thus the drawing itself is the frame.

Step 4: Drawing Each Frame
Once sectioned out, I can draw each frame as I've imagined them in the previous step. This I do in pencil, freeing me to make as many mistakes as necessary before I am satisfied with the look. Dialogue bubbles are also drawn in, but remain blank.

Step 5: Inking the Drawings

A pretty self-explanatory step. I go over the pencil drawings with pen - only the lines I want to keep, of course.

Step 6 - Erase the Pencil & Add Bold Lines

Step 7 - Scan Onto My Computer
Also pretty self-explainatory. Adding bold lines is something I only recently started to experiment with. I really like their effect, and often use them to create emphasis or mood to a few frames. I try not to overdo it, however. As you can see, I have only used them on one drawing on this page.

Step 8 - Clean-up

Now we are in Photoshop. I admit this is the step I least enjoy. But it must be done, because there will always be remaining pencil lines and eraser dust on my newly scanned drawings that must be done away with before I can move on to the more interesting steps.

Step 9 - Add Flood-fill and Gradients

Now that our picture is all clean, we can add grey to the black-and-white lines. This takes lots of decision-making: I want the layout to be as visually pleasing as possible, and of course, something that portrays the story as I wish it to be told. I may not be the best at it, but this step is what really brings my characters and story to life. Usually I use flood-fill on the characters and gradients on the backgrounds.

I really like how the bold lines work well with the flood-fill greys. :)

On this page, I have also pasted in a scene from Chapter One on the bottom square to serve as a flashback!

Step 10 (Final Step) - Imputing Text

Only one thing left to do! And that, of course, is finally putting the text into those dialogue bubbles. Even this takes a bit of planning, though - I don't want the text to ruin the artistic layout of the page, so special tweaking is applied to each block of text until it fits in with the intended frame as seamlessly as possible.

And here you have it - the finished page! I'll leave it up to you to wonder what is going on here... but hopefully you have not forgotten Celia Cottonmeadow from the beginning of Chapter One. Apparently she has a big of a larger part to play in this one...

You'll be finding out the rest next August. :)

Various Recent Drawings

Well, last week was a busy one work-wise, and so I wasn't able to do much posting or anything else. And so I've decided to put up some of my drawings from the last couple of weeks, even though they have not been cleaned up and colored to perfection just yet. Because I love to draw, even a busy schedule can't stop me from putting pencil to page whenever I get a spare moment.

First of all, here is a couple I've drawn many a time, a favorite from a roleplay from years past, whose story will always be near and dear to my heart. To those who still know and recognize these characters, this one's for you :) And I will be sure to color it in the future.
"Still the Yellow Rose's Colors Will Not Fade"

No story behind this one, I just thought I'd remind people that I don't just draw romance and pretty girls all the time. ;) Warriors are fun too.
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The following pictures are part of an artistic experiment of mine. I've decided it'd be fun to compare and contrast characters by drawing a picture of one right-side-up and one upside-down, so that one can see different things from different perspectives, emphasizing the characters' similarities and differences.

This drawing is of Ruka Jojiiry from G6 and Ryru Jojiika from Covenant. What do these two have in common? Well, looking at their names might clue one in, but essentially, they are each other. Ryru came first, and Ruka is the gender-swapped version of him. Since I put them in different stories, it will be interesting to see how their lives compare to one another - and already they have taken very different turns despite their same origins!

Also, the outfits they are wearing are based off another gender-swapped couple, Rin Kagamine and Len Kagamine from Vocaloid, in their "Daughter of Evil" outfits. (Yes, I still have a strong love for Vocaloid...)

This drawing compares two couples from the G6 Roleplay, one that is more "good" and one that is more "evil" ... but really are not that different. (The couples are Lawrence & Artina, and Landyn & Ruka, respectively. Yes, the same Ruka as the previous drawing.)

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I just like the composition of these drawings, and I suspect I will continue making things in this style.

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Of course, this is not all I have made in the last couple of weeks, but the majority of my work has gone to chapter two of Covenant - and I'm glad to report that I'm about half-way through and should successfully meet my August deadline! Also, I've got something special planned in the meantime... my next post will be about "The making of Covenant" and will detail the process which I go through in creating each page. I hope you will all enjoy that.

Weekly Assignment #3 - Heroes and Villains

Hello all! First of all, I'd like to apologize for not posting for such a long time. It has not been because I have not been drawing! Actually, the opposite is true - I've been drawing all the time instead of posting, hehe. And I have tons of stuff to show you all, but I'd prefer to get them as pretty as possible before doing so. But I do have some fun things...it's my next summer assignment, which was to draw 3 heroes and 3 villains. So I thought I'd take advantage of this opportunity to introduce some of my characters to all of you.

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Just for fun, let's start with the villains!

Here are the two main characters from Black Thread (yes, the main characters ARE the villains)...and even though BT was the only novel I've started that I never finished writing, I admit I am still fond of these two.


That's right, it's a character that is both a hero and a villain! Just for a little fun. Lawrence is from a relatively new roleplay that I have ongoing with my younger sister, and has become somewhat of a favorite due to the fact I have a thing for quiet, stoic characters. Hehe. Not to mention characters with seemingly paradoxical natures. :)


It's an old favorite and a new favorite. Though Slayer of Souls was written almost 3 years ago, Drehn still ranks among one of my favorite heroines. As for the other...well, I debated whether or not to include any characters from Covenant, but I just had to draw the mysterious hero (though you can't know his name yet! :3). However, I have learned that drawing a guy in a cloak kneeling is VERY challenging!! Hehe. Oh well.

Just so you all know, I plan on coloring all of these in the very near future. I just posted them now because they were "due." ;)
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God bless, and please check back soon.

Covenant: Chapter One is up!!!!

The wait is over - it's HERE!! Covenant Chapter 1: Darker than Shadow is complete and ready to be read by anyone in the world that wants to.
I've created a separate blog site for it which can be found
here: http://covenantmanga.blogspot.com/.

Since the posts are in backward-chronological order, please be sure to read the cover and information post first and then move on to read the pages in order. (If anyone knows how I can get the posts to be in chronological order, please tell me!! That would be really helpful.) Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts by commenting on this post. :)

I have to say I've been a little worried about this; it is the first time I've ever posted a manga online before (though not the first one I have ever made, I put together two series during my high school years). I know the quality of the first few pages is just not that good, as I was still experimenting with editing in photoshop, etc. But the last couple of pages look much nicer, and I'm sure the quality will continue to improve in the following chapters!

As for the story, that is where the majority of my thoughts and planning was contributed to. If you know me well, you know that I love to craft together deep and intricate stories with unique characters that are both fun and relatable. I will admit that Covenant may not be my best story idea ever in that it is not entirely original and new ideas (For that, read Heartwish!!). Nonetheless, I think people will enjoy following it and seeing where it leads.

So where did I get the idea for the story of Covenant? Questions like this are usually hard to answer because I don't get ideas from one place, but from all over. However, Covenant serves as a prequel to the novel I never quite finished writing, Black Thread. The story takes place about 100 years before the events of that novel, so you won't see Vance, Caelynn, Amani, or any of the characters from that time, but those few who have read Black Thread will see more than a few parallels. Mostly, Covenant is the story that explains how certain things in Black Thread came to be... that is all I will say for now.

Again, do enjoy this! There is a lot more to this story than it appears, and I hope you are able to see that Chapter One is only scratching the surface. If I am successful, you'll be anticipating the completion of the second installment - which I expect to be completed this August sometime. Until then, check back here for previews and other fun stuff! :)

First Preview of "Covenant" - Character profile: Analise Helkiah

With the release of Chapter One of the graphic novel, Covenant, just weeks away, I thought I'd put together a little preview by introducing my main female character, Analise Helkiah. And what better way to do that then by staging an interview with her! So, let's begin.

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One-Wing: So, Analise, tell us a little about yourself.

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Analise: I, uhm, well, my name is Analise Helkiah -- that's obvious, I guess. I'm seventeen, and I'm a student at a private school called Millsworth.

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One-Wing: And how do you like it there?

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Analise: I, well...I don't, really. Not for the most part, anyhow. Most of the people who go there are really wealthy, and well... it's hard not to be jealous, since I'm not, really.

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One-Wing: Do you have many friends?

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Analise: Just one, really; my best friend, Emmy Klondale. I guess we get along because we both feel like we don't fit in well with everybody else. Emmy doesn't like fancy stuff much...she's more of an active-type personality. I guess I'm kind of that way too, though I'm not as, I don't know... outgoing as she is, you could say.
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One-Wing: And what about your family, Analise?

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Analise: I'm an only child. As for my parents, I rarely get to see them, really; they're always working. I know they mostly do it for me, so that they can afford to send me to Millsworth and such... but I get lonely a lot.

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One-Wing: Is there anything else intersting about you that you'd like to share?

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Analise: Well... *long pause* Honestly, not really. My life isn't very interesting at all. I sometimes wish that... I don't know, that something more exciting would happen, that maybe I could be a part of something... I don't know. I guess I wish for things a lot. I just wish things could be different.

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One-Wing: What are some of the things you wish for?

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Analise: Well, lots of things, really. I wish my family was better off so my parents didn't have to work so much. And I wish I were...I don't know...more noticable. Not that I want tons of attention. I suppose I just want to be significant somehow.

There's this one girl at my school; she's rich and pretty, and she gets good grades too...she just seems to have everything, and I guess I envy her a lot. She has a boyfriend too ... not that I ... I mean I guess it'd be nice if... well, never mind. Sorry if I babble too much.

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One-Wing: Without giving away too much, at the end of the first chapter, you meet two interesting and strange new people. What are your thoughts about them?

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Analise: I... I ... I really don't know what to think. The one guy, he's just ...really strange. He makes me feel awkward, a lot. It's hard to explain, though if you met him, you'd know what I mean, I think. As for the other person... I ...

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One-Wing: Yes?

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Analise: I really don't know. Part of me wonders if that person was really real at all...or just my imagination...

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One-Wing: Well, thanks for sharing with us, Analise. We look forward to learning your story when the graphic novel Covenant debuts in a few weeks!

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I also used Analise in the character design contest held at my school last semester. (No, I didn't win.) Here is what the entry looked like:

(Warning: it is huge if you click on it.)

(Ooh, combat attire...I wonder what that could mean...)