http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:ColonelLiamRoss&section=today deviantART RSS for by:ColonelLiamRoss en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:27:10 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/27582308/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/27582308/ Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:05:41 PDT Salvete everyone!

Since fall (and HALLOWEEN) is upon us, it's high time for another journal entry.

Latest Geekulation

You know what's incomparably awesome? Warhammer 40K. I've been having a casual flirtation with it over the last year but things have accelerated over the last month and now I am absolutely, utterly addicted. Not sure why. Currently reading the Horus Heresy series, which is fantastic, so there will definitely be some 40k-related art making an appearance over the next while.

Costuming Projects

The initial projects I had planned for this summer, namely Jean-Paul Marat and the U-Boat commander's kit, aren't finished yet, which is mostly due to the necessity of finishing my Master's thesis and some rapidly changing interests that have beset me since I got home from Ontario. Consequently, these two have been put on hold in lieu of some new interests that have emerged. I spent a few weeks back in August putting together a late 15th century German 'jerkin' - we'll call it that because it's not quite a gown - which was inspired by Emperor Maximilian I, who takes the cake when it comes to Large Historical Noses. This is part of a larger German ensemble I'll be working on over the next while.

Now All Hallow's Eve is a slightly different story. Decided on my costume Thursday night and, for once, it's not historical. It is, in fact, Warhammer-related (surprise) and while I'm not giving out any details yet, you would probably be able to surmise if you take a look at the guys in my gallery (black hair, etc). There is also a much LARGER Warhammer-related costume in the planning stages at the moment. I'm particularly excited for this one since no one seems to have attempted it thus far. Hurhur. Mystery. Thus begins my foray into the world of hot glue and craft foam.

Real Life

Sometimes I get confused by the perimeter between real life and everything else. But I'm still working at the naval museum. Depending how things go, this COULD potentially turn permanent with a considerable increase in pay. Fingers crossed but I'm due to find out over the next couple of weeks.

Finally finished all of the work for my Master's in History, thank goodness. Will be heading back to Ontario with The Parents at the end of October for convocation.

Right, that should be it. Time to get back to sewing. Hope things are going well with everyone!

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/24741620/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/24741620/ Wed, 13 May 2009 17:02:26 PDT
How are things with everyone? I'm JUST about finished the Master's degree. What a year it's been and though it's just about finished, there is still a good chunk of stuff to do. Anyways, school is boring. Historical costuming, however, is not. Hurhur.

So as things stand right now, I have two major projects lined up for the summer. The first, as some of you know, is a full ensemble for my favourite French Revolutionary. It will be, as stated on LJ, 110% and I am incredibly pumped for the extent to which it will stretch my costuming/make-up skills.

The second is slightly off the beaten path. It's 20th century, it's WWII, it's German, it's Kriegsmarine, and I have to grow my eyebrows out. Those are the only details you get for now. Those of you on my LJ know precisely what I'm talking about. But this particular obsession has re-spawned since I started as assistant curator at the city's naval museum last week. The job is fantastic so far though the hour's commute is less so.

Anyways, if everything goes according to schedule, there should be some photoshoots around the end of June. Not sure which will get finished first. Likely the second one as things are right now since I can barely sleep at night with anticipation.

But aside from that, what does everyone else have planned for the summer? I hear of marriages, re-enactments, and other general craziness. Do tell!

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/21278862/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/21278862/ Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:05:05 PST
So grad school has consumed my life for the past two months and I've just barely emerged from a hellish week of frantic draft writes and Halloween endeavours. The lack of art and journal updates are testimony to how busy things have been and as I type this, I still need to read an appalling amount for colonial history tomorrow AND write a rather crucial grant application.

But all of that aside. It's art time now and god knows, there hasn't been enough of it. I haven't done anything 'finished' - hence, the few random pieces I'll be uploading in a minute. There is still TONNES of stuff I did in Europe that I haven't scanned yet. Also have a couple of paintings I'm working on but they won't be finished for a loooong time...

But I did put together a 1470s Florentine cioppa and chaperon so I could go as Lorenzo de' Medici to the History Department Halloween party. Did it all by hand too, since the sewing machine is back in Calgary. No pictures yet, though - sorry. While there is more than an abundance of suitable locales here, I'm not courageous enough to go out and take random pictures of myself in public places. It turned out well, though. And Lorenzo himself is a pretty neat guy. I soooooo don't have a history crush there...

In other news, I'm flying home in four days for convocation at the U of Calgary and am going to subvert established university practise by wearing my early 16th century duds under the gown, with my Myllan cap instead of one of those goddawful polyester mortar-boards. They will probably throw me out but it'll be worth it!

But it will be awesome to be home - see the fam, etc. I've been missing the horses more than anything...

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/19386783/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/19386783/ Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:56:01 PDT
So, I'm back in Canada, appallingly unhistorical, un-cultured Canada, after a glorious, indescribable 27 days in Europe. Had the best time in Scotland and Poland - at Culloden Battlefield and Frombork Cathedral especially - but everything was, on the whole, mind-blowingly wonderful. There were snags here and there (usually with the UK rail system which needs to die a painful, painful death x 43) but all of that stuff seemed minor compared to the entire thing.

So, expect a LOT of costume shoots over the next little while. I'll be tackling my 20th Foot kit first since I'm still not happy with my current pictures of it. There are two I'm uploading today but I will do some more tonight since I'm still looking for the proverbial 'money-shot.' Not sure what's next on the list - maybe some more Metis Bourgeois. Any suggestions?

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/19024676/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/19024676/ Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:03:26 PDT
It's very odd - I'm finding I can think infinitely clearer over here when devising plots and scenes and artworks and everything else. Everything is so vivid! Except I've barely had time to write or draw - hopefully there'll be more of that once I get to Poland.

But gawd, it's all just making me realize how much I love history in general - not one specific time period but a broader variety. It's more relaxing since I don't feel that strange pressure to choose a time-period and stick to it rigidly.

So when I get home, expect a LOT of photoshoots and a LOT more 18th century stuff.

Coolest place I've been yet is the Culloden Battlefield. Canada needs to take some serious lessons from the Scots when it comes to battlefield interpretation and preservation.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/18516032/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/18516032/ Mon, 26 May 2008 18:18:16 PDT
Right-o. The typical "8 Weird/Strange/Inexplicable Things About You" meme.

* 1. Post these rules.
* 2. Each tagged person must post 8 things about themselves on their journal.
* 3. At the end, you have to choose and tag 8 people and post their icons on the same journal.
* 4. Go to their pages and send a message saying you tagged them.
* 5. No tag-backs.

1. I have a temper. A wicked temper that shows up rather unexpectedly. This happened at work today which is why I thought of it.

2. I cannot STAND needy guys. Grow up, please, and learn to be self-sufficient.

3. I love British humour. Except for Blackadder which appalls and saddens me in its abject lameness. Fawlty Towers on the other hand...

4. I love the smell of freezers. No clue why. They just smell... really good.

5. I cry during cavalry charges in movies. They make me very emotional for some reason. Watched Prince Caspian Friday night and yup, there were some tears there. That movie is awesome btw. GO SEE IT.

6. I'm scared of the dark. Terribly so.

7. When I'm bored at work (which is every day), I pretend the big, wooden shop doors are the doors to Frombork cathedral and then pretend I'm Copernicus. You'd normally think that would be pretty hard at a rock-molding plant but it actually works out really well, especially when mixing up the paint for the molds -s'like mixing up medicine, right? RIGHT?!!

8. I'd sekritly LOVE to learn ballroom and Latin dancing. The pasodoble looks particularly awesome.

Okay, time to go draw pictures *AHEM* DO HOMEWORK.

Oh yeah, I tag:
And anyone else who feels like doing it though I think pretty much everyone has.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/17696754/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/17696754/ Sat, 05 Apr 2008 09:59:40 PDT sweet...

Hay guys!

Haven't been around here as much as I would have liked the last little while mostly due to work and the never-ending pleasantries of school. Always. But we managed to get some reeal, live high-speed internet at the farm here so checking up on everything should be a bit easier.

Real-Life News Hmmm... news... news... I managed to get into a Master's program for history! So I'll be doing the big move from Alberta to Ontario in late August. It will be nice but it kind of sketches me out at the same time - that's an awfully long way from home. Not sure what I'll miss more - the parents or the horses. Likely the horses.

I've also got a Euro-trip planned for the middle of June to about the middle of July. Not that long but I'll get my buttocks kicked at work if I'm gone any longer. The plan is to spend five or six days in south England, a couple of days in France, and then fly to Poland to see as much Copernicus stuff as I can. Seriously, when I think about the last bit there, it's all I can do from throwing enormous, twitching fits of excitement. For any of my watchers from England, France, and Poland - do you have any suggestions of absolutely MUST-SEE or MUST-GO or MUST-EAT/DRINK or MUST-DO things related to your respective countries?

Lastly, I'm going to get a new dSLR as soon as I get my taxes back: [link] HOSHITWANT. Every semi-reputable photographer I've talked to has recommended Nikon and after seeing the effects of Vibration-Reduction lenses with the FLASH OFF, I figured that would be the ultimate for doing historical photoshoots.

Art News

The Septimus costume has been put on hold for a while (read 'hold' as 'likely won't happen' ) mostly due to changing interests (FIE) and lack of time. I wouldn't mind making more Renaissance stuff - perhaps something wonderfully Italian, elaborate, and 1470s. We'll see.

I've suddenly concocted this grandiose mental (in both senses of the word) plan for a graphic novel of the life of Copernicus. Of course, this would mean learning to draw... uh... hands, bodies, expressions, backgrounds, perspective, pretty much everything. It'll never come to fruition, naturally, but I do plan to sketch out a few possible pages over the next couple of months.

Still have other projects in the works, including appallingly late trades, which will be finished as soon as Nic releases his death-grip on my brain.


The Dorky Duo


]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/16335148/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/16335148/ Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:09:05 PST
I'm making Septimus' costume from Stardust.

*officially insane*

I actually blame FabricLand since they had some dark brown 'lambskin' that is beyond perfect for his coat. Bastards...

'Anal' is going to take on an entirely new meaning. And instead of putting this together in one frantic month of sleepless nights and rush sewing jobs (as usual), I'll take a page out of *InKibus' book and spread it out over four months or so. I'll have to, to keep my sanity when taking care of the details. So I'll be well pleased if I can finish it by June since there are a few comic cons around here in the summer.


And I think my dad is nearly as obsessed with the story as I am - he's reading my copy of the book at the moment and when I was having breakfast this morning he was like "ZOMG, that book is awesome! I could hardly put it down!" And my copy of the visual companion to the movie finally showed up tonight but I've barely had a chance to look at it since he appropriated it as soon as it was out of the box.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/16124973/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/16124973/ Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:10:32 PST Salvete!

So how was everyone's Christmas/holidays? Thank goodness the latter aren't over yet... I need the time off.

Taking the cue from *sketchysquirrel I decided to start a SketchBlog over at blogger.com just because I want some place to upload my sketches and rougher stuff since I usually reserve dA for finished things. Checkkit out! [link] Still working on the layout which is actually quite enjoyable since Blogger is infinitely more friendly to HMTL n00bs such as myself.

For those of you who have seen Stardust, expect to see a LOT of Septimus kicking around over the next little while because I'm completely and totally smitten. I've been keeping a tight rein on the costumer-half of my brain because it's mighty twitchin' as well, since there is NO way I could justify making his outfit. But there's nothing to stop me from making my own pimpin' '7' tattoo! MWAHAHHAAAAAA!

Crayola pwns all. Except it washes off way too easy.

Have a rotten head cold at the mo' and I've been twisting my face into all sorts of horrible contortions while typing this in feeble attempts to alleviate the sinus pain. Guess I could just take some Advil... There's been no less than eight sneezes per minute and I'm starting to worry that my face may disintegrate.

Anyways, best wishes to everyone! Enjoy the rest of your holidays and make sure you consume vast quantities of heinously unhealthy food and alcoholic beverages over the next while so I won't feel so guilty doing it myself.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/15589337/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/15589337/ Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:01:54 PST Wakiye everyone!

Since I've got a bit of breathing space here at school in between essays and finals (the fun never stops...), I figured I'd let you in on the 'artistique' plans for the holidays.

K, photoshoots. Definitely planning some more of them. I really want to get some shots of the Metis bourgeois stuff during a snowstorm or general wintery weather. I'm pretty pumped about that but not NEAR as pumped as I am for the main one I've got planned. He's shown up a few times on here in artistic form but since I've never costumed Jean-Paul Marat, he's the next project. *Leopreston, I can see you smirking already! I'll need to make a few things but I think it's going to be pretty fun to set up.

On that note, do you guys have any suggestions as to outfits you'd like to see more of? I know I haven't really done much in the 18th century recently. If you have ideas for scenarios, settings, etc., do let me know because I'd love to see what you come up with.

HOSHIT, just totally LOLed. There's an iTunes network here in Residence and this one guy has all this hardcore shiznit like Ozzy and then right in the middle of everything is Disney songs from the Lion King and Mary Poppins. Freaking WIN. Oh yeah and for all the iPod users out there, does anyone else find the 'shuffle' function isn't very imaginative? I've got 800+ songs on there and it only ever seems to play the same three hundred.

Apart from that, I've been doing school like mad. Going to graduate in June and cannot wait. Srsly. Artwise, there's been tonnes and tonnes and TONNES of Copernicus drawings. I'm also working on an entry for *disneydeviants Masquerade contest - anyone with a bit of imagination can probably guess who I'm drawing for that!

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/15369649/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/15369649/ Sun, 04 Nov 2007 22:25:03 PST
Right-o, just a quicky to tie in with the posting of Nic's stuff. Thanks SO much for all of the favourites and meaningful comments! I really wish the pictures had turned out slightly better - they look okay, don't get me wrong, but I wish I managed to get the same clarity seen on the Metis Bourgeois shots. The light didn't help matters. However, it does the job for now.

Nicolaus Copernicus III has been moved to Scraps by dA's admin - pre-empting me by only a few hours - and it made me realize that these scenes I try to arrange with my outfits are more works of photography than actual displays of the costume itself - took long enough, eh? This goes back to the notion of 'tableau vivants' or living paintings, pioneered by the ridiculously talented ~Ysa To me, it seems a MUCH more effective method of displaying historical clothing than taking a simple picture in your living room with the couch and TV as a background. So I figured for now on, I'll work on perfecting the photography end of it and start submitting these under the "Photography" heading instead. When I finish something, I'll take a couple of 'boring' clothing shots to be submitted under the Textiles category and then work more of the 'scene' and 'character' into the Photography submissions.

Which means I might need to buy a half-decent camera. Translate "half-decent" as "stupidly expensive."

K, going to bed. Now this is finished I might actually get around to doing schoolwork. Pffft... yeah right.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/14924354/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/14924354/ Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:20:06 PDT
Thanks a million for responding with all of the links and tips on my last journal. Things are definitely progressing well and I'm starting to get a grasp on which routes I'm going to take with this.

EXCEPT one thing still eludes me so I'll have to spam your inboxes with more Polish astronomer geekulation. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what Copernicus is wearing under his red/green jerkin!







My first instinct is to say it's a black doublet with a white shirt showing underneath. But where is the front opening? And the neckline is too high if it were a side-opening doublet. I want to say a bit of artistic license has been taken here and the artist simply couldn't be bothered to paint the front opening of doublet and shirt. And the regularity of the white neckline in respect to the black neckline almost makes me think the white is the lining of the doublet itself showing up. But I doubt that's the case.

Now, I have come across something similar on this couple from the late 15th century. Here, there doesn't seem to be a front opening on the black 'doublet' either but it makes sense since the neckline is roomy enough to allow the garment to be pulled over the head.



So what do you guys think? I'm tempted just to go the front-opening doublet-and-shirt route but I don't really think that's what he's wearing. And my Type-A perfectionistic personality insists on getting it right.

Any input on this matter would be HUGELY appreciated. Thanks in advance!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And..... heh.... as a completely random aside, a guy came by the library last night when I was working and took out a book in Polish. So I asked him if he could speak it and he said yes. So I asked him how to pronounce Mikołaj Kopernik (Copernicus' actual name before he Latinized it) and when he said it, it sounded SO cool that my brain dissolved into a gelatinous mass of geeky, happy goo.

Ahem.

That is all.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/14676647/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/14676647/ Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:43:33 PDT Avete everyone!

Since school's started again, I'll probably be around a lot more, mostly because of increased computer time. Now I can finally catch up with all the comments and new deviations I've been missing, thank goodness. Things are pretty back-logged at the mo'.

Now, because I am a complete and utter n00b when it comes to historical costume of the High Medievel/Early Renaissance periods, I was wondering if any of you could help me out with a few things. I've recently been reading about the life of Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer who came up with the heliocentric theory (ie. the earth orbits around the sun, not the other way) blah blah, okay, not important. ANYWAYS, in lieu of future artworks and possibly outfits (Halloween is coming up!!) could anyone suggest decent patterns/reference pictures for the years around 1473-1543? Here's a picture of the guy: [link] Yeah, I know, he's pretty nerdy looking but what kind of stuff do you think he's wearing there? I'm thinking some kind of doublet... maybe... and hose? O_o? I had an image in my head of something like what you see Henry VII wearing, so I've been looking at this pattern with #2 in mind: [link]
To further complicate things, has anyone used the Period Patterns series before? How are they?

Thanks a billion in advance! Some of you know TONNES more about this period than I do, so any tips/pointers/suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

Haha, okay, I'm slowing getting excited about this. Earlier I had NO plan for All Hallow's Eve but mwaha, something may just be in the works here. We'll have to see how long my Copernicus phase lasts though. But (sekritly) I've always wanted a nice early Tudor outfit.... That bloody closet is going to collapse one day, though. LOL You can already see the bar sagging: [link]
D:

Current Projects

~Art Trade with ~Ysa which I am VERY late on! Apologies for that, Ysa! It'll be finished over the next little while. Oh yeah, and for everyone else, if I EVER say I'll do an art-trade with you, tell me "No" because I am SO slow. It's terrible.

EDIT I was tagged by ~Doxhoont and *Weinglasarien and I did the meme on my LJ which is here: [link]

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/13554550/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/13554550/ Sat, 30 Jun 2007 17:21:34 PDT
Just a quick update to let you know that I AM still around in a somewhat abbreviated form. I've got a job at a military museum in Calgary which, despite being absolutely excellent, is also fairly draining. I've also got a nut-bag horse I work with in the evenings - that would be "Paris" of a few entries back. At first there was nothing but intense mutual hatred but things have progressed into a sort of begruding working relationship. We've still got a loooong way to go - can't exactly take her out tent-pegging yet... So anyways, I haven't got Internet access at work and I'm rarely inside when I'm home so I've been a bit slack of late... "Well, what is freaking new?" I can hear you all asking right now. Yeah, I know, I know. Things are going to happen in bursts until I start up Uni in the Fall again since I've only got time here and there to spend online *sobs* So that's why I'll be around for a day or two then disappear for three or four weeks. So today was one of the 'around' days and if you get a whole bunch of comment responses that make you go "What the hell is she on about?" I'm just replying to messages that are over a month old.

Skipping Ahead in Time aka Museum-Inspired Geekulation
On that note, I've leaped (should that be 'lept'? This spell-check thing is strange) a couple of centuries ahead into 1917 and I've now turned my attentions to WWI Canadian cavalry largely because of the museum job which has resparked a thing that I had for a young Canadian officer of the Lord Strathcona's Horse seven years ago, Lieutenant Gordon Muriel Flowerdew, VC: [link]
Anyways, as you may have guessed, I've got some more kit to put together and this time I won't need to make a lot of it, which is slightly less 'fun' and considerably more expensive. Most of that comes down to the availability of the proper material, which is impossible to buy unless it has been constructed into some kind of garment. Hence, this outfit is going to be actual period kit for the most part, something I definitely could not do with the 18th century! I've also found a group I can ride with too - cavalry re-enactment certainly should be something different to do but unfortunately I can't wear anything WWI with them since they solely depict the Legion of Frontiersmen (more Canadian stuff) and they're real sticklers for uniformity. So if I'm going to do WWI cavalry I'll have to do it by myself which is slightly lame but better than nothing.

Current Projects

Art Trade of Jan Six with ~Ysa
Acrylic painting of Ryan Smyth
Scrounging the following for my WWI cavalry kit:
Tunic
"Strathconas" shoulder bars
Officer's cap
Shirt

** I DO have the proper boots and breeches but they are currently borrowed from the mounted group and are not technically 'mine,' though the boots could be for a considerable yet reasonable sum. I'll have to see about the breeches, though I'm sure their owner does not want to sell them since they are vintage WWI (and in immaculate condition)

Resultant Very Stupid Art



]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/13017179/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/13017179/ Sat, 19 May 2007 19:04:29 PDT
It's been a while since I've 'been around' in any sort of substantial form, probably to the general happiness of everyone else. Both my devWatch list and my message box are over-flowing and I'm sure there's some comments on there from before January. Hopefully everything will be caught up this weekend. So apologies for being very late with everything. I think some of it has also been a reaction to the hours and hours of labour on my computer on the thesis and my final paper for military history. Sort of set me off the whole technological thing for a while. Both papers are finished now - I dropped off the thesis at the department today and they're going to put it in their library to make it available for other people to rip off at later dates. But everything came together really nicely and I finally feel that I'm halfways qualified to be doing what I'm doing. Which is new.

Ehhh... what else is new? Haha, oh yeah.... (like I forgot) The last week has been spent in a state of Complete and Utter Swoonage over Ciarán Hinds after watching "The Sum of All Fears" on TV the other night (he's President Nemerov for those of you who've seen it and actually care). ~sketchysquirrel has already had the treatment via email and LJ so now it's everyone else's turn. Anyways, "The Sum of All Fears" turned into HBO's "Rome," where he plays G. Julius Caesar, which turned into "Persuasion," where he's Wentworth. I ripped apart every entertainment store in Calgary today before I found a copy of this last one for the exorbitant price of $39.99 - and it doesn't even come with an insert! WTF??!!? But it's definitely going to be good. Lordy, late Roman Republican garb is stunning as it is but seeing him in a Regency-era Captain's uniform? I can't even begin to fathom it.

Watching the Caesar bits on HBO's Rome sends my brain into paroxysms of complete joy. And he's not even stunningly good-looking or anything like that - though I've never seen such an impressive set of eyes and eyebrows on any other human being . It's a strange thing actually - a third of the time, I sit there finding him almost appalingly ugly but for the other two-thirds, there's just... something about him that makes me want to shriek and eat the couch pillows. I've always had a HUGE thing for Caesar but seeing him in this form makes things twice as good.



Ross likes old men

And something else! I haven't forgotten all of my good counterparts over at ~Pratts-O-Carribean Here's something to think about, lads: if a movie were to be made about our exploits, who would you get to play yourself? Think famous actors, etc. Let me know, since I've got a group drawing in mind I'd like to do and I already know precisely who's going to play Ross.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/12632555/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/12632555/ Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:32:53 PDT Wakiye everyone!

Just a bit of an update to let you know that I'm still alive.

I've just emerged from the depths of my Geology exam - last one o' the semester!! I actually think it went quite well despite my initial fears. Who says cramming doesn't work??? But I'm still far from done since I got a panic-stricken email from my thesis supervisor last night at work - he now wants my final copy of the thesis by the start of this week coming up. In other words, I need to write about 30 pages before Tuesday. I haven't been putting it off due to laziness or anything like that - I've just been up to my eyeballs with stuff to do for military history, work, and horse stuff.

Speaking of horse stuff, I can finally let this out now I've got some extra time (HA!). I bought a new horse two weekends ago!! Sort of being in the market for the last few years, I finally found a really good one for a really decent price. Her name is Paris, she's four and a 16.1 hh Thoroughbred. Her former owner bought her off the track but she was never raced.



I was a bit surprised to buy a mare since I've always assumed I'd be riding geldings. But we hit it off right away and after seeing her movement on the lunge line it was like "HOMFGMUSTBUYTHISHORSENOW." The owner is lightly backing her throughout the rest of the month but I'll be doing the bulk of the work with her this spring and summer. The future is looking pretty peachy right now because she's muscly enough for some of the higher level dressage movements so who knows where we could end up.

Apart from that, I'm going to a Calgary Flames playoff game this Thursday, which I still cannot believe!!! It is next to impossible to get tickets for the playoffs but somehow I managed to. I just hope to god they win because they've been playing like complete shite recently.

Artistically, it's springtime, so expect a bit of Jean-Paul Marat stuff over the next little while. He shows up every spring like clockwork, something that's happened without fail for five years now. I've already got the one sketch up (which I now hate with an absolute passion) and I drew another full body pose yesterday when I should have been studying, which is by far and large the BEST and most realistic and sexy Marat I've drawn yet. I don't know if you guys have ever had it with one of your drawings where it freaks you out (not in a bad way) because it turned out unbelievably good and you can't stop looking at it. That's the way it was with this one - I brought it to work last night and everytime I had to do check-in, I'd run over to my drawer and take another peek. Yeah, I've got problems. Anyways, I'm just trying to decide whether or not to post what I have since his legs are cut off because I ran out of paper. Gargh... anyways.... most of you are probably like "Who the hell is this Marat guy? STFU n00b and make some more costumes."

Lastly, some pimpage. *CapnFlynn has opened sketch commissions to pay for the ISBN for her new book. At $10 a pop, they're definitely worth it!

Okay, I need to go eat. That is a long journal entry.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/12301929/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/12301929/ Fri, 23 Mar 2007 20:04:44 PDT Wakiye everyone!

Hope things are well with you guys. I figured this was probably due for another update sooner or later since my dA attendance and deviation/comment response time has been laxer than normal.

I got my wisdom teeth out yesterday morning at 8:30 and while things weren't quite so bad yesterday, my cheeks have no managed to work themselves into something along the proportions of Alfred Hitchcock's jowls. They even wiggle when I walk up and down the stairs. I'm thinking it should be a little better by tomorrow or the day after. I just hope to god everything will be back to normal by this Wednesday so I can go out for beer and pizza with the guys from Military History and not look like a hamster that's been kicked in the face fifty times.

School has seriously been pwning me this semester. I know, I know, I can hear you saying it right now - "OMG, you use that as an excuse every semester." Well, this time it's true. I'm only taking three courses but my supervisor wants the rough draft of my thesis by April 2nd (it has to be 60 pages and it's currently at 22), I need to finish a 20-pager for Military History as WELL as write those four-page papers that are due every week after doing the fifteen-item reading list = teh Joy. I just hope to goodness it's all going to come together. So if I've seemed neither here nor there with dA recently, that's my excuse.

Stay tuned for the much belated "Introducing... (Features Part II)."

Oh and multas gratias to everyone for the s on my 1820s Metis Bourgeois shots. The reception those got absolutely thrilled me to pieces.

Lastly, if you've ever had an inexplicable desire to witness four fairly normal people making complete fools out of themselves, check out the following which starts with the comments on ~CdreJohnPaulJones's Dream Squadron.

And progressed to this:

Then this:

At which point, *Leopreston hopped in:

Followed by Vyse again:

So now the ball is clearly in my court.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/11804662/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/11804662/ Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:02:39 PST Wakiye everyone!

Well, I decided I'd renew my subscription for three more months just because I didn't want to loose my pimped-out shoutboard and the messageboard layout (so easy!!).

So here's the first round of featurees!

First, the amazingly multi-talented *InKibus, my official partner in cross-dressing. If I'm ever half as versatile as she is in her construction techniques, I'll be well-satisfied.


Next we've got the vibrant ~Chameleonperson, my official partner in cynicism. Her work is marked by its fantastic use of colour, as well as the originality of the subject matter.


Next up is *MissCassidy, who drew me an amazing piece of fan-art! It's the first one on there. Seriously... I'm flattered. I've never got fanart before! Her art is distinguished by an excellent variety in subject matter and a unique smoothness of line (wish MY lines were that smooth!)


Now I'd like to introduce my real-life dA friend, ~MerrickDryden I actually joined dA on account of her. I've never met anyone with as much patience for art as she has. I remember one night when I ate supper at her place and we did art afterwards - she must have spent three hours working on the hand of a character she was drawing.


And last but least =FrockTarts, costumer extraordinaire. Like her sister, *InKibus, she's incredibly versatile and does some amazing things with fabric. Her Eowyn in particular totally blows my mind.
http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/11556701/ Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:08:13 PST and
and I need more peeps! So if you want three of your deviations featured, just comment below. Hey, it's what the cool kids are doing.

School is absolutely freaking insane this semester so that's why I've been a bit tardy replying to your comments and deviations. My apologies - I'll be more on the ball once I get my time management sorted out.

To my fellow Napoleonic Sharpshooters, and , let me know how you want to look in my version of this awesome collective sketch idea. I'll be able to start on it sometime this weekend!

Lastly, I've finally decided what my next costume will be! I thought I would put the 18th century temporarily aside to work on some WWI shiznit (because it said it was going to kick my ass if I didn't). I scored an absolutely mint WWII student's flight cap from a militaria show the other weekend, too. *teh GLEE* But apart from that, those are all the details you're going to get. For now.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/11317163/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/11317163/ Thu, 04 Jan 2007 18:35:48 PST Wakiye everyone!

Hope you all were un-necessarily spoiled over Christmas and that you drank gallons of eggnog, gorged yourselves on goodies that had no less than 4,000 calories per bite, did nothing productive, and slept until 2:00 each day (which was the extent of my holiday. God, January is going to pwn me).

Okay, first on the list o' things to cover: The List Random (Potentially Embarassing) Facts About Yourself Meme. I was tagged for this by

So complain to her if you're sick of me clogging your in-boxes with memes.

#1 Keeping in Sketchy’s bug vein, I kept pet crickets when I was in Grade 6. This was a sort of off-shoot from a novel study I did of “A Cricket in Times Square” (they were for the class presentation). I kept them for about a year but my mum eventually turfed the entire works because they smelled REALLY bad. *shudders*

#2 When I was into Roman stuff, I used to think 18th century clothing was REALLY lame. There was next to no attraction there for me. Hmph.

#3 When I was in Junior High, my friend and I used to do lunch hour drama for a select teacher audience. We’d do scenes from Shakespeare, scenes from movies, and even stuff we wrote ourselves. Now that I think back on it, it’s REALLY dorky and I swear they were all like “Oh god, not again” each time we put the notice up in the staff room for the time and location of the next performance. I should see if I can’t find a picture from one of them – then you could see one of my first attempts at historical costume. *cringes*

#4 I find people falling down really, REALLY funny for some reason. If I see it happen, I go hysterical. Even if they get hurt. It makes it funnier. Do I have a problem? I’m laughing even thinking about it now.

#5 When I was really little, I used to be terrified of the vacuum cleaner. I would hide under my bed and scream and my mum would pretend she was going to vacuum me up. It still kind of freaks me out.

#6 Whenever my cousins and I played house, I always wanted to be the dog.

#7 I’m a perfectionist, which is why art and writing are both nightmares without the proper inspiration. If it can’t be done with 100% satisfaction the first time, I feel that I may as well not try. I’m getting better but it’s still not a barrel of laughs.

#8 I never thought I would fall for any other nationality in WWI Aviation than Germany. But here I am now with an unrelenting desire to read everything on the Escadrille Lafayette, not to mention the UBER obsession with poor Raoul Lufbery (along the same intensity of the girly-crush-from-hell on Martin Henderson). Ugh. Poor things.

dA Feature Meme Now I'm sure a lot of you have seen this around and since people have done it for me, I decided I would give it a shot too. And I even bought a one-month subscription for the occasion! *shoutboxGLEE* So, essentially, the first ten peeps to comment here get three pieces of their art featured. Not like it's going to gain you huge popularity or anything. But it IS fun!

Lastly, a HUGE "thank you" goes out to everyone who offered their input on my last entry. On the whole, I've decided to go with the steel gray overcoat and a light blue waistcoat but a couple of things have come up in the meantime and I'll need your opinions on that matter as well. (This will show up in Poll Form, though)

Thanks again for all of the support over the past year! I hope your 2007 is full of inspiration, satisfaction, and success!

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/11056576/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/11056576/ Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:58:29 PST
If you've ever had an inexplicably evil desire to manipulate someone's fate, here's your chance. I need your opinions on a few things.

First: I'm considering making a 1720s/1730s dinner outfit over the holidays since I'll have a bit of spare time. The end result is going to look something along the lines of this: [link] See the guy on the ground? Yeah, like that. (OMGSOFREAKINSEXY) Now, this is where you guys come in. What colours should I go for? I've got a couple of options here - I could do the coat and waist coat in different colours or I could do the waistcoat in a shade similar to the overcoat like it is in the picture.

This is what I've been thinking about so far:

1) A nice, rich, blueish-aquamarine velvet overcoat with a rich yellow waistcoat - pretty wild, eh?

2) The same colour overcoat with a baby blue waistcoat

3) A chocolate brown velvet overcoat with a blue waistcoat

4) A sort of blueish gray with a lighter shade of waistcoat - just like the painting.

Edit 5) THIS would be nice - an iron gray velvet overcoat with blue trim and a blue waistcoat. Oooo....

Let me know what you think! I'm also totally open to your own suggestions - even if it's something like a Rooster Dink Pink overcoat with a pastel pink waistcoat - trust me, I've even considered that!

Second, I've been toying with the idea of opening Costuming Commissions.

While I think it would be fun, I also think it would be kind of psycho given my mum's experiences as a tailor in the past (she made custom jeans for people and she said some of the work was soul-destroying). What do you think? Do you think it's worth a shot? Of course, I'd set certain limitations - mainly historical costuming, things like that.

Alrighty! That should be it! All feedback is HUGELY appreciated!

And here's a llama for your enjoyment: Why the hell does "llama" have two l's? Like "Alison," it clearly only needs one.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/10433203/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/10433203/ Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:04:03 PDT
Wakiye everyone,

Ever have one of those days when you feel that as soon as you set foot outside something absolutely hideous is going to happen to you? That's the way today feels. I have a midterm tomorrow and even though it's a take-home, I still need to wade through a mound of notes about the complexity of Canada's military history. Gawd... As well, I'm off to do the stupidest thing of my life at 2:00 today - the weekend before last, I got an email from a certain French goaltender (who, for the record, caused me a GREAT deal of angst last May when he acted interested in me for a month previous but promptly whipped out the "I already have a girlfriend" card when I told him I really liked him.) Anyways, in this email he said that he was having issues writing a paper about the terms of capitulation for Quebec City on Sept. 18, 1759. So, since apparently I'm the resident expert on that period of history, he asked me if I would meet with him for half an hour to help him out. I know I should have told him to deal with it himself (or to ask his girlfriend about it. Har har) but since I'm nice and I wanted to show him that I'm perfectly fine without him, I agreed to meet today at 2:00. Thankfully, I've also become TOTALLY obsessed with Martin Henderson over the last two weeks, who is way hotter than this guy is, was, can ever hope to be. (It's really weird - it's like the ultimate girly crush. I've never had one before. In Grade 7, when my friends were swooning over Leonardo diCaprio, I spent my lunch hours reading everything I could find on Lawrence of Arabia.)

Anyways, the uber-girly-crush-from-hell on Martin Henderson came from watching Flyboys, that new film about the Americans who flew with the Lafayette Escadrille during the First World War. It rekindled the love affair I had with WWI aircraft five years ago and also brought a new guy crashing into my quiet, academic world with a dark, melancholy, and subdued irresistibility. Browsing the Flyboys forums on the internet, the general opinion of the movie seems to run along the lines of: "Liekomg! James Franco is, liek, SO HAWT." On the whole, the movie is predictable and cliche but that makes it good for me. I fed to the teeth with directors and producers trying to be overly clever with emotion, characters, plot, etc. But particularly, the character of Reed Cassidy (the dude Martin Henderson plays) really struck a chord with me. I have this thing for dark, brooding, suppressed-emo!guys - essentially what Cassidy is. It's nothing romantic - instead, I kind of identify with him and his self-imposed loner-ism because I feel I'm very much the same way. Odd, really. Here, have a picture: [link]


As to dA, I finally hit 1K page views! Thanks to everyone for that! It's been really inspirational - I've got loads of good art on the way but since school has been hectic I haven't had that much time for it.

- your trade is coming! Never despair! Herr Karlmann WILL be making an appearance at one point. Sorry for not commenting on art/journal entries/LJs and everything else I missed. School has been beastly - but I think everyone can say the same thing.

]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/10058910/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/10058910/ Wed, 13 Sep 2006 10:31:33 PDT Mood: Reflective and a bit sad
Listening to: The rain outside
Reading: Halo ~ The Fall of Reach
Watching: The clock

On this morning, 247 years ago, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham took place. It started a few minutes after 10:00 and lasted approximately until 10:25. For James Wolfe, it was the singularly most important event of his life. As he strode along the front ranks of his army, carefully formed up along a ridge two and a half kilometers south of the French citadel, he must have felt elated. This, at long last, was it. After a summer of indecision, sickness, quarrels with his brigadiers, and one disastrous attempt on the Montmorency shoreline, he had established a position where he could force the Marquis de Montcalm into battle. Oh, but it was a good feeling indeed. Those who saw the young, thirty-two year old general could not believe the look on his face. This was not the same man who had been bedridden at the Montmorency camp, face drawn with pain and fever. Instead, a wild joy suffused his features and when his men saw him look towards the French line with such fierce determination, they must have felt they could not loose.
They didn't loose. After three ineffective volleys and a tangled advance by the French towards the ridge, the British held their fire. It was tough work for Wolfe's soldiers to restrain themselves as the opposing army came closer and closer. And then, finally, at a distance of forty yards, Wolfe himself gave the order to fire. Afterwards, it was compared to the most perfect volley ever fired on a battlefield. The sound of 4800 double-shotted muskets discharging in unision was unbelievable. Wolfe and his men waited tensely over the few seconds it took the smoke to clear and when visibility had been restored, they saw the effects of their first shot. Great holes had been rent in Montcalm's army and Wolfe ordered the charge before they could regroup. At the head of the Louisbourg Grenadiers on the right flank of his army, Wolfe was four paces into the movement when he received his third and fatal wound. Earlier, he had been hit twice, once in the right wrist and once in the stomach, though his stomach wound remains curiously absent from the earliest biographies. Neither of these wounds were life-threatening but this third was, which he took in the upper right segment of his chest. He struggled to stay standing, calling for the help of Lieutenant Brown of the Louisbourg Grenadiers but he had slumped to the ground before the man arrived. With the aid of Private Henderson, the two soldiers carried their general behind the British line. When they set him down, Brown opened his shirt, eyes widening when he saw the state of Wolfe's chest. Immediately, he rose to fetch the surgeon but Wolfe stopped him, saying "There is no need. It is all over with me." From there, he appeared to lapse into unconsciousness until a few minutes later, a runner arrived announcing that the French were in retreat. The news must have permeated the black that was rapidly enveloping Wolfe's mind, for he opened his eyes once more and nodded with a painful concentration. "Go," he told them, "go one of you to Colonel Burton and tell him to march Webb's regiment with all speed down to Charles' river to cut off the retreat from the bridge." Then, turning on his side, he said: "Now God be praised, I will die in peace."

Right. I suppose that's a bit heavy for first thing in the morning or whenever you're reading this. (Though it IS nearly noon now and I need to go to class in half an hour.) September 13 is always hard for me - throughout the year, I often feel as though Wolfe hasn't really died, that he's still alive in sorts, through the things I read, the things I write, and what I draw. Specifically, writing the book this summer has really made me feel that he's still around, that if I'm quick enough, I might just catch a glimpse of him when I look up from my work. Wishful thinking but I hope that I have, to some degree, brought him back to life in my writing. That's my overall goal and if I can accomplish that, I will be well-contented.

Hugs to everyone. I hope you're not totally weirded out and/or bored by this point! ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/9718979/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/9718979/ Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:28:21 PDT Mood: Quite good
Listening to: My fan. It's first rate, really. I highly recommend it.
Watching: Er...not sure....
Reading: Rob Roy

Hey homies,

So, I got back from my wonderful four days of Vikingness last Tuesday and now tomorrow I'm off and gone again, this time to Victoria. I know some people can't stand long and rather introspective journal entries (simply put, they tend not to read them) so I'll try my hardest to make this one brief.

On Sunday, these two guys show up wearing hockey jerseys, carrying sticks, and accompanied by a substantially large camera crew. Turns out they were filming a sort of "Jack-Ass-esque" type of show in which they travel to random Canadian towns and put together two teams to play road hockey. Anyways, each guy is the captain of his own team of locals and if his team looses, he has to undergo some sort of punishment. Earlier on they had visited Regina and when the one guy's team lost, he was duct-taped to the front of a motorhome and driven in a local parade, while the opposing team threw tomatos at his head. *helpless shrug* ANYWAYS, while they were at Gimli, the other guy's team lost so they brought him up to the village clad in nothing but a jockstrap and a goalie mask and they got the few of us that are archers to shoot our blunted arrows at him from fifteen feet away. ---> [link] (He's on the top of the hill on the left.)

Now. If any of you remember what I went through in the beginning of May with a particular individual who played hockey, you might understand the absolute and utter glee with which I undertook this particular task. See picture: [link] Though I did feel slightly bad for it at the same time since getting hit with a blunt arrow (though it has a rubber tip) at that range is not exactly painless. Especially if you are naked except for a helmet and jockstrap. But we went through with it. That poor guy is going to have some serious bruises for a month or two. Almost seems a shame because he was very cute. Har. But that makes it all the better.

Apart from that, my pseudo-boyfriend (don't ask, it's too late to get into that particular complexity), took a couple of shots of me in my Viking shiznit: [link]
[link]

And before I forget, I finally made it to St. Francois Xavier which was a Metis parish settlement founded by Cuthbert Grant in the 1830s. Unfortunately, early 19th century Metis history is often overlooked by historians here in favour of the (totally boring) Riel Rebellions. Ugh. So that's something I'm halfways considering for MA possibilities. Talk about history though! They shove it down your throat so much in Quebec City that it doesn't actually seem that historical but back at St. Francois Xavier, the place literally reeked of history though there wasn't anything there to distinguish its significance apart from a small stone monument with a plaque. Oh yeah, and Cuthbert Grant is another of those irresistibly sexy historical dudes: [link] Keep your eyes peeled for some painfully bad artisticness on the topic.

... *re-reads journal entry*....

OMG So much for making it short. Right. I need to go to bed. My flight doesn't go out tomorrow until after five-ish but I still need to pack and write a bit more on Chapter 4.

Hugs to everyone, as usual. Oh yeah, , I hope your trip was good apart from the crappy flight delays!

And please forgive the speling. I've been writing like mad all week and have pretty much exhausted my poor brain.

I am, &etc.,

A. Mercer

Colonel
His Majesty's 1st Regiment of Historical Dorkulation ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/9718960/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/9718960/ Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:25:45 PDT ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/9574011/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/9574011/ Wed, 02 Aug 2006 06:54:10 PDT
I'm leaving for the Gimli Viking Icelandic Festival today so I won't be around for the next six days or so. I don't particularly want to go - I'm on a HUGE 18th century kick right now and I still need to do tonnes of work on the book before the end of the summer. The stress is piling up but since it IS a sixteen hour drive to Gimli I hope to get more of the research done along the way.

Anyways, that should be it! If I have internet access there I might post some of the pictures of our Viking dorkiness on my LJ but since we are supposed to be living...er....rather primitively I kind of doubt I'll get the chance.

Hope you guys are having a good summer! Hugs to everyone.


My awesome historical costume co-conspirator ~ ---> I'll get started on my 1740s 'Tableau Vivant' the moment I get back in the door from this trip!

Member of http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/9448960/ Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:53:08 PDT Mood: Can't complain!
Listening To: "Jack Sparrow" POTC - Dead Man's Chest
Reading: Vikings: The Battle at the End of Time
Watching: Rob Roy

Well, given the transpiration of events, I feel as though it's high-time for another journal entry. And 500 HITS!!!! THAT definitely calls for something! Stay tuned.

Academic Life

I see when I wrote my last entry I said that I had been slacking off quite badly from working on the book. Well..... that isn't quite the case anymore! Over the past month, I've managed to write the first three chapters which makes me incredibly happy. At the same time, I've only got a month or so left to write the remaining five. However, as the general opinion seems to run at the U, writing a book over the course of four months is quite the daunting task. BUT if I can get two more chapters finished before I leave for Manitoba on August 2, I will be well-pleased. All-in-all, the wordcount is at 12000 words with roughly 31 pages written. I still need to plump out Chapters 1 and 2 to an extensive degree so by the time I finish that, I should have 36/37 pages or so. Adding Chapter 4 to that, I should have enough to submit to Dundurn in Toronto.

Fandom Life *Caution* Possible POTC2 Spoilers!!!

You know what? I actually don't have a fandom life right now! LOL I've been concentrating on the book so much right now I haven't had time for much else! But I DID go to see POTC2. Unfortunately, I also went to the Stampede that day with some friends so wearing my British uniform would have been a bit...er...hot...and weird. So I just went normally. Was I impressed? Not the first time. It wasn't until the second viewing that I thought it really flowed. I found myself wanting to know more about Davy Jones' history - what was he like before he became the creepy octopus-faced-lord-of-the-sea-type-thing? What else was there behind his previous romantic life? Stuff like that. Hmph. And I didn't think it would happen but I absolutely fell head-over-heels for scruffy!Norrington. Probably because his performance at the tavern in Tortuga totally reminded me of something similar Wolfe went through when he was twenty-three. My heart just about broke when Elizabeth went to find him after he was thrown out into the pigsty. I was like: "You BIATCH! You NEVER cared about him so don't start pretending to now!" God! Anyways...
Needless to say, I spent the rest of the movie feasting my eyes on scruffy Norrington, who was oddly more appealing than nice, clean, bewigged Norrington. Oh yeah, I was also nearly helpless with laughter during the caged pirate scene and Jack's fantastic escape from the cannibals.

Other Random Life

Apart from the book, I really haven't been doing that much else. I went for a ride the other night wearing my field uniform (not the coat because it was too hot). I badly need a new tricorn - mine is just slightly too big for my head and adjusting the hatband doesn't help the situation. If I had a proper wig, then it wouldn't matter. Hmph.
Oh YEAH!! There is a good chance I may be going to Victoria BC for four days in mid-August (right after I get back from Manitoba) to see some friends of my grandparents. They are an elderly Scottish couple and are almost like psuedo-grandparents. Since they're ardent Jacobites, I'll probably be pitched head-long from the front doorstep when I tell them I'm writing a book about James Wolfe. Apart from that, it should be a fun few days of painting, book-buying, good-food-eating, bagpipe-playing, and intellectual-discussion-having.

~Current Projects~

Artistic photoshoot for my 20th Foot Uniform - Wolfe Shots
Viking Undertunic
Painting of Ryan Smyth
Art for my 500 Hits

That's it from this end o' things! Hope things are well with you guys!

Hugs to everyone: http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/9032580/ Sat, 10 Jun 2006 23:20:36 PDT Mood: Good, for once
Listening To: Sound samples from Cascada on Amazon - Yes, I AM too cheap to buy the CD
Reading: The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell
Watching: The Stanley Cup Playoffs - Carolina 2 Edmonton 1

Hey everyone! I hope things are well with you guys. I can imagine most of you are either finishing up school for the year or are already done. Anyways, here's the latest from this end o' things.

Academic Life
Well, truthfully, I HAVE been slacking off on the book quite badly. Which I really should not be doing. I'm just feeling rather uninspired with the 18th century right now - I worked with both it AND Wolfe the entire year and now that the time has come to write the book, I'm feeling rather burnt out. So I've set a goal for myself. I must have Chapter 1 and half of Chapter 2 finished by the 21st of this month.
Apart from that, another rather interesting oppurtunity has cropped up. The history department at the University of Calgary is currently looking at an exchange program with Laval U in Quebec City. If all the paperwork goes through at Calgary then it's on for sure. Anyways, I've been selected as the first guinea pig for this program. It doesn't mean that I have to do it but that I would have the support of the department if I wanted to. But I dunno HOW that happened - probably because I study 18th century Canadian history.... Regardless, I would certainly take the chance - more to improve my French than anything else. And maybe see if I can't search out another hot French Canadian guy. All the guys around Calgary look the exact bloody same. Blegh.

Fandom Life
Er...well...as I've stated already, I've gotten a bit tired of the 18th century for now. (Never fear! It will be back) So now it's hockey. Kristian Huselius of the Calgary Flames (RW) and Dwayne Roloson of the Edmonton Oilers (G). I'm actually expecting twenty-five Huselius cards to show up sometime this week - I bought them off eBay (*is turning into an eBay whore*). But the mail is slow. *shakes fist at damned slow Post* But yes, please bear with me since there may be a plethora of NHL-related artisticness over the next little while!

Other Random Life
I've got Campus Fair at the Uni coming up this weekend with the Roman Legion for both Friday and Saturday. On Friday we've got to do a show for a couple of schools and then Saturday we're just going to chillax outside with the tent provided it doesn't rain. I just wish the crest on my helmet didn't look like poo.
I've also got to come up with a decent Viking persona for the Gimli Icelandic Festival 2006. Apparently the organizers have required everyone in the group to have a proper Viking name and a persona. It sounds dangerously like the SCA but it should be fun. My name (currently) is Själve Halfdansdótter but I'm not sure what my history is yet....any ideas?


~Current Projects~

Photoshoot for my now finished 20th Foot officer's coat
Photoshoot on horseback with completed British Legion kit

New dark blue linen Viking undertunic (I should probably put some pictures up of my Viking stuff too)

Massive picture collage of Huselius random pictures

A billion and one sketch ideas that need to be sketched out

And that, I do believe, should be it!


Hugs to my friends: http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/8979134/ Mon, 05 Jun 2006 14:23:38 PDT because I thought it looked fun aaaaaannnnd.......Ijustdidntwanttodowork.

Okay, here we go...

1. How tall are you barefoot? Er...depends on the tape measure...around 5'8 1/2"

2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No, I've got better things to waste my money on!

3. Do you own a gun? Yeah, my 1750s fusil.

4. Rehab? Nope.

5. Do you get nervous before "meeting the parents"? YES. Doesn't matter what the guy's like...the parents are ALWAYS a totally different story.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I think they're pretty gross.

7. What's your favorite Christmas song? The one about the bells...and Little Drummer Boy but only in German. It sounds mental in English.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water

9. Do you do push-ups? No, actually sit-ups.

10. Have you ever done ecstacy? No. See #2.

11. Are you vegan? Not at all! My best friend is though. I don't get it.

12. Do you like painkillers? Well, they work. That's about all I can say.

13. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex? I don't know. I thought being myself and being honest might work but, sadly, it did not.

14. Do you own a knife? Hmmm...do swords count too? Okay, three knives, my court-sword, my Roman spatha, my 1750s hanger, and my Viking langsaex. I <3 my Viking langsaex.

15. Do you have A.D.D.? I don't think so.

16. Date Of Birth? 23 June

17. Top 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
(1) I should NOT be procrastinating...
(2) I can't wait to watch the Oilers game tonight...
(3) I need a shower...

18. Name the last 3 things you have bought.
(1) An icecream at Dairy Queen
(2) Paid for my fries, mayo, and Heineken at the pub
(3) Board shorts

19. Name five drinks you regularly drink: Water, milk, Guinness, Growers Cider, Heineken

20. What time did you wake up today? About 10:00. I'm not much of a morning person...

21. Current hair? A bit longer than shoulder-length, dark yellow. It really doesn't change much.

22. Current worry? Hmmm...let's see. I'll never finish the book, I'm out of shape, I'll never find a handsome, athletic, smart, single, non-asshole guy.

23. Current hate? Handsome, athletic, smart, not-single, ass-hole guys. And...er...mimes, I guess. But I always hate mimes. And the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

24. Favorite places to be? On my horse, at the pub with my homies, some place comfy with a good book.

25. Least favorite place to be? The Calgary Stampede, any place with a whole bunch of people. In class.

26. Where would you like to go? Back to Quebec!!! Or to South England and Wales to see my cousins.

27. Do you own slippers? Yeah, but I never wear them.

28. Where do you think you'll be in 10 years time? Hopefully finishing up my PhD somewhere. Whatever it is, I just really hope I'm happy.

29. Do you burn or tan? Burn, much to my chagrine.

30. Last thing you ate? Left over Chinese food.

31. Would you be a pirate? Nope. I'd be the stuffy commodore putting all you pirate bastards in jail. Mwahahaa.

32. Last time you had an alcoholic drink? Oh god. Saturday afternoon. Drank a Heineken to......................why DID I drink that Heineken? It was exactly a month since I last had one in Quebec with...yeeeeaaah. I don't know.

33. What songs do you sing in the shower? Er...actually I do drama in the shower...random monologues and such from Julius Caesar and Amadeus. Don't ask.

34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child? My dead hamster. Or scuba divers. But that was when I was really young.

35. What's in your pockets right now? I haven't got pockets.

36. Last thing that made you laugh? Thinking about being afraid of scuba divers.

37. Best bed sheets you had as a child? Dry ones.

38. Worst injury you've ever had? A broken nose.

40. How many TVs do you have in your house? 3. None in my room, thank goodness.

41. Who is your loudest friend? Lindsay, for sure!

42. Who is your most silent friend? Probably me.

43. Does someone have a crush on you? I thought so.

44. Do you wish on stars? Nah. I put everything down to luck

45. What is your favorite book? Where Have... ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/8750371/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/8750371/ Fri, 12 May 2006 14:14:55 PDT
I guess I should have known that since, you know...

...I'm a historian... ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/8730707/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/8730707/ Wed, 10 May 2006 13:43:43 PDT Mood: Stupid
Listening To: Cotton-Eyed Joe (Rednex)
Reading: The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough

Well, it's happened. The James Wolfe Tour 2006 (v.2) has been went on and enjoyed immensely. Admittedly, the Plains of Abraham weren't quite what I was expecting and instead of falling onto the ground with a Swoon Factor of 8.3 I took out my unexpected wrath on a nearby picnic table. But that aside, the rest of it was fantastic. The food was obscenely good, the general humanity was decent, and the history was teh spiffage. Got tonnes of good pictures, too!

SO, the overall gist of this entry is as follows: it is now summer. The papers have been written, the one exam has been completed, and it is now time to...write the Wolfe book. Here is where you guys come in. This project is going to tax my creative skills to the utmost which means there won't be much left at the end o' the day for dA. I may put a few things up here and there and I'll stop by now and then but there will be a general absence of Colonel Liam for the most part. If I get the chance, I'll comment on your new deviations but if I don't, please don't feel that I don't like them. You guys pwn me with what you come up with, really you do. But I'll see how things go - I haven't really started in earnest yet so I'm not sure what could happen...

LOL But yeah, it's just really a heads-up as to my circumstances. You could probably care less but it's all good. Just to...you know...alleviate any feelings of shaftage.

And please excuse the general lack of coherence in this entry. My head hasn't been screwed on quite right since Wednesday of last week. Love makes fools of us all, I'm afraid. ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/8555130/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/8555130/ Sat, 22 Apr 2006 21:11:17 PDT
University Life
It's goddam busy but just about over. This last month has been absolutely insane. I've written over seventy pages of essayage this semester alone...blegh. Everything should be finished for sure by April 27th whereupon the James Wolfe Tour 2006 (v.2) should be happening.

Fandom Life
It's goddam busy as well. I'm trying to kick Wolfe into high gear for the Tour but he's been failing me so far. Perhaps I'm just burnt out because I've been dealing with 18th century history all year. Hmmm....Anyway, I've been on a bit of a Roman kick recently all thanks to this: [link] Watch it. Be in awe. Honestly, it pwns all of the lifegiving force out of me. I personally don't ship Pullo and Vorenus but the music is fantastic as are the images. The armour isn't too bad, I suppose.
As well, I am also on a Star Wars kick, by some funny quirk of nature. It's been on and off for me since about Grade 5 and it's on again now, apparently. For the record, I absolutely loathe EVERYTHING about Episodes I, II, and III. Especially Hayden Christensen. My apologies if anyone else likes him but I DO NOT. I want to drive down to Hollywood and firebomb George Lucas' house for putting him in at the end of ROTJ as Anakin instead of Sebastion Shaw. WTF? Honestly. I watch Episode VI solely for the purpose of that final moment of highest satisfaction when I saw middle-aged Anakin Skywalker standing next to Obi-Wan and Yoda. No Collectors Edition DVDs for me, I guess. Anyway, I'll save that rant for later...

Art Life
LOL. Have I actually got one? Maybe. But given these two fresh fandoms, I will be looking at some stuff outside the 18th century, which will be a nice change.

Hugs to my friends:
You guys are teh pimpage!

Member of ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/7785071/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/7785071/ Thu, 02 Feb 2006 20:17:21 PST Now it's time for a bit of explanation. I'm sure some of you who stop by wonder: "Okay, what is this shiz with this weird looking guy with freaky orange hair and no chin?" It's allright because I kinda wonder too, sometimes.

Thus, It begins:


I study 18th century history (particularly 18th century MILITARY history which is where Wolfe comes into everything). So, yes, good. James Wolfe - he's quite important to Canadian history because he led the expedition against Quebec in 1759 - he's essentially the guy that made Canada British and not French, so most Quebeckers don't think much of him, for good reason.

ANYWAY, Wolfe's pretty damn interesting - his mother was really controlling, he fell in love once and got rejected, he was totally obsessed with everything military (one of the first professional soldiers of modern warfare!), and he managed to die at the height of victory when his army owned the French army on the Plains of Abraham in 1759. He couldn't do math and he certainly didn't look like a soldier (REALLY tall and skinny with no chin - he inherited his lack of chin from his witchy mother)

I've got two films in mind that could be done about Wolfe. One is animated (something similar to Disney's Pocahontas) and the other is a real-life kinda thing (I've got Jack Davenport in mind to play Wolfe [he's Commodore Norrington from Pirates of the Caribbean] *SWOON*) So, the drawings of randomness belong to the animated film.

Wow. That took a long time. Anyway, there it is.

Hugs to She's the only one out of my real-life friends that's artistic. Hear that, the rest of you? Get with the program, bastards!


Jokes ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6803742/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6803742/ Tue, 18 Oct 2005 17:58:10 PDT
Apart from being mildly entertained when a particular person of THIRD year status attempts to go out the 'in' doors.

Ah, the leg pain is a marvelous thing. I feel like I should be toothless, wrinkled, and sitting in a creaking rocking chair on the porch of a dilapidated shack, reminiscing about the Great Fire of '21 with three companions of similar physical decrepitment.

Art shall be forthcoming...perhaps daring art that involves something beyond a head and torso...I'll see what I can do once the work load cuts down a bit. Have to finish my Mozart dinner jacket do-hippi before Halloween, though. Oh God, the stress! But it will be soooooooo good! ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6619055/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6619055/ Tue, 27 Sep 2005 17:30:55 PDT ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6611738/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6611738/ Mon, 26 Sep 2005 20:24:02 PDT
Oh well. Not like I would have had the time anyway. But keep an eye out - it may appear again... ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6572007/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6572007/ Thu, 22 Sep 2005 11:14:51 PDT Photoshop is a god-send. Many thanks to Merrick for showing me how to use it and not look completely and totally incompetent. Light is still an issue but that comes with time, I suppose. Nothing is up that has been photoshopped yet due to, of course, homework.
At one point...yesterday I think...I tried scanning a picture for my Profile shot but since the scanners at the University library are utter shite, it turned out really bad, so, hence, it's not up yet. Soon though, I promise. It's a shot of me in all my 18th century goodness...but very holely socks, too. ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6528013/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6528013/ Sat, 17 Sep 2005 10:53:53 PDT
But, PERSERVERANCE! This will be sorted out, dammit! ]]> ~ColonelLiamRoss http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6489556/ http://ColonelLiamRoss.deviantart.com/journal/6489556/ Mon, 12 Sep 2005 20:47:02 PDT ~ColonelLiamRoss