http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:sraointe&section=today deviantART RSS for by:sraointe en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:10:28 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/28235852/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/28235852/ Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:34:35 PST
Featured will be:

Sephiroth (completed)
Vincent(completed)
Tseng (completed)
Barrett(completed)
Zack (new Zack picture will be done for this)
Cloud
Cid
Rufus
Yazoo
Loz
Kadaj
Reno
Rude
Genesis
Angeal
Lazard
(No...Hojo is NOT making it in.)

I don't think I'm missing anyone but please let me know if I am and I'll decide whether or not they're going to make it in.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/27373300/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/27373300/ Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:29:57 PDT
I've completed the body and have to work on the gun arm and the face, which I've erased probably 5 times already for various reasons.
He's really hard! I say that for a host of reasons:

1. He always looks so pissed off, or like he's going to pound on someone. So all the references I have of him he's got cranky face on. Stripping that away and maintaining his look has proved to be difficult.
2. He's doesn't have the typical look which I'm used to drawing.
3. His features are harsh. Broad chin, charp cheek bones...
4. I'll admit, I've rarely drawn black guys and he's an asian/black combination it seems (based on the eyes). The features are a stretch for me. The nose was hard at first but then I redrew is so often that it doesn't look so strange to me anymore. Its the boxy shape of his face which is getting me.
5. He's a big guy. Seriously, he's overly muscled. I've tweaked the other guy's body shapes a little so I've messed with his...just a bit.
6. He has a freaking mechanical hand!
7. I'm trying not to give him the gangsta look he seems to have.
8. A lot of the reference shots I'm using have him with rotating features! Seriously! In some his eyes are small, in others they're large. His tattoo seems to float around his arm and change size. In some shots it takes up his whole upper arm, in others its just up on his shoulder!

Anyway, so the body is done and there's only a few things left to do (yes I'll draw the body before the head. I know that seems a little ass backwards but its what works for me. I also draw the features first before the face shape...I'm crazy that way. Its not how I learned but I find I get the face shape more accurate to what I want and get it to match up with the features easier that way.)

I'm not sure who is coming after this one but this is the list:

Cid
Vincent
Cloud
Reno
Rude
Rufus
Genesis
Angeal
Kadaj
Yazoo
Loz
Tseng (added thanks to *RavynneNevyrmore )
.
.
.
Dante
Squall
Tidus

Its an ambitious list and I may add some others on there as I progress. Let me know if you think someone needs to be added to this. THEY NEEDN'T BE FINAL FANTASY RELATED.

I'll consider any character suggested (males only, not too interested in doing females right now).

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/27254412/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/27254412/ Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:18:23 PDT
Anyway, I've line up a couple things I want to sketch out in the next little while, child permitting. (Colicky babies are fun!)
Not in order, I'm looking at doing pin up styles of all the FFVII men as a series (at least the original men) and possibly a few from other FF. I'm also thinking of doing one of Dante, I just don't know which version of Dante I want to use.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/24435399/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/24435399/ Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:07:49 PDT Woot!
That being said, I haven't done much and might not do much in the next little while as I said. I need to finish the rough draft of the commission and then work on that, but I'm not certain when I'm going to get much in the mood.
Reason for this is some rough news I've recently gotten which has pretty much sapped the passion and motivation right out of me.
Generally speaking, I went in to get something checked and while that turned out to be nothing they did find something more serious going on. My pregnancy is fine though I'm now in the high risk category. After the pregnancy is when I get to find out if I have to have heart surgery.
I'm not dying but if I plan to stay that way it MAY involve surgery. How serious this is however, is a mystery until I've had the baby and the can look into it properly. In the meantime however they aren't concerned that this is going to get too bad, but I'm being monitored soon to be fairly closely to make sure that doesn't change.
So as you can imagine, that is doing a number on me mentally.
Normally, it would be hard to deal with but I'm also horomonal right now.
So while I have no intention on quitting, I have a LOT of crap going on in my life right now.
Still, I have a scanner and hopefully I'll have some stuff to put up in the next little while because I have done SOME stuff recently.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/24281688/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/24281688/ Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:51:20 PDT No details on it though, sorry.
It will be posted but with a heavy watermark probably and only after the client has had it for a while.
I'm also getting a new scanner this week. Two are somewhat related.

Having a bad time with technology lately though. First the scanner went, then the computer, now my camera...WTF????

Not sure how much drawing I'm going to get done in the next while other than stuff which is paid, sorry. We'll see how it goes. Working full time, having a husband and a five year old, being 5 1/2 months pregnant and sleepy all the time and writing a book are cutting into my drawing time.

Anyway, speaking of sleepy, I have to go to bed.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/23554402/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/23554402/ Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:45:28 PST Which means I need to draw something to put up other than my Fourth Edition D&D Teifling character.

So you'll start seeing things from me again once my tax return comes in! (and once I find my photoshop cd)

In other news, I need that CD because I'm now on a new (to me) computer. Its a friend's who decided to buy something better and gave us his old one. Either way, it apparently kicks butt on my frankenstiened peice of crap which once had been top of the line until the video card killed everything with it's heat ray.

I'm hoping this will mean that things will work faster on Photoshop.

I guess we'll see!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/23066216/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/23066216/ Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:13:07 PST See, first trimester was fine, I was nauseaus but didn't hurl, now I"m not so nauseaus but am hurling now that I'm second trimester and its supposed to go away. I'm an odd one.

As is I get very very detailed, epic dreams. I love my dreams especially since it seems I dream in a lot more detail and remember a lot more than most people. I ama lucid dreamer, although, lucidity only happens when you're brain ALLOWS you to control your dreams. Typically I realize I'm in a dream, then I can manipulate it however I want, typically.

So lately I've also been really drained because really horrible, epic style nightmares have started.

You see, me and pregnancy don't get along. I didn't get along with pregnancy on my first kid and I'm deffinately not now.

All in all, its not that bad, I get put in bad moods from all this crap but for the most part, I'm fine. Though I can't wait until this is over.

And BTW, had my first Trimester Screening ultrasound done...two hands, two feet, perfectly beating heat, no signs of any problems whatsoever. I have pictures up in my Facebook Account (Shonna White).

Don't know yet if its a girl or boy, but maybe in a month and a half when I have the next ultrasound....I'm putting in my bet right now that its a boy.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/22846000/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/22846000/ Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:12:12 PST So lord knows how updates will be in the next while.
My due date isn't until August and hopefully I'll have a new scanner by then!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/22344985/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/22344985/ Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:11:04 PST I'm also adding new ones.
Hope you like.

Still waiting on being able to afford a new scanner so I can upload sketches...

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/22260846/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/22260846/ Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:53:06 PST SAD!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21614529/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21614529/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:10:56 PST Its Lost Infernal based, taken from probably one of the coolest, darkest scenes of the book.
I've been planning on doing this one for a while but the amount of work for it put me off. Bacially, four people, getting their asses handed to them by one guy.
Each of the four people are on their own page and I've completed the sketch of the man kicking their asses, right now without the jim jam of what he's doing, he's totally got jazz hands. It makes me laugh when I see it.
I'm just about done Estellia, the main character of the story. Her feet are off the page so I have to draw them in seperately and merge them electronically (yes they're that important. . .strangely enough). She actually turned out larger than I had originally went for but I found to draw the expression on her face with any talent, I had to. Also she's not exactly a stick figure, she is a lithe fighting machine with curves.
She's only partially conscious in the pic and strung up like a marrionette. She's totally got the short end of the stick in the scene, and the ones to follow which get increasingly dark. (Just as a note, she's not the victim 'needs to be rescued' type...but she's TOTALLY getting her ass whooped by someone with god-like power at this point)
I found this one particulary hard because although I started out by drawing women, I actually find it easier to draw men and that's all I've really drawn in a while. I'm not particularily happy with the Diana picture and it may later get redone. That's just the face, not the whole body.
Now I have to draw Priam (a big greek tank of a man) and Dr. Arneau (an angelic looking pyschiatrist who is also adept at martial arts), both of which I'm anticipating being actually fairly hard to draw because of the positions they'll be in. Not just body but facial expressions.

AAAAFter all this is drawn, I'll put up the sketches merged randomly onto one, and do WIP updates as it will probably take some time for me to colour this. Its a dark scene, not just in the brutalness, but in the fact that it takes place in the dark and its shadow heavy which will mean getting the balance right will be hard.

Anyway, to make this pciture more difficult is that I'm doing it in a sort of comic book style to work on my ability to do line art. How I typically draw is I start with eyes and work out from there, letting shading help me shape the features. There are few times that I start with an outline so with line art forcing me to draw clear lines and work without shading, whilst drawing positions and facial expression I'd normally have difficulty with.

I'll probably work on other stuff while doing this one but between family, working out, writing a book (an online novel which I'm SOOOOO far behind on) and doing this I'm not sure when that will be. I'm sure there are going to be several times I get really really frustrated with this pic so...maybe not too long.

Any suggestions on who I should draw next? The one with the most votes gets drawn! Pic any character Final Fantasy or not.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21322572/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21322572/ Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:10:30 PST Tomorrow, I have a 14 hour day because I work then am at the Calgary Business Hall of Fame Gala in the evening which is put on by my company. I haven't had too much to do with any of that other than making ads for magazines, but it coincides with slower times. Including having Friday afternoon through Tuesday off.
So the plan is work out like mad, work on my book, do some drawing and get back ahead with the Bloodstar again.

I've also started a new regiment which I'm hoping to see increase my energy levels and creativity again. Its called working out 30 - 45 mins a day on the Wii Fit, UBER women's multivitamins, a pro-biotic suppliment and cutting out the procrastination.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21270664/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21270664/ Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:39:03 PDT [link] from Phoenix Comics.
I plan on getting the Vincent as well.
I had actually been looking for the Zack figure, but no dice.
Damned Sephiroth. Now I have 5 Sephiroth figurines!
My busband is complaining that my figurines are overflowing onto "His Shelf"

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21177548/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21177548/ Sun, 26 Oct 2008 19:35:55 PDT

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21063979/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/21063979/ Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:18:44 PDT It does however explain just how I am just a complete and utter geek.
I've also cleaned up the gallery and removed some stuff I didn't want anymore. I'll periodically do this without warning because I don't like clutter and would rather not display stuff I don't believe is my best work.
Anyway, back to writing!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20977022/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20977022/ Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:20:13 PDT I'm working on the next installment and finding its taking me sometime as something big in it is forcing me to write in a different style than I'm good at.
It'll be up shortly I'm hoping but yeah, this is draining. Whew!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20916220/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20916220/ Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:57:46 PDT
Anyway, I'll try to put one of them up again tonight but I'm tired of trying to post and having it only partially work and then not show up in my gallery, not allow full view and blah blah blah blah blah...

Hopefully DA has fixed the problem by tonight.

Aaaaannnnd, its Thanksgiving long weekend up here in Canada. Not doing anything exciting but looking forward to some HOT TURKEY MUNCHING! Mmmmm.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20846643/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20846643/ Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:26:16 PDT
On a positive note, I've discovered Vampire Knight....AWESOME ANIME!Its putting me in a slightly better mood.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20732313/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20732313/ Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:54:13 PDT
Anyway, in this update a little 'secret' about the Wolfkin is given away. Let me know what you think! Also (remember back to Daegan's entry) you get to find out why Colin appears to hate the Yera so much.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20630724/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20630724/ Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:04:21 PDT
The Sephiroth sketch I did some time ago has well broken 1000 views! WOOT!

In comparrison to some of the people I've favourited, its not much but I'll take it!

Secondly, the picture of Colin has maintained a decent amount of views per day, now putting its number of views over some of the FanArt I've done. I'm pleasently surprised!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20383880/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20383880/ Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:35:37 PDT Names have been placed in them now, in a hopefully pleasing manner, so that you'll know who you're looking at.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20364937/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20364937/ Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:54:48 PDT
Let me know if you see any problems with it like happy faces sticking their tounges out at you. I try to go in and fix those immediately after posting but found the Prolouge went back to having them in them and then cut off part of the page.

If there are additional problems with text, I'll be posting the images and text seperately but for now they'll be together.

The Facebook group [link] is updated as well with a discussion board for each installment to date. Let me know what you think on there if you have a Facebook account, otherwise go nuts on here. I plan on maintaining both sites but discussion board style is easier on the eyes and my brain.

Also, had to throw Sephiroth in there cause it had been a while since I'd done one.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20317673/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20317673/ Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:55:38 PDT
I'm two sketches ahead and plan on staying about that.

I'm going to probably do updates on Saturday nights or Sundays.

Buttons, banners and a cover page which will be posted here soon can be found at my Facebook group site:[link]

Please support the story by posting links on your webpage if you like it. If you do, please let me know. I plan on making periodic posts thanking specific people for their support, that way you get something out of it too!

If people actually start joining the Facebook Group, I'll be making posts there with links and possibly banner exchanges. There is a discussion board option there as well. Its an open group so as long as you have a Facebook account you can join it. Currently however, I'm all alone on there.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20256853/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20256853/ Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:07:47 PDT And with that out of the way the story shall begin! Consider Colin's write up the Prologue.

I actually spent MUCH MUCH longer on that one than I did the others, hammering out exactly how to relay this important background along with putting in some history from the original story was difficult.

Originally the story was told from the point of view of Diana, the Yera of Penumbria. Diana however gave way to Daegan.

Currently, I have a general idea where the story is going, however I'll just leave it at that. Those of you who I've spoken to before about writing already know I don't spend too long plotting out where I'm going, I let the story write itself. That being said I do maintain some concepts which I can use for foreshadowing and other such neccessary things.

Give me your input as we go, while the direction of the story is already mapped out, I won't say I won't allow minor tweaks to reward valued readers as we progress!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20205026/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/20205026/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:20:52 PDT I would be interested in writing this story out from the beginning, accompanying each bit of story with a picture, updating once weekly.
That being said, its not the only thing I'm going to do. I'm still an FF7 GEEEEEEEEEEEEEK.
So my question is then, what is your opinion of this idea?
What do YOU want?
Let me know!
The more people into this the more likely I am to continue. I'm not a big fan of flogging dead horses.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/19789627/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/19789627/ Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:03:46 PDT First things come first though, I'm going to be uploading some of the new photos I've done. Yes, I dabble in photography.
Today is my clean the house day since its been neglected for upwards of two weeks now due to how busy things have been. I've got a pile of laundry up to my armpits!
Tomorrow I start finishing some of the stuff I've been working on and working on the book. Ahhh, relaxation time!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/19639109/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/19639109/ Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:05:45 PDT I'm in the last 30,000 words and am currently mapping basic concepts out for the sequal to it so I have a good idea of what needs to be foreshadowed and worked in. That and writing those last 30,000 words.
I'm pretty much barely able to work on that too right now.

When I have time, I'm going to finish the WIP I've got going first. The character's name is Michael BTW he's one of the main characters from the above story.

I've completed a Jenova sketch which I only worked on since I was doing it during D&D last week. That still needs inking and colouring so that's a while away.

I'm thinking of doing one Angeal sketch after for a certain someone. You know who you are! Mostly because his facial structure is so different than what I've done.

So I have plans, I just don't have time.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/19195066/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/19195066/ Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:19:43 PDT I'm working on a new peice but ... sorry ... not only it an original character but he's also dressed!
Spending a good amount of time on this and I'm hoping it will turn out to be my highest quality piece yet.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/19093671/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/19093671/ Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:43:24 PDT I was just thinking to myself that I WISH I had a computer powerful enough to cope with the level of detail I want to do.
I get up, go to the bathroom come back and my daughter is messing with the picture.
It didn't look like she did anything until I tried to do something and realized nothing was working.
My daughter has done soemthing that quick masks all layers, new and everything. I can't seem to turn this freaking function off. I try to delete the masks and they just come back.
Zack is officially on hold until I can figure out how to correct what she's done.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/18991674/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/18991674/ Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:18:02 PDT Skin is done however I still need to go in and do eyes and lips.
Really, I have no idea how I do skin, it baffles me how I keep coming out with a result I like when I don't know what I'm doing! Okay, that's a lie, I do know how to sketch skin, doing colours isn't that hard but giving it the realism I need to be happy with it can be really hard!
Went and looked up several tutorials to see how I can simplify my technique and it seemed to go faster. Just did it, tried not to think so hard this time.
Anyway, The lips and the eyes can be hard to get right especially since I keep the eyes as the focus of pretty much any picture.
I've worked on this enough for today. Hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow to work on the face and hair(which so far I haven't touched), then it will be minor details and touching up.
The good thing with him being naked...no intricate clothing detailing.

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/18983563/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/18983563/ Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:09:55 PDT
WOrking on the skin rght now. I also approach this with fear as I never think I'll be able to do a great job with it. It looks...well alright right now, for a base but it needs a LOT of work still and that is without putting the details.

Skin frightens me.

Anyway, back to work!

]]> ~sraointe http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/18880833/ http://sraointe.deviantart.com/journal/18880833/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:50:01 PDT
I will be working on something new soon, first I have to find an appropriate reference photo since my musculature experience doesn't help me with this new idea I have.

edit: Oh my it looks good. Just have a couple more details to put in...oh my. I definately like this!

]]> ~sraointe