I understand why piracy is a problem. but, this bill is poorly written and threatens all of the internet on various levels. The number one reason is, if a complaint is filed against any website for infringing copyrights … there’s no need of any proof! The website under scrutiny will be shut down. PERIOD! This means, any little jerk off with a chip on their shoulder can run around and make false claims if they want and there’s nothing in place to stop them.

The number two reason this is a horrible bill is because all fan artists out there will no longer be able to sketch and post fan art of their favorite Marvel, DC, Disney, or whatever characters without permission from the original creators. The websites the fan art is posted on will be shut down … not just the offending piece of art. How ridiculous is this?

Of course, I’ll have to yank all my fan art if this passes. However, once my comic series are established, I’ll post a Public Notice on a page that automatically gives written permission to ALL my fans to draw EAC characters as long as they don’t sell or profit from them. If any company out there like Marvel, DC, or whatever respects their fans, they would do the same thing.

Of course, SOPA needs to go down in flames and the entire bill needs to be rewritten. I’d like to protect my copyrights, but not at the extent of throwing a 5 year old in jail for sticking a scribble of one of my characters on their fridge. I know it’s probably not THAT bad … but it’s close!

So, don’t be surprised if we are missing in action on the 18th. We aren’t the only ones going black either. Here’s a list of websites going dark on the 18th on NLB’s website. The Cheezburger Network and Newgrounds are among those going dark. Websites Confirmed for the Jan 18 Blackout Protesting SOPA | NLB Creations

Luv,
Chrissy.

Ok, I’ll calm down and tell you why. I have been working non-stop this week on 3D Backgrounds for my comic series. Yeah, I’m better at modeling than drawing buildings in perspective. Plus, it takes less time to model my stuff and take screenshots for backgrounds. That way once the model is finished, I just have to render the scene for the background, toss my characters INTO this nice 3D perspective and BING! Next scene!

Now, I don’t have a lot of money … in fact … I’m as poor as you expect a dirt poor artist to get. I haggle at Goodwill that’s how poor I am right now.

Anyway, I digressed. The fact of the matter is a lot of 3D Programs out there sure aren’t cheap. Unless you’re a hard core penny pincher and you sniff out the free stuff. So, not long ago I ran into Google Sketchup. The regular version is free … the pro version costs a little. But, right now I only need the free version.

It’s insanely easy to model with … beats Studio Max in how quick it is to model with and I like that. I hated Max in school. In fact I hated it so much I swore off 3D modeling as any part of my future whatsoever. Enter … Sketchup …

I saw a simple tutorial while messing around on YouTube and my jaw dropped. That easy huh? Then saw some tutorials about how to export the models as line art for comic book backgrounds. I was intrigued seeing as how drawing backgrounds was my weak point and I got the program. I messed with it a little bit. Did a few models. Made a 3D Tardis from Dr. Who as a kinda gift for Mark.

See below

And, well then I got so busy with other things and got down on myself … (Yes, even with my ego I do self loath at times) and kinda quit for awhile. But, for the heck of it I started modeling Chrissy’s castle for my comics series. I figured, why not? Got so slap happy with it I decided, why just export it as line art to color later? This stuff looks so good I can use it with the colors, shading, shadows, and textures! It’s awesome! And, it’d save a lot of time too. Especially since I don’t wanna pay a colorist to help with line art. Since no one was helping me anyway even if I flashed cash at them. Ya jerks.

Anyway, I’ve been having a blast. I have the castle almost complete. It’s looking nice. Mark says it’s beautiful. As a perfectionist I don’t think I can say that til I’m done with it. I was working on some of the indoor stuff when I realized … *GASP* … Sketchup does not have something Max has. Something vital to my backgrounds … lights! There’s no light sources! Only the sun for the shadows. I saw a few tutorials on how to prevent the ceiling of the model from casting a shadow to let the sunlight in … but that doesn’t help me with lamps, light-bulbs, campfires, candles, magic spells blasting everything within a ten mile radius, ya know … that sort of thing. So, I did some more searching … and found a program that works with Sketchup that costs … $800 bucks! Yeah sure, there’s a 30 day trial version … and I could pirate … but why risk my freedom? I am now up at 1AM doing research into trying to find something free that does what I need. And, via the Ruby Scripts with Sketchup I FOUND IT! A free ray-tracing rendering program called POV-Ray! Oh boy, the learning curve! Took me all of an hour to figure this one out. I’m ashamed. Shoulda been instant … but I am tired … yeah I’ll blame it on that.

Anyway, there’s a Ruby script that works with POV-Ray called SU2POV. So I downloaded the ruby script and after being frustrated for some time because it didn’t set up in the folder correctly so it didn’t even show in the plugin’s drop down menu … ergh … I got it to work. Downloaded and installed POV-Ray and it’s BEAUTIFUL! I got it working after a little bit of tutorials reading and it renders night scenes with reflections and everything! I’m so excited now I can’t sleep!

I’m going to be up all night long working on this! Eeeeeeee!!!

Luv,
Chrissy.

The Macabre Art of Blaklyon has also been removed from our listings. So, for those of you who’re a fan of his work … you missed out. Don’t get your hopes up about any new projects from him here. We’re no longer working with him at all and we no longer endorse any of his projects/work. You’ll have to find him and follow him elsewhere to find out what he’s up to.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Luv,
Chrissy.

After some poking around I removed the DeviantART and Twitter Widgets on the main page and now all seems to be in working order.

It’s not as fun with my DeviantART stuff not showing here … but I can live without it.

If there are any more errors reaching the site … shoot me a message on Facebook and I’ll get right on it. (at least I’ll try to get right on it)

Luv,
Chrissy.

It was so funny how it happened. He and I went ring shopping all November long for him to “get a feel” for the kind of rings I liked. But, we went so many times I was getting really mad. Sat Dec 3rd, he took me to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra … which was our first “dress up” date last year after we met. I kind of expected him to propose at the concert but we had gone ring shopping the weekend before. I also knew his super busy work schedule and he spends his non-working time with me. So I knew there was no way he’d have gotten the ring that week. So, after the concert as we’re leaving he states that he wants to go to the mall to go ring shopping “one last time”. I felt really happy because of the concert and that little comment turned my mood almost completely sour. I was so mad! UGH!

So, we go into the Mall and we’re standing in one of the many jewelry shops looking at rings. With the jewelry counter girl showing us different rings … Then, he pushes me further and goes, “Pick out one you like”. I got furious! There was no way I was picking out my own ring!! I controlled my tongue but was unable to control my body language as I pointed at him and declared I was done ring shopping with him … and that he had enough info on the types of rings I liked … and that he was on his own from that point! If he wanted to get me a ring he was going to have to pick one out himself!

I was even more angry as I spoke because of the huge defiant smirk he had on his face while I was ranting. All it did was make me even more angry. As soon as the words “pick one out yourself!” were out of my mouth he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a burgundy felt ring box and popped it open. “How about I pick out this one?” he says with a grin.

My hands flew up over my mouth and I almost screamed, the jewelry counter girl took a huge step back and squealed, and he stepped toward me and asked if I’d marry him. Needless to say I said “YES!” Heehee. He had me so fooled! Which is not an easy task believe me! We went ring shopping all Nov and he got the ring late Oct! UGH! I’ve met my match!

So, we’re getting married. We’ve picked a date in early March. (Off season weddings are much cheaper heehee.)

What does this mean for my art, games, comics, and overall self pursued career as an artist? I might be pretty much giving it up and lowering things to hobby status. Yeah. With the added duties of wife and … perhaps a mother of more than the two I have now later in the near future … I most likely won’t have the time. If I ever needed help from an inker and colorist … it’d be now. Once I’m married, writing the stories and doing the pencil work is probably all I’ll be able to handle.

I do want this to be my daytime career. But, it’s not easy when everyone else I try to get on my team would rather be the team leader. Any team players out there? willing to earn some cash? *sigh* It’d be a nice wedding present! lol

See you much later…

Luv,
Chrissy.

I took my budget for internet and shopped around. This time I’m back with Charter. Yeah … but it’s actually affordable under my budget. I had to do a lot of telling them I didn’t want some services. They love to try and make you take the phone and TV and On Demand and … I’m like I can’t afford that.

One rep called a few days after I placed the order to tell me she could give me the On Demand Box, TV, and Internet for as cheap as the plan I picked. Which my plan was around $43.oo after taxes and modem rental fees. But, she was giving me the After taxes and fees price I had and comparing it to the before taxes and fees price of the new plan. Which made them seem the same. Til I told her … “I’m not a moron, you’re not including the taxes and fees in your price compared to what I’m paying now” an I asked her to calculate up to tell me how much it would be after Taxes and Fees. To which it was like $10.00 more. I can’t even afford the $43 really, so why would I want to pay $56? I need to keep within budget. The woman got mad at me and kept trying to fast talk her way into sealing the deal but she kept refusing to believe her plan was NOT more affordable.

Ugh.

But, I digressed! I now have internet and cheap basic TV to entertain my kids. This should keep them off my back long enough to get some work done while they’re home. Heehee.

It’s good to be back! And, to be in budget still.

Luv,
Chrissy.

The services will be cut tomorrow. I have no idea how long it’s going to be until I can get a new service.

Isn’t this just how it is? I move forward a step with getting the new custom computer and suddenly I’m knocked a step back! All because my ISP company could not afford to keep their doors open any longer.

See, this is why I hate Occupy Wallstreet. Not, that they had anything to do with this company closing down but … Those little weasels would like to drag all the money out of corporations such as different Internet Service Providers and then they’d eventually all go under like that. Leaving the independent workers like myself screwed!

See, yeah, there might be an inbalance in some corporations, where the top few people get a asston of money as part of their salary. But, the little Occupy Wallstreet kiddies don’t understand the fact the companies provide jobs and services! Hello?! Begging the Government to take over and take more money via taxes from these corporations will do things to make our economy even worse.

such as …

A) Some of these companies may close up shop. Leaving all the working class under them jobless. Who’s gonna pay the taxes to support the little Occupy Wallstreet kids then huh?
B) These companies will seek even more foreign help to try to lessen the financial impact to their company. Yanking jobs from even more local Americans and sending them overseas. This is why companies go overseas for their help! It’s why all the jobs keep leaving the United States you morons! Government interference means less jobs in the US. Period. If that happens there will be less taxes paid because people who don’t work don’t pay taxes.

But, keep on fighting the … “good” fight kids. You’ll destroy our economy yet.

Meanwhile, I’m going to keep working my ass off over here to make sure I don’t end up like you guys! Sitting on a lawn refusing to work and begging for a handout! I’m dirt poor and I have more stinking pride than that!!

Back on the website news because I did feel the need to rant. Heh. I will be without internet for some time. My internet was fast and cheap. So trying to find something else is going to be hard with my limited budget. I will hunt for it. Meanwhile I’ll be working on my projects here still. I’ve found breaking a larger project up into smaller parts on the other computer makes for getting it done although it is a roundabout way of doing it. I’ll inform you as soon as I’m back.

Luv,
Chrissy.

So I had to make a run to BestBuy and grab a DVD Drive there that would be compatible. I can’t tell you how proud I felt whipping out the Emerald Angel Comics business checking Card to pay for it! Let’s just say it was a mixture of feeling awesome and also feeling worried that things might not go as planned. I kinda needed the drive to install the operating system on the new computer. Oy. If I didn’t need it for that I’d have just skipped it, seriously. I really don’t have the funds for these kind of expenses.

All I can do is march forward and do my best. One obstacle down and many large ones to go. We got the computer put together and up and running. Now all I need to do is save some cash to get the program I need. Easier said than done. I’ll be working hard on my projects in the meantime. Pray for me!

Luv,
Chrissy.

Now, the old me would have just let it go. Been content with waiting and waiting for the cash flow to be able to get it. Which probably would have been Tax Time or whenever.

But, not this time. I decided awhile back to start taking Emerald Angel Comics very seriously. So, I went ahead and opened a Business Account at the bank this summer, and slowly stashed a few away when I could. The bad news is … my Student loans are going unpaid. Heehee. The good news is I do have the cash to go ahead and build a custom computer myself.

Well, not myself. I’m just buying the parts. My tech guy, Dan, will actually be putting it together for me. So, we should have things up and running faster than if I was working on the computer and my projects at the same time.

I’ll be making that very first purchase from the Business Account today! It’s all rolling forward slowly but it’s actually rolling! Keep your fingers crossed!

Luv,
Chrissy.

I’ve gotten some major work done in these past few days and I must say I’m proud of the little bit of progress I’ve made. I will of course do a lot more before the end. Let’s just say I killed a good 15% of my workload in the past few days. And, of course, I plan on staying up all night and killing some more!! YAY!

However, a small snag might delay the profits … It’s a financial one I won’t be able to overcome very quickly. I need a newer computer to run the software I need to get things finished. As it is right now, I’m stuck with an older version of the software, which does not have the functions I’ll need to actually finish the projects 100%. I’m getting them as close as I can with the older version as it is. So, it’s not a huge problem right now.

Until I get a new computer I might be stuck for awhile once I’ve gotten as far as I can. Oh well … I can always throw a few more projects in the works during that downtime.

Hopefully someone will help me get a new puter for Christmas if I ask nicely. Cross your fingers guys!

Luv,
Chrissy.