Assassin Verses Vampire

I'm not sure if Chris explained or not. I'm trying to get him to be an illustrator for two novels I'm working on. One is an assassin story and the other is for a vampire story. I haven't been feeling the assassin story. I've personally stopped progress on it and on the verge of abandoning the project... except someone I know had taken it on themselves to write it.... I didn't ask them to. They were just going to do a D&D campaign based on the beginning because it gives interesting elements... I thought that was fine because I am using one of his D&D characters as inspiration for a support role in my story it's fair. But lately he's been actually writing the story. Not in detail. Very roughly. But I can follow it and I like most of the ideas. There are only fine details I disagree with... but he's tweaking them. So... the project might move on with a co-author idea. That wasn't my original intention... but if it gets the story written... fine. But, I'm just saying... if I'm not really feeling the story.. I don't expect the illustrator to be feeling that story either. I'm feeling more for the Vampire story. I have more on it in just a month than I've gotten on the Assassin story in the what... 4-5 years I've been working on it? So, I'm going to roll more focus on the Vampire story and have Assassin be a side project/back burner thing.

So, if Chris is more willing and more inspired by Vampire... we're more on the same page than I realized. Let's do it!

~amy

I this time I'm more committed to this project just because, like you said, I'm more inspired by the idea. I hate the fact though, that if projects aren't remotely within my circle of interests, motivation to brainstorm ideas is nearly impossible. And I already have issues with brainstorming as it is! lol This concerns me a little bit, this is something that can't keep happening, especially when I start to work on important projects. Like these.......
With the recent string of good news I've been having in my life, I have a sence of rejuvenation. I hope I can keep this ball rolling. More then ever I'm excited about the new semester and the pile of ideas and projects I have lined up. But for now, it's one step at a time. I will get things done, and I've learned recently that steady is the smarter road to take. :)

-Chris

Kalanna Concept Design

*Edit 7/10/09*
*sigh* I really wish I had good news, but all I've been doing is struggling. I'm totally out of practice and basically technique-less. Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not depressed, I'm not being hard on myself, I just know the honest truth. my drawing needs help and practice. Honestly again, it's not a priority, I only use what I know up to this point to help illustrate my ideas for sculptures. That is why I never bothered to expand on my drawing. It's just a tool for me. SO, with all that being said, I really did give it my everything and for some reason I would never get a rhythm going. I'm also not saying that it's cause I'm not into this project, my talents only go so far for right now. So, I regret to tell you that I'm taking a break on this till I can figure myself out a bit more. I dunno, maybe it's the genre? I'm just not feeling it for some reason, but for some reason the Vampire story right off the bat sent a million ideas in my head. You'd never believe half the crap I came up with, you'll have to remind me some time to tell you. hehe Anyways, I did at least finish up a sketch I was hoping more out of, I like the concept, I just need to learn how to bring it to life. So here is Kalanna with a head wrap. :)
Hopfully I'll be able to work it out, I still plan to keep working with you, maybe in a more non traditional way. I think the more we talk about what we can do with your books, more we'll start to discover ideas we never considered to help illustrate your characters. I have ideas, and lots of them hehe. I just hope we can work something out so that we are both happy with what we are doing. :)

-Chris

*EDIT*
I'm not liking how my coloring is coming out, which is really frustrating me cause it's slowing down the process. But oddly enough I'm fine with it because I know coloring isn't my strong point. Eventually I'll study on that more, but for now, I'm going to stick with my strong points and use the techniques I know will work with this particular project. For now I'm just showing you some of the progress I've gotten with the lines. Not that it matters, cause I'm basically going to completely switch it up for the final design. lol Anyways, enjoy the art! (I think this is like the fourth time I've redrawn her ^^; )-Chris

Well finally after all these months, here's Kalanna! So far just the line art, sorry, but soon I'll get it colored. I dunno why, but this took me longer then it should have, probably cause I haven't worked in Photoshop in such a long ass time. lol I almost forgot all the steps of making line art. I think this is a sign that I need to pracice all forms of art much more often. hehe Anyways, like always, this isn't final, infact, if there is anything you want me to change now please tell me. I won't color and finalize it till you tell me if she looks ok. But please tell me soon so I can get going on the next character. Thanks! :) So here she is!
I can probably already guess what you are going to tell me. lol There is a few things I'm not to happy about either, but again please tell me if I forgot something or if I'm totally wrong on the whole look. lol

-Chris

She seems kinda stiff. I don't know how else to explain it. The ears look funny too. Other than that you're spot on for what shes wearing and hairstyle. I like that you gave her a dagger! Go Kalanna! By the way... for strangers reading this... Kalanna is a character in a book I'm writing. Chris is going to be my illistrator since I'm too lazy to practice my art often enough to be comfortable doing it myself. Yeah.. I know.

~Amy