Inking hair, slight fangirling, taxes, and a small shigoto update

[slr2moons]

 

I've said before that clothes and hair are my two biggest weaknesses when it comes to figure drawing. And while I've avoided the clothing issue in my doujinshi (except for the odd toga-style bedsheet) I am definitely having to conquer hair. X| I just spent four days struggling with the hair on the 3rd guy in my doujinshi. (Murphy, for those who know Vampirates.) Drawing the hair was rather quick--it's adding the shine that's been so difficult. I've gone through 6 versions before finally being satisfied with the result. *tired headdesk* At least with each version, I could see myself drawing closer to what I wanted.

I remember wondering about a mangaka's sidebar comment when she complained that her assistants were teasing her for "hiding" her male lead's black hair under a hat for a long segment of pages. They claimed she did it b/c inking his hair was so difficult, thus the hat. I now understand completely.
 

On work news, I'll finish Nana 18 tomorrow, three weeks early. Since I already have script and tiffs for 19, I'll just dive right in. No news on Skip 20 or Clay 15, but I'm sure they're coming. Natsume, the new title, is progressing nicely. I don't have a logo yet, but I'm almost through with the first chapter. This title really is more simple than Honey and Captive. It's slightly less complicated, BUT! The FX are almost all black scribbles. Seriously. Honey and Captive made me switch styles constantly--black scribbles, black block, white block, pattern scribbles, white block half-filled with pattern, calligraphy-style. vibratey, jagged, etc etc etc. Not so with Natsume. Hmm.

Fangirl break: my Japanese tanko of Natsume vol 1 has an obi about the anime. And KYAAA!! X3 Ishida Akira-sama is in it!!! Kyaaa kyaa!!! I've been downloading the series without watching for fear of spoilers, but you can bet I'm going to keep an ear out for my fave seiyuu once I fire it up. *swoons into his sexy voice*

I mailed off two four-figure and one three-figure checks to Federal and State tax PO boxes today. I AM OFFICIALLY BROKE. *pulls out pockets and out flies a moth* It's a good thing I already bought my lovely Kouga Yun artbook, b/c no more fun purchases for me for a while. T.T Especially since my Federal refund isn't here yet. This year I went with direct deposit for the first time, and now I'm wondering how long I have to wait for it to appear in my bank account before I need to get nervous. :P~~~~

Anyway, the Kouga Yun artbook purchase is its own story, which I think I'll save for next time. ^^

The rest of page 3 calls!!! WHAT am I going to do with the background....?? ( Backgrounds: something else I suck at and thus avoid.) Drawing scenery is boooooring....

EDIT to fix my math, which is also not something I'm too great at. Nrrgh.