Virtual Pet Planet Revamp

Hey people, if any of you read my webcomic, Virtual Pet Planet, I have some news:

I’m going to redo everything. This time I’m gonna focus more on the quality of the updates and the storytelling rather than try to make updates in a hurries fashion. I’m gonna plan ahead, and have a lot of work finished before I start posting. 

First thing I’m gonna do is make legit turnarounds for the characters, and plan out at least three or four chapters in full-out thumbnails. I also don’t know if I’m gonna host them on Smackjeeves or not yet.

I know that the revamp is definitely going to have a few major changes. It’s not gonna be just Panel for panel what the first chapter was. I’m gonna be a lot more thoughtful of WHAT i draw and how I draw it. It want everything to be genuinely good, so I hope I can handle it.

I plan to do a lot of this planning over winter break. There are already two things I’m certain about:

The pages are gonna be in landscape format. The reasoning behind this is that webcomics are meant to be read on a landscape-style screen, and I want to format my pages to that type. This also leads into the next thing I’m certain about.

It’s gonna have animations and pivotal moments. Not every chapter, but when serious stuff happens, or when something really just needs sound and motion to tell the story. It only seems logical that as an animator I would do something like this.

So there you have it. I’ll update more as time goes on. Prepare yourselves. I’m gonna kick some ass.

Ten Song Quotes That I Absolutely Adore

Music is top inspiration source. I don't know how any of my stories or art pieces would get finished if there were no songs. I love the way a simple line can inspire a scene, or an illustration and have me thinking about it for days. It can get in your head, and it can make you learn something about life. Music is a really big part of human communication, and I am a storyteller after all.

Lyrics are some of favorite parts of songs. The tune is really a carrier for the lyrics. So when I hear a song and a lyric stands out to me, I'm automatically interested. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite lines a little bit of why and how they inspire. You'll be surprised by the list.

1. "Maybe I think you're cute and funny, Maybe I wanna do what bunnies do with you if you know what I mean~"
You and I- Ingrid Michealson

This line made me fall in love with this woman. It's so cute, and suggestive in a way that isn't too sultry. The whole song is a big ball of adorable. It's really worth a listen, as well as the rest of her discography.

I get inspired by little lines like this because it gives me hope that romance can be sweet and innocent while still being a real relationship between adults. Besides, it's absolutely hilarious.


2. "The words have been drained from this pencil...."
You- Evanescence(Unofficial)

This song isn't supposed to be heard by the masses, but I found it on accident. I absolutely love every last word, but it all starts right here. It creates the subtle-est of imagery to draw the listener into this sweet story of a girl writing to her lover. It's absolutely perfect.

The blog is called Love and Music for a reason. Romance is totally a recurring theme in my stories. I adore a good romance. (And NO Twilight is NOT one.) The connection between two people is absolutely fascinating, even more so when they meet by overcoming countless obstacles.

The analogy for writing used here is my absolute favorite ever.

3. "He says that he will, but he's just a Lyre."
Two Birds-Regina Spektor

The word play here. Oh gosh. I love this line so much. Regina knows how to turn a phrase. The word Lyre is meant to be a triple meaning phonetic of "liar" and also meaning a small bird, and an instrument! So clever.

I love this song and how it gives a very light-hearted explanation of a bad relationship. All explained through this wonderful analogy of two birds perched on a wire. Epically speactacular.

4. "They say your head can be a prison, then these are just conjugal visits."
The Take Over, The Breaks Over- Fall Out Boy

This line is simply cleverness. It makes me want to cover this song for my little youtube account. It's just such a good line. This song makes me wanna sing, even though the vocals aren't my favorite part of the songs. It's really the words. I fell like they absolutely must be sung when listened to.

5. "I want to kiss you, but if I do then I might miss you, babe..."
Love Game- Lady Gaga

Oh, lady gaga. Resident avant garde of the current musical world. He weirdness knows no boundaries, and yet...

This line sets the whole song on a totally different note for me. I feel like the singer is more conflicted by her desire than she really lets on. It shows the tiniest hint of regret and fear. Like she wants more than just the sexual act. She want's so much more.

Inspires me to write a subtle inner monologue. Or maybe even a silent, implied one.

6. "The room seems wrong. The bed won't fit. I cannot seem to operate and you my love are gone."
The Chain- Ingrid Michealson

Wow, she's racking up the points. I didn't want to put two of her songs on here, but her lyrics are pure magic. This song especially. The words aren't cliche in the least bit, and that makes me so happy.

I honestly have this stuck in my head for days after hearing it. I have the live version, but It's still so beautiful.

7. "Leave me alone. I know I'm not makin' sense, but I know I can't let you come any closer. It's my security. It's my self-defense. I keep on doing all this over and over."
Helpless-Neon Trees

This is basically the biggest problem I have in my relationships. I want to like someone, but I don't want to be in too deep. It really speaks to me in that way.Not to mention this guy's VOICE. Oh God.

The whole song is freaking great. I took forever to pick my favorite part for this one.

8. "Even if saving you sends me to heaven."
Your Guardian Angel- The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

This song is sweet. I heard it first on a friend's myspace. It's got a great set of simple, romantic lyrics. It truly is a good song.

9. "Heaven, I'm in Heaven, and m hearts beats so that I can hardy speak!"
Cheek to Cheek- Frank Sinatra

Ah, old crooner songs. These are the real good heart throbs. This line seriously makes me want to dance with a special someone into the night. I think of a lot of sweet moments between characters I have paired together. It's great.

10. "Bring your paintbrush, we're paintin' the town!"
Down in New Orleans- Dr. John

This song became a favorite the second I saw The Princess and the Frog from disney. The line here made me LOVE it. Hands down. It's such a cute little addition to all the descriptions of new orleans.

That's all I have now, guys. Music is life for me. So hopefully I brought a little of life and inspiration to you guys through these songs.

Thanks for reading, Much love!

Lesson 1: Don't go to conventions in Knoxville

So, this past Saturday I went to Knoxville Comic and Anime Con. I expected very little from something in the Knoxville area, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

I thought I'd end up being in a small dealer room with few things of any interest, being the only female that would dare set foot in such an event. I wasn't even expecting there to be anything worth buying.

It was INSANE. The room wasn't nearly as small as invadercon had been, but it had to be just as crowded if not moreso. Not to mention that they had no rules for costumes, so this one girl was walking around with a friggin' sign saying "Have you seen Sasuke?" and I think she may have been trying to be naruto. I have no earthly idea if she really was, cause it looked very little like him. Combine this with it only being the dealer room, and the fact that I had to resort to going with my very comics-illiterate mother, and  the fact that I am not into small rooms full of people and you have the perfect calculation for disaster.

I also realized that people in my hometown area are really weird. A guy walked by with a camera man recording us all as if we were some cult performing a strange ritual of some sort, saying things like "Oddities you'll only see at this type of event!" and "It's unbelievable that there are this many nerds in the area!"

So yeah, that was fun...but it really wasn't all bad. I finally got to meet Richard Horvitz, who is a total sweetie. I wasn't expecting to, but at the sound of his voice I just felt this overwhelming force of pure joy. It may just be the fact that Invader Zim was a good part of my childhood, or it could be that he's been the voice for so many characters that I adore. To be perfectly honest, he's the most fan-loving famous person I've ever met.

Rikki Simmons was there too, and he's just as sweet and friendly, but unfortunately after caving it to get an autograph from Richard, I didn't have enough money for him too. Luckily, he goes to Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) every year, so I'll have another chance.

There were a few other memorable things on my trip, namely this awesome booth that had epic sculptures of very creepy things, including a tiny Audrey II from The Little Shop of Horrors. I'm insanely in love with the movie, so when I saw it I almost spent my money there. I was hoping to find them online, but they don't seem to be listed on the dealer's list. If anyone knows, please email me! I'd like another chance at that Twoey!

 

I could've kicked myself for not buying him, but I did get my autograph. So I'm pretty pleased with myself.

Also, I've noticed a recurring theme for Conventions that I go to.

SOMETHING BAD ALWAYS HAPPENS.

Usually, it's something that's scary and terrible at the time, but hillarious later. For example, my first con, AWA 2009, we got lost on the way there and back, and I get extremely nervous and crabby when I'm lost. 

My roommate had felt sick so we went home early, but it quickly got dark and we got turned around.The driver was also kind of paranoid about the big city, and didn't want to use any directions but her sister's. We ended up driving for hours in some creepy wooded area with a few fancy houses here and there. My natural instinct to freak out when we're lost kicked in, and it started an argument.

I went in and got directions while she got some gas and calmed down. The lady working there barely spoke english, but she knew where out road was, and I got a satisfactory route home.

Apparently, our arguement must have been very annoying to Sara, because she went out of the car to use the restroom, and when we got back in the car we assumed she was there. As we drove off, me on my phone with my mom and Alicia trying to follow the directions I'd acquired, I was nearly in a hysteric fit. My mother, knowing the only truly sane person in the vehicle would be Sara, asked to talk to her.

Still a little frustrated, I shoved the phone in her general direction and said "here", but got no response. Turning around I was met by a completely empty back seat.

I began crying uncontrollably, assuming we'd let my roommate get kidnapped by some wild murderer and I would never see her again. Alicia began to squeal her tires and made a turn-around through a walgreen's parking lot and rushed back to the gas station.

At the time, Sara was wearing the most socially acceptable attire to be at a public gas station. I was wearing a crazy hat and goggles, and Alicia was wearing a full-on cosplay of a gay, cross-dressing, man in six-inch-platforms. So it must have been a sight to see that the "friends who left her behind" were these two blubbering maniacs that came shuffling/sobbing up to her. I'm quite certain we made somebody's night.

We learned later that if we had been a second more, the two of us would have lost sara to a nice lady who wanted to help her, but I have a really bad feeling about the whole situation. If we hadn't made it, My roomate could have been gone forever...

Yeah, we're really luck we noticed when we did.

At the second AWA i went to, I got to pull off my first cosplay! I was Rhyme, from The World Ends with You. It was really fun, and my friend's roommate was nice enough to give us a ride, even though she had no interest in attending an anime convention.

So we're finally out of the con, having had a very nice afternoon, and my friend see's her roommate's car. We're getting in and I toss my stuff in and have one foot in the vehicle, and she mistakes my stuff for me and begins to slowly pull out.

I was lucky that my shriek of pain and cursing was enough to cause her to retract the car. I had previously broken a toe on the other foot, so the fear of breaking another one is constantly on my mind. The whole week had been a "inanimate objects against kaesta's feet" contest, ranging from broken bowls to poorly place door stops, so when the car hit my foot I panicked.

Luckily it did no real damage and I put it on ice as soon as we got back to the dorm. It was a really interesting experience, because in between the "Oh gosh I'm so sorry" and "do you need a doctor?"'s I realized my character dies by being ran over by a car. I thought it was hillarious, and made sure to word it perfectly to my friends when I saw them. "AWA was great! I got ran over by a car and everything!:D"

Invadercon was amazingly not so bad, but it was the first time I heard Rebecca Black's "Friday".

At KnoxCon, I was feeling like absolute crud the whole time. Alternating from freaking out about the huge crowd in close quarters to holding my stomach in pain, I didn't really get to enjoy to weirdness that is a convention.

I went to the doctor today, and he gave me some anti-biotics for the infection, but I spent my entire father's day in bed, when I had planned on doing a drawing for my Papaw. Oh well....I'll get to it soon.

All in all it wasn't terrible, but I don't think I want to go to another con with only one room...