Chikara Kokoro

I've been browsing through Blambot (a site where you can download free comic-style fonts), and there were so many, I wasn't sure where to start. I was just wondering if anybody makes comics using the computer (I'm guessing somebody around here has to), then what font do you use? The only two I've seen for sure around are Comic Sans (which is overused and annoying, imho) and Anime Ace

[QUOTE=Ozymandius Jones][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkOrange] Effects, yes, creatures, no. WETA (responsible for Gollum and the Orcs of LOTR) did the creatures for Narnia. That, my friend, is a Satyr, a greek creature that is a mixture of goat and man, much like a faun, only with more animalistic features.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE] After reviewing the credits, I can see that you're correct about it being called a satyr and that ILM did not create the Narnia creatures. However, I still find the similarity humorous, whether or not it was intentional.

I saw Narnia today, and I found it to be a decent movie. Nothing too special, but it does have something that keeps it just barely above average movies. The DVD might be something to look at just in order to see deleted scenes. The flow of the movie gave me the feeling that I was missing something, though I couldn't put my finger on what. Based on the clip in the middle of the credits and the fact that this is a Disney movie, it's fairly certain that Prince Caspian is coming very soon, I think. One thing that was brought to my attention after seeing the movie, though I hadn't noticed it at all, was that towards the end of the movie, there was a wookie. I didn't belive them at first, but after googleing "narnia wookie" I got a surprising number of websites. There is a picture on the web (although I wonder how it the person got it) [URL=http://n1ck.com/WOOKIE.PNG](here)[/URL] that kind of makes you wonder, no? It looks an awful lot like a wookie, but most likely the people who were making costumes became lazy and decided to stick faun ears on a Chewbacca wanna-be. Another thing to note is that the effects studio for Narnia (ILM) also did the effects for Star Wars.

It's a very good stylized pice of work, good, strong pencil work, and detailed designs are always a plus. The pose is well rendered, but, like Kitty, I am confused as to what's going on with the stomach (mainly because the fur seen below the shirt shows no sign of cubbyness). Oh, one more thing, nice job on the folds on the bottom of the pants, I can see a lot of other artists messing that up.

Just a heads up for people who get Turner Classic Movies. Every thursday evening this month TCM will be playing 2-3 Miyazaki movies (most are dubbed, but at least one isn't, I think). They replay the lineup immediately after, by the way. The schedule is as follows (eastern time): [b]The 5th[/b]- 8:00 PM [b]Spirited Away[/b] (2002) A young girl escapes her family to a world of witches and monsters. Cast: Voices of Michael Chiklis, Lauren Holly, Suzanne Pleshette. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki. C-124 mins, Letterbox Format 10:15 PM [b]Princess Mononoke[/b] (1999) A woman raised by wolves leads forest animals in a fight to save their homes. Cast: Voices of Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Minnie Driver. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki. C-135 mins, Letterbox Format [b]The 12th[/b]- 8:00 PM [b]Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind[/b] (1984) A warrior princess fights to keep two warring kingdoms from destroying their planet. Cast: Voices of Alison Lohman, Edward James Olmos, Mark Hamill. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki. C-0 mins, Letterbox Format 10:00 PM [b]Castle in the Sky[/b] (1986) A boy and girl race pirates to find a legendary floating castle. Cast: Voices of James Van Der Beek, Anna Paquin, Mark Hamill. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki. C-0 mins, Letterbox Format [b]The 19th[/b]- 8:00 PM [b]My Neighbor Totoro[/b] (1993) Two girls with a sick mother find escape with the spirits of the forest. Cast: Voices of Dakota Fanning, Timothy Daly, Lea Salonga. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki. C-88 mins, Letterbox Format 9:30 PM [b]Porco Rosso[/b] (1992) An airplane pilot with a pig's head devotes his life to rescuing others. Cast: Voices of Michael Keaton, Cary Elwes, Kimberly Williams. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki. C-102 mins, Letterbox Format 11:15 PM [b]Whisper of the Heart[/b] (1995) A young girl goes looking for the boy who has checked out all the same library books as she. Cast: Voices of Brittany Snow, Cary Elwes, Harold Gould. Dir: Yoshifumi Kondo. C-0 mins, Letterbox Format [b]The 26th[/b]- 8:00 PM [b]Only Yesterday[/b] (1991) A young woman looks back on her childhood while traveling around Japan. Cast: Voices of Miki Imai, Toshio Yanagiba, Youko Honna. Dir: Isao Takahata. C-105 mins, Letterbox Format 10:15 PM [b]Pom Poko[/b] (1994) A group of magic raccoons use their shape shifting powers to save their forest home. Cast: Voices of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Clancy Brown, J.K. Simmons. Dir: Isao Takahata. C-119 mins, Letterbox Format

1. You Can't Hide- Sanctus Real 2. Burleque Arabeque- Flying Fish Sailors 3. King of the Cannibal Islands- Flying Fish Sailors 4. All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth- Spike Jones 5. Leaving Hogwarts- John Williams (HP: SS Soundtrack) 6. 2nd Movements TA TA RI Gami (The Demon God)- Joe Hisaishi (Princess Mononoke Soundtrack) 7. Diggin' Your Scene- Smash Mouth 8. The Ring Goes South- Howard Shore (LotR: FotR Soundtrack) 9. The Hampsterdance Song- Hampton the Hampster.... *coughs*... uhm..... moving on... 10. I Want It That Way- Backstreet Boys... ... ... I'm not even gonna try to explain this...

I actually haven't read any of the Gundam manga, at all. On top of that, I've only watched small snippets of the various anime series, but based on your description of it I'm honestly intrigued. Especially with the lead role, hopefully she isn't as much of a ditzy high school girl as what you wrote leads me to believe. How many volumes are out right now? If it's just starting I might be more interested in buying it (my mind works in strange ways ^^; )

This is a short story that I wrote recently, and I felt like getting some feedback on it. Its themes are somewhat dark, so if you want to read about butterflies and cotton candy, look elsewhere ^^; [CENTER]Strangled Remorse[/CENTER] ?[I]Running away again... what a [B]wise[/B] decision[/I].? Cecilia ran, her long black hair streaming behind her in oily ribbons. The forest closed in around her, antagonistic branches clawed at her bare feet. With nothing else to consider, she weighed the possible reasons as to why she was running away. In her mind, she hadn?t done anything wrong, for her phantom had told her it was all right. Yet, at the same time she knew that anything that could change the outlook of her life so drastically could never be correct. She would no longer trust it. She continued her flight. ?[I]This is just so [B]economical[/B], really, every time you do this we get to start all over[/I].? ?No one gets hurt...? she said these words in a volume that was just above inaudible. She hoped that saying the words aloud would make them easier for her to believe. ?[I]Then you get to screw up [B]all over again[/B][/I],? the voice let out a long cackle that caused Cecilia to shiver, and made her insides freeze with dread. ?Stop it...? she mumbled, trying desperately to silence her phantom. Another cackle. Her jade colored eyes began to shine as tears threatened to run rampant down her cheeks. Without rest her legs pounded, mechanically, up and down, up and down, in a steady rhythm that made an unavailing attempt to match the rapid beating of her heart. ?[I]That was a lovely town too, I almost thought that you could [B]survive[/B] there[/I].? She kept on running, not wanting to hear the specter?s words. She had to get away, as far away as was feasibly possible. The sun commenced its steady descent. The leaves of the forest turned almost transparent as the shifting rays struck through their core. Only the veins, the life giving force of the leaves, were truly visible. With her whole being, Cecilia wanted to be like one of those leaves, to be purified by something as simple as the rays of the sun, and to be thus reborn. She had spent her whole life either running away, or trying to recreate herself. Never had she held the strength or will to try anything else. ?[I]And what was the [B]boy?s[/B] name again?[/I]? The forest fell silent. The trees strained forward in anticipation as the girl ceased her movements. The winds whispered meaningless words, and carried them through the quivering boughs. ?[I]Oh, yes, [B]Wyn[/B], such a nice boy... Pity about the-[/I]? ?BE QUIET!? the young woman?s voice reverberated through the forest. Her body shook with exhaustion. It had been too long, too tiring of a journey for her. There had been too much mental strain. She collapsed on the ground, her body now completely motionless. The phantom?s dark laughter reigned the night. The light of the sunrise streamed through the sylvan leaves, christening them anew. Cecilia woke, the fatigue of the previous night still felt within every part of her body. Now certain of what she had to do, she stood up. The crushed branches and leaves that marked the path of her twilight flight remained as undeniable evidence. Not being able to run any longer, she began to walk back to the town which she had so desperately fled. ?[I]You?re going back? We both know [B]that[/B] will only end in tears[/I]...? She continued on undaunted, perhaps she even walked a little faster than before. For the first time in her life, Cecilia felt that there was something that she had to do before she could go on living. ?Don?t pretend that you care for my well being.? ?[I]Never [B]dreamed[/B] of it[/I].? It was once again sunset when the young woman arrived at the town which she had previously escaped. She stood on the crest of a lush green hill overlooking the many terracotta roofs of the small community. A rustling sound came from a place slightly lower on the highland. A young man began walking towards her, hand placed above his eyes in an attempt to shield them from the sun. Once Cecilia saw him she immediately realized that it was Wyn. Intuitively knowing that it could only be Cecilia that he saw before his eyes, Wyn stopped abruptly, shocked. He looked around him, perhaps trying to find a way to prove that she was an illusion. Apparently finding nothing, he began to unsteadily walk towards her. His way of walking was like that of one who was in a dream-induced stupor and was unsure of whether they were in a state of waking or one of sleeping. ?[I]How terribly [B]dramatic[/B][/I]...? ?Leave me alone,? she hissed with as much intensity as she could without letting the approaching Wyn hear. The wind blew her now completely unkempt hair about her face. ?[I][B]Perhaps[/B][/I].? She had been concentrating on what that word could possibly mean, so the sudden appearance of Wyn directly in front of her startled her greatly. He looked just as he had before she left. Only two days had passed, but she was somewhat disappointed that his features were not obviously careworn with worry for her well being. ?What are you doing here?? he asked. His face now showed only fear, and revealed no thoughts of the happy times she thought they had shared. ?I thought you could help me...? she said, sounding petulant even to her own ears. Even so, she stretched out one of her arms towards him. She wanted so badly to hold his hand with her own, to touch his face with her fingertips, but she couldn?t bring herself to. What if she could never let go? Despite her ill thoughts, her expression was one of pleading, one of hope. Wyn, however, refused to meet her gaze. ?You know I can?t do that,? he replied coldly Cecilia choked back tears as she cautiously stepped closer to him. ?Please...? His face suddenly twisted in rage. As though driven by some unseen force, he lashed out and struck down her outstretched arm. ?God damn it! How can you toy with my emotions like this? You killed my brother! Why did you have to come back? Can?t you just leave me in peace?? ?[I]In all due [B]fairness[/B], it was his brother?s fault[/I].? Ignoring the wraith?s inconsequential words, she sank to the ground. Long onyx hair covered her face, masked her features. Tears that had been held in for what could have been as little as two days, or as much as a thousand years, fell onto the otherwise dry earth. ?But... it wasn?t me,? she managed between sobs. The once kind and sensitive Wyn was now merely a harsh and angry stranger. ?[I]You moved the knife into his chest, I just gave you the [B]courage[/B][/I],? the voice whispered ?I can?t take this again!? the young man yelled in frustration. ?No!? Cecilia shrieked, she didn?t want to believe what either of them had said. Heaving sobs racked Cecilia?s body uncontrollably. They just wouldn?t stop. The stranger?s face returned to its normal self. He bent down and briefly, entirely too chastely for Cecilia?s taste, kissed her forehead. He gently lifted up her head with his hand. Their eyes met. His blue completed her jade, or so it had long before. Those blue eyes now revealed to her only anger and an overwhelming sadness. She wanted so badly to be able to rid him of the cause of that pain. ?[I]It?s you, you know [B]that[/B], don?t you?[/I]? ?Just leave, alright? It will be better for you in the long run, I promise,? a pause, then, ?I?m so sorry.? Those were the last words that Wyn said to her. Cecilia watched his golden hair slowly descend down the verdant hill. She knew that there would never be a time where she could see him again. Once he was fully out of her view, Cecilia looked up at the ruby sky and tried yet again, unsuccessfully, to ignore the words echoing within her mind. ?[I]I told you... these things can only end in [B]tears[/B][/I]...?

I found the same thing to be true when I started drawing, but once you get into different perspectives and drawing the whole body, the circle thing becomes vastly important. I personally would have very hard time without it. It might be better, if you are just starting out with drawing, to draw the circles, even if you don't like it now, to be sure that you don't have to retrain yourself later when you find you're messing up more as your skill improves.

[quote name='kitsunekami']yeah... i need help with drawing hair accessories.[/quote] What sort of hair accessories do you need help with?? Ribbons? Scrunchies? Chopsticks?

Perhaps you ought to change the name though, even if it's just a subtle change (ex Order of the Kelpie, or whatever). If you have to explain that you didn't steal the name, perhaps you should scrap the name altogether, no? Also, make sure that the character's personalities don't correspond with the elements they're using because that is very overdone and cliqué (in my opinion the whole elemental thing is overused, but if you can do it well, then that's fine)

I'm going to assume that you're using the computer to color things (forgive me if I'm wrong here) Your best bet is to simply look for stuff on the web, there are no shortage of pictures of humans. I use pictures of my friends that I have lying around often if I'm feeling lazy. If you want to vary the colors that you're using you can just mix it around using the color slider (or whatever it's called) and make sure that it isn't too orange or grey and you should be fine. Surprisingly, you can also use green with fairly good results, but that's only if you're using a somewhat realistic style and a painter type program (once again, forgive me if I'm wrong in assuming that you are using neither) This tutorial [URL=http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/8791650/](click me)[/URL] is also useful because it has a quick skin tone chart.

The "How to Draw: Anime & Game Characters" series (what I think GTK was talking about) by Tadashi Ozawa is a constant reference for me. I would suggest buying these either all together or in order. The only problems I have with the series is number four, which is on fighting, but is fairly useless, and the lack of reference for drawing males. The to make up for that, I would suggest How to Draw Manga number 27 which is "Male Characters". It was extremely useful for me (being a girl) to figure out how to draw male anatomy. Also, I've been wanting to get my hands on the How to Draw Manga on drawing couples, but as of yet have not been able to find it. I've heard it's good though. Other than that I'd suggest looking for online tutorials as much as you can. I usually just happen upon them randomly, but Deviant Art has a fairly good amount of them if you're willing to search for a while.

Instead of asking for other people to find the names for you, I think that it would be more fun and rewarding if you found names that you loved yourself ^-^ [url]http://www.behindthename.com/[/url] is a really good wesite for finding names based on meanings, and for finding the meanings of names you already know. It even has a random generator (under Fun Stuff- Random Name Generator) for names based on different languages (you'll discover as you go along that each language has its own connotations). Hope that helps you a little.