Update News / Diary Entry - 29th April 2020

Hay hay all!

May Plans – It's time for another general update from me, where we are, where we are going and a bit of a review of what's going / gone on as of sorts and some personal bits as such I'll ramble on about. If you hear any one thing about this update and a theme it'll be CG colouring ^_^

May CG Colouring Time! - For the month upcoming my plans are to focus a bit more on CG coloured content completed and released vs. working on new artwork.

This means less fresh new works and more complete colouring of art sitting in that my outlined only art pile is next. 

However I will have to do some outline work here and there. May's Calendar girl comes to mind and MAYBE some EX EX content – which I'm unsure if I'll pass on this one month to get material complete and out... still deciding.

But yes HOPES and plans for a content rich releases this month to come on out soon.

Compressed file collection – Mid / late month I changed the way you get my art so it was ONLY from inside compressed files for you all to download quickly and easily. Prior I had to spend more time than I'd like to make a little area to download each version of each image, and as you know I tend to do a fair few, easily around 10 (+) versions of each image.

So far nobody has said its been a problem but it has played my mind some. This maybe the last time I mention about it until somebody has an issue with it and it may change back, but I'm thankful people have been understanding about this change in the meantime.

Speed Colouring – The rate I make content is slow. This is just a fact and I have to accept it. The curse of making content as good as you can without going insane, high standards and such. It's not perfect work, but you couldn't claim it has been rushed out (I've done video proof, lol).

I made a decision to make some CG colouring quicker earlier in the month and picked the 3 cocked maid girl but tried to test it with harder shadows / light direction to test it and... somewhat it worked, somewhat failed.

I'd like to experiment more with my CG colouring technique for a quicker version. I think I've been looking at it wrong like it's 'lesser' than the outline image demands, like it's low quality. Instead its probably closer to above average quality rather than the high blend technique I've used so far. Doing 2 tone cell like many artists use is effective but maybe too low effort for me to enjoy personally and I'd consider THAT low effort.

So the next month is the testing ground for this process. With strong but limited colours, effective use of feathering and shortcuts I hopefully can get better results much much quicker. It may / may not blend all perfectly but we will learn as we do.

I naturally will do higher quality CG on key images such as content for packs and the Calendar girls images and may revert back to it is this test is unsuccessful – but let's have fun with getting stuff done and out there!

April – So looking back on review April had some pretty okay content come on out I feel and I worked hard and am pleased with what was released. With several manips done, ex ex doodles completed, multiple videos worked on and of course the quality CG coloured artwork released.

If I have any regrets it is that the quicker CG test I had in mind with the maid didn't pan out as well as it should have and so reverted back to my very time consuming ways. 
After sinking MANY hours into Jill Valentine and Misty and Ariel the cat girls, the quality was very high and well blended (so much it can be hard to see why it would ever take so long) but I'd have liked to have released more artwork all the same.

It is also true that with your support many of these images would NEVER be made or released at all at the standards I feel I must and will deliver for the patreon so really its been a ride and I thank you all for helping it all come about.

Other Bits – Well let's start with the computer issues I had recently mentioned that are all but fixed now. While recording the system for videos can be sluggish and laggy at times but aside from that minor thing, the BIG issues seemed to have been fixed and I can't believe how relieved I am to tell you this.

I've gained a new negative trait 'Sore eyes', which is a -50% to focus -30% to vision and a scratching behind your eyeballs late at night. It's all the hours behind a computer desk and staring at 3 XL screens for HOURS at a time. The lock down is both a blessing time wise and a curse for me. So this may have also helped my me needing quicker CG methods to be made too.... ¬_¬

Speaking of the lockdown, the virus around these parts is still pretty bad at time of writing. The peak is still here and it's changed my lifestyle a bit. I've coped better than many but even at this point I'm slowly tiring of the same of thing. At least I can DO art unlike some people however.

There is a poll for Gold members which recently went out. So if you missed it please consider checking it out as it may have 

Games – as a distraction like many I've played a few games to take my mind off things. For fun lets just put my ideas down on new ones played...
- Halo Wars Definitive Edition, I love me some RTS games but I knew this was a console RTS first. It is and shows when playing on PC, but I kinda like it in some ways. There are better out there, but... if RTS is your jam, there isn't many options out there and this isn't too bad.

- Frost Punk, went back to finish it off and bar the DLC have played all scenarios. The last one, the fall of winterhome was a real swine and required a bit of knowledge of the games to have a chance at the end... bit was hellish, I love it, lol. Fun fun city builder! Surprisingly emotional at times that game.

- Tabletop Simulator, me and friends got the program and we ended up playing pandemic (I know I know ^^) but even if it was a little slow, yeah.... it worked great. If you are missing friends ATM and playing together, this is honestly a really good choice!

- Overcooked 2, Another co-op game cooking game. Really very fun, but not a monster progression from the 1st game and the music is much weaker (strange negative I know but) but again really fun to play with people esp over discord and have a grand old time. 

- Dropsy, point and click puzzle game. Interesting game. Unique art style and mostly sane puzzles, not too much moon logic here. 5 or so hours put into it. Worth playing I guess, I enjoyed it and I don't OVERLY care for these types of games.

- Touchlight 2, lastly played the old torchlight 2 with a friend and is some loot grinder hack and slash action. It again is good and the co-op works pretty good honestly, but it is one of them diablo games so you know what to expect. Its fun with a friend, but I'd have gotten bored of it single player within a few hours – but this maybe more as I think these games are kinda dull and repetitive by design. Still if your locked up and need to pass time, it does that so far.

Cheers - Thanks for letting me drone on, if nothing else its a nice outlet for me to put my thoughts down but also to focus the mind a little bit too. As always be safe and healthy out there and a reminder of my eternal thanks for the support.

Right, back to work and more to come soon! - Sius