Recent Deviations

I did not major in painting or illustration or graphic design. I majored in Performing Arts. So while I have an education in the fine art foundations and have learned greatly about design and color theory, being able to draw is kind of a bonus.


For a while after SCAD, I didn't draw at all. Because I teach preschool and constantly draw for kids at Art Center and for teachers (to decorate their doors) I've started drawing more. So here are 4 of my recent, more popular Deviations on DeviantArt.


1. The Elder Wand


The first of 3 drawings in my Tale of the Three Brothers series. This was done with a pencil drawing, inked with Medium Point Sharpie Pen and coloured with watercolour pencils. The black background was added in photoshop.

This is the first brother with the Elder Wand and Death looming as he casts a curse.

I will be printing these as decals.

Find full resolution here.

2. Owl Kill You


Athena as a Derby Girl. In a way it's fan art for Olympia Heights.

Favorite it here.

3. Casting

Photo by ~Stillreflection. Cosplay by myself (the weapons, earrings, and pauldrons in this pic) and Anna Heim (~Christadaelia). Of course you can't see the earrings OR the Pauldrons, or Rydia's whip in this pic. I made the hair piece in my wig and the mace. All the sewing and the fabulous green wig dye-job are Anna's master work.

These costumes won Best Interpretation at AWA 2011 along with the other 2 in our group. Kain and Edge, seen elsewhere in my gallery, are a lot more of my handiwork.

Some quick casting effects for our hot magician girls.

Favorite it here.

4. Comfort

I was browsing DA and feeling sad that there was a lack of George/Angelina fan art, so I made some. It's a loose digital drawing in a moment that I imagine happened as they mourned Fred together. 

George is dressed for work and his ear is wonkey because that's the ear Snape got. Angelina's shirt was meant to be a Montrose Magpies ringer T, but in the lighting effects it slowly turned more blue than gray.

This took about an hour and I modeled the gesture on a Prison Break still.

Full resolution found here.

NOTE: This Deviation is very new and by far my most popular.

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My Favorite Things: Blue

We continue along the rainbow with the color blue. Click the other swatches to see previous weeks.

Key:

A. Murder Mysteries by Neil Gaiman

B. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

C. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling

D. M&M Pretzels

E. Arrested Development

F. The Wombats "This Modern Glitch"

G. Spam

H. Ravenclaw

I. The New Rules of Marketing

J. Sailor Mercury

K. Beast (Or any blue X-Man. Nightcrawler, Angel, Mystique)

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My Favorite Things: Green

We continue down the rainbow with the color green. Click the other swatches to see previous weeks.

Key:

A. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

B. The Boston Celtics (Boston Sports)

C. Caesar Salad!

D. Lime Green Ford Fiestas

E. Neil Gaiman's The Wolves in the Walls

F. Green Eyes

G. Green Apples

H. My Wedding

I. Green Grapes

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My Favorite Things: Yellow

Once- a week for the past few weeks, I've posted a list of my favorite things, sorted by color theme. This week it's my FAVORITE color, yellow. Check it out below the jump or click the color blocks to see previous weeks.

Key:

A. Black-Eyed Susans

B. "I'm a Hufflepuff" (Honeybadger just takes what it wants).

C. CHEESE!

D. Coraline

E. Savannah College of Art and Design

F. Neil Gaiman's The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish

G. The color yellow

H. Duke's Mayonaisse

I. Yellow sports cars

J. Wolverine! (Bub)

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My Favorite Things: Orange

Last week we started the rainbow of favorite things with the color red. You can click on the red swatch below to see that post, or continue below the jump to see ORANGE!

Key:

A. Sunsets

B. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

C. Orange Juice!

D. Monarch Butterflies (also the Monarch on Venture Bros)

E. Nos Energy Drink (also good in Orange Juice!)

F. Autumn

G. Weasleys!

H. Fanta

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Artist Wanted: Harry Potter Fan Comic

Previously posted at DeviantArt

I'm looking to run a web comic, but I need an artist because I do recognize my own shortcomings. The idea is to do a Harry Potter fan comic that centers around the Department of Magical Law Enforcement about 6 years after the end of book 7. Harry would be the boss by then and he, Ron and Hermione would NOT be the focus. The ministry would be trying to round up a handful of at-large Death Eaters and Neville would probably be the character I go back to the most, though George, Savage, and a couple of other Aurors would have plots. 


I have a really cool idea for who could be the big antagonist and how that plot would finally come to fruition.

Here is what I need:


EDIT: I've decided now that I'd rather not have a regular artist, but a handful of them. It lessens the commitment. I've amended my needs below.

An artist who can commit to meeting deadlines to have pages ready for once a week postings (we'd probably gather ten by launch, post 5, and then always be 5 ahead for safety). The pages would be standard comic layout (with speech bubbles, narration boxes, and anywhere from full-page spreads to multi-panel pages, depending on pacing and action). 
Artists willing to work on a string of pages. Pages will be either 6 panels, 3 panels, or one panel. There will be fights, romance, and probably some talkiness.
+Expressions and distinct looks are important: I want to be able to write a range of drama and comedy and I want the characters to be able to change clothes, so having them distinguishable without iconic costumes is important.
+Reliability: Able to complete the pages agreed on in an timely manner
+Reliability: I really would hate to have to fire an artist and find someone else because I can't count on them to draw 4 or 5 pages a month.

Here is what I can offer:
I'm a writer.
I'm a web designer. I can host the comic, too.
I can color (so if part of the deal for getting a great penciler/inker is that I have to color the strips, I'm so in)

The plan:
This would be FAN FICTION and so it would NOT make any money. However, our Deviant Art accounts and other sites would be linked. I can easily post your portfolio, social media links, etc. JK Rowling is cool with Fanfiction as long as we don't profit or interfere with her money, so we're going to stick to doing this for fun and publicity. We'll never publish a trade and we'll never put paid ads on the site.

If you're interested, send me links to some recent work. I'd really love to do this project and I already have quite a few plans for plot.

Coloring Example

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10 Worst Cast Characters in Harry Potter Films

When you're casting an already loved world, you have to be careful to be faithful so as not to anger fans. This list was harder to make than I thought it would be. The casting directors actually did a really great job with most of this series. 50% of this list is stretching to make a 10 to counterpoint my Best Cast list. I LOVE some of these actors, even if I think they don't match the book. I think most of my gripes are with the Prisoner of Azkaban. None of these castings were bad from a talent standpoint. This is really about embodying the character that Rowling created in a physical sense.

Very few of these castings make detrimental changes to the story itself. Really, for the majority of this list, it's all about the look. This list is far more superficial than I thought it would be and it only really matters for a handful of characters. I actually had to strain my brain to think of 12. I guess my real beef with the movies are the plot omissions and the random action sequences added in that take away time from things that shouldn't have been cut. Fiona Weir (casting) did a pretty good job.

10 Worst Cast Characters in Harry Potter Films

10 & 9. Oliver and James Phelps as the Weasley Twins
Do not get me wrong: the Phelps twins give a great performance. I just find it annoying that the movie castings made half of fandom forget that the Weasley twins are not tall and lanky in the books. Rowling specifically states that Bill, Percy, and Ron are tall and thin and that Charlie, Fred, and George are short and stocky. I guess it's easy to forget that when you have a couple of tall, weedy brunettes playing them for eight movies.

At least hair dye can fix the brunette problem. I just find it hard to believe, as awesome as these guys are (I followed them on Twitter for a while and they seemed really genuine and funny) that they couldn't find talented twins who weren't so dang lanky.

8. Sir Michael Gambon as Dumbledore
There were a lot of people pushing for Sir Peter O'Toole to replace Sir Richard Harris after his death. I guess you have to be knighted to play Dumbledore? What bothers me about Michael Gambon's performances is that he immediately took the whimsy out of it.

Also, I don't think Gambon cares about the role. I mean at all. When asked if he'd read the books, Gambon said  there was “No point in reading the books because you’re playing with [screenwriter] Steve Kloves’words.” When he first signed on for the role he was quoted telling an interviewer 

"I just play him as myself, I don’t ease myself into any role really. I stick a beard on and play me. Every part I play is just a variant of my own personality. No real character actor, of course, just me."

While I can't find the quote for you, I remember reading a couple years back that Gambon thought Dumbledore was a what-you-see-is-what-you-get character. He obviously has no respect for what he is playing and it shows in his performance. Dumbledore is wise, temperate, compassionate, quirky, and yet powerful. If you read the books you know that he also carries a lot of guilt over his friend Grindewald and that he burdens himself with Voldemort as well. If you watch Gambon you get that he's old, smart, and yells an awful lot. I think that a good  Dumbledore would save yelling for 1 (and only one) moment over the span of the whole series.

Michael Gambon is a great actor. I liked him in Layer Cake. I just don't think he gives a damn about Harry Potter. He's collecting a paycheck and it shows. Seeing how I adore Harry Potter, how I've made a lot of great friends through the common interest, and how many of my pre-college achievements were made because of my involvement in the Library because of Potter... it does make me pretty mad that he can be so disrespectful of the material that so many millions love.

7. Stanislav Ianevski as Viktor Krum
Viktor Krum is supposed to be tall, awkward on his feet, with a hawk-like appearance. He is supposed to have a big, hook nose. I feel like the casting director read that he's Bulgarian and that girls are jealous of Hermione for dating him and then just threw away the rest of it.

Ianevski is broad-shouldered and very conventionally good-looking. He's no Viktor Krum.

6.  Robbie Jarvis as Young James Potter
James and Harry are supposed to be nearly identical, except for the eyes. With so little face time in the film, why couldn't they go on a D-Rad look-alike hunt? The guy would barely have to be able to act and they could coach the accent for the one, weirdly edited line he had anyway. Why did they just cast a skinny kid with obviously brown hair when they could have easily found a closer likeness?

5. Bill Nighy as Rufus Scrimgeour
I really do adore Bill Nighy. He's amazing. But he's no Scrimgeour. Scrimgeour is supposed to look like a lion and Bill Nighy most certainly does not. Were Sean Connery and Sir Christopher Lee not available?

4. Dave Legeno as Fenrir Greyback
This one is really bad. A werewolf who is at least a generation older than Remus, and they cast an actor who is the same age but looking younger for his age? Why did they cast a wrestler? They should have a creepy, skinny, crazy-looking older man. I understand that werewolves and wizards may age slower, but then why does Remus look fifty?!?

3. Helen McCrory as Narcissa Malfoy
This is one of those castings that I think changes the character. Narcissa is supposed to be blonde, blonde, blonde, and very delicate and sharp-featured. She's supposed to be young and beautiful, suggesting that she was a prissy, rich, young bride. Instead they cast the woman they wanted to use as Bellatrix. WRONG! And they didn't even make her totally blonde!

Rumors circulated that Naomi Watts got the role. She would have been perfect! Narcissa is supposed to be the sister who looks the least like her siblings. She's the little Black family princess. Why did they cast Helen McRory? Why are all of the adults in this series at least 10 years too old?

2. David Thewlis as Remus Lupin
I'm going to settle this once and for all. Harry's parents were 21 when they died. It says so in The Deathly Hallows and they could have asked JK Rowling if they were curious. That means that in Deathly Hallows, Remus, Snape, and Peter should have been 37. David Thewlis is 48.

Remus was supposed to have sandy hair (that slightly obscured the fact that he was going prematurely grey) and be in his mid thirties for this series. They cast a man in his (then) mid-forties with dark hair. Now he just looks like he's going seriously grey.

*bang head on desk* They messed up the whole generation. I guess my problem really extends far beyond Remus here.

1. Gary Oldman as Sirius Black
I love Gary Oldman. He's a great actor. Now that this disclaimer is out of the way... WHAT? WHAT! WHY? Sirius is supposed to be the good-looking bad boy. A tall, good-looking bad boy. Gary Oldman is 5'9" (below average height for a caucasian male) with a weak chin and is 5 years older than even David Thewlis.

MissVarlou on DeviantArt

Ok, so prison aged him. Did prison shrink him?

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10 Best Cast Characters in the Harry Potter Movies

Another casting countdown. Over the years I've griped and cheered about casting in the adaptation of my favourite book series. Now, as it is coming to an end and we've met all the cast there is to see, I finally put my thoughts on paper... well... on paper if any of you decide to print this post.

The 10 Best Cast Characters in the Harry Potter Movies

(And don't tell me I forgot Alan Rickman. As fabulous as he is, he's wayyyy too old for the role)

10. Sir Richard Harris as Dumbledore

It's really sad that the knighted actor only got to complete 2 films (and he had a double for the second in many places) because he was the perfect Dumbledore. Harris had a sort of whimsy in his Dumbledore-- fitting of a man who likes ten pin bowling and wears purple robes-- and a respect for the character.

He was pressured into accepting the role by his granddaughter, and I'm glad for it. Richard Harris lost his life in 2002 to Hodgkin's Disease at the age of 72.

9. Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy

When they first cast Isaacs, I had a "whaaaat?" moment, because I forgot about things like hair dye. Once I saw him in the costume, I was sold. Isaacs has the sharp nose and the cold blue eyes, but most importantly, he has a silky, sophisticated, menace about everything he does. Isaacs is one of those actors who will always be remembered for his villians.

8. Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort

It seems like an odd choice to cast a man with a larger-than-normal nose as the one character in the book who doesn't have a nose, but CG can do wondrous things these days. Ralph Fiennes was a brilliant choice for the big bad Voldemort because he is a smart, dedicated actor who knows not to take a role in a "children's movie" lightly.

I clearly remember a post Order of the Phoenix interview where Fiennes discussed the particular madness of a man as evil as Voldemort. It would be easy to just play evil, menacing, snarly man. It would be boring. Ralph Fiennes is a great Voldemort for the same reason that Heath Ledger was a brilliant joker. He broke up his script and found strikingly different levels. He snapped between calm and calculating, maniacal and gleeful, and screaming rage like a true psychopath.

Nearly anyone could shave their head and don the makeup to look like Voldemort. His snake nose and bald head are pretty iconic. Fiennes knew that to act like Voldemort, he couldn't just tale the role lightly. He had to embrace it.

7. Julie Walters as Mrs. Weasley

Julie Walters has crinkled brown eyes that show genuine warmth with every smile. She screams motherly affection. And she's a real ginger!

Of course, Molly Weasley is the mother of six rowdy boys, and Julie Walters has the right presence to believably keep six boys and Ginny Weasley in line. When she snaps to scolding, we all turn our heads to check for our mothers. When she fawns over Harry, we all can almost imagine the smell of that dinner in the oven.

Presence. Sincerity. Warmth. Julie Walters is a perfect Molly Weasley.

6. Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody

Brendan Gleeson kind of reminds me of one of those dogs with the muscly shoulders. He looks like a pug or a pitbull. Maybe he's capable of warmth and affection, but he's much better at scowling and scaring off cats. 

The same goes for Mad-Eye Moody.

Gleeson is a revered, talented actor. Like Ralph Fiennes, he didn't say "Kid movie!" and slack off. He's committed to making sure that Mad-Eye is the same gonzo, paranoid guy he is in the books. He looks the part and he plays it well.

5. Natalia Tena as Nymphadora Tonks

The right age, the right look, and my God, her voice is wicked cool.

4. Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid

He's like a big furry teddy bear. Robbie Coltrane is another one of those actors who has a genuine soul that exudes warmth. Sure, I've seen him play mean and menacing, but he's so lovable as the simple half-giant.

Coltrane has been with the series for all eight movies, but he never seems tired of the role. He has kept up his commitment to the character. It's a good thing. I think he'd have to look over his shoulder for an angry Dianne Rowling if he butchered her favourite character. I think Hagrid might not have survived the Battle of Hogwarts if JK Rowling hadn't feared that very same thing.

3. Dame Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall

The fact that she has been Knighted should tell you that her acting ability is not in question. Maggie Smith has a tendency to be cast as stern women (I first saw her as a strict nun in Sister Act). She continued the type with the no-nonsense McGonagall.

It's easy enough to be a tight-haired teacher. Maggie Smith was sure, from the start, to make sure that McGonagall showed hints of compassion through her tough exterior.

2. Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix is crazy, dark, and evil. Who better to play her than Tim Burton's baby mama? When Helen McCrory dropped the role due to her pregnancy and Carter filled in, I was ecstatic. Voldemort is the big baddie of the Harry Potter series, but I would rather be locked in a room with him than Bellatrix Lestrange.

Carter actually managed to make her character more maniacal and bipolar than Voldemort. Combine that with her frizzy hair, unusual beauty, and big dark eyes and you have one absolutely spot-on casting for the role.

1. Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood

When I first saw photos of Luna I thought that she looked freakily like a younger version of my room mate.

Then I saw this video. She IS Luna. Rather than talk about it, I'll just let you watch it.

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JK Rowling: Pioneering New Media

Readers of Harry Potter were excited to hear JK Rowling's YouTube announcement this morning about Pottermore, the site that has been teasing fans for a week. For a while, all we had were a few screen-captures of bookshelves and  a chess board, and now we have just enough to know that whatever this is, it's going to be epic.

I'm writing about this because of the eBook angle. I have become a huge fan and proponent of eBooks over the last couple of years. The publishing company I have started to help build has been exploring ways to expand the multi-media experience with iPad apps and uniquely formatted stories. I am thrilled to see JK Rowling leaping on board the internet-express and helping to break new ground.

Pottermore is more than just a place to buy The Sorcerer's Stone for your eReader. Pottermore, though still largely undefined, is going to be a place for an interactive, Harry Potter reading experience. There will be art (hells yeah!), guest appearances, and Quidditch games. You will be able to create yourself within the Harry Potter World. JK Rowling has promised to share new information she has been "hoarding" from fans.

What down side do I see to this? Sony is hosting it. Considering all that happened with rootkit and the April and June hacks, I'm worried about the security of the site. Harry Potter is perhaps the biggest bullseye in the world when you are trying to make a statement. While print releases of Harry Potter books have had amazing security (threats of jail for anyone who smuggled out text before release), Anonymous still hates Sony, their security, and their policies that drive them to sue someone from modding their home console.

And then another concern comes to mind from Sony's involvement. Sony is way behind in the eReader race. The low price of their reader doesn't seem to keep them ahead of the Kindle and the Nook and there's just no competing with Steve Jobs and Apple's amazing product line. I was selling Sony Readers at Target long before I heard of the Kindle, but I think I sold two a year. I know someone with a reader, but when I see someone reading eBooks at the airport, it's on a Kindle or an iPad. Does Sony's involvement mean that they get exclusive eBook rights?

There is still a lot of uncertainty about this announcement, which you can watch for yourself. One thing is sure, I will be online on July 31, hoping to get in early.

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Hermione Granger vs Bella Swan

 

No disrespect meant to Twilight fans, but my idol totally kicked your idol's butt. :)

This is an ode to Hermione Granger. This blog didn't feel like mine without a little Harry Potter praise.

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