suan-cat - Lolita Beauties

I know it might seem like a lot of the recent posts are for single pics vice my usual preference of sequential projects...it's just that longer commissions generally take a little longer to produce....and there have been a number of amazing opportunities to work with a veritable slew of new and talented artists (new to me....I'm well aware that many have been around longer than me).

Soooo, I hope you won't mind the occasional artistic interludes featuring something often very different than what's normally featured on the site.

I was introduced to suan-cat a little while back by cobalt_k.  She's got a very unique and beautiful style - and I was more than happy to commission two portraits from her...and I think I'll probably have to order a few more in the future - these came out so incredibly well!

2,000,000 Views...Wow! (and poll notes)

Well, quite the wild ride here...

(well...maybe you had to be where "here" is....)

That said, thanks for the views - I'm not sure what it buys me, but it's been fun - comments have certainly picked up from when I started - hope to keep getting more feedback - it's a combination of affirmation (in some sad way ;p) and acknowledgement.

Soooo, I think I missed it last year due to deployment, but looking at our quasi-tradition - why not continue it this year.

Please vote in my little polls on the side and give me something aim for - and I'll see what I can do.  Comments here will certainly help too.

Have a good one.

Solios - Cocktail Hour

Always looking for more renditions of my OCs - and invariably I need to run them by Solios...if I didn't actually start the design with him of course ;p  More importantly, I'm running up a larger concept idea with him - and I want to have established designs down for certain things first.

Always like to see how a different artist portrays my characters - some work better than others - it's definitely a different look for Candy, but not necessarily a bad one.  At this point in the process, I'm really not sure if I would have been better off with a more defined look for Mistress Arianna at the very start - but as my goal has always been to set her outside of time and space (a little - given her appearances), I think the flexibility works better and allows more options for the artists.

Now the setting definitely worked out beautifully!

Weekly Update

Well, still waiting on a few projects expected in soon - but that said, check out the Pending Commissions tab on the left.  I've got a lot more projects on tap now from a bunch of new artists as well as more from some of the more familiar folks.

I can tell you that we'll be seeing some great variety here - I mean sure there'll be a few sequences of my usual types - but coming from brand new artists - as well as some wildly new concepts and portrayals.  I'm sure looking forward to them.

That said...if you've only picked up Cluedog's most recent project through the donation project - you're doing yourself a disservice - there are some great projects there from a number of other artists and I can heartily recommend them all.  More importantly - any donation supports the creation of more art for this site as well as a portion of every donation going right back to the artists.

Jitensha - Sketch Collection

Top artist Jitensha had herself a little Sketch Off this week and I had to take advantage of it.  A great opportunity to get some more visualizations of some characters.

We'll start off with the always-fashionable Mistress Arianna.

Art Contest Update

Just a reminder for all the artists out there - about 3 months left in the 6th Art Contest for the site.

Please check out the details here - and have a great Thanksgiving weekend!

zdemian - A Candid Portrait

Been meaning to do this for quite some time.  Finally snagged the opportunity to work with the master of "big" - zdemian.

In this image, we see Mistress Arianna in an earlier time and place - assisting a young woman of the court with a new dress.  Truly a beautiful professional.

Cluedog - Chapagne Wishes - the Conclusion

We finally come to the end of this massive undertaking.  Portrayed beautifully by Cluedog - a labor of love.

Thanks for the support that allows us to bring projects like this to you.

Cluedog - Champagne Wishes part 5

Resuming our posting of Cluedog's "Champagne Wishes".

Cluedog - Champagne Wishes part 4

Probably the last post for the weekend.

Happy Veterans Day / Armistice Day / Remembrance Day!  Thank someone who served!

Cluedog - Champagne Wishes part 3

Images 25-43 of Cluedog's Champagne Wishes!

Cluedog - Champagne Wishes part 2

Continuing our posting project of Cluedog's "Champagne Wishes."

Cluedog - Champagne Wishes part 1

 Keeping the tradition, now that Cluedog's newest project has been listed, I'll be posting the previous project - Champagne Wishes - in full here on the site (I think we'll go with 10-15 pics/day).

Enjoy!

Election Day 2012

Well....election day here in the US.  I voted last month - my county does mail-in ballots for absentee voting AND normal voting - but I got an early ballot due to being out of town for training.

Frankly, I'm well aware that I'm part of a tiny minority in this "community", but my thoughts on the incumbent are not suitable for polite conversation (or this blog). 

That said, this is an apolitical blog - so just for the sake of equal coverage, I'll direct your eyes towards this little piece from Engineskye I commissioned two years ago.

Part 1

and

Part 2

This commission was a lot of fun - thought about doing something similar this year, but just never worked it out....even considered an art contest, but we know how well those tend to turn out.

Will continue with some special art posting tomorrow.

Donation Art Update - Common Courtesy

I am extremely happy to present a new donation project by Cluedog.  This one has been a long time coming but I think you will agree with me that it is more than worth the wait.

The natural follow-up to the beautiful set of sequences by our guest artists this past week - Mistress Arianna occasionally reliant on public transportation finds herself waiting for an overdue bus.  All the stress of a long day has accumulated and the blatant rudeness and disrespect around her is just too much.... 

On a side note - with the sheer size of this project (over 100 images) - I am upping the price slightly to $7.50, but a full 1/3 of this will be going to the original artist.  Thanks for your support!