Obscure beats are a sign of the rain.

Well hello there.  =]

I'll open with the now-obligatory 'It's been a while, internet!'. I just find it so hard to keep up with everything lately. =3

So what's been happening to me since the last time I blogged? *checks last blog*

I've been very busy, still working with Keep It Secret! to create all sorts of cool kawaii stuff. One of the most exciting things that has happened is this:

Keep It Secrets furry little mascot, Tanuki, has been made into a cuddly plushie!

I have to say, it's extremely humbling to have something I designed and created made into something physical like that, especially by such an awesome company. I've been working with Keep It Secret probably for around two years now, and i'm so very glad for all the help they've given me. I've had so much fun with them too. =]

Tanuki will soon be available to buy; I believe there will be a Limited Edition run, so if you're interested, better keep an eye out! I'll be posting on my facebook page when he'll be available, and any other updates.

Another exciting piece of Keep It Secret news is that for the past two months or so, I've been working with them and two other people; Tartan Kawaii, a lovely Super Kawaii Blogger, and another talented individual (whose personal name I won't mention, lol). But you can find his app page here.

We've all been working very hard to bring you this:

It's a game! Kawaii Dash is a fast paced race where Tanuki needs to get to the Post Box in time to mail your package! It's very addictive, and you can post your times up on Facebook and Twitter. If you get a fast enough time, you can even win physical prizes! When you share your times on social media, you're automatically entered into a monthly prize draw in which you could possibly win more Kawaii goodies! How cool is that?

Kawaii Dash is still in Beta, which is why we need people to test it! So if you have an android phone, please let us know what you think. (Obviously, the Beta version is still a work in progress, so no prizes will be sent out with this version, but eventually they will be, so get practicing!) =]

So that's Tanuki and Kawaii Dash! I've also done a few adverts for Keep It Secret which are published in NEO Magazine quite a lot.

So that's pretty awesome too. It's nice to be able to say i've been published in a magazine every month or so, haha. Definitely going in the right direction. =]

Okay, now, unrelated to Keep It Secret (although, they ARE great)...

I've been doing a little bit of work for local bands and venues. I did a couple of posters for a bar in Camborne, which I need to re-do this week for another gig. 

I also worked with a local pirate-themed band called Pirate Copy, who seem to be doing brilliantly at the moment. They asked me to create the artwork for their first EP; The Shape of Piracy to Come.

As much as I love drawing manga and kawaii illos, it was actually really fun and refreshing to draw something so different. I'd love to work with them again in the future. =3

I've also drawn a logo this month for the most lovely Stephanie Demelza B, who is a very talented fashion designer. She hasn't unveiled it herself yet though, and I never show anything until my clients do, so I'll wait until she does before I show you. I have to say though, I was quite pleased with it - one of my favourite little logo illos i've done. =D

I've also been trying my best to keep up with my own artwork. My personal life is very hectic right now, and since things aren't going too well for me on that side of things, it's good for me to vent it all through doodling and drawing.  Some of the most recent things i've done:

Hmmm, what else...?

Oh, I will be attending Exeter Comic Expo on the 1st this year. I'll be selling the usual things; prints, badges, bags and prints, but I thought that this time I might offer quick coloured Chibi portraits? It's going to be subject to how my arm feels around then, but I should be able to do it. =3

Oh, at this point I should probably explain what I mean by that. About a year and a half ago, my arm and wrist started hurting a lot whenever I used it. I got it checked out and I apparently have quite bad Repetitive Strain Injury and Tendonitis on my right hand. Obviously, this makes a big impact on my work; I can't complete commissions as fast as I used to since I need to rest my arm a lot, but nothing can stop me drawing so I'm powering through. =D 

So the main thing i'm working on now is getting more products to sell at Expos and online. I have an online shop: studiomoonlil.bigcartel.com if anyone is interested. =D

So I think that's it for now. Maybe next time i'll update this blog before the need arises for a mammoth update like this one, haha. 

I saw you in Heaven and learnt of your glory.

Konnichiwa!

Firstly, I apologise for falling off the face of the earth! I've been unbelievably busy lately. I now have two part time jobs; i'm still working at Wetherspoons, but now I work in a funky little milkshake shop! I have to say, i'm a lot less stressed out nowadays. Apart from when i'm worrying about my car! >_<

But enough about that. You want to hear what i've been doing since... the last blog post. April?! Wow, i've really been slack about this, haven't I?

Okay, so...

Since April last year... i've been working a lot more with Keep It Secret! I've really been enjoying working with them - I even attended a couple of Expos this year thanks to them. One was helping out on their stall selling Kawaii Gifts and Asian Candy, and the other was actually selling my own stuff! (I'll get to that in a minute though. =3)

Their mascot, Tanuki, is still going strong! Here's a pic.

Isn't he cute? I'll be drawing a lot more of Tanuki, which is awesome. ^_^ I've had a lot of fun working for KIS. =D

Also, this... last year just gone... I worked with Tony Haven again, doing the cover artwork and inside for his new album. It was a massive project! I think I remember mentioning it some time in April last year, it was that massive! But it was a lot of fun. Very challenging, and really good to do some things that I hadn't really pushed myself in before. I really feel like I got a lot out of this project, and it's definitely something I would like to do again. =D

You'll have to wait until March to see the finished project (I can't wait until it goes live!), but in the meantime, here's a sneaky peek:

I also did another EP cover for my friend, Roger Heathers. It wasn't as huge a project as Tony Haven's album, but it was still fun to do. =] You can download his EP for free on his Bandcamp!

Okay, so, what's this about selling at Expos, I hear you enthusiastically ask? WELL. It just so happened that I was asked by Fantasy Events to design a logo for the very first Plymouth Anime and Comic Expo! 

So, I did, and as a result, I got to exhibit my stuff on one of the stalls. I heard about it months in advance, which gave me enough time to get a lot of stock together. I now have badges, necklaces, prints and keyrings to sell! I even bought myself a screen printer for xmas, so very soon i'll have canvas bags, T Shirts, you name it. You can find them all at studiomoonlil.bigcartel.com. =D

 

There's actually another expo coming to Plymouth soon too! It's on the 28th of April, at the Copthorne Hotel again. The first one was so much fun, if you're a fan of comics or anime, you'll definitely want to catch it. You can find all the info on their event page, here!

One other bit of small(ish) news. I wasn't going to let anybody know yet incase it didn't go the way I want, but I figure since I have other things in the pipeline now that i'm holding very close to my chest, it won't matter if I let this little one slip. ;)

I've actually applied for The Prince's Trust, in the hopes of securing some kind of grant and advice to set up my own business. I have an interview on Valentine's Day to see if it's something I want to do, but they seem to think my business idea is something worth turning into a business. This is just one of the cards that I have on the table right now, so i'm not pinning too much on it, but it's definitely something to be hopeful about! 

So... to be honest, that's all I can think of for the time being. This is turning into a bit of a novel anyways, so i'll end it here. So... I hope you like the new site. This blog will definitely need a bit of updating - you can't actually get onto my website from here yet. It'll definitely get done, but i'm in need of a hot bubbly bath right now, so it'll have to wait. =]

In the meantime, check it out at www.moonlil.com for now, and let me know what you think! I love feedback on all my work; it lets me know that i'm heading in the right direction! 

To gift flowers to you.

Okay, okay, okay. It's been... like... almost three months since my last blog update. I've been busy okay?!

To be honest with you, I've been mostly busy with my part time job. It's taking up a lot of my life right now, so finding time to work on any art stuff, let alone my own projects, is becoming very difficult.

I'm getting there though, so don't worry. =D

What's to talk about?

I've been working closely with Keep It Secret over the last few months on designs for them to take to all the Anime/Manga/Comic book Expos all over the country.


They got on really well, and i'm glad they had a good time! They took some of my prints with them, and hopefully, fingers crossed, I will be doing an Expo on my own in September! (Hopefully, funds permitting!) Please have a shufty at some of my prints on keep-it-secret.co.uk and minkyshop.com to help me get there faster! =D

I've also been working on some of my own artwork, as and when I get the time. The idea I have is to find old pictures in frames in charity shops, and paint over them. When they're done, they'll all eventually be on sale, but I'm planning to find somewhere that will exhibit them before that. =]


Been going through a lot of my very old sketches from before I started Uni, and i'm surprised to find that a lot of them are actually useable! So i'll be trying to use a lot of them in the near future, if I can find the time.


I managed to do a little bit of colouring to some of them, but there aren't finished. =D


So... I guess that's all the goss... This month i'm hoping to get back on track with my drawing, i'm looking into getting all sorts of equipment to make badges, books, etc. so watch this space! I'm also redesigning my own website, working together with my friend Joe to start a web hosting business, Packet 3, and i'll be continuing with the commissions from Keep It Secret. I'll also be working with local musician, Tony Haven. =D Should be a busy month, may have to take holiday from work, methinks!

Oh! I also forgot to mention, I have new business cards!

Whenever you come home you light a little fire, a little fire barely enough to burn you.

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a good Xmas and New Year - it seems like ages ago now.

It also seems like it's been ages since I updated or did anything to my facebook page, but I assure you, behind the scenes I have been very busy. The commissions I've taken on over Xmas are coming along nicely - I should be finished with them both very soon.

However, I have made life harder by giving myself a lot of New Years' resolutions! I've been working as hard as I can at my part time job, but i've also started going to the gym. And on top of that, i've made a resolution to be more social, and less of a prickly cow, so i'm busy with socialising too. =3

I think i'm doing pretty well, but we'll have to see how long I keep it all up, lol.

Art wise, I have pretty much been working non-stop on a commission for Keep It Secret! which should be unveiled pretty soon. Here's a little preview!



I'm also trying my best to get some prints done and sent up to them pretty soon. I'm terrible at getting prints done, but i'm making some headway with these and they should be ready in the next week. =]

In between all the artwork, part time work, socialising and exercising, I have done a few little pieces for myself. I'd go absolutely mad otherwise. =3

I got a new calendar around New Year (as you do) and it's one with pictures of my favourite manga group, CLAMP. So as another little resolution, i've decided i'm going to do one Fan Art a month, depending on what the series is that month. I want to do this because I think it'll be a good way to be able to draw just for fun, and it's good practice for drawing anyways. This month is Gate 7 (google it, it's amazing!) so I drew a pic of the cute Hana.

And this is another little doodle I drew the other day while waiting patiently for my computer to keep up with saving a massive 6ft banner. I re-drew it in Illustrator, and i'm planning on colouring it as soon as I get a chance:



Now, you may or may not have noticed, but my website hasn't been up and running for a little while. That was because I was switching it over to a new server, which is part of another little project I will soon be working on. I won't tell you anymore for now, but watch this space! But you'll be pleased to know that moonlil.com is now back up and running. =D

Last but not least, i'll just direct your attention to a few Moonlet gigs coming up soon!

They'll be playing at Finn M'Couls in Falmouth, on the 15th of Febuary, and then The B-Bar in Plymouth on the 17th. I'd love to see you all there, especially in Plymouth! Please come on down to either if you're in the area; I guarantee an absolutely amazing time. =D

"In what manner should we have a dream?"

Okay, so what have I been doing recently?

Well, for a start, I was published in Paper Aquarium, an online magazine for creative types!

http://www.paperaquarium.com/RhiW.html

Every little bit of exposure helps! So feel free to share my site, blog, facebook, tumblr, twitter, etc. Thankyouplease!

In between the commissions i've been getting recently, I managed to do a bit of my own work.



I've been playing Final Fantasy 6 recently, which I believe is one of the most well known carriers of the Art of Yoshitaka Amano. I absolutely love Amano; it was actually his artwork that convinced me I wanted to become an illustator. If you get a chance, look him up. He also did artwork for series like Sandman and Vampire Hunter D.

Secondly, I met up with the lovely Charlotte and Mark of Keep It Secret a couple of weeks ago to talk Tanuki designs. I've been thinking up lots of different designs for Tanuki and the Keep it Secret look, which will be revealed hopefully very soon.

Also, I've finally finished doing Vinita's Lazy Afternoon! It took me a little while, but I finally got around to doing it, and Vinita loves it. =]

The new site now includes a shop, which is selling all her lovely boho and shabby chic gift cards, so do have a good old browse. =P

In the next couple of weeks i've got a few other commissions to work on. I have a private commission that i'm just finishing off now, which should be done in the next week or so. I also have other things to think about, like a logo for a hair salon and a website for another client. =]

And on top of that, i've just taken a second job! So I will be a very busy (and very, very tired) girlie from now on. My new job is at a restuarant, running the front, and learning a bit of the kitchen. I start tomorrow, so i'd better get off to bed.

Nighty night all!

P.S: Oh, and by the way, if you're looking for a unique xmas pressie, don't forget that my prints are available on Minkyshop.com and Keep-It-Secret.com! =D

I go to seek a Great Perhaps.

I'm going to stop beginning every entry with 'I apologise for leaving it so long', because I guess leaving it this long between each entry has become normal practice for me now, hehe.

Anyways, just a quick note to let you know i'm not dead. =]

I've been working on various things, one being Vinita Hemachandra's website:

www.vinitaslazyafternoon.com

Still need to finish up a few tweaks and get the shop up and running, but i'm getting there. =]

Mostly, i've been running up and down the length of Cornwall for Moonlet and the Love-monk gigs, all the way from Penzance to Saltash. Speaking of which, they have a gig coming up next friday if you're in the St Austell area:



Opens at 8 - Free Entry! You can see an amazing gig for free! What a bargain. =] Do stop and say hi if you're around.

I've been working with Keep It Secret! lately too on their brand new mascot; Tanuki!

He was unveiled in this months Neo magazine, and you'll be seeing a lot more of him next year! He's already got his Xmas thing going on. =P

So other than drawing Tanuki and finishing my other private commissions, I've been coming up with all different gifts and bits and bobs ready to sell. I've been raiding Ebay for all sorts of cute accessories, so watch this space! I have some exciting plans with me bezzie mate Vee Dunstan that will start coming into effect after the New Year. I'm looking forwards to it. =3

And lastly, i've been playing with inks again. This keeps telling me it's a work in progress, but I don't know when i'll ever have time to finish it:


Now, i'll leave you with a cool little link:

Bella's Beautiful Beads, as the name suggests, do really, really beautiful jewellery. I bought some butterfly earrings and I wear them everyday, they're just so pretty. I can't wait for Xmas so I can get this pink butterfly necklace:

I was so happy when you smiled.

Again, i've left it ages between entries. I'm sorry, i'm a very busy girlie nowadays. =]

I guess the first and biggest news is that my artwork is now for sale on two amazing websites!

The very lovely Minkyshop.com and Keep It Secret are now seeling my artwork in their gallery pages! Check out their sites, they both have really awesome stuff. For example, I recieved my Panda Earmuffs in the post this morning, ready for the snow we're apparently meant to get next week!



So i'm all set with my Panda Hat (which some of you have probably seen me wear recently, lol) and my Earmuffs.

(For those who don't know and Xmas present research; I like Pandas.)

And speaking of Xmas presents, wouldn't a print makea spectacular one?

Haha, I know, I know, shameless plugging.

Anyways, the next order of business is one I wanted to post in my last entry, but due to some annoying hiccups, I wasn't able to.

Moonlet and the Love-monks have a new EP out! It's called The Likes of David Bryant (not a reference to an actual person!) and it's now available on iTunes.


Just search for Moonlet and the Love-monks on iTunes and i'm sure you'll find it.

In other news, I have a new Tumblr account: ukiyobutterfly.tumblr.com

It'll mostly be for personal, everyday stuff that I enjoy; books i'm reading, anime, manga, music, moods, that sort of thing, but every now and then I may post doodles and sketches that I probably won't be posting on here or facebook, so do check it out. I hope I don't bore you too much. I do have another personal blog on another site, but it's private, so this is my public equivalent. It's where i'll put all the things that i'm fine with the whole world knowing. =]

So, things i'm working on right now:

Well, i'm still working on Vinita Hemachandra's site. I've got a rough design down, and it's just changing a few things and getting on to actually building the site now.

I've also got some little favours for friends I need to get on with. They involve a logo and a cake design. Diverse. =3

Apart from that, my days have consisted of getting my prints in stock ready to send, and working. I'm thinking about re-doing Moonlil.com at some point too, so watch this space. =D