the day I got very unhappy

Irene said today something that does make a lot of sense: "Seems you got a defect one." Yeah o_o.... my Cintiq. Is gone.

I struggled two days. Really. But the problems kept piling up. For some people like Lew it might be minor, for me it was a horror. Minor horror but enough to drive me crazy.

The offset effect: happens when the arrow on the image wobbles something like 0.5 mm to 2 mm behind your actual stroke. In my case it rather felt like 2 mm and it sucked so much. I wasn't even sure if my curves were correct because I had to wait to see the result. Arg.... argggggg!!!! Arg!
If I want to paint slower I install everything on my old pc. Slow computer is slow. Expensive Cintiq is slow as well. Argggggg!

The other problem was the zoom. It looked like everything over and under 100% looked a bit blurred. Minor problem but since I have to make sure I see exactly what I paint it was a bit odd. And I normally zoom in and out a lot because I regulary paint at least double the size needed and sharpen in final size to tickle out some more details. I guess it's a syn problem of Photoshop and Cintiq but hell, the thing is meant to be made for Photoshop.
Uncool. and again: I'm so used to my beloved eizo screen who's not making funny blur-whatever-where's-mah-line-problems.

The other problems are things I created on my own and obviously because I wasn't used to it (like tendo, neck cramps and "the color gradients do not look like on my Eizo.. of course not, the Eizo grabs 92% of Adobe colours... unbreakable record so far). The upper two major problems where enough to send it back already. I have to admit the Cintiq IS really nice. But I'm not able to work as fast as I want. And the Intuos is my little darling making the fast work happen a lot.
And I'm in the middle of two bigger and some smaller jobs and I can't afford the whole "Argggg, slow arrow keeps being slow!".

We tested everything, I calibrated like an idiot again and again, the adapter worked fine so I think I got a major problem with a real lemon. Again: ARFFF!

*cuddling my trustworthy Intuos 3*
and now you can make some headdesks, call me an idiot and laugh about technical fails.

thoughts about contests

I personally hold contests, when I send out gimmicks...
because it's nice to know somebody put effort in getting those for free. It's .. okay- I guess.

What is not okay is that case:
Instead of commissioning somebody the company/whatever makes a contest. Create our logo/create our website/create XY and you'll be given credit.
And some people freak out, go like aww and forget the fact that they do work for free that is supposed to be actually PAYED.
I *believe* there are some contests where you can bend that and say it might be okay. But normally it's not. I don't want to work for free for company XY just because they are cool. Or big. Or popular. Because I won't be able to pay my bills and have to work for getting credit.
Lew linked me something that might explain it a bit better:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3514540/workforfree.jpg

I got a lot of mails with "I love you work, want to join our contest?". Er... thanks for the compliment, but no!? If you love my work and want goodies, send a proper request and I'll send you a price and than we can talk.

I know it's hard in the beginning to get good jobs. And good paying customers. Actually I needed .. uh... 5 years to get both. That might be a long time but I never participated in any "creative work for credit" contest, never worked my ass off for free and always - well, in the beginning mostly- knew how to pay my bills. I even sold tickets but you know what? I got payed for it.
A lot of people achieve that goal faster, a lot don't even come close to it. But keep your head high and don't feed the greedy monsters out there who don't want to pay for a job.

Nerd-Entry ... for nerds

Cintiq 21UX... I has it! I know it's like men with cars or girl with shoes... showing off. But yesh, I finally got it (DHL-Shipping was a horror trip). It's very nerdy to post pics but like Lew said: mutual orgasm to look at it.

And sheesh, that thing is HUGE. The white paper is A4. I hope I'll see my screen when that thing is in front.

Eeep... The Intuos has to move. I guess at least Lew will be happy (maybe) about getting that one for work.

I just hope I won't melt off in summer again. o_o

Before I forget: I saved up for it, I worked for it and I know I spend every bloody Cent I paid with sweating over illustrations. So yeah... no whining or weirdo mails why I can afford it, plz.
The world needs more greatly payed jobs. We all know that.

Last year's japanese themed wedding card

Ainhoa, the bride, mailed me a photo of the wedding card I did for her and her husband last year. It turned out exactly like we planned it and the printed cards are awesome. I'm happy they loved it.

Waiting for a Cintiq

... is the time, when minutes turn into hours again. Like in school, when you wanted to get out and play instead of listening to your teacher.

I'm currently stalking the street and DHL-tracking for my Cintiq 21UX.
Oh yesss..... the decision to spend 2k for 1 Cintiq was pretty hard. But it was even harder to actually get one. Gossip spread that shop XY actually had 4 (of course for the highest price... *rolls eyes* ). The other shops had nada, zero, null, non, whatever you call it.
I'm still stalking the street. And pray it arrives soon.
And I hope it makes a bit of my current work faster. Not easier, faster would be enough. Colorating comic pages with my Intuos is totally okay but after a while my arm gets sore.
And because it's so annoying and so excited- Happy 1 year comic making to meheeee.

I should add that I stopped because I thought I was too stupid to do those. And bad. And that my ideas weren't made for comics. And it's partially true. I still find it really hard to squeeze everything in a limited amount of panels. I can't stretch everything into epic 30 pages. I have only 1. And that one can become so small when you have big ideas.
But i guess everybody fights with those problems. ;)

Hantje & Tretel- month 9

Hantje's favourite toys are actually... bags. The swishier the better. I think she developed a very independent style in fashion.

Tretel got... bigger. and he has so pretty multicoloured eyes. Though he looks mean most of the times he's a dedicated cuddle-cat. I love his nose... looks like somebody wanted to turn him into a comic with that black outline :D

... you can see the difference. 9 months now, some more growing to wait for. I hope Tretel will stop soon or else he's squash Hantje when they play. Right now she doesn't have a chance once he got her. :/ Oh well... tiny kitty is tiny.

Stalked