DOING FINALS

WILL FINISH IMPORTANT BUSINESS LATER

DON'T KILL ME

I love you guys

now back to life

People write me all the time on how to be a great artist and I figured that I would finally answer instead of delaying it constantly. So here are some tips on how to improve.

These are legit. They helped me so they will help you as well.

1. Steal People's Work
I'm pretty sure you have a lot of favorite artists that are popular as well. Download their artwork and upload in your account. And because the majority of the internet is stupid, say that it's yours. Who's gonna know? The chances of you getting caught is very slim. But on the chances that you do get caught, deny that you stole it. Create an army and tell your minions to give that person hate spam. And don't forget to write in your journal that everything you post is from you. This will definitely increase your popularity.

2. Find a Style and Stick to It
Who cares about knowledge and construction and improvement? No one does. All you need to succeed is finding a new style and using it forever. Just make up one and never change. Never improve. Learning new art styles and being constantly influenced are for talentless hacks. You don't need that to succeed.

3. Don't Ever Accept Criticism
Your artwork is perfect and you don't need to change a thing. Who do these people think they are, offering you critiques? You are perfect and you shouldn't take that. If somebody critiques you on your artwork, report them. It pisses me off when I scroll through my work and I see comments like "Her construction looks flat" and "Her feet are weird" and the WORST one "why is she a Homestuck and dragon with boobs?" UGGGHH I hate those. I hate criticism and no one should have that. Don't ever let anyone critique you.

4. Be Friends Only With Famous People
Drop your old friends. They are losers and will never help you succeed. Fame is more important. Fame will get you money, obnoxious fans, and tables at conventions. What will your old friends give you? Compassion? Love? Support? Fuck that shit. If you want something to give you love and compassion, buy an iPad hahahaha. But seriously you need to be friends with online popular people only. Send famous people notes every day until they finally respond. Don't stop until they watch you, fav your work, and consider you their best friends. They might block you, but you can just create another account to continue friending them. They love the abuse.

5. You Hate Someone's Work. Tell Them That
Their artwork sucks and they should know that. Have you ever looked at someone's work and felt so angry with their million views, great feedback, and many shares that you just wanna go bat shit crazy? Tell them that. I would recommend sending them comments like "I HATE YOU GET CANCER" or "YOUR WORK IS SHIT" or "YOU COPIED FROM [whoever, it doesn't matter who haha]". Start a flame war until it dominates the comment section. This will also increase your popularity and that's very important.

6. Requests, and Commissions
Ask your favorite artists for requests to draw your characters or anything you want. They have so much time on their hands and will totally draw for you. They tell you they have no time and need money? Bullshit!! Artists can draw in 5 seconds and have no life. Just like you! And money? Artists don't need more money. This is a great economy I bet they're making millions of money. And don't forget to ask them to give you money as well. Internet isn't gonna pay for itself.

7. Get Programs
When I was using MS Paint, I was drawing like this
But since I spend over $1,000 on Photoshop and tablet, I now draw like this
Practice and hard work doesn't make you a better artist. Who has the time for that? We wanna be better now! Just buy (or download) good programs that popular artists use and you'll magically improve. It's obviously the tools that make you a great artist.

And that concludes my post. I hope you will all follow my advise and become wonderful artists

just like me

COMMISSIONS ARE NOT BEING CANCELLED

They are being put on hold for this month since I'm doing the Sketch-a-Day February challenge.

By March I really want to finish them before I ask for more from Tumblr.

Don't give up on me! I'm not gonna delay them... like Ubisoft

Also sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry they are coming sorry sorry sorry sorry

[link]

Ubisoft!! Just release it now!! You have the discs all ready!!

Then make it available for the other consoles later!! Why do we have to wait more!!

AHHHCCKK

Update

Even the developers are upset. I don't blame them.

[link]

Ubisoft "apologizes"

[link]

I don't think Ubisoft gets the point...

Would petitions help?

I've heard of change.org but does it really help? I'm just worried that even if they reach the right amount of signatures, Ubisoft will still ignore it. How much power do those petitions have?

Well if you want there's a petition to help keep the original date release---> [link]

I can't sign it because it keeps refreshing and messing me up.

....Seriously do they really help?

All you Wii U people, or Ex-Wii U people, are missing out. It's really fantastic!

I really enjoyed the first one obviously. I still can't believe I discovered Rayman Origins so late. Usually something this amazing and cartoony wouldn't go past me. Seriously my friends were making fanart of that (I thought they were amazing original designs??). Ugghh I'll still never forgive myself for that...

I love the artistic look of Legends so far! And the gameplay of course! I hope they have those really difficult speed run levels like the chest chase. Those are my favorite.

The look is a bit different and a part of me wishes they kept the Origins look but that's just me being too nit-picky. It's way beautiful and it shows the artists are really experimenting.

And I'm really loving the character Barbara the Barbarian! People complain that she's too "How to Train Your Dragon" look, which is completely bizarre to me. They're different styles in my opinion.

I got to play as Murfy (who looks adorable) and it's not so bad as everyone thinks.  Granted you're not punching anyone but you can still do other enjoyable things as him. But I'll need to play with someone else to have double the fun experience @_@

I think my most favorite from the Demo is the Castle Rock. I think adding a music themed level was genius. It gives me a better feeling than Guitar Hero where I'm just playing plastic like a douchebag.

But I swear if they don't have the Land of the Livid Dead music level in the actual game, I will go insane. The remix is wonderful!

Definitely gonna pre-order this game, and I've never pre-ordered anything before.

Ahhh I just can't over how amazing the visuals are. If Rayman has another show with that art style, I would be all over it. Definitely found another inspiration for the year~

HOW DID I MISS RAYMAN ORIGINS?!?!?!? ARRGGHHHH

Will return next year~

1. Finish 1 essay (5-7 pgs)

2. Finish 9 films reviews

3. Finish animation test

4. Start and finish animatic

5. Yell at Adobe Premiere

6. Get music and sound effects for animatic

7. Finish background for animation scene

8. Print pictures for my hardcover portfolio

9. Finish designs for project in Senior Project class

10. Finish Biology quiz

11. Take Biology test

12. Take Biology Final

13. Finish special project for Christmas

14. Finish commissions

15. Apologize for late commissions

16. Cry about late commissions

17. Send storyboards for Storyboard Dreamworks Critic

18. Get embarrassed in the Storyboard Dreamworks Critic for pitching it

19. Prepare for Christmas gifts Forget it. I'll just cry instead

20. Sleep

21. Die

I'M NEARLY DONE HORRAY I'm dead :C

I'm pitch my storyboards in front of professional artists at my university on Thursday night.

Is it normal that I'm not nervous? Maybe I'm not thinking about it to clearly.

Maybe it's because that I work with a boss who critiques me all the time and is hard on me.

Or maybe I already know the outcome of the whole scenario. I definitely doubt the Dreamworks crew will like me. That doesn't mean I don't care. I do try my best for any audience. But in my mind it's like "I know I'm gonna look like an idiot so I might as well try my best and smile. Dreamworks may not like me but oh well"

Did I mention it's finals weeks and I'm freaking out? Maybe that's the case. It's not just one thing I have to worry about. I have other assignments to finish and I don't have the time to focus entirely on one.

I don't know I'm just so tired....

1. Finish 1 essay (5-7 pgs)

2. Finish 9 films reviews

3. Finish animation test

4. Start and finish animatic

5. Yell at Adobe Premiere

6. Get music and sound effects for animatic

7. Finish background for animation scene

8. Print pictures for my hardcover portfolio

9. Finish designs for project in Senior Project class

10. Finish Biology quiz

11. Take Biology test

12. Take Biology Final

13. Finish special project for Christmas

14. Finish commissions

15. Apologize for late commissions

16. Cry about late commissions

17. Send storyboards for Storyboard Dreamworks Critic

18. Get embarrassed in the Storyboard Dreamworks Critic for pitching it

19. Prepare for Christmas gifts

20. Sleep

21. Die

~~~

So yes I have a bit of work to do. I'm going to be motivated by some famous quotes.

"You won't get anything done by planning" ~ Karl Pilkington

...wait

It was a fun weekend and I'm glad I got to go inside, free of charge, just to help John and the crew demonstrate how Toon Boom works!

I walked around and met some wonderful friends. I finally met the wonderful twins Eli and Oli, who are adorable and I can't get enough of them. I wish I hung with them more.

I even met friends that I'd thought I would see. My high school animator teacher, my professor from Animation I John McIntyre (artist from Powerpuff Girls, Dextar's Lab, Flapjack), my friends from high school or friends that I have know for ages.

I also got to meet my heroes Katie Rice and Gabe Swarr. I was incredibly nervous but they were sweet and funny. I couldn't face other amazing artists like Pascal Campion and Britney Lee so I'm really glad I got the courage to meet those two.

I also made new friends who enjoyed my work. Sorry to those if I seemed busy or spazzed out. I'm very weird and I was probably in the zone that time on Toon Boom.

Sarah Harkey animated, John Kedzie edited, I inked layouts and failed and then tried again because I was nervous with the people watching. We all shook hands with new people and exchanged business cards. Jim Smith animated, sold his sketchbooks, and signed autographs. John K did some sketch commissions, caricatures, took picture with the fans, reviewed portfolios, and drunk Pepsi to refuel himself.

John K gave a great presentation about cartoons and Toon Boom on Saturday. Then at night, Jim Smith and I hung out with our good friends Pez (the lead artist of the Ricky Gervais Show, my favorite cartoon) and Mark. Then John Kedzie and Sarah joined, and we all drank, danced, chatted, and doodled.

And then I crashed this morning because I was too exhausted and didn't want to look dead the next day. So I'm hoping Sunday went great. I'm sure it did.

So it was a great experience and I'm looking forward to coming next year, with new plans probably...

And now it's back to work.... Sighhh

Just read John K's blog and got a response from him.

[link]

It looks like I will be attending the CTN Animation Expo for the first time. But I'll also be at a table with John and the rest of the Cans Crew.

More details later but I am very excited~ C=

Hey guys!

John K let me borrow his 12wx Wacom Cintiq to try again at my Windows 7 laptop.

But it's still giving me trouble with the "No sync go to sleep" issue.

I have a VGA port but do you guys think I could need a better one? I don't mind buying another. They're really cheap.

Or is there anything I could do? I could really use some help.

Edit: NEVERMIND I found the problem. John gave me the DVI/DVI cable (since he has a Mac) and I used a VGA/DVI port to connect it with my laptop. Long story short, I bought a DVI/VGA cable and now I have a surprise for you guys~

[link] [link] [link] [link] [link] [link]
Pretty please?

Also buy more t-shirts made by my good friend Nico

[link] [link] [link] [link]

Okay back to working while watching FMA: Brotherhood

Thank you all for the sweet birthday comments! I had over 50 comments from you guys hot damn!

I was really sick yesterday with the flu but you all made me so happy with your sweet gifts and comments.

I just hope I replied to everyone O_O

So even though I was sick on my birthday, at least I was with my family, I had delicious Peruvian chicken, and I got to spend the night with my cat, who is all better and cheery now! Also I had chocolate cake that made me nauseous with its deliciousness.

Thank you all!

I love you guys~

EDIT: Look at all those sweet gifts before I explode.






I think there's a couple more so please link me if I'm forgetting anyone~

You guys!!~

Alright back to work

I received my first Daily Deviation with this image

I was very proud of it but this was completely unexpected! A huge thanks to *Lazulelle for suggesting it and to ^KasumiCR for featuring it. And thanks to everyone else for the sweet comments and favs.

In other news, my cat is getting better. And I saved some money for his next appointment. We're still keeping an eye on his bottom lip since we're still not 100% sure what caused it.

And in just a few minutes, I'm going to San Diego for my cousin's wedding.

Also the commissions are going great! Some of you guys requested more than just a pencil character sketch so it's taking some time.

I think I'm forgetting something else.... Oh well probably not important

See ya~

I came home with some chicken and Romeo looked really hungry. I gave a piece of chicken to him.... AND HE ATE IT

HE'S FINALLY EATING!! YAAAYY!

Oh man I was so worried!

He's still not touching his dry cat food though. But my brother checked his lip (that was swollen) and it's finally going down! Maybe tomorrow I'll go get him some wet cat food so he can have something to eat until his lip has finally healed.

But nothing has changed in regards to my commissions. My goal right now is to raise more money for my cat. I'm thinking around $300 dollars from my commission project. All of that money, if not more, will go straight for him.

I'm still taking him to the vet for another check-up, and for the vaccine the vet recommended. But at least I know now that I don't have to panic or worry.

Thanks to everyone who gave me some money! You are going to help my cat! And I'll get to those commissions!

Alright, back to work

HEY EVERYONE

I just want to point out that I genuinely don't have the time now to work on those commissions. In fact my plan was to work on them later in the month. but something happened and now I need to make the time to earn some money.

I've already gotten two done, but I need some help

To everyone that commissioned me, let me know if you're still on board. I need to know now.

I have to finish another big (secret) commission along with working on this.

I am in desperate need of money




Seriously my cat needs medicine as soon as possible. No joke

Hello, everyone!

I would just like to say first thank you for the response and your concern about this matter. For those who don't know what I'm talking about....

Remember this picture I made? --> [link]

Well OSN Network, a leading pay TV network in the Middle East and North Africa, found this picture and this happened --> [link]

I've sent OSN Network a couple of messages so I should get a response around 48 hours. I'll just wait and hope for a response.

I'll be honest I really have no idea how to react to this. I've been getting responses to be angry, and the others are telling me to feel honored.

A part of me wants to just let this slide and forget this ever happened. It's only a promo and it won't be on anymore since the show's dead, right? Also it's technically a fanart and one of my friends told me there's really not much I can do if it's a picture with characters that aren't mine.

And it's a network from the Middle East and North Africa. I shouldn't feel too concerned of my artwork being featured in another continent, right?

I've gotten responses that I should feel happy and brag about it, but I'm not sure how I would brag about something like this.

(conversation)
Me: Hey! My artwork was featured in a network from another continent!

Person: Cool! How did they get a hold of you?

Me: They didn't it! They just found it and broadcasted it.

Person: Did they credit you?

Me: Nope!

Person: Sooo basically no one would know you made it.

Me: Yeah! ...Weelllll.....

But another part of me feels that I should take action for this. There are plenty of things to consider.

1) They didn't credit me
2) When they featured my artwork, they covered my signature
3) They didn't notify me or ask for my permission

And this isn't just some average youtuber who featured my artwork on a little video, or some young art theft on Deviantart who doesn't know any better.

Even a youtuber notified me and credited me on his vid. Look --> [link] (don't laugh, I think it's cute)

But OSN is a big network. I'm just wondering how this happened. Did they think I worked on the show? Who approved this? Does this happen a lot? How did my artwork get through? I'm more concerned about the process of this.

Again I'm not angry at all. I'm just so confused. I just wanna know more about this.

I really hope OSN Network will reply back.

Ow my headache

[link]

Uhhhhh.....

Mistake much?

Update: I think this is technically art theft, but I'm assuming they didn't mean it. I'm sending them a letter to hopefully clear up the issues. And I'll contact my friend Pez (who worked on the show) so maybe he can help out or give me advise.

Here's what I wrote to them:

"Hello, OSN Network

My name is Sandra Rivas. I am from North American in Los Angeles. (please disregard the Country information I put)

I've noticed on the television promo for the Ricky Gervais Show, you made a huge mistake. For the image of the header promo, you used one of my images by accident. That was my tribute art for the show, not an image made by the W!ldbrain Studios or the animators/illustrators.

I'm sorry for that conflict. I really hope we can clear this up.

Have a good day. Thank you~"

Here's a screenshot as proof that I sent the note (to prevent false accusations) ---> [link]

I know they probably won't get my note so if there's any way to contact them by phone, please tell me as soon as possible. This is a huge misunderstanding.

I'm not upset, just shocked and concerned.

Update: Hey guys! Just letting you know I already sent them a letter and I've already sent the message to Pez. Now I just waiting for some replies and answers.

Also, I've been reading your messages regarding getting credit. My main goal is to just clear this up. I should be getting a response from OSN Network in about 48 hours. I'll keep you all posted, since you guys are sort of my witnesses.... if that's okay of course...