Ok, so a humid summer is NOT sweet – it’s awful… and while my little trendy town of Chattanooga is still in the spring, we had a few days that were so freaking hot.
At any rate, I haven’t posted in a while so I thought I’d give a heads up to what I’ve been doing!
Honestly the first three weeks after I graduated from college I… literally slept til 11pm on the couch. I kid you not. I get done with work, shower, eat dinner with my husband, watch a tiny bit of tv, then I wake up – bam its 10 or 11pm. I really think I needed to just crash after having 3 solid years of 6am-12 or 1am weeknights. But in the last week or two I’ve been thinking of a few topics… some of which need your input!
Simple mock for the website
What I’ve been working on
I’ve been doing a lot of planning for Oyasumi Yumiko. Most of which now is for the website, which needs to be more than a lovely little blog. Part of my whole venture into the realm of manga-producing is to make sure everyone can see the process. I think the process can sometimes be just as beautiful and interesting as the final product.
So I’m in midst of doing some kind of awesome artwork for the main page. The layout for the links is still up in the air.. I have sublinks within certain pages, so I’m really leaning to the left-alignment for my links… plus, it will be way easier to code.
Oyasumi Yumiko on Facebook!
Oh my goodness! Oyasumi Yumiko on Facebook now has 19 fans – wheeeeeeeeeeeeee! If you haven’t already, be a pal and like the page, I need 25ish to make a direct URL link to it on facebook (like facebook.com/oyasumiyumiko).
Manga Production
Manga production is still on track for September, but I’ve been chatting with some people – and they agree with me that I shouldn’t purposely try to *rush* just because of AWA. Honestly, I understand I have to have a deadline, but it’s also a case of I do not want to rush such a big project just for the sake of making an easy buck – does that make sense? I hope it does : ) I’ve realized that I’m not fearful to actually make the manga now, because I feel more comfortable (and dare I say competent) to actually make this thing a reality. So I will do what I can when I can, and shoot for something good for AWA in September.
I need your opinions!
Webcomic or Book?
I’m still on the fence whether this should be a webcomic or a book, or a webcomic that then becomes a book after so many pages are posted then pulled from the website. Realistically speaking, at some point I’d *like* to make money off of Oyasumi Yumiko b/c… blech, bills and things require this precious stuff called “money.” /sad. What’s your opinion? Do you like buying self-published books off the internet? Or do you prefer webcomics where you can donate whatever you feel is acceptable?
A Bandit Mini Plush - all handmade.
Pastel variant sheep plushie - handmade.
Etsy, etsy, etsy…
Ok, so I am thinking of putting some of my little handmade sheep on etsy.com.. but honestly I don’t know what they would sell for, or if they would even sell at all. I think they are cute, and so did classmates at my college, but is it sales worthy? Whats your opinion? What would you pay? : )
Also, did you know I’m selling charms on etsy? 3 different styles – can be put on a cellphone strap or on a velvet cord necklace (which reminds me.. I need to add more pictures of it being a necklace) ;D
That’s about it for now, I hope everyone is having a great June so far! 
Yume ni nare! (Become a dream!)
-Emily
Hey.
Yeah, I’ve been rather busy this past month. When March ended I was really stressed out because I had a few major things due.
- Senior Thesis Installation
- Senior Thesis Presentation
- Artist Statement
- Physical Portfolio
- Portfolio Leavebehind
- Update of my portfolio website
- Participation in CreateAthon
My Senior Show Installation
With all that I think I might have still forgotten a few things. I’m doing what is due for this week since yesterday I had to spend all day installing my work in my college’s art gallery. If you live in the Chattanooga area I invite you to come view Show II of the Senior Thesis Exhibition. Show I was really great, and the participants of Show II hope to match that level of awesomeness and show what the students of UTC have to offer. Show II exhibition opens at 5:30pm on April 19th, with artist talks/presentations starting at 4:30pm. If you cannot make it because you are out of the area, do not fret, I’ll be uploading more pictures of the show later on. : ) For now I just have the one image of what my work looks like after the install from yesterday.
So since college has been first and foremost this month I am looking forward to using the energy I focus on my school work onto my comic work. I see there being a slight one to two week lull after graduation where I relax a bit and get used to not working 18+ hours during the day. I’ve learned a lot about myself and what I am personally capable of. In retrospect I think that was the base of my fear for working on my comic work. Not to say that a degree means that I am now “qualified” to make professional work, but I’ve learned a wide variety of design processes that I makes me feel more comfortable and eager to create Oyasumi Yumiko. Yaay. : )
What is next? Well, portfolio review, Show II presentations, and other end of the semester hijinks. I beg your patience as after May 7th I should be free to work on what I have been planning for some 4-5+ years now.
By the way… have I thanked you all lately? For being so awesome? Well I’m thanking everyone again. Every bit of support that I get from you guys is really appreciated. While Oyasumi Yumiko is a very personal project to me I also do it for you guys, and hope to entertain you with my mahou shoujo story.
Only a few weeks left! Yaaaay!
Yume ni nare! (Become a dream!)
-Emily
If you have been keeping up with my recent posts you will know that I am in the last month or two (60 days) before I graduate from college. And…
every. day. is. a. chore.
I have found myself filled with so much pent up anxiety and general fidgets that I just want to spring head first into making my manga and just get it published, and it become a tv-series and and and and… (it keeps going.. lol).
I’ve been so antsy that one night earlier this week I thought, “Hey! I’ll try to make a contest and find some ways to get more exposure for Oyasumi Yumiko!” It sounded good when I thought of it. Then I went to sleep, and woke up the next morning. *Bell Gong* o________o
How in the world am I supposed to expect people to get excited about Oyasumi Yumiko and its characters when… wait for it… THERE’S NOTHING TO READ. Uh, duh…
But I do that a lot. I get really excited about what could be, and don’t necessarily focus on what *needs to be* in place for things to even start.
So when I came to this “revelation,” though it really was a “no brainer,” I started thinking of the artist alley tables I’ve had in the past. I’ve had one consistently for 3 years – I started at a local con, Jampcon 2008, when I decided to finally go back to college. At the time it was the exposure and experience that I felt I needed in order to become a better artist, get feedback, and generally just *see* how the public would accept my work and my art. I would say honestly I’ve done fair at conventions. Not so great that I am rolling in money. But it wasn’t supposed to be about money, it was supposed to be about sharing my story with others and hearing their feedback.
In retrospect, I wonder if I should have just not bothered to get an artist alley table until I had something tangible and readable. Again when I started going to artist alley I was putting the cart before the horse. Going to ‘sell’ something that was non-existent. Sure I made all these characters, but there was no story to give them context.
Maybe it’s self-delusion, maybe it’s me trying to be more zen, but maybe I was putting this cart before horse because I was supposed to. Maybe somewhere in my jacked up mind I needed time to work with my characters, giving them adjustments here and there (Yumiko’s hairstyle took a few revisions), to where I felt comfortable saying… “Yes, this is Yumiko Nanahara, the apprentice Dreamweaver of Reverieh.” “Yes this is Yune. Yumiko’s personal dream companion.” And maybe I just needed time to boil up that water of self-determination and courage to see if I had what it takes to make it in Artist Alley and… just be out there professionally.
But now I realize it’s time to stop trying to push characters and push the story. That will take most if not all of my free time when I graduate (in 60 days.. Holla!!), and I hope everyone can eagerly await September 30th… b/c that is the release date I’m going to work towards.
So yeah, I’m ready to make Oyasumi Yumiko happen. I hope to not disappoint you all!
Yume ni nare! (Become a dream!)
-Emily
