Aliki’s Next Mess: Chapter 4 is up!
Aliki thought managing a used spaceship dealership would be straightforward—at least as straightforward as it gets on Earth. In this chapter, she finds out otherwise. With the ever-watchful Mitch digging deeper and the enigmatic Zoron keeping his cards close, Aliki’s ability to stay under the radar is put to the test. Not to mention, just […]
Chapter 3 of Aliki Martin and the Chocolate Cartel is LIVE
The third chapter (in draft form) is posted on the web site. Please let me know what you think of the story so far!
How Storyteller Tools by M. Harold Page makes plotting addictive
Lost in the messy middle of your story? Storyteller Tools by M. Harold Page transforms planning into play. With conflict diagrams and clever QABNs, it’s like story sculpting on steroids. Fair warning: once you start, you might not want to stop plotting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
The draft of Chapter 2 is finished and posted!
The plot is thickening! Writing it felt like piecing together an intergalactic puzzle, but it’s all starting to click.
The power of observation for artists and writers
On a recent trip to Japan, I left my laptop behind to focus on something different: pure observation. By immersing myself in unfamiliar sights, sounds, and routines, I discovered how these experiences can deepen creative work, enriching the worlds we build with authentic details and fresh inspiration.
Chapter 1 (draft) is completed!
As a plotter, I love creating outlines that start as faint ideas and gradually grow into detailed scenes. However, the real challenge comes when it’s time to fill in the gaps—those transitions between scenes that feel so natural in my head but are trickier to write. Often, it’s the little moments, the way a character […]
Navigating the future of illustration (and my own)
I fell off the illustration bandwagon this week while working on a novel. But I did manage some drawing practice, learning “Weight Drawing,” and had a realization while reading Heller’s The Education of an Illustrator about how AI is just another evolution in the industry, much like photography and digital tools were.
How the Loomis method makes me a better artist but steals my soul
In this week’s SketchAwesome challenge, I explored the Loomis method for sketching heads. It improved my technical skills, but I found the sketches lacked expressiveness.
Overcoming little struggles and rediscovering how tech can be good
This week’s progress in my Illustration Quest came with some challenges, like tackling flash pose drawing and rethinking my routine.
How to layer gouache: my third week with SketchAwesome
This week, I faced my challenges with gouache in the SketchAwesome program, navigating tricky color mixes and layering techniques. Though it’s not my favorite medium, these exercises offered a welcome break from structured practice and helped me find joy in creative exploration, complementing my ongoing Illustration Quest.