Monster Hunter Drawer

I don’t post drawings here all that often. Possibly because I don’t draw as much as I did in… high school. Geez, for someone who claims “drawing” as an interest, hobby, and talent, I sure don’t spend enough time actually doing it.

I did start an initiative to keep myself drawing more often a couple months ago. The aim was to draw something every day, whether big or small, complicated or simple, good or bad. For a while I kept up pretty well, but I feel like I’ve been breaking the chain pretty callously over the last couple weeks. What can I say? I’m a huge flake.

Anyway, what I was going to get around to is that I spent some time working on a semi-serious drawing yesterday. Less than an hour, so it still qualifies as a doodle, but at least I like the results enough to share it with the internet.

mhjennadx

A simple sketch of my Monster Hunter 4 character, Jenna, sporting an armour set (very loosely) based on the Duramboros X set. I didn’t want to make it accurate because it was a little more fun to take the base idea and do my own thing with it. Her weapon is a Rathalos-brand switch axe. Not a specific model, since they all look more or less the same, but I suppose it’d be Rathlagration, as that what’s she’s currently rocking in-game.

Honestly, it’s rare that I like the fruits of my labour, and this is the kind of thing that I might actually bring into Flash to trace and colour digitally. I have a bunch of criticisms in my head for it, but I’ll keep those to myself because I kind of like actually liking the work, and writing them out might make me get into that bad headspace and trash it.

There’s another piece I’ve been working on on-and-off for a long time now, which I’m pretty excited to finish up and share, but that’s for another day. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to make it really good, so hopefully it comes out meeting my expectations.

RWFF #5 – The Purrrfect Toast

What even is up with this one? The characters are all weird-looking, and it’s a much dirtier joke than I’d usually care to run. Almost like it’s someone else’s doing…

Nope. It was me. I did it. I just kinda went with the flow on the drawings. I don’t know if I want to make Ryan’s hairstyle closer to reality, or to stick with his iconic “Sonic the Hedgehog” spikes. Stephanie… well, I don’t think I ever really settled on a solid look for her. Here, she looks nothing at all like Real Stephanie. But neither does Ryan, so I guess it’s moot.

My resolution for 2015 is to draw at least one comic a month, which really is not a lofty goal to reach. I’d like to go back to drawing one a week, but I really don’t have anywhere near enough ideas for that kind of output. If only I had a writer…

RWFF #4 – Ryan on TV (#1?)

I haven’t drawn very many comics since Coozy For Hire died, but I’m going to have to say that this is by far my favourite. Just the fun, goofy look of it is enough to put a big smile on my face. Also, I find it hilarious when I make my alter-ego look/act like a big doofus, so this is like the crème de la crème.

I would like to do more “Ryan On TV” comics, but I really don’t have any other solid ideas quite yet.

Note that this is the first RWFF that isn’t based on actual events. Though it is based on a one-liner that I like to trot out whenever I’m given the chance. Which is rare, since it’s not often that you get asked what you want to be when you grow up if you’re already a grown-up.

Also I posted this on Facebook ages ago, so it should be old news if you follow me on there.

RWFF#3 – Shoe Talk

Shoe_Talk

Hey it’s another one! I hope you’re enjoying these silly comics, because I’m doing it for you! Or, no, wait. I’m doing it for me. I’m doing it because I get a small amount of satisfaction from drawing.

Anyway, like all of the RWFF entries so far, this is based on a real-life event. It’s not 100% true to what actually happened, as I only came up with the joke as I was walking away, but whatever. It’s pretty funny. I think it’s funny.

Drawing time?

I found this image on my computer the other day while looking for images to use as my Facebook cover. I went with something else in the end but… I don’t even remember what I drew this for. Or when I drew it. All I know is that I really like it. It’s kind of a tragedy that I have absolutely nowhere to put it but on this blog. Sigh…

grouphuge

Be excellent to each other

I received this in my work email inbox on Wednesday afternoon, and I’ve never wished anything harder than that I was the one responsible for it. Alas, I only dream of being able to come up with anything so radical as this.

I was inspired to draw this thing though.

Don’t ask me how I went from Bill & Ted to Sixteen Candles. My mind works in mysterious ways.

I’ve got a friend, her name is Boxcar

Guys, Wii U. Oh man, Wii U.

For a thing I wasn’t entirely sold on before launch, it has very handily dominated the last week-plus of my life. And I’m okay with that, because man is it ever fun. I’m not even talking about the games there! The system is just fun to play with. It’s a little on the slow side; everything takes a good five to ten seconds to load, but I don’t find it nearly as annoying as some. Just sitting on the main menu, with all the Miis milling about, it’s kinda hypnotizing. And then the Miiverse posts start popping up.

Miiverse is… What’s the best way to describe it? I finally get how people can get addicted to Twitter. It’s like Nintentwitter: made up of tens of thousands of Nintendo Power envelope artist wannabes and infinitely easier to parse than actual Twitter. It’s plenty of fun to sift through Miiverse posts to look at the funny screenshots and beautiful drawings that people have posted to it, and it’s very fulfilling to help people out who have posted about how they’re stuck somewhere in a game. Currently only Nintendo Land and New Super Mario Bros U are completely integrated, but once more developers make their games with it in mind, I think that Miiverse is going to be a real game-changer. I’ve been on Facebook for years now, but have never enjoyed the experience as much as I have with the last week with Miiverse.

Also of note is that the Wii U internet browser is excellent. Nothing beats an actual computer for surfing the webs, but as far as game console/handhelds go, the Wii U’s internets browser is leaps and bounds beyond the rest. The YouTube app that comes installed on the system is nowhere near as good as simply using the browser for your YouTubing. This comes as a great relief to me, as my TV’s YouTube app is garbage, and only really usable when linked up with my iPhone. Now I just boot up the Wii U and I’ve got a perfect YouTube experience on my gigantic television. There are fewer things that could make me happier.

Where the games are concerned… Mario U is pretty damn great. People have been referring to it as New Super Mario World, but it’s not quite that good. If you’re in it for the single-player experience, Super Mario World or even Super Talking Time Bros 2 will leave you more fulfilled. Fortunately, Mario U features a multiplayer experience that is almost completely unique and an absolute blast. Yes, it’s essentially the same as New Super Mario Bros Wii, but it’s bigger, better, and in glorious HD.

I haven’t given Darksiders 2 a spin yet, because I intend to complete ZombiU first. ZombiU is an intricate game that deserves a whole post to itself, so that’s what I’m going to do somewhere down the line.

Nintendo Land may be is the best pack-in game ever. In a completely unexpected twist, it’s the game I’ve spent the most time with by far. It’s not at all the tired mini-game collection I assumed it would be. It’s an essential party game for Nintendo fans, and has an impressively robust single-player experience tucked away in there to boot. It’s already provided two weekends of riotous three-player fun, and I look forward to spending much more time in Nintendo Land, the new Funnest Place on Earth. Full review to follow on this one, because there’s so much there!

I only got to play a little bit of Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed, but my brother stands firm that it’s better than Mario Kart. Not as strong a statement as it might have been years ago, because Mario Kart is starting to get a little long in the tooth, but a pretty clear indication of quality no less. I liked what I saw, and the inclusion of Wreck-It Ralph as a playable character is simultaneously pleasing and perplexing. Ralph is the only element of his movie in the game, despite the fact that he never really drove in the movie. Oh well. It seems like a solid game, and an excellent candidate for an Xmas gift.

For some reason that I cannot explain, Little Inferno has wiggled its way into my head and won’t get out. I don’t think it’d be something I would get a lot of use out of, and the $15 price tag is awfully steep for a creepy fireplace simulator. Oh well. I’m sure I’ll get over it eventually. As soon as a more enticing eShop game comes along, I think. Hopefully there’s some new software available this Thursday. It was nice that Wii U launched with a shop at all, but it’s nowhere as great as the bounty of Virtual Console games that OG Wii had available on launch day.

I guess that’s all for today. I really think I’d get more enjoyment from actually playing with my new toy than writing about it, so I’mma go do that now. Ciao.