How are you?

this board's been really quiet lately... how is everyone here?

Yes, quiet. Too quiet, methinks.

Depending on the day of the week, I'm either wonderful or just UGH! Physically and family-wise all is fine and wonderful. My husband and my kids are doing well. My little one is turning 4 in a couple of weeks so I'm trying to plan a small party for him on a very LIMITED budget. I'm open to suggestions! He loves Thomas the Tank Engine and I'm trying to incorporate that into the theme as well.

Work-wise has been nothing but miscommunication, and I feel like I can't do anything right. The blame is not always mine, but let's just say that upper-management needs to seriously get a clue about how they're treating their best workers. It's like they're trying to force us out the door so we don't/can't collect unemployment. Just about everyone who I know has been in the company for 5 years or more has been receiving a lot of serious flack. It's frustrating.

How is everyone else faring??

School, work, schoolwork, sleep (sometimes). Rinse and repeat.

/zombie

I've been working a real day job!

And at the moment I'm not doing anything, waiting to go into training for higher clearance in the field of airport security. Actually I'm not even sure I'm allowed to disclose anything about that on the webs.

Anyway, I'm still writing my science-fiction stuff, drawing is on hold, and I'm not playing a lot of video games either... Just writing, taking care of my pets, listening to the Ricky Gervais Show.

I'm working on a fun Mando-related character though, it's a request too so we'll see how that turns out soon.

It turned out fantabulously! *points to her avatar* ^__^ (The Mando-related character request, that is).

I'm new on the boards...but kinda' hoping things might pick up eventually. As for faring? Hmm...school, mostly. And when I'm not at school, slaving away at a college degree, I'm bouncing around on the internet and procrastinating. LOL I should be writing, but my muse is on strike, I think......

Good to see some activity! I pop by once in a while just to see if anything has been posted, but otherwise school/preparing for college and work keep me busy.

everyone is so busy (myself included)! I'm just swamped with schoolwork, even during winter break. it's a shame it's been so quiet around here though...

Haha. I'm digging the avatar, Rab'ika. Makes me think of a Mando Lepi. Guess you caught Daennika in a good mood for her to do a request. XD

Thanks!! The Lepi was exactly what I was going for... I think they look a little funny (with the buck teeth and all), but I adore rabbits (I rescue them, actually. I currently reside with three, in-house. LOL). I go by "Rabbit Writer" pretty much anywhere on da' interwebz, so I wanted something that was...well..uniquely me.

And Daennika was most gracious. ^_^ I send her much love from afar.

Guys you will not believe this.

The actual dude who inspired Karen Traviss to create Mij Gilamar (the"doctor mando" character), James Gilmer asked me to draw a family portrait for him: Gilamar, Dr Uthan and Scout. Those are from RepCom: 501st and I'm reeeally lacking on visual references. So unless any of you have tips about those characters I might have to wing this one!

Daennika wrote:

Guys you will not believe this.

The actual dude who inspired Karen Traviss to create Mij Gilamar (the"doctor mando" character), James Gilmer asked me to draw a family portrait for him: Gilamar, Dr Uthan and Scout. Those are from RepCom: 501st and I'm reeeally lacking on visual references. So unless any of you have tips about those characters I might have to wing this one!

Holy osik, Dae! That's awesome! I can do a bit of scouring through the RC books after work today for more thorough descriptions of them, but for right now maybe just look at their Wookieepedia pages for some initial inspiration.

Daennika wrote:

Guys you will not believe this.

The actual dude who inspired Karen Traviss to create Mij Gilamar (the"doctor mando" character), James Gilmer asked me to draw a family portrait for him: Gilamar, Dr Uthan and Scout. Those are from RepCom: 501st and I'm reeeally lacking on visual references. So unless any of you have tips about those characters I might have to wing this one!

Oh, Daennika, that is too awesome!!

Congratulations on the request. I know that you'll come up with something truly amazing. All your work is outstanding.

Daennika wrote:

Guys you will not believe this.

The actual dude who inspired Karen Traviss to create Mij Gilamar (the"doctor mando" character), James Gilmer asked me to draw a family portrait for him: Gilamar, Dr Uthan and Scout. Those are from RepCom: 501st and I'm reeeally lacking on visual references. So unless any of you have tips about those characters I might have to wing this one!

That's amazing, Daennika!!! I can't think of anyone more deserving of such a request!

I don't have any visual references to help out...but I know Uthan is described rather well in Hard Contact. I'd love to see how you end up doing her hair, since it always sounded rather...exotic...to me. ^_^

Uthan has "mainly black and blue hair with red strands" which seems weird for a human, and if it was a dye or artificially colored, would she be applying the dye every odd week? Is it a genetic modification? I would go for the latter but it seems very out-of-place for her character to have such "fantasy" in her appearance.

Scout, I think, looks like a younger Etain and I think I know someone IRL who is super cute like that. She would fit that kind of look. I will use reference of her without her consent, then two minutes before I show her I will ask her permission, she'll be like HELL YEAH! (she loves Star Wars too) and then it'll already be done. Problem solved.

And for Gilamar... I'll use novel descriptions for reference. The action figure is inaccurate in my opinion (originally designed to be Kal Skirata, but Traviss thought he looked too young so they changed his name) I might make him look a bit like Hugh Laurie just because he's a famous doctor figure.

Daennika wrote:

And for Gilamar... I'll use novel descriptions for reference. The action figure is inaccurate in my opinion (originally designed to be Kal Skirata, but Traviss thought he looked too young so they changed his name) I might make him look a bit like Hugh Laurie just because he's a famous doctor figure.

Dr. House as a Mando?? I LOVE that idea! I can't wait to see what you put together, and I'm very excited for you about this project!

Ms.MaraJade wrote:

Daennika wrote:

And for Gilamar... I'll use novel descriptions for reference. The action figure is inaccurate in my opinion (originally designed to be Kal Skirata, but Traviss thought he looked too young so they changed his name) I might make him look a bit like Hugh Laurie just because he's a famous doctor figure.

Dr. House as a Mando?? I LOVE that idea! I can't wait to see what you put together, and I'm very excited for you about this project!

Mando House. Yummmmmmm. Mara, I second that emotion. LOL

Okay, if Doctor House becomes a Mandalorian I think I will officially pass out from the sheer awesome.

Okay guys I know I've been bragging to some of you about my latest shenanigans with this French comic con thing but I have to post about it on Mandoboard too!!!

So here's how yesterday went: I got there with my big camera, took lots of pictures, got myself lost and finally found the SciFi area. I met with the French Boba Fett, David, who I had met at a previous event (in 2008) and we realized this after he had taken his helmet off. There was much joy there. Also I felt pretty cool walking among the crowds with Boba Fett, doing small talk.

Later on, in my usual foolish ways of trying to get attention from people I pulled out my action figures. It turns out, they loved them and I kinda went overboard with it.





Here's Jeremy Bulloch and David



The photoshoot, that I had to ruin of course. That Scout Trooper is adorable and I didn't mean to scare him.





But it's not over! Here's how TODAY went: I went back. Don't ask me why, maybe I was just feeling restless that I'd never get another chance to live another Star Wars moment for a whole other year. Maybe I just hate reality. Anyway I returned to the same place but this time, I grabbed my philosophical balls and packed a sketchbook, pencil and ink markers. Oh yes. I was gonna do it.

Aaaaand I DID IT! I kindly said that I'd love to draw some Star Wars stuff while they waited around (it was packed today, nowhere to go, too tired to move) so they were like, yeah sure. I immediately started sketching. 20 minutes later I had a fully inked drawing of a Death Star laser operator inspired by one of the cosplayers and everyone was soooo happy to watch me draw and I was having the time of my life. I worked on a Stormtrooper next, and believe when I say this but: I AM NEVER USING ACTION FIGURES AS MODELS AGAIN! I had one, full-sized, living and breathing Stormtrooper standing next to me the entire time, striking poses, watching over my things when I got up to take pictures, giving me feedback... Even now I still can't believe this all happened. It was also the first well-proportioned and accurate Stormtrooper drawing I had ever made. All of that in 45 minutes, crowded room, 70 degrees, lots of noise, and people peering from all sides, AND asking questions about everything.

The last drawing I made was one for David who is also the founder of the cosplay group. He was really touched and speechless. I was like Awwwww because he looks a bit like Temuera Morrison. I'll add more pics later. At the end they all had their sketches signed by Jeremy Bulloch I asked them to scan the pictures for me so that I can continue working on them to add color and such.

One thing's for sure, I'll be going back next year. Not as a visitor but as a participant. The dream has come true

So, so awesome, Dae!!!

I'm glad you've had a great time at the con. Celebration V was like that for me. I was just awestruck for four days. I ate, slept, breathed...LIVED Star Wars, and it was all very REAL because it wasn't just toys and pictures and all that. These were real people who were willing to talk about it and share their experiences with us.

You've had the most incredible experience, though. You were able to put your amazing drawing skills to work and make others happy for doing so. I'm really glad you had this chance, and I am very much looking forward to all your pictures when you get time to post them.

That's just freakin' awesome, Daennika.



I've never gone to a con - Star Wars or otherwise - so I have absolutely no reference point. But it sounds like it was simply amazing and I'm glad to hear you had such an awesome time! ^_^ Keep us posted!

I'm a little late in the convo here, but Daennika, I have an idea for scout.

Ever seen The Professional? Jean Reno and Natalie Portman [as a little kid]? Nat'ika might be a good reference for Scout.

As an alternate thought, when I read the novel and saw the character's name was scout, I was suddenly reminded of To Kill a Mockingbird. Just throwing that out there.