The event started on Friday. As usual, I had to report to work for eight in the morning.
For my last shift, I did jack all; slept in a back corner, browsed the internet, I didn't so much as move a chair. Okay no, I moved four chairs to line them up into a bed for myself to sleep on. Bid my manager farewell, promised to keep in contact, was assured if I needed a job next summer I could come back... and then Alysia and I left. Alysia was going to show me the bus routes and lead me through the most complicated part of the trip, leaving me to traverse the foolproof part alone.
We left work at four thirty; we hoped on a bus for two minutes, hoped on another short bus, a third short bus, and then Alysia waited with me for the fourth bus that was a bit of a longer trip than the others. This bus took me to the Bramalea City Center, where I had to wait for a YRT bus to come and pick me up. From there, it was an hour and fifteen minutes to the Finch station.
From there, I boarded the sub! Sub ride was not uneventful. A random stranger started to talk to me, turns out he was headed where I was headed, but he didn't know where he was going and I roughly did, so we slightly chatted. Train stopped at Rosedale, and booted all the passengers off. There was an announcement, but I missed it; as did the stranger I was talking with. I still don't know the reasoning, but I had to wait for another subcar to come and pick up the passengers and take us the rest of the way to Union station, where Steph and Jason picked me up.
Fun story, the guy thought I was insane when I boarded the sub car because I was "talking to myself" which was actually me singing along to my iPod, and I was "Walking in circles" which was me looking for a seat where I could clearly see a map and sit as far away from people I didn't know as I could; and he was kinda afraid to talk to me at first. So after interrupting the old guy with his headphones eating dinner, he resorted to asking me.
Yet he talked to me and walked along with me anyways. WELL THEN
Friday night I didn't go to the convention, I was tired and hungry. We went out for dinner, I came back to the hotel room, Steph and Jason went to try and pick up my convention badge, and I fell asleep.
Next morning (being saturday) it turns out that I couldn't get my badge the previous night because they were closed. So, Jason and Chris disappeared to go pick up tickets while Steph and I hung back for a further half hour to try to dry out her shirt that she'd washed in the sink.
That half hour was a massive.. massive mistake. We got stuck in a line where they would not let anybody up the escalators to the south building. I was stuck there for hours and got very very frustrated when they started to let ticket holders pass because.. MY TICKET WAS UP THE ESCALATOR D=! Eventually Jason came back and saved the day by bringing pissy little me my ticket so I could go into the convention.
I'd promised my friends I was going to do my best to collect autographs...
Leonard Nimoy was going to cost me sixty dollars for ink. I waited in line for two HOURS for Bruce Campbell (I was going to have it addressed to "Andy" because Sarah and her brother couldn't make it). I got to the counter, and was very unhappy to discover they were going to charge me 35$ for ink, and then charge me on top of that for a photo for Campbell to sign, and THEN direct me into another line that was at least four times the length of the one I'd just been in. I threw my arms in the air, decided to fuck it, and bolted for the artist alley.
Aaaaah, AA... I love you so much I don't think you can ever comprehend *heart*
First thing I did was I beelined it over to the table I'd spotted while waiting for Bruce Campbell. It belonged to my fellow artist and friend Budgie! I can recognize that girls art anywhere. I was amused that at first she didn't recognize me because I had on glasses and a hat and changed my hair. I spent a lot of my stay in the artist alley circling back to talk to her and just to hang out.
I ran off and I commissioned some people; first my character Suka, and then my character Yukio, and lastly my character Ain. I also commished Nightcrawler as I promised Sarah I'd do my best to get her a really awesome Nightcrawler sketch! I stalked the alley for at least an hour before I picked anyone to draw me anything, and I was very happy with the artists I'd landed with.
First off, a freebie sketch! Being offered out by Brian Evinou.
This guy was really friendly, and was nice to talk to. We talked a lot about school, portfolios, mediums and getting your name out there!
All the while I stood still and let him doodle away at my current ensemble.
He liked my purple hat. As did I!
Drawn with a blue pencil and inked over with a brush tip marker and what I assumed was indian ink. His pen was dying sadly, but I still like it!
Oh look, I just noticed the diamond on my shirt is my Taurus necklace.. very nice, I didn't notice that when I first got it back!
Annie has angry eyebrows.
Following my freebie sketch, I circled around to check on the other artists I'd commissioned so far. Suka was still under work, supposedly until the next day; which worked for me, as I'd be there the following day.
So this.. is probably my favourite commission I got. It's Yukio, it's completely out of character; BUT IT'S SO DAMN COOL!!! The artist, Jay Korim drew it directly in ballpoint pen, giving it this really amazing, crisp, clean look to it, with what looks like no structural guides at all. It also only cost me five dollars, but.. it's just so amazing I can't stop staring at it!I love the hands, I love the way he's standing with his hand on his hip, I love his jacket, I love his hair, I love his face shape I love the lines, I love the volume.. I don't think there is a single thing I DON'T love about this commission, and hell, it was TOTALLY worth five dollars!
I also got a comment about the reference sheet I handed over, and that he was a nifty character to draw.
Following my awesome and amazing Yukio... I trooped over to another artist (who didn't sign my commission, give me a business card, or even his name) to check the status of my drawing. I left this guy with Ainmire, my grumpy pants character who generally frowns and doesn't like people at all. He's also an experienced survivalist and takes on hunting jobs for money.
The artist liked some of my "alternate costume" doodles and asked if he could use some in his drawing. I said it was completely him, but no pants. He's a proper Scotsman who doesn't wear pants!
I fink he had fun! Handed it over with a big smile and said, "He's a bit more built than your version," and I was completely happy and was all, "Oh no! He's supposed to be built, I just can't draw men properly yet! This is perfect, thank you so much!"
And I couldn't stop staring at this artists rendition of 'Ice Ain' for the rest of the day.
I'm sad though, because I screwed up on the reference sheet and doodle his sword on his left hip.. but Ain's left handed; and because of my mess up the artist had no way to know to put his sword on the right hip. However, I'm not picky enough to care as this is the most coolest Ainmire ever. I really wish I had taken his name down!!! Blue pencil and what I assume is HB pencil. Also about the only time Ain wears a shirt; when it's freezing bloody cold out.
I also happened on another artist who drew amazing copic pin up style girls, that I thought were amazing. Sure they had massive boobage and tiny waistage and huge hippage, but they looked really adorable and stylish; he was selling "Cartoonify yourself!" and I figured, "Eh, why not? I always get myself drawn at least once at a con," and so I joined the wait list and wandered off after a rough sketch of my face.
And here comes the finished result, about forty minutes later!This artist asked me while he was doodling if I was cosplaying or not. I looked down at my outfit and I was like.. Nooooo, this is me, about every day!
I think he liked that.
I like the patchy hastiness in the copics! It looks nothing like the other works, which are finished and polished, but I like the charm in this one.
The artist commented that he liked my nose, with its bridge and pointed tip..
I never liked my nose, because I think it's big and round, haha! What a difference of opinion.
After I picked up the copic me with all my colours of purple and blue and.. purple... I decided to check up on Nightcrawler!
I was amused that I'd hired Kurt to draw Kurt.
So here, I present Nightcrawler!
The artist I'd asked for the sketch was Kurt Lehner, who had done a lot of animation work for the cartoon show Gargoyles; which when I was a kid, I loved. He was a really awesome friendly artist too, but he was really swamped with people, so I couldn't do much past ordering the commission and leaving him my printed reference photos.
When I came back a couple hours later, he held up a picture of a blue elf with really long hair and smiled brightly, "What do you think?" I probably visibly took a second to catch on that he was pulling my leg (I'm a little slow when it comes to jokes) so I smiled and replied, "I hope that's not Nightcrawler!" and he laughed and pulled out my proper sketch.
I asked him to sign it to Sarah, and he did so (after I specified the 'H' had to be on there) and handed it back to me with a "There you are, Sarah!" I smiled, because it was part of the fun (for me) that my name is also Sarah.
After that, the day came to a close and we went out for dinner at East Side Marios. I had a starter, as I wasn't hungry and was being a cheap bastard ; and then we crossed the street to... a bar. Joy of joys, my favourite past time ever. I wound up drinking a tea (that I wasn't charged for! Muahahahaha) and then walking back to the hotel we watched Battle Royale, and I fell asleep super early and missed my favourite scene.
The next morning, MORE ART! And one HELL of a time getting out of the hotel @A@ We must've been waiting in the hall for half an hour, there was never any room on any of the elevators. The bitch of it was, every trip the elevator took it would go all the way to the twenty fifth floor, and THEN work it's way down and stop at every floor. By the time it got to us on the fifth floor, there was never any room for us. In the end, we took the stairs and went through a (supposedly) alarmed door because we were sick of waiting for some rude ass to let us get out of the hotel.
I went right back to the artist alley; Steph and Jason vanished. I spoke to this one artist (another whose name I didn't get) who gave me a freebie sketch of Suka.
This guy was very friendly, we talked about comics, and my reference sheet and the fact that no artist is every going to be completely happy with their art; it's just the way life is.
We talked about my story, and the fact that all I need is a little motivation and a little time; because if I really wanted to do something.. I'd have done it already.
He drew Suka lightly in pencil (I've never seen such a nifty way of drawing), inked her with a permanent marker, and then with watered down speedball ink.. he coloured her.
He commented that my art (being my reference sheet) was good stuff, and that he liked the way it looked and I was on the right track.
That made me feel insanely happy about myself and my art. I was incredibly giddy but in desperate need of a collapse; so I ran and sat down by the Tron display.
Until I was kicked out and had to go find something else to do. I decided to go on a comic book hunt for Nightcrawler comics I promised I'd keep an eye out for!
Holy crap.. that was at least two hours of my day completely blown until I almost killed my brain in the crowded comic stalls, trying to tell the difference between exhibitors and customers, asking about the comics, getting knocked back and forth, until I right nearly exploded and had to run away to sit down.
I hid behind the food court and doodled until I felt better, and then decided to go back and check on commissions again.
Jeremy Dale was next on my list, and I'd left Ainmire with him.
So this guy is massively talented, and I admire his stuff (or I wouldn't have commissioned from him) but...
I laugh.
Just because Ain is my baby and I love making fun of him! Ain is a built guy (or he would be if I could draw built guys properly) and I pointed that out to the artist when I'd left him with my character sheet.
I didn't mean THIS built. It's Ain on steriods! Conan the Barbarian Ainmire! THIS IS SCOTLAAAAAAND *kicks through rusty metal doorway*
Aaaaah, Ain... this will forever make my crappy days awesome until the day I die.
Heheheheheheheh...
Awesome drawing though; I just like laughing at Ain. I had to thank him warmly for the commission, and run my ass off so I was out of sight and could laugh and show my friends.
I'm TOTALLY going to commission him again if I ever remember.
After picking up my day booster Ainmire; I headed off to where I'd left Yukio. I'll be picking up this artists name from my DA when it appears on my watch.. as I know this guy and he was also very nice and commented on my reference sheet.
His name on DA is Marciotakara! I felt awesome.
This is his rendition of Yukio, my crazy man who was perfectly sane (though incredibly rendered) the previous day.I had a really hard time picking an artist that I wanted to draw Yukio... There were a lot of really amazing artists, but none of them looked like overly thin, sickly, psychotic males were anywhere in the agenda...
But I gave it a shot, and when I came back an hour or so later he apologized as he handed it over and said, "I'm sorry, he doesn't look anything like yours"
Uhm.. If I wanted him to look like mine, I'd have drawn him x3 I love how happy he looks! It's just perfectly fitting.
Muahahahahaha, he's gloriously unbalanced.
I love Yukio very much.
This is probably my favourite spoils from the entire weekend... And I didn't pay a cent for it. There fore it's not a commission so I'm not being contradictory with my first statement!
I leant Budgie my ballpoint (which I wound up letting her keep because she loved it) and she went over her red pencil lines with blue ballpoint.. and I love the effect of the colours.
Yukio is amazing... And sometimes I forget about how much I dearly love him until I see him again.
Everything about this picture is just.. right. His expression; his messy self cut hair; his super high pants; his tilt; his HANDS, oh my goodness I love his hands... I love how skinny he is; how scruffy he looks; the rough and tumble state of his clothing....
I love this picture and must have thanked her for it a thousand times; but I still love it more than I can possibly say.
Along with all of the art I collected over the weekend (a lot more than I had been planning on buying), I had fun with my friends, noooo drama, a surprise party for Jason, some inexpensive prints, and a lot of over all standing. My spine was ready to collapse on me, I'm sure of it, and I'm so glad that right now I am firmly seated on my butt in a cush chair.
I still have one commission that will be coming to me via mail by Valentine De Landro, who drew Suka for me; and really, I'm very very very tired and I don't know why I decided to stay up to make this blog post.
I had a very fun time, I wish certain people could have been there to enjoy it with me, but it was amazing. I met some voice actors, got some autographs, ran around like an idiot, took pictures, and all of that fun has me completely tuckered out and I'm ready to sleep until lunch.
With that, I will leave you with the drawing I drew while I was hiding behind the food court. Brought on by talking to people about drawing and feeling the drawing and following passions! This is how I felt then, and very close to how I am feeling now.Ta ta!
Annie
thank you for your amazing post!
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