Kelci D Crawford

So I have started a new challenge on myself!

Every day for thirty days, I am going to make (and post) a sketch done digitally!

The rules are that the sketch must be done in one day, and take no more than one hour. Fanart IS allowed.

I’m doing this challenge for a few reasons:

1) I want to practice my digital sketching skills.
2) I want to stay in the practice of drawing everyday.
3) I want to practice what I don’t know.
4) I want to share it with the world!

Here is my first sketch in this challenge: a cat ninja.

Because of one of my current comic projects, I’ve been on a bit of an anthropomorphic kick, especially when envisioning anthros as bad-ass warrior types. I blame my current fixation on Kung Fu Panda and martial arts movies.

Critiques are welcome for this sketch, especially since digital is a medium I’m still fairly new to. KEEP IN MIND, however, that my arsenal of digital media is limited: I can only work with an open-source software called MyPaint. I don’t own Photoshop. There will be some features that I cannot access because of that.

With that said, I hope you like it, and I hope you look forward to more sketches from the challenge!

WARNING: the following blog post is about sex. Children must read this post.

So I was reading my campus newspaper when I came across an….”interesting” article in the Forum section, where students are allowed to say anything. The article discussed the importance of saving sex for marriage (click on the link and it will take you there) and why they should wait to “unite in this intimate way”.

I’m not really surprised about her stance. She had also written a previous article wherein she mentions the “blessed Pope Benedict” whatever number he is now, so it’s safe to say she’s Catholic.

I’m not saying all Catholics are like this, but I think I can assume, that since she proclaims sex as “the ultimate expression of love”, that she is a virgin.

Only virgins (and poets, and virgin poets) see sex as “the ultimate expression of love.” I know for a fact that it’s not.

That’s right. I’ve had sex. A lot.

(Not a LOT a lot, because I’m not a slut, but enough to know what I’m doing).

And I will say this about your first time having sex: I don’t care if the first time you ever have sex is with your husband, your boyfriend you’ve been dating for three years, or some guy or girl you picked up at the bar…your first time having sex will be AWKWARD.

Firstly, you have to get over seeing another person’s nads. Secondly, you have to get over the worse fear of showing the other person YOUR nads. Thirdly, and this is a problem mostly for the girls, there’s a membrane called the Hymen that still needs to break, and I will say this: it doesn’t always break completely the first time. It may take multiple times to have sex before it can be comfortable for you. So your first time having sex won’t really be enjoyable. Sorry. Fourthly, the partner will realize that since this is the girl’s first time, that he’s causing her pain, so he’s indecisive whether to be gentle or to hammer it in to get the pain over with, and things get all kinds of weird.

If you really love this person and are willing to get over all this awkwardness (and potential pain), then kudos to you. Not everyone is. That’s why there are sometimes break-ups (and the really expensive break-up, the divorce).

Sure, sex can be an expression of love, but I am of the firm belief that sex is just a bodily function: it’s like sleeping or pooping. Everyone does it, and it’s necessary for us to function like people. To treat sex like it’s sacred would do it a disservice. It’s like treating every burp as if it were an act of love.

This is not to say that sex isn’t fun! I WILL say sex is more enjoyable the more times you do it with the same person, because you will know what turns your other on (and, more importantly, what turns your other off).

I respect this girl’s right to say what she wants to say. I just hope that she keeps all these points I just made in mind.

Sex isn’t sacred. It can, though, with a lot of practice and the right person, be a LOT of fun.

So keep banging away!

The New Punk

Voila! New art! I drew this bad boy in about two hours with micron pens, a Copic black marker, and cool grey Prismacolor markers.

The biggest reason I drew him (besides that this particular image had been stuck in my head for at least a week) was as a submission for a zine on my campus called Urban Nu-sense.

Urban Nu-sense is something I just got involved in this year, but I’m really excited about it. It’s a zine dedicated to the under-represented people and movements of the United States, especially in Bowling Green, Oh. This zine does focus a lot on urban art forms like spoken word, graffiti, and hip hop. However, it’s for anybody who feels that their needs are not met by pop culture in this country (including the LGBT community and any odd religions). Keep in mind, though, that it doesn’t support any art forms that are malicious against other people (profane is aloud, but not malicious), as Urban Nu-Sense is a magazine for the people, by the people.

If you like the sound of it, check out their website. I put a link up at the top. :D

Don’t Forget to Be Awesome.

Did you notice my little block on the left side of the screen? The one that says, “(New) Graphic Novel Progress”? Yeah, that one.

It says the graphic novel that was in progress has been cancelled. This is true.

Probably a lot of you are like, “Holy shit, what? But you wrote a 220-page graphic novel back in July! How could you cancel a new one this late into September?!” Well, here are my reasons:

1. School. It’s kicking my butt. Don’t get me wrong, I love learning about West African Art, Painting with Watercolors, Performance Art, Visual Communications, and Deviance and Society….but I was not expecting so many time-consuming and paper-writing projects out of this.
2. The graphic novel itself. I realized part way through the project that I didn’t do ANY (I repeat, ANY) background research or development into it, and my brain was trying to grasp ideas from straws. So I cancelled the project not just because of reason number 1, but also just to develop what the heck the story IS.

Also, updating this blog will be slow work because of reasons 1 and 2, but mostly reason 1. Rest assured, though, if I finish any art projects having to do with school or any submissions into magazines, I will post them up here.

And just to tease you all, I’ll post my first art piece (in a long, long time) on Monday, when I get back from working at my caricature-drawing job. :D

Ok, here’s what’s been going on in the life of Kelci, aspiring graphic novelist:

The graphic novel script I’m currently working on is…making slow progress. I’m almost disappointed in the fact that not a lot has been added compared to the last graphic novel script I’ve done.

HOWEVER, I’m more proud of what’s going on in this particular novel script. The characters are really emotionally investing themselves, my scripting art style is switching from weird stick figures to scribbly fleshy figures, and the subject matter is something I’ve been wanting to write about for years.

I’m also reading a spectacular novel called Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

READ IT! That is all.

Also, I have now obtained my own personal copy of Blacksad in hardcover!

You folks have NO IDEA how long I’ve coveted this book! The art is just beautiful, and the story behind it is even better. I’d say it’s gold, but it’s black…BLACKSAD.

You see what I did there? ;3

Man, I’m just jumping topics tonight.

Back to the topic of art, I’m glad to say that the painting class I’m taking this semester is challenging me to make comic work (which I’m excited about) on a deadline (which I’m excited and terrified about). The deadlines are actually imposed by myself, since Gordon, the instructor of the class, didn’t give us deadlines or a syllabus. It’s really exciting for me, because I just keep thinking, “YES! This is what art classes should be!” I don’t know how the other students feel about it.

Because of the graphic novel script and the painting class, this means I’m busy, BUT I should soon be updating more. I make no promises (mostly because everytime I make them on this blog, I keep breaking them), but I intend on posting up pictures of my paintings from class as I finish them.

Also, I’m giving a presentation of my comic work as an Artist Showcase in my residence hall in November, so I’ll be gathering and making artwork for that, as well. I’ll do my best to keep you folks posted.

Ok, now I need to rest up, because tomorrow I’m working all day.