OK, this is somewhat to get that other journal off of my front page, but it also does have a little purpose to its own. I never planned for Bitter Silence to be really long and after the next panel (which finishes the current scene), there are only two scenes left and the epilogue. Of course each scene will be several pages long so we will still be together for a month or two. ^^ Unless I become totally obsessed with the Sims3. If that happens updates will happen slower. Though I really want to try to stay on an every other day plan.

So I want to know two things. First of all what do you think is going to happen? Or if you don't like to make predictions, what do you want to happen? I'm sure some people will come close though I don't think anyone will guess it all. And no I am not going to say who got close and who didn't since that would be a spoiler. Secondly, I want to make a couple of pictures of Vrizz and Caroline. You know, not part of the story or anything, but just fun little things. I have a couple ideas, but do any of you want to see Vrizz and Caroline doing anything in particular that I could draw? ^^

...

This is just a handful of musings about my new comic. First of all it is based on something that I have dreamed about most of my life...awake and asleep. Yeah, I know that is weird. It came from an incident in my childhood where I watched my parents chasing a wasp around the house and spraying it with all sorts of things until it died. I felt really sorry for that wasp. LOL! XD So anyway this is something that has been stewing in my brain for quite awhile. I don't know why I got the sudden urge to draw it out comic style...but eh...I follow where my muse leads.

This is also turning out to be longer than I originally thought. The story is just flowing through me right now, and I just draw and write it down. I know right now I am updating a page a day, but I probably won't continue that pace the whole time. Every once in a while I do have a thing called a life that doesn't include drawing (boo). Also I know right now the story is really cutesy, but it is also going to deal with a lot of more serious and adult themes. If someone was to ask me what this story was about, I would say it is about prejudice, racism, sexism, ignorance, and war and what hell all of those things can make people's lives. So you've been warned. Vrizz will remain as cute as ever throughout though. XD

One more thing before I turn things over to you, Vrizz and Caroline are both young adults. I know my style might make them look younger, but they certainly aren't. Of course hopefully there are enough hints in the story (Caroline living alone and having a job, Vrizz obviously being past breeding age) about that fact.

So what do you all think so far?

One thing I like about art is that I really think a person's soul shines through everything they make and even when they experiment with different styles, there is always an inescapable theme running throughout their work. I love opening my deviation watch page everyday and being able to tell 99% of whose stuff is whose without even looking at the names on the work. I love that everyone's art has their own stamp of individuality on it.

So I thought I would do a fun thing with this journal and hopefully you all will join me. If you respond on here and describe what you think my style of art is...or how it makes you feel...or how you can tell one of my pictures is mine just by looking at it, then I will do the same for you. XD

I have a very specific reason for asking this which I will get to in a moment. First off though, I have been pondering this question since I've been on DA and I have come up with a few ideas. Of course just plain artistic brilliance is always appreciated, but that is certainly not the only measure of the popularity of a deviation on DA. So moving on I also find popular deviations often share these characteristics (unless they are just plain artistically awesome):

Fanart is of course the biggie...whether that is a good thing or a bad thing probably depends on whether you yourself like and draw fanart. Though the idea that fanart will automatically make you super popular on DA is a wrong one. I'm not all that popular and I have some fanart-making friends that aren't either. I have also found humor to be very popular on DA. My most favorited piece is a cartoon and I notice that many popular deviants make cartoons and comics their main focus on DA as well. When it comes to original characters and works...I find it can be a toss up. Of course some original comics and strips on DA are some of the most popular things around. Some OCs are as beloved as any professional anime or cartoon character and have their own fanart drawn of them. But then I have also come across some people making their own comics and mangas that for whatever reason have yet to catch people's attention.

When I look at my own deviations, I sometimes wonder how one got really popular (and popular for me is like over thirty favs XD). In fact a couple of my deviations that I dislike the most are paradoxically some of my more popular. Likewise out of my three or four most favorite things I have ever drawn, only one is popular.

What brought all of this up was my most recent drawing. I personally think it is one of the best I have ever done and was really proud of it. Yet no one else seems to agree. And I can't figure out whether that is because I am wrong and it isn't that good, or if it is because it is of another show besides Bleach, or maybe people are turned off by the subject matter...hell it beats me. XD

So I thought I would ask all of you. What makes you fav a deviation instead of merely looking at it, or commenting? Do you only fav things from a certain fandom...or are you one of those types that will fav anything and everything that catches your eye (like me)? Does something have to be technically brilliant, funny, or just touch you in some way for you to fav it? Is there anything you will fave deviations of no matter whether or not it is all that good (I'm that way with Ulquihime...I'll fav just about any deviation if it is Ulquihime XD)?

And lastly, to any one that is my friend on here, or knows me fairly well...well it's no secret that I want to be popular on DA (not in pageviews, but in how many favs my stuff gets), so do any of you have any suggestions for me to get those favs? Getting better artistically is of course a given, and I think I have gotten better since I have joined DA but I haven't gotten any more popular so there must be more to it than just that. What would you personally like to see me do more of?

P.S. Yes I am working on "Obsession". Expect to see some pictures and descriptions of the main characters soon. XD XD XD

~Sid