feadraug

[For the sake of simplicity, today's journal entry will be only in English... I'm confident my fellow Spanish speakers have the right English mastery to understand at least half of what I'm gonna say.]

So... how long has it been since my last journal entry? Let's see... December 11th, 2012... woah, that makes more than a year and a half... And I bet you're wondering how I'm doing after that journal. Because it's clear things have changed, specially if you follow me here.

Let's see what I need to clarify after all this time...

“Hi, I'm here for your Felaryan stories. Where are you Felaryan stories?”

That's one good first question no one asked, indeed... As I said a year and a half ago, I've put that stuff on hiatus. But looks like the hiatus will turn into “leaving Felarya for good”, though it isn't final... yet.

Why? Did I lose interest on the setting? Is the community, their concepts and stories not that good for me? Do I have many another things to do and I can't spend more time with Felaryan stuff? It sure isn't about the community, that's for sure, you guys don't have anything to do with this... No, it's about losing some interest on Felarya altogether, mainly since I have a lot to do out of that world of dangers and half-naked predators.

Which is a pity, indeed. I've missed some good – and bad – things and I've lost a lot of contact with this. Also, I have pending stories, but without the interest on the setting, it only leaves me with my characters. Some might have a second chance in the future, as they'd feature other things, but for the rest of them... I'm afraid either they'll stay in this limbo or they'll simply come back if my interest on Felarya ever returns.

I know, I wasn't that well known among other people in the Felaryan community, but it's always bad news when someone decides to leave it, even if there's the slightest chance of returning.

“You mentioned some time ago that you might consider commissions... so...?”

So? Oh, that... I'm not going to do them. Mainly because of the fiscal and legal issues here in Spain regarding this. Some people think that commissions are as easy as “this is my price list”, but thanks to some other people who know quite a lot more about this, I have seen that there's more to that, and that what seems easy is actually harder and more legally complicated.

I'll stick with my own art, fan-arts, some gifts and if someone is up for an art trade, I'm all for it. But no commissions, sorry.

“So... what are you doing right now?”

See? That's easier to answer... As you've seen on my account, I've been doing some art here and there. Not that much.

Last year, I finally finished my first webcomic, which has a mix of both good of bad things – more of the latter than the former. But still, it was an experience I will never regret, it's shown me so many things, and helped me find some good colleagues. Which is something pretty good in the end.

And earlier this year I joined forces with to make a short comic called “Apolo”. It's all in Spanish and it was part of a challenge, similar to NaNoWriMo. We were supposed to make a 30-page comic in 30 days. It lasted 36, but it wasn't the writer's fault, but mine. I wanted to keep a level similar to what I usually do, and that was very tiring. Still, I could finish the 30 pages, even if I missed the deadline. Many others couldn't even finish this, and taking in account I have tried to keep my level while others just simplified their art or experimented with something new and faster... well, I can't say it was a big failure, more like taking a big risk and facing consequences that are actually less than I expected. Call me brave, call me stupid, it's your choice. Well, that was some months ago...

Currently, I'm drawing “Zodiac”, a webcomic written by . It's another challenge, because the first episode, drawn by , shows not only character development and gags, but also action and many dynamic scenes - what you need in a fantasy comic featuring Spanish pirates. I'm know for being kinda static, but if I want to improve, these challenges will surely help me, not only with my own effort, but also thanks to other people's opinions and criticism.

Also, I intend to go with my second webcomic – when I say “my second” I mean “100% mine, not as just the writer or the artist” -, somewhere before the end of the year. I have re-written many parts of the script, re-thought some scenes and characters, and that has been delaying the comic more than I expected.

The thing is that, despite I'm very busy with my current job and all, I'm doing my best to have something artistic going, even you don't see it here on deviantArt.

So that's all. Yep, nothing else to say.

[ENGLISH]

I owe you an explanation and I apoligize for not being that active.

As of late, I've been very, very, very busy with several things in life. So if you see I haven't replied to your comments, I haven't commented your art or anything, don't worry: it's just that November was kind of a hard month and it looks like December will be a tougher one. Tougher than I expected. Not only because of work, but also because of my own hobby.

You see, some people have told me that I should draw more, something I totally agree with because practice makes a master. I've been trying to get the time for it, and now that I got... Guess what? Someone wants me to draw their stuff. "Cool," you will say. "That's one cool thing, you've gotta do what you wanted". Yep, that's the good news... bad news are that it looks like they ignore the fact that I have my own stuff to take care of. I have a webcomic I want to finish before February, I have some ideas of my own waiting for being drawn... but you see, it looks like what I want "doesn't exist".

I'm trying to stop the external avalanche so I can dedicate myself more to my own stuff. Some will be seen here on dA, some won't... Though for now, there's something that will be out of my reach for a while: Felarya. I'm sorry for those who read those stories, but until new order, all related stuff will be put on a halt. I need time to quite reorganize myself and there are themes I must discard for now. And it's such a pity, because I enjoy those stories, I'd like to give Seelvee some actual protagonism, show more about 'Murmur', see what will happen with Lorne and Yuritza, or what more evildoing Ruina has in store.

And once again, I'm sorry.

PS: Maybe next year I should really consider commissions. I know I'm not that of a big artist and my art is kind of average, but seriously, if people are going to come with requests, there needs to be a very good reason for me to leave my own stuff aside.

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[ESPAÑOL]

Os debo una explicación y una disculpa por no estar tan activo.

Últimamente he andado muy, muy, pero que muy ocupado con varias cosas en la vida. Así que si no he respondido a vuestros comentarios, no he comentado vuestro arte o cualquier cosa de esas, tranquilos: es solo que noviembre ha sido un mes duro y parece que diciembre lo será más. Más de lo que yo esperaba. No solo por el trabajo, sino también por mi propia afición.

Veréis, hay gente que me ha dicho que debería dibujar más, algo con lo que estoy muy de acuerdo, puesto que la práctica ayuda a mejorar. He intentado conseguir tiempo para ello, y ahora que lo tengo... ¿Sabéis qué? Alguien quiere que dibuje sus cosas. "Genial," diréis. "Eso está muy bien, vas a hacer lo que querías". Sí, esa es la buena noticia... la mala es que parece que no se dan cuenta de que tengo mis propias cosas de las que ocuparme. Tengo un webcómic que quiero liquidar antes de febrero, ideas propias que esperan a que las plasme... pero ya lo estáis viendo, parece que lo que yo quiero ya "ni existe".

Estoy tratando de que la avalancha externa se detenga para que así yo pueda tener tiempo para mis cosas. Unas se verán aquí en dA, otras no... Aunque en principio hay algo que quedará fuera de mi alcance durante un tiempo: Felarya. Lo siento por quien leía esas historias, pero hasta nuevo aviso, toda producción al respecto queda paralizada. Necesito reorganizarme bastante y hay temas que debo descartar de momento. Y es una pena, porque me gustan esas historias, me gustaría que por fin Seelvee tuviese un verdadero protagonismo, enseñar más de 'Murmur', ver qué pasará con Lorne y Yuritza o qué más maldades tiene Ruina en mente.

Y una vez más, me disculpo.

PD: Tal vez el año que viene deba plantearme realmente lo de los encargos. Sé que no soy un gran artista y que lo que hago es una medianía, pero de verdad, si la gente me va a venir con peticiones, debe haber una muy buena razón para que yo deje mis cosas a un lado.

[ENGLISH]

Just a status report...

1. Remember this? fav.me/d4ca49n Amyorrigan was just a little silly thing from some conversations with about her Morrigan cosplay and how she thought she'd look like the Klamstein's mother - it's a lie, she, Miri, looks pretty fine... Well, engaging in another funny chat with her via Twitter, the idea of Amy Klamstein Cosplayer is back to my mind, several months after Amyorrigan.

And so it'll begin (again) with Amynetta and Amy'Zorah (vas Klamstein). Guess the victims. xD Can't promise any kind of periodic release and maybe it'll be just for these two... unless people like them.

2. As you can see, my written production is on halt. Mainly because I'm constantly rearranging my free time. So yeah: the English translation of my Ascendancy short stories in on hiatus and my Felaryan production is being slowed down once again.

And that's all for now...

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[ESPAÑOL]

Un simple informe de mi ...

1. ¿Recordáis esto? fav.me/d4ca49n Amyorrigan era una chorradilla surgida de unas conversaciones   sobre su cosplay de Morrigan y cómo pensaba que se vería con él como la madre de los Klamstein (lo que es mentira, ella, Miri, se ve bastante bien)... Pues bien, en otra conversación grasiosa vía Twitter, ha vuelto a mi mente la idea de la Amy Klamstein Cosplayer, varios meses después  Amyorrigan.

Y así que comenzaré (de nuevo) Amynetta y Amy'Zorah (vas Klamstein). Adivinad las víctimas. xD No puedo prometer ninguna periodicidad y seguramente se quede en estas dos... a menos que le guste a la gente.

2. Como podéis ver, mi producción escrita está parada. Más que nada porque estoy constantemente reorganizando mi tiempo libre. Así que sí: la traducción al inglés de mis historias cortas de Ascendancy está parada y mi producción felaryana vuelve a ralentizarse.

Y eso es todo por ahora...

So what is the Draug doing now? If you've been watching me, you might have noticed that I'm submitting the translations of some short stories I wrote long ago about the "Ascendancy" PC game... well, they're more than just translations, they're quite improved from the original Spanish versions.

I'm aware you guys don't know what "Ascendancy" is, but no worries. As I'm translating and improving the stories, I'm adding some details to explain such strange aliens that roam the universe of that game. Also, this is a good change for me from the whole Felarya stuff and my classic bizarre drawings. xD

And I'll use this journal post for listing the stories as they appear.

Arbryls - A tree story
Baliflids - Another rat tale
Capelons - Hunting day
Chamachies - Scientific council
Chronomyst - Chronos speaks
Dubtaks - Another day, another theft
Fludentri - Never-ending fight
[MORE TO COME]

Summer is coming to an end... and there are still some things to do... I guess I should actually work on my priorities.

Now, first of all, one of the fanzines I'm in - WEEzine 5 - already have my entry. Three pages of madness with fairy tales, a giant redhead, a big headed villain, Monty Pantheon and a pony. Yes, a pony. Three guesses which one I'm talking about.

So what's left? Going back to my webcomic? Oh, I already did, while making fun on how DC has treated Lobo in the last few years. Good ol' Lobo was a 90s product who couldn't make it well into the 21st century...

OK, so what's next? Yes, yes, the European Fanzine Project. Gotta deliver sketches soon for that. Quality process and all, I have to work hard if I don't want to get myself kicked out of the project either for being late or for making crap. Or for both.

So... oh, hey, what's this? "Felaryan stuff"? Man, I've been quite away of the community, now that it's again at peace and things happen. I have a couple of stories there waiting to be finished and... I should draw something... Well, I guess I should get some more free time. Dunno where to get it, though.