Happy New Year everyone!

How did I spend mine? Why colouring demon's gate [link] XD. I was so absorbed with it that when midnight came I just shrugged and carried on.
I am damn pleased with that piece so it's bugging me that Sinema continues to get bumloved DX wth that wasn't even an hour piece XD but well I guess Sinema is a cool enough looking guy >: just come on it's Kouki drenched in blood and a cool demon mask D:

Anyway hope you all had a good new year.
Resolutions can't be bothered with them XD so I just set myself some aims

*Work towards my dream of mangaka
*Work harder on my art (the last 2 weeks it has improved like WHOA. I know I can improve)
*get a job or go back to study. Most likely Illustration

So yup those are mine especially mangaka ;A;
I want my own damn manga XD I want people to read my stories and find favourite characters (that maybe they'd want to draw 8D) and so on. The fact I really like to draw these guys too is a hopeful sign. And I can almost draw Kou and Shino off by heart /o/ some more practice and I should be able to do them easily enough.

Then it's just backgrounds and panelling =A= but dammit I've wanted my own manga for years!

Anyway cos I've been drawing like an insane woman the past few weeks XD I made an art blog.
I'll post all means of sketches and WIP's there as well as stuff I don't think is good enough for DA XD.

You can find it here [average VANDORISM] - [link]
It's a cheesy play on Vandore (Kou's name) x Japanese pronounciation of vandalism XD.

At the moment the epic WIP is there, some expression practice and the making of demons gate D8 aka the technique. You should look just to see how it started out XD.

Damn I want a subscription XD stupid lack of money.

Art projects - stuff I want to do

-Dark visual kei-
Kimon - done
revolver blast -
DEAD WORLD -
I am psychopath -
before I decay -
dust to dust -
INject candy/strawberry on the scalp -
Infection -
etc.
-TOOL-
character sheets
practice page
Order of Lucifer

Q&A - ask me anything about the new project or GC. I'm totally happy to answer |D

Q&A - new project

Q. For your new series; Why did Kou turn out to look like Kouki? He reminds me of Kouki's flashback look (not that I'm complaining. |D), even though it didn't seem like Kouki would be an inspiration.

A. Haha I like how it's so blatantly obvious.

I decided I wanted to show how much visual kei influences me and my ideas so there are many references throughout to various bands and members. There's another blatantly obvious influenced character coming up soon.

Basically it wasn't exactly Kouki in the beginning, it was more how EVERY series/story thing I have needs to have a blonde flicky haired guy often with blue eyes. I don't know why it just does. This time though I wanted him to have HUGE hair XD. Anyway he sort of developed as inspired by Kouki so I named him Kou which also means happy, seemed to fit his character.
I think it's an obvious fact that Kouki is my idol so why not. I think he is a good role model so yeah I can tell you why if you want to know. Particularly Kouki's way of thinking and how he sees others which is basically that he tries to see the good in everything. There is this quote from an interview that especially stood out

We already did an interview with you. That time we asked you about "glamour". One of our questions was what glamour in general means to you and Kouki had a really interesting answer to that. You said glamour is "how much the inner core of every human shines out". What do you think about humans in general?
Kouki: Aren't we humans also nothing more than weak living creatures on this planet?

Kouki, only from this short interview I already have the feeling that calm and peace are the most important to you and you always believe in the good in man. Is that true?
Kouki: I cannot really say that, but I do have the strong feeling that I don't want to lose myself...


I knew the character would also think like that so Kouki makes good inspiration whilst Shino's character is a more selfish guy and opposite almost.
However I wanted to stay away from making the character exactly like him so made him a booksmart type rather than a dorky dumbass lol. That spot is reserved for another character.

Lastly despite having the name Kou I really wanted to make sure he wasn't Japanese! White blonde hair, pale skin and blue eyes are all faked by Deity but I wanted Kou to have those things naturally.

Long answer XD but I hope that explains why Kouki is deserving of inspiration and influence. People think of him as just a dorky band guy but he's a lot more and actually is probably the most intelligent in Dauto XD.

Q. For the new series; What inspired the series in general, as well as the character designs? A lot of creators have a universe they see their characters in, but what made you come up with yours?

A. Well this is a good question indeed. Basically I thought I should use this because it wasn't just some random story or characters I made up. It came together through re-occuring dreams that played out like an anime. Weird stuff but I just had the feeling wow I should use this. Of course the characters weren't exactly as they are but I knew 1 was blonde and the other dark haired. I added a girl because I didn't want to slip into the ALWAYS gay character thing people do. I've done it as well so I was like nah I'm going to be lazy and let the audience decide if such a person is in love with such a person. Most obvious will be Kou and Shino but like I said I'm not saying anything on if they are or not |D
I've actually not said much about the series in general but have been working on it for a year now.
Basically it combines an interest I've had since very early childhood, that being in demons and angels. When I was first having the dreams I researched demon and angelology and really found it absolutely fascinating *A* particularly how most demons weren't actually said to be evil. Fallen angels were also very interesting and probably are the biggest thing of the series. I was especially interested in the myths and conceptions surrounding Lucifer so decided to play on that. One such ideal I read was that Lucifer was condemned for questioning god and actually having free thought as angels supposedly weren't supposed to have free thought and speech etc. Sounded like they were just there for like no reason to me anyway. This was very interesting |D

Q. For the new series; did you polish a lot of it from your dreams? I know dreams are usually very roughly outlined in terms of a plot and usually they don't even have one; but did you change a lot of what you saw in your dreams?

A. Well the dreams were more like yeah an outline. From what I got I just established my own plotline and additional characters. Though some key things that happen were part of the dreams. It was such a re-occuring dream with the same people that I just thought I think my mind is trying to tell me something XD. This dream would randomly return with new stuff happening over a period of months D8. Plus yeah I've just always had such interest in demons and angels so wanted to use them.
The plotline is even still developing but I have a basic idea of how it plays out as a whole. It's just some fun/filler stuff that needs placing. I don't want everything to happen like RIGHT away you know but at the same time I don't want the story to drag forever. That's why GC would not work as a manga.

Q&A - GateCrasher

Q. What does Gatecrasher sound like anywho? I've always been curious and somehow I can't imagine what Deity's voice would sound like...

A. GateCrasher are definitely a loud hard band. Basically just take all the loud VK bands like UnsraW, Sadie, lynch., -OZ-, D'espairsRay and put them together XD.
As for Deity's voice most people just assume he sounds like Ruki or Kouki (lmfao if he sounded like Kouki Minus sounds more like Kouki |D) but neither are true. If anything he's more like Hazuki (lynch.) I don't know it's weird cos I know what his voice sounds like but it's hard to put it to somebody. Hazuki is closest.

So basically his voice is kind of smooth, dark and deep. He doesn't have many high pitched scream vocals and prefers to roar for those parts (think lynch.'s enemy and majority of Natsuki's roaring vocals)

Q. What bands would Gatecrasher tour with- and where would they typically tour around? I know a lot of bands who prefer each other over others (like Girugamesh and MUCC are friends).

A. Well GC is some other universe so they would be with fictional bands XD I think me and a friend established they would tour with her band SHIFT. But assuming if they were a real band right now I would say they would typically tour with the likes of -OZ- and born mostly, Sadie when they sponsor stuff. Maybe DELUHI but not sure and UnsraW don't sponsor a lot of lives but they would probably be alongside them on the tour XD. Bands like dauto and girugamesh aren't likely but they could cross paths with giru if they were on the same sponsor |D I think they'd get on well with giru though XD. It's likely they'd cross paths with Nega too.
Touring around it would likely be mostly Tokyo, they are a Tokyo based band no surprises there XD though Minus and Kaja are both from the Kansai region. They have interest in touring overseas so would take the opportunity if it was given them. Deity was raised between Germany and England as a child and Maku spent some early years in the US because he's half American (this means they can both speak English yay XD but it's not as good as it used to be due to living in Japan so long) so likely they'd wanna go back sometime. As for the others only Kigan has no interest in leaving Japan. Basically they'd go where they're wanted |D and they'd also want to see as much of their fans as possible all over the world.
They're not one of those prejudiced Japan and Japanese only bands.

Q. For Gatecrasher; A little humor to my questions, what style do you absolutely hate when it comes to music and the fashion along with it? I would figure a band is set to show a certain side of music, but what music would you not want to convey?

A. OSHARE KEI XD!! I think Deity would vomit at the thought of dressing and releasing oshare stuff. I also hate the majority of oshare kei XD I get like WTF when some bands I like are referred to as oshare. dauto for 1 WTH! Also ViViD, Canzel and Irokui whut these guys are too good to be oshare kei XD. Oshare can be defined by colourful rainbow vomit costumes and bands that can't play or vocalists who can't sing *SuG!*. Also pop and rap/r'n'b.
I made Deity reflect this but he's pretty much the only member. Kigan and Maku quite like r'n'b whilst Kaja is into metal and Minus is into Japanese pop XD Minus is seriously Kouki I swear only I made Minus before dauto even existed so I can't be accused of copying haha. As for Deity isn't it obvious that he also likes metal and some visual kei XD also it may be interesting to know that he quite likes classical music.
GateCrasher are very much one of the hardcore underground bands, they like to play small venues and get up close and personal with the fans. But it would definitely be oshare kei XD. General happy music is also mostly off limits. What are most of the songs about I bet you're wondering XD. Well certainly not happy stuff and rarely love.
I love dauto's jazzy style but think that would also be a huge no for them. Experimentation isn't really their thing so they're very much like -OZ- in that respect I guess.
He's not 100% hating on all things oshare though in the GC universe he has band friends who belong to oshare style groups. It's really just the style is not his or GC's thing. Plus a name like GateCrasher doesn't convey oshare kei XD.
Oh also I cannot stand power metal DX leave the myths and legends and elves and dragons to books, movies and video games please.

Q. What are their instruments like? Except for Deity of course, unless he uses something other than his voice.

A. the positions are -
Deity - vocals
Kigan - guitar
Maku - guitar
Kaja - bass
Minus - drums

Maku can play bass too and likewise Kaja can play guitar. Pretty common for lots of bass and guitarists to know both, only Kigan is lame and only plays guitar XD. Minus can play guitar a little and he can also sing 8D if you like his voice (he seriously is Kouki 8B) but isn't allowed cos Deity sucks like that. But if they did a session swap he would probably be vocals.
As for Deity he's a multi talented sob XD he can play piano, violin and guitar DX the git XD. He played some other instruments when he was younger but since forgot/doesn't care about them. He had the best education so was pushed into doing and learning lots of stuff but vocals are what he wants to do in the band. Any piano in their songs is probably him though.

Plz to be asking something.

I TAKE COMMISSIONS PLEASE READ IF INTERESTED - [link]

Art trade status: open within limits (meaning I must like your style for my character)