hey everyone! i just got back from my christmas vacation/break, which was nice, but now reality is kicking its ass.
i got a wacom intuos4 tablet as a christmas gift, which means i will be getting into digital art now! if you know of any good beginner's tutorials and/or tools i'd appreciate you sharing them with me c:

on another note, skyrim has been devouring my time n_n' THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO DO. i've been putting off re-watching dbz as a result, and due to being back to school, even skyrim might be put on hiatus.

i hope you're all doing well and enjoyed the holidays, sorry for being lame and inactive :c

Hey, guys. I'm looking to get into digital art using a Wacom Tablet and PS, and am wondering which Wacom tablet is preferable to you and what one i should get starting off. Also, aside from photo shop, what other programs would be good to learn with?

I need to know asap so my family can get me one for Christmas, because there's nothing else i want right now!

Thanks in advance,
Ryan

okay, so recently i have had a huge urge to get into digital art and i don't know where to start.
which programs and tools do you guys suggest i invest in to get started/progress?
do you guys know of any website/articles that will help me get started or give me more information?

if you guys could help me out, it would be awesome and i'd appreciate it infinitely. not to mention it could potentially make more gallery more interesting! thanks in advance, cheers.


p.s: sorry for not uploading any (good) art lately.

<sub>at first i had the title as "merry christmas" then realized how it's more appropriate to have 'happy holidays'. which leads me to ask this question, does it offend any of you at all when someone says 'merry christmas' to you, due to your beliefs and traditions?

but, i digress. as the title states, i hope you all have a great holiday break, and those of you still in school, i hope you're enjoying the time off. i however, am still in school and will be tomorrow as well; i think it's insane they are making us stay in school until the day before christmas eve. i've also been stressed because i don't particularly want much this christmas, and i haven't the slightest idea what to give. especially for my girlfriend! i have a poem somewhat written, as we agreed on homemade rather than store bought gifts. however, i want to illustrate it or something, i'm just unsure how!
hopefully i think of something, i only have a day to really finish it D:

i'm actually currently in school, my laptop with all my writings and WIP's are on it is still in the repair shop to fix the screen, so hopefully i'll get that back soon- a) because my english essay past due is on it, and b) so i can post more work for you guys!

anyways, i'll be talking to you guys soon, i'm sure. so again, enjoy your holidays!</sub>

<sub>so, this month i've been getting nothing but good grades! a 100% on my advanced math assignment and a 100% on a math homework sheet valued like a quiz. An 81% on my english poetry test, which i had hoped a 90+ on, but my english teacher is a brutal grader.
so, in a nutshell, school's been going great

as for personal affairs, i've got myself a girlfriend! she's pretttyyy great, and makes me super happy every second we're together.

halloween is coming up, and i'm costume-less. i may or may not trick-or-treat, but chances are i'll be attending a halloween grad party, and becca (girlfriend) would like if i go to the halloween school dance with her. though i'd like not to, i feel obliged to go with her.
assuming i do conjure some sort of costume, i want to go down a creative path with it, so we'll see what i come up with. (open for suggestions)

errr, i've mentioned piercings in previous journals. i've got my choices cut down to nostril hoop and monroe. damn you indecisiveness! on that note, here is a photo that someone edited in a monroe stud for me:   [link]

so give me your opinion on that!

and lastly, a thanks to anyone who has been commenting or adding my work to their favorites, and i apologize if i didn't reply to individual responses.</sub>

<sub>ok, i've accumulated a lot of mediocre works lately. it seems i've hit a writer's block of sorts, and with it being my last year of high school, i've been directing my focus on schoolwork to "finish with a bang" so to speak.

on a lighter note, i got to see who i believe is the love of my life again, during August. i won't get into details, but it was just something i think i really needed.
and further on good news, i've been drawing again as of late, and it's not total crap o: so i'm pleased with that.

ummm, not much more to say really, other then a few questions.

what are some films you can recommend i watch? (old or new)

yay or nay, should i get my right nostril pierced (probably a loop)

and lastly, should i upload some of my better mediocre poetry, or wait for some better stuff?

p.s: i have about 12 000 messages between deviations and journals etc.. i've been slimming the bulk down but it's little progress as i watch so many people and it builds fast. a lot of it interests me so it would kill me to just delete it all, so when i get a few hours free time i'm going to try to make quick work of it. sighh, the many downsides to a summer iwht no internet.
sorry for being so busy.

thanks,
ryan x</sub>

<sub>Ok so i'm aware that i have not been active whatsoever lately.

Exams have come and gone, passed them all (that I know of, public exam marks come back soon).
So on to senior for me, wooo!

Then what. Well, I haven't really been writing or drawing- too busy between school and other drama.

Btw, happy belated birthday to my country I was out all yesterday celebrating Canada Day,  and then went camping all night. So that was fun, I'm just not getting back from that.
Today is another busy day, though- my friend came in from out of town and we're meeting up, and I leave in 3 days for vacation. So packing is calling my name, too.

I'm going to Toronto area; hitting up Warped Tour and Wonderland, then off to Alberta to the West Edmonton Mall. So lots of time and money is to be spent in the not distant future.

I just bought a cell and wi-fi for my laptop so I have internet wherever there's a cellphone signal, so that covers my internet access while I'm away, but I still won't be active.

I have over 4000 messages between deviations and journals to clean out, I don't much feel like going through them all right now but I'll get around to it I promise!

Uhhh, think, think. Oh! Getting a tattoo and gauging my ears while I'm in Toronto! Well, as far as I know, we'll see what happens. It's for my 17th birthday which is coming up in August.

And well, I think that covers all the updates for me as of now.

If you read this, thanks, and I'll hopefully see you guys around soon!</sub>

<sub>Ok so I was never really much of a cell phone user- until recently.
I've got an old Samsung model, and it's very simple and lacks in any features.

Err, but it's time for a new one.
I'm just curious on what you guys think I should get.

I've seen a few good ones, such as the LG Rumor 2, or similarly the Samsung Rant.
I also like the look of a Sidekick LX, but I'm not sure.
Unfortunately iPhones don't function where I live, so that's out of question.

Anyways, any advice?</sub>

<sub>Lately, i've been quite pensive.
Towards myself, that is.

My girlfriend shows me plenty (more than enough) care and things of that sort.
However, she's often so busy and has many friends.
THAT is where the question comes in.

Why is it that, no matter how much she assures me everything is fine and that she loves me so much, i still can't seem to stop worrying. Stop worrying i will get boring to her, worry about her seeing me differently in the not so distant future and sadly.. worry about the pretty boys whom she often speaks with or hangs out with taking her from me. Perhaps not intentionally, but hypothetically, if something sparks.

I don't know if this is normal.. or anything. See, this is the first relationship i've been in that I would call serious. And, with all my prior relationships crashing and burning quickly, all ending with the girl cheating on me, it's that much more difficult.
I mean is it a trust issue? I do believe i trust her but maybe it's a sub-conscious, unchangeable thing in the back of my mind. And if that is the case, it would be the guys i don't trust, ultimately.

I have other issues in my life, yes, but this one is outstanding because it's the one i seem to always be thinking about.

I don't know, there's more to it that seems unexplainable at the time being.

[/rant]

If you read that.. then, ehh yea. This is meant to be rhetorical, but feel free to comment.</sub>

<sub>well hello, dearest watchers.

it's not very often i decide to write a journal.
i've been slacking with my deviations lately.
i WAS suffering from a writers block, even though i generally write about the same things.
however, i've got some WIP's and poems stocked in my folder that i will soon submit.

hmm, usually i use capitals, why is it that i'm not right now? how odd.

well that wasn't spontaneous or anything.

OH! and where the title of this journal comes from.

some great music, found here:   www.myspace.com/smiletron  

it makes me happy, and dance.. a lot! hopefully it will do the same for you.

i'd also like to promote this musician, his music is most beautiful :
www.myspace.com/danieldixon

enjoy! i'm done wasting your time xP

-ryan</sub>