Amanda Williams

Is anyone still out there? :)

Mon, 04 May 2009 18:58:55 GMT

Noticing that my almost non-existent presence on the web is helping me to lose followers. Such is life. Thought I'd post an update so that people know I've not died or something. ^.^

Things are going very well art-wise. I've been working with Randy Smith of Edge Magazine on a cute puzzle game called Spider, which I'm very excited to show everyone when I can! Should be released soon.

Commissions have taken a back seat to the game, but I'm slowly working on some of that as well. I hope to do some comic stuff in the near future too! Too soon to share details, but this is what I'm up to these days.

Keeping my head down & working is good for the soul, but really bad for relationships via the web! I hope everyone is well, and I will try to post more!! *hug*

-Amanda

New store, new art

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:49:36 GMT

Just set up a new store for artwork. Starting out fresh with what I post on there, since my older artwork doesn't look like the new.

My Website under construction:

http://ebonbutterfly.com

The store:

http://ebonbutterfly.imagekind.com

2 New Drawings

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:23:45 GMT

Including a couple of posts from my other blog. Click for larger versions, especially on the second one:

Artificial Girl & Bee:
Might make some changes before I post on my site (such as wood grain).Who knows when that will be, so I'm posting her here as she is now.

Three Golden Apples:

"We decided not to become acquainted with them, because they had green hair and their bodies taper like fishes." From The Three Golden Apples.

Happy Monday!

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:13:48 GMT

Dreamer of Dreams, originally uploaded by awilliams.

Happy Monday, to everyone who is still reading this blog. :)

I hope you're all doing very well!

All is okay in my corner of the world. I've been hiding and drawing, and learning 3D craft. I wish I had internet at home, because I think of so many things at night that I'd love to post. I suppose I could just type it out on the laptop & post later, but for some reason it never comes out the end of my fingers sounding like a blog entry. I may be saving your eyes from reading a bunch of useless things by not posting so often. ;)

Some of the illustrations I'll post soon. That's most of what I think about these days, so I'd love to get them up here.

The movie I've been working on is showing at the Paramount during SXSW. I have no idea if it's okay to blog the title yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing my work on the big screen. Especially since it's some of my very first models. :) Or not. I may hide under the seat and not watch those parts!

I'm also considering going to DragCon in Atlanta this year. Are any of you going? There's also an SCBWI conference after that I think, which sounds interesting.

The picture above is from my apartment. I wanted to test out a few things in Photoshop, so the benefit (if you care at all ;) is that you get to see some of where I live if you click on it. I do not show you my enormous and lovely shoe collection, nor the pretty view outside unfortunately, but you do get to see what sort of art crazyness I'm living in these days (at it's cleanest, naturally.).

Some things I recommend, yes:

The House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones. The sequel to Howl's Moving Castle.

Fathom by Cherie Priest. Totally fascinated by a particular statue in this book.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

I've started reading Drood. I may still be reading Drood months from now, as it is quite large and packed with Stuff.

I'm late to the party, also just started reading World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. It's good. I loveit.

As far as movies go - SEE CORALINE! I think it's showing at Gateway, still no Alamo Drafthouse. I loved watching it with kids in the audience anyway. I'll probably go see it again.

The Dead Like Me movie is out too. I liked it, after I got used to the new not-Daisy Daisy Adaire.

And hey! Crystal Castles is coming to Austin on April 13th. I want to go so badly.

Right. Back to working on a 3D building for the day job.

TTFN! >^.^<

A new year's update

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:01:51 GMT

My lovely Aunt Glenda
Originally uploaded by awilliams

I found this gorgeous photo while going through pictures on my computer. I managed to snap a picture of it when I visited Raleigh a couple of Christmases ago. What a surprise it will be to her when she checks my journal!

Things are a little better in my part of the world. Nieces and nephew are all doing well, and Santa brought my brother-in-law home from South Korea on Christmas Eve. That was quite a good time, actually -- as we got the girls out of the car, we heard Santa shouting "ho ho ho!" in the distance. Kat (oldest niece) was beside herself with delight to see her Dad, and of course my sister was very happy to see her husband. My nephew was born in mid-December, so there was a great introduction to be had as well between father and son.

I spent the two previous Christmases with Aunt Glenda. Though I wasn't able see her this year, I was surrounded by family and memories I will cherish always.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic and warm (even if only in spirit - brr!) new year so far. :)

If you're a friend who now lives far away, know that you're missed.

Much love.

New sketch: Bernini's David

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 20:38:56 GMT

Such a beautiful statue to study. You can see it here.

First sketch of 2009. Mirrors my determination for the new year.

Working on a website

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:28:31 GMT

I decided to go back to my old domain (which I'll post once I'm finished), since I like and miss using it. So does my family apparently, since they ask where it went.

My progress:

It's simple, but I like simple.

Now I'll have one web home for 3d models, photography, and illustration! The look might change a little, but I felt like updating my blog, and this is what I'm doing at the moment. That is, I am avoiding the chilly air with my sore throat rather than spend a lovely evening with friends at Opal Divine's. I am lame today.

Still alive, and a work in progress

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:45:21 GMT

My blogs are badly neglected due to my not having internet at home and being very sick, but here's a mini update with a work in progress.

Anti-gay language - Are you using it?

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:04:17 GMT

I loved seeing this video. I really hate this phrase, and it's used so often. When I address people who use it often, they sometimes act like I'm being too sensitive. Be kind to each other! :)

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2008/10/16/phillips.gay.ad.campaign.cnn

Afternoon Tea

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:13:24 GMT

Just a little update to let you know I'm still alive.

x-posted from my main blog

I would Never get anything done if I had this.

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:22:15 GMT

Photography link

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:25:40 GMT

I put a selection up on a portfolio site. Once I get a better camera, I'd love to do some freelance work.

http://awilliams.carbonmade.com/

A Very Serious Promise

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:38:08 GMT

To myself. Beginning Monday, I get back into my artwork (a big project ends this weekend). It doesn't matter if it's illustration, painting, modeling, ANYTHING, so long as it's something artistic.

I spent a couple of hours today banging out orthographic character views to help with the work load, and it felt good. Now I have not only my boss reminding me to set time aside for art, but my coworkers are chiming in too.

Monday, Amanda.

Oh dear.

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:05:23 GMT

Sick at home today. I never get sick really, unless it's my left eye. I don't know if it's because of the long hours I spend looking at my laptop screen, or if it's allergies, or both, or maybe just meanness. ;)

Sleeping off and on so that I can keep it closed, and I hate it when my body cries for a time out. Everything I can think of doing to pass the time requires the use of my eyes, so maybe I'll just go back to sleep. I'm sure my body would appreciate that very much anyway.

I hope everyone is having a great Monday!

Jamie Lidell - Friday @ The Parish

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:31:26 GMT

Come on out! Tickets are $20. No Austin City Limits for me this year... GDC week was 'spensive.
http://soundcheckmagazine.com/shows-tickets/austin/88888926-austin/886-acl-fest-official-aftershow-jamie-lidell--the-parish

Thank you for the music

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:20:12 GMT

The new job is going well. Our project should be under way soon, though the Vancouver trip is delayed a month. That means it will be super cold by the time we get up there!

My pleasantest thought for the day:
Today was date night with Dad, so we went to a movie. My younger sister may be pregnant with her 3rd child, and I may be 30 years old, but today we were 2 little girls watching Mama Mia with our very young dad.

When we were living in Germany as kids, he used to wake us up on the weekends with ABBA. I got emotional during the Dancing Queen sequence, after feeling a huge "then and now" moment. Surprised I could relate to the main character so intensely, and I don't recall the last time we saw movie with just the three of us.

Some more pretties via. I collect images, and recently I've been turned on to a social image bookmarking site:

A really lovely comic

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 17:57:10 GMT

Passing this link forward from Harvey. It's beautiful. Click here to read.

Yay

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:51:10 GMT

We have a Tre Z. on LJ now. :)

Also, work keeps getting better and better. I'm really enjoying it.

I'll be attending GDC next week for the first time, plus an industry friend from France will be here for the week too.

Monica sasses an assassin

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:51:52 GMT

Monica sasses an assassin
Originally uploaded by rmattson

Blogging this because it's too cute. Taken by Ryan at PAX.
Miss you, Monica!

Eye candy - vi.sualize.us

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:53:41 GMT

Since I don't do very many long blog entries, I've been trying to think of ways to become more involved with my LJ. New friends, old friends, and family read this blog, so it would be nice to show more of my interests. A big one being photography, and not just my own. I might do a once a week post with just a few images here.

I am so in love with vi.sualize.us. If you'd like to see which images I bookmark for reference, please feel free to add the F-list feed. Though I try to keep my LJ mild for various reasons, my vi.sualize.us account will be more mature. I'm an artist seeking references, so if it's inspiring I'll add it.

I made the account tonight, so there's only a few images so far. acw_visualize Or you can bookmark the page separately here.

Some examples:

Crazy dream

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:27:03 GMT

Street fighting girls, serial killers, nuns, & distorted faces of Fates on coffee mugs in my dreams last night. Neil Gaiman said all is ok.
via

I'm HOME! Plus a job update.

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:37:20 GMT

I'm finally home, sleeping in my own bed and listening to the cardinals call as the sun rises. I admit I will miss kainasylum and his Alex-cat, and I will be forever appreciative to him for giving up his spare room for a few months. *crushing hug*

I'm also glad I got a taste of what it's like to live downtown, which I've been curious about since I moved to Austin. Though it was great to be near the night life and fantastic restaurants, the nature preserve feels more like home. It's nice being so close to my favorite book/comic/clothing stores, as well as my woodsy nature trail and animal neighbors (there's some Snow White in me).

And yes, that's a book on the bed above. I'm terrible about turning books over to save my spot. ;)

The new job is going very well. I find myself being a communication helper elf, and I'm getting a crash course in what it takes to run a studio and help the group meet deadlines. The Company Which Shan't Be Named seems excited to start the project, as are we. In the meantime, I'm going start learning the Unreal editor tutorials during quieter moments.

Now I'm able to come home and kick my feet up on my very own couch at the end of a long work day. *content sigh*

Day 1 was fantastic

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:35:05 GMT

I'm really very happy with today. I got the rundown on our various projects, did some research and threw ideas around, worked on documentation, tried my hand at recruiting, participated in some Vancouver travel planning, and met interesting and very talented neighbors who share our building.

I'm also headed to bed at only 1:30am. Le gasp.

Sandman, you missed one!

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:44:38 GMT

It's been a year since I last had to be in an office before noon (a year and 3 months to be exact), and even though I set two alarms on my phone and purchased an honest to goodness alarm that plugs into the wall and beeps, I'm still afraid I'll be late.

So I am still awake, watching TV shows from my childhood (Beauty and the Beast with Ron Perlman, and Doogie Howser, MD) here, as I stuff my cheeks with honey nut cheerios. Nervous? Umyeah.

Though last night I was treated to warm apple walnut cobbler and icecream, which to me is the perfect way to close one chapter and open another.

Good morning, internets! It's going to be a good day.

Really great news

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:29:24 GMT

I took a job at the studio where I've been doing my internship, which starts Monday! It's two jobs actually, for 4 months. I'll be art producer on a game, and associate producer on a movie. Both are unannounced.

Assuming everything goes as planned on Monday with the game contract, I will be flown to Vancouver for two weeks in September.

Needless to say, this is a huge relief. It's much more than I expected though, and a little overwhelming. I will continue working with artists on my portfolio pieces.

Good night, internets!