I Can't Wait

For this month to be over with.

As excited as I am, I just want things to be over with already.

I still have a few more things to finish and to get for Hal-Con. And I only have 5 more days left to do it all in.

On top of that, I will be working full day shifts this week, because my boss is going on vacation. So I won't have a day off during the week like I was planning. I also have to work Friday morning, and will only have less than an hour to get ready to go to the con for 12. So I will be running around like a headless chicken in the afternoon.

PLUS, this weekend, I have been and still am, working on SMU's newspaper. I have to get it done today, because I won't have any time tomorrow morning to fix anything. I will only have enough time to send it to print. So hopefully everything will run smoothly.

Because of my shift change (Not that I'm complaining getting full time hours, I need the money), I had to drop one of my plans for the con, and that was the costume part. I didn't/don't have time to make one. I have way too many things that are far more important than a costume. It would've been super fun to cosplay as Jem (maybe next year?). I do have a few wigs that I'll be wearing and will dress up, so I will have a bit of fun!

I'm also a bit nervous too.

I know a lot of people tell me they like my work. They think it's great, blah, blah, blah. Which is really nice.

BUT!

No one will buy my work. I've tried many times selling my work online, like on facebook, esty and even have a deviantart print account. I haven't sold a thing.

I even had a table at a craft show in the summer, and sold only a few prints.

It's not like my prices are crazy or anything. I think people just tell me they like my work to be polite.

Family doesn't count, because they always say my work is good and have all of my crap up in their house. Because they're family!

Same with friends.

But I could be wrong though, and do extremely well, but for now, I think to be safe, I'm just going to think I'm not going to do well.

So negative I know! But I rather no keep my hopes up, to have them fall down and smash into tiny, itty, bitty pieces.

I will have fun for the weekend! I'm not going to let my negative attitude about my work get to me.

Oh crap, I made another whiny blog again.

I'll post how everything went when it's all over! And post some pics. So I guess, stay tuned? For whoever reads this. :)

Blaaah... And things about Hal-Con!

Super upset that I can't finish my digital paintings for Hal-Con. My tablet's pen just isn't working that great anymore. My lines turn out super wiggly and nothing is looking good. :( Looks like the only new illustrations I will have for sale, will be done in the traditional way, and I will try to make some decent prints of them if no one wants to buy the original. I will still have prints of my older digital paintings/illustrations for sale though! :)

So today I'm going to go to the art store and buy some more pens and paper and all of that good stuff, to make my traditional work look great!

I'll be there with a friend (who will also be selling some artwork) for all 3 days. I'll be dressed up as Jem! Cause I'm truly outrageous.

I'll also be bringing some of my art supplies and drawing some 5$ chibis! Any character you want, I'll try my bestest to do it. It would be great if you had a reference picture for your own character or a character I've never heard of before. And chances are, if it's not Batman, Sailor Moon, a Disney character, or anything related to Nintendo, I probably have never heard of them. Mostly just anime stuff though..... *isaloser* I'll put up a few examples of them in the next few days.

I will also have 1 inch buttons/pins for sale. There will be 5 different designs and you can buy all five of them, or buy them separately! Their designs is going to be a surprise! But they're super CUTE.

And I will be taking commissions for anyone who wants one.

Annd... I will have some Sailor Moon fanart for sale! BUUUT, it's only going to be of the villains. :3

I'm also going to have a painting in the art auction that the Con will be holding! All of the money from that will be going towards the IWK. So bid, bid, bid! It's for a great cause!

Most of the profit that the Con makes, will be donated to the IWK. It's one of their reason for having the Con in the first place! You can read more about all of that on their site: www.hal-con.com

And I think that's it! Come see our table! I'll have a sign on it that says "April M. Designs", so you'll know that it's me.

What's Going On

*I'm terrible at creating titles*

Things are going well still. :)

The magazine went out last week with a few problems that were unavoidable, but they are out! You can find them around Spring Garden and other spots around the down town area in Halifax. It's called Profile Halifax, and it has a blue cover, so keep an eye out for it! :)

St. Mary's newspaper though is slowly coming along. Last weekend was almost complete hell because of them only hiring the editors and others on that Friday. I had to miss work on Monday because of not getting all of the content that day. But it went out on time, but it's not my finest work. This week seems to be going better though, I have all of the content and have been working on it without any frustrations.

And my new job at the UPS store has been going great. I'm doing some design work for them, and will be doing some new fun stuff in the future. Though when there's no design work, I'm doing faxes and handling shipments and other things. I'm surprised how many people don't realize that the store does a lot of print and design work. I knew before I even started working there, so I thought other people knew too. The people I work with are awesome, and I'm really happy I got the job there.

So my jobs are going well, but I'm starting to freak out that the Hal-Con is in a month, and I have hardly a thing done for it. I have a few things for it, but nothing that I wanted accomplished. I have two pieces I REALLY want to finish and I have a feeling I won't be finishing the Rainbow doll series any time soon. My illustration style changed a lot in the past few months, and I think I may start over again on the series. I'm not 100% sure yet, but we'll see.

Ahhhh

I haven't been drawing at all lately. I think it's because I don't have a sketch book. I just ran out of sheets and haven't been anywhere near an art store to buy one.

Plus I haven't been drawing because I've been crazy busy. I thought I wouldn't be with a part time job, but holy crap I am. It's because of my freelance gig. I'm working on the St. Mary's student newspaper which is going to print, I think, in 2 weeks, AND I'm working on a new local magazine called "Profile Halifax" (it's free!), which will be coming out on the 15th. So all of my free time has been dedicated to all of that.

I am getting supper excited about the magazine. I have always wanted to do magazine layouts, and this is a great stepping stone for me to (maybe) work in the big leagues. This is definitely going to be a big portfolio piece. :D

I'm not sure where they're going to be "selling" the magazine, but when I find out what stores are carrying it, I'll be posting about it. And you can find the SMU newspaper at of course, SMU and other locations around the peninsula.

Oh, and my job at the UPS store is amazing. It's so stress free and super easy. I haven't done any design work just yet, but when a job comes in, I'll be right on it. I only get 15 hours a week, but I think I'll be getting full time hours in a few months time. Or at least during the Christmas rush which starts in October. :3

Well I hope to be posting some new illustration work as soon as I get a new sketch book, which should be next week because I just got paid from the UPS store and my freelance jobs. *doesahappydance*

Prints & Necklaces

Here is a list of prints and what size they are that I have available to buy. I also have necklaces for sale that I have made myself. To view the necklaces please go to my facebook fan page. Thank you for looking! If you would like to purchase something, please email me at aprilmdesigns@gmail.com

Legs:

These come in a 4x6" and a 8x10" print.

4x6" - $3 each or all four for $10

8x10" - $8 each or all four for $25

Ice Cream Heads:

These come in a 4x4" or a 8x8" print.

4x4" - $3

each or four for $10

8x8 - $6 each or four for $20

Rainbow Dolls:

These come in a 4x6" print.

4x6" - $3 each or all five for $10

Pin Ups:

These come in 4x6" or 8x10" prints

4x6" are $3 each or both for $5

8x10" are $8 each or both for $15

King Thunder:

This comes in a 4x6" or a 8x10" print.

4x6" $3

8x10" $8

Swan:

This comes in a 8x10" print

8x10" $8

Dope Idiot:

This comes in a 4x6" print

4x6" $3