Just a quick update on things happening here in the studio. So I'm shaking things up by making eye models of various sizes to mix things up a bit. My current predictions are that I can possibly make them up to 5 -inch diameter ones. I have various sizes already from flat back 1" up to 3.75" and 3/4 round human scale 26mm eye molds. Currently I'm working on modeling a 1 1/4" one with a larger diameter pupil and I've found an effective method of doing so. For now it's currently a model that needs to be made before it can be molded and put to use.

What's awesome is that it's scalable, so I can make the model in virtually any size I need, within reason of course. Anything larger than a 5-inch diameter and I have to rely on another method entirely. XD

Anyway, that's all the news I have available at this time. Hope you all are having a wonderful day :D.

Since I'm back in Texas, locating supplies for my next big projects has been a bit of a challenge. After a bit of research and looking back on companies that have done well with me in the past I have only a short list of stuff I need. This is a good thing, because hunting down things I need is a undertaking in itself in previous attempts and I have a few close locations to rely on.

With what I have money wise running low, I have to consider how I get things in properly. Thankfully it's not too far off that I have to go for things. I can find a few things here in town, it's just the really good stuff has to be mailed in. That's the joy of small town life. Thankfully though I'm a good student and kept excellent notes on where I could find things and how I can get them.

So far so good, I'm beginning to establish things here and I'll be on my feet again making things soon. :D

Finishing up my studio space to get working on new things. I'm almost done clearing out old work and boxing up old sketches, plans for old projects as well. I'm also working on locating part time work to get supplies in to build up a stock of materials. I'm going to be running test eyes from my new molds soon to start painting again. I'll probably be posting work I completed and updating things here as well. Anyway, hope you are having a good day!

I need these cough drops XDDDDD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYNmGHhIJ8k

I finally got my certificate, so I'm official! I have a Degree in Specialized Business :D and to my surprise I made Dean's list about 3 times! Talk about busting my hide! Man that was quite a ride and a surprising too! It was one heck of a year and half, but I survived! And made it out with a 3.6 GPA! Versus regular college where my GPA dropped due to difficulties with math, I made it to the end and had a blast doing it :D

WOOOHOOO!!!!

I'm finalizing the work space and getting ready to fire up my computer for more madness. Also I finally got all my clay in one place so I can start sculpting again!

I did mention at one point of possibly creating eyes for sale and it looks possible as I did recently get my hands on similar materials I used in class. They won't be acrylic like I hoped because of the cost of the materials involved, but I will experimenting with a new material that would allow me to create at least a few dozen vs the acrylic which only allows a pair per day to be created, otherwise it taxes the mold until it breaks. I have a few more tools I need to make the acrylic ones once I get money in.

Also I'll be attending a local Comic Con to start scouting potential avenues for my new skill set. Likely I'll be building props and possibly open a booth sometime next year in time for the con to start again, hopefully as a vendor. I got a few more things to get squared away before then, mostly getting in supplies to start working.

Ok I'm off to dinner. Hope to be back soon :D.

- R.

Some pretty awesome news from yours truly, I finally got my studio space up to speed and will be working on a few new things I hope to show here. I did get a few breakthroughs on some new projects which is always a good thing and I hope to get them working soon. I have a few upgrades on materials I want to use, but they will wait until I got my vehicle up to speed, especially after the body damage suffered by the hailstorm. I was informed that there maybe a slight leak in the engine as there is oil on top. Hopefully it's just a small leak that can easily be patched as I need new windshield wipers.

On a more personal note, I don't do "internet dating". I've been getting lots of inquires lately on my facebook and I'm not interested. Sorry, I'd rather the old fashioned way thank you. I'm generally a private person on such matters, especially there, but it's gotten a bit hairy lately. Apparently a fellow there thinks by just saying hello and being friendly was enough to pester me about sending them pics of myself within minutes of talking to them. I don't do that either. Ultimately they are getting a bit too personal too quick and quickly earning my ire, so I might have to drop a banhammer on them before it gets too weird (it's been plenty already, trust me). Yeah at least get to me first before you get any ideas XDDDDDD. Boundaries people, boundaries.

Honestly I don't mind making friends, hanging out with friends, and generally being weird with friends, but there's a limit XDDDDD.

Rant aside, I'm generally happy that things are falling into place on so many levels. It's been quite a positive look on things lately. Anyway I'm off to bed. I have more madness to make in the morning :D

See you soon,

- R.

Happy V-Day! Hope you're having a good day! I had a pic of my dragoness Millie ready for paint for today, but I've been so run down it's not funny. Oh boy *is dragging horribly*

I feel so lost not getting up and going to class anymore. It's weird. So I have like zero things to work on except for unpacking my room again and I'm like having some serious issues with not sculpting something XD. I can't say my muse ditched me, I think she went on vacation XDDDDDDD. I've been home only 2 weeks and I'm still on the move. We went to Ruidoso last weekend and I'm still feeling lag in my day. It was a nice break from everything of course, but I'm feeling some drag in my step that I can't seem to shake.

I'm chomping at the bit for something to sculpt. Seriously I've been going nuts these past two weeks since coming back to Texas and I feel a bit anxious that I'm not sculpting or painting something. So I think I just need some inspiration to hit, because DAAAANNNGGG. Anyone suggest a furry honey they would like to see sculpted in clay?

*facedesk*

Graduated yesterday, I’m so happy.  ardrich_keybus drove out 4 hours to Pittsburgh to see me on my big day and hang out with my awesome classmates. He even got to go home with awesome stuff I created as we were strapped for space moving back today to Texas. I’m offically the first in my family to have graduated with a degree in Specialized Business.

I was even given an award for showing leadership and volunteering to help as much as I could to make things awesome. I cried mostly because I wanted my grandma here to see it, as she had passed on several years ago. I’m sure she was there in spirit. I believe I’ve slept more today than I have all week. I was running on 3 hours almost every night.

I pushed to get things done in the last hour, though but I couldn’t get things done as I hoped. I even had to return a gift to my best buddy because I couldn’t get it home safely. I will be back for it bud! I promise! And so my journey back to Texas begins. Tonight I fly back from Pittsburgh and bid farewell to PA for now. I’m kind of sad I didnt make it to Anthrocon last year, but I aim to go soon and hang out with the furries :)

So what now? Back home to finish up on writing a new chapter of life. Or maybe just a week if serious sleep 😂

So next week I graduate and go out into the world! I'm heading back to Texas February 1st and will be taking 2 weeks to rest up and get going on things. One major thing is to repair body damage to my car and seek out local employment to help with the bills until I get back on my feet again. So what's next for me?

Well I'm working on opening my own shop back home and getting some studio space to work in. Heck I just got a lead on some sweet materials I can use for my future projects and a possible discount to boot! So it looks like I might be buying up some stuff in bulk! WOOOHOOO!!!!

So my first radio controlled puppet came to life the other day, I finally got the mech's done and it's moving :D. I'm so proud of myself :D I got a few more projects to get done and then I'm out. I do have a few ideas of things I want to make when I get back home though. I have a few full body props I want to make and a few prototypes of mech's I want to try out. I'll roll out new info once I get things running and going! So far so good, I'm off to a running start and I can't wait to get going again. I'll be sure to let everyone know what's happening and where.

So far, so good. :D

Given my knowledge now, I can look at things and say "I can do that!" :D. And I will :D. I'll post images of my new work soon. I'm just getting ready to leave soon so I'm excited. A new world is opening up and I hope you all will be there with when it does :D.

Alrighty folks big news on the horizon! I'm graduating in less than 2 weeks and will be heading back home to Texas. That aside I'll have my portfolio reviewed by a top guy in the industry this Friday. And the following Thursday begins my 5 hour trek back to Texas. So I'm really tight on time right now.

I have a possible job lined up, potentially near Dallas/Forth Worth, all told I'm excited to see what rolls out. Anyway, I'm getting things packed up and ready to go home soon. It's sad to leave Pittsburgh, especially since I missed a shot at Anthrocon last year because of a lack of transportation. Anyway, I do plan on returning to PA just to go to my first fur con. Hopefully then I'll be there as a vendor rather than just a random fur lurking XD.

That being said I'm already looking into other con's to attend as potential vendor, one being an alien convention in the DFW region. Just got my business cards in too! And the website is coming along nicely. It's compact and well rounded, I think it's a winner the moment it goes live. Other than that, I got schooled in freelancing and taxes, so I'll be more likely to take commissions in the near future as time goes on :D.

That aside, I wish you all the best of luck and hope you make this year a good one.

Cheers,

- R.

Well as we kick this last year to the curb and it stumbles drunkenly out the door, may we be grateful to have come out of that hell alive. 2018 is so bright I have to wear shades! Let the new year be full of awesome for everyone. Most of all lets make a difference if not in our lives, but in the lives of others. Let go into this new year with big hopes and dreams, and know there are miracles waiting for us around the corner. It's time to kick arse and take names, because that's the only way we can make 2018 great.

Be safe, be jolly, kiss all the pretty furries out there, even the lonely ones celebrating by themselves. We made this far and a New Year dawns. Lets make it a good one everybody!

Been a crazy week already. I'm catching up on schoolwork over the break, including painting a shrunken head that had been missing since last semester and completing work on mechanisms for my animatronic. Among other things I'm prepping for the big move back this next month, so I've been busy. I already packed a box of molds and tools to send home. I'm also completing a display head for my table of anthro warrior chick. She is going to be look amazing!

I'll be working on skin tones a bit later to paint her up as well as fitting her for armor which I'm completely new too. I can't wait to get this all wrapped up. I have a dozen or so eyes I have to paint before I ring in the New Year. Hope to have some end of the year art up as well. I'll get there.

Anyway, I have to get some images sorted out for my future website which is currently under construction. So yeah January will be a busy month for me with prepping to move and finishing school. Ok, I'm back to it :D.

Want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, even if you don't celebrate it, have a good holiday! See you next year!

Want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, even if you don't celebrate it, have a good holiday! See you next year!

So I completed my first core for my animatronic and sawed away all the pieces needed to make it move. But alas, trouble struck. While sawing out the jaw, the blade drifted to far and removed a large portion of the face, leaving the head semi destroyed. Worse, we are now down to the wire on graduation swiftly approaching and somehow 23 5 gallon buckets of fiberglass resin are now gone. With only one container left for the entire 70+ students (myself included) I'm forced to create a solution to repair the face.

For now I built a temp work frame inside the head to hold it steady until next week when we begin the eye mechanisms. So far I have a possible solution in putty form, hopefully it can repair the fiberglass since I'm not able to get more resin without using too much for the repair work. It's been a crazy month already and I haven't begun packing for the graduation. I think I will do that today. I tell you folks, its a lot tougher than it look to get this show on the road, but in the end it will payoff and I will be happy XD.

Furthermmore, I have to make the eyes and mount them to make them move as the demo is next week. So I have a ton of work to do. Good thing is, is that I have needed suppies on their way in, so I'm excited to for that at least. I have to tip my hat to a mysterious benefactor who aided me when I was in my most dire hour. Who is this handsome, international man of mystery  ardrich_keybus? All I know is that he's helped me out recently with getting the tools I need to make this project work and I'm grateful. Thanks buddy!

Without my buddy's help, I couldn't have gotten all the stuff I needed to make my final school projects to look as awesome as they will be. He was the A-Team when I was in trouble, and I highly recommend you check him out and give him some love. I do appreciate all that he did to help me out.

Alrighty folks, I have to get started packing up soon. It's down to the wire and I need to be ready to take off once graduation hits. Yeah off to work!

So I've come to the final leg of the race on this build. I finally got my controllers for the my animatronic and now I'm prepping to light up my prop with some awesome electronic wizardry. Problems reared their ugly head again as I pointed out in my previous journal about how my process tends to nose dive when my brain wanders off topic.

Virtually true of most things I work on include some of my own artwork, where I chase down every other thing instead of staying simple and to the point. I guess grandeur tends to blind me XD. Yeah I want this prop to be worthy of my portfolio for potential employers to gawk at, yet I go looking without a plan and find everything I want at the moment but cant' remember why I needed it (maybe because it looked good at the moment). So I have to sit down and plot out my epic wiring task ahead of me because this will get ridiculous quickly!

That being said, I'm slowly learning how to get things done right. So far, I know that I need to sit down and write out a parts list and a rough diagram of how the wiring will get done. This way I can go in and light up everything that needs to be lit up and make it look awesome. I'm planning on putting some strobes in for effect, so that's something I need to consider before I run off spending money on parts that a) I already have, and b) flashy parts that won't serve much to the final product, but looked good at the moment (and will wind up sitting in a box for a bit).

This has been true of my other projects. I quickly gravitate toward the newest thing without much thought and get shot down on it's cost or lack of availability. So having a good plan, a good foundation is key, and that's something I keep forgetting to do. That's why everything looks like a rush job and horrible XDDD. Ok, I'm off to bed and dreaming up new things to work on. Be back soon though with more news and noodlings on what's happening in my life. The biggest things right now is that I'm getting ready to graduate and prepare to move back to Texas. Oh boy.

Alrighty, back to work at the moment. Been noticing a trend in my process toward breaking down because I jump the gun on making things. I'll jump ahead to where I'm most comfortable and the heck with everything else. Unfortunately I come to realize this a bit late as my first animatronic feels a bit half-arsed. Rather than try to get a good design out, I jumped and began chomping at the bit on the stuff that makes it move: a classic move on my part XDDDDD.

I think in the long run, I'll be more prudent about getting a good design out because no one will see all the guts, just the finished product. >.< D'oh XDDDDD. I guess it's my inner perfectionist at work again. It's not good or bad, honestly it's just how my mind works. I jump all over, but the basis is a good design and a sturdy foundation to build on, otherwise it's all for naught.

So that was my realization today while taking a break from all the madness in my life. Among other things, I'm still working out how I will start making eyes once I'm back home in Texas. I did find it hard to locate the best materials, though I can't say they don't cost a bit to obtain. But man once they are clear coated and polished, do those puppies sing! They look so alive! I have other ways of making them, but they don't have the same life as the way we were shown. Might consider that my budget method, though I do think I can make them look as good as acrylic ones I'm accustomed to making :D.

Alrighty folks, I'm back in the lab again making monsters. Stay tuned :D.

So tonight has been an interesting night.

So recently, it has come to my attention that I have a pair of admirers since my arrival here in PA. One is a cute, nerdy goth cupcake that follows me around at school and the other is a girl whose line I frequent at the local grocery store.

So it came to my attention that the girl at the grocery store inquired about me. Much to my surprise, I usually feel shunned by others, I was quite flattered to have someone take notice of me. So I decided to take a chance and see. I even delivered some of my awesome cookies to her which she loved.

Honestly she makes me laugh until I'm just about ready to pass out and even begs me not to die from laughing so hard. She has a strange and somewhat dark sense of humor, but we just crack up like it's no thing. She even drew me a frog, I was so happy. We get giggly around each other and I think those super long hugs we shared said more than we could in the moment. I even earned the "dad glare" from her father who came to pick her up, you know that look of ire and suspicion. I actually felt complete at that moment XDDDDDDDD.

It's a bit hazy and I'm going to play this by ear, but I think there might be something there. My mateship status has always been a bit of mystery to those here on FA (and facebook), while others are posting whether or not they are taken, I've kept it under wraps that I've been single for a bit. I've always been a bit of a free spirit, going wherever the wind carried this Texas Tumbleweed and I think that might change in the immediate future.

With others I've always been nervous, but now I'm strangely calm with this one. I even think she might be a closet furry as well, which would be a win after the fiasco trying to date a non-fur almost 5 years prior (I won't talk about that). I'll keep you folks informed of the upcoming changes, for now I'm just going to take it slow, because "The Dude" abides XD. Maybe, quite possibly I might have a mate in the near future.

On an unrelated note, me and my roommates built a shrine to Bob Ross in our living room. It all started with a picture of Ross' face photoshopped onto this shirtless male model with serious abs. So it escalated to shrine complete with lights, bobble head, happy little trees, campfire scented candles, Christmas lights and a "signed" picture of Bob Ross with cotton clouds and a fabric draped around it. Our other roomie saw it and just about flipped, the rest of us practically died laughing, I was literally on the floor. It was one of the best moments of being here in PA. Right up there with a conversation I had with someone about making a horse into a unicorn with a strap-on. I don't know how that came about, but I was laughing so hard I nearly passed out on the way home.

Yes I'm not dead! XD I'm still up and kicking, been busy these last few days prepping for graduation in the 6 weeks time. So I'm sorting out my stuff to prepare to move home.

My animatronic build is been slow, I mean slow because of all the steps involved getting to this point. Tomorrow they issue us the servos and radio transmitter to begin working on the mechanics. I'm totally excited! Also my inner nerd is screaming with joy at the fact I'm finally making my own Proton Pack replica, for now it's based on the cartoon Ghostbusters, but it will light up ;)

That aside I'm just moving along as best I can and getting things done. I have an exit interview with my financial aid advisors about repaying my student loans after I leave school. Also I have a bunch of stuff left to work out on what to send back home. So I'm pretty swamped at the moment. Though I do have a few silver linings in that work will be available back home, though I have been talking with the film students about future projects. Among other things I have a few film ideas I'm kicking about as of late, including a Tales from the Crypt style short.

So far I'm just keeping focused on graduating and getting going on things once I'm back home in Texas. Anyway, hope you are having a good day :D

A sad day in rock history, co-founder and monster rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young of AC/DC has passed on. I think its hard as a fan to see him go, he was the core of AC/DC's sound for the majority of the band's 40 year run. I think it was harder still to hear that he developed dementia within the last 3 years and was no longer able to play with the band he helped found. I think it's tough for me because I hadn't taken a chance to see them in concert that night they were rocking Lubbock to the ground. It was only 2 hours north, and that would have been awesome to have just experienced that moment.

I think the most amazing part was that despite developing dementia, Young kept on rolling and stayed dedicated to the fans before having to retire completely. In the world of guitarists, he would be a mountain, rock solid like the rhythms he was known for, unshakable as he helped propel the juggernaut that was AC/DC.

Thanks Malcolm, a job well done.

Rock in Peace.

Hard to believe I'm already halfway done with my last semester. It's going by so fast! I'm elbow deep in another project for school and getting things done. I'm already coming up on MidTerms next week and I'll be ready for the (somewhat short) Turkey Day break.

I got some valuable experience with silicone today and learned some tough lessons when it comes to how finicky it can be. One thing is for sure I'm working with it again to make it work right.

Also a first for me: I finished ref sheets of at least 3 of my characters so far. I'm pretty happy with that :D I plan to finish drawing up the rest over time.

So far so good, I'm heading down the right way and I'm starting to pack as I get closer to D-Day (Graduation), so the countdown has begun. So all the best and I hope you have a fun and safe Turkey Day. Make sure to gobble gobble XDDDDD.

So I had a few leads today on work back home in Texas. It's likely I'll be moving again, probably closer to Austin after I get back home. The choice I feel is worth my time considering there are few jobs what I would be qualified for back home in Odessa, but I feel that time there has run it's course and I'm onto bigger and better things in the heart of Texas.

It's been a wild year but I've come to learn a lot about who I am and where I'm going from here on out. Mostly I know I'm not as great a makeup artist as I would hope, but that I'm more an engineering brain that is good with props and making things move. That's what I love. Granted my other skills can be built upon and I do think I can readily work out what I like about things I can do. So I'm playing towards my strengths at the moment.

I do love building things :D. Very much that's my focus for the next 3 months until graduation. Hope all is well with you and stay tuned for new developments :D

Sorry folks, no Booby Tuesday today. Been a bit behind in schoolwork and I have to concentrate on that for a bit. Also last Tuesday was a bit of a bummer, so I'm debating if to continue with Booby Tuesdays after the turn out. :(

Also a big debate on whether or not to create a separate account for my physical stuff like the eyes and props I'm making currently. I feel like my account is a bit jumbled and people can't tell what direction I'm heading anymore. So that's an idea I'm working on currently. This account will most likely be all about my drawings while my physical work would be separate on another account to maintain sanity. Not sure yet.

Anyway hope you all have a Happy and safe Halloween

So lately things have been a bit topsy-turvy. I'm settling in for the long haul as far as my new work will progress and making notes on what I'm going to need. Just as well, I'm currently seeking part time work to help me through to the end of the semester. Me and my folks have hit a bump in the road recently finance-wise and I'm hoping to hold on until we get stable enough.

Things are changing a bit on my end. I'm recalibrating things so to speak in progressing toward a dream business of mine. For a bit it was dead in the water, often referred to as "the project" or the latter "Project A", recently I had some success in learning what I needed to get them to surface again. Again, I'm retooling this particular project and scaling it back a bit, until I know for sure I have a working prototype. I should know more by next year, most likely before January if all goes well. Hopefully I can do more than just chat about it.

Anyway, I'm hard at work building sample sheets and business cards for graduation. Most likely once I'm back to Texas I'll begin touring at con's with some of my other wares for the time being to build up interest in my work. So far I have an impressive resume with a number of small jobs related to my new course. It is possible that I will be hitting up a few fur con's back home in Texas as well. I see plenty of opportunity within the fandom for my skillset, so I'll be working on details of where to find me in the future.

While in the spirit of Halloween, I went to my first live Rocky Horror show Thursday night and had a blast. The whole theater was jumping and dancing, and dare I say I had a blast dancing the Time Warp with fellow fans of the film. It's an experience I highly recommend trying at least once! Anyway, back to my brainstorming session.

Cheers,

-R.