Month: August 2013

I am curious. You stated you’ve been working on The Hue’s premise since 1998 I think the date was? How much has it changed since it was first thought up? Why did you decide to work on Garanos before The Hues?

Alex Heberling Leave a comment

That’s correct. The Hues will turn 15 years old on August 27th.

It’s changed pretty dramatically more than a few times since its inception.  In the very beginning, it was essentially a Sailor Moon fanfic, then for awhile it was a pretty conventional magical girl series, and now it’s a love letter to the genre.  I’ve described this iteration of The Hues as a collaboration with my 12-year-old self, which is pretty accurate.

Garanos presented itself in my head during a time when I had convinced myself that The Hues would never get made, so that’s why I made it first.  TH had been my baby for a decade at that point and I had really kind of lost objectivity about it.  It just wasn’t ready back then, and I wasn’t ready to change things up in order to make it something more special.

Untitled

Alex Heberling Leave a comment

illumistrations:

Neo Sailor Venus & Artemis, original artwork.


Still fighting evil by moonlight, this time in a semi techno-y Sailor Moon universe.  Hopefully this makes up for the Sailor Venus omission I happened to do not too long ago.  This was my first attempt at cel-shading, so hopefully it didn’t turn out too bad.  Thanks goes out to Blue-Ten for the tutorial.  I had to amend it a little for my coloring process.

Also, if you would like to buy this illustration as an 17” x 11” print, as always feel free to do so either here or here.

*_*

Untitled

Alex Heberling Leave a comment

rosscott:

Though she be but little she is fierce.: So I’ve been spending lots of time with Ross. And it’s really really…

kissing-whiskey:

So I’ve been spending lots of time with Ross.
And it’s really really nice.

Not because we do awesome things (although actually, we do awesome things.) But because we are just really good at being around each other. I’m gonna go sit on his couch and work, and he’s gonna sit at his desk and work…

I normally don’t post about personal stuff on the Internet, but I’m breaking that rule on this one for a few reasons:

  1. This post is about me.
  2. I find it to be EXTREMELY touching, and may have said “always reblog” out loud when I read it and she was in the room at the time.
  3. Because of #2, I feel obligated to actually do so.
  4. Dating a “hustling creative” is weird and, when done right, awesome. And more people should understand this. 

First off, what do I mean by “hustling creative”? Here’s the things I worry about on a given day:

  • My day job as a graphic designer.
  • Updating my webcomic.
  • Doing whatever Super Art Fight things are on my plate that week.
  • Eating things at some point?
  • Friends and stuff?
  • Oh, how much of a mess is my place at the moment?

Some would call this being a “workaholic” but the problem with that is it’s not all “work”. I mean it is hard work, but it isn’t work work, right? It’s making posters and comics and Kickstarters and shirts. And all that takes a toll on your life, and when you have people all around you who don’t get that it can be painful. It has been the reason relationships haven’t worked. It has been the reason I don’t have some closer friends. And so, in general, sometimes it has sucked.

But!

When you find someone else that gets it, because they are in that world or in a world where they deal with the same things, it is amazing. Because “hustling creatives” like to go out on dates. We like to show affection and receive affection and stuff. But we also are always doing, which can at times be very solitary. And finding someone that understands it and encourages it is the best thing, you guys.

When my Kickstarter was on its first day (and is still going please support thanks!) Kristen and I were sitting on the couch watching Game of Thrones. She noticed it passed its goal before I did and demanded we celebrate. It was so satisfying to share that! If she hadn’t been there, I would’ve done a little dance in my apartment by myself, chatted everyone I know on this Internet, and called my mom. This was much more fulfilling.*

So my point is, being a “hustling creative” is hard. It’s tiring. And it can feel like it is getting in the way of being like everyone else sometimes. But other times, it can be the thing that connects you, and the thing you can share. Getting support on those things make those things infinitely better. I didn’t know this was an option, and it is. It exists. And it’s pretty great.

*Author’s note: I still called my mom, just a little later.

A hearty THIS and man did I luck out in this department too. ;u;