Three Years

Today is the third anniversary of starting this WordPress site. I haven’t been active at all since my classes started this semester, and I haven’t drawn literally anything for months. To be fair, college has taken up most of my time, and with taking 4 different programming classes and learning three different programming languages at once, I have been swamped with classwork, and thus my attention to this site has suffered.

I am not abandoning anything, mind you, I’ve just been on hiatus while I focus on classes. I’ve held straight A grades this semester, and I have worked hard to keep it that way. Of course this semester will end at the beginning of next month, and I am hoping to get back into working on my projects during the summer.

Some Stats: 137 Posts, viewed 4,744 times from 1,483 Visitors, with 48 followers.

I hope to get much more active in the months to come, with some progress on my projects with my slower summer schedule.

Thank all of you who still put up with me for all these years, and hopefully more to come,

~Umedyn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Umedyn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/umedyn
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpCnXMlrOlIR_X4H4G-WZNA
Tumblr:  http://umedyn.tumblr.com/
Email: Umedynartist@gmail.com
Ask.fm: https://ask.fm/umedyn

November Update #6 – Map v2.0

Sorry for not posting a lot, I’ve been very busy with school, this last month has kicked my ass, add that to the fact that I am too poor to get a new pen (Yes, literally, every cent I have has gone into bill and food) I haven’t gotten much creatively done, in the terms of Kokoro No Kinu.

To be fair, I could have posted more Magicka Mechanica information, and that is a failing on my part. Funny thing about that is that a local gaming store has picked me to DM a weekly D&D 5th Edition Homebrew (self-made) campaign, and I am using, you guessed it, Magicka Mechanica as the world it is set in.

You remember The Map I made for Magicka Mechanica? Well for this campaign, and because I could actually do something creative, I thought “Why not update it? Make it better?” … You guessed what was coming again? Man you all are on a roll!

That’s right, for the Homebrew campaign I digi-arted the old map I had made WAY back then, and after over 18 hours of work, I must say, I am quite proud of the results:

And at 25.9 Mb, it is a lot of map. I only used the art program GIMP and most of the terrain, trees, and other stuff are brushes, textures and other small stuff.

That is the update for right now, I am tired, overslept, and missed an assignment (which REALLY sucks), so I’m just gonna go.

Special Update: Hurricane Michael!

As some of you may know, I live in the capitol of Florida, in the United States. This means that this week something big blew our way, Hurricane Michael!

Yes, I was one of the many of people who live in Forida, Georgia and South Carolina when Michael, the Category 4 Hurricane, decided to vacation in our neck of the woods. Micheal is the largest hurricane to hit the Florida panhandle in over 80 years! I have to say, it was truly terrifying.

We were some of the lucky ones, and still are. While our area got hit HARD, with thousands of trees down in our town alone, the coast was hurt more than most (look up some of the YouTube videos of the destruction, it looks like Fallout came to Florida).

I just wanted to pop up and update telling everyone that my family and I made it out of the hurricane okay (I sadly don’t have any pictures, having to have conserved my phone power as much as possible in case of an emergency), and we finally have power restored to my house. This means that I was really unable to work on any new pages of Kokoro No Kinu Chapter 4 during the hurricane (seriously, have you ever tried drawing by candlelight?), and it messed up my whole Inktober submissions, but I should have another page up sometime next week, if not sooner. I have a lot of clean up to do around the house (as well as grocery shopping, since we had to clean out the refrigerator) but I’ll try to work hard to get that done as well.

If you can, please consider donating something or your time to help others effected by Hurricane Michael, it was a terrible storm, and the people on coast really need help right now, many are still without power and homes, and as of right now, 13 people have died from the storm, so anything could help. I’m not sure about donations or anything, you’ll have to look that up.

Still, this was just an update telling you all that I was in Hurricane Michael’s path, I made it out okay, we now have power, and please help those in need if you can.

-Umedyn

September / October Update #6 – Back in Business! / Inktober

Yes, if you are reading this, then you know Kokoro No Kinu Chapter 4 is starting to roll out! This makes me unequivocally happy, because preparing for it has taken a while. I am currently working on the title page, which will be out later this week… maybe even tomorrow, depending on how much time I have to work on it. The page is colored and intricate and a nice homage to an old childhood movie.

It’s also Inktober! That month where artists try to wear themselves out by drawing something every day, and I’m going to attempt to do that too! I’ll be using Twitter to upload them, so you can find them on my Twitter page (https://twitter.com/umedyn), My comic pages of course will be apart of my Inktober offerings, but I’ll also be doing doodles, sketching and other fun stuff, speaking of, I have one ready today! Since I have been binge watching Hilda, a great new cartoon show on netflix, I REALLY suggest watching it, I decided to do a little drawing in that style, so here it is!

I have also update the Kokoro No Kinu Chapters Page! Now each chapter has its own page in the site, so no more scrolling down the page for the chapter, just click on the chapter’s title page image and BOOM! to the page!

So now onto Chapter 4… This is going to be a hard chapter… I’ll be blunt, it deals with something that has been in the news a lot lately. This chapter will be dealing with sexual assault… (Spoilers… AmIRight?)

Now I designed this chapter before the global attention to sexual assault, before the #MeToo movement (which I fully support, of course, I’m not a monster), before the American Supreme Court hearings, before all of this, years go. This is weird to me because when I designed this chapter, I never imagined this would coincide with such a global movement going on.

I didn’t create this chapter because of the #MeToo movement, and while working on the details, I had thought about changing it in some way, but now that this movement is happening, I hope this chapter might contribute.

I’m not going to be calling it as such, of course, but maybe someone will read it and it will help them go through the troubles they are having, or maybe even give them that extra push to come forward and report whatever monster hurt them, so they might never do it again…

Anyway, for this reason is why I’m adding the “Chapter Update” card to each chapter page post, so that the chapter page is not the first thing that pops up. This is because I know such images may be harmful to those dealing with sexual PTSD, and this way you know what post is a chapter update, without the page being the first thing seen.

Anyway, that is what is going on, I’m working on drawing and creating the pages now, so I’ll get back to it! I hope you enjoy Chapter 4, and If anyone ever needs help, or just an ear to listen to any pain they are going through, I am always willing to listen if it may help you.

You can find me by going to any of these links, I’m on a lot of platforms.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Umedyn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/umedyn
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpCnXMlrOlIR_X4H4G-WZNA
Tumblr:  http://umedyn.tumblr.com/
Email: Umedynartist@gmail.com
Ask.fm: https://ask.fm/umedyn

If you are hurting, please find someone you trust to confide in, don’t suffer alone.

-Umedyn

August Update #5 – Setbacks

Sooo… I put myself in a bind. Long story short I reset my computer, trying to fix errors and speed it up, using shitty software to try and back-up all my files so I wouldn’t have to reinstall everything… You can see where this is going…

Luckily I was smart enough to do an alternate backup of my most important files (The chapter stuff and others) so my pages are not lost (which would have devastated me, losing all my pages of my manga, besides the ones I’ve saved on this site.)

Because of this, starting Chapter 4 is going to have to be delayed by about a week while I recover, re-download and re-install all the programs, games, and utilities I lost. Thank you all (if anyone is there!) for being so patient with me while I get this fixed.

July Update #4 – Chapter 4 Soon!

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great pride month, and I hope you liked the separate works I did for it! Things are about to get back into full swing for me! I have everything I need to start drawing the pages for Chapter 4 of Kokoro No Kinu!

So what took so long? Well logistics. I write every chapter when I make them, meaning that I don’t start working on the page layout for the chapter until I am working on that chapter. This makes it so the images I envisioned stay fresh in my mind while drawing the pages.

The other reason is a bit obvious to those who know Japanese (or those who follow my Twitter, @Umedyn… enough of the selfish plug) If you haven’t noticed, all of my sound effects  (sfx) are written in Hiragana. This wouldn’t be too much of a problem, but sfx in Japanese (along with a few other things like foreign words, Onomatopoeia, etc) are written in Katakana.

I want to make my manga as authentic as I possibly can (without actually translating everything) to Japanese made manga, so I had to convert my SFX list from Hiragana to Katakana. I have a huge SFX list, so this was a long process. At some point I am going to go back and fix the previous chapters to have Katakana as well.

So with this done, and the page layout/script finished, I have every I need to start working on Chapter 4! So look forward to those starting next week! A bit about this chapter though.

This chapter may get into “trigger” territory… and not just words, but actual PTSD related trigger territory. This next chapter is going to go down a dark path (if you have been following the last chapter, you may guess what is about to happen…) For this I’m going to have to change somethings about how I post (since everything is automatically tweeted out) so I’m going to have a title pic so the page isn’t shown on the home page or on twitter, since the first image is always shown when posts happen.

Anyway, I’m off to start drawing Chapter 4! Hope you all are looking forward to it!

-Umedyn

May / June 2018 Update #3 – The Ball Gets Rolling, Happy Pride Month!

Hello all!

Sorry I didn’t get a chance to put out an update for May. Between finals, of which you’ve seen some of the projects, starving and getting ready for the summer semester, I was surprisingly busy. Still have been.

First and foremost

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!

Of course I would celebrate this, as if my main Yuri comic didn’t tell you. As such, I will be doing some pieces specifically for Pride Month. Many of you know I don’t create fan-art, at least on this site. I want my work to stand on it’s own. I am happy, however, to do some Character Cosplay! That is where I dress up my characters (mainly Tomoko and Hitomi) in character outfits from shows, comics/manga and other sources.

So I decided to do that for Pride, featuring some of my favorite yuri and lesbian characters. I already have one lined up, and about to start the digital working process. Each of these character cosplays will be time-lapsed and uploaded to my Youtube channel (Time to dust that relic off). The first couple I have decided to character cosplay is Ruby and Sapphire! I love the show, and these two are adorable! There is another reason I am doing these.

This is to help bring back my skills because I have finally, finally FINALLY finished the chapter 4 script and page layout for Kokoro No Kinu! So look forward to those pages getting done starting this month, in between my “character cosplays”. This summer is going to be a busy one for me!

As always, you can find me at these locations at an internet near you:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Umedyn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/umedyn
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpCnXMlrOlIR_X4H4G-WZNA
Tumblr:  http://umedyn.tumblr.com/
Email: Umedynartist@gmail.com
Ask.fm: https://ask.fm/umedyn

Now onto working on my first Character Cosplay for Pride Month!

-Umedyn

Multimedia Class Final Project – Flash Game

As I promised some time ago, I said  I was going to upload my Multimedia class project when it was finished. That day is today!

The game is a VERY simple platformer, kind of like Mario. The premise is this: Find your lost cat.

This is a simple flash game made for my Multimedia class project, none of the assets are mine, and credit is given when due. It is VERY rough, and I didn’t work long on it, I just made it for my final class project. The visuals were taken from Maple Story, the music and sounds were from Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories and RPG Maker.

Because I have a free package of WordPress, I cannot upload flash files on this, I had to use a small hosting site, because I didn’t use any of my personal assets (besides the coding, etc) I couldn’t put it on Newgrounds like I originally wanted. So if you want to play my project, please visit this link: www.fastswf.com/LUdQZ0Y

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Umedyn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/umedyn
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpCnXMlrOlIR_X4H4G-WZNA
Tumblr:  http://umedyn.tumblr.com/
Email: Umedynartist@gmail.com
Ask.fm: https://ask.fm/umedyn

Until next time, I hope you enjoy!

-Umedyn

April 2018 Update #2 – I Am A Lazy Procrastinator / Second Year Anniversary of My Site

So continuing my new tradition of a monthly update, especially because I have so much stuff going on that really has no showing power, meaning that most of what I am doing does not really warrant a post. Technically I have not been lazy, but to the few of you who actually follow me, it seems that way.

First, on the state of Kokoro No Kinu, I am still working on the script and layouts for Chapter 4, so hopefully I’ll get the actual drawing phase started soon. This chapter is particularly hard to do right, because of the subject material the chapter will be covering, so I have to portray and get this right, taking up more time than the usual “drama” fluff.

Second, schoolwork has kept me very busy, taking up the majority of my time. Though you all will get a treat out of that. As I have previously stated, I am working on a VERY small platform game for my Multimedia class project, when the final version is finished, after the 24th (when the project is due) I will upload it somewhere and give a link for all to play. I am using all borrowed assets (because creating my own JUST for this one class would be WAY too much work) Mainly from Maple Story (sprite sheets) and RPG Maker (sounds, mainly), so look forward to that! It’s not the best, and won’t be the best by then, but It was more to show off what Adobe Animate (the program we are using) can do.

Lastly, if you have noticed in the title, today marks my Second Year Anniversary on WordPress! Like the first year, the people I have met and talked to because of this has amazed me. There are so many great people in the… I guess indie Yuri comics(?) area, including all the amazing reviewers, artist and creators that I have had the great fortune to meet even in my very limited circle, so thank you to everyone who I have met over the past two years.

And now for the stats of my two years on WordPress!

As you can see, I’ve created 124 posts, and have had 4,202 views from 1,262 visitors, so than you for those that have seen what I do and came back for more! This, of course only covers my WordPress site, and not my comic views on Tapastic, Batoto, Becomics, or my Tumblr (all shameless plugs to read my stuff BTW!)

Thank you everyone for making these past two years a truly great experience, and hopefully there will be many more years to come!

Now back to what I have really been doing, playing Ark, modded so instead of dinosaurs, it has Pokemon (so much fun!)

-Umedyn

March 2018 Update #1

I thought it would be good to start doing monthly updates, I’ll see how it goes and maybe upgrade them to weekly updates if I feel like I have enough information to give.

Right now this update will mainly be about what I’m doing in between Chapters 3 and 4, and some other update stuff.

First off, on the status of Chapter 4, there are a few things with what I’m doing to the comic that I have to do before I start making pages. I have to finish writing out the script and page layout, which does take up a lot of time and brain power. I also have to switch my sound effects for Kokoro No Kinu.

As a few people probably noticed, all my sound effects are in Hiragana, which is incorrect for Japanese style sound effects, they should be in Katakana, so I have to go through my SFX list, and change the characters. If this ever actually gets some attention, then I’ll probably go back and fix my past mistakes aka completely fixing chapter 1, and changing the sfx on the three chapters before this one.

Edit: Chapter 4 is going to get a bit.., uncomfortable for some people, so and actual trigger warning (a real one for those suffering from PTSD about the subject matter) is going to be needed… I think I’m just going to put an image before the page, so that that picture will show up on places like twitter and the reader before someone reads the page… It’s about to get into some dark territory here, so be prepared…

Second thing I want to do is change up how the Chapters on the Kokoro No Kinu page are handled, mainly I’m going to separate the chapters into their own pages, so you don’t have to scroll down all that way to get to the latest chapter. I might edit the page layout colors a bit, but I kinda like how it looks. Probably going to update my character symbol though, something a bit more catchy.

Third, and most important is that I have schoolwork that takes up a huge portion of my time. Since College is what keeps my bills payed, I have to focus the most on that. I’m not slacking in that department either, my total GPA is at 3.50, so I’m keeping up my academic standard pretty well. Even made the Dean’s list, which I’m quite proud of.

Ahem…

Okay, enough self-back-patting. I will be showing my class projects (I have two of them, that are worthy of showing) when I make them. One is for my Photoshop class, which will be pictures, and the other is for my Multimedia class. The Photoshop class projects are pretty self-explanatory, just some photoshopped, usually in an artistic style, which will be available in the Gallery. In fact, I have one for you all now! It is an adaptation of an older work from my digital photography class, updated and shiny.

The Multimedia project is going to be a VERY VERY VERY basic sprite-based flash platform game, (Made in Adobe Animate). The class is actually “Intro into Multimedia” so the teacher doesn’t want too much to show, so it’ll just be a simple platform level with three parts. The sprites I’m taking from Maple Story (I love the chibi and bouncy artwork, I want to play that again,) and some other “borrowed” items from other places. This will be uploaded around the end of April, around the 25th.

I’m also thinking of opening a Ko-fi account, for the shameless jangling of the coffee can you all know me for. Can I get some change? … I just need some … Change… Change…

Change…

(South Park Reference)

That is basically it, If you have any suggestions, if there anything I can do better, be it site-wise, jangly coffee can wise or even in my art, please please please! Let me know, I hate working in a vacuum (even though I am way too use to it) and feedback helps me get better in everything!

And as always, the contact information!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Umedyn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/umedyn
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpCnXMlrOlIR_X4H4G-WZNA
Tumblr:  http://umedyn.tumblr.com/
Email: Umedynartist@gmail.com
Ask.fm: https://ask.fm/umedyn

Working more and more for you all!

-Umedyn