Contemplating

   CHANGE OF PLANS
HALF CANCELED??
As of today I will have missed yet another 2 days. It's strange how hard it can be sometimes to find time to do this blog. and I kind of feel like I was being very strict with myself. This is all happening so soon. I have only been doing this for about a month. What I want more than anything is recognition from these people that have inspired me so much. I want to have recognized appreciation for everything they have done. Yet, I feel so limited. I focus so much on the drawing I have to do everyday that it takes so much away from other art I want to do. I feel like maybe I'm jsut being to strict, or this shouldn't be a year long this. I had an idea of doing it every other month for a year. I feel like it would give me time to refresh and I could still do it for a year. I just feel like for what I'm doing..well.. it is very challenging and I don't think I can manage it all. But! I still really want to do this. It's early on in this blog, I don't really have a fallowing. If I want to make changes I should do so now, but I can't help feeling disappointing.  It's important to challenge yourself, but you don't want to destroy yourself in the process. It could be hard to understand for some people because it doesn't seem like much of a task. You'd be surprised at how much of a toll the simple things can take on a person. This is something I really want to continue, and I definitely will  but I think I need to start a little smaller(which does sincerely disappoint me). I hope anyone who has decided to fallow my "journey" won't lose faith in me for this. Thank you for all the support! (as little as it is it is very important to me so thank you)
THIS BLOG IS FOR VISUAL KEI
     I think something I want to do is display more of what I can really do. My drawings will not just be portraits, but painting, drawings and renditions all inspired by the people I love in this Jrock realm.
something good that has come of this somewhat stressful month is how much I want to branch out in my skills and show what I can really do. I truly hope everyone looks forward to it..
 I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING BUT I'M MOVING FORWARD

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 23

 

Yuh ~ Vistlip

This should be day 24 but if anyone is checking up on this blog they will have noticed I did not post anything yesterday. This is because I had a headache all day at school and when I got home I threw up twice and went decided it was best I just go to bed. I tried to do something a little more today to hopefully make up for that. I thought this picture had more things to look at..I guess.. mostly because of the pic ball of light he is supposed to be holding. I guess I just thought the picture was cool and its more zoomed out than most of mine so.. I don't know.. more interesting! I feel much better now though by the way.. I am horrible at realistic clothes.. but my style is borderline not realistic so I feel like its okay if you know what I mean.. so yep! Yuh!

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 22

 

Rui ~ Vistlip

This was kind of lazily done but I actually like this one too. Lots happened today such as my sister coming home from Europe and everywhere because she travels a lot. Because of this I can't write much for this one. I have a lot of catching up to do!

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 21

 

Niya ~ Nightmare

I don't know what year this picture is from but I have a pretty recent magazine and he looks totally different (a SHOXX magazine to be exact). For some reason I have no memory of this guys voice.. Like.. I don't really remember what it sounds like but any sort of memory I have is of him either not talking or being really quiet. I'm probably gonna look up interview or something after this. He looks cool in this picture I think though. I really want that lip piercing! ! Aoi from the GazettE and Miyavi both had it and I have always loved it! Probably something my family will hate if I do.. But they didn't really like my hair and they just had to get use to it so HA! I don't know actually.. maybe someday.. But my mom said a couple years back I could get a facial piercing on my 16th..so she still owes me..Gonna hold her to it! !

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 20

 

Kamijo ~ Versailles

Kamijo does have a solo album.. or is he going solo? I can't remember but I saw an ad for it..online. He is way to pretty for anyone haha but it's actually crazy how beautiful this guys is and he still makes it manly! The hair was rather difficult for this. I don't feel I really captured it but there's always another day! Those eyes though! man.. I could be in awe of him all day.. Such a fairy tale prince~ (at least in looks)

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 19

 

Ruka ~ Nightmare

This guy was the first guy from Nightmare I really like. I thought he was super pretty. Which he most certainly is and! He's 6'1 which is a plus haha. But I was young and a weird fan service thing freaked me out and I got all weird for a while. I don't care anymore though haha still love him! And all of Nightmare. As I have said before, they were the first band I ever really really liked from Japan so they are very special. I actually really like the way this drawing turned out. It's more realistic that the others I feel. oh! Their new song ASSaulter is so so cool! I love it so much. I have listened to it sooo many times..like right now! Good job on capitalizing the first two letters nightmare.. totally didn't notice~

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 18

 

Tomo ~ Vistlip

I actually love this band. I don't listen to a lot of their music but I like them a lot. Something I really like is how, at least it seems, they aren't afraid of showing how they look without makeup. Most bands pretty much never show how they look without makeup. I guess its an image thing, but to me, the fact that they do makes them easier to relate to as people because you can see them more as themselves as apposed to this kind of..mysterious androgynous unobtainable being. That makes me chuckle a bit but I think you catch my drift.

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 17

 

Nao ~ Alice Nine

Just slowly making my way through all the band members. All that's left is Hiroto! but this is Nao. Nao is great. Nao is adorable actually. Nao makes everyone happy haha but anyway. Man, some really shitty things are happening in my life next to some really good things. Everything is clashing and it kinda sorta maybe sucks a ton. I'm getting better though. Luckily I have a lot of friends I can rely on and I've been laughing a lot the past couple days so I think its all good. The shits not totally off my mind obviously but all in all I'll survive and that's whats important! Is it weird that to me its kind of crazy that I've almost hit 20 days? I don't know.. I think that's a bit crazy, in a cool way though. Wait till I hit 100..and then 365..man..

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 16

 

Shou ~ Alice Nine

It's actually getting easier to post everyday. I think its starting to stick more as a habit and for some reason I don't procrastinate or anything and actually feel a need to do this. I don't know why but it's kind of cool. So today is Shou! still don't really know what to say along with this post but just go listen to the piano version of mirror ball because its beautiful.

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 15

 

Umi ~ Vistlip

Vistlip is another one of the bands I first found and really liked as a kid (aka 12 years old). I bounced around with who was my favorite member but honestly, who doesn't? but Umi was always just super cool looking. He also seems like a smart person..hmm.. maybe its the glasses. I actually did this makeup and posted it on instagram but the pic was super low quality so no link, sorry haha. Sindra has got to me my favorite song by them. There are many good ones but I think Sindra just has a sound that's a bit different and I love it a lot. Like always.. if you have never heard Vistlip.. its another band you really ought to check out.

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 14

 

Saga ~ Alice Nine

I really don't know what to say for this picture. Oh! I hung up all the drawings so far in my living space outside my room which looks pretty cool. I'll have to take a picture when I'm done but I doubt ill be able to fit all of them when I'm done seeing as there should be 365.. but! Saga! Alice Nine's bassist. He use to be my favorite but then I ended up liking Tora a lot but I still really like him. he's actually the one who made me want to be in a Visual Kei band which is kind of a big deal. Alice Nine is probably no. 2 on my top three favorite bands (the GazettE being No. 1 if that wasn't obvious already haha) My dads yelling at me so I gotta stop here. Listen to Alice Nine! !

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 13

 

Kai ~ the GazettE

KAI! It's Kai! finally! I have now drawn every member of the GazettE. I actually made a list of my favorite band and all the members to start with for the blog. I figure I'll just go through these guys first and then do the ones that..aren't as much my favorite? Either way, I was having a deep though earlier.. I just thought about how crazy important all this is to me, how much Japanese culture has changed my life. It's so strange though, the nostalgia.  Sometimes it gets really bad too because I get emotional just about the closeness I feel to all these people and characters and how it doesn't make sense but it does at the same time. I just love it so much. Everything about it is so mind blowing and amazing and I can't even begin to comprehend it. I'm just so happy its all a part of my life..

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 12

 

Ruki ~ the GazettE

I feel like I need to apologize for my last drawing of him because it was just not good drawing day which resulted in a very lazily done drawing so I hope this one makes up for it. I still don't know why I haven't done Kai yet. I'm starting to feel bad actually because there are a lot of Kai fans and I love the GazettE so much so I would think I would have done one by now. I'll  have to do one tomorrow..for real..

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 11

 

Miyavi

I am starting where I left of even though it has been two days without a drawing and I apologize for that. My mom slipped and got a concussion and had to go to the doctors so there was a lot of stuff going on and I didn't have access to a computer as well for that time so I couldn't do a drawing... Also I was worried about my mom. She's fine now though but just needs some rest.  So! Here it is! Miyavi! I love Miyavi. His music is great (he's also incredibly attractive in my opinion) and gosh his kid are adorable! If you haven't heard of him he is another that you have to check out!

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 10

Ruki ~ the GazettE

I kind of had a not so good day today so this one honestly isn't as well done as I would have liked it to be. Another picture of Ruki and I just realized how much I need to draw Kai. Because I haven't yet which is stupid because I have drawn all the other members except him. Hopefully Tomorrows will be better. and it'll probably be Kai.

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 9

Reita ~ the GazettE

I think Reita has the deepest voice in the GazettE.. He doesn't sing though (he's the bassist) so I don't know if it matters but deep voices are sexy. Uruha has a pretty deep voice too though. God, sometimes I stop and think about how much I love the GazettE and how important they are to me. I would love to work with these guys in some way and I hope that I get to meet them someday. I really really want to go to one of their concerts. I've never been to a jrock concert. In fact I've only been to one concert which kind of sucked because the sound setup wasn't great and everyone was smoking pot and it stunk like crazy and was nasty. I am desperately awaiting the GazettE in America. Wonder if Reita will through his bass in the air like he usually does, better not miss that catch.

 LOVE TO THE GAZETTE! Come to America! !

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 8

Tora ~ Alice Nine

               I actually almost forgot to do a drawing today, which is why this is coming up so late but gosh it scared me when I realized! So this one was very rushed! Tora is my favorite member from Alice Nine. He's super awesome and a great guitarist. He's got quite a charming face I think. I actually really like how this one turned out. Alice Nine is a band that's definitely on the top of my list, I have quite a few of their songs and quite a few of them have brought me to tears on multiple occasions(such as Armor Ring and Subete e(which had the translation with the video, still cryed)). Even though in the industry a lot of songs aren't actually written by the band members themselves, even when they are given credit, I think they are still the ones that really bring the songs to life. It really goes to show how the emotion and the sound of the music itself is powerful enough to move people even when you don't understand the words. This band has definitely brought me out from some very depressing times in my life and Tora himself. 

               So many people in the industry all work so hard and I'm sure many put on smiles even when they are having the worst days.

               Thank you to all of these people who have forced smiles to make others smile..

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 7

 

 Uruha ~ the GazettE

Today I woke up at 12:45 in the afternoon with a horrible headache and neck pain so I decided to let myself fall back into oblivion for what ended up being another 3 hours. The headache was just about gone and my neck still hurt..and still does a bit but I was hungry as hell and ended up forgetting that I hadn't done a drawing yet so this one was actually somewhat rushed. I actually really like the way it turned out, and how could I not listen to the GazettE while drawing a member from the GazettE. However, the headphone thing is broken so some of the songs sounded a bit different which made me sad. Either way.. I've survived a week of this! good luck for the rest of the long year....

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 6

 

Satoshi ~ Girugamesh

I am seriously developing quite the crush on this guy. I have been listening to this band almost non-stop now and there has still not been one song I haven't liked. Also I have now listened to the album "Monster" 10 times. I absolutely love it! Man, today was weird actually.. I mean..Everything was cool but I felt weird and then I was like hmm I need to relax so I took a bath for and hour and a half and fell asleep in the very hot water mixed with lavender oil(definitely not gonna help keep me awake)..probably not a good idea and getting up was so hard! It made me think if livor mortis, which is gross, but it was just like all the weight in my body sunk. I feel pretty good now though. Waking up to some Girugamesh! I recently told my friends I was going to convert them to Jrockism..slowly but surely~

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 5

Gackt

Apparently there has been a lot of talk about Gackt. I have read the articles and the forums but honestly, I have lost a lot of interest in celebrity gossip because I find that people are just people and do stupid things, and smart things. We are only human and some people make mistakes. Not to mention people spread rumors all the time. It's something that pretty much everyone has done and been a victim of at some point even if its minor. I don't feel like I'm in a position to judge someone I don't actually know and I really don't understand some hatred to celebrities. There are situations where it makes sense but when it comes to dating or drugs or money but EVERYONE has done something relating to one of those that a celebrity has done but because celebrities are celebrities I guess we feel like we can rain our opinions all over there face which is awfully silly. Anyway.. I love Gackt. I think he is an incredibly talented person who has brought many things and a great influence to the visual kei world. He, to me, is someone you really ought to know about.. like Yoshiki or X Japan.. It's like being into anime and not knowing what Naruto or Dragon Ball Z is.... or something..Anyway enjoy the portrait! !

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 4

 

Hitsugi ~ Nightmare

I would consider Hitsugi my first love in the Visual Kei realm. Nightmare was basically my intro to visual kei and I just loved Hitsugi to bits and pieces and I still do! This band holds a very special place in my heart, even though I don't have many songs by them. They are going to be performing in Texas in February and I am really really hoping I can go! I would absolutely LOVE to see them live but I need close to $1000 for that trip because its $700 just for the ticket there..then theres food..transport..and the actual show, which will be at an anime convention. Oh GOD! I really want to see them live! that would be so amazing! ! I'm gonna pray haha

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 3

                                                              Satoshi ~ Girugamesh

Yesterday I listened to the album Monster about 5 times and its actually playing as I type this because I love it so so much. I think its absolutely amazing and there isn't a single song I haven't like by this band and the singer is super cool. Its definitely a band you should check out if you haven't. I actually have known about them for a long time but I just started really listening to them and I love it! Anyway, I have drawn the vocalist, Satoshi, and I think this is a more recent look for him but I'm not sure. He use to wear a lot of makeup and contacts and such but either way! check out the band if you haven't! I hope you like the drawing for day 3!

P.S Listen to the song "Incomplete" (it's probably my favorite)

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 2

                                                                 the GazettE  ~ Aoi

So today is the lovely Aoi, who I have been posting many pictures on tumblr that arent getting as many likes as I would have though and the stuff of Ruki i have been posting has become the most viewed things I have posted. I love Ruki, but I don't understand. It's funny because I remember bouncing round between members and not really knowing who I liked best, of course I now know how little t matters, but no matter what I would always end up back at Aoi and now I get shivers(haha GazettE reference) whenever the camera goes to him during lives or in music videos. I kinda feel like being that much of a fan is a but silly.. but I don't know what else I would draw for this blog if I wasn't a fan..

Year of Visual Kei - Art Challenge - Day 1

the GazettE ~ Ruki

Today marks day 1 of my year long project that I really really am wondering if I will be able to do but so far so good and I am honoring the first day with Ruki, the vocalist for the GazettE. 

               Last night I spent most of my time in the process of falling asleep listening to their new album that is finally on YouTube. I did fall asleep after track 8 and then woke up two hours later to a headache that had not gone away which was still here this morning and I actually got really dizzy and fell over and lost feeling in my leg for a couple minutes. Great start, right? I have no idea why that happened but all is well and I have accomplished my first post for this challenge so hurrah!

P.S. Anyone else super disappointed that the GazettE didn't come to america on their World tour? of all places!

Welcome to Day Before Day 1

                                                                  the GazettE ~ Aoi

Here, consider it a welcoming present, because its not the first day of this challenge I have given myself for god knows what reason but it is, I guess, a taste of what I will be doing.
                  I recently hit a rough spot, somewhat, in my life and decided that a challenge would be good, not only to take my mind of some things, but also to help with the healing I guess. SO! what basically is going to happen, if I can manage to remember, is I'm going to be posting a portrait everyday of someone (most likely from the GazettE) from the Visual Kei universe that I love so much and hopefully, if you're viewing this, you do too! Thank you for joining me on what is probably going to be a bit of  ride for me..oh ya.. I'm going to do this for the entire year of 2014!