PAC 2016 #22 - Rhyperior

December 22: Favorite Gen. IV Pokémon.

Initially planned to do something smaller for this, but then this happened… As much as I didn't want it to.

I have a thing for big, buff Pokémon. I can't help myself.

PAC 2016 #21 - Gardevoir

December 21: Favorite Gen. III Pokémon.

A Pokémon this gracefully beautiful will love you forever and even put its life on the line for your miserable, sorry ass. How could I not.

I'm not actually glad with how this turned out, though. I feel like I didn't do its natural grace and poise any justice. 

(Anyway, time to catch up on all the inks I've missed while I was in Japan… As well as all the others I've missed as a result of jetlag and laziness combined /wrist)

Japan December 2016 - Day 4

Today was the big day for me. In the last three days, we were caught up on the day tours for me to be able to do what I wanted to do on my own. So today was our free day… A chance for me to roam Tokyo as much as I wanted, and find the ever elusive Rowlet plush I've been looking for since Day 2.

What's more, my eldest brother was willing to buy me plushes from the Pokémon Center as a Christmas gift. Now who am I to say no to such an opportunity?

And so begins the tale of #searchingforgrassowl2016…

Japan December 2016 - Day 3

Disclaimer: Some stories here are based on what our tour guide has told us, and I am no expert on Japanese history. I had to look up my tour pamphlets and online as well to remember some of the info I provided below (You can find my references at the bottom of this page).

So my sister (whom I was sharing my room with) and I woke up later than usual, mostly because our alarm didn't ring (and I forgot to set mine again lel). She and I fumbled to get ourselves in order before 8:00 a.m., and we barely managed to grab everything we needed by the time we left for Hamamatsucho Station again for our day tour.

Unfortunately once we got out, I began to feel disheartened when I saw that the forecast yesterday evening lied to us:

WHERE ARE MY CLEAR SKIES, FORECAST?

Nonetheless, we continued on our way to the station and met with our tour group, and we were on the road before 9 a.m. We hoped that the sky would clear up by the time we arrived (or maybe even before) so we would have a chance to see Mt. Fuji clearly.

Japan December 2016 - Day 2

Disclaimer: Some stories here are based on what our tour guide has told us, and I am no expert on Japanese history. I had to look up online as well to remember some of the info I provided below (You can find my references at the bottom of this page).

I was up at 6:00 a.m. (GMT +9) today, and being my usual sleepy self I dragged myself across the room just to perform my morning rituals. We had breakfast for a while, and by 8 we were out in the Ueno alleys on our way to Hamamatsucho Station, where we were supposed to meet up with our tour group for the day.

Good morning from Ueno bitchachos :V

Japan December 2016 - Day 1

To start off, I have to admit. I almost wasn't able to go on this trip.

Some of you are aware as to why. As for those who aren't, well… Let's just say because it involved a lot of alcohol last night. Thankfully, either by my own will or my body's natural healing process, my body recovered enough energy to make the flight earlier this afternoon. Of course I was groggy as hell, but I wasn't about to miss this long-awaited trip to the land of my dreams because of a hangover.

Japan-Bound (December 2016)

Hey, guys!

Yes, you read that right. I'll be spending my Christmas in the land of dreams this year! In fact, as I type this post I've already arrived at the hotel we're staying at!

And like I did in South Korea, I'll be documenting my entire 5-day trip under the AFK tag. So expect to see a lot of pictures from lovely Japan in the next few days! You can also follow me on my adventures live on my (recently opened) Instagram too!

As for PAC 2016, while I'm already delayed as it is, I'll do my best to catch up on the inks in my spare time. So please stay tuned on my blog for both!

For now, you can enjoy this photo I took of the Ueno evening sky:

Until my next post. Cheers!

PAC 2016 #20 - Feraligatr

December 20: Favorite Gen. II Pokémon.

Quite frankly I'm eternally glad this epic gator graced the Johto Pokédex with its mere existence. While I love Meganium and Typhlosion Tyfloof, come on people. Big buff croc for a fully-evolved starter? Now, why in the hell wouldn't I sign up for that?

After seeing how this turned out… I think I'm gonna cut down on the crosshatch abuse for a while.

PAC 2016 #19 - Aerodactyl

December 19: Favorite Gen. I Pokémon.

Whew! With all the favorite X-type Pokémon category out of the way, next up comes my favorite per Generation. 

From the original 150 is this bad boy. Pterodactyls were always my favorite dinosaurs as a kid (even until now). So every time I first arrived in Cinnabar in my old Yellow version (bless your dead internal battery's soul) the first thing I always did was bring the Old Amber back to life at the Pokémon Lab.

Not once did it ever disappoint me.

PAC 2016 #18 - Vanilluxe

December 18: Favorite Ice-type.

What can I say? I love vanilla ice cream. 

Somehow the most random idea of my OC's Vanilluxe in a suit came to mind. Since its body structure is difficult to make poses with as compared to other Pokémon, I let the idea roll around in my head and this happened.

No, I don't regret doing so. But I do regret ever thinking Vanilltuxe every time I look at this (someone kill me for this unavoidable pun pls)

PAC 2016 #17 - Braviary

December 17: Favorite Flying-type.

…Because FUCK YEAH AMERICA this is exactly the kind of bird I've always wanted to see prior to Gen. 5, which Black and White successfully delivered (therefore removing Staraptor from the top spot).

Excuse my lateness 'cause I was so busy having a life lel

PAC 2016 #16 - Steelix

December 16: Favorite Steel-type.

Iron Snake, hands-down. Always.

Also, crosshatch abuse.

PAC 2016 #15 - Nidoking

December 15: Favorite Poison-type.

This one wasn't so hard. Though, I did have a tough time figuring out what pose he ought to be in before I settled with what we have now.

While I like Nidoqueen too, Nidoking reminds me more of one of my favorite creatures from Final Fantasy, which I think makes him a whole lot cooler.

And as a bonus, have a size comparison of my draft sketch and final ink:

PAC 2016 #14 - Luxray

December 14: Favorite Electric-type.

Between Electabuzz and Luxray, I preferred the sparky blue and black tiger.

(Now that I look at it more closely it looks a little bit like Vegeta /brick'd)

PAC 2016 #13 - Kingdra

December 13: (Second) Favorite Water-type.

Aaaaaaaand I am on time! …For once /brick'd

And, again, my favorite of the day is reserved for a different day, so here comes second-best to take over. Though for some reason I feel its head looks disproportional…

PAC 2016 #12 - Gigalith

December 12: Favorite Rock-type.

It used to be Rhydon. Then it was Aerodactyl. Then Tyranitar, Rampardos… Rhyperior. Then this pretty looking rock came to existence and toppled the entire competition.

I also like Lycanroc, but while rock pupper is faster, it doesn't match the sheer epicness Gigalith exudes.

Also, crosshatching practice and light study.

PAC 2016 #11 - Kommo-o

December 11: (Third) Favorite Dragon-type.

Oh no. I feel it. The feeling of… Unavoidable procrastination. /orz

Like last time, I have a different most favorite Dragon-type, but I'm saving him for later. Second favorite is Flygon, but I've already drawn him.

Honestly I like a lot of Dragon-types, but jingle-jangle dragon sure found its way to Top 3 real quickly.

PAC 2016 #10 - Scrafty

December 10: Favorite Dark-type.

Actually, tying together with Scrafty is Bisharp. However, I enjoy drawing Scrafty more since Bisharp's figure can be too rigid to draw for me (plus Scrafty's crest is so quirky, I love it). I'll draw him some other time, hopefully.

I was originally going for something more snide, but then I liked also the idea of him looking more laid back and relaxed while standing out in the rain.

I should also invest some time in making better rain backgrounds on ink _(:3」∠)_

PAC 2016 #09 - Serperior

December 9: Favorite Grass-type.

The Regal Pokémon could do naught but stare, shocked speechless at the sight of the human in front of her. Behind the human were Neira's companions and Pokémon she was unfamiliar with (the Trainer's Pokémon, perhaps?), all watching them from afar in silence.

Neira caught sight of the Vanilluxe twins among the unfamiliar crowd, and recognized them. When her eyes met with Éclair's, the latter simply nodded towards her. She felt the Ice-type sending the silent message that yes, while the human's physical appearance had visibly changed, this woman is exactly whom the Serperior thinks she is, the same Trainer she first bonded with two years ago.

The Trainer took a step closer, then another, until she had closed the distance between them. She looked up and locked eyes with the taller Pokémon, before reaching upwards and placing her hand on the other's neck, stroking it. For a moment, as Neira felt the nostalgic warmth spread throughout her body, she saw the cold, distant veil lift itself from the woman's cyan orbs, replaced by a softer, fonder gaze the Serperior had been all too familiar with, and one she hadn't seen in two years.

Neira felt her eyes dampen. Tori knew what was to come next--from the way Neira's crimson eyes became glassy, to the way her body began to tremble in her touch--and she merely nodded in understanding, before wrapping her arms around the Grass-type's midsection.

It was enough to send everything crashing down all at once.

Neira held nothing back, all the while enclosing herself longingly around the Trainer, but just enough so as to not constrict her. Tori let her own tears flow, resting her cheek against Neira's body and revelling in feeling of the Serperior's warm, protective coil that squeezed every now and then. From a distance, everyone else stood witness to their intimacy, yet to either of them, it didn't really matter. It had been far too long since circumstances first separated them, and now, what was important was that they were finally reunited.

"I'm home… Old friend."

Just the way it should be.

---

So yesterday, things came up, thus the late post.

I had a hard time figuring out how I wanted to draw this Pokémon, to be honest. Like with Porygon2 I was thinking of doing something that showed more action and movement, but I couldn't seem to achieve that.

So I turned to my Trainer OC for help, and well, here we are (even got a story slipped in there too, what a bonus).

PAC 2016 #08 - Togekiss

December 8: Favorite Fairy-type.

I was attempting to make a more detailed ocean here, but it didn't turn out as planned.

There's not a lot of Fairy-types out there. There's actually another one I ought to have drawn for today, but I really don't see it as a Fairy-type as much, and I am saving it for a different day.

As they say, variety is the spice of life, so for today, have this flying white kite. Err… Two of them, actually.

PAC 2016 #07 - Porygon2

December 7: Favorite Normal-type.

I love this pink and blue 3D man-made crane… But I honestly don't like how this ink turned out. Was kinda aiming for a feel where Porygon2 was emerging out of cyberspace into reality, and I don't think I managed to capture that properly.

Still, it was fun attempting to draw this Pokémon from this angle. Hard to create a dynamic image with this one.

PAC 2016 #06 - Accelgor

December 6: Favorite Bug-type.

I reached a standstill trying to choose between Shedinja and Accelgor. But I eventually decided on Accelgor, because underneath all that epic ninja goodness bouncing around throwing Water Shurikens is a cute, squishy little thing with tiny little hands.

PAC 2016 #05 - Emboar

December 5: Favorite Fire-type.

My punctuality is shaky… (/orz)

Well honestly, like everyone else, Charizard is a favorite Fire-type of mine for obvious reasons. But unlike everyone else, I somehow grew to love my munchpunchin' flamin' bacon more than everyone's favorite fire dragon.

Yes, I do love drawing my Emboar with that bandanna. It's grown on me, and I don't plan to draw him without it for a long, long time.

PAC 2016 #04 - Mismagius

December 4: Favorite Ghost-type.

Whew, done early!

I had thought of using Gengar for today, until I realized that's exactly what everyone else is likely to use, and then I remembered about this trickster.

Played around with a little lighting and shading here, and I think I managed to figure out how to light up a naturally dark object using inks.

The incantation being chanted here is based on Chapter #372 of the Pokémon Adventures manga.

PAC 2016 #03 - Gallade

December 3: Favorite Fighting-type.

Guess who's catching up on deadlines again (/gets shot)!

Today, we have one of my most anticipated Pokémon upon the release of Gen. IV a couple of years ago (whom I never expected to be a male final evolution of Ralts). Perhaps I should keep one in my Sun version once I've come around to finishing my main storyline, eh?

PAC 2016 #02 - Musharna

December 2: (Second) Favorite Psychic-type.

Woo! Finished this before I could end up being delayed again… Whew. Punctuality here I cooooooome :V

You might be wondering why I said second favorite. That's because my first favorite just happens to be the same as my favorite Gen. III Pokémon, and as much as possible I want to keep my art diverse. Plus, there's over 700+ Pokémon out there now. May as well feature a different one as much as possible, right? :P

PAC 2016 #01 - Flygon

December 1: Favorite Ground Type.

First day and I'm already late? Goodness. To be fair I only learned of it today…

Ever since I learned of this dragonfly back in my old Sapphire Version, it's held its spot as my favorite Ground-type Pokémon up to this very day. Bonus points for being half Dragon-type.

Pokémon Art Challenge 2016

I was on Facebook a while ago and I saw a certain photo… Which I tweeted about:

Found on someone's FB wall… Challenge accepted.#pokémondecember2016challenge pic.twitter.com/sxXYkKdr99

— Zip (@ZipKnight48) December 2, 2016

I have a nagging feeling it will turn out just like my #inktober challenge… But nonetheless, I'm excited to get working on this, and I'm determined to be more punctual with my posts this time around.

I'll be tagging all my posts related to this venture with Pokémon Art Challenge 2016, or PAC 2016. You can view my photos in the Crossover Map conveniently placed on the right of your screen.

That said, I hope y'all stay tuned… And brace yourselves for a Pokémon frenzy in my blog this holiday season.

Night Night

It's more than a month late, but I've finally come around to finishing the last #inktober doodle… Featuring my favorite Alolan starter.

I dunno what spurred me to finish this at last but whatever it was, I'm grateful. I can breathe easily and relax again with it out of the way.

I'd like to thank all those who've been tuned in to my work, and apologies again for my… Terrible procrastination. I'll try to be more punctual in the future… /orz

Cheers to more art ahead!

Owl Mother

"Hey, owl mom?"

A response came in the form of two warm wings wrapping themselves comfortably around the youth's person, pressing her closer to the motherly avian who nuzzled into her shorter stature. Over time, the further they became familiar to one another, it had become the norm between the two of them. She would ask once, and no further words would be said as the distance between them closed, and they became once again protected in the relative safety of each other's comforting presence.

With a faint blush and a chuckle, she returned the gesture in kind, giving the taller figure a firm squeeze before relaxing into them.

"…Thanks."

---

First digital piece in a while… And with my laptop giving me a minor heart attack over the weekend I'm surprised I even finished it in time. Thank goodness (I'm punctual for once! /brick'd).

…But seriously.

Happy birthday, Owl Mom. Hope you'll like my gift, eh?

Fishing Trip

"A girl, an owl, and a blue creature fish together."

---

Edit: Scanned and made tonal corrections after I learned some people used this as a background photo. You're welcome.

A tribute to my two closest friends on Cedar Craft. One of the houses I built on the server has a sign featuring this ink.

OMG 1 INK LEFT I CRI PLS #stopprocrastination2016

Ephemeral - Part 2

Thea's hand reached out towards Mary's shoulder. It felt as real as the last time she'd done, which had been a time long ago, yet remained vivid in the recesses of the siren's mind. And now, Mary was here… They were reunited at last.

In excitement she abruptly--and unintentionally--forced the brunette to face her. No one could blame her, really; Thea had missed seeing the girl's face, her complexities… The innocent face that she'd grown to become fond of in the time they spent together, one which she didn't realize she wanted to wake up every morning to until the day they were separated.

But as quickly as she had turned the brunette around, the smile on her face faded just the same.

Ephemeral - Part 1

In the middle of the darkness, Thea heard the jingle of a chain, and she turned, seeing her. The familiar, shorter brunette in teal clothes stood there, her back turned towards the siren. The girl made no motion to acknowledge the other's presence, keeping her head bowed as a shadow remained cast over her eyes.

Thea, however, was the opposite, becoming overwhelmed with a newfound sense of hope and unexplainable euphoria. She had never been so grateful to see Mary again, and after being separated from her for so long. The siren had long since vowed to bring Mary home no matter what, and soon, everything would be alright with the world again, now that she found her. She and Mary living peacefully in their quiet little island together… And nothing to keep them away from living their lives in serenity.

Just like old times.

Emotion guided her feet, bringing them to a sprint. As she neared, Thea stretched out her hand. It had been too long since she had last felt Mary's presence, and she needed to hold her--feel her--for herself… Just to prove she was real.

No… Thea realized. She must be.

She had to be.

---

Bleh, the last bits of #inktober slowly getting there… But I'm making progress, and just when I'm sick too. Huzzah!

Today, I'm shifting some focus to my OCs Thea and Mary. For the unaware, Thea is a retired singer living in recluse in a solitary island after her boyfriend disappeared at sea, and Mary is an amnesiac who washed up on the island one day and whom Thea eventually rescues. The two have since lived together for a time, until certain events eventually separated them from each other.

Shades

"Right, I knew that."

Some friends of mine know I like to use the B) emote in chat, so I portrayed how my avatar would look like doing it.

Also, what she's wearing is what I would wear when I'm out on the beach: a black rash guard and olive beach shorts. I'm not the type to flaunt, really.

Four inks left! Will post them up soon!

Haunting Past

We all have our demons, coming alive as our greatest fears. But at the end of the day we must inevitably face them… Conquer them.

And I'm back guys, posting the remaining inks I've made for #inktober (which I only managed to make time to post recently /orz)!

This demon is from an old, unpublished fan fiction of mine, which I eventually incorporated into Zephyr's backstory. Apparently there's more than what meets the eye with our arrogant and reckless traveler…

South Korea 2016 - Day 4

Note: Major apologies for the lateness of this post. I've had this written already but it had taken me a while to get back to it. I've set the timestamp so that this entry was written last November 2.

I was on the Cedar Craft server last night, and I was planning on just resting my eyes for a little bit after restart. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep and was awoken by the sound of my mother giving my brother and I a literal wake-up call over the phone, telling us to hurry for breakfast. But I was well-aware that it was the same as yesterday, so I didn't bother to use my breakfast coupon. I wanted some new food for a change, for goodness' sake.

South Korea 2016 - Day 3

Five hours of sleep… And sleepy as usual. Unlike other morning buffets I've been to, this our hotel apparently likes to repeat the same breakfast menu every morning.

We didn't really leave Seoul today. If we weren't visiting historical landmarks, we were out shopping to all the stores our tour guide was taking us to. Or we were on the bus listening to all his stories. Or sleeping (me).

I've decided to just share some of the stories he's told us about Korean culture. Also, I'll a bit more organized with my pictures by cropping them into squares, so people won't have to scroll so much if you're looking for a certain picture.

Disclaimer: I'd like to add that I hardly know a thing about Korean culture, and that the stories I talk about here are based on what our tour guide had explained during our trip, and a little further research that helped jog my memory.

Let's get crackin' then.

South Korea 2016 - Day 2

Three hours of sleep last night. Also heard a drunk guy singing opera down the street before I went to bed, and it took a lot of my willpower to keep myself from laughing my ass off while my roommate was sleeping.

As per usual I took care of my morning rituals. Breakfast was… Satisfactory.

I was hungry as fuck, yo.

South Korea 2016 - Day 1

Only got 5 hours of sleep last night. CC fam kept giving me feels and big hugs while I was dealing with some personal shit, and then ninjas came out with their onions again, so I had to fight them off. Went gliding and almost lost my things when I lagged and died. Almost.

Airport isn't far from home; it's a 10 minute ride. But since it's an international flight, we have to be there 3 hours early. If you're abroad at least twice a year, you're aware of this; the check-in can be excruciatingly long, especially if your flight leans on in the afternoon/evening. And at the world-renowned worst airport ever no less (hey, it's been renovated at least).

(South) Korea-Bound

Hey, guys.

As some of you may know, I'll be heading to South Korea for a few days. Company-paid trip and all, and I'll be going with my family as well. I will be documenting my trip on this blog under the tag Away From the Keyboard (AFK).

You can expect a medley of pictures about it coming in the next few days. As for the remaining #inktober posts, they'll all be posted during my trip as well. Productive free times are productive!

And to my CedarCraft peeps, I'll see you guys next week! I'll try to be on still though, have a chat here and there during my free time at the hotel. Don't miss me too much, eh guys? 

Besides, it's not like I won't be flying back… (/knocks on wood)

Fizzo

Finally, an outrageously simple yet completely different subject to doodle for once!

Here's a logo for a made-up brand of carbonated drinks, which I featured in Inktober #06 on one of the billboards in the background.

Strings

"My, what a lovely tune. Would you like to play a duet with me?"

Melody from Crypt of the NecroDancer, and Bo Wyatt from LISA: The Painful RPG. I had played both games around July of 2015.

Apparently, Melody is completely unaware that Bo hadn't seen a woman in so long due to the nature of things back in Olathe. Nonetheless, he doesn't seem to mind playing a string duet with the reincarnated bard.

Art Block

I have to admit… It's not like I don't have any ideas. It's just that I have such a hard time bringing them all to life on paper sometimes, especially when I want to play on Minecraft instead.

Welp. I now have 4 days worth of inks to catch up on… Whoopee-freakin'-doo.

Edit: Changed the image. Should be clearer now.

The Façade

Baby Firefox

Requested by a friend, who wanted it wearing a Super Mystery Dungeon scarf. And I thought, hey, why not.

Siren Seal

I'll be honest. Seeing Popplio's final evolution was initially disappointing for me. But someway, somehow, I grew a heart for Siren Seal. It's almost a bit like how I didn't love Emboar at first but later grew a heart for it. Is it the elegance? The beauty? The way it strikingly resembles my OC Tori with her hair up and down? Who knows.

Well! That ends the Pokémon Sun and Moon Starters series. Drawing all three of them was fun to do. I can't wait for the games to come out next month!

Zippocat

Litten's final evolution looks like a rehash of Crunch Bandicoot.

I hate the fact that it's likely to be another Fire/Fighting type, but at the same time I have to admit it's cool as hell.

Grass Owl

When Pokémon Sun and Moon come out, I'm definitely getting Rowlet as a starter.

Edit: Changed the photo. Should look better now.

Stubby Legs

…Or Ness, as I'd like to call him.

Haven't played EarthBound yet? I'm sorry but what have you been doing with your life? There should be SNES roms of it around, and emulators to play it on. I recommend it if you like 2D pixel RPGs.

Izakaya

Zephyr: "BAHAHAHAHAH, OH WOW LOL"
Kite: "Will you please shut the fuck up already!? I wanna eat without hearing you laugh like a maniac for once!"
Zephyr: "Lighten up, will ya?" (pulls over a bottle of sake) "Here, you should try this sake too; maybe it'll help you stop being such a stuck-up ass!"
Kite: "Get that damn thing away from me! I'm not a drunkard like you!"

Vir: (nudges Tori on the shoulder) "Hey Toooooria, how's 'bout you n' me skiddadle on outta here and find ourselves a nice quiet place for a good time, eh?"
Tori: (stops drinking and stares) What the hell, Vir--
Vir: C'mon, c'moooooon… That face of yours says 'nough. You know I don't bite, Tori. Not that hard anyway… (winks) I'll be nice n' gentle with you t'night. I prooomise. Now whaddya say, hmmm?
Tori: (facepalms) Oh dear god.

---

Izakayas are the Japanese version of bars in the West. They are not limited to alcohols alone, serving light meals like sushi and gyoza for people to munch on between their round of drinks. Others even feature heavier meals on their menus, such as katsudon and omurice for those who want to stuff themselves before having a drink.

I missed Japanese food, and drawing my OCs. Makes me glad to see these four get together in one picture like this for once.

The Egging Master

With the power of (Egg) Aura, nothing can stop him from egging every last build in Cedar Craft.

Drawn for my friend LucarioOfAura, who plays in the same Minecraft server as I do. Visit his Twitter here.

This picture was inspired by this thread at the CC website.

Also, very sorry for the lateness of posts! I will be posting the other challenges very soon (as soon as I get off of Minecraft to actually do them #sadface).

Top Dog

Papyrus: * HMMM… THERE'S SOMETHING ANNOYING ABOUT THIS ROOM. BUT I CAN'T QUITE PLACE MY FINGER ON IT…

How could I forget the most basic Tobydog Annoying Dog?

After all these detailed inks I've decided to go for a simple one this time. I prefer the Annoying Dog this way.

This concludes my inked Undertale dogs mini-series. It was a lot of fun! My personal favorites in the last few days were Doggo and Greater Dog, to be honest. I hope to draw more Undertale stuff in the future!