What's the thing between Mac and HP?

Okay, I wanted to continue the live tutorial, but, unfortunately, I can't! The reason is as simple as it is annoying: Mac is simply not able to communicate and work with HP products. Whether it is my HP printer, digicam or scanner, it's simply not working! I've got all the necessary software etc. and still it's not working. Whenever I scan a jpeg (e.g. the steps for the live tutorial) the software on Mac (which is especially for Mac!) simply takes hours to process even the smallest image! So now I took my extremely large and heavy HP scanner with me for nothing because I didn't take my own but my laptop from work with me!
So, instead of this live tutorial I decided I will simply finish the drawing and do another live tutorial for a spring painting when I'm back home after Christmas where I have my own, extremely old, non-Mac laptop which is able to work with HP hard- and software. I'm really sorry for that, but, believe me, I've tried everything, even contacting some experts on the problem. I hope you'll be okay with that. The live tutorial will come in spring.

Besides that:
I'm wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! Thanks for watching my blog and your comments!!! I'll definitely continue like this and hope you'll do, too.
Love,
Mulle

Continuation Live Tutorial

Sorry guy, I've been a little sick during the last weeks and terribly busy with the jobs (why does everybody seemingly want to finish everything just before Christmas? oO). However, I'll continue the tutorial this week XD

Live Tutorial - Skin II

So here is the next step. As you can see in the detail to the left the different layers lead to different depths. The girl has a second layer of the same colour and the boy a third layer with a deeper skin colour. However, for me, this is still not deep enough. So I add a fourth layer with a crayon and, because it's really warm and cosy in the workshop (cuddle time!!!), I use a light pink crayon for a healthy colour on the cheeks. However, as the other areas are still blank the skin colouring looks somewhat out of place. This will change as soon as the colouring progresses. Also important: I'm never completely satisfied with what I'm doing, so I will now and again continue working on the different areas (I already know that I will probably deepen the shades of the skin colouring).
How do you work when colouring? Maybe somebody has the same technique?
I'll finish the skin of all the elves and fairies today and let you know about their clothing tomorrow. I'm thinking about green uniforms because red is Santa's colour and these are his helpers.

Live Tutorial - Skin

Okay, guys, I thought I would be able to start this earlier, but I only now find time to go on with the tutorial.
So I am doing the skin at the moment because this is usually the first thing you start with as it is, usually, the lightist colour which sets the tone for everything else. If you look closely you can see that I work in layers, so I use one and the same colour for the base. It doesn't look like much, but for the way I'm working it's necessary. I've already decided that I don't want the workshop to be too full of light, but rather make it cosy and homely, so I did not leave blank spaces as the basic skin colour, which you can do if the light is very strong.
Of course so far the colouring of the skin is basically nothing: it has no depth and no shades, which is what I'll do next...

Livetutorial - Outlines

As announced I will start my live tutorial today. Unfortunately, my drafts are usually done in such a light tone that I cannot scan them (you wouldn't see a thing and I sometimes have times recognizing the pencil lines myself oO). So we'll start with the outlines right away:Tadaa, it's called "The Christmas Workshop". I did the first draft of this about more than 1 1/2 years ago, but never felt like finishing it. Then I rediscovered it some weeks ago and thought it would be really great to finally do something about it. For the outlines I used ink and a Maru-pen. I simply love this pen because you can draw such delicate lines with it.
So, the next thing I'll do is think about an overall colour scheme and start with the colouring of the skin.
Can you see how many Elves and Fairies are in the picture? The person who gives the right answer will have the chance of winning an original ACEO. The procedure is the following: I will now and again ask questions and those of you who give me three correct answers in a row will be in for the lottery. One will win an original ACEO!

Live Tutorial in December

Cheerio everyone,
For this December I'm planning a kind of live tutorial here on my blog. I'll colour a Christmas drawing and will immediately update with photos and scans whenever I'm doing something so you can directly follow the progress of my work. You are always invited to ask questions or give comments on what I'm doing.
The best part is: Now and then I will pose a question and whoever answers the question has the chance of winning an original ACEO ( a hand-painted trading card).
So I will start the tutorial on Thursday with the outlines. Hopefully, I will finish the drawing until Christmas. I hope you'll enjoy it and comment a lot!!!
Love,
Mulle

I hope you'll all have a wonderful first advent!!! Enjoy the day with your family. Maybe some people already have snow, others may enjoy the fading autumn. Christmas is approaching *_______________*

New stuff

Hello guys, I hope you're enjoying autumn and are already looking forward to Christmas. I really am and I've already finished a Christmas drawing with my OC Minu. It took me forever to finish it because I was unsure what to do with it. But now I'm really satisfied. Sometimes it's good to take some time for what you're doing. You can buy the picture as a print on Deviant Art
Besides that I'm also working on some commissions. You can see one I've just finished here. It's an OC of Arani from mexx. I really liked working with these dark colours and the flowers in the background. Unfortunately, you cannot see the gold effect, which is very beautiful in the original and gives it a kind of 3D-look. I hope I can finish some more commissions this weekend,although I have a lot of work to do. If you are interested in commissions, I still have some open slots in my Journal on Deviant Art or you can order a commission via e-mail or note on DA and animexx. Have a Happy First Advent this Sunday!!!

Für alle deutschen Leser: Ich werde in meinem Blog auf animexx einige Mangas und Animes verkaufen, weil ich einfach Platz brauche. Vielleicht ist ja etwas für euch dabei.

TOMBOLA!!!!

Tataa, die Gewinnerin steht fest und zwar ist es: Ivyno!!! Meine Mitbewohnerin hat gerade den Namen gezogen. Vielen Dank an alle, die mitgemacht haben (insgesamt sind es 77). Ich verlose bestimmt wieder etwas. Demnächst gibt es erstmal ein paar Einblicke in alles, was ich sonst noch so mache.

MMC - the aftermath

Well, the MMC is over and I think that's enough conventions for this year! I really love Cons, but two in two months is pretty exhausting and I have to get back to work again.
However, I had so much fun meeting all my friends again. Here are some pictures:








To the left you see Naschi drawing her wonderful fanart of Haruka and Michiru which went directly into the tombola. Next are fukosei and kaorie preparing their table. Then there's Chizeru who had the great pleasure of sharing shelters with us XD (it was great fun!!!). Then there's Aisu who is such a sweet girl and amazing artist. Last but not least: Lancha. I took this picture Saturday evening and we were all extremely exhausted, but Lancha still looks so pretty!
This time, I had some time to explore the MMC myself, to spend my money on artbooks, mangas and many other things and watch parts of the programme. Naschi and me also met Yuuki, the super cute singer from Japan. Her concert was really good and she took a lot of time to sign autographs and CDs. I got her album "Blue Spiral" which is really good! I'm listening to it all the time!
And I also had time to take pictures of some really cool cosplays. There was this Cats-group from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Their cosplays were awesome! And I also liked the Sailor Mercury. The costume was very well done! I took a lot of pictures of other cosplays, too. And then I also bought some things, which I absolutely love. My absolute favourite is my new K.On figure!!! She is so adorable, super cute and done with so much detail! I simply love looking at her. Thanks to everyone who visited my table and bought some of my stuff! I hope you enjoy the little gimmicks! Oh, and keep my watching my blog! My original from the lottery is still in my possession because, unfortunately, nobody won it, so I will raffle it off here!

MMC here I come

Yes, it's almost time and my preparations are nearly finished. However, looks like it's not my day. Just as I was about to finish my original for the lottery at the MMC I spilled all the water (I was working with watercolours) right on the picture. Well, that's that... However, you will, of course, have the opportunity to win an original. I decided for an older one from this year (see left). I hope you're not too disappointed. I will redo the other one and let you know when I'm done with it.
I really do hope to meet many of you at the MMC. Please do not hesitate to simply come to my table and talk to me. I'm always happy to meet people!
I'll see you at the MMC!!!!!!!!!
Have fun there!!!!

New stuff for the MMC!!

Next weekend the MMC will start in Berlin and I will be there together with my friends Nashi, kaorie and fukosei. You will of the chance to win originals, buttons, bookmarks, posters, and Kakao Karten with your favourite motives. I'm still working on my original, which you can see here
As a real change it will not be done with copics but watercolours! I really like working with this technique, although I am of course better with copics as I have more experience with them. Nevertheless, I will do my very best and you will see the final version of the original next week. However, I already finished the new buttons and I really like them:
Some of you may remember the little bat-like Flapflap on the left from last year. This is a new version of him looking at the stars. The buttons are ca. 3,7x3,7 cm and really adorable. I also finished a new bookmark which will be available with or without decoration. And you will also have the chance to get a copy of my new poster which was sold out at the Connichi. It will be limited to 5 copies so you should hurry. Besides that I will also have the newest volume of Blütenträume and Hungry Hearts with me, so you will also be able to get signatures.
As you can see, there's still a lot to be done, but I hope I can manage as the new semester is just about to begin and I'll be giving a seminar at my university, which, so far, has way too many participants oO. I'm really looking forward to meeting you at the MMC. Please do not hesitate to talk to me and to tell me your name. I hae a really bad memory of faces, so simply come and see me! ConHon_entries are waiting for you XD Mor info soon to come!

Eedorable!!!

I have a new friend in my personal 100 Acre Wood: Eeyore! Well, I've had an Eeyore before, but this one is much bigger and fluffier and everythinger *____* I love him and he is so sweet!!! He has already met Dinkels, my little mole spelt-pillow, and they've become great friends. Right now the two of them are lying in my bed and keeping each other warm cause it's really cold in my room. But the best thing about Eyeore is: He love's manga!!!! And I have to admit that he's got a great taste in them because the first one he chose was D Gray Man XD! While I was watching the TV series on Animax (I just love it!!!) he asked me for the manga version and I gave it to him. Evere since he can't get his cute nose out of them. Well, he knows what's good *______* I'm sure you'll hear more about him in the future. I still have to introduce him to my cats. We'll see how that works out oO

MMC Vorbereitungen und sonst so

I really have to work a lot at the moment because next to my job at the university I also have a job at a vocational school. However, I'm really trying to get along with my preparations for the MMC (and I am sick again oO - life ain't fair!).
However, I finally managed to finish an arttrade for a friend of mine. We agreed on some of the old, wonderful series and I chose Aishite Night for her.












Here you can see some intermediate steps and the final version. I hope she will like it! It took me a long time to finish it, also because I couldn't really decide on the final version.
Besides that I am also working on a little gift for my friends in Berlin. They'll probably read this here, but the pictures don't show everything yet. It's just a little glimpse.








I'm sorry the quality is not very good (that's my lousy camera), but maybe you can imagine what it will be like. The original is A3 and I still have a lot of work to do.
I am also trying to get along with my own project.
Okay, now with this there's really a lot to be done yet, but I will not give up! I've decided that, no matter what the risks, I will try my best with an idea of mine. We'll see what will come of it.
I hope you like these little insights into what I am doing at the moment. Thanks for all your comments lately!!! I'll let you know about our projects for the MMC in a few days and: Keep your eyes open for my Christmas lottery! You'll find it here on my blog! I wanr give away too much yet, but you can win some original ACEOs!!!
If you do have time and want to see some wonderful drawings, have a look at the blog of some my friends. For example Nashi, who will also be at the MMC and who is an amazing artist!!!
More to come soon!
Yours,
Mulle

Von der Connichi zur MMC

Kaum ist die Connichi vorbei, steht auch schon die nächste Convention ins Haus: Vom 21.-23.10 findet im Fontanehaus in Berlin die MMC statt und ich befinde mich natürlich schon bei den Vorbereitungen, denn auf der Connichi sind ziemlich viele Sachen weggegangen und ich muss einiges nachdrucken lassen.
Erstmal noch ein kurzes Feedback zur Connichi: Ich war leider die meiste Zeit über krank und habe mich hauptsächlich von Paracetamol und Ibuprofen ernährt, deswegen ist alles irgendwie verschwommen. Ich habe viele sehr liebe Leute getroffen und auch viele Freunde wieder gesehen und am Stand lief es auch super. Ein Bild davon seht ihr oben.
Besonders das neue Postermotiv kam gut bei euch an und ist im Moment ausverkauft, deswegen muss ich es erstmal nachdrucken lassen. Es wird wieder auf fünf Stück limitiert sein. Von den Hochglanzdrucken ist auch fast alles weg, bei den Postkarten ist das Motiv "Frühlingsfarben" und bei den Lesezeichen das Motiv "Fantasy" vergriffen. Ich hoffe, ich kann noch ein neues Lesezeichenmotiv für die MMC fertig machen. Oh, und die Buttons sind bis auf fünf Stück erstmal alle weg. Dafür werde ich mir auf jeden Fall neue Motive ausdenken und schließlich steht ja auch noch Halloween ins Haus.
Es gibt also noch viel zu tun und ich werde euch auf dem Laufenden halten, was es alles neues geben wird und woran ich gerade arbeite. Oh, und hier noch mein persönliches Lieblingsmitbringsel von der Connichi:

Würfelspiel auf der Connichi - Hauptgewinn

Erstmal: Juhuu! Wir haben unseren 100. Leser meines Blogs! Wow, da bin ich ganz platt *plopp* Und es ist ein größerer Ansporn, um immer mal wieder Neuigkeiten einzustellen, was ich hiermit auch tue.
Das hier (links) ist der Hauptgewinn bei meinem Würfelspiel auf der Connichi. Sonst mache ich ja immer eine Losaktion und im Prinzip steckt sie auch dieses Mal hinter dem Würfelspiel, aber durch den Wurf muss man sich erstmal die Gewinnkategorie erspielen. Je nachdem, wieviele Augen man würfelt, kann man entweder sehr kleine Preise, Süßigkeiten und Auflagen oder eben auch Originale, Wunschkakao- und Originalgutscheine gewinnen. Es ist also alles möglich. Wie immer gibt es keine Nieten und der Hauptgewinn ist das Bild zur Linken. Es wird außerdem auch noch ein neues Postermotiv geben,so richtig schön Shoujo (siehe rechts). Ich hatte es erst für ein Artbook nehmen wollen, hatte mich dann aber umentschieden und ein Poster draus gemacht. Ich hoffe, ihr mögt es!

Connichi 2011

Dieses Jahr wird es auf der Connichi wieder einige schöne Sachen bei mir zu kaufen geben. Nachdem mich mehrere Leute nochmals danach gefragt haben und sie auf der Leipziger Buchmesse auch so gut weggegangen sind, wird es wieder ein paar A4-Hochglanzdrucke einiger meiner Bilder geben. Sie werden 2,50 Euro pro Druck kosten (bei Mehrfachkauf gibt es, wie immer, Mengenrabatt) und sie werden auf 5 Stück je Bild limitiert sein.

Connichi 2011 - the countdown

Long time no see, everyone! Wow, there already are so many readers! That's really amazing. Thanks so much guys! And finally I've got some news: This September it's again time for the Connichi at Kassel. I'm really looking forward to it because a lot of interesting things will happen.
First I will have a place at the Manga Market. I hope to meet many of you there. I will have a second edition of full colour prints, new ACEOs (Kakao Karten), buttons, postcards, bookmarks, and much more. Plus: You can win an original! I'm still working on it so I can't show it yet, but just wait and see.
Then there is also the release of the last edition of the shoujo-anthology "Blütenträume" by the German publisher Schwarzer Turm. You can see the absolutely beautiful cover (front and back) here. As the editor in chief I had the opportunity to work with some amazing artists and I was allowed to add a little gallery of my own paintings. If you're at the Connichi this year you can meet some of the artists (including me), get the new "Blütenträume", which is dedicated to the topic "dreamboys" this time, and get some signatures. I will certainly do that as I haven't met some of the artists in person yet. There is more to come so watch out!

Manga-Mixx 8

Today I got my free copies of the newest Manga-Mixx, vol. 8. (If you want to know more about it have a look at the Mulle@Manga Mixx page here on my blog or click here.) And my first impression is: Wow! That's really packed. There are so many stories in there I don't know where to start. And they are from so many great artists I feel a little embarrased o///O Especially because my contribution is a little old (well, ca. 1 1/2 years now) and it's interesting to see for myself how I've developed (which means, that, yes, I do think I've developed since then). The great thing is that, at the moment, I really do feel like I want to start a bigger project and I already have some very precise ideas for it. I know there is so much I still have to learn, especially because I've never studied this kind of art or really learned it, but when I see something I did a while ago finally published it kind of gives you a great feeling and supports this idea. So if you do have any chance of getting the new Manga-Mixx, do it! It's worth it!!!

Random Stuff

Here you can see a collection of some of the things that have been lying around in my folderfr quite some time. It has the form of a Meme (which is probably known to some of you who now and again visit deviantart). I hope I can finish some of it within the next weeks, especially my fanart with Cloud and Aerith (I have a pretty precise idea of what it should look like in the end - but who knows what will happen while I'm working on it oO).
Anyway, I always think that the most interesting pictures by an artist are those who give an insight into his or her working process (at least, that's what it's like for me). I usually try to avoid it myself (I'm, far too lazy to do the scans oO), but as some people kept asking about something like this I thought it was time I used some of my old stuff (and some of the new).
Those of you who have been visiting my blog for some time (thanks so much for that *kiss*) will probably remember the cancer badge at the bottom, which I did for my German publisher Cursed Side. The other two were also designs I made for that occasion, but only the cancer badge finally made it. The rest is fanarts and some things I thought I could use but so far didn't make it.

Thanks to LemonNeko

I'd almost forgotten to show you this. It's a ConHon-entry for LemonNeko, the girl who organised the Doujimarket at the LBM this year. It was so much more comfortable to have your table and to be sure that you could simply come there whenever you wanted and did not have to run through the halls as soon as the doors opened. So Apfelkeks and some of us decided that we would thank her with some drawings and presents and this is what I did for her. It's a coloured sketch of one of her avatars. I hope she'll like it and organise the doujimarket again next year.

Cheerio everyone,
I'm back again with some signs of life! The LBM is already long gone, but only now have I managed to upload some of the pictures. *God, I'm so lame* However, I promised you some pictures, so here they are. To the left you can see my table at the LBM with the postcards, prints (they are almost all gone, except for the Christmas prints - well, I guess it wasn't the right time of year for them XD), the buttons, bookmarks, etc. The sales went well and I hope I can afford some more coloured prints as people really liked them and kept asking about them (I simply love my new scanner which is sooooo good with the colours and which helped a lot in making the prints so brilliant!) To the right you can see the final version of my postcard which I also did as one of the coloured prints (this one really sold well and I was almost sorry, that I hadn't done more of them as so many people kept asking). I also took a lot of pictures of people in great cosplays. I can't show you all of them, but here is a group with just a perfect cosplay. Do you know what they are? *_*
When I saw them I simply had to take a picture. Whoever you guys are, I really loved your cosplays!
By the way, have I already shown you my new crayons? They are polychromos and their colours are so beautiful. I just love them and I always use them for all kinds of paintings. I know they are somewhat expensive, but I really use them for months and they are so good on my Deleter paper, which I use for my ACEOs. If you do have the chance of buying some, do it!
At the moment I am busy with some competitions and the publication process of the new Blütenträume for the German publisher Schwarzer Turm. However, this last weekend we celebrated Easter and I did a little suprise ACEO which I sent to a lot of people (around 40). I hope they've all received their letter by now (I know some are still waiting for it, but I promise you'll get it soon). Happy Easter to all of you!

***busy part 2***

Hello everyone,
God, I am such a lazy person. Well, not really, but I'm always working a lot and now I am on facebook oO which means that I am spending even more time on the internet. But, let's be honest! How can you not be on facebook these days? I have so many friends who are simply not answering my e-mails anymore so the only way I can contact them is via facebook! Well, now I'm there...
I am working on a lot of things at the moment, at my real job and as a mangaka, so I hope I can let you see some things soon. I'll try to upload some pictures from the Leipzig Book Fair this week and also some pictures of what I've been doing during the last months. **God, I wish I had more time or needed less sleep.**
By the way, the AnimaniA did a short interview with me at the LBM which will probably be on the DVD that goes with the magazine in the next issue in May. It was really exciting! (Thanks, Anne, for thinking of me! And I hope you like your little blue plushie bean *_*)
More to come soon! Keep your eyes open or visit me on facebook XD

***busy***

Hey guys,
at the moment I am really busy with all the preparations for the Leipzig Book Fair. Although there are still a lot of things to do I thought I might let you see some things that are already finished and some things I've been working on lately.
On one of the pictures above you can see a photography of a painting I did for my father's birthday. It will also be a new postcard which you can buy at the LBM. It took my ages, but as I did it for my father it was a lot of fun and it reminded me again of how much I love working with colours. You can see the complete image on animexx or deviantart. It's called "Colours of Spring". I also did some new handmade bookmarks for the LBM. You can see them at the bottom and at the top. They are all originals and I loved doing them. I always feel like a child again whenever I do some tinkering, that's why I love it.
The second picture at the bottom shows you a huge ACEO. Well, it's not really huge °-°, but it's four single cards in one. I did it for an event on kakao-karten.de. The theme was, as you can probably see for yourselves, Clamp's "Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle". I did a lot more thing, which I will soon show you, but now I have to get back to work.
By the way, thanks a lot for watching my blog!!!!!