Kitt Mouri Works

I Remember Love...

2012-01-02T17:13:00.005-05:00

...and I do. Really, when you find it, you never forget the feeling. I think that's why so many of my stories involve romance in some way. ...that and because I'm a girl!

Anyway...

My first completed illustration of the new year shares this feeling. It's my aquatic serpentine characters, Oshen and Alima (tentatively...I think she will be called, Selena, in the end) sharing a restful, intimate moment beneath the glassy waters of their marine home.

Okay! Back to business. I've opened up commissions once again and will be juggling them along with wrapping things up with the second issue of Hybrid: Gods and Demons. This second issue promises to outshine the first. I'm doing my best and keeping extremely busy. This brand new year is going to be one for the ages, for sure! I'm doing my best and I hope everyone will shine dazzlingly in this, a new year. Let's do our best together!

End of the Year...

2011-12-28T11:50:00.004-05:00

...and what a year this has been. It had its ups and downs, but all in all, it was a good year. I grew a bit as an artist and as a person and so, that's what counts.

For those of you who pre-ordered Hybrid #2, it's going to be a little late. I had a family emergency that I needed to attend to that took quite a lot out of me. I apologize for the delay, but it most assuredly is on the way. I hope you will enjoy it when it's done.

So, moving into the new year, I hope we all have our goals and dreams ready to tackle and accomplish. Chase your desires and make them a reality. Find yourself and your ambitions and do what it takes to make them true. Choose your o

wn path and go for it.

Good luck and good race. I'll see you next year! ^_^

...and if you find love, you've found something wonderful, indeed! Have a safe and happy new year, everyone!

Bella Mariposa Notes - Butterflies & Honeybees

2011-08-24T07:23:00.003-04:00

Just like with Sweet Shoppe, when I get ideas or inklings about Bella Mariposa, I'll be writing about them so I can get a working world for these critters...one that's consistent and maintains its flow. These are notes about the butterfly villages and its people.

Bella Mariposa

Butterflies

Butterflies are free spirits. They live as they please and for the moment. They enjoy life and celebrate it every day. Although they have an elected leader, their social structure is pretty much non-existent apart from this.

Butterflies, like all insects, are hatched from eggs. A female will usually lay a pair at a time which she tends to in a nursery within a home she shares with her mate. Together, they tend to the eggs for about a week before they hatch. The hatchlings are caterpillars. They move about the nursery for a further two weeks, munching on assorted vegetation and drinking leaf juice until the time comes when the natural instinct urges the youngsters to spin cocoons and undergo their amazing metamorphosis. Mother and father won’t see their offspring again for another four months, but the next time they do, they will be fully realized butterflies…just babies.

Butterfly babies are curious and sweet and mirror their parents’ love for life and relish for joy. Their laughter is a constant in butterfly villages. They emerge from their chrysalises with a pair of wings, but do not have the instinct and knowledge of how to use them. They are likened to baby birds learning how to fly. They gain this instruction from their parents.

Once they reach adulthood, they take their place in butterfly community. They seek out mates and begin to build lives with the lovers they’ve found and the cycle starts again.

A butterfly’s diet consists primarily of nectar, fruit and fruit juices. In the winter, though, they will eat winter berries and leaves until spring arrives and more succulent foodstuffs are available.

Butterflies are typically vain creatures, valuing their beauty in pretty high regard. They choose their mates based on their physical attributes and the prediction of how their offspring will turn out with the combination of parentage. The most beautiful butterflies are usually mated to…the most beautiful butterflies and thus produce the most beautiful children. Yet, despite their vanity, they’re surprisingly tender and devoted lovers as well as doting and loving parents.

The elected leaders of the butterfly people are referred to as reys (male) and reinas (female). They govern the health and welfare of their kind and are the primary source for interspecies diplomacy. For example, when the winter is difficult and the food rations waning, it is the responsibility of the elected leaders to negotiate trade between other insects willing to barter with them.

The elected leaders remain in power until they are ready to retire and find someone who they deem worthy of succeeding them. Unlike a monarchy, the children of the elected do not inherit the title borne by their parents. Once the leaders find someone worthy, they present them to the rest of the colony and hold a vote. If the people approve, then the nominee becomes the new elected leader. If they have a mate, then they also become an elected leader. If they are unmated, then whomever the elected takes to mate becomes an elected as well.

Mari: Mari is the main character of this series. She is headstrong and honest as well as compassionate and kind. Her best friend is Miele, the honeybee. She admires her friend’s wings and marvels at the feats that Miele can perform in the way of flight. Mari is something of an oddball in the butterfly world. She is of an age to take a mate, but does not want to choose a mate based on his appearances. She’s learned that the best looking males are usually hopelessly arrogant and value her for simply for her beauty. She knows that this attitude tends to change with mating, but even so, she doesn’t want her mate to desire her for her looks, even if she is an extraordinary beauty. She is courted by many a suitor, but she has yet to find the special someone just for her. For Mari, the search for her perfect mate continues.

Mari lives with her parents, as all unmated females do. They love their daughter, especially since her twin sister died within the confines of her chrysalis. It would be akin to a stillbirth in human pregnancy. It is a happening that’s not wholly uncommon to the butterfly people. As she is their only child, Mari’s parents are especially protective of her and want for her happiness and wellbeing. They know that she will be better off if she is happily mated to someone who will take care of her. They urge her to choose a mate because they fear she will not find one if she waits too long. They do not understand why she is so oppositional when it comes to simply selecting a partner. They chose each other for their respective attractiveness and found happiness in each other’s hearts and their shared home and cannot see why their daughter is so adamant about not doing the same.

Apart from Miele, Mari’s closest friends are Sheenah, Chitta(butterflies) and Salto (a grasshopper).

Chitta: Chitta is a spirited and spunky girl who enjoys testing the limits of her own body. She is a born athlete that can fly farther, longer and faster than any other butterfly. She’s also the most versatile and nimble. Chitta can outmaneuver just about any predator that would seek to make a meal out of her and has used her abilities to help her friends out of more than an occasional dangerous situation. Her biggest aim is to beat Miele in distance, speed and maneuvering flying, a goal she has not yet been able to reach.

Like Mari, Chitta has little interest in the males that court her. However, unlike Mari, the number of suitors that call upon her aren’t as numerous as those that desire Mari. But, her perfect mate has yet to be found. For Chitta, the male that wi

ll win her has to be able to best her in her outstanding feats of athleticism. She decided for herself that the male who manages to out fly and out maneuver her will be the one she will take as her mate.

Sheenah: Sheenah is the daughter of the current rey and reina. She is refined and demure as well as intelligent and caring. Sheenah is the only one of the girls who has a brother. Her twin was born male and shares a number of his sister’s better attributes. He looks out for his younger (by a few hours) sibling and helps guide her through difficult choices see cannot see through on her own. In truth, Sheenah's brother is her best friend.

Sheenah is also the only one to have a steady partner. It is anticipated that the pair will take each other to mate in the near future. She foresees that she and her lover will produce outstandingly beautiful children together.

Sheenah is a constant source of council, not only to her friends but also to her people. She helps to assuage fears and provides guidance in times of uncertainty. She’s fair and levelheaded and very slow to anger. Like her parents, she interacts heavily with other insect species and helps to forge lasting bridges between the cultures.

Honeybees

Apart from ants, termites, hornets and wasps, bees are the most structured and organized of the eusocial groups of insects. As in real life, bees live in a hive where there is a queen who is mother to all in the hive.

The queen usually has a pair of drones which she takes to mate, although some queens have taken only one while others have taken as many as a dozen. The drones a queen takes for her mates are always brothers or half brothers from the same hive. This helps to maintain genetic order and prevents inbreeding.

Nearly all the bees born into the hive are female. In a hive of 500, not even 5% are male and of that 5%, less than 1% are likely to reach adulthood and go on to help produce new hives of their own. When drones are of breeding age, they journey together in search of hives with breeding females ready to mate. Once it’s established that the males are from a hive with no genetic ties to the hive in they’ve located and the physical health of the males is found to be desirable, a breeding female is surrendered and the mates head off with approximately 35 of the new queen’s sisters who will serve as her court and helping hands to erect the new hive. They are also a great source of support and wells of wisdom and knowledge to her fledgling majesty. Along with the drones, these females are the only members of the hive not born of the queen and her mates.

Queen bees are determined at birth. Infants that display certain traits in the larval state are removed from the nursery and tended by the queen directly. Only the queen knows, by instinct, the traits to look for in her young that determine who can grow to become a queen. Under her care, the young daughters are fed high quantities of royal jelly, the key to their progression in developing into queens. She is also groomed in the ways of leading and governing her family and coached in the ways of ruling with fairness, yet while always putting the needs of the hive before all others.

In truth, any female can become a queen if she consumes enough royal jelly. In an emergency situation, such as the untimely death of the queen where no budding queens are present, an elected sister is given large doses of royal jelly until she becomes fertile. The former mates of the queen adopt new roles, usually advisors to new males, and the new queen advertises the need for new mates.

Although every bee has had royal jelly in the early stages of life, only queens and potential queens consume it throughout their entire lives. Royal jelly helps females undergo the necessary changes to become a queen, but they continue to consume it throughout their lives to maintain their fertility. When the hive has enough bees and times are well, the queen will stop eating the jelly to stop producing eggs. When the need for more members of the hive arises, the queen resumes a diet that includes her royal jelly to restore the capacity to lay eggs within her.

Drones, like queens, are born at random. Drones are larger and stronger than their sister siblings and serve in the capacity of defense when the need arises, but apart from that, they serve their hive in no other way. They exist to serve not their birth hive, but rather the one they will seek to create with the queen they find once they reach adulthood.

Worker bees are the heart of every hive, even if they do not realize their worth. They are as loyal as they are hard working. Workers work in day shifts of four days at a time followed by three days of resting. Their work schedule is set for life at their moment of life. They are assigned their working shifts and positions once they emerge from their combs as young honeybee children. They don’t begin working until adolescence. In their youth, they attend school within the hive where they learn everything they need to know about their society. They learn to fly, how to mark routes to bountiful flowering fields, how to harvest and cultivate pollen and how to make honey and how to defend the hive. These are some of the basics of honeybee education. Bees that are assigned to tend infants or to become teachers or other specialized jobs are given additional instruction, but most simply learn the basics as the majority of the bees of the hive will become pollinators.

Miele: Miele is a common pollinator. She tends flowers and collects and distributes the pollen she gathers for her family and amongst the blossoms to help ensure a healthy ecosystem and a stable food source for her people. Like all pollinators, Miele is also a defender of the hive and so is a skilled fighter. As naïve and honest as she can be is how aggressively she can become when danger arises to threaten those nearest to her heart.

Miele is honest to a fault and sees the world with practical eyes. Like many worker bees, Miele doesn’t know her own worth nor does she see herself as special in any way. Although she has the gifts and talents exclusive to honeybees, she doesn’t view her abilities as anything extraordinary. To her, Miele is just a face among her many sisters, a small part of a greater whole. She is devoted to her family and selflessly strives to ensure their wellbeing.

Although an adult, Miele is very naïve. All that she knows she has learned from her family. She sees the world with the innocence of a child. Things are either right or wrong and to her, everything she’s learned from the hive is right. It was an odd happening that she befriended Mari, as bees and don’t generally socialize heavily with other insects, or at least not enough to call one another, best friend. With Mari’s companionship, though, Miele is learning more now than she would have ever learned by hive knowledge alone.

The End of Conventions...for now...

2011-07-09T18:02:00.005-04:00

Well, with June gone, my conventions are done. I've got work to do from my travels, but it's good and enjoyable work. I realize that I've been a little lax in keeping up this blog and for that I apologize. I've been so darn busy, but I'm getting back to things, now.

I've got to work on Hybrid #2 since I was unable to finish it for my second convention. I also need to begin work on Sweet Shoppe #2. I have The story and art are boarded for Hybrid. I need to finish the art, now and then, it'll be ready for print. Sweet Shoppe is mostly written, but hasn't been boarded, yet. It'll probably be slated for production early next year.

The year was kind to me, though. I was able to get many things done, many new designs and many new articles of merchandise for this year's convention tour. ...including this:

Yes, it's Miele from my series, Bella Mariposa. She made an appearance on t-shirts and bookmarks. Mari joined her as well the mascot for the first convention. On the whole, everything went very well. I'm looking forward to next year. ...ah, but right now, I need to finish these comics ^_^

March Has Arrived...

2011-03-11T08:39:00.004-05:00

...which means spring is JUST AROUND THE CORNER!! Honestly, I just can't wait! Spring is easily my favorite season. Everything comes back to life after a long winter's sleep. The flowers and trees are revived, the birds come out to sing their songs, animals are giving birth to little babies and...the world is just so beautiful and peaceful. Spring is just fantastic, even with the pollen and allergies, spring is the bees knees! ^_^

...and speaking of insects, I'm continuing with my "At the Bath" series. This time, here's Mari, my butterfly.

Mari has gotten a little color change with her hair. Now, it's a softer berry crimson as opposed to the darker plum she had previously. Her wings are so bright and light, it struck me as a little odd that her hair clashed with it so much. Besides, Alima has dark purple hair, so it'll be represented! ^__~

Anyhoo, still working hard on Hybrid. I'm going to spend the day getting as much of it done as I possibly can. Wish me luck!

Hybrid: Gods and Demons Issue #2 - COVER ART

2011-02-06T23:01:00.004-05:00

...well, yeah, I just have the cover art to share right now. A few panels are done and it's coming along swimmingly, but, it's not out, just yet. God willing, it'll be ready by the end of May ^_^ Anyhoo, for now, here's the cover art. I have been working LITERALLY ALL DAY on this to get it done and finally...it's finished!

I've restructured this cover, taking a clue from the Sweet Shoppe cover...namely, putting an appropriate logo and tag with the release date and pricing information. I took the sketch that I was working on the other day, inked it by hand and spent the entire day coloring and polishing it up. ^_^

I really hope you all like this and hope you will be looking forward to this issue. It's late, now, so I gotta get to bed. See ya later!

Busy Bee...

2011-01-30T19:52:00.008-05:00

...well, I have been as busy as one, as of late and...I've been working on designs for one, too ^_^ Yeah, I'm talking about my sweet little Miele, the honeybee from my series "BELLA MARIPOSA". Yesterday I got up and started sketching. I was supposed to be working on "HYBRID: Gods and Demons" issue #2, but I couldn't summon my muse for it. I've been a little tired lately, but trying my best, behind the scenes.

Anyhoo, today I decided to add a little color to the images I worked on yesterday. This is Miele at the Bath. I had done one before of Mari and had the urge to do one of Miele as well. So, this is her enjoying a quiet moment at a little pool. This is also the first time I've illustrated any of the insect people with something that helps to show how tiny they are. The droplet of water helps to prove the point to that end.

OH! Since this was a soft, intimate scene, I muted Miele's colors a bit to help enhance the tone and all around feel of the piece. ^_~

Now, this one is actually NOT a bee, she's a butterfly and a character that I had drawn ages ago...but for some reason, simply never uploaded. I think I just plain forgot that I had drawn this ^^; Anyhoo, this is Acacia (tentatively...whenever I look at her, the name Sheena sticks to her and I keep calling her that. Sheena was supposed to be the name of the third butterfly, but we'll have to see, I guess.) Anyway, she's the daughter of the butterfly emperor and empress. But, because the rulers of the butterflies is elected, NOT born into the rule, Acacia has no official title as her parents do. She's just the daughter of the monarchs...and a lovely, dignified lady. She's also the only of the main characters to have a steady lover (TBA). They're expected to take each other to mate for life. So, with all that being said, here's Acacia!

OH! I should also mention that Acacia's wings are not shown in this illustration and that her colors are subject to change ^__~

OKAY! Lastly, I went back to Miele to really flush out her design. Mari is completely designed and ready to go, but Miele wasn't as polished. ....one thing in particular that bothered me about her design was her wings. I wanted them to look like actual bee wings...not those cartoonish-generic-insect wings...you know, the short, round wings given to fl

ies and bees. So, after doing a bit of research, I came up with a design that I was satisfied with, at last! They may change slightly but for now, I'm happy with them like this. So, before I say "goodnight, folks!" here's Miele, once again but this time in her regular colors...AND in her uniform!

...I should also mention that this is a rough tablet sketch, so the anatomy isn't 100%. But, this is pretty close to how she'll appear in the comics. ^_^

Bright New Year!

2011-01-07T11:01:00.003-05:00

Well well well...the new year is already upon us and I am SO BEHIND with comic work! *cries*

I was transferred on the job under the case of a promotion, but, the hours were long and the management less than favorable. So, I got behind on work, just a bit. But, now I'm back where I used to be and things are back at a reasonable pace, thank God! And, I'm back to work.

Ah, but even though I'm late posting this, I did want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Here's to a favorable and flourishing 2011!!

What A Difference A Little Color Can Make!

2010-09-13T13:45:00.005-04:00

Wow! Long time no write! ^^; I've been busy. Today I was working on a character from an old series that I shelved a while back. But, it was an interesting bunch of people and the leading character beckoned me to draw her this past Saturday. So, after spending some time sketching her out, she then insisted that I go ahead and color her, too ^^;

Ah well, what are you gonna do. Anyway, this is that character:

Her name is Alima and she's from my series, Serpentine Blue. She's a sea snake hybrid and has gone through more design changes than I can count! LOL! But, speaking of changes, I was thinking about the supporting cast of this story after I had finished her and, for the heck of it, I wanted to see what color scheme could possibly work for a different character. So...I tinkered with Alima's colors and came up with this:

It was strange seeing her like this because in this way, she's like a whole different person! It's so weird! But, I do like this color pattern, so I'll probably use it for someone else. ^_~

Well, I think that's all for me. I have one more commission to finish up and then I have to get started on some work for Shanda Fantasy Arts and then move on to my comics, Hybrid and Sweet Shoppe. Wish me luck!

More from the Bugs...

2010-07-04T17:11:00.003-04:00

Yeah, it's just Bella Mariposa. I've really grown accustomed to that title. So, this will be the series of short stories or the mini-series that will appear at the end of both Sweet Shoppe and Hybrid...both series that I hope to have second issues for by next summer. With luck and a heck of a lot of hard work, I'll make it happen ^_~

Having come back from my second convention of the year, I know that I must make this happen. I was tremendously pleased with the near sell out of Sweet Shoppe and the number of people asking for the second issue of Hybrid. I can't begin to say what that means! ^____^

So, this story will appear at the ends of each coming issue of those two series. It'll be good to have something to work on when I'm stuck or low on inspiration for those two stories. But, more on that later. For now, that's all. see ya!

Oh! Here's the latest imagining of the leading character, Mari:

Bella Mariposa!

2010-06-15T09:52:00.004-04:00

...or, Bella Maribeeposa. Something like that. Anyway, look for more from this mini-series...or end series...or whatever...coming soon in issues of Hybrid and Sweet Shoppe.

Fanart! ...can you believe it!

2010-06-05T18:16:00.006-04:00

Well, I'm back from the convention and it was a blast! It was just so much fun. I had a blast and turned out some pretty good sales, too. Can't beat that, right? ^_^

...and while I was there, I had a request to draw a picture of a gal that I loved as a kid back when cartoons were still super awesome (some are today...but not like the bounty that existed when I was a kid ^_~ ) Anyway, you might remember a show called, Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers. If you remember that one, then you probably remember the leading lady of the team, Gadget Hackenwrench. ^_^ She was an inspiring character. She was a girl and yet she was not only brilliant, but beautiful, too. That's rare in shows that a brainy girl is also attractive. AND if that wasn't enough, she was a mechanic! Come on, how cool is that? ^_~ She was the epitome of girl power. So, I was delighted when I was asked to draw her.
Initially I was just asked to draw a pencil sketch. Here, this is it:

The fella wanted to see Gadget in an expecting way. Now, folks who know me know that I think pregnancy is just a gorgeous time in a woman's life. She's radiant and beautiful and she just shines with life. So, I wanted to show that for Gadget as well.

The pencils turned out well. I was pleasantly surprised since I've never actually drawn her before. ...and since it's likely that I never will again, I decided to just go ahead and do my best with this one and went all out. Uh...here, this is how it turned out:

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with this one. She's happy and excited and...well...I'm just happy with the turnout. I really need to draw more pregnant images. They really inspire me ^_^ Anyway, I think that's all for now. I actually have a lot of work that I need to do and get done. Gotta go for now! See ya! *waves*

2010-05-27T16:15:00.003-04:00

Boy oh, boy, this was cutting it VERY close! But, at last, my Sweet Shoppe comics have arrived ^_^ I was worried that they weren't going to make it before I left. You can imagine my joy when I came home as the mail carrier was arriving...with my package!!

I am so happy that it made it on time. I leave for the first convention tomorrow and would have been a little disappointed to not have these. It wouldn't have let it ruin my trip, but let's just say that I am EXTREMELY happier with them traveling along with me :-) Finally, Sweet Shoppe is in print and ready for sale!

Well, with this done, I have to get started thinking of the next issue. I also have to get the ball rolling with the Hybrid and get their second issue up and going. I've started writing the stories for the both of them already. I've also written an entire story for Alley Cat Blues...but I never got the chance to illustrate it. Lion Paws are on the back burner for now as are Eyes in the Dark (never mind Pine Willow, Aoi: Blue Sun, and Serpentine). But, they'll get their chances, soon. Right now, though, Sweet Shoppe and Hybrid are taking center stage. ^_^

Well, I'm packed and ready to go. The bus heads out in the morning. All those who are going to the convention, I'll see you there! ^___^ *waves*

2 Year Comparison

2010-05-14T11:17:00.007-04:00

On assorted art sites, I see folks take a drawing they did years ago and redraw it at their current level of skill. So...I decided to do the same to warm me up for drawing the other day ^_^ This was the result.

This is Leilani, the daughter of Dumi and Neha Ayele. At the time, when I created Leilani, her parents hadn't been designed, yet. So, I just sketched her out on a whim. But, now, nearly two years later, her parents are fully realized:

And so, I was able to infuse a bit of her parents' looks into her. For example, her coat is the same hue as her father's while she's got her mother's cougar markings. Her hair and eye color come from her grandparents and other relatives. She's still very much a tomboy (with 4 brothers, how could she not be? ^^; ) but, she's a little more...pretty, now.

Anyway, I need to make bookmarks and key chains and other assorted trinkets and knickknacks for the pair of conventions that I'll be attending this year. With the comic finished, now I have a little more time to accommodate that need. I still have commissions to do, but I have more time to work on both tasks side by side ^__~

Comic Work Complete!

2010-05-03T19:58:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that I didn't post this sooner, but finally, the work for the Sweet Shoppe comic is complete as of April 26th, 2010. WOOHOO! ^__^

I sent the files off to the printer and they got back to me last week and are in the process of printing my book. I'm so excited. I put so much effort, heart and love into and am really proud of what I've done. I hope and pray that it's successful, but that's all I can do for now. Only time will tell in the end. ^__~

Wish me and the girls and Boomer luck! ♥♥♥

In the meantime, I'm back to work on commissions that have accumulated while I was working on the comic. Never a dull moment, right ^__~ See ya!

Cover Art COMPLETED!

2010-03-31T15:52:00.003-04:00

*stretches* Well, it took me a day and a half, but I finally finished the cover art for the Sweet Shoppe, issue #1! I am thrilled to have this completed and I'm very happy with the way that it turned out. Mint finally behaved and the pose came out and...well, here she is, gracing the cover of the very first issue of Sweet Shoppe, scheduled to make it's printed debut in May, 2010. ^__^

Mint is the very alluring, very sensual character in the story, yet at the same time, she's amazingly humble and refined and is so graceful that she would...NEVER pose like this for real! LOL! But, in the story, there's a scene where it makes complete and total sense. What's the scene? Well, I can't tell. ^_~ But, it'll be explained in the comic, for sure ^_^

Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this cover shot and, well, I think that's about it. This is the end of March and I'm happy that this is the last entry for this month. If all goes well, I should be able to maintain schedule and have this printed on time! WOOHOO! ...right now, though, it's back to work for me ^___~ See ya!

Finally, A Page Is Complete!

2010-03-10T15:21:00.003-05:00

It's taking me forever to get this work done. You would not believe! But, it's coming along, despite hardships ^^;

Yesterday, while skating in the park, I totally crashed and banged myself up fairly rough. My knees were damaged as well as my writing hand, but after a night's rest, I'm starting to come around. My hand is healing nicely and one of my knees is getting better, but the other is still extremely sore and I have to hobble about to get anywhere. Ah, but you take the good with bad. I'm still young and healthy and will heal just fine ^__~

AND!

With the spirit of determination, I finally managed to finish a page of my comic. TA-DA! One page out of twenty complete! This took quite a while because I drew and colored everything individually. So, it took an amazing amount of time to complete it, I'm afraid. Hopefully, though, the other pages won't take quite so long. At least, I really hope not. But, either way, I'll keep moving forward and giving it my best shot. I have to have this finished by the end of April, the latest, so I will do my best and give it everything I've got! Wish me luck and I hope you enjoy this teaser page ^__~

Plowing Along!

2010-03-08T17:25:00.004-05:00

Well, it's March and I'm still working away on the Sweet Shoppe, hoping to be finished before the end of April so I can have it printed in time for the convention. This morning I scanned in the first images for the book. Here's a little sneak peak at a WIP.

It's not finished, yet, but it's coming along.

Anyway, this is the Second Prince of Calico, Arjuna with his betrothed fiancee, Amarah, the Third Princess of Kitwa.

This is a snippet of the first page of the first issue of Sweet Shoppe, slated to debut this May. The comic features 20 pages and I...haven't even finished one, yet ^^; BUT! I am getting somewhere with them. One page just needs coloring and two more need inks and then color. Little by little and step by step, that's the way! I just have to keep moving forward and I'll be alright! ^_^

Aoi: Blue Sun

2010-02-18T11:58:00.004-05:00

This is a project that I've been working on for a while. The series is called, Aoi: Blue Sun. I've been working with the characters and developing them for some time, now, but recently, I put it on the shelf to really throw myself into working on Sweet Shoppe. But, still, this is a developing series that's really close to my heart. ^_^

I'm all about the environment and this series deals heavily with that. It's a series that I started after creating and introducing this character here, Adjani, into a game inspired by a Japanese animated series, Ronin Warriors (Yoroiden Samurai Troopers in Japan) that I used to play on. Adjani (the blue girl there) is a part of the tribe of water spirits, one of the seven major spirits (earth, tree, wind, fire, water, light, dark) on the planet. She is next in line to lead her people and maintain the waters of the world along with them. She cannot allow herself the luxury of following her heart and being with the one she loves who happens to be human.

Back in the day when I played this game, he was her lover. He is the Ronin Warrior, Cye (or Shin in Japan). This picture shows them parting, one last time. She has her destiny to fulfill as he has his. An immortal princess of water spirits must live her life for her people while he, a mortal warrior who fights to save the planet from the forces of evil, must live his.

( http://aoibluesun.blogspot.com/ )

Old Commission and New Uniforms

2010-02-12T13:01:00.006-05:00

*stretches* You know, I can't believe that I didn't post this here when I got this commission back in November of 2009.

This was a commission that I was requested to do as a design for a night club in Nashville. Someone told me that this image is hosted as a very large image in their historic print district. That made me really happy to hear. I wish I could see it for myself, but, if I'm ever in the Nashville area, I'll hunt it down, for sure ;-)
SO! Lemme think what else is new. I've finalized the designs for the costumes of the Sweet Shoppe girls even if I haven't finalized the color arrangements for them. I'm debating just having the girls wear the same design and let them all wear whatever colors they choose. That seems to be the best course of action since all the girls have such varied hues, also.

The first issue's story is done, although, I think I'm going to add just a little more to it. I'm not sure as of yet, but I may add an additional bit of writing to what I already have. I won't know for sure, though, until I really get into the illustrations, see how much space I have and determine if I have enough time to make additional submissions to the existing material. So, here's hoping! :)

Alrighty! Back to work! In the meantime, here's Candy and Plum modeling the uniforms for the Sweet Shoppe girls to wear.

Uniformity!

2010-02-04T11:53:00.004-05:00

Well well well... Another day, still plowing through the Sweet Shoppe, trying to get things done with the script so I can move on to art. I've actually planned the layout of the shoppe so I can begin figuring out how the shop looks, but the issue of uniforms came up and, thankfully, it was resolved swiftly enough...more or less ^^; Here, I'll show you what I mean:

This is the design for the uniforms of the Sweet Shoppe. There are two versions of, essentially, the same outfit. The one on the left was the original design, but upon thinking on it, I realized that it may be a bit too young for the older girls, Plum, Mint and Sweetheart. So, I designed the second outfit on the right. The lack of a pleated skirt ages it up, just a little and is something that I can easily see the three older girls wearing. So, for the moment, there are two uniforms worn at the Sweet Shoppe ^__~

...now, we move on to the rival shoppe known as, Brandy's Place.

The outfits couldn't be more different, but then, the restaurants couldn't be more different. The Sweet Shoppe is like a soda bar while Brandy's Place is more like a pub. The atmosphere in her establishment is considerably darker and more adult. You wouldn't find children here as you would at the Sweet Shoppe, but, that's the look that Brandy wanted. Children don't make money, or at least not a lot of it so she has very little use for them and thus does not tailor her business to cater to them.

Sweetheart, on the other hand, thinks children are precious and the light of the world and without them, the world would be a much less joyous place. Because of this, her establishment is very geared toward youth and at any given time of the day, you're very likely to see a child in her store. ^_^

Sweet Shoppe - RECOLOR

2010-01-20T12:54:00.005-05:00

Well, several weeks ago, I came to realize that the monitor on my laptop wasn't accurately displaying color. I...was dismayed with this turn of events, mostly because with the Sweet Shoppe, the characters are colors that MUST be conveyed correctly. So, I decided to shop around for a new monitor...or rather...an additional monitor to partner with my laptop. Luck was with me because I found one and at an amazing price.

So, with joy and with the help of my new monitor, I am FINALLY able to get accurate colors for these characters. Mint is no longer neon!! (I hope! You tell me if she is!!) and Sugar is more sweet looking with a less darker shade of blue, more "baby" blue, now. AND Sweetheart isn't that soul-less yellow that she was before, she's quite a bit warmer now and her eyes are more brown, not so reddish.

The other three, Plum, Candy and Tange are actually fine the way they are, but these three bothered me, quite a lot. Boomer is also fine. He's brighter than I had intended, but, somehow, I like that on him Brandy...well, she's more saturated and brighter than I had originally planned, but, she may stay the way she is as well

Anyhoo, please let me know if you see a difference on your screens. I can see a noticeable difference from my laptop screen to my monitor, so I want to see if you can see a difference as well. Thanks a bunch! ^_^

Sweet Shoppe Rivals?!

2010-01-12T13:34:00.003-05:00

Well, I was talking to my friend the other day and he wanted me to design something edgy for a line of fashion things he wants to get in together with me. SO! As I sat in Starbucks that day, sketching, this character came up. I've been calling her Brandy.

Now, something that I had in mind was that Sweetheart has a rival, a girl and her crew of of culinary competitors. They have a shop that's not quite as successful as Sweet Shoppe because...well, the girls aren't as likable across the board, but they DO attract a particular audience (it's not the most modest of establishments ^^; ). Long story short, Brandy despises Sweetheart and Sweetheart really wouldn't mind not having ANYTHING to do with Brandy. She doesn't HATE her the way Brandy hates her, but she does try to avoid her when she can. But, what I think Brandy truly hates is the fact that Sweetheart has Boomer...and Brandy wants Boomer, too...but, she can't have him.

...ah well. There will be more of Brandy and her staff eventually. They're not needed in the story just now, so, I have time to work on them. Anyhoo, I hope you like her...er...no...wait...not LIKE her 'cause she's the enemy but...hmm...darn! I don't know what to say! ^^; I guess I want people to like her in the way that people like the antagonist in a story I think that's about all for the moment. There will be more from the rivals soon...well...maybe not that soon, but at least this is something to get them started.

Sweet Ferals!

2010-01-10T13:26:00.004-05:00

Well, I was playing around with the Sweet Shoppe girls and I guess I must have been bored or curious or spacing out...or something! :-p Long story short, I wanted to see what the cats would look like as regular cats. So, this was what I came up with. This is Sugar, Tange and Plum just...being very feline.

I may end up doing something with this like a little web comic or like a mini-comic at the end of each issue, but we'll have to see. :-) I realize that this is the same thing that I did with my other series, Eyes in the Dark. Except, that series was in reverse. I started with quadrupeds and then did a series with them as upright anthros. ;-) So, if I go forth using these characters in this way, it'll be a twist.

OH! Speaking of cats, I forgot to mention a series that I put on the back burner, Alley Cat Blues. I've left it on the side for a while...you know, that's another post for another day ^_^ For now, I'll just post a little teaser image here so hopefully, you'll be curious for more when the time comes to talk a little more about it here. ...or, you can just dig around my DeviantArt account site! HAHA! Okay! Gotta go! See ya!

Sweet Costumes!

2010-01-05T17:48:00.003-05:00

...at least I hope so!! HAHA! Anyway, first post of the new year! WOOHOO! This year started with inspiration for me! Somehow, I was able to find my muse and that's a blessing! *dances* I'm still working furiously away on the Sweet Shoppe and now that all of the core characters are designed, I needed to start working on costuming for them.

Today I sat and finished designs for all the girls (Boomer is coming soon) and even managed to design a shoppe uniform for them, too (which I'll load later). The designs for each girl reflect their personalities and individuality. I didn't want to just give them outfits that looked nice, but rather things that looked good as well as things that fit who they are as characters. So, I hope that comes across ^_~ Anyway, here are my girls, again! I hope you like 'em ^_^

Sweet Shoppe Notes no.2

2009-12-21T22:28:00.006-05:00

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeell...all of my girls are designed, sketched and have their colors assigned to them. ^_^ With the completion of a new Tange sketch, all of the main girls (Candy, Sweetheart, Plum, Mint, Sugar & Tange) are designed. I also didn't show the picture of Boomer the leading male character that's featured in this series (he's Sweetheart's boyfriend ^_~) in my previous blog. Sorry about that *blushes* I'll show him now. These images aren't as polished as the others, but, they do show the characters designs and characteristics so...I'm pretty happy with them. ^_^

...but, it's late and I can't really think clearly right now @__@ So, I'm gonna end this blog now. See ya!

Sweet Shoppe

2009-12-01T18:52:00.008-05:00

...seriously...I cannot believe I haven't updated this page in nearly a year! WOW! ^^; Sorry about that. Hmm...so much has happened in this passed year, I do not even know where to begin.

Let's see...

I attended my first convention in July where I actually was a dealer. That was a learning experience, but a rather fantastic one at that ^_^ I look forward to doing it again next year. Oh! The convention is where I debuted Hybrid. I actually finished the comic in time for the convention and it was a success! I also debuted a series of feline pinups which I decided to pursue as a fully realized story. I've been calling it Sweet Shoppe, tentatively. The next group of images are from that series.

...gee, there really is too much to say all in one message. So, for now, I'll leave it at that. My new year's resolution is to try and be more diligent with this blog, for sure! ^_^

Still Moving Along in the New Year...

2009-01-28T18:14:00.004-05:00

Well! New year, yet with a somewhat late post ^_^; Still moving forward with Hybrid. All the main Hybrids are designed and ready with just a few modifications still needed. The humans are proving to progress just a bit slower, but they're getting there. I've decided to cast some of my existing character designs in main and supporting roles. I wanted to explore some of these characters and this was a great foray to do it in. So, for the lead characters of Grayson Grant and his wife, Hallie Grant I chose these looks with a few modifications. Likewise, for their son, Lance Hunter Grant I chose the following design with one of the colonial females Tamsin illustrated beside him.

I'm pleased to note that the entire script is done and layout pages are complete except for two pages. Apart from that, I'm ready to charge forward. I'm still gunning for that May deadline of mine and I hope that I can make it happen!

Got the Table!

2008-11-17T10:42:00.004-05:00

Oh happy day!! ...actually it was on Thursday when I got the memo that I had gotten a table for the convention in July ^^; But, the important thing is that I got it! I got a pretty good one, too, right near the entrance. Now, I just need to finish the character designs and get the story hammered out. I have it written, I just need to get it storyboarded and, of course, I need to get the characters in order.

I was working on a commission for someone for a while...it ate up a fair amount of time, too. But, that's done and now I have time to work on Hybrid and Eyes in the Dark (my wolf story). I'm going to be selling work for that series, too. But, mostly I'll be pushing Hybrid.

OH! I finished another character design. This time, it's an adult. Her name is Lioness. I'll be redesigning Lion, next and I had to make a minor modification with Snow Leopard. Her eyes are now a warm purple instead of a cool periwinkle.

...I think that's about it, actually. I'll post more updates, soon.

Take care!

Getting Ready for the Con!

2008-10-14T12:22:00.009-04:00

Yes, yes, I know...long time no write! I've been very busy! I've got a new job, am living comfortably and life is going pretty well for me. Right now, I'm getting things ready for Anthrocon 2009. It'll be myfirst convention that I'll be attending with the function of selling comics and things. So, I'm very excited about that. For the most part, the registration and such are taken care of. I just sent off my table registration so, hopefully, I'll hear from them to that end soon and will have a booth when I get down there. Otherwise, I'll just go and look and enjoy ^_^

OH! These are images of what the characters will be like that I hope to market. Their names are simply, Fox, Raccoon and...yeah, you guessed it, Snow Leopard and they're from my series entitled, Hybrid. That's the one that I'm pushing for the con, but I'll also be exhibiting my Eyes in the Dark characters and some of the characters that I own from Katmandu. So, it should be interesting, but mostly, I want to get this one up and well off the ground. ^_^ There are also humans in this world, so I hope that people can find interest with them as well.

Well, I think that's about all from me, for now. I'll try and update more regularly. Until next time, see ya!

Getting Caught in the Rain...

2008-03-31T21:13:00.003-04:00

Well, it's the end of March and, accordingly, there was a bit of a contest where you had to illustrate something steamy in the rain and here's what I did. It's Rena again and her mate, Varun sharing a moment in the rain. ...sorry, I know I should say more, but I'm waaaay tired just now so...I'm gonna head to bed. See ya! *waves*

Long Time No Write!

2007-12-18T05:59:00.000-05:00

WOW! You mean to tell me that I haven't posted anything for nearly three months short of a year? ...that is crazy! Well, at long last, it's time for an update. I've been so busy, lately. Have had health issues to deal with, love issues and various other things to have to try and face. But, I have to move one. Can't stay stuck in one place. So, here's to getting back on my feet real soon. In the meantime, I haven't abandoned my art. I'm still working on illustrating and have even learned a few things. This is Rena one of my characters from a game that I play. Although she's pregnant in this picture, she' not in the game. She does have a son, though, but anyway. I have other things that I want to share in the way of art, but that'll have to wait until later. Take care!

A Month of Change

2007-03-04T19:53:00.000-05:00

Well, it's March and it's my favorite month of the year because, among a lot of wonderful things, it's the month where spring starts. For me, that's a huge season of change. One change, I've redesigned my sprites. They ended up in a way that I am quite pleased with. Another change is, I've adopted a puppy. She's a chocolate lab with dazzling amber eyes. I haven't decided upon a name for her, but I'm leaning towards Juma, the name of one of my sprite characters. In fact, I'll show a recent illustration of her here. I hope you enjoy the pic. Well, I think that's all for me for now. I hope to write back again real soon. See ya! Here's Juma:

At The Close Of An Old Year

2006-12-31T09:54:00.000-05:00

Well, this year is nearly done...only a couple of hours left before it's over, actually. Looking back, I've accomplished many of the things I set out to do, but not nearly enough of them. Here's hoping that this new year offers more prosperity and opportunities for us to search out our dreams and make them realities. Enough of living in complacency, it's time to be proactive. My resolution is to be the absolute best me that I can be and to never let a day pass without me acknowledging that I have accomplished something meaningful in my life. Here's to a new year and to a new beginning.

The Birth of...

2006-12-22T00:13:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is, my first of what I hope will be many posts for this, my BLOGSPOT! Hi, my name's Kitt Mouri. Welcome! I'll be posting art and whatever else I can get up here as soon as I figure out how to work this thing ^_~ For now, please "bookmark" or "favorite" me because I'd love to hear from you folks. Until next time, take care! ^.^