Courtesans and De-motivation Harpies

Ever have one of those days where your get-up-and-go seems to have been gang raped by the de-motivation harpies?

Yeah. Me too.

I don’t blame this on the holidays being over or the nearly three weeks of constant snow we’ve been having or even the cold that’s trying to invade and put my life on hold while I chug medicine like a hobo.

 It just me.

 Just being locked away without much social contact to speak of and the pile of things I need to work on (Projects I’m really excited by) seeming to loom large and nasty in the corner while I wrestle with this apathetic bla feeling.

Ah to be a creative, eh? We so do it to ourselves.

But enough with the moping and on to some cool/ pretties.

So a while back I had an idea for a story. I don’t like to say it was a Steampunk story because while I like the Steampunk ascetic, Love it in fact, Steampunk stories seem to be getting pretty watered down and homogenized. Having a steam powered baboon and a girl in a corset and gasmask is not the heart of a great Steampunk story.

Just sayin’.

Any-who I came up with a story I called NEON & GASLIGHT: COURTISANS. I was so enthused by the idea I launched into a series of photo shoots for it before I actually knew what the completed project would be. Never wise. The upshot was some great images and a chance to work with some really talented models. The down side? Still no finished story in sight. Thing is because I was still working out what the story should be I ended up creating and re-creating it. Then shelving it in frustration.

It’s a problem I’ve always had, rushing in where Angels fear to tread. Also known as chasing the “shinny”.

Well, about a month ago a turn of phrase sprouted in my head and became a title. Don’t ask me where it came from, I haven’t the foggiest, but with the phrase came a story and a lynch-pin for NEON & GASLIGHT. After a week I had the bones and sinew of the story and it’s now #4 in the queue of stories to finish.

Here’s the promo poster inspired by said phrase.

Modeling is the wicked-cool Cherry Valance. She came to the shoot wearing her character like a cape and just did a stunning job. Her pictures really inspired the story and character. She created a palpable crazy menace that was great fun to shoot.

So there you have it. A peek into my twisted cranium and a teaser poster. Take that de-motivation harpies!

You know, now that I’ve done the blog I think I’ll crack on with that new image I couldn’t wrap my head around last night. 

Hmm. Seems like there’s a lesson in here somewhere.

Just sayin’.

‘Till next time.

Babes, blogs and bands

“Realistically, 2013 is not going to be your lucky year.”

                                                                                                   -Frankie Boyle

And with that bit of enthusiasm we launch into another new year.

2012, for me, has been a bit of a weird year. I was sort of in a frustrating holding pattern that felt like I wasn’t creating anything even while I was shooting and writing away.

Imagery-

I suppose one of the reasons it’s often felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere was because, despite all I’ve already learned, I really feel like Photoshop Newb a lot of the time. So it’s been a year of tutorials and experimentation. I’ve got a load of images that I’m quite happy with like

                                                                       Or

                                                                         Or

And they’ll be appearing here with regularity starting nowish.

 I’d love to know what people think of the images so leave comments and criticisms. How else am I going to learn?

Writing-

Again, because I haven’t been releasing any of my new writing, it feels like I haven’t produced anything in the last year. In truth, much like the images, I’ve been stockpiling stories. I could explain the logic of this but I don’t want to bore you. Suffice to say I’m now in a position where I can start releasing stuff and you’ll be getting product soon.

“If you want to make god laugh, tell him about your plans.”

-Woody Allen

So not to give too much away then, over the weeks and months you’ll be seeing the re-release of some older works, some re-vamped stories I’m finally happy with, the continuation of SOJOURN and a bunch of shinny new product never before inflicted on the world.

As there’s news, or just New, it’ll be appearing here and I’ll give you all the details you could care to know as the posts and releases go out.

I hope you’ll follow this page, I’ve got some pretty cool stuff that’s been percolating and 2013 is the year it’ll all start rolling out.

‘Till Next time.

C.T.