Suku Suku

[pigeon-wing]

Desired username: suku

E-mail: rio_ohki250@yahoo.com

Site Description: Basically, a personal art site with a few things on the side, like tutorials and wallpapers. The vast majority of what I do is anime, as I enjoy it the most. I'm taking Drawing and Painting this year, so whatever projects I upload from that class will probably be more realistic. I've also been playing with a different style - it's like a cross between realism and dolls - that you can see here (bah, this example is about a year old; I had a far more recent example but now I can't find it. Figures ~_~). I do mostly CG, but I'd like to play with watercolor soon.

As for my webdesign skills, I know enough HTML and CSS to scrape by. Here's my sample site:

http://suku.atspace.com

I used Paint Shop Pro 8's image slicing tool, Microsoft FrontPage, and some Notepad. I haven't coded in a while, so I just modified the stylesheet I was using for my old site. I hope that's alright ^^; I also have a DeviantArt account, if you'd like to see everything in one place, though it's pretty much the same content as the site:

http://roquera.deviantart.com

Why "Suku Suku"?
It actually doesn't mean anything in particular; my little brother and I had some fake words we'd use when we were younger (kind of like twin speech, except we're not twins) and suku suku was one of them. It's the only one I remember besides kushkala kashka. But, because I think "suku suku" sounds cute and because it doesn't mean anything - thus not forcing me to have a revolving theme for my layouts - I chose it :3 It probably sounds like some weird Japanesey thing, but I swear that's not what it's from, and if it does mean anything in any other language, I don't care 'cause it's my word! x)

Why Xepher?
Because the Xepher offer is amazing. I haven't found anyone else offering this amount of webspace and freedom at a price I can actually afford. I also don't think I've seen a community quite like Xepher has behind it. I've been scuttling about the forums for a bit (why yes, that cockroach -was- me xD) and lurking for even longer, and you guys seem like a very nice bunch :3

How do we know you won't die on us?
Because I have no other choice :'D I have to construct and maintain a website as a graduation requirement. Plus, I love drawing. I've been scribbling for years now and I'm not about to stop anytime soon (: But, I'm not sure if I completely understand the "semi-regular" updates requirement. Is monthly okay?

And that's pretty much it. Thank you for taking the time to read this <3

[dragyn]

First off, the first thing I noticed (at the atspace site) is that you basically have 2 "front pages".  The "home" page and the splash page you get first when you go to suku.atspace.com.  It'd probabaly be better if you either combined them into one or found a way to skip them, but that's my (highly biased) opinion.

Another thing--why the cursor?  I have nothing against it, but the diagonal movement cursor showing up whenever you highlight a link sorta' weirds me out.  The plus cursor is fine, though.

A few of your links seem to be broken,  specifically the ones in your "original art" section that I noticed.  This might just be my internet, though.  (the picture I couldn't get to load is the one entitled "chibiicy"--the link takes me to a nonexistant page)

Okay, now that I'm past the complaining stage--the art looks familiar.  I'm not sure if this is because your style is based on one I've seen before or if I've actually seen it before, though either of those is a possibility for me.

The shading is nice, better than anything I've done, anyway.

That's about it from me.  I wouldn't know, but I think monthly would be okay.

Good luck.

[pigeon-wing]

I know some people might find splash pages annoying, but that's where I wanted to put fanlisting or affiliate links, and if I'm accepted that's where I would put the Xepher newsbox, as it would be too messy on the updates page. As for the diagonal cursor, I thought it was fun, but if too many people find it annoying I can always change it ^_^

And thank you so much for telling me about the broken links, I'll go check them out right now! I remember someone calling while I was uploading (I have dial-up) so maybe I skipped over a few when I went back to uploading.

[pigeon-wing]

Yup, some of the files (including the chibiicy one you mentioned) were missing, either because I absentmindedly skipped over them or they didn't comply with atspace's 200kb size limit. I've clicked on everything clickable and it's all worked for me, so the site should be safe for viewing now. Thanks again for checking out my application and taking the time to comment!

[griever]

The requirements say "original" content, so I hope that style isn't too painfully generic for you, whereas my other style probably is n_n;

I'm going to be painfully blunt here, as this has been building for a little while, but people who draw their art in the anime style and fill out applications here seriously tick me off.  It's a confliction set of ideas: 1) I'm proud of my art/enjoy doing it, so I'm trying to promote myself and get better webspace vs. 2) I draw generic art, oh woes I am shamed (insert cute smiley here).  Whenever I read applications from artists who draw in the anime style (or at least, have been influenced by it) and bend over backwards apologizing for their unoriginality, it makes me want to vote nay on the space (assuming we still had the poll).

If you're putting a portfolio of anime style art up there, sounding ashamed or lessening it to your future original style does not make you sound like a confident artist in my book.  Be proud and supportive of what you create or don't bother to do it in the first place.

Also, original content does not have to mean unique drawing style.  It can also mean having an original plotline, a new and expanded digital art technique, a new way of blending sounds, or a new way of perceiving media in general.

[pigeon-wing]

The requirements say "original" content, so I hope that style isn't too painfully generic for you, whereas my other style probably is n_n;

I'm going to be painfully blunt here, as this has been building for a little while, but people who draw their art in the anime style and fill out applications here seriously tick me off.  It's a confliction set of ideas: 1) I'm proud of my art/enjoy doing it, so I'm trying to promote myself and get better webspace vs. 2) I draw generic art, oh woes I am shamed (insert cute smiley here).  Whenever I read applications from artists who draw in the anime style (or at least, have been influenced by it) and bend over backwards apologizing for their unoriginality, it makes me want to vote nay on the space (assuming we still had the poll).

If you're putting a portfolio of anime style art up there, sounding ashamed or lessening it to your future original style does not make you sound like a confident artist in my book.  Be proud and supportive of what you create or don't bother to do it in the first place.

Also, original content does not have to mean unique drawing style.  It can also mean having an original plotline, a new and expanded digital art technique, a new way of blending sounds, or a new way of perceiving media in general.

That wasn't painful at all, you quite made my day. Thank you for knocking some sense into me (:

[pigeon-wing]

Just givin' this thread a poke to show that I'm still here ^_^ And a small update for Suku Suku, though I had to upload through Atspace's file manager because FTP wasn't working, bah >>

[fesworks]

very cute site, though I agree that that "diagonal arrow" thing feels a bit off. and the two "home" pages.

I also think it would be better if the images opened in the same window than in a new window.

It seems too much of a Personal Art site to me... perhaps if you did something else? I'm sure You could easily make some sort of cute once and week webcomic.. I say once a week because doing the art may take a long time. If you don;t have any ideas you could make a webcomic with someone else that has some ideas. I've seen that done a lot where the story and art is a cooperative effort.

I'd say you could even "sell" custom art of people, say if they submitted a photo or something. That might be interesting to look into.

well, those are my thoughts.

[Xepher]

Leaning toward a yes, just want to look more at your stuff when I have more time. Personal art site is fine, you don't have to have a comic or something.

[Munerift]

Oh my goodness... why haven't I chimed in yet? I vote yes! The web design is very cute and I think she's got the drive to keep going with it.

[fesworks]

did not mean to be so critical sounding when I said "Personal Art" site with the proposal of a webcomic, but I still think it would be cool to see an Uber Cute style webcomic, but i'm a bit bias for webcomics

[pigeon-wing]

@ Fesworks: I changed the "home" button to "news", so hopefully it makes more sense now ^^ I also changed the cursor so that it's the default cursor when hovering over a link, as I'm sure that's not as unnerving and I like the way it looks :3

I'm used to images opening in a new window (from browsing other art sites), so that's just what I did with my site. And no worries, you didn't sound overly critical! Webcomics seem like fun, but I'm terrible at writing and am not close friends with a writer, so I'll just stick with the art thing x3 Thanks for all of the suggestions, though! <3

@ Xepher: Take your time :3 I know you've got life and a job to deal with (I hope they're not pushin' ya too hard! ^^).

@ Munerift: Thank you! <3

[Akarin Hime]

Oh wow! I love it!

I don't mind splash pages, considering I have one myself. (Dual-language,lol)

But your artwork is nice. :3

[pigeon-wing]

Thank you! ^_^ Ooh, what languages? =3 I wanted to have Suku Suku in Spanish as well as in English, but I still have to work on my grammar ^^;

[nordjohn]

please send me this suku here: ann@digitalhardcore.us
thanks