Pokemon Art Academy: Game Review

So many firsts already this year and we're only in the first month! This is my first video game review on the blog, but I've reviewed books...well one book, but more are on the way! I promise! Anyway, unless you're new here you know I love Pokemon! it as a series/conglomeration is probably at my top slot in the best video game list that I mention in this post. Therefore it's fitting that the first game I discuss is from the Pokemon family (plus it's artsy...its like both sides of my personality combined in a game)

I reluctantly asked for this game for my birthday for two reasons. 1. The Sapphire and Ruby remakes were coming out less than a week after my birthday, that was tempting...But 2. I was skeptical if this would even be a fun game. I've always done my best to resist the siren call of  "art games" because in my mind I've always relegated drawing/painting to a different sort of entertainment than video games and didn't think that the two should be mixed.

Talk About It Tuesday: The Portal Series

Sorry about not getting up those pictures from the convention I promised you guys! I caught the black plague and have been deathly ill the last week. Not really, I caught the didn't-get-more-than-25-hours-of-sleep-in-two-weeks-due-to-con-and-finals virus. I'm doing reasonably better now though.

If you're a regular reader of the blog, or even if you've just looked around a little bit, you've probably seen one of my Portal projects or heard me mention the series in passing; and that is because they easily rank in my top 5 Video Games. Portal sits at #5 and Portal 2 is easily #2 favorite of all time.

A Lemon-grenade, popularized by Portal 2.

Portal is a vastly popular game with tons of rabid fans. Today I'm going to talk about the series a bit and some of the many things I have made to show my love for it, maybe hint at some things I hope to make in the future, and show you other people's inspired creations that make my heart happy.

Pokeball Christmas Ornament @ Dream A Little Bigger

Hi! Guys I have been swamped up to my ears in work. It's finals week(s) and the last day before my convention and I am in full RaChil Robot mode working on pumping out products that I should have finished weeks ago. Hail the procrasti-nation!

Today we are getting festive and geeky with this Pokeball Christmas Ornament.

I'm love to make nerdy holiday stuff; exhibit a, exhibit b. This upcoming year I may try to create a nerdy decoration for every holiday that could be a really fun challenge.

Seriously, I loved me some Pokemon as a kid. I still do, but the obsession is lessened. (I used to be able to name them all by heart, now there are over 500. That's toooooo many for me) This project is great for Pokefans of all ages and would make a great gift for a nerd you love. Get the tutorial over at Dream a Little Bigger!

(Side note: I got Pokemon Art Academy for my birthday and I looove it. I have like zero experience with digital art aside from basic adobe Illustrator and Photoshop lessons so it was really fun to learn all the tools. I may do a video game review who knows? No, I don't have the new ruby or sapphire games...yet)

Til Next Time!

Tutorial Tuesday: Majora's Mask Clock

I love video games, which I've mentioned on the blog before once or twice.  Video games are very inspiring to me because I'm a gigantic fan-girl. The particular clock is from a video game I have not gotten very far in, but have watched many people play and will one day conquer myself. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

 One of the starting roles in this game is a giant evil moon that is slowly/quickly plummeting to the surface of Termina. You have 3 easily manipulated days to stop it, therefore time is of the essence and to represent that there is an iconic clock tower. I have wanted to make a clock from it's face for a long time. Read about the results below!

Tutorial Tuesday: Companion Cube Pop Up Card

Happy almost Valentines Day! My gift to you is this cute pop up card! Or at least teaching you how to make it so you can give it to some one you need to show your appreciation for!

Also, if you read my first portal tutorial, I am clearly getting the itch back, because I have another portal tutorial coming up soon!

*Closed* Tutorial Thursday: Mario Stocking and Giveaway!

Can you believe it? It's less than a week til Christmas! December has just flown by.

Here's what we're going to be making today!

I don't even have a tree up yet (haven't decided if I feel its worth it when I'm going to be moving 5 days after Christmas.), but I really wanted to make/do something Christmassy before December ended.

Tutorial Tuesday/Monday: Portal Lemon-ade Wall Display

I could not wait til Tuesday to post this, I was too excited!

The Portal series has a very special place in my heart. When I first played through it I was super inspired. It helped that a friend made me play one right before two came out so I got a giant dose of Portal goodness all at once. I must have crafted mostly Portal themed things for about 2 months.

The other day (during the week of many craft fails) I was racking my brains for an idea for a shadow box, because I have two sitting around collecting dust, and I suddenly heard the echo of Cave Johnson in my head.

“When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don’t want your damn lemons, what the hell am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager! Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I’m the man who’s gonna burn your house down! With the lemons! I’m gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!”

I knew what I must do. I needed to make life take back it's lemons.

Whos that Pokemon?

So, I think my next post won't be until next Tuesday. I'm taking a small vacation from the blog to use what little time I will not be working or sleeping this week to play the new Pokemon X game for the 3DS.