yeah that time again. sweatdrop competition time! WAYHAYYY!!

see here for more information. but to keep things short. basically you get a theme ... and then draw an image (or 1 page manga - but the rules seem quite leanient <--- I dunno how thats spelt. XD;; and then hand the image in at japan ex (a bit like a comic con - but just not. ) and then hope to win some cool art stuff. and yeah ... by the title ... this is the 3rd time Ive entered this style of comp this year. *and obviously hasnt won any thing*

yeah ... I think ... the other entries for this comp where AWESOME. especially some of the really REALLY talented artist who posted in all the catagories! I didnt enter alleymade this time round

weirdest part was. 1st we wherent planning on going to japanex ... then we where ... then we wherent ... and then we where ... so Im like "ok I'll enter the comp agian" .... and I put months worth or research and work into it ... and then because of flooding we very nearly couldnt get down to london! I live in the midlands ... and we've been experiencing a load of flooding. (luckily I live on a hill. but the roof of my house still leaks) ... so yeah ... the train lines where flooded ... when we got to the train station ... the man on the train was like "theres flooding. dont get on" basically. so we got back in the car ... and sat there for like 10 minutes. was so awkuward. I just wanted to burst into tears. it was like ... we where definatly going ... and then just ... wherent. so my mum suggested driving intill the station after the flooding. and then no one could decide. and my dad was sitting in the driving seat ... so he just drove ... and drove right down to london .... to the excel center. and down in london THE SUN WAS SHINING! was so surreal ... got our tickets and where by the sweatdrop stand at 10.20am!!!!

its all been very surreal ... but today was FANTASTIC! I cant thank my dad enough. Im gonna make him and my mum mini cards tonight. gah I felt bad about the petrol and CO2 stuffs ... so gah ... I felt really weird .... I got in the door and started re-cycling anything I could ... I really couldnt help it ....

I think I'll right more in a journal ... but yeah ... this image is basically months worth of research ... and was very emotional. took a good few days of solid drawing to get it drawn out, linked and coloured in time! so yeah ... I think its important to right that here in bold. just incase no one bothers to read this stoopid comment.

so yeah .. I typed this out a few days back. when researching. and when I was being paranoid that my entry wouldnt be accepted. this is the main catagories for the research gone into this image. it was all really interesting. really enjoyed it! but I just feel no one will notice. inless I make the connection for them

Research

Japanese tradition
Golden week
Children’s day/boys day
Koinobori
Samurai
Kimono
Yukata
Cherry blossom
Traditional buildings
Princess Day

Japanese Pop culture
Japanese pop art
Superflat
Performance art
Japanese street fashion
Anime
Manga
Salary men
Ultraman
Otaku culture
J-pop

Japanese Artists
Hokusai
Takashi Murakami
Yoshitomo Nara
Toast girl
Keiichi Tanaami
Yayoi Kusama
Chiho aoshima
Chinatsu ban
Akane koide
Hiroyuki matsuura
Aya Takano
Koji Morimoto
Hideaki Kawashima

Japanese food and drink
Hi-chew Sweets
Koala chocolate snack
Pocky
Lager beer

Magazines
New Type
Shounen jump
Neo Magazine

Toys
Urban Vinyl
Paper robot
Bear brick
Bounty Hunter
Secret base
Pontiki
Super dollfie/Asian ball-jointed doll

Other
Kawaii Noir
Gloomy bear
Hello kitty
Akihabara
Tokidoki
Japanese graphics
Portraiture
Easels
Graffiti art


thank you very much to anyone who read this all!!!

very pleased with this picture. minus a few things. (like his dumb legs! which I just didnt have the time to draw out again ... because I would then be behind on colouring and not get the image done in time!) but

ANY CRIT GREATLY APPRESIATED

(looking at everyone elses entries today (and there will be more entries tomorrow). I'll be entering again at telford expo! so I need to improve loads in that time!!!

thanks again!

(NOTE: this is a scan of half the original size of the picture. it had to be resized to fit my scanner. so quality has probably been lost! full veiw for all the details!

and no steeling! my addy is attached to the picture anyway!!!)