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December Update + The Machine Awakens Released!

Hey friends! It’s been a while since I’ve checked or updated this blog. Most of my goings-on are on my Patreon lately. But, I’ve been pretty busy and I’ll get into a bit of what I’ve been up to here. There’s nothing quite like having a personal website to call home.

First of all: I made and released my first ever album, called The Machine Awakens! I participated in National Solo Album Month (NaSoAlMo) in November and found that a deadline (plus better mental health) actually does help a fair bit. It’s about putting something out in the world, not aiming for perfection. Perfectionism just seems like another form of vague idealism that doesn’t give me a real goal. So, better to just hammer something out!

Here’s a link to the album on Bandcamp! I’m proud of how it came out. My last couple years of practicing and poking around have paid off. I’m planning on releasing a bunch of loose songs I have from the past couple years at some point, too.

Here’s a link to the album on Soundcloud too, in case you’d rather listen there since there’s no play limit.

On the art front, I’ve been keeping it pretty low-key. I’ve had some (routine and not-scary) medical stuff going on that’s taken a lot of focus. It seems to be getting better now though, so we’ll see how things go from here.

I did do a bunch of tiny paintings and such though!

[Image Descriptions: Top left is a rocky desert scene with flowering plants. Top middle is a butte with a cloudy skyscape. Top right is three buttes with a clear skyscape that contains a bright sun. Bottom left is more cloudy desert. Bottom middle is a foreground of rocks and trees with a giant sun behind it. Bottom right is four brush pen trees ketches of both leafy and bare trees with rocks at their base.]

Through October and November, I did some Inktense and colored pencil sketch, some brush pen stuff from imagination… mostly just tiny experiments that the sketch card tier patrons I have might like.

This month, December, I plan on doing more brush pen experiments. I want to work up to doing a larger illustration or two in prep for a commission I have. It’s kinda nice just poking away at things and having the goal of finishing something to keep me on task.

Anyway, that’s it for this time. I hope y’all have a wonderful holiday season and rest of the year!

Summer Art Update

Hey friends! It’s been *several* months since my latest update here. I’ve been doing a bunch of sketching and music, but most of that’s ended up over on Patreon (behind a 3-day delay between sharing and being public).

Anyway, here’s some art!

As you can see, I’ve been developing much more confidence and competence in my line work and painting now that I’ve gotten back into watercolors! I’ve found my happiness in it, at long last.

Anyway, that’s all for now! I’ll try to be better about updating this page more frequently in the future.

February Art Update

Good lord, it’s been like four months since I’ve posted here. Been a wild start to the year so far with some great personal growth amidst a bit of turmoil and frustration. But hey, growth doesn’t have to be pretty.

Without further ado, here’s some of the art I’ve been up to!

  • Mountain chateau sketch I did for a friend
  • Mountainside greenhouse and farm I did for a friend
  • Study of a fish from Mario and my character Gorbold Trashman in a similar style, saying “cool” in Japanese
  • Couple sketches mostly from imagination, of rocky terrain and a tree
  • Study of a character drawing by A. Shipwright, and a rock I drew from imagination

Above are all sketches I did this year. I’m quite pleased with them all, and can tell I’ve made some good progress, artistically.

  • Study of an island covered in trees and such
  • Drawing of a man walking through a marshy, rock-filled area
  • Rolling, rocky hills with a creek in the middle of them
  • Couple artist trading card drawings of waterfalls and cliffs

Above are a bunch of studies and gifts I made in December, with some Copic markers I got. I’m not sure I’ll use the markers a whole lot in the future as their ink tends to fade pretty quickly, but they’re nice and quick for getting ideas out.

October/November Art Roundup

Hey friends! It’s time again for an art roundup! In fact it’s past time, but hey we’re doing it now. Here’s some of what I’ve been up to these past couple months:

  • Random doodles, including a tree, a couple ugly faces, and a coffee mug with a face, all done in ink
  • Three rock studies done in perspective with black ink
  • More rock studies in perspective with black ink
  • A third set of rock studies with a tree growing on top, done in black ink
  • A rock study drawn in perspective with black and brown inks
  • A study of a crevice done in black, blue, and orange ink
  • Three artist trading card sized drawings in blue and black ink, done for my patrons
  • Three artist trading card drawings done in blue, black, and orange ink. Done for my patrons
  • A landscape done in ink, of an island with shrubs and tall pine trees
  • Two sketches, one a colorful thumbnail of a boat in front of a lake, and another of a forest done in brown, orange, black, and green inks
  • A perspective study of a tree above a rock wall with stones paving the ground in front of it

I hope you enjoy this slideshow! I’d have more to say about it but honestly it’s been a struggle just getting art done at all these past several weeks. At least doing these rock studies and such have been really helping me figure out how to draw in perspective!

See y’all next time.

Lyrics – “Global Self-Immolation Day”

Global Self-Immolation Day
By Anthony Jutz
 
Here comes,
Comes the day,
Where all the children scream “hooray!”
 
Here comes,
Comes the day,
The greatest day is on the way!
 
Oh here it comes,
The time is nigh.
So set yourself on fire;
It’s time to die.
 
Global Self-Immolation Day!
It’s on the way.
So grab some gas,
It’s time to play.
 
The world’s on fire,
So let’s light up too.
Just me and some gas,
On fire with you.
 
Come on and sing it with me:
It’s Global! (Global!)
Self! (Self!)
Immolaaaaation!
Daaaaaaaay!
 
No more crime,
And no more war,
It’s just us smoldering,
On the floor.
 
So let’s light up,
It’s time to play.
Just you and me,
On Global Self-Immolation Day!

September Art Roundup

Hey friends! It’s been a bit since I’ve collected a bunch of my recent art on here, so here goes!

Above are a bunch of trees I did recently. The two with color are birthday gifts I did for a couple friends, and the other two are experiments I did while puzzling out a new method of doing art.

Above are more sketches I did, fiddling around with a different pen (the first two) and getting more experimental with my brush pen. I’ve actually finally worn out my brush pen after three years, so I’m waiting on a new tip to arrive in the mail soon.

Well, there’s the post! I hope you enjoyed reading and looking at my art. I’ll catch y’all later! <3

Prose – “The Wandering Bell”

The Wandering Bell

By Anthony Jutz

My bell echoes its whisper on the cool, damp breeze through the ruins of my village. It provides a ward against the hungering ghosts of my friends and family, who didn’t survive the wrath of another man’s god. I rummage through the remains of my ancestral home, longing for a keepsake, or at least some semblance of a reminder of where I came from.

I can feel their ice-hot breath breathing down my neck, blinding by their own rage and betrayal. It wasn’t me who gave away the secrets of our village’s ancient, magical defenses, but I was outside the walls when it happened. They don’t recognize me anymore.

No longer able to tolerate the air of spiteful remorse, I leave the village with a small pouch of seeds exclusive to my home. With all that was turned to ashes, someone needs to sew fresh growth upon this land. My magic within shall be the only memento I need.

Update – 20 June 2019

Hey friends! It’s been awhile! I’ve been somewhat off the radar for the past month or so while I develop better habits with my art and life in general. Art-wise, most of what I’ve been up to has been delving back into writing, and doing a lot of studies. I can’t share much of it yet, but here’s a bunch of sketches I’ve done!

Also: I turn 30 tomorrow (June 21st)! Yay moving on to the next era of my life. Here’s to more cool art and more personal growth!

Poem – “Shadow of the Moon”

Shadow of the Moon
By Anthony Jutz
 
Fractured and deranged,
The moon-beast shambles through the wood.
It hungers for fresh kills,
Not of its own, but to steal from others.
 
Standing erect it gazes on,
The dull maroon of blood shines in the light of the moon.
The corpse of a doe, fresh and sweet,
Ripe and inviting, calling its name.
 
Lumbering forward, the moon-beast
Lurches toward its prey.
The wolf, its foe, lays broken at its feet.
Soon to be remade anew.
 
Fungal spores float upon hot breath,
Carrying new life into the flesh of both Cervid and Canus.
Reborn, they will carry on their function,
Much like that of the moon-beast.
 
Another shambles, another beast,
To spread a plague upon and without.
It reanimates life into its own making:
To unmake the Earth.