Let the Good Guys Win

Mmm, do you smell that? It's a fresh year!  Time for New Year Resolutions! Following some advice I heard relating to Luke 2:52 ("And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.") I like to make four goals each year focusing on these respective areas: knowledge, health, spirituality and social.  This year the line up is:

1. Draw for 45 minutes every day: 15 min gesture study, and 30 min. practices of various types.

For my gesture studies I'll be using posemaniacs.com's slick 30-second drawing tool.  Right now I set the tool to give me 60 sec, (so I do 15 gestures) but hopefully by the end of the year my speed will have improved and I'll be able to finish the poses in 30 seconds apiece.
My 30 min. practices will be a variation on the 30minspeedpaint challenge.  Everyday I will draw (or roll a die or something) to pick from one of seven categories: realism, fanart, emulation, animal, scenery, finishing, and free draw.  For thirty minutes, I'll draw something according to the chosen category.  For all but the last two, I'll use references. "Realism" will be photos of people, body parts, or props I want to focus on.  "Fanart" will be studies of characters I like, and "Emulation" will be style studies based on other artists. Animals and scenery are pretty straightforward, I'll be using both photos and drawings for this category.  "Finishing" will give me time to polish any pieces I've already started but want to continue refining, either from these practices or old work of mine that I want to finish or redo. Free draw is just whatever I want! I'll be getting my resources from one-stop-stock and my favorites folders on dA.

2. Record everything I eat on a daily basis on supertracker.

This is mostly a ploy to keep my weight under control. Just being aware of what I eat and in what quantities will hopefully help me cut back on bored grazing or recognize deficiencies.  Also, I sporadically get stomachaches, so it will be nice if I can possibly find out what's causing them. Also also, I've started experimenting a lot more with cooking from scratch, and recording my exploits and recipes here!

3. Temple attendance once a month.

I had better temple attendance when I lived in Orlando, shameful. >.> Now I live DOWN THE STREET from one and can't make time to go? Unacceptable.

4. 100% visiting teaching.  

If you're not familiar with the LDS faith, visiting teaching is a program (of sorts) to strengthen and "tend the flock" for the women of the Church.  We check in on each other and do service and things like that.  My track record for visiting teaching is not good. I tend to not enjoy church-mandated socializing. BUT it's good for me, and for others, and I know it. SO IMMA GONNA DO IT, AND IMMA GONNA LIKE IT.

Some miscellaneous "goals" include maintaining all-As as I complete the bulk of my college coursework, getting my website/portfolio/online presence all organized and getting one year older. If I don't manage that last one...welllll, it was fun while it lasted.

And now! To make good on my first resolution, here's my first set of gestures for 01/01/2013!

I probably won't end up posting my daily practices consistently, but maybe I will.  I guess it will depend on how much time I end up having this semester.

And I'll count this as my first 30 min practice (although this took WAYYYYYYYYYYY longer than 30 min) in the free draw category.

Best "Wishes" from Vahaadi and Krissy!

Resources:
Firework PS Set 2 by FrostBo
And these two tutorials:
Photoshop trick 04 by Orpheelin
Digital Painting Walkthrough by altalamatox

This was inspired by the song "Let the Good Guys Win" by the Irish Rovers.

May I get what I want
Not what I deserve
May the coming year not throw a single curve
May I hurt nobody
May I tell no lies
If I can't go on give me strength to try

Bring the old year out
Bring the new year in
Bring us all good luck
Let the good guys win (x2)

May the one you love
Be the one you get
May you get some place you haven't been to yet
And may your friends around you
Never do you wrong
May your eyes be clear
And may your heart be strong

Bring the old year out
Bring the new year in
Bring us all good luck
Let the good guys win (x2)

May the times to come
Be the best you've had
May peace rule the world
Let it make us glad

When you see something wrong
Try and make it right
Pull your shadowed world
Into the bright sunlight

Bring the old year out
Bring the new year in
Bring us all good luck
Let the good guys win (x2)

Let the good guys win
Let the good guys win
Let the good guys win