The Big Move ...
Howdy!! Sorry about the huge amount of inactivity, but I can explain! I've been really busy sorting my life out basically haha. It's halfway through the school year, and I decided that high school wasn't really benefiting me any more, so I looking into tertiary education (college for all you yanks )!

So anyhow, here's what's been happening! I turned 18 on the 4th of July (Yay!), then at the end of that week I moved out of my parents' house, in a little town called Waimate, down to a flat in Dunedin; which is about a 2 hour drive. Lots of changes went with this. I'm living away from home for the first time in my life! I'm flatting with a few friends from back in my hometown, and a few mates that I met at new years. It's a cute little house, not in too bad a condition for a student flat, and I'm really enjoying living here, though it does get a bit cold (it's winter here at the moment, brrrrr) and the shower is pretty pathetic (it's like standing under a dribble of lukewarm water!).

Moneys!!
I have a student loan, and am currently a few grand in debt I get $150 a week from my student loan for living expenses, and I have a little job every Saturday, working at a farmers' market selling pork lol, where I earn an extra $60 towards living a week! About a hundred of all this goes towards rent, and the rest is spent on food and alcohol (haha most of the time it's mainly spent on the latter.) So it's not too bad, but I have to watch what I spend money on, and I don't have too much left over for impulse shopping.

Also, I invested in a MacBook Pro! Cost me like $4 grand, but I think it'll be worth it in the long run! I won't get it for another week or so due to some worldwide shortage in the screens, and the suspense is killing me! It'll be my first time using a Mac, but I doubt it'll be too big of a transition. It'll be much faster than my desktop pc back at home, and I can't wait to do some new art again! Have been going through art withdrawal lately, so will be stoked when I have the ability to do some new stuff!

Education!
This year I'm just doing a small, one semester course. It's a Certificate in Information Technology (ultranerdy, I know!) and it's pretty easy so far, I think I'm going to be able to fly through it. Looks like it's going to be really boring though, my class mates aren't the most exciting people in the world to say the least, but the main reason I'm doing it is because it'll be really useful to have when I'm applying for the course I want to do next year.

It's called a Batchelor in Interactive Multimedia, and goes for 3 years. It should be really good, and I can't wait to get started!! Truth is what I'd really love to do is like a Degree in Fine Arts or something, it'd be so much fun and I know I'd love it (the art school here is really cool) but it probably wouldn't be the most practical thing to do, and the design course I'm going to be doing will probably be better to have in the long run. I'll probably get to do a few arty sorta things in this course anyway!

I'm rambling on, aren't I?
Well lots has been happening, and I'm really excited about it all! Gosh! But yea, in conclusion: I'm having a really great time, it shouldn't be overly long before I'll be back on DeviantArt a bit more regularly, and with that should come some new art from me too!

Hope all of you are well and I can't wait to chat with ya'll again!

Sweet as,
Sam!

I've been having loads of fun ...
It's been weeks since my last visit on DA, actually I've barely been at home at all lately. Life's been extremely busy over the last month or so. I was working for a little bit to make some money, which I spent on the week-long 'adventure' a few of my friends and I ventured on over the New Years break; and for Christmas I spent a few days camping with my family.

The whole time I've either been at a mate's place, or in a tent next to a lake, or in a completely different part of New Zealand! It's been weird not being at home for such a long period of time, I started to miss my own bed, especially when sleeping in my sleeping bag on the hard ground, but it's also been a exciting experience. I enjoyed all of it, and can't wait for my next trip into the unknown.

... but it's time I pick up the ol' wacom again!
I know you were thinking the same thing I've got the piece for the next #Space-Artists art-pack that needs to be done this week, and a few other ideas that I'd like to get started on so I think it's about time I get the creative juices flowing once again. I think I'll try a few more digital paintings of everyday scenes, objects and, in particular, figures to get the hang of sketching with my Wacom, and to get used to using more realistic colours and lighting.

Hopefully I'll keep squeezing out paintings for a long streak than last time before life gets busy once again, which I'm sure will happen as the school year will start at the beginning of February. It's my last year of high school, and I'll be a prefect this year, so it should be interesting! I get my 2006 exam results back this month some time too, hopefully they aren't too bad

But yea, it's good to be back!

The Rules:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesnt make sense. NO CHEATING!

My Results
How are you feeling today...
"Fade Away" - Che Fu

Will you get far in life...
"Come Around Again" - Jet

How do your friends see you...
"Here Comes Your Man" - Pixies

Will you get married...
"A Long December" - Counting Crows

What is your best friend's theme song...
"Kryptonite" - 3 Doors Down

What is the story of your life...
"Heart-Shaped Box" - Nirvana

What was high school like...
"You Stole My Money Honey" - Stereophonics

How can you get ahead in life...
"Superstar" - Luther Vandross

What is the best thing about your friends...
"Forgiveness" - Collective Soul

What is in store for this weekend...
"Fuck He Gently" - Tenacious D ( haha right on!)

What song describes you...
"All The Small Things" - Blink 182

To describe your grandparents...
"Midnight Marauders" - Fat Freddy's Drop

How is your life going...
"Feeling Good" - Nina Simone

What song will they play at your funeral...
"I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" - Arctic Monkeys

How does the world see you...
"Paint Pastel Princess" - Silverchair ()

Will you have a happy life...
"Never Know" - Jack Johnson

What do your friends really think of you...
"Brown Eyed Girl" - Van Morrison (Uhoh, I'm seeing a pattern here )

Do people secretly lust after you...
"Hair" - The Early November

How can I make myself happy...
"Take Me Out" - Franz Ferdinand

What should you do with your life...
"Wish You Were Here" - Incubus

Will you ever have children...
"Milk It" - Nirvana ()

Introducing Incomprehensible Distances!
I'm really impressed with this high quality collection of excellent space artworks! I know we all put a lot of effort in to all of the pieces. So go check out the pack, and all the individual contributions and show your support for this group!

Ohnoes, back to school for Sammy boy!?!
Today is the last day of the two weeks of school holidays that I've been enjoying. That means tomorrow I go back to school for the last term of the year. I think it's only about 4 weeks before the end of year exams, and after them there's no more school for the rest of the year. So this year has really flown past, and I'm glad I got back in to digital art in a big way; it is nutrience for my soul.

Anyway, I think I'll only have 2, maybe 3 exams, so study shouldn't interfer too much with my art, atleast until the days before the exams anyway

Oh yea, I have those 4 weeks to finish my art class portfolio. I chose to focus my work around clouds, and take them from realistic in to a more abstract style. I'll try to get some photos before we have to send them away to be marked

CSS anyone?
Just thought I'd mention the dAmn chatroom #CSShelp for anyone who needs help with their journal CSS. Also I'd be happy to help you out with you journal if you're having some trouble. Just note me or see if you can catch me in #CSShelp.

So, you might've just noticed that sexy bitch of an image up there? Well, it's a small preview of the collaboration I'm doing with my good mate Brennan over there in Canada. It's been challenging and lots of fun so far, and I'm really happy with where it's heading. Keep an eye out for this in your devWatches in the near future!



Something else that you should be looking forward to is the first #Space-Artists art pack. I just joined the team a couple weeks ago, and am excited to see how the first pack goes. Please give your support when the pack is released, which should be in the next few days or so!
I know I'm excited

Well this is my new CSS layout. I decided to keep it simply, but have something stylish and something that would be functional for me to use. I like it, but tell me what you think. Oh yea, the menu thing doesn't work in Internet Explorer but not much I can do about that

Hmm, so I have no money now Lol, I've been having too much fun, and fun is not kind on the ol' wallet. So it's time I start concentrating on design some more websites me thinks. Know anyone who needs a new, shiny site?

Well that's about it for now, I'll update this when the #Space-Artists pack is released, or if I get some breaking news that I think you should all be informed about. Until then, love your pets!

Note: I'm just playing around with CSS, bear with me while I get this worked out.

Yeehaw, I've finally got that perfect mixture of inspiration and free time! I figure that for as long as these conditions stay the same I'll try to whip up as many new ideas as I can.

I have study leave for school because of our mid-year practise exams, and after next week starts two weeks of holidays! If the weather stays this beautiful I'll most likely be outside swimming and running and skipping , but I'm sure I'll still have plenty of time to do lots of art.

Anyways, in other news, it's finally feeling like summer and I'm so glad. Got kinda sick of all the rain and overcast days, though this year we had some snow which was fun! It's only officially spring here, but every day so far has been sunny (apparently because of 'Al Nino').

I'm thinking of revamping my blog website. I don't really use it much as it is, but I do enjoy writing entries, I guess I just gotta figure out how to make it more appealing. Anyway, I'm redesigning a business side to my website at [link] . Keep checking back for progress, but at the moment I'm gonna concentrate on art while I still have the motivation. So after that's done I'll work on the blog.

Hmm that's about it, I guess I'll go start a new picture now Thanks again to all the people who've commented and faved all my art, you're the reason I keep coming back to DA every day

Woot, about to go have my last day of school for this term. After that my families driving down to the bottom of New Zealand for 4-5 day holiday. Should be very relaxing.

Submitted my second artwork since "my return" last night I'm really proud of it, and couldn't wait to share it with you all. Hope you all enjoy it.

Anyway, time for school now. I've got a cough and a cold, but I'm looking forward to the time away from everything, and am relieved that I'm back into this painting routine. So all is good.

Cya on tuesday or so