Website, Updates and Why Lulu is Irritating

Been working on the illustrations for my new site design for the KatGirl Studio site which will also be in flash (like the current one) and feature my company mascot Kiki Kitty. It will also have a pay pal enabled shopping cart (since they emailed me back with how to implement it in flash) so people to order prints and the soon to be coming Kiki Kitty plushies. I have also started updating my DA gallery with the last of my Academy work. I also joined 3 new communities this weekend Cosplay, Gaia and the CG Society so if you’re a member of one of those send me a note.

I finally got some intelligent person at lulu to talk to me and admit that their printers screwed up my book. If you don’t have any idea what I’m talking about I will recap. Over a month ago I ordered books from Lulu, I read all the site instructions (that were actually given) and made my books. I read the info on how long it would take and added the shipping time and paid for the faster than normal shipping time so the lasts I would get the books was the Thursday before Fanime. Not only did the books arrive Saturday while I was already at the con, they were in such bag condition they were unsellable. All the artwork was so badly drowned in magenta that the skies were purple in all the day scenes (you don’t even what to know what the others looked like), the blacks of the pages were spotty like someone had colored them with marker, and even though I allowed for page cutting with plenty of bleed there were still white borders on almost ever page that sometimes appeared on the top, bottom binding or outside. Don’t they have quality checks or something, who on earth would let these things pass let allow ship them to me way late? Firstly they tried to say I was my fault but I outwitted the first chick (I mean I do have a degree in illustration) The person I last talked to is like the 5th or 6th I believe, and by talked to I mean emailed since Lulu doesn’t have a customer help line our any line for that matter. The new person said I have to upload all my files again since something on their end messed with my files then email then and the will send me new books. Sounds nice until you add up all the time I’ve spent trying to fix their screw up. As it stands I will most likely never use their services again, if this second printing comes out ok I will continue to offer the book but all new books and printed items I will have printed through a local print shop I found. I met one of the owners already (he’s super nice) and saw a bunch of things that were printed there (most of the businesses in the downtown use them). When I get something printed there expect a review here.

Updates & Being Sick Sucks

As of today KatGirl will update every Monday with a new piece of art, sketch or production concept. If this goes well expect a 3-a-week schedule to soon follow. There will also be a blog post(much like this one) about what I’m up to at the studio.

To all you cool people who came by the KatGirl Studio table at Fanime work on the shiny new KatGirl.net is underway (though you have no visible proof at this moment) once that is complete, prints and other items will become available as promised. There will also be an opt-in yahoo group with a newsletter and such. I still have not resolved the book problem with lulu and so the Netherverse books are still not available at the moment.

On a side note I’m horribly sick (didn’t get out of bed till 3pm yesterday) which sucks. So things are slower going than I had hoped for my first week studio production. After I get well KatGirl studio will have official operating hours from 9-5 though the studio is not open to the public.

Fanime, Graduation, Newspaper & Illusive Comics party

The last few weeks have been so busy I’ve barely been able to get online but here’s a recap for you.

Fanime
KatGirl Studio was at famine this past weekend for the first time. We were table #124 in artists alley near to our very nice neighbors the toontwins and behind us slimu. I met a ton of new people including some people on my DA watch list, passed out nearly 800 biz cards and even sold some prints. Sadly my lulu books arrived late and in such poor condition they were unsellable and currently I am trying to get correct books or a refund which brings me to the question: Who do you use to print your art books? And has anyone else had issues with lulu? On a different note I ran out of time to finish my Witch Hunter Robin costume for Fanime but I did acquire all the fabric and draft the patterns. Aleric bought me the complete collection of the same anime as a belated b-day present and I picked up some pale lavender eyes and black boots for my BJD, no wigs though guess I’ll have to wait till Dollectable. All in all the con was awesome and my studio along with Aleric’s will be at many more events in the years to come. Lastly if you came by the table please note me or leave a message on my profile so I can add you to my friends =^.^=

Graduation
I finished up school on the 16th and graduation was the next wed. It was sad to say goodbye to all my classmates, many of which do not live in CA and I may not see again for a very long time. The graduation was held at the Cow Palace due to the fact that there were nearly 8k people in attendance. When we walked out onto the red carpet to sit for the ceremony it reminded me of the last seen in Speed Racer because you could only see the vague shapes of people and there were cameras flashing everywhere. Hours later we were graduates standing outside the building desperately trying to keep our caps from flying away. Later my family and some friends went to Outback and they tried to figure out how to cram all 20+ of us in there (good thing it was a weekday). All and all it was a great day and I now have a BFA in Illustration.

Newspaper
I along with my boyfriend and our friend Keith were interviewed for the San Jose Mercury News while attending SuperCon. You can read the article here The con was pretty cool, got to pick up some books I had been meaning to order and say high to one of my old instructors. I even picked up an out of print copy of Alice in Wonderland illustrated by Greg Hildebrandt making it the 5th Unicorn Press book I have illustrated by him.

Illusive Comics party
My friend Anna who owns Illusive Comics is throwing a one year anniversary party this Saturday starting at 11am. If your geeky and live in this part of California feel free to stop by. The address is 2725 El Camino Real Suite #105 Santa Clara Ca, 9505.

p.s. It was also my b-day on the 12th, yay I’m 24!