# What are your other projects?



## Chilari (Oct 11, 2012)

We've all got a novel or short story we're working on, but what other projects do you have that you're working towards? I don't mean work related activities, I mean projects which are outside work.

I'm working on developing my painting style. I finger paint, and I've recently moved from using tempera block (like what you get in high school art class) to acrylics. Because of the different qualities of the two types of paints I've been experimenting with how much water I use, but it's given me the freedom to basically stop at any point with no adverse effects (tempera block forced me to finish a section that's all the same colour, or I just could not get the colour back next time and it looks rubbish). I've been treating it a bit like watercolour so far, which kind of came as a surprise to me really, but because I'm fingerpainting a "wash" approach makes sense because I can't do detail easily.

My current piece of work is called Serenity. I've drafted it on paper and experimented with the application of paint, but the final will be on canvas. It's based on a screenshot from the first episode of Firefly, but the final touch will be the words "Serenity" and "You can't take the sky from me" written in Elian script (which I will do with a brush - after much practice!)

After that, I've got a dragon planned. I've been working on sketches of lizards, and i'm going to add to that with sketches of birds and dinosaurs, before designing a dragon based on the anatomical stuff I learn in the sketching phase (like how they move and stuff), and using features of all three to develop a dragon design based on what evolution might have produced rather than on what looks cool and scary (well, the rule of cool will still play a part, and there are some pretty awesome lizards out there that I've found so far, but it will be rule of cool within what fits). Then I'll paint that. Probably do the detail with a pen rather than a brush, though. Mixed media, yeah!

Ultimately I want to get to a point where I can sell my artwork, but for now, it's for fun. Because each painting session generally needs to be a couple of hours, and even if I do need to drop it short notice it takes time to clear up the paints (which are best not wasted, so longer sessions are better) and wash the paint off my hands and everything, and even then the paint doesn't completely come off, so painting is best restricted to the weekends. So far my painting sessions have been sporadic, but from now on I'm going to put aside two or three hours every Saturday or Sunday to paint. That should mean I can complete a painting, including drafts, in 6 to 10 weeks depending on size and complexity.

What projects are others working on?


----------



## CupofJoe (Oct 11, 2012)

I've got an English 1960s bicycle to fix and to start to ride. It is in about 23 pieces and I'm not sure it is all there but it is my winter task. Take it all down, clean and repair it, rebuild and repaint it...
My big challenge - if I am brave enough - is to take apart and sort out the Sturmey-Archer three speed hub... it sticks a bit.
I'd love to draw or to paint but I don't have the patience to improve on what little skill I think I have.


----------



## Telcontar (Oct 11, 2012)

Aside from my novel-in-progress, I am:

Finishing the next novella of The Wandering Tale (this is actually my main focus at the moment).

Working on the first bundle of The Wandering Tale, which will include a map and further "historical matter."

I have two unfinished short stories that I hope to get done by the end of the year. One I have an ending for, one not so much.

Trying to get going on podcasting both my short work (working alone) and The Wandering Tale (with an ensemble - hard to get started!)

Doing a narration for the Protecting Project Pulp Podcast.

Working on moving beyond the prototype phase of my current game project - a strategy game set in the classical era.

Developing the design plan for the game project I have on deck - a multiplayer strategy game meant to be a development of the classic Diplomacy model.

Toying with the idea of starting up a game design blog.

Trying to play a game or two every now and again myself (with my schedule, this totally counts as a project!  )


----------



## Ireth (Oct 11, 2012)

Aside from my main three novel projects (_Winter's Queen_, _Summer's Pawn_ and _Low Road_), I have the short story/novella _Bellringer_, the book and/or stage musical _Death by Chocolate_, a few currently untitled novel ideas, and that's not even counting my RPs. Otherwise I don't really have anything artsy going on. I really should practice playing my chanter more, but I haven't found the time to do so in a long while.


----------



## Sheilawisz (Oct 11, 2012)

I am still contemplating the project to buy the necessary power tools, build a decent workshop in my house and start my Aluminum Swords production in a commercial scale =)

Really, it would be so cool when people ask me "what do you do?" reply: _I am a Swords Maker_.

Another project that I have is to build wooden cat-trees.


----------



## Butterfly (Oct 11, 2012)

I've just bought a small plot of land... derelict land at the moment. Fly-tipping gone on, it has a mild knotweed issue, some trees have been vandalised...

I'm working on that - clearing it, controlling the knotweed (hopefully killing it off), a few trees to come down, fruit trees to plant, fencing to build. (All with Dad's help of course).

In a couple of years I'm planning to get a few chickens and bees and build lots of beds for veggies, and maybe a glass house.

Got a lot of work to do...


----------



## CupofJoe (Oct 11, 2012)

That sounds great. I envy you! I've tried to get an allotment and there is a 12 year waiting list!


----------



## Aravelle (Oct 11, 2012)

I am actually taking a break from my main story... for the first time ever. My poor baby.

I have two other story ideas: One is more urban fantasy, about a group of teenagers who find a portal to another world. It doesn't just focus on that, but also the kid's lives. I call it Wallflower. 

The other story is brand new, my latest brainchild; it's a blend of Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty but here's the twist: it's genderbent.

I have little other skills than writing, but I am currently an assistant stage manager for a local theatre. We're doing Chicago. :]


----------



## Chilari (Oct 11, 2012)

Aravelle: Ooh theatre! I've been involved in that a bit. A few pantos, a school music, some Shakespeare, some 20th century comedy, mostly as stage hand or stage manager, and once as a prompt but most recently I acted, playing Olivia in one scene from Twelvfth Night. It was quite fun but very tiring, and because I've got a job now and I'm working on my novel and my paintings, I don't have time for it anyway.

Butterfly: sounds great. Bees are pretty cool. My neighbour is training as a beekeeper in his retirement, but since he's only got a little garden and we (my parents) have a big one my dad agreed to have the hives in our garden. We started with two but after there was a swarm on one of our apple trees we captured it and now there are three hives. Dad's getting into beekeeping now. He even got the suit. We've not had honey from the hives yet, we haven't had them long enough, but our neighbour has brough some for us that was produced in the nearby country park where he volunteers once a week to help with the beekeeping. It was a very mild one but very nice. Hopefully come next summer we'll get some produced in our garden though.

Not really my project so much, but my fiance and (to a lesser degree) I are sorting out his garden. It's gotten quite bad through years of neglect. Doesn't help that he gets hayfever so can't work in the garden much. But we've hired a guy his mum knows and bought a chainsaw and the brambles and other invasive weeds have come tumbling like anything and now fill our green bins and a couple of massive canvas bags besides. In the spring we plan on planting some onions, peas, carrots, tomatoes and potatoes to grow for the kitchen, and we'll make soups and veggie bakes, and I bought a nice bread tin recently and make bread in it, so we'll have fresh bread to eat with it and ultimately honey produced only a mile away in my parents' garden to spread on that fresh warm bread.


----------



## Weaver (Oct 11, 2012)

Projects aside from writing...

- Several art projects, including a planned set of a dozen 3D pieces all on a common theme (MUST have the first 4 done before next August)
- Trying to work on the official web page for my "day job" (Yes, technically this has to do with writing, but not _mine_)
- A film student at the university here has asked my clone-sibling and me to help out with costumes and props for his projects, so soon we'll be making fake glass with sugar...
- Halloween costumes for my cats.    Good thing these can be done with paper, so it's not much effort wasted if they change their minds.  Cats are so fickle.


----------



## Ireth (Oct 11, 2012)

Sounds like an interesting project, Aravelle.  I once did a gender-bending fairytale RP based very loosely on The Swan Princess, where the lead couple were gay princes. It was fun. ^^


----------



## ThinkerX (Oct 11, 2012)

Hmmm...

...before the snow flies, I have got to get the carport finished up.  Been punting that project all summer.

This winter...well, I got a model railroad I muck around with.  

Next summer...if the bank account and back are in fairly good shape...get started on the duplex.

There have been other...literary...type projects I've taken up down through the years, but they are mostly...puzzles which interest me.  Most others would find them not interesting.


----------



## Aravelle (Oct 12, 2012)

Ireth said:


> Sounds like an interesting project, Aravelle.  I once did a gender-bending fairytale RP based very loosely on The Swan Princess, where the lead couple were gay princes. It was fun. ^^



Oh I bet! I like that idea... did you ever see the Swan Princess movie?

P.S. I meant to say Wildflower, not Wallflower on my previous text post. *facepalm*


----------



## SeverinR (Oct 12, 2012)

I make shields. (bending, laminating, covering, painting, edging, placement of leather straps and wire for wall hanging.)
I just finished edging my 5th shield.

I have made my dog two jackets, and have material for a third.

Bidding my time until I can afford a new computer.


----------



## Ireth (Oct 12, 2012)

Aravelle said:


> Oh I bet! I like that idea... did you ever see the Swan Princess movie?



I've loved that movie since I was a kid!  Oddly though, I've never seen the original Swan Lake.


----------



## Butterfly (Oct 12, 2012)

Ireth said:


> I've loved that movie since I was a kid!  Oddly though, I've never seen the original Swan Lake.



Swan Lake Ballet - YouTube

Why not go watch it now.


----------



## KimFrei (Oct 17, 2012)

Besides writing, I'm working on a project called Inspiration Dice, which are dice with different word categories on them that you can roll to help overcome creative block. I made them specifically with writers in mind, but they're great for RPG gamers and artists as well. I've started a kickstarter for the project, and if it's successful they'll be available online. In the future I may create genre-specific dice expansions for people who know their genre and want related words, such as character types and locations specific to Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Mystery etc. I think these could be a great tool for people dealing with writer's block, for anyone who wants to use them for quick writing exercises, group writing sessions, and character or situation creation for games or artwork.


----------



## WyrdMystic (Oct 17, 2012)

Day job...boo! Family...YAY! Apart from that must write or brain will explode.


----------



## Weaver (Oct 17, 2012)

KimFrei said:


> Besides writing, I'm working on a project called Inspiration Dice, which are dice with different word categories on them that you can roll to help overcome creative block. I made them specifically with writers in mind, but they're great for RPG gamers and artists as well. I've started a kickstarter for the project, and if it's successful they'll be available online. In the future I may create genre-specific dice expansions for people who know their genre and want related words, such as character types and locations specific to Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Mystery etc. I think these could be a great tool for people dealing with writer's block, for anyone who wants to use them for quick writing exercises, group writing sessions, and character or situation creation for games or artwork.



Neat idea!


----------



## Sparkie (Oct 18, 2012)

KimFrei said:


> Besides writing, I'm working on a project called Inspiration Dice, which are dice with different word categories on them that you can roll to help overcome creative block. I made them specifically with writers in mind, but they're great for RPG gamers and artists as well. I've started a kickstarter for the project, and if it's successful they'll be available online. In the future I may create genre-specific dice expansions for people who know their genre and want related words, such as character types and locations specific to Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Mystery etc. I think these could be a great tool for people dealing with writer's block, for anyone who wants to use them for quick writing exercises, group writing sessions, and character or situation creation for games or artwork.



You may be on to something here...


----------



## KimFrei (Oct 18, 2012)

lol Thanks guys! We just got our patent and everything has been going really well! It has been a LOT of work, but completely worth it. Every time we get a new backer, kickstarter send us an email... So I check my phone every 20 min to see if we have any new backers. O_O I'm kind of going to be glad when it is over! XD Right now we have reached 75% of our goal on kickstarter... So I really have high hopes for the project!


----------



## KimFrei (Oct 21, 2012)

*We did it!*

My Inspiration Dice just got fully funded on kickstarter! I'm super excited! We still have 19 days left too... which means that everyone that pledges from here on out will KNOW they are getting their dice! Its very exciting... 

Now I can focus on getting ready for national novel writing month! Woo!


----------

