Re-located!

I'm now at drifterregalia.wordpress.com!!

See You In May

I've been thinking a lot about fashion lately. It used to be (check iKzut blog list) that I really loved to read art blogs and book review blogs and such. But I'm feeling a shift in the wind blowing inside my dark cold id - and it's making me feel all grouchy and restless.

I feel like a violin that's suddenly turned into a cello - my tuning is totally off for what I am now. My interests have changed. This is possibly due to the fact that my future plans, which were just horrible blurry sketches previously, suddenly merged together and developed into a completely badass portrait last year. What I thought would be transformed into what I didn't think possible and it's all really troublesome in a wonderful way.

(Yes, I know that everyone gets this once in awhile [really??] But I had to [really??] explain why my future posts on this blog would probably be radically different [really??] [go away, you irritating little Voice of Doubt!!])

So, right now I'm trying to tune myself* (that sounds so weird :P) and it's all really fun ^_^ and bothersome -_- at the same time. I'm thinking about blogging more often now (possibly about fashion) but that would have to wait till the last week of May since I'm going on vacation till then. It will be my first trip to London and Paris :) Although I would love to rave about the awesomeness that be of the Tour Eiffel, Musee du Louvre, and Centre Pompidou (yes, I am more pumped about Paris than about London), I won't. Mainly coz countless others have been there and wrote that.

A lovely secret: I did hear that May is a prime time for sales in London though... ^_^ if it's all gorgeous, I'll blog about that when I get back. [really??]

Au revoir and all that. *flicks away irritating little VoD*

*An endeavor which includes a lot of: drifting on the internet highway, devouring of the entire archives of Lateral Action and Copyblogger , and clicking on every link that appeals to me on IFB.

Enter: drifter regalia

This blog is the result of a union/merger of my two previous blogs: iKzut and the drifter notes. I don't know what possessed me to create TWO of them when I constantly neglected the first one anyways. I am an irresponsible creator -_-" Thus, I needed to merge them because *ahem* one blog should be easier to handle than two. Ah, well, tis a fine brand new start in a new blog...which deserves a new name, n'est ce pas?

*with proper ceremony coz i am queen* Therefore, I dub thee: drifter regalia.

I've yet to see if drifter regalia can outperform his/her/its predecessors. As of yet, I haven't discovered his/her/its real strengths...that is, no real niche it can fill. As of now, *british accent, as i am still feeling queenly* drifter regalia is just the stage for a melee among my interests...and it's too early into this brawl to tell which one will emerge the dominating victor.

The Ultimate Book Guide

Welcome to the drifter notes :)

The previous entries were originally posted on my 1st blog, iKzut, but I've moved them here for the convenience of my readers *ahem* Thus, I have 2 separate blogs, each dedicated to my 2 loves: my bizarre little sketchbook, iKzut, and my launch pad for book reviews, the drifter notes. Feel free to explore/enjoy/comment on/criticize either one ^_^

In honor of the drifter notes' 1st post (the previous posts are 2nd hand so they don't count -_-") I will introduce The Ultimate Book Guide by editors Daniel Hahn, Leon Flynn, and Susan Reuben, which boasts over 600 great books for 8-12s. (See cover ;P)
Books like these kinda make you wish you were that age again. But then again, like someone once said: the best children's books can have an arguably enormous adult appeal (think Roald Dahl). The Ultimate Book Guide not only gives a basic plot summary (with a miminum number of spoilers ;) and review of each book, but also gives several varied suggestions which answer the question that every librarian dreads: I loved that book! Now what the heck I read next?

There are few readers who are untroubled by the what-the-heck-do-I-read-next question and I am (fortunately/unfortunately) not one of them. An example of how helpful this feature is: 

Book: Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen. [which is a story involving students from a local school, a runaway, unethical property developing, wildlife conservation, humor, and a whole lot of plot twisting]  
Suggestions for what to read next list as:

1. Holes, by Louis Sachar "is amazing and equally twisty"

2. Kite, by Melvin Burgess "another book about conserving wildlife"

3. The Big Bazoohley, by Peter Carey "is another author [like Hiaasen] who usually writes for adults; his funny snappy book for younger readers" 

Thus, the suggestions pinpoint on why the reader might have liked the book, and thoughtfully offer a myriad of choices. 


Personally, I found The Ultimate Book Guide especially useful for reminding me of the (too) many books I read when I was that age...many of which I (regrettably) could remember neither title nor author of. A quick glance at the plot summary would result in a sudden flash of enlightenment (Oh, yeaah!! That was a great story! How could I have forgotten all about it??)...and, yes, I now have the presence of mind to note the author's name for future reference should anyone ask me to recommend a good book :)



Apparently, The Ultimate Book Guide(8-12yrs) is the first of a 3-book series. I'm hunting for the others now... I am NOT going to become some old granny bemoaning the ignorance of my youth (Augghh!! This book!! I would have loved it in my [insert younger age here]!!)

  Yeah...that would be my reaction, I think -_-"



But, yeah, I'll say it again: the best children's books can have an enormous adult appeal. Thus, I give The Ultimate Book Guide two thumbs up: 1 for kids, 1 for adults :) There's 600 great books for everyone to choose from. Enjoy!! ^_^


Btw, check out this blog by The Ultimate Book Guide's three editors featuring the same name. This eponymous blog updates pretty consistently - it features a Book of the Week plus a plethora of suggestions for what to read next. Click here now to find out what's hot in the children's world of literature :)

Happy Chinese New Year

 

Gong Xi! Gong Xi! Welcome to the Year of the Tiger!

As you can see, in honor of Chinese New Year, I've given iKzut a makeover ^_^

It's my take on the sketchbook look - clean and simple with pretty much zero tweaking to the original template. This design fitted my decision to dedicate iKzut solely to visual art. As such, I've created a separate blog for my book reviews: the drifter notes.

I hope that having separate blogs for my separate interests will make it more convenient for my readers...
...though my bro thinks iKzut looks like some sorta  promotional website now 'coz of the red seal stamped all over the place (-_-") He thinks it looks like a logo or something...What do you think? Comments please! ;)

Btw, the tiger above is an old ink drawing I dug out (under my growing pile of used sketchbooks ;P) and colored using Adobe Photoshop.

I just realized how old it is... according to the date I scribbled in the corner, it's 6 years old...Huh (-_-")
Well, let me know if you like it/hate it (I'll do a fresh drawing for my next artwork post *promise* ;)

ABC: Keep An Eye Out

Finally got round to posting up my artwork (which was created solely using Adobe Photoshop ;P)
View full size.
Please comment/criticise.
(A/N: I'm sorry for the lack of updates. Real life gets in the way sometimes, y'know? C'est la vie.
(Anyways, my sincere apologies.)
Gurney's ABC post is finally up and displaying everybody's individual interpretation of the excerpt and...
...IT'S SO COOL!! *loves it* 

Man, there are some fantastic artists out there. Hell yeah XD I especially loved the pic from Mei-Yi Chun. It took the exerpt's meaning to a whole 'nother level: the level of cool.
Well... *ahem* that's my own little opinion >_>... Anyone is free to dispute otherwise on this point.
(A/N: Who dares to disagree with me?? *DIE DIE DIE*
(A/N #2: Kidding ;)
Anyways...I discovered her website :) Right here.
 Nice stuff there. *can't wait to explore! ^_^*

Yep. ABC rocks pure awesomeness *nods assent* Wouldn't mind joining the next round :) Here's the quote for next month:

Quintessence of weirdness.
But I'll take a whack at it ^_^
(A/N: Except for one major problem: these days  my schedule is replete with busyness. So, no promises for doing this one. Well, okay... I might be able to fit in time to do this... if I cut out the non-essential stuff in my daily regime. Y'know, stuff like: eating, breathing, and sleeping. Yeah, that would work ;)

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Written by Brian Selznick, this magnificent book contains exactly one hundred and fifty-eight different pictures and twenty-six thousand one hundred and fifty-nine words.

It won the 2008 Caldecott Medal, the first considered novel to do so.

I use the word "considered" as it is (described in the author's own words): "not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things."

A novel idea.

In this book, pictures and text perform in turn to enact the story, which takes place in Paris, 1931. Selznick's illustrations are a feast to the eye: elegant pencil strokes combine with meticulous cross-hatching to render the setting in mysterious and hauntingly beautiful sketches. They are gorgeous.

But of the story... oh, what shall I say? I do not want to spoil the book for anyone. Well, let me say this: the plot's subject matter has as much to do with the illustrations as the illustrations have to do with the story. Despite the seeming arbitrariness of the images produced amidst the text, the whole piece reads seamlessly. And in the end, everything in the story ties together firmly into a coherent and perfect whole.

As a children's book, as a work of art: it has no precedent.

Art By Comittee (Season 2)

Hooray! hooray! James Gurney (of Gurney Journey) has brought back his group-sketch game of Art By Comittee! Yeah, you heard me: ABC is back! XD

(Note for Newbies: ABC was a weekly game where participants each illustrated an actual excerpt from a science fiction manuscript.)
This time round, Gurney has made a major modification: ABC is now held monthly instead of weekly. Heh... this sure will give more time for folks to come up with something really inspiring!

I'm pretty excited about this ^_^" The last (and only ;P) time I entered was in May 2008. No real excuse for the lack of participation... just my own troublesome procrastination coupled with an overpacked agenda.
Anyways, this was the excerpt that I illustrated:

View full size

Pretty graphic account. Cliche, I know - but it still held my interest. The name "Chukumbu" was culturally vague... it could've passed as anyone's name - the possibilities ranged from an alien invader to an American Indian (okaayy...I'm stretching it here ;P)
I liked it ^_^" So I took the plunge and submitted a sketch:

View full size

Prophet S thinks it's funny. Well, I think it's funny too. (A macabre sense of humor is wont to afflict me at times ;P)... But to tell you the truth, I'm not too happy with it. It was somewhat of an eleventh-hour job [done with the help of Adobe Photoshop], so my options were limited. The artwork style was due to my recent anime craze that had left me permanently afflicted with perpetual anime emoticon usage (^_^" Yeah, that's a good example :)  

Gurney probably thought I was an obsessed 4channer (I'm not ;) But cool guy that he is, he posts up all submissions on his blog :D The Chukumbu round garnered quite a number of strikingly artistic endeavors. (Made me wish I'd spent more time on my Chukumbu -_-") Dave Harshberger's was my fave: Click here to see his take on Chukumbu :)

Anyways, the first excerpt in ABC Season 2 is shown right here:

Heh. I fully intend to participate in the Keep an Eye Out round. The excerpt may be cliche (as usual ;P), but I've got some quirky ideas residing in my noggin - wouldn't like to waste 'em, y'know *grin* I've got till the 12th of Feb to send 'em to Gurney Journey.

Now: To work! 

David Wiesner

An American author and illustrator of numerous children's books, Wiesner has received three Caldecott Medals and two Caldecott Honors for his works. I've been lucky enough to experience the pleasure of enjoying his three Caldecott winners. Despite the fact that the books are meant for the pure entertainment of children, I doubt that few adults can resist them as well. The artwork is gorgeous - lovingly rendered in finely-worked detail. They furnish esprit to an already intrinsically fascinating story. Fantastic and full of verve, these books will entrall both children and art-lovers alike.

Tuesday (1991) 

The Three Pigs (2001)

Flotsam (2006)

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Works by the renowned Agatha Christie never fail to intrigue me. Despite being rendered somewhat blase by overenthusiastic consumption of her works (Admission of guilt: that would be no one's fault but my own. Christie is a prolific author with more than 80 novels and story collections to her name, and, imbecile that I am, I would insist on systematically devouring every Christie book that comes my way ;P), every once in a while, a gem of a twist ending will crop up and jar this particular reader out of her smug apathy. 

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is that gem.

I admit that I'd cast a somewhat jaundiced eye over the cover when I picked up this paperback at the local library. Published in 1926, this Hercule Poirot mystery was declared "one of Christie's best known and most controversial novels".

Hmph.

(A/N: I dislike Poirot. Arrogant, with an almost comically inflated opinion of his abilities, M. Poirot always seems to be a tad egocentric. My preference runs more to reserved, but keen-eyed spinsters - Miss Marple for example. Her "Victorian modesty" (though old-fashioned) is more amusing and far more tolerable than Poirot's bombast.

But then, I guess I'm being harsh. Poirot does have a plausible reason for his pompousity. "The little grey cells" have admirable ways of proving themselves. *grudging respect*)

Most Hercule Poirot mysteries tend to have the same sort of style (unlike Miss Marple mysteries which have more variations in fashion).  The story usually takes place either in the third-person narrative or from the personal narrative of Captain Hastings (Poirot's companion - he is to Poirot what Watson is to Holmes). A scarce amount of clues are found in the crime scene. An inordinate amount of seemingly irrelevant morsels of information are provided. Poirot makes the occasional enigmatic comment throughout the investigations, and in the end assembles all the suspects together and promulgates the identity of the culprit.

Rather predictable.

But The Murder of Roger Ackroyd diverges from the mode in two distinct ways:

(Spoiler alert!) 

(1) The story is not told from a third-person narrative or even from the personal narrative of Hastings. It is told from the personal narrative of a Dr. James Sheppard - a country doctor who is the very embodiment of discretion and reticence. All the same, though, the detective casually reflects that Sheppard shares some similarities with Hastings; M. Poirot duly engages the doctor as a colleague. 

(2) The ending. As I said before, it is a gem of a twist ending. I do not want to disclose more: it might ruin the book for others.

(A/N: Woe betide those who spread major spoilers far and wide (and without warning!). I hate that sort of people. E.g.: OMG!! GUYS!!! THE BUTLER DID IT!!!! OMG!!! (*ahem* That's a spoiler for another book ¬_¬) When I receive a spoiler of that caliber, I feel like shaking the spoiler-bearer. Hard >:(

Grr... So, no more spoilers :P)

Anyways, this is a must-read book for any fan of the Queen of Crime (ie: Agatha Christie ;) Do read it, people. Ciao! ;D

(A/N: Comments/criticisms welcome.)

The House of the Scorpion

A fascinating 380-page sci-fic novel by 3-time Newbery Honor Author, Nancy Farmer, The House of the Scorpion introduces a futuristic predicament that arises from the technology of cloning. (I hesitate to share more, lest I ruin the book for those who have yet to read it. Thus, the requisite warning - Note: Spoiler alert!)

The protagonist, Matteo "Matt" Alacran, is a clone of a wealthy and powerful drug lord.  Though some might consider his status to be enviable, Matt's status marks him as a non-human. Thus, he's considered livestock. His very existence is a stigma to himself.

Although the sci-fic subjects covered in The House of the Scorpion are not novel (the 2005 movie The Island had the same idea about the possible use of clones - but then that movie was released 3 years after the book; this raises the interesting question about The Island's source of inspiration ;) and the initial setting vaguely reminiscent of Fitzgerald's The Diamond as Big as the Ritz,  the story is executed marvelously. There is no gratuitous violence to solve the problems encountered. Solutions to dilemmas are contrived through the wise  cooperation of the characters involved. Indeed, (though this statement seems trite) it is in the characters that lie the strength of this story. Warm enough to elicit empathy, yet shown with enough human nature to retain interest - even the villians get the same treatment, resulting in the sparkling study of an evil, vicious person that still draws commiseration.

The plot is tightly constructed; but not overtly so that the story groans under the burden of its architecture. If you desire suspensive sci-fic with warm, believable characters, this book is tailored to fit. 

(A/N: So... that's my first ever book review, people ;P And, yes, that's a pic of the first edition cover... replete with Newbery Honor shields and a plethora of book awards :O

(A/N #2: I was really holding back on the spoilers, 'coz my bro, the all-wise Prophet S, thinks I've already said too much. *eyeroll* Anyways, I don't think this review is anywhere near perfect yet, so there's a strong likelihood for major editing in the not-so-distant future. Comments and criticism much welcome ^_^) 

vita brevis, ars longa

 Welcome to iKzut!

  As this will be my first post, I'll just do a brief intro. This is my mascot, Tuzki:

  Created by the eminent Wang Momo, this cute little guy is my current favorite Flash :) Tuzki will be a frequent visitor on most of my posts; most of which will cover a broad range of subjects.

  My interests run the gamut from graphic design to classic (and neo-classic ;) English lit, Flash animations, shooters, and Star Wars trivia. 

  A hazy goal of mine is to be a writer someday, so expect the occasional dribble/drabble/droubble (^_^) As a pretty voracious reader, I also intend to post a couple of book reviews. I do ruff sketches on-and-off, and those might be posted too. Maybe. XD

  Vita brevis, ars longa. Life is short, Art is long.

  Check me up later on :D

  Btw: Please don't overfeed the hamster ;)