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Nikira

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Blog Entries posted by Nikira

  2. Nikira

    It Shall Be A Busy Day

    By Nikira,

    How do I know it'll be a busy day?
     
    1) I am currently getting ready for my first meeting of the day, and my last one is supposed to end around 1am.
     
    2) I have to carry two backpacks with me. ;__;
     
    -Nikira
  4. Nikira

    Walking Theme Park

    By Nikira,

    So I'm on this new medicine, right?
     
    It's like a really strong version of Benadryll mixed with some heavy Naproxen - it's amaaaazing, thank you medical science. <3
     
    Anyways, all medicines have fun side effects, right? Like making you change funny colors and stuff?
     
    This one makes me feel like I'm on a spinny carnival ride all day. :]
     
    Wheeeee~
     
    Out of all honesty - yes it's kind of annoying, but hey, it's better than nausea or blood clots or liver failure or something awful like that.
     
    *spins*
     
    -Nikira
  6. Nikira
    Forums are back! :] Need to look for a new job - management is getting so poor, I fear that I won't be getting any hours whatsoever if they keep this up. BRICKFAIR School is also back - just started sophomore year on Friday. 6 doctor's office visits since the boards went down = ick. Results = also ick, but we're finally getting somewhere at least. =D On that last note - I got six vials of blood taken from me in one sitting and I was still able to walk out of the office on my own without getting dizzy. Which is apparently odd. Maybe I have a secret gift or something. BRICKFAIR Smeag is twenty now (his birthday was last week). Make him feel old and stuff. I am in a hand brace. I am also an old fogie. I can recognize freshman on campus even if I have no idea who they are. Even though I'm about as old as they all are. I am also starting to talk like my mother more often. Weird. D: BRICKFAAAAAIR (I leave in two days.) School books are expensive. Amazon is our friend. <3 QotHB is awesome. One word: Favre... o___o Oh ya, and Brickfair.
     
    whooooooooo~
     
    -Nikira
  8. Nikira

    Break

    By Nikira,

    Hey all.
     
    Got a long, stressful week ahead for myself and everyone in my household (reasons being many, many things). In the respect of keeping that stress from entering this blog and thus the website, I shall be taking a break until said stress is at least toned down after this week is over.
     
    Thanks, guys. Please behave and, like always, don't make too much of a mess. Cleaning up is icky.
     
    -Nikira
  9. Nikira

    Zap

    By Nikira,

    Lightning just struck a house about three doors down.
     
    All our appliances went off, and then starting going beserk, including our fire alarms and several battery-related items (ex. one of my brother's old Hot Wheel playsets went bonkers). Computers were all fine, but a surge got through mine, through my headphones and zapped me in the ear. Ow.
     
    There was some property damage done to the roof of the house, and there were lots of fire trucks. Other than my ear, no one was hurt, yay.
     
    Makes me very glad I got put in the house I am in - I feel very lucky indeed. :]
     
    -Nikira
  10. Nikira

    Reviewing How-to

    By Nikira,

    Bumped 7/4/09, cause I really feel this point needs to be addressed yet again.
     
    These are guidelines from my personal experience, not BZP rules. This is what I as an artist particularly enjoy to see in thorough reviews, small or large, but they are not required to post a review on BZPower.
     
    I've been glancing around random topics in General Art, and now that the Art Contest is over, I've noticed a decline in the number of really decent reviews. Yes, yes, a pop in to say "wow that looks nice" is always nice, but heartier reviews are really appreciated.
     
    So here's a few tips on how to review to the upmost.
     
    Overall, a review is supposed to encourage an artist/author and help them improve - something that a lot of recent reviews do not do.
     
    In my opinion, a good and interesting review consists of three things:

    Encouraging CommentsConstructive CritiqueHelpful Questions Repeat that list three times.
     
    Got it?
     
    Good.
     
    Now let's confirm that only doing one of these three things does not necessarily make a good review. I have seen good reviews that consist of just encouraging comments, but the lack of saying what could improve can be bothersome. Similarly, I have seen reviews that consisted entirely of critique, but many times they can be major mood-killers and make said artist feel rather bad about themselves (thus the reason for encouraging comments.) Questions are the only thing that I don't have a problem with, as they usually need to have some kind of comment or critique behind them for them to make any sense.
     
    Got that?
     
    Alrighty.
     
    Now let's break it down a little.
     
    The first thing most people do (and the first thing you should do) is provide Encouraging Comments - really point out the major strengths of the picture (or MOC, story, etc.) and comment on things that positively stood out to you. If you like the choice of colors, let the artist know. If you liked how a certain part of a story was laid out, go ahead and share it. The comments are the main sell-esteem booster for the artist and it makes us feel good (not to mention keeping us from falling into a self-denial art rut ). Just don't go so far as to be dishonest. Lying about how you really feel doesn't help matters - your goal is to help the artist/author improve, not to give them a false sense of triumph. Just find something you truly like about the art (or story, etc.) and let that be known first.
     
    Second and most important is Constructive Critique.
     
    Let me repeat: Constructive Critique. Not destructive. CONstructive. There is a difference.
     
    In its most basic sense, constructive critique is going through and saying what you know can improve and/or what you think could improve (this usually involves either personal opinion or uncertainty), and then - extremely important - explaining WHY. Saying "I don't like this" isn't critique. If something looks off, be specific about it and, if you can, offer a suggestion to help improve said offness. You can say 'the arm looks weird', or (even better), you can use specifics and say 'the left arm looks like it's bending the wrong way, but maybe you could do this to improve it: *insert suggestion here*' Just mentioning which arm or which paragraph or which part of the art/story/MOC seems off to you can help, and suggesting a way to improve can help even more.
     
    It also helps if you don't rub a mistake in the artist/author's face. Rather, just make a point about it, giving enough emphasis that the artist/author knows that it's something they need to work on, but not so much that you rip their self-esteem apart. That is inconsiderate and, in some cases, very rude.
     
    Now, onto the fun part of every review: Helpful Questions. This is getting rarer nowadays in the art forum. Questions can be a less harsh way of doing criticism, and IMO, there is never anything as 'too many questions', especially if you are confused about something - don't automatically assume that the artist/author figured something out one way. Instead, stop, think, and then ask a question about it. Inserting questions here and there can help you and other members to better understand the picture/story/MOC (especially if there is a story behind it or how certain parts of it were made).
     
    It also gives us artists/authors something interesting to reply to!
     
    Again, a review is supposed to encourage an artist/author and help them improve.
     
    So go out there and help us improve encouragingly.
     
    -Nikira
  11. Nikira

    Ouch

    By Nikira,

    I hurt my wrists today.
     
    Somehow, without having anyway to hurt them, they are in much nerve-related pain. I can't turn them palm-side-up without hurting myself.
     
    Dad thinks it's carpal tunnel syndrome.
     
    I hope it's not. :X Already have limited wrist mobility because of a cist on one hand (long story) - don't need/want anything else. D:
     
    Also, help relieve some of the pain of AC planning by giving us some feedback on AC17! It's been a little slow this year and we still need your ideas.
     
    -Nikira
  12. Nikira
    ...this time with a special twist!
     
    We need your opinion on taking Art Contest #17 to Brickfair, as well as decisions on how the contest is run and similar subjects. See this topic for more info, and let us know what you think!
     
    -Nikira
  14. Nikira

    Finally!

    By Nikira,

    Oh hey that WIP is done already?
     
    Awesome!
     
    ...Only took me a month. TT_TT;
     
    Well here, have a look if you do not mind.
     
    BTW it might be coming to Brickfair ooooohhoho
     
    -Nikira
  15. Nikira

    Wip

    By Nikira,

    Little skewed cause my camera fails at taking pictures of pictures. ;_;
     
    Commission is breaking my haaaandddssss but I love it so.
     
    Wheee. :3
     
    -Nikira
  17. Nikira

    Temporary Filler

    By Nikira,

    Look, an Epics Contest!
     
    ~*~
     
    8 hours of work ahead to finish up a hearty 74 hours of work the last two weeks.
     
    Still sick, but I'll elaborate on that later, becaaause...
     
    I have a full nine days off after today.
     

     
    -Nikira
  21. Nikira
    I woke up today.
     
    And there was no Smeag to greet me.
     

     
    We had a wonderful time this weekend. One would wonder why, since I was sick most of the time he was here, plus we had some unexpected and scary things happen over Saturday and Sunday, but we got to spend some wonderful times together (he took me on a date! <3), and we are now both safely at our respective homes, all in one piece. Give him hugs, he's an awesome trooper.
     
    Oh, and belting Queen in the car for 30 minutes straight will never get old. We did that a lot. Shyeah.
     
    But now there is no Smeag. So I guess I have to go back to work today.
     
    Ew.
     
    -Nikira
  23. Nikira

    Company

    By Nikira,

    Kay, so like, I'm having company over the rest of this week.
     
    Company is, like, the awesome Smeagol4.
     
    So like, I won't be on much. =3
     
    <3~
     
    -Nikira
  24. Nikira

    Grades

    By Nikira,

    A
    A
    A
    A-
    B
    B-
    CR (credit-only)
     
    3.51 for the semester.
     
    3.47 cumulative.
     
    No Dean's List. I was so clooooooose! D:
     
    *headdesk*
     
    -Nikira
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