Finally Here

Just checked my mail box to find a large envelope from the Gearhearts Steam-Punk Glamor Revue Magazine.  *exciting*  I just thought about this magazine a few days ago after completely forgetting about it for months.  You see, they contacted me at the beginning of this year about featuring my artwork "Steampunk Test Flight" (aka Steampunk Fantasia).  On their contract, they actually paid for the use of artwork (Which, unfortunately, is kind of rare.  Publications are always so damn eager to point out to you, 'But it's a great EXPOSURE!'. lol) and promised to send 2 copies of the magazine when they're out.

Well, months went by and I didn't hear anything about the magazine or didn't see anything in the mail, so I thought, "Oh, well, this is typical. I probably neither see any money or the magazine, I bet.".  This is sadly pretty much the attitude an artist develops after being out there for a while.  Lots of promises, lots of failed businesses, and lots of crooks ... that's what we deal with more often than I care to mention.  ^^;  Even the ones that pay the legitimate fee up front to use my images for posters, programs, books and magazines, I have seen maybe 1 in 10 would actually send me the final product they promise to send me.  I don't know what's going on with the rest.  Most likely an early onset senior moments galore.

So imagine my surprise when I saw a check in the mail from them a few months ago.  I didn't know which issue of the magazine the artwork was going to be featured on, so I had no idea when to expect what (or even expect anything at all as these types of things go).  I got the sense they were legit because of the artwork use agreement form I filled out and signed.  I was right.

After a few more weeks of waiting though, I thought, "Oh, looks like they forgot about sending me the magazines.  Whatever.".  You can just imagine how thrilled I was to actually see the physical copies of the magazine come in the mail.

You see the cover of the magazine to the left - an awesome cosplay!!  And there it is!  Just inside the awesome cover is my "Steampunk Test Flight"! :D  It's always strangely fun to see my art on print publications.  I don't know why or exactly what, but there's something special about it. :D  I had a lot of fun with this illustration, so it's also nice that somebody else out there liked it enough to have it on their magazine.  Thank you so much, Gearhearts Steam-Punk Glamor Revue!

I don't know if this is because I was born in Japan to Japanese parents, but I always automatically pick up a book in my left hand.  And in the case of English publications, I end up thumb-flipping pages starting with the back cover, moving towards the front.  On my first thumb-through, I didn't see my image anywhere. XD  I only saw it the second time around when I started from the cover, like I was supposed to. LOL

Oh, and you know what else that made me smile?  On the index, it is actually called "Frontspiece", the space my artwork occupies. ^^;  And they spelled my name correctly. *happy happy*  It really shouldn't be such a big deal, but this is another one of routine disappointments I encounter... incorrect spelling of my name.

The print and the line art digi of "Steampunk Test Flight" are available at my Etsy shop.  This image is also featured in the upcoming new coloring book, "Gardens & Goddesses volume 2".