I recently picked up the Auzentech X-fi Prelude sound card for my PC -> Auzentech and a pair of Audio Technica Art Monitor ATH A500 headphones (yes, the specification is important.).

So beware review requesters, I will pick up everything in your piece, including what it lacks :P.

Of course, there is a word character limit...

EIther way. If you have some money, the sound card and heaphones are a really really really nice combo at a really good price. If you shop around, you can get em fairly decently priced, and they make things sound AWESOME! I could have sworn angels sang when I started listening...

Whether or not I'm becoming delusional is besides the point though, the sound card gives a fairly decent amount of control for you to tweak the sound and offers some really solid functionality. The drivers are a touch slow on load up and shut down though...

You may or may not know this, but I am still around. I check my profile daily, I just don't have time to visit forums and go through the audio portal listings.

I am currently going to university, and that takes up a good deal of my time, but I am still available for the occasional art job, audio review, or general question that you might have.

If you want me to review one of your audio pieces, please be aware that I may not get back to you instantly, it may take a coupla days, or even a coupla weeks for me to review your piece. You can be assured that if you do ask, I will get to it, eventually. Part of the reason for this is that I take a fair amount of time to review a music piece, often taking over an hour to do it. I try to be as thorough and as helpful as I can be. I also like to read the artist's comment on my review, as that helps me grow my own critiquing ability. So if there is something you don't like about my review, please do say so, just be nice about it. If I thought your piece was crap, I'll try to make sure I say why, and how to improve it. So if you're offended about that, I don't want to hear it.

But if you do have a legitimate point, I'm always happy to know.

For those who may request an art job. A relative time frame is needed, so that I can establish whether or not I can do it. I also like to have concept work or general artwork that you think is relevant in theme and/or composition. Just so that I know what direction you want me to go in. I also like the resolution you want, the output format and general medium.

I can work in The GIMP, Photoshop, Blender (3D modelling, in this case I can export if necessary), Flash, Apophysis (or another fractal renderer) and so on.

If you offer payment, then you will get your artwork much faster, and to the best of what I am capable of. If you don't, then I'll take it as a practice job and you'll get it at a decent quality, but there's no guarantee on time. These things do take time, after all. And if you aren't motivating me properly, there is a whole lot less reason for me to do it.

Payment is negotiable.

Cheers all. Krayon.

Music is a fairly central thing in my life. I can barely go without the stuff. So it goes without saying that I do have a number of favourite pieces here on Newgrounds. Problem is, I never actually got around to favouriting any of them.
So as a sort of tribute to them, I picked out a selection of artists from my reviews whom I particularly enjoyed and who have shown an exception talent and musical prowess that is uniquely their own. If you happen to be one of these artists, I applaud your efforts and hope you continue to make music.
There are quite a few artists whom I do not think I included in that list because the reviews got deleted. There was one in particular that I lamented losing. It was a Swedish lullaby and had one of the most beautiful vocal parts on Newgrounds. I have no idea what happened to it, but that piece has stuck in my mind ever since.
There are a few I want to make note of, who didn't appear on that list for various reasons. MaestroRage, who has made a lot of music in the past, but I never found anything that truly made him stand out from the croud. This does not mean that he has not produced a lot of music, simply that his music does not carry the same feeling and clarity that, say, Edgen or DanMan87 do. It is this distinction that's important.
I will also point out that no matter how many times I listen to Liberi Lunerum, it never gets old. Go listen to it. You'll see what I mean. Then there's Beyond the Magic, and excellent song.
It is the defining quality of a music artist if they can capture something in their music. Not just reflect it. Everyone can reflect war, or sorrow, or pain, or happiness. But can you capture it. Can you grow it into something that cuts right to the heart. To really make us feel it. This is one of the things I look for when I review. And in an artist.

Oh, and by the way, if you ever want me to review your piece, I'm very happy to. It doesn't matter who you are, how new you are, or how much you know about music. I'm always happy to listen and tell you what I think.

Please understand though. I will tell you what I think, and in no uncertain terms. But I also tell you why I think that and how you can improve. As this is an important part of constructive crit. Right now, it is very difficult to get a 10/10 from me. I promise you, if there is something wrong with your song, I will find it. If I consider it to be perfect, despite flaws, then I will give it 10/10. But not before. You will not recieve preferential treatment because you may or may not be a good artist. I treat everyone the same when I review.

I poke your piece with a sharp stick and watch what happens.

Krayon

This is fairly soon after my last post. But I have to say it.

The Art Portal is an awesome idea! It's been a long time coming, but it's finally here, and is really really cool.

Newgrounds is one of the few sites I visit on a relatively regular basis because it is one of the few sites that truly is a hub of nearly everything. The only thing it lacks now is a literature portal. Once that is up, this place will truly have defined itself as one of the most contradictory places on the net.

This is a place where you can submit almost anything and someone, somewhere, will probably comment on it. As a result, it recieves epic amounts of crap every hour. But the refined stuff...

Forget Deviantart, forget those other specifics. That stuff is awesome.

I will submit art from time to time. But unless I'm looking for specific crits, it'll be finished stuff. This is because, as an artist, reviewer and general critic, I have made the distinction that I want my stuff to be GOOD. This means that I rarely post. Partially because I don't actually sit down and do something very often. And partially because I don't consider my work to be good enough.
But the main reason is because I don't draw all that much. Or do any sort of artwork. Those who have seen my artwork. That's the stuff I do once every now and then, when I sit down for a coupla days or hours and actually make something. I'm self taught. I've only ever completed one year of art at once, the rest was a hop scotch of maybe a coupla months at a time. In no class has any teacher ever taught me a new technique or really given me advice that's helped. Don't get me wrong, some have actually given me the odd piece of advice that's been helpful. But on the whole, I've taught myself basically everything I know. 3D, 2D, linework, pencilwork, colouring, inking. Everything.

There was one drawing book on fantasy figures I picked up at a library once. I went through it once, sat down, drew a character for a coupla hours, said 'that's cool' and then stuck the book back at the library. After that, I could draw figures. Now all I need is a reference to get the proportions right and things are cool, as long as I have the time.

My next project, after my current commission, is to do a large gimp painting that looks photorealistic based on a character I have for an rpg I'm starting. Just for practice and to teach myself more skills. Chances are, it'll take a coupla months, if not the rest of the year, to complete. But by the end. I want something good.

You should too. Always try to do the best and learn something new each time you try something. Remember to push those boundaries, because if you don't you'll never get anywhere.

Oh yeah, Art portal is awesome. Now they should do a literature portal.

Krayon

Ho hum. I suppose it's time to really make an effort on things. To [i]do[/i] something. I find myself feeling as if I stand upon the edge of an infinitely deep precipice. Anywhere I jump, the fall will be endless. Life could go almost anywhere, and I find myself dawdling at the edge of a jump. I have projects right left and centre and little or no motivation to go anywhere.

And yet I learn. I'm always learning, in everything I do, I'm learning, searching for the truth.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that people will twist the truth to suit their needs, like bending the rules of a computer system.

They are deluding themselves. The truth is the truth regardless of what you or I think. Whether we even know it exists. It doesn't matter. It is simply the truth. People once considered the earth flat. You know what?

They were wrong.

The truth in this situation was that the earth is like a flattened ball. Yes, that's right, it's not completely round either.

We, in our arrogance will twist it because we don't like it. This does not change the truth, only our perception of truth. One of my favourite stories that circulates around the fantasy realm is that of the warrior who is confronted by a king or leader.

"This is a lovely cat is it not?" Said the king.
"My lord," Said the warrior, "I can find a thousand mangy tom's like that on the street."
The king was pleased, "Well done, all others before you praised it, saying how exotic it was. How wonderous was the hole in it's ear. How lovely the lines of its body."
The end was that this was a test and that the warrior was rewarded fittingly.

The simple matter of it was to see past the layers, to ignore the trappings and see the truth of things. But even more importantly. To [b]state[/b] the truth of things.

Yeah, of topic, but who cares. Nobody follows this thing anyway.

Krayon

If you want me to do an art job you'll need to give me a deadline, I procrastinate and I have a lot of other things I have to do, so if you give no deadline, I will probably spend the next few months doing it.
My art thread can be found here:
http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/80 1053

Thank you all.

Ok, I'm now available for art jobs if you want to spring me some. I generally do fantasy artwork and although I've recently been working on my figures my main area of preference is creatures and robots. Pm me if you want me to do one, my art thread can be found here:
http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/80 1053
Comments are always welcome... I really need to get back to my area of preference... sorry I haven't uploaded anything in that area yet.

For the duration of October and mid November I will be unavailable for Art jobs, so until further notice please find another artist to do your artwork.

I question life, I question our existence, I question our place, I question what is, and what isn't and yet in all those questions I never find an answer except this, something is out there, something that defies definition, that transcends human requirement or boundaries. I see the infinite complecity of the universe, the pure perfection of what is, and I cannot help but say, "That was created." No complex system can ever come by chance, an intelligent indivual must create it, or else what came before the before? Right back at the beginning, right when it all started, right at the beginning of time, what was before that I wonder? The very nature of existence is to come from something and yet where did the first something come from I wonder?

Discretion is the better part of valour.... What say you?