I often get an inordinate amount of glee from purchasing art supplies, but that’s tenfold this week because — Some of the supplies for the South Side Animation Club kits arrived this morning! 😁 2 gallon Ziploc bags, #2 pencils, and nonphoto blue pencils. Now just waiting on the tracing paper, USB drives, and the motivation to design and print out the package labels. 😄
The kits will be available for free to the public at Tacoma’s Moore Library starting at the first club meeting on March 25 at 10 a.m. In the meantime, I’ve been thinking of some other smaller items to add (plain sketchbooks, small notepads, erasers, …). If any local businesses would like to contribute items to the kits or equipment to the club, please contact me at nominestudios@gmail.com.
Thank you everyone for your support, especially the City of Tacoma Arts Commission, the City of Tacoma Office of Arts and Cultural Vitality, and the Tacoma Public Library Moore Branch for helping this project come to life!
South Side Animation Club announcement. Design by Suzanne Skaar, 2022. All rights reserved.
South Side Animation Club announcement. Visit nominestudios.com for more information. Design by Suzanne Skaar, 2022. All rights reserved.
In other news, I am excited to announce that for the first time Interns through Tacoma Public School’s Next Move Program will join No, Mine! Studios! In addition to learning about indie game dev, they’ll be contributing to the South Side Animation Club in a variety of ways. Welcome!
And one last update, I will be joining a local Tacoma high school as an adjunct instructor for Game Design and Animation starting next week, which means…. BRING ON THE POWERPOINTS!
(I may be at my happiest when making slideshows.)
Thank you everyone for your support along the way. Here’s to an amazing 2023!
Happy dinosaur. Gif. Suzanne Skaar. 2020. All rights reserved.
I just received word that the City of Tacoma has approved funding for No, Mine! Studios to start the South Side Animation Club!
This all ages/ all-levels gathering will be once a month, free to the public, and is meant to bring more opportunities in the arts to residents in the South End, East Side, and South Tacoma. (It’s not a requirement to live in these neighborhoods: others are welcome to participate, too.)
A large portion of the funding received will be used to compile starter kits with drawing paper, pens, pencils, etc. and more for participants who need supplies. There will also be a projector and screen on hand so that participants can share works in progress.
There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work to take care of before the first meeting in the Spring: securing a venue in the South End Tacoma, getting the word out to interested artists, securing supplies/ equipment, and more. If you want to get involved, please email nominestudios@gmail.com.
I am grateful to the City of Tacoma for this opportunity. I’ll share more news as it becomes available.
Concept art for Yeetcosystem. Suzanne Skaar, 11/2/2022. All rights reserved. Visit yeetcosystem.com for more information.
The subtitled version of the first Yeetcosystem Promo is set to premiere on YouTubeat noon today (November 16, PST )!
[Content warning: There is one swear word, and it’s not even my favorite — I mean a really bad one.]
I promise I’ll get back to posting dinos and other work soon — unless some actual investors want to make this project happen. [How much would liability insurance on a project like this cost? Ten dollars?]
Yeetcosystem. Logo by Suzanne Skaar, 10/25/2022. All rights reserved. Visit yeetcosystem.com for more information today!
Recently, I began pitching my exciting new business venture, Yeetcosystem (TM). The first promotional video is up now. Please check it out, unless you’re not allowed to watch videos with a swear word in them. [I forgot to bleep something. I blame sleep deprivation/ laziness/ being a grown up who occasionally uses mild curse words in public.]
In game screen capture. As yet untitled dino game by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.
In other news, I am happy to announce that No, Mine! Studios will be back at Tacoma’s Arts at the Armory event on December 10 and 11, 2022! I’ll be listed in the materials under my name (Suzanne Skaar) in case you have troubles finding me at the Armory. The dino game will available for playtesting for those interested in seeing the latest progress. I’ll also have buttons and stickers for sale for those looking for last minute holiday gifts.
As promised earlier this week and to those I spoke with at the City of Tacoma Kaleidoscope Kickoff Party, here are some resources that I have found useful while working on my as yet untitled dino game.
Screencapture of how a scene is assembled in Unity. Artwork by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.
GAME ENGINE
I am building my game in Unity, which is free for individuals who make under a certain amount of income from games per year. I am brand new, and I have definitely not come close to that threshhold yet. Another engine that other artists like using is Unreal. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m thinking about testing it when I start on my next project. A great benefit of Unreal is that they do offer funds for some projects. Here’s the link for more info.
2022 8 1 Progress. In game capture. As yet untitled dino game by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.
GRAPHICS
(NOTE: This is not a paid promotion by Adobe.If they would like to change that, my bank account is all ears.)
I create the initial designs of characters, objects, and background art in Adobe Photoshop. I held on for as long as I could to my 2009 MacBook and hard copy of Photoshop CS 6, but at this point, I am now locked into the full Creative Cloud. It’s expensive, so if others would like to suggest free/ cheap alternatives that work well with Unity, please comment below. The import process between Photoshop and Unity is fairly simple. I can share a sample video of the process if others are interested, but there are also many tutorials on YouTube.
AUDIO
When getting the sound ready for the game, I have used a combination of Audacity (audio editing software), BeepBox(online tool for making and sharing melodies), and more recently, Adobe Audition. The first two are free whereas Audition comes with Creative Cloud subscriptions. I have used Audition more for marketing than content creation so far.
Video capture of in game play. Graphics and sound by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.
VIDEO
For video, I have been relying on Open Broadcast Studio (OBS)for screencaptures and Adobe Premiere Pro for compiling videos. OBS is free, and I am still figuring it out. For Creative Cloud subscribers, Audition is linked to Premiere, so changing audio levels or doing simple effects like fade in/ fade out is relatively fast.
TUTORIALS
I started researching how to turn my concept into a game using Unity in March 2020. Since then, I have watched a lot of videos which break down the process of animating sprites, importing audio, and more. Due to updates from game engine platforms, some of these tutorials may become outdated fairly quickly, but I really like the teaching styles of Brackeys and BurgZerg Arcade. While Brackeys is no longer posting new videos, they have a plethora of great ones still up on YouTube. GDC posts a lot of great talks about game design from all angles. From the business side, I recently discovered the Future of Play channel on YouTube. The Publish Me Punish Me series is entertaining and informative.
If you think this kind of post is helpful, please like and share with friends. You can also support No, Mine! Studios on the following social media platforms:
If you’re local to Tacoma, I would love to see you at Grit City Comic Show on October 22, 2022! In addition to having the game progress available for playing, I’ll have a limited supply of merchandise for sale.
Social media reminded me that 11 years ago today, I made the announcement that I was expecting my Junior Tester, a.k.a. “Kiddo,” and 9 years ago today, I started this website, nominestudios.com, borrowing the then 1.5-year-old’s favorite phrase.
Inspiration. 2013. Photo by Suzanne Skaar.
The development of this website inspired me in many ways to make the switch from painting to digital art. The need to keep two cats and a toddler out of my ink and paper supply also provided a lot of motivation to this end. I started off doing animations using a mouse and an old MacBook that kept dying. I was finally able to update my equipment two years ago to a computer capable of running current forms of Windows and a Wacom tablet after the pandemic once again necessitated a shift in work styles.
And now, I’m fortunate enough to be developing a game, experimenting with music and sound effects, and doing research/ background art with support of the Tacoma Arts Commission Artist Initiative Program.
Here’s a look back on some of my work through the years. Apparently WordPress is still glitching on mobile apps with some of the animations :(, so if you can view this on desktop, it will hopefully work better.
Thank you all for your support!
Suzanne
Click on any photo below to expand to slide show view.
Suzanne Skaar, Second Thoughts in a Tattoo ShopSuzanne Skaar, Hi. Sticker. 2007.Suzanne Skaar, 2006.Suzanne Skaar, River. Acrylic, canvas. 2000.Flier for Metro Coffee House Solo Art Show: Moped Guy SeriesGrit City Fest Logo. Suzanne Skaar. 2010. Suzanne Skaar, Exposed Heart. 2009. Ink, paper.Suzanne Skaar, Memorial. October 2013. Digital media.Moped Guy Rides! Animated gif. Suzanne Skaar, 2008. All rights reserved.Suzanne Skaar, Piranha sticker. 2008.Suzanne Skaar. “Aha.” 2008. Chalk Pastel, paper.Suzanne Skaar, Southern Malm. 2009. Ink, paper.“Cats and Tea.” Suzanne Skaar. 2013. Digital Media.Suzanne Skaar. Wyatt. 2001. Acrylic, canvas. 16 in. x 20 in.Suzanne Skaar. Rain. Ink, Watercolor, Paper. 2009.Suzanne Skaar. Blue Room. 2001. Acrylic, Canvas.Suzanne Skaar. Moped Guy and Tricycle Bear. 2007. Spraypaint/ Definitely Not former apartment’s wall.Suzanne Skaar. Dragonfly Swarm. Digital Media. 2008.Suzanne Skaar. Bridge. Ink, Paper. 2009.Suzanne Skaar, Tim Kapler Collaboration. “Moped Guy and Wuv Bear.” Paper, brush pens, Microns, coloring pencils. 2014.Suzanne Skaar. Dinosaur In Progress. Digital Media. 2014.Suzanne Skaar. More Dinosaur Mischief. Digital Media. 2014.Suzanne Skaar. “Fall in Line.” 2014.2014. Steampunk Series, Part 2. Suzanne Skaar. Animation, concept work.Steampunk Series, Pt. 3. Suzanne Skaar. Animation, concept work. 2014.Suzanne Skaar. Spray paint, paper, ceramic tile. 2007The Waste Land. Suzanne Skaar. Digital Media/ Tribute to April, a loved one whose lost the fight to LLS. 2014.“Clandestine”: Concept sketch/ Digital Media. Suzanne Skaar. 2014.No Mine! Studios logo. Suzanne Skaar. Digital Media. 2013. Pirate Buff Bear. Suzanne Skaar. 2011. Duct tape on existing buffed-over graffiti.“Relieving Boredom.” Suzanne Skaar. Sketch. 2009.Steampunk Nursery Installation in progress. Suzanne Skaar. Birch (foreground). Approx. 22″ x 36″. 2014.Swallow. Suzanne Skaar. Pencil, Newsprint. 2014.Gear. Suzanne Skaar. Birch, Lasercut. Approx. 10″ diameter. Steampunk Installation in Progress. 2014. Steampunk Installation in Progress. Suzanne Skaar. Birch, other wood. Pieces range from 10″ in diameter to 22″ x 36″. 2014.Swallow. Suzanne Skaar. Woodcut, laser. Approximately 8″ x 2″. Steampunk Installation in progress. 2014.Sea Monster. Suzanne Skaar. Birch, India Ink, bolts, hinges, cord. 2014. Photo by Tim Kapler.Dragonfly. Suzanne Skaar. 2014. Digital Media.“Toilet Elephant.” Suzanne Skaar. Digital Media/ Animated .gif. 2014. Cute-off #10.“Dancing Beaver.” Suzanne Skaar. Digital media/ Animated .gif. CUTE-OFF #9. 2014.Okongo Logo. Suzanne Skaar. 2010.Northern Pacific Logo. Suzanne Skaar. Digital Media. 2014.Suzanne and Izzy drawing at Metro Coffee. Photo by Tim Kapler.Suzanne working and Isobel helping: January 2014. Photo by Tim Kapler.Toddler headlock/ a.k.a., what working from home looks like. Photo by Suzanne Skaar.“Family.” Suzanne Skaar. Digital Media. 2015.Artwork for Radio Tacoma, KTAH, 101.9 FM.“Cherry Blossoms.” Suzanne Skaar. Digital Media. Moped Guy Series. 2016.“Nerd Badge” available on a variety of products at nominestudios.redbubble.com .Gif: Animation sequence for as yet untitled video game. Suzanne Skaar. 2020. All rights reserved. Girl with hammer on sidewalk: illustration by Suzanne Skaar. 2021Compilation of art for as yet untitled 2D pixel art dino video game by Suzanne Skaar, 2021. All rights reserved.“Spin.” Animated GIF by Suzanne Skaar, 2021. All rights reserved.Call for audio submissions for indie game based in Tacoma. Art by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.Call for audio submissions for indie game based in Tacoma. Art by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.Call for audio submissions for indie game based in Tacoma. Art by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.
This week I’ve been building out the game environment, adding details, and working on sound design. Here’s a peek:
7 15 2022 in game engine clip. Visual and sound design by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.
As a reminder, it’s not too late to add your voice to the game as a background character! Please click here for more details, or email nominestudios@gmail.com with questions.
Then the little dino is going to want a bubble tea… and maybe a vegetarian taco, too.
2D pixel art dinosaur holding a pink bubble tea and eating a taco. Suzanne Skaar, 2021. All rights reserved.
The process of building up a studio and developing a game can be long and lonely. It can especially be challenging as a mom to network through the normal avenues when many are not welcoming of children, and the pandemic has made it more difficult to depend on already limited childcare resources. Thank you everyone has cheered me on and jumped in to help along the way! I am especially grateful for the support received from the Tacoma Artist Initiative Program to focus on building up the environment of the game. [Much of the game’s background art is loosely based on real places in Tacoma, WA.]
Concept work for as yet untitled dinosaur game. “Boop’s” is based on Tacoma’s iconic Bob’s Java Jive. Suzanne Skaar, 2021. All rights reserved.
If you would like to help offset some of the costs of running a small business (business licenses, equipment, software, food …), consider buying a dino a coffee (or a bubble tea, or a taco). I do have a limited run of work up on Redbubble, as well as buttons and stickers ready to be placed in local retail stores.
New buttons by Suzanne Skaar, 2022. All rights reserved.
If there is a design on my site that you would like to purchase that is not on Redbubble yet, email nominestudios@gmail.com.
You can also help No, Mine! Studios reach a larger audience by following on these platforms:
No, Mine! Studios 