I will just skip the Etsu magazine and Tsukiyo no Fromage vol 2, the former is just to get some art magazine, the latter for scanlation, but you can still read more about them in icie’s review here and there.

Girls Girls Girls 4
As this artbook has a number, I feel compelled into getting it, especially since I already own the 3 previous one, and I have been happy with them. This 4 issue like the other collect the artwork from the Etsu magazine, and only the cover is a new artwork by Tinkle, which is the first highlight for me. Now there are always some artist I only find in the Etsu/Girls Girls Girls, like A=g, as it’s not so easy to get her doujinshi. Now there is one thing which bother me in this book; it’s the rather long undressing theme in the middle, and it’s not really SFW. It’s a bit too ecchi for my taste, and while I’m not bothered by the ecchiness itself, when it comes to artbook I prefer it to be consistent in either safe image, or ecchi, but not a mix with ecchi in plain middle. Otherwise, It’s really great as I rarely get magazine especially the Etsu which is quite thick. For a more in-depth review, you can read natalie’s.

Ashiato
2009 is the year I started to collect Kantoku’s publication; so I get the previous doujinshi in the Check x Check collection, and the C76 and C77 sets. Now a commercial artbook is another beast as it implies some enjoyable thickness compared to most doujinshi, and Ashiato deserve in this aspect. Quite a lot of full page illustration as I like, and even when there is 2 it’s really nice to see. There is so artist which are just better to see on paper, and I think that Kantoku is one of them. The paper of the cover is the usual smooth one, but it fits the soft color tone used for it. Then, as Kantoku use a quite contrasted and vibrant artstyle, the paper by it’s semi matte finish puts that little bit of sparkle which makes it a wonder to see. Then again, for the review, check natalie’s ^^

100 Masters of Bishojo painting
To finish, the delayed artbook, which is a collection of 100 artists as you could guess, with 2 pages each, usually one illustration full page, and the other page has smaller ones. The choice of artist is very good; I don’t know/remember a good part of them, so it’s also the chance for discovery. It’s too bad that there is no Tinkle though inside, not for the art as chance it would have been already published, but just to know their gender. Artist gender seems like so funny topic for enthusiast as it’s never easy to know their gender. Depending of the artworks, it seems like we are more inclined to think that the artist is either male or female. I will note though that some didn’t put their gender in it like Shimeko. There is also some wallpaper to download; I wonder if it’s not also a way to check for oversea traffic…

The added value is certainly the English translation. Yes this is a publication for a more international audience, and they know who they are since they kept the term “doujinshi” most the time. As I goes through the pages, I noticed that my attention is focused on the CV and message of the artist. It’s the first time that such information are easily available for us foreigners, and this is certainly a nice point. Until now, all these artists always felt distant to me and we would still be watchers from afar with our telescope as if they were unreachable stars, but this artbook make them feel closer, as a bridge between us and them, and they don’t lose their sparkles. If you feel like they are distant, this is certainly the artbook to get, and also it gives me so hope that one day we will be more than simple watchers.

For more review, there is icie’s and of course natalie’s

Strawberry Pink – cuteg

Ok, just continuing from where I left of, since cuteg has now posted some previews for her doujinshi. Sweet Impact, is a full color doujinshi… and full of pantsu. Now the other doujinshi will have several fanart of different sources, and they all wear glasses! I will admit, I do find the Miku cute.

Tinkle

Even if I had no information, I think I would have grabbed it nevertheless, especially since Tinkle is always late for updating! First of all, the doujinshi, Bianco El Dorado, which is full color and the cover seems to use a special silver paper.

Then the set is comprised of a clear box, featuring the cover otf the doujinshi, and inside, shitajiki, one of Pinot Noir which I already had from the last JIF. Then there are clear cards. I just noticed it but on the photo, it’s not the final goodies, as they are not cut. I wonder if it’s not a preview pages; nevertheless, it seems like Tinkle put a lot of effort in the printing process. Finally, a pencil case with Black Alice.

Finally, there is some special PSP and DSi case. Last Comiket, I saw plenty of Keyboard/Mouse, for this one, I found quite a lot of case for portable console. It does look pretty nice, and sure would like something like that for my DS!

AMR – Ikegami Akane

Speaking of artist rather late to the update party, is Ikegami Akane. For this Comiket, it’s a mix of To aru Kagaku no Railgun and Vocaloid. The doujinshi is only filled with Railgun, and it seems like there is only one part in full colour, the other one being black and white.

Then the Vocaloid set.. more cute Miku with glasses. I guess I’m weak when she wears glasses ^^;. Anyway, it’s limited to Miku, Rin, and Luka, Len being a bonus plushie. So there is a paper bag, a blanket, stickers for the DSi and towel to clean screens.

Third goods is a cool Railgun pouch in microfiber. It’s sized for portable console to iPod, or phone. Now I’m not sure I will let my electronic gadgets near Railgun ^^;. But Mikoto will also be available as an oppai mousse pad… I think I will just ignore it of my image of the anime will just die.

QP:Flapper – Sakura Koharu & Ohara Tometa

No QP:Chick Colors 03 in sight. But there is QPchick16, hentai doujinshi in monochrome on Love Plus. Then there is Dramatic 2009, which collect the roughs sketches for several magazine.

Instead of a telephone card, they will sell a Web Money Card, worth 500¥. I wonder if telephone card are still used in Japan, when it’s also the country where almost everyone has cellphone. Moving to web money card seems to be a fair evolution.

Then for the end, a priceless T-Shirt. Spacecats, parodying Space Invaders. The geek inside me feels compelled; my wallet not so much.

Island of Horizon – H2S04

A very cool doujinshi, with 34 B5 pages, which will collect artwork from its ( hey, it’s sulfuric acid ) his/her previous doujinshi, Last Summer Vacation, First Snow, Tropical Nights and 白い花びら. If I find it, I will try to get it!

Muzin Syoujo – Korie Riko

Korie Riko put her information one month ago… which consisted in this image which might be the cover. Her website is down and there is no information on her blog; so it will be my guess based on her previous doujinshi, full colour, with several fanart.

ICHIGOSIZE – Natsume Eri
Suijou Kurena

Huge image, and so little I can understand. Natsume Eri is sharing a stand with Suijou Kurena, which I have never heard of. First set has one card, 2 doujinshis which I’m not sure if they are in color or not, then a keychain, a think black and white doujinshi with certainly sketches, and something featuring Marisa ^^;. I need to train a little bit for reading these Comiket information.

Then, there is a Touhou calendar, and mug with a chibi Cirno drawn on it.

The bottom of the image features the doujinshi of Risa Miyasu, with a Prunus Girl one, and a Saki doujinshi

Rio Grande – Mana Mitui

Mana Mitui finally put her information, which consist in one doujinshi on Saki, with illustration, and one hentai story. Then there is another doujinshi of 60 pages, collectin sketches.
For the set, there is a bag, a handkerchief, another PSP case, a memo mouse pad, and a phone strap which can be used to clean the cellphone. The doujinshi doesn’t seem that interesting to me, but the set has some nice goodies.

Hisuitei – Izumi Tsubasu

No Colorful Pop for this Comiket, but we get a big taspestry, a shitajiki, a calendar, a stick poster all in the paper bag. The doujinshi in fact consist in MOEPOP15, which has traditionally featured black and white illustration, and Low of smile, an hentai doujinshi.

Indico Lite – Mitha

Mitha will continue her collection, with Flower Tiara 2, a full color doujinshi, but rather ecchi. Going from the past publication, there is no hentai, but only nudity. It seems like there is another doujinshi, Art Mix, but I’m not sure about it’s content, some card/poster/shitajiki, and ecchi stick posters. Finally, a “now printing”, which seem in fact to be a CG collection.

Hato no Tamago – Hato rami

Rami will sell her 19th visual book, which is another fully coloured manga. I think there might be some illustration in it, but I’m not all interested in this.

What I’m more interested in is the Galette des Rois Calendar, which will feature illustration of the web animated manga. It’s CD sized though, but I think it’s worth getting, as you can already see the illustration on the website of the manga.

For some time Rami had a Black Rock Shooter illustration for her website, and here it’s, a 8p B5 doujinshi with color illustration of Black Rock Shooter. Sadly, BRS is like Vocaloid for me :/

Finally, she will sell postcard, a gum from Galette des Rois, and her previous fully colored doujinshi from C76, Water Proof.

Second step on the road, color space. Short article, and this time it’s not easy to illustrate with examples. To do this, you would need both the digital version and printed version. At least, I can provide a page from one booklet I got from Tinkle.
After sketching and inking, there is the coloring, in SAI, openCanvas, CG-illust, or Photoshop. What will interest us here, is not the software, but the screen on which the artist are drawing.

The screen, is in my opinion, the weak link on the road to printing.
On the one hand, screens are light emitting devices, which means they are using a RGB ( Red, Green, Blue ) color system. All color are obtained then by mixing these 3 lights. On the other hand, printed material are light absorbing like more of our surrounding. As such, the color space is CMYK ( Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black ). They all are the complementary colors of the RGB space, but they have to add one ink, black, because the quality of a mixture of cyan, magenta, yellow aren’t as good as indian ink; it looks brown.

The one big problem is that RGB, and CMYK doesn’t cover the same color, meaning that the screen can’t display some color possible in printing, and some color possible on screen aren’t possible when printing. Here I’m not sure how artist are choosing their color space. For web, obviously they can use RGB, but if they print it, it might looks different. For printing, they just can’t have the full CMYK gamut on screen, which is my opinion, limiting for them.

It seems that it’s possible to work on an artwork after it’s printed, but since I cant’t read Japanese, I will not comment on it; I would rather not spread misinformation.

Here is what I got.2 separates boxes, and I was surprised to find a cardboard poster ( I have no idea of the japanese name for these ) of my gravatar signed! Not on this photo is the starry night background that I used for some photo. It’s a nice addition since it makes the setting closer to the artwork.

Let’s start with Shantiti. Long pink twin tails, barefooted, drinking champagne and frilly nightgown… She is really nice, but I have a preference for Ne-jyu. I will admit, the legs are very nice, and I will always bow in front of Tinkle’s clothe design. They managed to catch what I love with Tinkle in this figurine. The eyes are nicely painted and does remind of the artstyle. Other part are painted mostly with a mate finish, except the hair.

Next is Ne-jyu. Long purple haired, with a lolita crown, elbow gloves, thigh highs, drinking a cocktail and a frilly nightgown again. I guess she hits my moe even more than Shantiti. There is some interesting detail about the gloves and the thigh highs. They have a glossy finish and they also casted some purple shadow on it. I don’t know if it’s usual but I assume that figurine normally can cast their own shadow, but here it might be for the lighting color, as in the illustration.

For a Tinkle fan like me, this set is more than I can hope. I didn’t expect one day to see a figurine from them, but here it’s. I was in love with the illustration, I’m in love with the figurine. It’s really a nice sculpture which is represent nicely their character design.  Also the little extra is really nice, since there was only an avatar sized available.

As for the photo… I think the batch I did on the starry night is a bit better. I lack some light on that white background, but I’m too poor to get a decent setup. I used a Canon IXUS 870, a point and shoot camera, with a custom firmware so that I have a better control of shutter time and flash intensity. And here is the lighting setup.

So, there is one lamp on the right, plus 2 reflectors on top and on the right, made from aluminum foil. Then 2 sheets of glossy paper, one mate, the starry background, a tripod, and not on the picture is a LED light torch which I used as another light source on the left. I used some white tape on my Flash and the light torch so as to diffuse light. I quite like the photo with the starry background. The white one lacks light; I should get an additional light for the left.

Anyway, the loot is quite good, and some of these are already flying around on the Internet. There are other freebies from previous Comiket as well, for Kantoku, Rei, some Tinkle goods which was released for some event, and finally, K-books 15th anniversary artbook.

I can try and enumerate them from left to right. In the corner you can see a Tinkle dakimakura, shorter than my other one, but larger. I don’t have any pillow to fit in it yet. Then there is the Rei bag, a Tinkle brochure from JIF, Tinkle bag, AMR bag.

Next line, Unspoilt Pre-parade by AMR, Toragokoro  ( H doujin ) by Hisuitei, Tinkle Shitajiki.

Then Cloufout, the AMR calendar, QP:chick color 2, Colorful Pop 6, Pretty present Perfect, Way to color by AMR, Byakuya Chakai.

And finally, last line, a kind of bag by Rei, a telephone card, Midory Style Summer, a telephone card holder, a Adumi Tohru doujin, Maidism, second doujin by Tanihara Natsuki and its B&W companion, and a two-faced Shitajiki.

All in all I’m quite satisfied with the loot since most stuff is full color just as I expected. I wish the AMR doujin was full colored but there is the calendar to make up for it. I wouldn’t enjoy a doujin full of Toradora anyway, even though I like the serie. Tanihara Natsuki made her doujin a little bit thicker but it’s only for draft sadly.

It’s also the first I get something from Tohru Adumi, and it’s a nice doujin. I might tried to get another one, as long as it’s not a full boy featured one like some other I saw on the Internet. My only grip is girl with armor in this one which lacks in the moe department.

I will put some individual post for the amazing stuff. And when I said that it covered my bed, it’s literally since underneath everything is the Etsu bed cover !

Part of my C74 loot is the rare Tinkle dakimakura from K-books. Only 300 got printed, 150 for mail order, and the rest for the Comiket. Better say that they are expensive, but with a bit of luck it’s possible to get it without overpaying.

For those not familiar with dakimakura, it’s in short a hug pillow ( daki = hug, makura = pillow). This is my first one, and, it’s really… addictive ^^;.

First of all it’s just the pillow sheet, quite long and large; 150cmx50cm. I wished my pillow would fit correctly, but since it’s a bit old, mine looks thinner than some other dakimakura you might have seen. At least there is less stress on the bottom zip. My surprise when I got it is in fact it’s fabric. No, it’s not cotton, it’s silky. I’m not really knowledgeable about fabrics, but it has a nice touch. By rubbing your head your hand in one sense, you have the smooth and soft touch. In the other sense though, it’s a bit rough, but it’s in no way disagreeable. The only drawback about such nice fabrics is in fact durability… I’m so anxious with washing and ironing since the drawing could just disappear if I made a mistake, but well… I will write more about this when I will wash it ^^;

Talking about the drawing, it’s full body illustration of cute girl, nicely printed.My favorite is the neko mimi one; so cute that you can’t resist hugging her. So moe with her short dress, thigh highs, blushing cheek and long hair, and shy *die*

I take care of NOT drooling over her… or the other side, but I don’t know if I do since I sleep like a baby with them. I should get a second one so that I can swap when I wash this one.

There is one things left to do with them… naming them! I’m open to suggestion ^^