Painter IX Exercise

A chalk and charcoal skecth done in Painter IX

Draw When You're Ready

As you know, Adobe has swallowed Macromedia in merger that makes everyone except the consumer happy. Check out this link to see what most folks in the design industry would have never happened http://www.macromedia.com.

Anyway, with this merger, competition in the vector area has been all but nullified. Freehand, the Macromedia tool wasn’t included in the latest release of the Macromedia Suite of tools (Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks). Conversely, Adobe Illustrator CS2 is still dominating the vector world—and why not; not only is it the biggest vector player, with the merger, it becomes the only player.

Well, not so fast. From an unlikely place, a competitor arises to face the Adobe Graphics behemoth. A small (one man) company was developing its own vector graphics tool about a year or so ago. He was approached by a software company in Redmond and promptly sold his tool.

Microsoft Expression Code Name Acrylic Graphic Designer is the first entry from Redmond into the graphics industry (come on now, you can’t really count Paint, Publisher or, (shiver) Front Page). According the site, Expression does both bitmap and vector art from within the one tool. I downloaded from here today link (free, but you do need to register (of course, that’s what gmail accounts are for)) and it is a good tool. I did the cowboy with the freehand tool in about 15 minutes. If you are used to Adobe tools, you will find yourself doing quick keys that don’t work the same way in AGD, but the interface will be familiar. I will play with it some more and post a full review next week. In the meantime, check it out for yourself though only Windows version is available, but a MAC version should be out shortly.

Illustration Friday: Imagine

Car radios were different when I was a kid. First off, you could only get AM radio—which meant your favorite song would fade out as soon as you went under a bridge. Secondly, AM sound...well, before stereo AM anyway, sucked. Radios were push button analog jobs that had a red pointer that lined up approximately with the station's frequency. You couldn't really tell the exact frequency you dialed to because all you had were the number markers and the stations resided somewhere in the middle. I used to listen to 77 'Musicradio' WABC which was somewhere between the 7 and the 9. To find and set the station, you'd push the button closest to the number you wanted, fiddle around with the tuner (the knob on the right) and then pull the button out and push it back in quickly to save it. If you pushed too slowly, the pointer simply returned to its original position and you had to try again.

Ok, having said that, when I was a kid, I imagined the inner-workings of the radio consisted of a row of disc jockeys sitting at a long table. There was one microphone, its position indicated by the location of the red pointer. When the listener pressed the button, the disc jockey who was talking slid the microphone down the table to the guy (I don’t remember many lady djs from the late 60s—though I am sure they were out there) who was next to speak. Also, for some reason, I imagined that the table was covered with tacky looking imitation crushed velvet.

Pictured from left to right is a talk show host (yes, they were around way back then—WMCA I believe); the aforementioned WABC Top 40 station that featured Dan Ingram and Cousin Bruce (there actually wasn’t a disc jockey quite that hippyfied, he wouldn’t come along until much later on WNEW-FM); a religious disc jockey and the R&B guy.

I created the radio in Illustrator CS2 and drew the disc jockeys in Flash MX. I composited everything in Flash MX and converted to a jpg for your viewing pleasure.



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If Jesus Were Here Today

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Illustration Friday: Surprised

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TV Quick Sketches

Just some quick sketches of people I saw on TV. Done completely in Painter IX with a Wacom tablet.

Quick Sketch

Just a warm up sketch.

Illustration Friday: Blue

I was thinking 50s movie poster.

Your comments are always appreciated.

So that's where the other liquor cart went...

Two of the 'tailies' in Lost were arrested for DUI.

HONOLULU - Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros, who star on ABC's "Lost," were arrested within 15 minutes of each other in Kailua for allegedly driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Both failed field sobriety tests and were released Thursday on $500 bail each, police said. The actresses, who were in separate cars, were arrested after their vehicles were spotted weaving on Pali Highway, which connects Kailua and Honolulu, police said.

Link

Illustration Friday: Small (Now with original)

The first thing I thought of when I saw the theme for Illustration Friday was good things come in small packages. My wife is a good thing (well, great really) and she is small.

Added:

Some of you asked to see the original pencil sketch before I did any Photoshop clean up. The faces in couch as well as the texture came from whatever was on the flip side of the sheet when I scanned it. My wife had been watching TV, but I lost interest in the background once I had completed her and the couch.

Thanks for the feedback.

Original:




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Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving if you are in the U.S.; otherwise, happy fourth Thursday in November to everyone else.




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Illustration Friday: Free

Hello folks,

First off, I want to thank you for the positive comments and encouragement for my last couple of entries into Illustration Friday—it means more than you can imagine.

Secondly, this week’s entry is a definite departure from the last few weeks of turkey noir, killer pumpkins and beat downs via remote control. When I saw the topic was free, the first thing that popped into my mind was freedom—specifically those guaranteed to citizens of the US by our founding documents.

Since 9/11, our freedoms have come under attack, and not from some Islamic whack-jobs who believe 72 virgins are waiting for them on the other side (wouldn’t you have loved to see the look on their twisted little faces when they found out what was really waiting for them?). And not just from our current administration, who believe that by giving the FBI the ability to search our library and phone records without our knowledge they are increasing our civil liberties. No, gentle readers, the threat comes from us—the you and I that forget who actually runs the government.

Without going into a long history lesson (Carla is much more eloquent than I am when it comes to combining lessons with art), the consent of the governed means that we, the citizens, allow the government to exist, and we can take that right away if we so desire. To quote Mr. Jefferson and company from the Declaration of Independence, 'whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends (Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness), it is in the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.' That’s powerful stuff.

I am not saying it’s time to rise up and be destructive or stop paying taxes, but I am suggesting that the next time you shake your head about something an elected official does, remember that you allow them to behave that way. And, like wayward children, sometimes politicians need to be redirected to the right track. And sometimes, the politicians need to be fired.

Ok, all that being said, this piece represents the freedom of religion (and the freedom from religion), the freedom of expression; the freedom of the press; and the freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances. All the freedoms adorn a shield that protects the governed. I did this completely in Painter IX.

Thanks for reading. As always, your comments are welcome.

Tony

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Old School and Truth in Adverstising

These videos are great. The first is an original commercial for the NES game "Legend of Zelda". The second reflects truth in adversiting for those late night talk lines.

Classic Nintendo Ad

Geek Phone Lines

Illustration Friday: Strength

This is for the Illustration Friday challenge of "strength".


This was done completely in Flash MX.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

PS..Anyone wishing to exchange links, please let me know.

Can You Hear Me Now?

In a case of multitasking gone mad, or just over achieving, a woman in Northern Virginia has robbed four banks while talking on her cell phone.

And yet some people can't negotiate a shopping cart while chatting.

Link to story

Illustration Friday: Night

This is for the Illustration Friday challenge of "night".


The figures were drawn in Flash MX and the background and text were added in Painter IX.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Reason 351 Why I Am A Libertarian. Or, are all Democrats and Republicans really this stupid?

A Republican candidate for governor of Indiana, Steve Rauschenberger, wants to introduce a resolution forcing retailer Abercrombie and Fitch to stop selling a line of t-shirts that he finds ‘offensive’ and ‘degrading’ to women.

Link to the full story

Ok, I have a couple of problems with this. First off, the U.S. is a free market; and the market will eventually decide what succeeds and what does not succeed. If consumers find the shirt offensive, consumers won’t buy it—how is this difficult for Mr. Rauschenberger to understand? Secondly, we have that little thing called the First Amendment: freedom of expression. Now, I understand that the current administration has been confused with this concept; but I am fairly certain that non-threatening words (and fairly humorous words at that) on an over-priced t-shirt are neither a threat to national security or somehow conspiratorial. For Mr. Rauschenberger to introduce a resolution that so clearly violates the basic framework of our country shows a scary lack of understanding of the constitution he says he will uphold as governor.

Not to be outdone, the Democratic mayor of Las Vegas suggested that vandals who put up graffiti should have their ‘thumbs cut off’. He also suggested that children who get in trouble should be ‘whipped or caned’.

Link to full story

Happy Halloween

Please click the arrow button in the top corner to continue through the story.

Illustration Friday: Remote

This is for the Illustration Friday challenge of "remote".

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Link Exchange

If any illustrators/artists would like to swap links, please let me know and I will add you once I've visited your site (just want to make sure that no Mongolian Nigerian Scam/Spam links slip in) I'll add your link. Thanks.

Yet another reason to hate Wal-Mart

Ok, so this high school student is assigned a civic's project to take photos and illustrate his rights under the Bill of Rights. Harmless, right? Well, not once you get Wal-Mart involved.

Via Boing-Boing

"Wal-Mart called the police on a high-school student who brought in a pic of a homemade anti-George Bush poster for photo-finishing. The Secret Service went to the kid's high-school and confiscated the poster."

Link to the whole story

Fifteen Minute Quickie

I try to do a minimum of 15 minutes of sketching a day. This was done a few minutes ago.

I've been tagged.

Lyn and Gina tagged me to share 20 random things and then tag some others.

1. I need to loose about 30 pounds.
2. I love sushi.
3. I haven't completely ruled out the possibility that a Matrix-like reality isn't as far fetched as we'd like to think.
4. Evangelical Christians and Baptists piss me off.
5. Thank God for spell check.
6. Halloween is my favorite holiday.
7. Any time I dance I set the "white guys who can dance movement" back 10 years.
8. I love old electronic gear, cameras, radios, etc...
9. I wanted to write comic books when I was in high school.
10. I met Stan Lee in an elevator at Marvel when I was 16.
11. Over 300 comic books in my collection were destroyed by a flood in the mid 90s.
12. I studied Teoul Moon Kung Fu for one year.
13. I studied Tai Chi on and off for 5 years.
14. I was invited to appear on the O'Reilly Factor when I said in a published column that Bill was wrong and acting like a fascist.
15. I love shopping for books, computers, and art suplies.
16. I watch more news than I should.
17. I vote in every election.
18. I think the truth is somewhere between NPR and Fox News.
19. I've been playing computer games since 1978.
20. I've embraced my inner geek.

Now I get to tag some folks...

Alina Chau
Rachelle
Sara

Illustration Friday: Cold

After last weeks sad entry, I decided to go with a lighter approach. This is for Illustration Friday's challenge of the 'cold' theme.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

How much pressure can one head take?

I had a headache for about six hours today. I did this sketch in Flash MX as a form of therapy. It didn't work.

Magazine Cover Art

This site is too cool. They have cover art of magazines from the 19th and 20th centuries--and it is free. Check it out. MagazineArt.Org

Illustration Friday: Lost

"Lost Without You"


My wife suggested this treatment of Illustration Friday's challenge of the 'lost' theme.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Playing In Painter

A warm up with the pencil tool in Painter IX.

Illustration Friday: Float

This is my entry for Illustration Friday's weekly challenge.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Who, as a child, hasn't thought that with enough balloons and enough helium they would float up to the sky?

Illustration Friday: Fresh

This is my entry for Illustration Friday's weekly challenge.

This was created entirely in Painter IX.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Anime Atlanta

Just got back from AWA. It was....amusing. I'll be posting some of the pictures I took tomorrow.

Illustration Friday: Escape

This is my entry for Illustration Friday's weekly challenge.



This was created in Adobe Illustrator and draws on my disc jockey background.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Illustration Friday: Depth

This is my entry for Illustration Friday's weekly challenge.




This was created in Poser 5 and Photoshop CS.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

But it tastes just like....

Ok, stay with me on this. A restaurant in China was advertising that it was selling tiger meat, which is illegal. When confronted by the authorities, the restaurant owner said, ‘No, no—it is actually donkey meat in tiger urine that we are selling,” which is legal. It’s enough to make you want to try tofu. Read the article here….

Illustration Friday: Roots

This is my entry for Illustration Friday's weekly challenge.

Lugi must learn that you cannot run from your roots.

Maybe they should up his meds...

So my wife and I were watching the fundraiser for the victims of Katrina on MSNBC last night when Mike Myers and Kayne West appeared on the screen. It was obvious from the way Mayers kept looking off camera that something was up with West's little tirade. Apparently, West did not just deviate from what the teleprompter said he was not even close to the meaning of what he was supposed to say. When it was Myers's turn to speak, his lead in line didn't make any sense to what West just said. Then, when it went back to West, he said, "George Bush doesn't like black people." What an idiot. You can read the full story here.

Maybe someone should point out to West that Bush has more blacks in high-level posts on his administration than any other president. Bush certainly is not the best president we've ever had, and I think his response to New Orleans was pitifully slow--but to make a blanket statement that he does not like blacks shows the speaker’s own prejudices and is disingenuous if not slanderous. If West wants to be pissed at someone, he should be pissed at the looters and the snipers in New Orleans who are killing both poor blacks and poor whites; pissed at the mayor of New Orleans who didn't send out city school busses that could have been used to pull people out of the city; and pissed at himself for ruining a sincere effort to help the needy. I wonder what the percentages of donations were before West's ramblings and after....


Updated Sunday, Sept. 4 8:52 AM

This was on the Drudge Report today, further pointing to the mayor as the person with the most blood on his hands:


Louisiana disaster plan, pg 13, para 5 , dated 01/00

'The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating'...

Busy day...

Between dealing with roofers and banks today, I was still able to update my profile pic, add another illustration to my illustration page and add two animations to my animation page.

I am so looking forward to this long weekend.

Illustration Friday: Dreams

This is my entry for Illustration Friday's weekly challenge.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Illustration Friday

My first entry for Illustration Friday's weekly challange. The theme for this week was 'Reflection'. The rough for this was drawn in Painter and then finished in Illustrator. Your comments welcome.

Whew...

Finally got my biz cards ordered...now if I can just get my site working before September first, I'll be a happy guy.

And the bloodletting begins....

Macromedia has dropped FreeHand from the new release of Studio 8. This just furthers the fear among folks in the graphic's world that went Macromedia merges with Adobe that Freehand will dropped in favor of Illustrator.
'Tis a sad day indeed.

Remote Controlled Humans

While this appeals to the geek in me--not to mention the fun you could have hooking this up to an unsuspecting friend--there is still something creepy about it. Check out the video....

So that’s how she does it…

I’ve been a reader of the Wall St. Journal for years and have always thought the portrait drawings they used were very cool. Well, thanks to Boing Boing, now I know how they do it. Visit the site of WSJ illustrator Noli Novak to see her work, or go straight to the How It’s Done page. BTW, they are called stripple portraits.

A little more history of the headcuts are here.

Progress is good

Updated the Illustration and Sketchbook pages of my illustration website. It's not the complete portfolio, but enough to show. Next week--the animation page.

This should increase attendence

I wonder if the High Museum of Art in Atlanta would consider this...


Museum to Let Naked People in Free

By WILLIAM J. KOLE
The Associated Press
Friday, July 29, 2005; 8:25 AM

VIENNA, Austria -- Vienna's prestigious Leopold Museum is usually a pretty buttoned-down place, but on Friday, some of the nudes in its marble galleries were for real.

Scores of naked or scantily clad people wandered the museum, lured by an offer of free entry to "The Naked Truth," a new exhibition of early 1900s erotic art, if they showed up wearing just a swimsuit _ or nothing at all.

Complete link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/29/AR2005072900556_pf.html

Some of my favorite bumper stickers....

"We're all wearing the blue dress now."

"Never mind being born again, how about just growing up."

Whoo-hoo

Everything is up and running. Ain't life grand?