First Friday: the Return (acid-redux)

It's been a number of years since I've last set foot downtown for First Friday. Times have changed - in many cases for the better down there. Suppose one should look at the fact that there's now more money being pumped into the event than ever before (maybe could be wrong) and it's an oft-forgotten fact that the event has been around for like 10+ years (again, I could be wrong) though now it's blazing-ahead under a new flag/ownership. Waxing nostalgic, I can remember attending early First Fridays and having my meager set-up posted out on the side of the Funkhouse. Once played out in the street in the defunct group "Waste Management (6161)" - those were amazing times. Then when I joined up w/ the BlankCanvas collective we had a great run @ the Box Office with further artistic incursions taking place across downtown - BlankCanvas left it's mark. Of course I can't remember those days w/o thinking of my time spent @ the KGPA; all the crazy magical wonder that place developed. Anyone looking back in the early 2000's can see that there was an apparent "culture" in Las Vegas - it's just that hardly anyone cared to peep-it back then.

Well money changes things, having new backers and vision - is like hitting the reset button, yeh? So I've heard tell about how attendance is high, vibe being different and tinged commercial - universally I've heard people complain about the parking down there. Aberrant Press / Gett Comics rolled down there in the month of December and we had a pretty positive experience. It's definitely a different animal than I remember before, I get what people were talking about in regards to it being massively commercial now but that's one of those things, it's almost like you need that to draw in the crowd and to sustain its 3 sec. attention span. Parked on the northern outskirts afforded me the chance to revisit some old sites I grew-up in while attending the LVA, downtown still conjures up a curious brew of memories sometimes. Walking downhill I was able to see most everything, First Friday seems to have a good layout that's still in keeping with its roots. $5 for a PBR, though… yea, not so-much. Gone are the days of communal drinks fished from the depths of kiddie pools in someones backyard. I'm sure you can find cheese and wine if you know what you're doing, like it or not -more C.R.E.A.M. for your coffee.

Had a blast seeing some old faces and kicking' back w/ good friends. Hate rolling into something half-cocked casting scatter-shot, found myself working the day of so I wasn't there for set-up, took me a while to find our actual table/tent. Along the way I ran into the infamous Rade Q. Zone and spoke with him a bit - good to see he's still keeping up the good fight! Caught some B-boys breaking in a circle, crunk'd up in the crowd and wasn't alone.. made me lament some of the graffiti thats been covered up or torn down. Guess the terror-bombing that occurred down town tore-up more than some people realize. Admired some wares that I found along the way - lots more crafts / trades being featured, seeing such creativity conglomerated is a true sign of growth - either that or the continued melting-pot effect. 

..have art will travel..

Least-ways I found it refreshing having more than just tattoo artists w/ Juxtapoz'ed aspirations entrenched down there. Definitely a better vibe than I remember from before, it doesn't feel like a demilitarized zone anymore like it did when they erected fences and charged a "donation" to stroll the streets. Nice not having to deal with the "art police" ..though never censored I did have my store-bought beverage confiscated, sorry - I refuse to pay $5 for a beer.. I'm not a tourist.

Darmok 'n Jalad @ Tanagra

"We can learn so much from Star Trek."

Stardate: 66394.9 - It's the truth. STAR TREK: TNG was an amazing show once it got rolling. As a kid I remember watching it religiously and once it went into syndication I can remember it coming on in the afternoons and I would catch it after school. With so many amazing episodes in it's long run - they had some great writers onboard who were able to weave all kinds of lessons and messages into the show. This particular episode; "DARMOK" always stood out as being one that had a strong message about understanding and appreciating the diversity in the world around us - there were lots of episodes like this but this one I always felt told it in a very unique way. 

Another fond memory of the show strikes me a few years back; when we'd gather to work on the TFAD project and it was around the same time my friends Gilbert#1 and Jay were getting their comic "Super" going. We'd watch TNG and DS9 all afternoon when they'd run those programs on SpikeTV. Those were dark times for myself but I can remember good times throughout many of which involved Star Trek. It was then that I remember the idea of a spin-off show being brought up, featuring Riker and Worf in a Miami Vice meets Midnight Cowboy type-deal.

Zi0N: Beyond Known-Terror

View from "Weeping Rocks" @ the onset of peyote

Kicking-off December, couple of friends and I spent the weekend up-in Utah in the town of Springdale: the gateway to Zion national park. We'd been planning this trip for awhile now and it couldn't have come at a better time. It's been a number of years since I last went-up to Utah, believe the last time was a snowboarding trip I took with some long-lost friends. I've always liked it up there - fresh mountain air, actual foliage, intermittent cell phone reception and no slot machines. There's just always been a pull-towards nature that few people can resist (count me among those) when you've been stuck in a congested city for too long. Outside of Vegas the people pace and propagation are all different - you loose site of that I think the longer you stick stifled and simmering in big cities indoors.

Virgin River behind our room

We stayed in Springdale at the Desert Pearl Inn. So yea, couple things you can't miss in Springdale is the abundance of hotels, art galleries and girls piled in unusual Volkswagen(s)  - strange. It's billed as being the "Gate-way to Zion" so one can figure there'd be a ton of places to stay (if one isn't staying @ the lodge in the canyon itself) on top of lots of tourist-traps on a lower scale than one might expect. I'm sure there's a ton of other good places to stay in town but for my money DPI is the spot - how can you not like the place.. much of it was built using old tresel wood [link] from a railroad, it's got the Virgin River running right behind it -not to mention it's logo resembles the Evil-Eye of Sauron, though it also reminded me of the Fuji Eyeball from the game Super Pitfall for the NES- in the end I took it as a good omen. Springdale is a beautiful little town nestled against some truly majestic mountains, it's easy to feel inspired when in such environs which might explain all the art galleries down the main-drag. Tourists must drop a ton of money into this place - in my case it was blowing $24.88 on items in the supermarket that would've cost twelve dollars back home. There were places everywhere in town that reminded me of the KGPA which gave the whole place a cozy and welcoming feeling. While in town on the 1st night we strolled about taking in all the nuances under the stars; away from the city you forget just how many stars there are in the sky, Springdale itself was lit-up in more ways than one - holiday decor and after sampling the native brews on-tap we ventured into the hills to visit the local graveyard. Eldritch and solem, lit only by obscured moonlight we came across a grave simply marked "Baby" - a deer came into view across the open field and I felt my hackles rise before it flowed like quicksilver dissipating into a ghostly blue light.

"Weeping Rocks" clogged tear ducts 

Waking-up on the 1st morning in town was interesting. It's been a while since I've existed in MST - it's funny how things like timezones effect us. Spent a good deal of time in the morning getting shots of the virgin river out back-ways from our room. Daylight brought a whole new dimension to the river (photons tend to do that) which I reflected on while standing along it's banks. I decided to forgo the traditional breakfast fare in favor of coffee, sunflower seeds and a splash of V8 to wash it all down. Honestly I don't know what I was thinking but obviously it wasn't about the planned hikes for that day. First up to bat, steppin-up to the plate was the "Weeping Rocks" which is an easy one and thus makes for a nice initial warm-up. It's a fun hike that I've done once before years ago around this same time of the year. I figure it's Al Gore's fault cause he invented global warming but it was sort of disappointing that the rocks weren't so much weeping as they were wimpy. Yea, wet for sure, and muddy beyond all reckon - sights like these always look better in the travel brochures. Due to rain and other natural forces only a few trails were open. Part of what makes hiking so much fun is the variety of paths and trails to the final destination, so many of the trails have sections that split off at the onset or along the way. There's another trail you can trod-on in the Weeping Rocks area that I've never been on some "Hidden Trail" - for a future trip perhaps. 

Angels Landing

Once finished we moved onto the main course of the day; hiking to the top of "Angels Landing" w/ gusto. One slight hiccup in my plans for this trip was that I never did get around to getting new hiking shoes, ending up instead making the trek up to the Angels Landing in my iRobot Chucks. Badass or not - I wouldn't recommend doing it. Sure my feet looked cool doing it but lack of shock absorption and arch-support are a major buzz-kill. The thing that seemed to really do me in were the steep inclines where you gain a ton of vertical ground. Theres a stretch right before you hit the little bridge that induced a gelatinous feeling in my whole body - felt like my legs were going to give-out, but we pressed on further and further. The trail eventually leveled out for a while before hitting "the Wiggles" -a series of tight switchbacks created by Walter Wiggles.. I regret cursing the man's name during the ascension but felt I made amends once I reached the top -eternally grateful for the workout provided. It's usually at this point or maybe a bit further that people usually turn back cause before to long the trail ends and a lot of rock scrambling begins out along a ridge line to the very top of the monolith itself.

C  F♯  B♭ E  A  D

Looking back now at some of the photos my comrades and I took it's a wonder we made the climb all the way to the top. In reading about it, there has been a good-number of people who turn-back and never make the final push to the top. People with a fear of heights, those with ailments and a tenuous grip on reality are all among those with good reasons not to climb further.. however, we were determined to see the top. Throughout the entire climb one of the songs I played in my mind was, "the Greatest Adventure" from the Rankin/Bass animated Hobbit (1977), over and over again. I've always found that song to be inspirational and it makes for a good traveling tune. The climb out along the ridge and up the sandstone was one of the better parts of this trek. The sights were amazing along the way, steep cliffs to both sides as you pull yourself along lengths of chain over rocks and gnarled wood. How trees and for that matter chipmunks manage to exist up there is beyond me, life finds a way supposing, yeh? Upon reaching the top I was semi-delirious; chalk it up to doing this on an empty stomach and having to listen to a woman behind us for part of the way talk ad nauseam about HDR Toning.. saw in kaleidoscopic vision all the natural splendor laid-out before me. It's truly a rewarding challenge making it all the way to the top and I soaked it all-in. Counting our blankets [link] we made it up there in one piece each and all. One mixed blessing was the overcast sky; on one hand it was nice not have the sun blaring down on you but at the same time I think it diminished some of the sights, I've always found the desert to have some pretty compelling color schemes - especially when set within such a dynamic visual range. I'm not accustomed to seeing things with such magnified perspective in person.. in the movies, video games or even on the comic page ..maybe- but standing there breathing it in that's some other shit.

"Splash-Mountain"

The descent from Angels Landing took little over an hour (easier on the way down) though some where along the line Gilbert#1 messed-up his foot; breaking a bone yet continuing on - thats how you tough-it out. After resting up a bit back @ the hotel we hit the streets of Springdale looking to grub, our choice was simple; "Oscars Cafe" -is a really quaint / chill spot with excellent food and a colourful atmosphere. Oscars was so good we returned there the next morning for breakfast before setting out on a couple more trails. Next-up to fuck; the "Lower Emerald Pools" which weren't as impressive as I remembered. Last time I was in Zion it was a lot colder and can remember the Emerald Pools were frozen over with cool icicles clinging to cliffs all around you. This time around it was just really wet cold and muddy. We ended up hiking further-up making it to the "Middle Pools" but it became less and less impressive as we got higher up so turning back we made our way to the Narrows. I've heard tales of people's extended forays deep inside "the Narrows" though our time traveling them wasn't more than a couple of hours, we still managed to see some cool sights. Canyon walls looming up-up above, tracing the river back into the gorge - notable things encountered and recorded, saw so much wildlife on this trip. I'm really grateful that I have eyes now, days of seeing the world as an ever growing blurry construct are gone, can't imagine ever going back to seeing like that. Though now I do have to find some way to acquire a 2nd pair of glasses in the event of an apocalypse, I wouldn't want to end up like Burgess Meredith in the Twilight Zone.

Journey's End

Piece-meal(d): flat__ting process

"Myrrh-Man"

Over the course of the last couple weeks I've sat-down with the task of doing a series of flats in Photoshop. Spirited by the fact that I have a wealth of backlogged work that needs a dash of colour here and there, I've been motivated to lay-down flats and actually flesh out my work more. The tools are all there -why not take advantage? The actual mechanics aren't important in the flatting process though theres always a long and short path to set forth on when you open a new PSD file. Tired and true-blu the method of hacking away at it matters little - only that you get it done. I often get sloppy with my colour-flatting so I've adapted my free-wheeling methods and been trying to fine-tune the technique. I'll find myself getting the lulz when discovering a new way of doing something (e.g. color-holds) and it dawns on me how simple it is; like a balloon, and... something bad happens! At any-rate, the flatting process can become pretty tedious after awhile since all you're basically doing is laying in base-coats of paint to rework later as needed. It gets frustrating (least for me) after flatting for hours and it doesn't seem like you've accomplished much, then once you start to render out the colours you'll quickly realize how important the flats are and how much simpler they make things. I've also found flats to be an excellent base from which to work with zip-tones. It's all worth-it when a piece is deemed "DONE" and you can move onto the next one with yet another finished project in the books and some new skills / knowledge in the arsenal.

Back in high school we studied colour-theory, though I can't recall very much of what I learned then, it's been enjoyable revisiting it all. Colorimetry and all it's trappings fascinate and terrify me equally at the same time - when you see what a splash/dash of pigment can do for the perceptions, tickles the retina and brings life to the image. Studying the works of true masters like Dave Stewart and Tom Luth, trying to grasp how they understand color(s) and form. Working with different textures and tones is also within the reach of even the most pedestrian artist when in the digital realm. Before I think the root of my frustrations with colour came from physical limitations - having a particular Prisma Marker dry-up at the most crucial time or having the paper soak-in more than you'd like.. Blahh, don't have that to worry about now.

"Keep it simple stupid."

"Droopy-Adventure
Spyder-Dangler"

Even around the studio death and danger lurk so beware. Sitting in one spot long enough and I start feeling my body knotting-up; developed and dealt with exceptional back-pain awhile ago, hand cramps and twitches become routine, eye-strain as well is pretty unavoidable after an extended time glued to a retina display. About the only things you don't have to worry about while working digitally (as opposed to analog) are paper-cuts and lead poisoning. Earlier in the year when I made the decision to work (almost) exclusively digital -I started to develop bad back pain from all the time spent sitting. Piss-poor posture combined with an old worn-out office chair spelled "lumbar-dic doom" and really had me on the ropes for awhile. Investing in a solid office chair, working on my posture and yoga-fire were/are things I've had to adopt in-order to fight-off the effects of back pain. For my digits I looked to the interweb for answers, I came across a good series of stretches for my hands wrists and shoulders [link] which have helped combat stress and fatigue - hand cramps are the worst. Musicians and potters I believe could even benefit from some Ergocise. Just getting up-out and about daily does wonders.. the occasional C-Walk up the street at the park or tear-assing around the local ice-rink become a weekly necessity.

"Unleash Bass-Terror über alles"

Ha.ck[ed] Projekt

"Button-mashing"

Recently I was approached by an old friend to help assemble graphics and layouts for reproductions of old NES games. Being a product of the 80's myself I felt it was a good fit and quickly jumped at the chance to test my digital-chops. An added incentive was the fact that one of the initial projects I'd be working on involved designing a box and label for Rockman: Exile. Essentially what you've got with this game is Megaman 2 on PCP. It's a ROM-hack made by fans where they've changed the entire game around from the colour palettes down to the individual enemies you face throughout the modified levels. It's an insanely difficult game for even the most seasoned side-scrolling player. It's not the only one, Megaman Ultra is another hack with some really bizarre variations within. While before I wade my way into this project I had heard of a few such hacks but it wasn't until I really started researching the phenomenon that I came to see just how creative some of these rouge-developers actually are. Much of the creative fervor comes from love of the game(s)- love of the culture along with-it and that's something I can get behind. It's sort of along the lines of a tribute and/or cover band, right? It's also a way to contribute to the same culture I grew-up with which is always appealing -nostalgia takes one back, yeh? I've had a blast working to 8-bit crunched goodness in the form of classic videogame soundtracks and of course going back and playing emulated NES games on my desktop. Of course, ones' got-to know when to unplug and stay on task - ADHD be damned.

"Sweet Home" artwork CMYK

Fan-hacks aside, there also exists a market for games that were released in other countries but not here in the states. "Sweet Home" is just such a game - it was released in Japan for the Famicom but was never ported out to other regions. It involves a good deal of work breaking open old Nintendo cartridges, reworking the chips and boards inside them and recreating a game that someone can enjoy on this side of the world. My part in this endeavor is simply to recreate the graphics for the recreated labels and boxes - the attention to deal means everything. I've found myself learning a great deal from this project in terms of using several applications I'd never even bother messing with. Endgame dictates I'll arrive at the final destination with something to show, some knowledge possessed and/or aspirations attained. All the hours put in have a good effect when I see improvement in other areas of my development while working digitally. Every so often I'll work in vector-zulu mode bringing stroked-paths and neatly packed type to bare. So it stands, we've been plying the trade and "tilling the soil" + having a bit of fun while we're at it. I now have working copies of the games I've created labels for and they're shway! It's been really gratifying seeing the finished product rolling out of the deeps of the darkness- positive energy activates, constant elevation.

Present Moment (14.11.12)

Krylon™ Pain-Maker: "CAVITY CREEP"

More downtime inevitably leads to more wheel-spinning. What's one to do when ol' man time appears to have turned his back and you're left to your own devices in the meanwhile. Well it ain't news - his back is never truly turned, father times' slow grind through the ages and we're but the span of seconds in the grand-scheme of things, yeh? I've been adopting a more rigid work schedule when it comes to creative expression, at least I've been trying to maintain it.

When I arise from my waking-grave in the mornings I give Mr. Coffee the go-ahead to ignite and while I wait for the grind to transmute into java I'll usually spin around in circles just to get the blood rushing in all directions (south from the north pole). Sometimes when my vision is skewed and it's all in a whirl I'll have a moment of clarity, spinning after-all is a natural hallucinogen. Even on days when I work my day-job I try to put in two-hours before leaving for work, sketching usually for those first couple hours in the morning. I find that when falling into a (healthy) routine it's fun to see how long you can keep it going, like seeing "how many envelops you can lick in an hour - then break that record" [link] ..can't lie - over the years I've become an adept procrastinator. In recent times I've tried to manage my time more effectively and strive to make at least one solid move in my chosen direction. True enough -not having a concrete project to work on is detrimental; perhaps it's  easier when you have a clear-cut goal and/or finish-line to cross.. or so it's been said. 

Due to the bullshit that is the 2012 NHL lockout- I haven't had hockey to follow and distract me. Oh sure, the AHL isn't shutdown so I've been enjoying Charlotte Checkers games via interweb radio which is nice but I miss having Chuck Kaiton's call blaring out from across the room while I draw. I suppose having less hockey is a good thing in regards to staying on task and accomplishing something in the now. I prefer to listen to games rather than watch them while I'm work on stuff - can't concentrate when I have the visuals cause my eye will just want to follow the play instead of staying down on the paper. This lockout is truly depressing for Caniacs out there, this was the season where Karmanos and the new investors behind the team opened up the checkbook and gave Jim Rutherford the go-ahead to acquire some new pieces. Amongst Hurricanes fans the buzz was awesome, we haven't had an off-season like that in a while and the teams roster has major firepower now - line combos that would yield at least 3 SOLID scoring lines. This lockout came at a horrible time cause it feels like it knocked the wind out the the sails, least-ways when you see the amount of distress and anger some fans have exhibited and the reactions some of the players have displayed. All I've gotta say, "Thank the maker for Marek VS. Wyshynski" who's podcast has been the beacon of light in the storm of bullshit that is the 2012 lockout.

=== Two Line Pass ===

Word on the street is Aberrant Press and Gett Comics is going to have a table @ the December First Friday. I say bundle-up (straight jackets by North Face) cause hell must be freezing over. Years back I swore off having anything to do with the whole 1st Friday event downtown. Back in the day it was a totally different matter when the BlankCanvas collective was holding it down round the Box Office and Bunkhouse. Remembering back in '09 I was down there and had my car broken into- said the day I'd return to 1st Friday would be the day pigs fly. Since I'll be down there rolling hot on the 7's I'll report back if I see any swine in the sky. We've been working on getting a line of t-shirts going now that we have the equipment and the motivation. I've been working on several designs but I can tell I'm pressing and over thinking it. I've gotten a plethora of great tips/tricks from this great web article.

( 67 )

Critical Care Comics

http://www.criticalcarecomics.org/

While @ the VVCBF wandering up from artist alley into the upper halls I stopped by the Critical Care Comics table. What caught my attention was the fact that they were giving away FREE Steve Rude comics - how could anyone pass that up?

Checking out their site and from what I gathered at the table they essentially collect old back issues that get donated too them and they put those same comics in the hands of kids in hospitals. Pretty cool idea, right? Some comics aren't even worth the paper they are printed on and this is a good way to unload all those books you don't read anymore or have collected in an omnibus and the like. Now I know what you're thinking... "Whoa, great I can finally dump all my old 90's Extreme Studios books!" ..NOT SO FAST, if you were a sick child recovering in a hospital the last thing you'd want is a copy of Youngblood #0 sitting in the same room as you -would smell of grave-mold, rot and broken dreams- though I suppose even that book can inspire (artistic) hope in some.

I thought it was a really cool charity/donation and fully intend on gutting my comic boxes and cleaning out the clutter. I remember back through the fog of time I once donated a ton of toys to a charity like this. Though they were old toys I remember as a kid that with just my imagination I could make even pinecones and twigs come to life -old toys can be just as good if not better (least-ways better made) than new toys. One thing I've continued to indulge in over the years; when I do have a sick day and I'm just laid-up in bed I usually haul out all my old Legos and just start building things. I can totally see how comics and toys can help pass time while in recovery +1

VVCBF 2O12

Dan (LEFT) and Jay (RIGHT)
sketching and socializing. 

Well, log another good year in the books for the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival. The library hosts this event as well as organizes it under a larger umbrella across the city. Each year this little local event has built-up steam and we were prepared for this one to be just as good if not better than last years' (which was awesome) and sure-thing, this past Saturday was a blast! The attendance was great and only picked-up as the day wore on, the weather was perfect, though it did get a bit warm outside once the blazing ball of fire was directly overhead. Each year it seems they tweek the event little by little; the basic layout seems to stay the same but this year they moved the artists alley section across the way from where it was the previous year. This switch was great cause the conference room it was set in had great natural light and plenty of headroom. I personally thought the space was a bit cramped behind the table but when you consider it's 3 (three) of us in one spot + all our product and decor... congested, yeh? All-in-all our set-up was good and table placement wasn't too shabby. Thanks to a vicious promotional social-media campaign most people were able to find us without any difficulty.

Gett Comics in association w/ Aberrant Press brought the promotional heat with a free mini comic; "Jasper & Star" written and illustrated by Dan Blodgett. The mini comic was given out to all the VIP attendants and passed out free to everyone who walked by the booth. I heard from a lot of people that they thought it was "cute" and "clever" and I kid you not, in one instance it elicited a "screech of enjoyment" from a six year old I saw flipping through it infront of our table. Fun little book and a great way to get comics in the hands of people. The festival is after-all held at a public library, it's a free event and I think there's a good number of people who just stumble into it from off the street. Passing out free books at a public place like that is a good promotional tool. One would have to figure that it being a local festival that home grown talent would rule the day; true enough the Vegas scene was well represented with a lot of familiar faces and the usual suspects. Great seeing the ACC set in full-effect and it's always good seeing familiar faces stopping by the table. Nice seeing how something like the shared love of comics and all-things geeky can bring so many people together, fun seeing how it moves and inspires them. Credit is due to those who organize the whole thing - bravo and thanks for having us each year! Also I think our tax dollars might have contributed something to the effort.

I regret not spending much time at the table this go-round. Between the space given and all the stuff crammed in and around it I felt kinda cramped there. I did manage to spend a little time sketching at the table when there was an open chair. I think from now on I'll take a small folding stool to perch-up on, cause table presence is a terrible thing to waste. My two cohorts ended up doing really well on doing sketches [DEADPOOL-!!] alone and that's something I wish I'd have been able to partake in a bit more. I recently picked-up some little sketch cards that I can do little pieces on and they even come with their own individual plastic sleeves - they looked clever so I've been working analog on them here and there. In the last few years the whole sketch card thing's gotten pretty big. You see it at conventions and even online you can find people doing them and selling on eBay. The other day at work I managed to crank-out 3 that I was happy with but ended up leaving them at work so I didn't have as many for the festival as I would've liked. Sad to say that with all the build-up and lead-time I wasn't able to deliver the works I've been laboring over for the last month. Chalking it up to random events and collateral damage - couldn't be more simple, yeh? Still there should be no excuses.. "get it done, do the work." You hear it all the time but for me it was reading an interview with Guy Davis where he said; "When you're missing your deadlines, you're just hurting yourself- well, yourself and your publisher."

Training our eyes on the future now - there's other conventions coming up that we plan on attending. There's many like Emerald City Con and SPX I've dreamed of hitting up.. "have pencil will travel" artistic adventures across the globe, powered by creation, others seem to do it.. why not throw my lot in? Arizona is right next door and for some reason we've never made it down there for a convention. Denver Comicon was pretty successful from all I heard and it's been a while since I've gone sky-high with my feet still on the ground. Even Idaho has a comic convention... strange. Well, at any-rate I look forward to hitting more festivals and cons in the future. There's nothing wrong with being the man behind the OZ-like curtain making the magic happen; just experiencing all the energy and enjoyment a convention or gathering can offer is pretty heady - for me it always gets me motivated and makes all electric. One thing I always enjoy is going out at night after a convention in a city like San Diego (gaslamp) and soaking in that atmosphere. Remember this past Comicon we hung-out in a big group at a sports bar downtown while the table next to us a group was recording a podcast and having a grand ol' tyme. At the time I thought it was pure hubris but looking back it was passion infused spontaneity - talk about infectious, one of our friends even jumped into the podcast recording. Guess bottom_line is obviously I need to get out more.

CTRL+ALT+SHIFT

"Shift" is a really novel / fun board game [link]

Last night some friends from work and I managed to set it up finally. We got together to play an interesting board game that my friend Rebecca Kubla had discovered awhile back. It's a pretty cool game once you open yourself up to it and once you figure out the rules and get the flow. What I found most interesting about it was that with most any other game you have objectives, this one had the tired and true goal of reaching the end, but along the way across the game board you must divest your(self) game piece of these little rings which represent sorta like mental/emotional roadblocks. There's all kinds of squares to land on and it's a very social game meaning that it didn't get boring at all cause it keeps you engaged. I must admit that when I played it I wasn't in the right-mind as I had been tearing through bottles of Werewolf all night - still I was able to glean something from the game (as did others in attendance) and I can attest to actually feeling / experiencing the vaunted / fabled "shift" that is the games' namesake.

The game makes mention and references "A Course in Miracles" (ACIM) which is something of an interest to several of my friends. In and around work my friend Krystal has brought in the book and though I've only skimmed through a few pages I can tell that it does indeed have a lot of good ideas. Incidentally those friends who've embraced some of the thought-system have surely seen some amazing changes in their lives - as an outside observer looking in; it's pretty interesting seeing the changes in people and seeing the success / gains that have come their way.

SmudgeGuard2®

The modern world is full of amazing gadgets gimmicks and blitzkrieg. Turning on the television at night you see all the infomercials - with Montel now up in that game - where they sell you on the next "must have" device. If it's anything humans' possess it's ingenuity and that gives rise to all that adaptational badassery. We're always finding better ways to improve on and interact with the technology thats being birthed/regurgitated at such a prodigious rate.

[as]Advertised being: "something you can't live without." ..who knew?

counting coup 

SmudgeGuard2® is such a product. Looking into buying one after hearing some rave reviews of the product from some people on DeviantART. On a sympathetic-tip I was sold after learning it's a lefty-inspired invention; being south-paw myself (least in regards to writing / drawing) this appealed to me. Gotta say it's super-handy [drop//rock the pun] when working on the Wacom tablet. It happens all the time but it's (of course) more of a problem in the summer-heat, when working on the tablet my hand starts picking up all the oil and grime on the surface as my hand heats up. I've tried to correct this problem on my own, everything from fashioning my own sequin glove to draw with - and going the other route and actually taping a piece of typing paper over top the wacom surface. Nothing cuts to the heart of the matter with as much elegance as SmudgeGuard2. I've now had it for awhile and have wanted to express how much it's helped me with my workflow here at home. It's comfortable to wear. Seems to be made from good long-lasting material(s). I predict it'll end up being the new fall sensation [j/k] and eventually end up in many an artist's arsenal. Though I don't own a Cintiq it's just as good on a wacom tablet cause much of the same principles and procedures apply, yeh?

This guy's video basically tells the whole story...

G-fUnk 0DYS53Y

"the Marquis" Fan-Artæ

Bringing it back to base; back on task and accomplishing much with all the time on my hands. So much time spent sitting at the computer working and you'd think I'd have more to show (which I do) but much of what I'm working on seems to be in a constant (re)flux. That is to say, I'm working on a handful of things at once which I don't think is very productive but I've fallen into this routine and rather than fight against the current I'm deciding to go with the flow (water just get warmer?) for better or worse. Suppose then this is a product of the "digital workflow" I've adopted now and feel comfortable with. Currently I've been finding myself unleashing my inner George Lucas in the way of taking older works and re-doing / reconstructing them entirely in Photoshop.

Yea, sure... it might seem counter productive but with my latest batch of re-worked chipboard pieces I've A.) learned a great deal, 2.) it never hurts to put time in on the Wacom, and C.) I've been able to salvage pieces that I would've otherwise have just cast off unfinished. Then again maybe somethings are best left unsaid/unfinished. Still, with the halloween holiday coming up I feel I've stumbled into a happy accident. Many of the chipboard pieces I'm re-working happen to be themed for the fall season. One of the more enjoyable parts to the process I've found has been delving into the creation of my own textures for use in toning or as a surface / background behind the illustration. Having some experience in the past with StrataVision 3D 4.0 has helped me figure it all out again. In high school when I used Strata's texture mapper I'd always tweak-out some of the surfaces in it's library by importing the image files into Photoshop (3.0) and going to town on them. I guess why this appeals to me is cause it feels like whimsey; I'm going for an organic-looking product in the end - organic usually involves a lot of experimentation. When I first got the idea to start re-working some of my older pieces I hit on the idea of doing them with canvas backgrounds - in a vain attempt to ape pretension - so many artists like to paint and draw on wooden blocks/slats or faux-canvas and mock-fresco. I've often thought this looked rather sporting but have never had the inclination to paint (a whole 'nother animal) my art on something like that. The next best thing I've found is simply creating weird textures and surfaces to draw on in Photoshop. It's fun just trying different effects and patterns and laying them up against some high rez images of canvas and even different stocks of paper.

As it's been said, I've had a little bit of time on my hands. Hours at my day-job had basically dried up but I'll be picking up some this weekend - thankfully. It's been nice not having to go into a casino for an extended period of time. Nice not having to hear the loud never-ending din throughout the entire place, is sweet not seeing people flushing their money down a toilet and even better not having to deal with rude and/or drunken guests. I've been doing it for a number of years now and if it's one thing I've learned about myself is that while I can bare down (like any sensible person) and do the job - it ain't what I should be doing. There's people I've talked to at work who deal even more in aggravation with the public than I do; namely the people who work in the players club. Notice sometimes too that it takes a certain type of person to deal with folks like that all day, surely someone with more patience than I'm able to muster. Waking up today I decided to embark on a "G-Funk musical odyssey" via Youtube. Simply typing in "g-funk instrumentals" gave me hours and hours of melodic enjoyment, kicking it all off with Warren G & Nate Dog and finally capping off the day with a heady dose of Dre. Often times I work only to instrumentals for the reason that when I hear lyrics, even familiar ones, I tend to pause and think about them. With instrumentals I get into a groove and just work - all the better when one must get shit done, yeh? Hip-hop instrumentals are especially good cause they help me find a rhythm and I'm able to keep time and my productivity seems to ebb and flow with the beats.. least I feel it in my lazy bones.

"I know you're bobbin your head. Cause I can see you"

Las Vegas Comic Expo

So this weekend (Sept 29-30) here in Vegas we had the first ever Las Vegas Comic Expo [link] at the Riviera Hotel on the strip. It was a great event and from what I saw it was a smashing success; I hope that means we'll be getting another one next year. They had some really BIG names come out to this first ever convention and I think that lent a good deal of legitimacy to the event. In years past we've had comic conventions here in Vegas but for some reason none have ever really taken off. I can remember back in the 90's during the IMAGE Comics boom we had a couple of good ones @ the Sands Expo Centre and of course who can forget the great collector cons the old Showboat casino had going down on Boulder Hwy? The last "big one" I believe came sometime back in '04 or '05 when someone tried (and ultimately failed) to create a HUGE comic/anime/gaming convention inside the Mandalay Bay convention centre. I remember that one being around the same time I released my first self-published comic and having a table there along with the Barebones Studios guys.

Dan (LEFT) and Jay (RIGHT)
sketching @ our booth T-13

The Comic Expo this past weekend was great. I shared a table with my friends / fellow artists Justin "Jay" Newberry and Daniel Blodgett where we were selling our comics prints and such. We also did sketches and created little "mini sketch books" just for this event. I worked pretty hard right up to the buzzer getting my prints and sketch book finished in time. Originally this convention was going to be @ the Alexis Park Resort but the great deluge (2012) flooded their convention space causing the whole thing to move to a bigger/better location @ the Riviera Hotel. This was a true boon to us since apparently it opened up even more space. Saturday drew HUGE attendance and Sunday was just as packed it seemed, we had good foot-traffic through our area in Artists Alley. My bear print [link] sold really well - people always seem to react well to it especially kids. I also ended up moving a good number (more than I expected) of Mini Sketch Books for only $1.00. In the end though I think I gave away more of them to friends at the expo and to anyone who made a purchase of my prints. Still it was a great idea and they all came out looking real tight - Dan and Jay both had them as well so our table was reppin' pretty strong. It was also nice seeing the local (Vegas) talent having such a good turnout; from all the local artists/writers to all the locals who came out for the cosplay contest and the volunteers who kept the thing running smooth. I thought the whole thing was run pretty smooth considering all the little hiccups they had to go through with moving to another venue, in the end it was an even better deal cause the Riviera was excellent - colourful degenerate gamblers mixed rather well with all the costumed heros/villains running around.

"Enigmonkey"

Next up to fuck, we've got the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival [link] which is shaping up rather well. The Comic Festival is a portion of the larger whole, the festival is broken down into 3 (three) [link]. We've had tables at all of these so far that are hosted by the Vegas Library District and every year the festival gets bigger and bigger. My friend Jay is on the committee for this upcoming one so he's been trying to get more involved with the event since it's in our own backyard and's looking to grow. I'd look to get more involved myself but time is always a factor, plus I doubt they would like any of my ideas since most of them involve questionable promotional ideas. Last year we had a blast and it was the first time we used our new convention set-ups. By the looks of things this upcoming festival will be just as good as last year. Each year it seems to pick-up more steam and last year the "artist alley" area was jam-packed with local creators as well as some who traveled there from out of state. This festival is only one-day; Saturday, Nov. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. inside and around the Clark County Library (1401 E. Flamingo Road)

© Eric Beymer Photography

"The Paincave?"

[insert token + press play]

The Pain Cave.) no definition within contains any real meaning or connection to what I'm reaching for. I think a better, or kind-wise, more "fitting" description can be found (of course) within someone's lyrics somewhere; in this case.. thanx, El-P [link].

If it exists anywhere it would be in the mind of an individual. An internal place/space one can dwell amongst thoughts feelings and creation... at least I'd like to think there'd be creation somewhere in there. Of course the path inward can be destructive at times - you've gotta smash down the walls of the psyche, but just as often all that's needed is a fresh coating of pathos on those same walls. I've dwelt drenched in angst sopped stooped in a cramped negative-spaces, known comfort missing in the saturday morning toon-show recollect. It's all to easy.

Once you're in there, though, I think the capacity to create is amplified somehow. It's for that reason I think artistic-types don't really shy away from this internal place, whatever the final destination psychonauts everywhere seem to either find themselves destroyed or reformed - bigger better brighter badder in the glorious fires of inspiration/creation. Yet I've seem many the creative-type who've run aground in the present; hell I've been there more times than I can count, finding myself sty·mied and lost / cast-off in the tempest. Storming the walls of Dis - hellbent on catharsis. 

..as if we could get enough..
"It reads like stereo instructions."

We'll find ourselves there at times and we don't even know it, like we arrive at the doorstep of discovery only to play a game of ding-dong-ditch at the first tinge of feeling. While other times we'll wear-out our water-wings while swimming through the æther. Suppose it's always best to ere on the side of caution least-ways when exploring the unknown, yeh?

Hunkered down at home, dug-in with the battle lines drawn.

Further Reading:

• War of Art, by Steven Pressfield. Click the link - you can download a copy of this great book in PDF format. Splendid source of inspiration to dig out of your creative-rut.
• Steve Rude: Artist in Motion, by Steve Rude and John Fleskes. Aside from all the pretty pictures this book offers hard hitting truths any artist can appreciate. Also features an introduction by Mike Baron.
• Modern Masters Series, from TwoMorrows Publishing. Wonderful series of books (also a few DVDs) which looks at the art and careers of todays greatest sequential storytellers. Each book centres on an artist w/ interviews and examples of their work. They've done quite a few now so pick one and get inspired.