Good News, Everyone!

Been away from the ol' blog for a while, but I was so overcome with joy I felt compelled to holler from the virtual mountaintop...Futurama is coming back! Comedy Central has announced that they are ordering 26 new episodes of the series, after the success of the DVD movie sales and apparently, ratings for reruns on Comedy Central. After many years, there will once again be new weekly adventures with Fry, Leela, Bender, The Professor and the rest of 'em!

Honestly, I had dared not put much hope in this vague possibility, though I knew there was a chance. I was kind of disappointed when Futurama left Adult Swim, I felt like Cartoon Network was it's adopted "home." I hadn't really watched much Comedy Central for a while and it just isn't one of the stations I "automatically" find myself punching in when looking for something to pass the time. Well, once they announced the straight-to-video movies, it was clear that they were attempting the "Family Guy" miracle of reigniting a "dead star." I purposely bought, rather than Netflixed, each new movie, trying to do my part to show demand for the return of the series, and was thrilled by the crazy reception the Futurama panels always received at Comic Con. A lot of people I know love The Simpsons but say they "just couldn't get into" Futurama. Well, this was proof that there are still any people out there who ARE into it, and never let it go. I'm looking forward to the return of what I consider one of the greatest TV series ever, and I'm sure the throngs will be extra crazy at Comic Con this year. Wouldn't miss it for the world.

Have a Merry, Moddy Xmas!

This is one of my latest creations, it's currently available as a card on the Foldsy site. Kind of an experiment for me, I haven't done anything quite this "design-y" in awhile. I am not sure where the initial idea came from, though I was inspired style-wise by this great book I picked up recently! It's called "All Wrapped up!" and it's a collection of all kinds of mid-century wrapping paper designs, complied by a fellow Bay Area artist named Kevin Akers. I swear, Chronicle Books always seems to have the most wonderful, unusual stuff... Check it out here:

All Wrapped Up! Groovy Gift Wrap of the 1960s

Anyway, other than that I have been busy with a new round of Flash work for a longtime client, and have been looking to drum up some additional ones. These days, you can't have "too much work."

A Happy Birthday indeed!

This is my submission for a new online card site, Foldsy.com. This idea for a birthday card came to me unexpectedly, and oddly enough, close to my actual birthday! Sort of what I imagined to be the unconscious desire of a maladjusted magician, or a sexually curious Looney Tunes fan. I wonder, how many times DID Bugs Bunny show up in drag over the years...

A Message From The Colonel

Just a little something that expresses the true desires of the dear Departed Col. Sanders...

Video Link

Rest in Peace, Barbara Bradley

I was surprised and saddened to learn today of the death of Barbara Bradley, an accomplished illustrator and longtime teacher at the Academy of Art in SF. Barbara is a legend amongst legions of artists, for she taught generations of students after a career in commercial illustration. I had the chance to study under her a few years ago, and it was an exciting, rigorous, enlightening, and rewarding experience for me as an artist and as a person. Barbara was honest and direct in her observations and criticisms, which could be hard to hear sometimes. She was never mean or vindictive, rather she was kind, but firm. Like a strong mother figure. She helped me improve in a lot of ways and always pushed all of us in her class to take our work to the highest level we could. I'll never forget those times. When I think of Barbara Bradley, I remember someone who loved what they did and was always willing to share their insights and experience with others. She was a witty, insightful, and positive person. I am sorry that she is gone, but glad that she is not suffering, and that she will be remembered by many people for many, many years. Her work will live on, as will the knowledge she shared. She helped foster the abilities and creative drive in so many people who now can take pleasure in and share their own wonderful creations. Those are her gifts to this world.

Orderliness feels good!

After a somewhat chaotic period, I have finally had the time to get my house in order, both in the physical and digital realms! When you are working full time little things start to creep up, and before ya know it there are little piles of paper and DVDs and assorted ephemera that can become big piles if you keep stepping over them on the way to work or bed. The computer can suffer a similar virtual dilemma, with all manner of mp3s and URL links scattered into digital clutter. Suffice it to say, as a generally orderly person I dinna like it when this clutter creeps up on me. With a more moderate schedule I have been able to get my PC un-frazzled and my desk and floor as well. Small triumph? Perhaps. Small triumphs can still feel good, and put one in a positive mood conducive to doing bigger and better things. I will take joy in every little thing I can!

What I've been up to

I've been away from my blog for a while now, so what have I been up to? Mostly a ton of work for my main client, but also, working up some new character designs as part of an online class I took. It was taught by Steven Silver, and it turned out to be a great experience that gave me valuable insights into what I am doing right and not-so-right with my character designs. Here are a couple of my creations from that course. Updated versions of them are likely to follow...

Back on the East Side

I am in the middle of a trip back to my homelands on the East Coast. Been a good trip so far, though I find as time goes on, more and more familiar sights are gone or altered almost beyond recognition. I feel more at home in the snow and cold at Christmastime than I ever could in the moderate temperatures and fog of the Bay. It just doesn't feel like Christmas ever comes there, but then, I suppose if I had grown up that way it would seen natural. The cold, gray, diesel-y rest stops of I-95 just kind of put me in the mood for good times with family and friends. Yeah, I'm a kook. What else is new...

Still Alive...

Both the blog and I, that is... Here I am at 2:30 in the freaking morning, online since I cannot sleep. My sleep schedule has been kinda messed up the past couple of weeks,so most of my productive time is late at night and I doze half the day. As long as the same amount of time is devoted to my work as before I figure it evens out, at least as far as TCB goes. I do want to live among mortals again, so i am going to have to just force myself to stay awake all through the day for several days , and if I still don't go to sleep until 3AM, fine, but I have to wake up at 8:00am the next day either way. Evnetually my body will get the message and get me back to normal time, I hope.

Anyway, part of what I have been doing these late nights is working up some new character designs. I am almost done refining one of them, so I will post it here soon.

Not sure if anyone is reading this blog yet, as I have not added a link from my main site as of this date, but for those who are out there, keep an eye out, things should get more interesting around here soon.

Ratatouille the 3rd (time)

I recently saw Ratatouille again, even though it will probably be on DVD any time now. I really enjoy seeing movies in a theater, especially animated ones, and the DLP was a nice plus. Digital projection doesn't impress me that much with live action, but seeing 3D animation in digital makes it even more lively and vibrant. Of course, I live for rich colors, so that and the clarity of picture are enough to make me overlook the downside of slight "stairstepping" on some diagonal fine lines that will surely disappear with upped resolution in the future.

Anyway, I got to thinking about Ratatouille not because of the presentation but the film itself. One thought that keeps popping into my head is that I actually enjoyed a film set in France and focused on haute cuisine more than a story about cars and various aspects of car culture, especially vintage cars and ways of life. Anyone who knows me is well aware that I am far from a "foodie", despite living in Northern California for many years. As for cars, they are my biggest love after animation, and I'm rather nostalgic at heart, so a story about old-times and old-time cars would be a "slam dunk" for me. Don't get me wrong, I really loved Cars, and saw it in theaters thrice as well. Somehow though, I just felt more involved with the characters in Ratatouille, and was more excited, sad and overjoyed with them. I honestly was not overly excited in the run-up to this film, and didn't go to see it until it had been out for a couple of weeks. The character designs appealed to me, but I wasn't sure how much story could be wrung out of the premise. Suffice it to say, before the film had even ended, I was sold on it.

There are some other upcoming animated films that I have had similar doubts about, but this film has reminded me that amazing stuff can spring from relatively austere sources.