On the run-up to APE Con...

Lots still to do to prepare for my first sales booth at APE Con. It's still about a month and a half away, but seeing as this is my initial foray into "retailing," albeit just for a two-day event, I am still readying myself and trying to find out the "unknown Unknowns" since I think I have already covered he "known Unknowns" by now...

Not really ready to go to sleep, though that would probably be wise at this point in the evening/morning. Too many idea are racing through my head, while I am still working to make concrete the ones that came before them. New printer on the way, to help make them manifest. A lot of people who have done prints for sale at other events have recommended the Epson R1800, which is discontinued, so I went for it's descendent, the R1900. Hope all goes well, as the low-end Epsons could sometimes be fussy, I hear the higher-end ones are more reliable and deliver even better results. I think I have lined up a T-shirt printer, and I have about half of the shirts I want to offer already laid out in Illustrator. Now I just have to wrap up the others...

Anyway, enough thinking aloud...time for bed.

That's more like it...

All the Sturm and Drang is over, and the Futrama Crisis of '09 that I was only recently made aware of is over! Fox and the voice actors have worked out their contract dispute, and Futurama's revival will go forward with the One True Cast. Frankly, I think Fox "acted stupidly" by even taking their game of chicken that far. If the execs knew what made Futurama popular, and therefore, a financial success by any measure, they would known that having the original actors is critical to any revival. I can understand not wanting to give the farm away, the actors on the Simpsons have managed up re-up to some pretty nice per-show rates, and I'm sure Futurama's budget isn't going to be anywhere near the current Simpsons budget. Still, if Fox had followed through and used new actors for the show, many, MANY of the existing fans would have not watched, other than perhaps a brief peek at an episode or two before turning away in disgust. The reason the DVD movies made money is because Futurama has a big following, somewhere between a large cult following and a moderate mainstream following. And the time and money were taken to make sure the movies were made right. My only complaint about them is that having to structure them in such as way as to be ready to be parsed into individual episodes for repeats on Comedy Central made some of them a little awkward. In any event, if Fox was were willing to let the X-Files run into the ground just to keep a marginal cult audience, they should have been more than willing to invest in the right talent to make sure the show stays true to itself and keeps existing fans as well as attracting new ones.

Now that things seem to be back on track, albeit with some unfortunate cuts to the writing and production staff, hopefully the new, somewhat slimmed-down Futurama will be as good as the original. It's up to all of us who love the esoteric humor and witty banter of Futurama to support it when it finally returns. If we're lucky, maybe this show can live on longer in its second run than it did in its first one...

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...