30 years ago Apple Computer announced that the Macintosh would be introduced to the public during the Super Bowl… I was a senior in high school. My parents were big into supporting us educationally with the latest fad… We had an Apple II+ I shared it with my brother and my mom (she loved playing games and would get rather obsessed over some of them). My parents decided since I was going to college that I might need a computer- this was very forward thinking. We went into a computer store and I figured I would get an IBM PC jr. I was mistaken… The salesman asked me what I knew about computers (not much) and what I didn’t like about computers. I replied I didn’t like having to type in “load” or “run” or “brun” That I just wanted something easy that worked. He sat me down at this taupe box put some headphones on me and proceeded to sell my father an IBM PC while I went through the tutorial for “MacPaint.” I was sold. I don’t really know how my life would have been different if I hadn’t ended up with a Mac. I don’t know if I would have done as much with art, or even technology. It’s silly to say a computer could have that much influence on your life, but I know this is one of those things that made me the person I am today. Oh, and I still own my first Macintosh from 1984.
Latest Comics
30 days of drawing… day 22
30 years ago Apple Computer announced that the Macintosh would be introduced to the public during the Super Bowl… I was a senior in high school. My parents were big into supporting us educationally with the latest fad… We had an Apple II+ I shared it with my brother and my mom (she loved playing games and would get rather obsessed over some of them). My parents decided since I was going to college that I might need a computer- this was very forward thinking. We went into a computer store and I figured I would get an IBM PC jr. I was mistaken… The salesman asked me what I knew about computers (not much) and what I didn’t like about computers. I replied I didn’t like having to type in “load” or “run” or “brun” That I just wanted something easy that worked. He sat me down at this taupe box put some headphones on me and proceeded to sell my father an IBM PC while I went through the tutorial for “MacPaint.” I was sold. I don’t really know how my life would have been different if I hadn’t ended up with a Mac. I don’t know if I would have done as much with art, or even technology. It’s silly to say a computer could have that much influence on your life, but I know this is one of those things that made me the person I am today. Oh, and I still own my first Macintosh from 1984.
30 Days of Drawing… Day 21
30 Days of Drawing… day 20
2/3 of the way done with the challenge and today gave me some time to catch up on a few things… including getting some neglected stuff together for some conventions I’ll have a table at – The INDYpendent Show and Indy Pop Con. Both look like they should be fun and educational (especially for me).
Today’s drawing is actually roughing out some ideas for the Circle City Aerodrome art show I have been asked to be a part of- another thing on my to do list that I need to take care of (deadline in 7 days). I’ve always enjoyed the aesthetic of Steampunk, even going to the Lego Steampunk session at Brickworld Chicago last year. I just need to decide what I’m actually going to do. To use one of my favorite quotes “One-half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it.” So what do I give up to start delving into the realm of steampunk or cosplay?
This is, of course, a portrait of Sir Cecil. E. M. Ookington-Smythe KBE DFC on his faithful steed “Bernice” after returning from “abroad” (Sir Cecil never did explain whether it was forward or backward through his chronovortex.) The original artist is unknown and presumed eaten. 30 days of Drawing… day 19
If Cecil had only listened to those Brady kids…
Playing around with perspective today. Yes, I still need some work, but at least I’m trying.
30 Days of Drawing… Day 18
Today I attended a wonderful workshop today dealing with chemistry in classroom. It was lots of fun and reminded me of an old character I created almost a decade ago- Dr. Roswell W. Gigabyte. The silliest thing about this character is I really never drew him, I had instead created the character out of clay and he hung out in the Computer Lab of the school I worked at. He ended up being something I placed in photos I took at school as kind of a “Where’s Waldo?” activity for the students… It helps a lot if the kids know that they are supposed to look for a character. Roswell met a horrible end when I was teaching a class in clay animation one summer and left him (and all the other characters I had made) in the backseat of my car… yuck! 30 Days of Drawing… day 17
There are some days you just feel like a dinosaur…
It has been a long week and I decided since I have a workshop to attend tomorrow I needed to quickly get my required drawing done and relax. I started this doodle somewhere around 8:30 PM I’m posting it at 9:15 (ish) 45 minutes for a colored doodle. Not too shabby. While the race is always won by the quickest, sometimes it helps.
It has been a long week and I decided since I have a workshop to attend tomorrow I needed to quickly get my required drawing done and relax. I started this doodle somewhere around 8:30 PM I’m posting it at 9:15 (ish) 45 minutes for a colored doodle. Not too shabby. While the race is always won by the quickest, sometimes it helps. 30 Days of Drawing… Day 16
This summer it’s MINI Takes The States again. Again I’m planning on going (at least part way- curse you school starting the first week of August). Over the years Cecil has created a following on these things, it started at MINI United and this merry little band has grown each year. This year I’ve been designing badges for members each with a different MINIon. So I sketched out this one for MINIon #1701. I’m still working on a bunch of these, and hopefully will get them finished in time.
Here is the finished work…
30 days of Drawing… day 15
What Ho! It’s time for an adventure! While I never played a fighter/warrior in any roleplaying games I decided a happy go lucky guy with a sword was an interesting doodle for today. As for role playing in “Advanced D&D” my best character was an assassin (Lawful Evil). Sneaking around removing obstacles (and characters who got too full of themselves). In College we played MERP (an off shoot of ICE) and I played a magic user with a lot of sword skills. He usually wandered around with a katana (c’mon Highlander was big) looking like a low level adventurer until a fireball came rushing towards the unaware evil creatures. That was one thing I did like about those games… we weren’t allowed to have evil characters since we were out battling evil. When I tried WOW I ended up with a rogue and a wizard. I stopped playing because it got pretty repetitive, and I don’t play well with others. I’m looking forward to getting back into roleplaying sometime, just don’t know when.
30 Days of Drawing… Day 14
Almost 4 years ago I did something scary… really scary. I started this comic strip. Today I again was told by the Professional review board for the San Diego Comic Con that after reviewing my work in their eyes I am a Professional. I, once again, am in shock. When I went out to visit my parents over the holidaze I was reminded that I tend to talk down about myself… It’s just the way I am. I always know I can do better. You just have to look at the beginning of this comic strip to see that. To have some people look at my art and say “he is worthy” just blows my mind.
As for today’s comic… If you’ve ever seen me at a Comic Convention this is how I tend to look. This drawing is basically “who me?” Which was how I felt after getting the email today, reading it over and over again. The shirt is actually a scan of the shirt I have, because anyone can wear a Hawaiian shirt. 30 days of Drawing… Day 13
So today was the first day back to school and things went well. Tonight was the GiG (Girl’s in Geocaching) monthly dinner, this time held at Gramboli’s Pizza. Being a geocaching event, that meant it would go long because there are a lot of friendly people and because we as a group would overwhelm the waitstaff. This means that I don’t have a lot of time for my daily drawing. As you know I regularly draw on the whiteboard at Gramboli’s so to help people know where to go for the event I drew a quick drawing of Cecil and when the event was over I drew the famous Gramboli’s dog again. Both of which not my best work, but I’m reminded that a fellow artist said over the weekend that his goal was to speed up his drawing, I think I really need to work on slowing down mine. Who knows? Maybe some day I’ll be able to take a day and work on just one drawing… nah! never happen!