Category: Blogposts

I keep saying that there was one design that sent out the message that I will draw some really cool and unique for you, even if you don’t ask.  If I remember correctly, this was that design.  Before I drew this one if I had a special MINIon it was something they held in their had, or something like that, this was the first one I went beyond on… causing many hours of cursing and asking myself “why?” and stranger and stranger requests started to come in.  The funny part those people I really had gotten to know over the years, didn’t ask, and were happy with what they received. Sadly I can trace it all back to my attempt to channel Mike Mignola, Hellboy in monkey form.

MINIon #0666 is a bit of a hellion. 🙂  Actually, he is one of the nicest and caring people I know.  I’d say that even if he didn’t wield the Hand of Doom.  Creative and just plain fun, he’s a bit of a clown.  Just avoid listening to him sing karaoke… trust me.

As you travel in the MINI community you end up meeting so many wonderful people (reoccurring theme- sorry) Every person is so friendly and happy, except for those who aren’t, and I avoid them like the plague.  In the case of this design I had already fallen down the rabbit hole and started working on more unique designs for people.  When asked all this MINIon wanted was a scarf.  Thank you for making my work easy.

Do you know how hard it is to find a Hawaiian shirt that looks good on a monkey?  Actually not that hard, monkeys look good in almost anything. It’s easy to come up with a design when you have a personality to attach it to.

Here’s how I remember it (this actually happens all the time- although my memory is faulty) our group was driving along on MTTS and we ended up getting separated.  While many people imagine MINI Takes The States like any club drive because of the distances covered it isn’t a conga line of MINIs.  It starts that way, everyone leaves in a line or two (sometimes escorted to the city limits by the police) and then everyone goes at their own pace.  Some people take different routes, but in most cases people break off into groups and plan things like gas stops, lunch, and photo ops, together.  Radios are a big help. This is how our group started- some days we’d lose someone, one of those days it was me, when I made it back we had added a few more to our group.  MINIon #0330 was one of those, with a warm welcome and an infectious smile, MINIon #0330 always makes it a sunny day.

There are times when things slip your mind (I heard it will happen more and more often as I get older- I thought it was just ADHD).  That said, I have met so many wonderful people over the years, that sometimes I might leave someone out, accidentally.   In 2012 a MINIon was running around with “Ryan’s MINI”  I would go into the story completely, but could never do it justice, just go to Ryan’s MINI Adventure a read about it.

So a MINIon is running around with Ryan’s MINI and I realize that I haven’t done a MINIon badge for Ryan’s MINI.  I’ve taken Ryan’s MINI on an adventure or two (I learned I can’t run around taking pictures of Cecil and Ryan’s MINI, it just doesn’t work out as well as I had hoped).  Then I realized that MINIon #0003 had already been spoken for… stress, pressure, trying to make everyone happy and the world to work the way I want it to.  MINIons are so nice, the number 0303 was fine, everything worked out, and here it is.

The Interwebs can be a scary place…  it’s filled with weird people.  Including MINIon #0317.  As for design-  This was for a John Cooper Works GP so it follows my rules for a GP.

As for MINIon #0317 it all started in 2009 in Oxford.  Actually, before that online (see, weird people inhabit the Interwebs).  We were taking a tour of the MINI factory while I started this comic/blog, and… You have to understand that MINI United in 2009 was the Eurpoean party celebrating the 50th anniversary of the MINI people from all over the world attended since it was held in England and most of the foreigners took this opportunity to visit the Mothership- MINI Oxford.  So the factory was basically a Tower of Babel so many different languages, so many different accents, and then out of nowhere I hear a distinctly American accent!  Listening in, trying to figure out where in the US this small group of people came from.  Finally I introduced myself and discovered that we had been talking for months before online, figuring out, car rentals, accommodations, and all those silly questions that happen when you travel abroad.  So along with MINIons #0028, #0713, #0714 we hung out at the event and then kept in touch afterwards, meeting when we can, but always making sure we get together for MTTS.

So how does this work?  I started this out as a way to plan MINI Takes The States in 2012.  A simple little group to help us plan and organize… I think there were maybe eight of us, a dozen tops. as we met people on our various journeys they were added.  As people were added in 2011 and 2012 before MTTS I sent out a quick message to everyone asking for their number.  In some cases I’d have a quick chat with new people to get a feeling as to what they would like… in most cases this worked perfectly, other times not so much.

MINIon #0241 was one of those where the process went “sproing!” So after chatting I had designed a nice hockey playing MINIon with missing teeth it was great!  Then I heard them on the radio, and I knew I had done something wrong.  You see we each have our own call signs on the radio – “Blue Leader,” “Red 5,” “Mad Monkey,” “Janet,” “Thumbs,” you get the idea.  So I’m driving and I hear “Landshark” reporting in.  I do a double take, reliving all those Saturday Night Live sketches I grew up with, and realize I had made a mistake.  When I bailed out in Lubbock, I got home and the first thing I did was redraw #0241.

This was one of those MINIons that was actually pretty easy to capture (after a few attempts).  When I first drew MINIon #0224 I made the illustration hobbit size.  After looking at it, and discussing it with the actual MINIon I resized the image because it just didn’t look right.  There are few MINIons that I go back and do some research on, most are just whatever pops into my head.  This one, I went back and forth between websites to get the hobbit clothing and gear just right.  The first version was also missing Sting, so I added that in (and glowing layers).

What happens in Vegas… I first met MINIon #0224 at AMVIV (A MINI Vacation in Vegas).  Sue, Cecil & I had flown out for the event and had a rental car, so instead of going on any of the drives we hung around the hotel a enjoyed the car show.  MINIon #0224 had their MINI in the show and we started to chat.  After that we met again at various MINI events including the Dragon, and numerous MTTS. That’s what happens with MINI ownership- you start with a car and you end up with a new family. While one does not simply motor into Mordor,  MINIon #0224 has probably driven enough miles to go there and back again.

Some days I would wake up and have an idea for a MINIon- it really didn’t matter if anyone liked it, or wanted it… I wanted to create it.  In high school I was introduced to the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and have read many of his stories including the exploits of an opium using violinist who solved crimes. I even owned a deerstalker once.  So I worked on this MINIon as an homage to Holmes, the first consulting detective.

If you ever were to watch me draw you’d notice a couple of things- first, I’m quick.  I tend to get a drawing out rather quickly.  Second, you’ll see me look perplexingly at my hands when I’m drawing hands… I want to make sure the right hand is on the right arm.  I’ve made this mistake too many times, and still make it.  Most people wouldn’t notice, but I cringe when I see stuff like that in my drawings.  So if MINIon #221B is holding a magnifying glass, be sure that I held something in my hand to make sure the fingers are in the right place.

As for MINIon #221B this is one of those MINIons I never had the chance to meet in person, but I’m looking forward to seeing them in 2016.

I keep saying its all about the numbers… sometimes I need to ask for help, because the MINIon in question has given me a favorite number, something that means something to them, and no one else. I listened to a Radiolab broadcast dealing with favorite numbers once… it was very interesting since it started off with a mathematician confused over how anyone could have a favorite number- numbers are just numbers… except when they aren’t.

In the Mini Cooper Community the number 177 is almost as important as the number 37.  So when this MINIon said they wanted #0177 I knew exactly what I wanted to draw- and old school rally driver to tie back to the 1967 Monte Carlo win.

I really need to stop trying to talk about each MINIon, because I’m going to mess up and hurt someone’s feelings (if I haven’t already).  MINIon #0177 is one of those MINIons who is always helping out to the point of spending a day in Salt Lake City, waiting on our MINI to get some repair work, even when she could have rejoined the group, we did at least get a double double animal style and played around with an F56 🙂