Sunday, February 28, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 25 - The End Of The Trail (sure it is)

 
Look at Molo in the midst of all that green! He must be idly unwinding in the wide-open possibilities of March! Better go and see if that's the case in today's Arms and Ether. Thanks to all of you who read and suffered through the 25-day Arms and Ether Marathon plus one. Hopefully we don't all regret it.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 22 - The Cent-ur Cain't Holde None!

Look, you can eat a whole bag of Cool Ranch Doritos at midnight or go see today's Arms & Ether. It's really up to you. Either way, trust it'll be an insightful experience.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 21 - Historical Insignificance


No words, no colors, no calories, just 100% of the great taste and satisfaction you've come to expect from today's Arms & Ether. Like the Vollard Suite. Yeah. Just like it. So cool. So good.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 20 - Who Loves The Sun?

 
Anyone out there need gradients? Like, four solid panels full of 'em? Good, because we've gradients to spare in today's sunrise-oriented Arms & Ether.

Monday, February 22, 2010

ARmS & eThER - Day 19 - Complain, Complain, Me is a Grizzly Drama Queen

 
Apologies, but I'm sinking to self-referential 3D humor, and that's a sorry, sad thing. What can I say, I'm as misguided as THE MAKER in tonight's Arms & Ether.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 18 - Huff Puff, Huff Puff

 It's up, it's up. With a minute to spare. Today's Arms and Ether. Now, let's all get some sleep. Come on, people. It's good for you.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 17 - Wrath of The Lich King

 
What messages do the dead send us from beyond the grave??? More self-obsessed crap it turns out. Shoot. Listen in anyway at today's Arms N' Ether.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 16 - With All of its Attendant Sweetness

I need to get me a corncob pipe. Kind of like the guy in today's Arms & Ether. How y'all doin, tonight?

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Arms & Ether - James At 15

 
Anyone for glorious experiences? I'm for it. I'm all for it. Just take a look at today's Arms and Ether, and see what it did for me!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 14 - But Who's Counting?

 
Me n' Grant Hart collaborated on this one. Or was it Bob Mould?? Hmmm, come to think of it, it was Gregg Norton. Definitely. I remember the mustache. No, no, wait, this is just another one of my "episodes," kind of like today's episode of  Arms and Ether.

And because embedding rollicking rock songs on the web is the 21st equivalent of writing lyrics on one's Pee Chee folder. . .

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 13 - Over The Hump, But To What End?

 
Sensitive, mournful eyes. It can only mean one thing. A messed-up Redon drawing, or a lovingly painted portrait of, "Our Founder." See today's Arms & Ether and be spurred to greater profitability and sacrifice for the company.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 12 - Snakes, Not On A Plane

Oh, what the hell. Why not? Don't lament lost chances. Live for the now over at aujourd'hui's Arms N' Ether. And, as we've said here before, "Me and Caravaggio, playin' our guitars."

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 10 - I miss my dog

Today's Arms and Ether is about an aspiration any self-respecting melancholy sap has had time and time again. So here's to cold February everywhere. I've internal grumbling and fatigue about this strip, hence the midnight posting. Ballz.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Arms & Ether Day 9 - Maker's Mark

 
Hmmm. Looks like a giant glowing head in the sky. Could those be The Three Wisemen? Not likely, but I'm sure they have something to say. What might that be? See today's Arms & Ether. . . and believe.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 8 - House Beautiful

Dang, this floral wallpaper is pretty. Seriously. Go see it on display at today's Arms and Ether.
I feel this damn decade congealing around me, already. Cripes.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Arms & Ether Day 7 - Heed The Words of Aesop

 
Having an off day? Well, Aesop had 'em too--especially in his later years. Get a first-hand look into his creative decline as today's Arms and Ether illuminates Aesop's justly despised and obscure fable, "The Ape and The Doorman."

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 6 - Now With Coat Pockets!

Kyklopean Miles returns enjoining you to eat at your local Subway and enjoy their fine selection of healthy sandwiches at affordable prices. Pick up some napkins while you're there. They could prove handy at triggering a low-cal bit of self-reflection. At least that's what's on the menu at today's Arms & Ether.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 5 - Whew That Was Close!

Oh no! Is Kyklopean Miles having a De Quincey moment and freaking out about that rapping sound in Macbeth? No, don't worry, he's just dickin' about on a winter Monday looking out the window at squirrels. Now that's entertainment. If you don't believe me, go see today's Arms and Ether.
It's 11:46, so. . . 14 minutes to spare in the great February experiment.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 4 - Happy Day


A momentary break from decay, because we've all felt good at some time or another. Isn't it right there somewhere now? Hmmm. That one guy's colors are too spazzy. Criticize his innocent joy here, in Sunday's Arms and Ether.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Arms & Ether - Day 3 of the March to March.

 
Uh oh. Looks like someone's in trouble. But maybe it's a personal growth experience?? Probably not. It's up and at 'em in today's new Arms and Ether.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Second Arms and Ether of Fabulous February

The Man of Science is here. See, he's talking about space as evidenced by this wonderful illustration of a ringed planet; it's green too! But hey, by the final panel he's wearing overalls. What gives? Slink over to today's economy-grade Arms and Ether to find out.

Dullards' side note:
I actually began the day with an entirely different strip and ran into drawing disaster, perspective peril, proportion pile-up, etc. Instead of trying to fight through the pain, I said, "f*#k it" and started with plan B. "Lower your standards," said William Stafford. And I say, "Aye aye, Cap'n. Aye aye."

So here's the work log:
8:25 - 8:48 Rough in first strip, then take a break
8:57 - 9:25 Start 2nd pass. Uh oh. This isn't going well. Go read the paper for an hour.
10:21 - 12:00 Start a new strip and finish it. Much better.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

First Arms and Ether of the February Blitz is Up


Okay, one down and 24 to go. Arms and Ether Feb 02, 2010 is up and at 'em. The color is lame. I think I might be dropping color this month.
Yes. Back to the austere no-nonsense approach of line. Har har. Today's has color, however, and it's ugly without being ugly enough. Cherish is the word I use to describe. . .

Oh, and because I recommend my students do this all the time--here's a work log for this strip.
The idea had already been sketched out in my sketch book. Appropriate.

9:45 open up the template and start drawing (and adjusting the template).
10:09 Line in Flash is done. Exported to png and opened in Forty-Shoppe. (ooh, new approach.)
10:57 Exporting final web file from PS. Oops correction needed.
11:03 Corrected.
11:18 Uploaded to site and blog post done.
11:21 Work log added to blog. Oh, it's now 11:22.

So. . .
25 minutes for line work
54 minutes for color and clean up
15 minutes for upload and blogue

Hmmmm.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Screw It

Time to instigate a new low. One Arms and Ether per day for the remainder of February. But with 0 percent artistic aspiration, 0 percent quality, 0 percent human insight. Lots of complaining, pointless vulgarity, and overall shoddiness. This is going to fail miserably.

In other insights.

1. Time to update/rethink this whole web thing. I'd like to integrate all of my class websites with this site andArms and Ether. Will also include online work and animation. It'll probably look like a scummy "e-zine" or something. It'll be pedestrian and un-revolutionary. Too bad. Love and adulation will not follow from it, nor will self-respect and joy. It won't be a "blog, " but rather a "thing available to the good people of this world through the mighty, yet little understood power of electricity."

2. Samuel Palmer? Samuel Palmer. Props to Linus Meldrum for pointing him out to me as a young man. Crap, I've probably squandered what should have been my Shoreham period. Oops. Fucked that up good and proper, but at least I know how to do roll-over buttons in Flash instead.
Samuel Palmer, Cornfield by Moonlight, c1830

So, look for the first "low quality" daily Arms and Ether beginning tomorrow. My rule will be to post whatever I have 'fore sundown. No late night vision quests for me. Just uptight horror in the full light of day.