Concept for conceptual art

version 7

version 3

 

version 1

Not really.
One quick observation. I think I like the earlier versions a bit better than the more "finished" one.

Emptiness In Inadaville

Cripes. I want to get primitive. Tired of being so self-conscious, so screw it. Back to basics. "Lower your standards," said William Stafford. Raise the Titanic said some 70's fucker. Back to the clunky awkward thrills of drawing.

Standards dropped to a laundry list.  Who makes lists for laundry? Laundry, as we know well, leads to Landry. I've a Tom Landry hat, now that I'm over 40. I do. Shall I now espouse a Texas-based Christianity? Perhaps one day, it will come to that. But what about now? What about now? A new site built up to withstand the rigors and demands of 2010? All sites in one? An inn'er net rapture? Certainly. It's for certain, as I phase out the phrase, "blog" and replace it with the older, but more incisive, "site."

Taking 5 days off, but here's another Arms and Ether to tide us all over

Heading to the happiest place on earth in the early morn, but here's an autobiographical  Arms and Ether a'fore I get to gettin' to califerny. Isn't it lovely? (Hint, to unlock the complex allegory, substitute Miles Inada for "Miles of Moria" - ed.)I plan on returning relaxed and happy, so look for more flowers and loveliness to bedeck the strip in the new year. I do have the sublime in me, damn it, I do!

Arms and Ether -- Oh No! It's Nakes!

Meet Nakes, the latest melancholy denizen of the Arms and Ether-verse. He's been hard at it, climbing the ladder of worldly success. You could call him over-exposed, but . . . he's got a helmet and spear. What could possibly go wrong??? Find out if you dare, in this week's Arms and Ether!

While we ponder the Arms and Ether-verse--might the New Year bring a female character or two to visit endless night/sweet delight upon all of these lonely souls? Is it possible? Sounds good, but if some ladies do show up, I'm sure it'll be trouble. Here's to a splendid, non-apocalyptic 2010.

Arms and Ether Strip no. 27

So it's just about the one year anniversary of the Arms and Ether online strip, and I've just posted number 27. That comes out to one every other week or so. That's actually not too bad considering I'm also a full time exorcist and railroad man. In this episode we meet a fascinating new character, Ghosthead. An incredible character. Absolutely incredible. Wow. Wow. wow. . . whoa. woe. . . woe.

Arms and Ether - Herodotus Toy now available for download!

Uh oh, there's a wordless panel in this week's Arms and Ether. As we well know from years consuming "the funnies," a wordless panel is often the set up for a joke of some sort in the very next panel!!!! Imagine the potential hilarity. The mirth. No, don't tax yourself with that kind of trivia, just head over to armsandether.com and see the strip in all of its fullness. Also, make sure to download the eagerly anticipated 3D Herodotus Toy by clicking on the strip's 4th panel. Print and cut it out. Stick it on your Christmas tree. Stuff one in a stocking. Stick or stuff one up your @#$%^&. We live in a free world. It's okay to do that kind of thing now. You won't (or at least shouldn't be) judged.

Arms and Ether - Nu 2 U

Hateball emerges from his basement staycation and back into the dark moldy dankness of everyday life--and dang-nabbit, he's got bills to pay! Find out what he has to say about it all in this week's magical Arms n' Ether.

Is "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas a song full of almost unbearable cosmic sorrow? The melancholy seems damn heavy in that sucker.

In other news, I really really miss my dog.

And finally, Montaigne probably had the right idea: sit around in a castle in pantaloons and just go off about stuff all the time. And get a stache. When my son Sam saw me with it as I picked him up from school, he burst into a big smile, started laughing and exclaimed, "Awesome!" Julie was less impressed. I think it was too much too soon in our relationship.

"But it's Movember!" said Scott before Christy handed him the razor and pointed him to the bathroom.

Legends From Camp - online, but not on-time

Way back in the good old days of 2004, I partnered with Sherrif Evan Carroll (Seth Bullard) to set some of father-figure Lawson Inada's (Al Swearengen's) poetry to animation. Todd Barton (Cy Tolliver) did the score. Anyhow, it's now available in the modern fashion, that is to say, "online" and in the "high definition" format that I keep hearing so much about.

Other quick thoughts.
1. Arms and Ether should be up later today.
2. At the very beginning stages of looking into Word Press and developing a more comprehensive approach to this blog thing.
3. I already need more coffee.

Forty Three

1. Lordy, here it is. I'm 43. It's not an age you really think about much, so I guess I won't.

2. Since I'm doing a lot of online demo videos this quarter, I feel like Bob Ross.

3. I spent a lot of yesterday with my pal, Warren Hedges, whose birthday is also November 9. We are team-teaching a class, had lunch, and then he came and gave a talk to my comic book/picture book class. We said that it's our birthday tradition to celebrate by going around together and lecturing to people.

4. Should have an Arms and Ether up by Friday. Looks like the Herodotus toy will be coming at you live.

5. Yeah, numbered lists. Quality meats. I'll try catching up with everything today. AND I MEAN EVERYTHING. As it turns out, there's a whole lot of rhythm going 'round. There will be links. There will be a spiritual and artistic awakenings. There will be naps too. And tasty snacks.

New Arms and Ether with Download-able 3D Molo Toy

Uh oh. Molo's up late, eating Cheetos, and turning to . . . the internet. It doesn't work out for him, but maybe it will work out for you! This week's strip features a download-able 3D paper toy, perfect for cutting out 'round the fire. . . Whatever. Anyhow, read it, click it, and weep in this week's Arms and Ether. And damnit, can't we be Germanic and make "downloadable" an official word? The hyphen thing is really pretty weak.

Arms and Ether is a bit late, but

. . . in the meantime, celebrate the free lovin' with an image from a Digital Media Foundations demo I did today! A new Arms and Ether should be up tomorrow, so plan your day accordingly.

Walking Down The King's Road

Oh my. Walk cycle. Moving background. Sleaze.

New Arms & Ether - Romantic Comedy

It's non-stop action when the Mighty (mightily sensitive) Majax returns to reclaim what's rightfully his - - his naked trembling in the face of the majesty of the existential sublime! Also. . . Pikelhaube camouflages his body with the sky(?)

So, head over to Arms & Ether to get the 4 panels that'll help you get over the #$%^ing bull@#$^ of that @#$%^ing Arsenal v. West Ham game. @#$%^

Majax on Deck

Majax is on his way with a new sword based on the mercifully simple-to-draw Roman gladius. Anyhow, Majax, the sensitive family-man star of the first Arms and Ether comic book, is loosening up for his debut in this week's Arms and Ether strip. If you're lucky, it'll be up by tomorrow evening. Imagine the betterment of your weekend!

UPDATE FRIDAY NIGHT 12:30 A.M. Well it's "tomorrow evening" and I'm getting my ass kicked by this strip. !@#$. I've lost the simple structural understanding of the characters I thought I'd finally grasped. !@#$%. Tired. Cranky. Complain.

UPDATE FRIDAY NIGHT 1:30 A.M. !#$%^. I think I have to give up for the night. I've got the black and white line work more or less done. Grrrrrr. Not happy. But, I'll @#$ around with color tomorrow, hopefully with a bit more intelligence and perspective. 

#@$%^@ it. Here's some more 2nd Generation Mod music.

Hommage to An Obscure Japanese Picture Book

Working through some Flash stuff for my Art 351 class next quarter so I made a cat. I envy that cat.

Publicity Photo Redux

Always keep an artist photo handy.

New Arms & Ether with Downloadable 3D Hateball!

Megaleos is back and he's created a 3D Hateball toy for you to download. What are you waiting for? Head over to Arms and Ether to see the latest strip and to download your very own little black ball of hate. Therapeutic rainy day fun for nimble-handed obsessive-compulsives.

Megaleos Sketchbook Thrills

I'm doing lots of other junk (video demos for my classes over at the Comics and Animation blog) but here's some sketch-funk just the same. Trying to internalize the fundamental aspects of Megaleos via short crappy sketches.

Chugging Around

A beautiful, beautiful day in Ashland town. Still haven't hit my full stride, but things are going in a good direction. I can live happily with all of that, thanks for asking. Here's David Simon on The Wire in the London Times. (below) And, here's something out of the daily pile. (above)
p.s. From the "Why 42-year old men (almost 43!) shouldn't play console games" file. I got spanked by Meta Ridley (???) last night after a ludicrous 30 minutes of pushing a little button in front of a television set. If I'm going to dick around on the Wii, I should at least be able to beat up on some bosses. Spiritual poverty.

Hateball enters the 3D realm!

Okay, here's Hateball! Now I can use these to help compose my carefully crafted strips. Har har.