Friday, November 05, 2004

A Good Day

One of the benefits of renting is it forces you to go to the local laundromat. A coin operated nirvana of entertainment. My particular laundromat is decorated with beach scene wallpaper, so you can drift away in your imagination to the outer banks with the background hum of washing machines and the sounds of the Samurai Showdown arcade game (Blood curdling screams and Japanese music).

All the machines are Speed Queens, I like to think of them as the royalty of washing machines as opposed to really fast crossdressers.

So I am surrounded by female monarchy, but the true Queen of the automatons is the Bride of Pin-Bot pinball machine. She beckons with a digitzed voice calling out to give her life. The machine is an incredibly sexist creation, Your goal to shoot your ball into her mouth to give her speech and then into her eyes to give her sight. The graphics consisting of a rocket between her mechanical thighs. All the while she laughs or encourages you. This particular machine is worn from years of use and machine love.

So that is the place I was going to this morning. As I walk across the street a car pulls up on the sidewalk. An old man gets out and as I watch what he's doing, half his car blocking the walkway, he gives me a dirty look and walks away. An amazing parking job and I get the dirty look. I go in and and precede to load my clothes. On the radio is the elusive Richmond 80's radio station. The one I can't pick up in my car but the laundromat picks up perfectly. Eye of the Tiger comes on and the Bride of PinBot calls. Amazingly on one play I get the high score and on 50 cents I play until my clothes need to go in the dryer. A high score and I hear safety dance, it's amazing the small things that make you happy.

So the new trailer is out.
Yes the trailer for Dawn of War Another fine short by those folks at Blur Studios (If you haven't already, download the Rockfish video a few posts back)This time it's the game intro to a Warhammer 40K game. Generally my experience with Warhammer is the annoying Games Workshop employees jumping on you as soon as you enter the store. It's like some cult of red shirted fantasy players. But this video will sell you on 40K more than any of those devotees. The animated Dreadnought will make you want to form an army and go out and get those orcs. A great short.

Of course another trailer came out yesterday...Yeah that one.
Here is a sticker giveaway I designed for those wacky Atlanta Star Wars fans.


And mmmm, Lava Berry Explosion Pop-Tarts

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Never trust a Kitty over 30

Art Spiegelman, creator of Maus: "Everything I know I learned from comic books, and I wasn't surprised that aliens had taken over our government..."


Goths for Bush


And for equal time:

Satanist for Kerry

And if you are tired of politics check out this slideshow of , Hello Kitty's Birthday

Sunday, October 31, 2004

Happy Halloween



Current Mood: secularly hallowed
Current Music: Dresden Dolls

Last minute Halloween Costume ideas,
The always popular
Space Mutant Milhouse
Okay maybe not that, Everyone does Space Mutant Milhouse and as I always say, there is nothing worse than two or more Space Mutant Milhi at a Halloween party.
Perhaps this thing whatever it is from a Finnish Convention site

Maybe this?

I thought about this outfit...
(Not really, just a really weird picture, not a thumbs up, it's the peace sign when dealing with anime, how bizarre)

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this on my journal before, but 2004 is the 50th Anniversary of Godzilla
yeah that one is too complicated.
Here is a really easy costume, just need to get a friend to draw all over you, Henry Rollins

Or you could go with the just plain wrong and politically incorrect

Happy Halloween

Saturday, October 30, 2004




So last night I went to the Halloween event at the museum. It's the kind of event you need to have a date and a drink. I had neither. Seeing a Hindu Goddess, Poe and the Raven, Cleopatra, the usual suspects of cheerleaders, devils, and zombies was a surreal experience as they roamed the halls past the paintings of Warhol and Monet.
It was nice that at least 80 percent of the attendees were in costume.
Also nice that many of the costumes were art related. Everything from a Tiffany lamp to Frida Kahlo with mandatory uni-brow. A Georgia O'Keefe painting, an Anubis statue, and even a Caligula. Next year I'm going to have to get a group together to go...and have a drink.

Friday, October 29, 2004

This has been around for awhile but if you haven't seen it Rockfish a CG animated short is lots of fun. Brought to you by those fun folks at Blur Studios.
Quicktime, takes a while on dial-up.

Speaking of 90's British pop groups(Okay I wasn't really but I did say Blur)
Rumours persist that the lead singer of Pulp will be involved in the new Harry Potter soundtrack, now that John Williams is no longer working on it.

And here is the final label I made for Bygones Halloween window display.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

So far no more creepy dreams. Well unless you consider a dream about my computer locking up creepy.
Here is another label for the Bygones Vintage Clothing store Halloween display.


Speaking of Halloween, here is the Japanese ad for for the PS2 Nightmare Before Christmas game. Just thought it was cool.

Monday, October 25, 2004

A Dream last night

I'm walking in a pine forest. In the distance are houses all painted black, black shutters, black siding, black doors, and black windows.
The ground is covered with dry brownish reddish pine needles. It's very silent.
I walk through the forest till I come across a strange striped cat climbing a tree, she looks at me and seems to smile. I realize she's moving towards a nest. I try to shoo her away trying to save the chicks or eggs that have been left in the nest. The cat ignores me. Climbing higher. I hesitate. Not sure if this is the natural order of things, perhaps I should not get involved. It's still eerily quiet. I decide to stop the cat. Just then she gets the nest down. I walk over slowly not want to see the carnage of the baby birds but still compelled. And then I see in the nest the cat holding her kitten in her mouth. The nest filled with her litter, pecked to death.

I woke up crying.

Sunday, October 24, 2004

Well a lot of time has passed, But here is my final say on this year's DragonCon.
The best part of D*C is being with friends.
Riding with a friend in the forever roadtrip, taking out the random shoe on the road, Seeing guys sing Bon Jovi songs at truck stops, chatting up the rest stop maintenance men, getting so car crazy, that even a gas station attendant asking if you have gas is more hilarious than a Simpson episode.
Or seeing another friend who convinces you to participate in crazy Star Wars events and even a Buffy prom night. Having fun you never thought could be possible.
Carol, Sherry, Jeff and Elizabeth thanks. DragonCon won't be the same in the future without you guys. Just maybe I might convince you to go again.

Speaking of Jeff here is a plug for his new documentary, InkSwell. It's his slant on the current world of Indy comics . It features interviews with Evan Dorkin (Milk and Cheese, Dork), Bob Burden (Flaming Carrot, Mystery Men) and James Kochalka (Monkey vs. Robot) click FADproductions for more information.

So be careful what you write to Neil Gaiman it might end up on his blog. Yeah that's me sounding like some gothic Richmond travel guide on his Saturday, October 23 journal entry

I have a lot on my plate lately so expect several updates in the coming days.
My entry in to the Conceptart.org Thunderdome contest I will show here first, A step by step look into my submission to an art director, The unveiling of my Oz and Genesis projects and a first look of my paper models opening my online store of goodies.

In the meantime here is a look at a label I created for a Halloween display in Carytown. The vintage clothing store Bygones has a window display of a gypsy fortune teller and I created three labels for the potions and elixirs that surround her.
I'll post the other two before Halloween.

Saturday, September 25, 2004

DragonCon prt 3

After a panel at DragonCon I talked to Dan Jolley author of a Star Wars Tales short story and Voltron.
He assured me cool stuff was coming up with Voltron. I think he could tell it was a tough sale. But we seemed to get along pretty well and he introduced me to some guys that work in the studio with him. All cool guys and got a great portfolio review. Lots of helpful ideas. I am hoping to work with them in the future.
Good people.
Here are some more random pictures. A really cool Alien table for sale, misc costumes and a lesson; goth guys shouldn’t wear mesh shirts.





My final DragonCon report tomorrow.

Friday, September 24, 2004

DragonCon part 2

Well this just in, I made Star Wars.com Bantha Tracks a second time! This for the Mr. Star Wars contest...even got my name in there with the picture.
(hyperspace subscription needed)
I made these Revenge of the Bith stickers to hand out to people just for fun. After an interesting talk with X-wing author Michael Stackpole, I gave him one and he seemed practically giddy. Turns out he has a scrapbook of weird Star Wars things from his journeys and this was going in it. I would love to see that scrapbook.

Well there is a disturbing trend in Star Wars costuming that was very evident at DragonCon this year, Click for large image.


Great wookie costume and yes that is Jango on a scooter next to psuedo-Lucas

Yet even more DragonCon Tales and pictures tomorrow

Thursday, September 23, 2004

DragonCon

Well I got sick and really didn't get to talk much about DragonCon this year, so here is a little recap.
Unlike past years there weren't as many art directors there. The convention seemed smaller, but with more people. I learned I need to get more black and white images in my portfolio and possibly some pirates. Voltaire really liked my portfolio and the ChiChian sketch I made for him. Who knows perhaps I'll work on his RPG in the future or something. The surrealism seemed less intense this year, maybe one does get used to riding with elves and superheroes on the elevator. So when you get talked into trying out for Mr. Star Wars it almost seems normal. Almost.
Mr. Star Wars is great fun. Basically Star Wars improv meets a pageant. Very funny. Except when you are the one in the spotlight trying to be funny on demand, on your knees, as an ewok.

But apparently I enticed some of the judges with tales of my Japanese SW condoms, unopened, still in their original packaging, because I received the Scruffy Nerf Herder Rogue award...I do look scruffy looking.

Here are the winners of the Masquerade, Dr. T's band from the Muppets, amazing costumes.


Here is me with a Radar look alike, unfortunately we seem to be posing for different cameras....Whatever I'm looking at, I seem happy.

And here is my first appearance on Star Wars.com. It was for a Star Wars panel and the head of Bantha Tracks took this picture of the audience. I'm the one in the far back row with the black shirt...Okay really I'm so far back I'm about 2 pixels...But I know I'm there. So now I can say I've been on Star Wars.com, maybe soon I'll have artwork there...more than 2 pixels worth.

More DragonCon tales and pictures tomorrow.

The Dark Tomorrow

Some of you know I had started work on an online comic. It was to be a pulp comic for only 10cents a week. Called Dark Tomorrow it was to take place in a retrofutristic 1939 Berlin. The hero was to be a female pilot with a robot sidekick, fighting mad scientists and other pulp fodder. All in a muted grey palette, German expressionism angles with dirgibles and monsters. Then Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow... As soon as I saw the first sneak peaks my heart sunk and Dark Tomorrow went on hold. Last weekend I finally got to see the movie and a little relief, came over me. It was a different concept with similar tone and look, but still different. So next year after all the Star Wars hoopla, I plan to reintroduce the Dark Tomorrow...
But with a different name.

So that is where I’m coming from when I enter the theater excited to see something close to what I’ve been dreaming of. And Sky Captain doesn’t disappoint from the opening sequence of the Hindenburg III docking at the Empire State building it’s a 30’s future dream come true. Every scene comes straight from an Amazing Stories or Weird Tales cover. The movie becomes a game of recognizing every reference, from Godzilla to 1138. Even the Wizard of Oz sneaks in there several times. The movie looks great. But sometimes all this looking for Waldos takes you out of the story. The actors filmed this all on blue screen and it feels it. They are separate from the action, stilted. There is never any sense of danger or an Indy Jones style rollercoaster ride.

I want when that P-40 dives, the feeling that maybe the wings are going to come off, rivets popping , engine roaring. Just think of those 30’s, 40’s backscreens of couples in a car at night. You never feel as though those headlights behind them are going to suddenly crash into them. Sky Captain has this problem with everything, giant robots should terrify, not just look cool. I think about Jurassic Park (yes that movie has problems) But there are times the CG dinos really feel like they are bearing down on you. Is it the fact there is more of a set? I don’t know? I just couldn’t relate to the danger and it reminded me of the SW prequels.

Is this a problem with the digital backlot? It should work though, because animation still allows you to identify with characters and feel their emotions. Think Bambi. Perhaps directors need to approach filmmaking differently now with digital. I just don’t know.

And then the story is just a pastiche of ideas with the witty banter lacking oomph and there isn't enough tension between Gwyneth and Jude Law. Instead Gwyneth seems just whiny and not enough of the strong female of Katherine Hepburn or even the female lead in the first Indiana Jones. Though it is fun as they travel around to exotic locales solving this mystery, and finally meeting Sir Laurence Olivier. The Wizard.

But despite my criticism overall I really enjoyed Sky Captain and hope there is a sequel, there is so much potential for this first time director and concepts. An amazing freshman effort, I just wanted a senior project.

Sunday, September 19, 2004

It Be International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Avast ye maties, it be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Arrr!!!!
I've already worked in a couple of Aye's and arrs in to me work conversation. No one appearing the wiser. Those bunch of land lubbers and bilge rats.

Arrr!!! Shiver me timbers.
Tomorrow I'll have me review of the flick Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow. That way you can read it my mates without any references to barnacles or how jolly it made my roger....
man does that sound wrong.
Arrr....

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

I'm sick,
will post later.

Wednesday, September 01, 2004



Well nothing goes the way you want it or expect it to. The problems continue with Nekokaiju.com and not sure when it will be up. But now is the the time to escape reality and enter the mythical world of DragonCon. I need the escape.

I will try to give updates every day while I'm gone. Stay tuned.

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

Kaiju Trouble

Well Godzilla has returned to the sea, there is no sight of Mothra in the skies.
So you ask where is Nekokaiju.com? Good question. For all of five minutes last night it was up (albeit a stripped down version) and running. Now I can't connect to the server and my home page has disappeared. I'm slogging on though, despite my ignorance of how these things work (or in my case don't work). Hopefully all to be resolved soon. But I'm putting it aside today to get some artwork done.
But I hope you like my new banner above, and the coverpage at Nekokaiju.com
Just a hint of what is to come.

Saturday, August 21, 2004

Curiouser and Curiouser





Detail of the spider on the one dollar bill. Photoshop.
Leave it to my mom to point out that some of the net webbing is a little off.
No I'm not looking for a new career in counterfeiting. But I am creating money for fictional places. More news shortly.

The Quays Brothers are currently in preproduction for a new film starring Geoffrey Rush, titled: The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes
This comes after the film for
The Forgotten Museum of Henry Welcome in London. Really interesting site with old medical devices and paraphernalia, along with clips of the Quay Bros. Phantom Museum film. Definitely on my agenda for my next trip to London.
Animate Online also has stills and information about the Quays museum film.

Animated News talks about the first look at Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride. Should be a fun film.

From those fine folks at My Pet Skeleton comes A Murder of Scarecrows. A little flash game that wastes hours of time and looks cool while doing it.

Comic Book Resources has posted the first stills and interview from Neil Gaiman's and Dave McKean's MirrorMask. This movie looks incredible. I can't wait.

And leave it to Neil Gaiman to just casually mention on his blog that Dave McKean"(... nips off to New York for a few days to work on the Broadway "Vampire Lestat" musical...)"

Thursday, August 19, 2004

Friday, August 13, 2004

The Abandoned: Sith War

Just watched the Olympic opening ceremonies, beautiful.
I want a centaur costume.

Right now I'm at a fun part in designing Nekokaiju.com.
Currently I'm going through old art and projects, deciding
what I want to include on the site. Thought you might want
to see some of the projects that didn't make the cut.

Back in 2002 I was excited about the buzz around the upcoming adventure game Knights Of The Old Republic. I loved the idea of creating designs that looked like antiquity in the Star Wars Universe. But even more I wanted to create a free fan game based on those designs. With limited programming knowledge, I knew I had a huge project ahead of me. I decided to do a prequel to KOTOR, knowing that if KOTOR was successful they would probably do a sequel.(Though in the Star Wars universe, you can never know for sure) As I started doing research, I also thought it would be fun to have the prequel look like it was made long ago, a retro game based on the engine of the old Nintendo Final Fantasy games. This also had other benefits, less of a learning curve and pixelly images with less detail all added up to what I thought would be less time to develop the project. I was wrong, it was a massive undertaking I just didn't have time to finish. But who knows maybe sometime in the future. I'm already teaching myself the Adventure Game Studio for an interactive portfolio concept and this was a very educational experience in learning coding etc... My days of game creating may not be over.

Below is a screenshot of a battle scene on the Wookie homeworld and animated sprites of the game that never was
Of course all Star Wars and related images are the property of Lucasfilm.









Thursday, August 12, 2004

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Monday, August 09, 2004

Godzilla Attacks!

The NekoKaiju.com website has been difficult to get up. Teaching myself HTML, server problems, it's been one thing after the other.
And now Godzilla is attacking it!
I don't know what's next. But assuming Mothra doesn't show up the site should be open August 23rd.
Oh, have I mentioned the big green guy is turning 50 this year?

Speaking of birthdays, an early happy birthday goes out to the Cicada Queen.

Friday, August 06, 2004

So I'm at the museum the other day. Working with volunteers that are all elderly women. A guy comes in seems a little disheveled. One of his shoes is untied. A volunteer goes up to him trying to be nice and points this out. He replies "It will be okay, Mind your own business bitch!".
The museum always stimulating.


My parents picked up a plaster cast used for art school studies. Fun to draw.
Thanks.

Up above I've added a Paypal donation button. Donate $50 or more and I'll send you a sketch of your favorite character in September. But feel free to donate what you can...yes I'm still begging. The money will be used to help me out with my illustration career. Thanks.

Oh don't forget it's Godzilla's 50th Anniversary this year!

This caged item is sold in Japanese markets as Godzilla's Egg.
A watermelon that costs about $75 a piece.

Sunday, August 01, 2004

Rabbit
Rabbit?


It's alive.
So about a month ago, I came across this article (no longer available) on an unknown creature spotted in North Carolina. Oddly I had seen something like it in Northern Virgina about 2 years ago. I assumed it was just a large sick fox. But there was something fishy about the photograph in the article. It looked manipulated, a poor job at photoshop, even the shadow seemed wrong. Curious I made this image in photoshop, just to see if it could be done.

I was convinced it was just a hoax.
But now I'm not so sure
The other day, a video showed up on a Baltimore news channel, it showed a similiar looking creature walking around. Looks a little different but close. You can check it out
here
Sure looks like an unknown creature is roaming the east coast...watch out.

Last night at 1:00am, my bedroom filled with red flashing lights, the sounds of a firetruck just right outside my apartment. I layed there wondering. And my mind went something like this "Is my apartment on fire?...perhaps I should get up...nah I'm too tired, Okay I'm going to burn because I'm tired. hmm, I better get up, I don't want a tombstone to say, he just didn't feel like getting up so he never did again"

So I rush putting on my clothes and run out the apartment, A fireman was standing there. "Excuse me officer is there a problem?" his response, "nah just checking the lights"....

nice


Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Nekokaiju.com

Nekokaiju.com is finally coming. This is going to be an online portfolio of my work, with some surprises. It will be opening in the next week or two. I now have a new teaser up there and it takes less time than brewing a cup of tea to download.

The teaser is a photo of my favorite Gibson girl model. Doesn't everybody have a favorite Gibson girl model? You can read about Evelyn Nesbit here.
Sex, murder, and the supernatural.


Click the banner above or the thumbnail below, to see my new teaser.



So it's getting late in the summer and you still haven't planned your vacation?
how about the forgotten country of Molvania? Though unfortunately you've already missed the Spring Festival of the Eastern Steppes, where adolescent boys serenade mules. But there is always next year.

I hate the 80's.
Okay that's not true. I love the 80's. I'm just getting tired of all the retro comics like GiJoe, Thundercats, and the Transformers. None of these books are really challenging. The only reason I see bringing them back is to give a new slant to them, but instead they just tread old ground.
...Maybe they have better art than the originals, but that's about it.
Though now with all this retro madness, If your spaceship crashes on Thundarr Earth, you now have the definitive Thundercats map ...Snarff.

Remember the Shogun Warriors...now those guys were cool. Instead Hollywood has decided to do a live action Transformer movie. Oh well. If only it could be as cool as this guys
transforming VW Beetle.


I really do love the 80's ....honest.




Saturday, July 24, 2004

Meow

I really wish I could see Catwoman on the big screen. No not Halle Berry , that movie looks awful. But Orson Welles 1944 version of Batman. You never heard of it? Well neither had I. Because of an argument between Welles and the Studios it never got past preproduction and casting. Back in 2003 Mark Millar wrote about the never made film. Orson Welles was to star and direct as Batman, Marlene Dietrich as Catwoman and Basil Rathbone as the Joker. Shot in film noir black and white.
An amazing article
well worth the read, even has original 1944 concept art.


Sounds unbelievable? the thing is, it is unbelievable, yet another internet hoax.
Oh well a fanboy can dream...

Noriaki Yuasa the director of Gamera died this week. In Honor, no Godzilla image this entry, instead here is a Gamera pic


From the director of Spirited Away comes Howl’s Moving Castle. Check out the trailer.

Architect Frank Gehry has worked with MIT developing future cars,complete with a GPS like device that would tell you where empty parking spaces are.
Gehry cars

Speaking of cars check out the making of the new Audi/ Escher commercial
This has been making the rounds on various websites but is worth mentioning and seeing. CG used to mess with your perception of reality, subtly
Read the article here
And watch the commercial here
that way you don’t have to register for anything



Audi is getting a lot of exposure lately. The design of the future Audi in I’Robot is interesting, Though I thought the Lexus in Minority Report seemed more interesting

And no matter what you think of Hummer, you have to love the music they use. Well if you are a synthesizer geek, like me . Anyway, just found out they are using LFO "Freak" and Trabants "Enter Spacebar" for their commercials.
if anyone cares...

Recently I read about a guy that was getting a lot of complaints about the quality of his online comic strip. He basically said send me money and I can quit my day job and make this better. Through his Paypal account he got over $30,000. And guess what, he quit his day job. So...
I’m thinking of putting a Paypal donation button up here. If you donate more than $50, I’ll send you an original sketch of you favorite superhero, RPG character, whatever...Basically I’m begging for money. But I’m willing to compensate you for it. Anyone interested? Comments?

Oh almost forgot, Episode III title revealed today...I predicted this a long time ago.





hmm, these are getting too long. Okay I’m now updating twice a week,
See you Tuesday night.

Friday, July 23, 2004

Happy New Year

In both ancient Sumeria and Egypt, July 23 is the start of the new year
The Dog Days of Summer also began today, when Sirius the Dogstar rises from behind the sun.

Friday, July 16, 2004

Cthulhu Loves You

It suddenly dawned on me I never explained what I meant when I said I was working with this plushy guy.

I did some card designs for
Fantasy Flights Games new Call of Cthulhu collectible card game.
Look for it later this year.


Syndicate Agent

Pallid mask sketch



A lot has changed since Spidey saved those Hostess Pies. Superheroes are hot right now and are being used everywhere.
Thierry Muegler's new mens fragrance, is unfortunately jumping on this bandwagon. The new, the ugly, BMen ad.



And if you just happen to be in a French speaking country you may just see Superman warning you about
AIDS


Wanted vinyl album. If you happen to see this record let me know.



This year is the 50th anniversary of Godzilla, I'm going to add random Godzilla pictures to my blog throughout the year. Enjoy!



This past week has been the week of bizarre rumors. Everyday there is another Superman movie rumor. But that's just the beginning. Most of these are from Variety:

VARIETY reports that Marvel Comics plans to adapt SPIDER-MAN into a Broadway stage musical. Already some very big names are being thrown around: Julie Taymor (who helmed the stage version of THE LION KING and directed TITUS and FRIDA) is interested in directing, while U2 would provide the music and Neil Jordan (INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE) would write the script

Michael Moore is being looked into for directing the 5th Harry Potter movie

And Jack Black is reportedly up for the role of the Green Lantern feature film.


I'll believe it when I see it.



Saturday, July 10, 2004

I want Ice Cream :-(

It's been stiffling hot in Richmond these days, too hot.
As I was writing this, the gentle sounds of an ice cream truck could be heard in the distance. I strained looking for him, but no signs of anyone transporting the frozen dairy goodness. Then out of the haze the truck appeared, brightly colored decals and soothing tones. I was going to get some ice cream. I ran out of my aparment, the drivers eyes locked on me, I waved my cash to entice. My mouth watered. What would I get? A frozen chocolate eclair? a chipwich? or the always patriotic red white and blue rocket popsicle?
Then the unthinkable happened, he turned away. He hadn't seen me at all. The truck sped off...the music echoing.
Childhood trauma, shouldn't happen when your 30 something.

Trying out something different.



Done in Photoshop.

I'm thinking of selling merch. Would anyone be interested in calendars, mousepads, lunchboxes, or t-shirts with your favorite Nekokaiju art on it?
leave me a comment to let me know, any ideas would be appreciated.

A long time ago I used to work at a restaurant called LaChapelle. Now with LaChapelle long ago out of business, who would have thought years later that that building would be used in a Ben Burtt movie( The Ben Burrt, Star Wars sound designer). My six degrees to George Lucas just got a little closer. Click below to see how the building was used. One of these days I'm going to own that old church.

Technology and art combine in the oddest ways. Check out the
Phonecam art exhibit

Over at Pulse they have a preview of David Mack's new Kabuki comic coming out July 21st. Beautiful pages


There seems to be a new trend in using small little flash games to promote new albums coming out. Belle&Sebastian has this fun game with a book worm chewing on books. Great for wasting time, not great if your in an internet cafe paying for time.
Wrapped up in Books
Polyphonic Spree also has a flash game, looks like something I've played before, but is delightfully surrealistic.
Quest for the Rest

I recently saw SkinnyPuppy live. An amazing show.
East Bay Express has an interview article that has the most concise history of the band I've seen and still not leave anything out. Worth the read. Even if your not a fan of the pup.


One can only imagine what a Skinny Puppy flash game would look like. I think after a while the visuals would get to you. Gnawing at your brain.


okay that's enough for today....I'm going to get ice cream.

Saturday, July 03, 2004

I'm back

As was explained earlier, my computer problems overwhelmed me.
And anyone who knows me personally, is aware my personal life has been quite overwhelming also. But I'm back! And the new improved Nekokaiju Studios blog, now has comments! So please leave me a note here and there.(All you have to do is click the date below the post and then scroll down and leave a comment) Also I'm going to have the promised weekly updates....gasp. I know I've promised this before, but with preparing for Dragon*Con and several major projects on the horizon, there is plenty to talk about and many new sketches to be seen.

I'm now also working at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. It's nice to be closer to art. I am constantly inspired. Overwhelming also, but in a good way. I've added the VMFA's link over to the right, to show you where I now work. A coworker there introduced me to the art of Bertha Lum. She was the leading American Japonisme artist of the early 1900's. How I had missed her before, I don't know. Be sure to look her up, amazing prints.
Geisha sketch: Bertha Lum inspired.


This morning before work, I got to see the Wimbledon match between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. It's around this time of year I realize how much I enjoy tennis. Sad I don't remember the rest of the year and actually get out and play.But I'm sure tonight I'll run some old MAME tennis games and get an intense finger/keyboard workout.
It's very exciting watching an up and coming star, Sharapova was amazing, someone who actually lives up to the hype. I had heard in the Australian Open she was asked to tone down her moans and groans when she hits the ball. There was no toning down in Wimbledon. So cool to see so much effort rewarded. And so young. It's sad the day you realize most professional sports players are younger than your are. Unfortunately that day came long ago for me.


(edit July 4th/ Just saw the Roddick and Federer finals. Just incredible)

Monday, June 14, 2004