Germanic Industrialism Slung Southern-style.
I googled my name recently, and this was the first search result, an article in Royal Magazine, which is produced by the TripleWide Design Collective. It seems that an interview with a dateline the same as my birthday, was taken with an artist/designer that shares my name. Also in the search results; a soccer player, a film director, and a rally cup driver also with the same name.
I am officially weirded out. And people wonder why I go by SJ…..
In my last post on this subject I talked about my basic ideas, introduced my principle characters, displayed test work and talked about final presentation. Of the the ideas I came up with I worked more on the third one, which is basically the oversized comic narrative in shambles amid a “warzone” , with the sculptural versions of my characters taking cover where they can find it- I had jokingly suggested incorporating some sort of discombobulated, but working television to display a crude animation of the robot character to emphasize the overpowering of weaker and slower by stronger and faster.
I took some time away, thought about it, and if I’m talking about weaker beaten by stronger, and I’m casting comics as the victim of artistic genocide at the hands of animation, than the discombobulated tv is no good, the animation has to be seen more clearly as the aggressor!
I had the idea of fashioning tanks out of multiple televisions, complete with turrets, missile launchers, and tank treads (see images). This would allow me to “broadcast” my animation at several points within the scene, and have multiple aggressors to be attacking my comics. Maybe even have a busted one, no longer working. I would allow the power cords to trail out behind them to find outlets to emphasize a serpentine and sinister encroachment upon the victims.
Pursuing this idea forces me to rearrange the focus in that previously the narrative was the primary focus and the installation/presentation was secondary. Now the opposite is true of the work, Installation/presentation becomes the primary focus as it is delivering the message and the narrative itself becomes window dressing as it has become environmental within the piece collectively. Strategically placed red and yellow flashing lights will contibute to a mood of bedlam and disaster within the scene, and maybe some pre-recorded explosions and tank noises will wrap it up.
Discovery Channel Online reported a breakthrough in a 3-D “compound-eye inspired” photo lens. Designed and created at UCLA Berkeley, its creators say it was inspired by the compound eyes of every-day, garden variety insects and they feel confident that it will be available within several years in devices like cell phones and security cameras.
Human testing won’t begin for several decades. Ok, so maybe not.
Spent two days last week, at Walt Disney World Resorts, with my daughter. It’s been close to twenty years since the last time I went, and it was slightly disappointing. Officially, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, and the Sky Cups are no more. Other rides, like the Dumbo ride and the Teacups, were dirty and looking their age with large amounts of rust and flaking paint. I know the park and its rides are all fifty years old and better, but I was under the impression that the Walt Disney Co. took great strides to keep their theme parks immaculate and unbesmirched.
Other than that, the overall gooeyness of the place was suffocating, I know its a place for kids, but wow. Disney World is so saccharine that I scheduled a dental check-up while I was there.
They also run a parade where they perpetuate the lie that Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse. “What?!?” you say…”Walt Disney didn’t create Mickey Mouse?”
No, he didn’t. There was a little known and hardly respected man, by the name of Ub Iwerks, who was Walt’s partner early on, who created Mickey Mouse. Sadly, They know not of him at Glorious Walt Disney World Resorts.
Those things aside, I loved sharing this experience with my daughter. She’s still young enough to find wonder in everything, and immune to Daddy’s cynicism. She also likes roller coasters. Three years old and her favorite ride in the park…Splash Mountain! My daughter rocks!
huuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
That’s right friends and neighbors, and true believers alike, there is still one final bastion of charity and goodwill left amongst those who peddle completely useless pop cultural items, that’s right, if you’re too stinking blind to read the sign above, than foo on you! More comics for me.
Saturday is the national “Free Comic Book Day” for participating stores. Local stores The Cosmic Cat and The Bookshelf will be offering free comics and other such memoribilia to erroneous strangers who wander in from the streets.
Reason’s To Go!
1. If you’re cheap, how can you say “No” to free stuff?
2.If you’re a parent, it’s been proven that comics can encourage literacy, and appropriate material is usually offered (don’t take it on face value though and scan the material your child picks out, huh?).
3.If you’re old, there’ll be people there that will talk to you.
4.If you’re young you might see your friends, in fact, tell all your friends!
In short, There is a rare breed of person who will gamble their future by investing in a business that primarily sells comic books (it’s ok if they choose to sell rpg’s and manga, too). These people embody the pioneering spirit of our forefather’s by toiling countless hours to make sure geeks like me can get a fix of distorted reality. They are to be commended, they are to be respected, they are trying to get paid, so remember when you go to give a little back and find something to buy. You don’t honestly think it’s charity?
The AudioStylist said that, one haggard and bleeding night long ago and as much as I know his mandibles were frozen in terror and that his bowels were torn asunder by the immediacy of evacuation I think he was just about as right about it then as he is now. You gotta be honest with yourself at times in your life, make up whatever lies and dreams that help you sleep at night all you want, you can’t escape the reality of the situation. Truth never sleeps! I could try to obscure the facts! Oh, Sure, just unplug, pull out and disappear. what about those people that have come to depend on your smiling face daily? How about the amount that you’ve upsold this particular little sin?
You’re right. It’s all over. Now is as good a time as any to come clean about something, something I’ve been trying to tell people for a while now. It is not popular to talk about publicly, nor is it regarded in high-esteem by the general population. It’s been my dark, little secret for a while now…..are you ready? …I’m…. a…… myspacer!
Hey, Mike? Slainté!
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