Webtales

Picking up Mike and Kiwi where I left them- getting ready to toss them into more trouble.

Good writeup in io9 today about the virtues of making it up as you go along.

http://io9.com/5558810/in-praise-of-seat+of+the+pants-storytelling

The x degrees of separation odds are in favor of anyone living in the US when it comes to combat mortality these days. Last week the son of a cousin was killed in Afghanistan. There are no words.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_685317.html

I was pretty excited to talk about 3D at the Cartoon Art Museum.  This is one of those places where I don’t really have to explain how cool 3D is;  these folks already know and they “get” my work. It feels like coming home.

Until this past weekend, the CAM didn’t know they had a “lecture hall” until I showed up. They have this lovely little alcove where they show cartoons in the back of the museum. I just put up a screen, set up some chairs, fired up a laptop and projector and voila- instant lecture hall.

Considering there were only about a dozen seats, I had a full house. I was pleased to get a visit from the ROBOTS! IN 3D folks. I am always happy to meet with fellow 3D artists.

I am in talks with the CAM to do a summer workshop in 3D narrative. More on that as it happens.

Good times!

I didn’t mean for it to happen and Lord knows, enough people have dissed the ebook in general and the Amazon ebook model in general. I’ve just become very attached to the Kindle my family got me for Xmas. It is just so damned *CONVENIENT*.

It took me a bit of time to get used to the paradigm; pressing buttons instead of turning pages, the whole look and feel of the thing. After that, it all came pretty naturally. Since then, I’ve spent HOURS using the device. More like hundreds of hours at this point.

I still have a loyalty to local independent book sellers. I buy at least one hardcover a month to do my part for the cause. Losing independent book sellers is not an option. The Kindle may be convenient, but the whole book purchasing experience is unsatisfying. No one to talk to. No one to share your loves and quibbles with. While ” if you liked this, you might like…” is OK, it lacks the subtlety and humor of a long time book friend.

Plus there is the whole “wander” element of book shopping. I would sooner scan shelves, pull down books and find things that surprise me. The list of recommended books the Kindle store offers simultaneously works too hard and doesn’t get me at all.

So I’m torn. As usual, I have one foot in each world with no clear preference for either. Both have their strong points. ebooks vs. bookstores. I want the bookstores to win. But I sure do like pressing a button and having a book delivered to my reader in under three minutes.

Living in interesting times.

Amen.+

“Everybody wants to get into de act”- Jimmy Durante

I’ve been grateful for the mass media anaglyh efforts. The hardest part of my gig is getting 3D glasses into the household. A few months ago, the Grammy Awards gave away 3D specs for the Michael Jackson special 3D sequence. People could get the glasses for free at any Target store. I was delighted to see that they were handed out as single sheets containing four pair of glasses. Thousands of 3D glasses headed homeward. Some would not be thrown out afterwards. Small steps.

So this month, the Playboy centerfold is in anaglyph 3D; also a full color ad for the next season of ‘True Blood.”

3D porn is not new. in fact, most of my searches for anaglyph 3D turn up the naughty nurses, the incest comics and other delightful offerings. One could surmise I am one of the few practitioners of anaglyph who is NOT in the porn business.

I keep insisting anaglyph 3D is a great storytelling medium. I keep seeing all the gimickary grabbing the spotlight.  There is nothing new in Playboy from the standpoint of the art form. it is the usual cheezy stuff, done adequately.  The real beuaty and power of the art form is not even scratched.

Great that 3D gets the headlines. Bummer that is the same old shallow stuff. No surprises, just another missed opportunity.

My ISP suggested I might want to clean up some of my code.

So I am in tinker mode. If things don’t quite work, my apologies.

More Photoshop Disease

With Wondercon coming up this week, I thought about ways I could provoke a bit more interest in the 3D content on this site. I came up with the idea of taking some of the art from here and making iron on T-shirts.

The results are beuatious.  I’ve already gotten some response just wearing the shirts on the street. At some point I’m going to have to get my act together and roll out an online store in one form or another. Before I do that, there have to be more than 30 people who are actually interested in the work.

I spent a good chunk of yesterday trying to finish book 2. I built the last two panels, hated them, built them again, still hated them, etc, etc. There is a balance of tone and content that I am looking for to wind up this book. While I am close,  I am not dead on, like I have to be.

With WonderCon coming next week, I will be working on a demo book to show around to those even vaguely interested. I’ve been thinking of making the “ask me about 3D” T shirt, which now that I joke about it, isn’t a half bad idea.  Hmmmmmm.

Book 2 WILL wrap the week. Then its, two down, two to go…