Saturday, September 30, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ IN PROGRESS

Trying something different. Workin' on these throughout the day. Or perhaps a few.

Sketch o' the Day ~ Pulsiant

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Finish
For the next trial, there were no indicators signaling up or down, only the echo of your next step dancing with itself.

Sketch o' the Day ~ Solar Express

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Finish
Roland had to consult with the higher ups when the assembly instructions neglected to give the proper procedure for take off.

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Guess I'm better at one at a time. Someday I'll come back to finish these...


1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ...


1 | 2 | 3 ...


1 | 2 | 3 ...

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Moon Waltz

This is grand.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Survey Says

I got an email a bit ago from another Simon who conducts surveys and interviews among the blogging world, hence the Bloggasm.

Since he was kind enough to include my response in his latest about mapping diversity in the blogosphere, please have a look see and ponder it yourself. What I appreciate about this is the analytical nature of wanting to do something of this sort, and his observations, including self imposed flaws.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Blur

Astute minds will notice I was a total flummox last week, as I unexpectedly became preoccupied with something that wasn't sketching. According to my light meter the needle is pointing deeply into the brighter side. This is probably why my eyes still need time to adjust, so please pardon me if I temporarily stumble around and step on toes a la Gene Kelly with an umbrella.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ Valkyrie's Whisper


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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Finish
After the sirens broke their backs with enough sonic interference, the king's horses and men grew restless and heeded their own battle cry.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Dear Simon

I will always be entrenched in secrets.

You know all of them. Even when they are miniscule, sometimes when they are forgotten, often when they belong to others, and especially when they are grand. Lately I've found myself retreating back to you, Simon, to give you some more.

Sometimes, I accidentally fall over little treasures that I want to keep for myself. And I think, "You know, Simon would love this." I want to lie down with those things and feel their pulse. And hope that it lasts one second more. Or hope that it dies quickly so you can get on with other things.

I know now of people who are wondrous and broken at the same time. When you begin to filet your dreams at the expense of pursuing them does it really make it worth it anymore? I try too hard to make people like you, to prove something to only one stubborn skeptic, to show that yes in fact, I am not a coward, I will do what I do even if I lose.

Some people have assumed your guise and are wearing your shoes. I see you walking among them. They know the things you know. But they don't know each other. I feel worlds are starting to collide.

I know now that you and I will still always be brothers in arms, dear Simon. Let me know if you've anything to impart. I'm listening.

Peace,
Alden

Monday, September 11, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ The Guide


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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Finish
Trekking through neon and rain, it wasn't hard to find the way home even when his smile made the world go supernova.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

The Black Hole

I've yet to have a regular nights sleep on a Friday night. Actually, I've not had a regular nights sleep in a few months due to working at home but on Friday nights it's not entirely my fault.

I wander around the house from couch number one to half-couch number two to the bed to the floor and back again, as monkeys follow the migration path to evict me from one snooze station to another. It's always a tag team operation as well. They've got this search and destroy homing pattern, a psychic bond that tells the other where to find them for maximum effect while stumbling through slumberland. For some reason they think that I am flexible enough to squish like a memory-foam pillow.

Not that I blame them really. My house is just downright uncomfortable at times. It's pretty tiny. Not Japanese apartment size mind you but still not much room for error. As newborn monkeys are able to fit in the crook of one's arm, while thoughts are not intentionally, "What shelf can we stuff the kids into at night?", space wasn't an issue then. (No we didn't stuff the monkeys into closet shelves. They did that later on their own.)

Currently, though, they don't have their own room at the moment. And they are getting bigger. Upon their exodus, their room has become a mass grave of old toys, clothes and boxes of stuff. When I came out of my closet, their room morphed into the closet that funneled in all manner of everybody's unwanted things. This made sense because their room basically is the size of a walk-in closet. I'm not sure I could fit a bunk bed in there even if I wanted to.

It's also had squirrels dig through the ceiling, cryptic messages drawn on the walls, and inside the closet within a closet a warped wall from when the toilet flooded over in the next room over. I'm sure there is peanut butter toast hidden in various places throughout, although I can't prove it. Yet. It's probably what is holding it together.

This room is also missing the doorknob. It fell off with a clunk. As such, I dubbed it, The Black Hole, shut the door tight with one of those ominous vaccuous suction noises that prophets may hear and didn't open it for a good year. Every once in a while I peer into The Black Hole and make sure there aren't vagrants that have set up camp.

On a side note, in typical Saturday morning fashion I awoke to the end of a dream that involved a dog we used to call Misty but instead turned into one that looked like Benji but was called Dingle as she wanted out the back door to go pee and chase the polar bear dog that ran on two legs and repeatedly knocked over my fence.

I'm not sure if this has to do with the fact that this morning I also awoke in the bed that was soaked in... something that did not come from my skin. Or my body for that matter.

I think I shall be breaking open the forbidden seal to The Black Hole soon. If you pray, now is the time, my brethren.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ The Wicked Hour


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No. 22/1000: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Finish
Being the newly appointed chief lamplighter seemed like it should be an easy task to Vivianne; until she realized that there was no one she could hire who would do her job for her.

1000 Sketches

Some of you probably have been wondering what's with the sudden insurgence of art around here.

I was sitting there a few weeks ago on my birthday, and started in on a sketch. Having just turned 29, and realizing there was only one year left until I change the tens digit in that number, when a tingly sensation started to form. The one I get when I'm about to start something illogically large scale.

I've decided that by my next birthday, that being August 15th of 2007, wherein I will turn 30 years old, I will have completed 1000 of the daily sketches between now and then. I know that I can do this.

Now here's the part that's still all wrinkly but maybe you can help me iron it out some.

Many of you gracious souls out there have been inquiring about obtaining prints of your very own of the art that has been presented here. At this time, for my own ethical reasons, the only way I can go about justifying this in my mind is to donate all profits for something like this to charitable endeavors. I feel as though, with a project this large and the range of time involved that there must be some way to give back.

I have three inital ideas:

1) Make individual runs of prints as limited numbered sets and either auction them or set up a store where they may be bought for a donation.

2) Invite other artist bloggers to do a "sketch-a-thon" where once a month we would all sit down and draw all day for a specific cause, to raise awareness and funds.

3) At the end of the year, when all is said and done, collect the art into a book and have it's proceeds continue to give back.

I think this can work. However, the world of non-profits and charities are vast and as much as my mind tells me to give it all away, I remain indecisive as to where these things should go. I have some leads, and while I'm searching, I humbly request your feedback on any causes that might dig this particular idea and help run with it.

If you have any thoughts, by all means, please email me.

ÜberGomos

I love adding the German prefix über to things to make them wonderful. I use it too much.

Since I am not always the smartest little gomo, I used the Wikipedia to look up über to make sure I was using it correctly and whether or not it had the umlaut. And also to gather as many trivial facts as possible about it.

Under the slang section it says:

Its also a name for a friend that you think is sexy.

Therefore, proceed immediately to This Boy Elroy to hear me as a guest on der ÜberAdam's podcast, where we go on and on about all things that reveal we are actually 12 year old boys who have fooled everybody. Or have just fooled ourselves into thinking we've done so.



PS. I think this has made me regress several years. Is it only funny to me that Übermensch = "homo superior"?

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ The Launch


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No. 21/1000 : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Finish
Upon spotting his destination, the fibers in his wings, the ones that attached to his backbone and ran through to his fingers and toes, twitched feverishly as they hummed in unison, "Three, Two, One..."

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Ready To Rawk

After I got it all out of my system this morning, I've been breathing a lot better since. Allow me to present before you some proof of balance in the universe.

So. I love Guitar Hero. The monkeys love when I play Guitar Hero. The Younger Monkey loves when I play, specifically, "I Love Rock & Roll."

So. I just got a call from my now ex-wife.

So. It would only make sense that when they were at church tonight and it was time for everybody to sing uplifting praise and worship songs to our Lord God, Younger Monkey stands up and with a determination that would make Joan Jett proud, belts out "I Love Rock & Roll" as loud as possible, knowing every word and movement to the wonderment of everyone in the building.

Fortunately, I'm told it was hilarious and stupendous and she just wanted to thank me for my handywork. Allow me to say I have not laughed so hard since...okay, since the last time he did something like that.

Rock on, Monkey, I have taught thee well.

How To Make Ghosts


click to watch

The way things are.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ Firefly


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No. 20/1000: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Finish
Shoes made for speed and sound will wander by themselves when left to their own devices.
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PS. I think I want me some red shoes. They're kung-fu, baby.

What's the Big Idea?

Things are spinning,
Pitching, flailing, grinding
Round and round and round
But once I get my bearings back
You'll surely be the first to know
The spot I've come back down.

So somebody must have whacked me over the head with a Rickenbacker because I've got this idea that is manifesting through the interdimensional portal that has formed in my brain but is taking it's sweet time. I'm sure you can relate.

It does involve all this sketchery I have been indulging in of late and will make some people quite happy.

I even have some more real blog posts, you remember the kind that involve words, but currently they are in one of those BIG jumbley puzzles you find in the newspaper so I'll get back to you once I've got it sorted.

Mwah.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ Oath of the Brush


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No. 19/1000 : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Finish
Miranda's first order of business upon gaining her independence was to to find out if ink and blood have the same viscosity.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ The Inspector


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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Finish
After a vexing trail of petals, there was no doubt that the suspect had accidentally fallen in love and left the door wide open.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ The Aquestrian


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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Finish
Each Sunday morning before dawn, the queen would slip out of her solitude and into the vague deep to become lost with her only true confidant.
- - - - - - - - -

This one is for my dear sis, Julia, because she asked for it. Since I perpetually owe her for being the epitome of rad sibling. Also for not beating me up as much as she could when we were little.

As we all know, the male seahorse has the babies. And they are monogomous. Maybe I shoulda been a seahorse.

Friday, September 01, 2006

Sketch o' the Day ~ Zephyr's Eve


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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Finish
Use caution when lifting the scarecrow's hat. You never know what he's dreaming about.