My wife told me I should draw more often and some friends asked if I'll ever do more Lunchtime Portal Comix, so here's a thing that I did over the holiday break. How great was my holiday break? I had to stop doodling occasionally to eat ham and play Borderlands 2 at my wife's request. So: off the chain, as the kiddies say. Happy new year!
(Click through for larger size.)
Posted January 1, 2013
"Already Christmas" is an ode to the ones who remind us that the consumption-oriented winter holidays approacheth, even as we dust off our plastic skeletons and fake styrofoam grave markers. And it's based on a true story: I used to work at a JC Penney in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, dressing mannequins and putting up seasonal decorations, and one day I got an earful from an exasperated shopper who apparently couldn't accept that wreaths should start going up in October.
See? Be careful what you say and do -- you just might wind up in someone's novelty song twelve years later. And yeah, I DID use the Jingle-Matic on this recording. Anyway, it's a free download, so grab it from Bandcamp here.
Posted December 20, 2012
SketchBook - Calum Alexander Watt. The second half of this video features an amazing digital painting tutorial.
The Revolution Was Televised: The Cops, Crooks, Slingers and Slayers Who Changed TV Drama Forever, by Alan Sepinwall. A retrospective of TV's new golden era, from Oz to Breaking Bad. I read a few excerpts online, bought the Kindle edition and am completely riveted.
I wrote a response to Jack Stuef's BuzzFeed article about me - The Oatmeal. (NSFW) The creator of the beloved webcomic is unmarried, misunderstood, and a Democrat. (Also: way to go, me. Still, rape jokes: just don't.)
Instagram says it now has the right to sell your photos | Politics and Law - CNET News. To riff on a quote Billboard analyst Glenn Peoples, at least Spotify pays creators something.
Posted December 18, 2012
This Friday, Jerin and I will be performing a holiday show we're calling the Kin to Stars' Ugly Sweater Holiday Adventure, and while ugly holiday sweaters are not required, your presence may be, if you live nearby. We've been working on the set since late September, drawing from the GLEE and indie rock songbooks instead of the standard fare of hymns and carols. I just may dress like an elf. And we'll be unveiling an instrument we're calling, for lack of a more absurd name, the Xmas-O-Matic 3000. You'll -- you'll just have to wait and and see.
Public Facebook event is here, and reservations are encouraged! Our last few shows at this venue have sold out. Here's the poster we whipped up (not exactly sure what's happening with my legs there, or if it's even a physical possibility that someone could stand on a ladder in that condition):
Posted December 11, 2012
Creative Commons turns 10 – Jeffrey Zeldman Presents The Daily Report. Happy 10th birthday, CC!
The Unified Theory of XOXO - Waxy.org. Andy Baio, co-founder of the XOXO festival (which I attended earlier this year) looks at what they did right.
The Secrets Of The Internet's Most Beloved Viral Marketer - BuzzFeed. The creator of the beloved webcomic The Oatmeal is fit, attractive, nerd-pandering and Republican. (And who cares? But hey everyone, stop making rape jokes, seriously.)
Table Titans. Super-excited for this one! Scott Kurtz of PvP and The Trenches teams up with Wizards of the Coast to produce an official long-form D&D comic. Subscribed to this SO HARD.
Posted December 7, 2012
I'm sure YOU can draw feet just fine.
Drawing Lessons : How to Draw Feet - YouTube.
Drawing Tutorial 009 Feet by *Nuclearkoi on deviantART.
How to Draw Feet/Shoes: Front View, Male & Female - YouTube.
Academy of Art Character and Creature Design Notes: Foot (and Shoe) Reference Part 2.
how to draw feet - Google Search.
Posted December 6, 2012
Immutable/Inscrutable: Forget piracy. The music industry’s biggest money-loser is an inability to connect with older people that used to spend money on music, and don’t anymore. Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing, now a solo artist, makes a case for marketing music to adults:
Unfortunately, our business is utterly focused on strategies to get music in front of people in their teens and 20s. Other than pushing what worked on younger people, and complaining that those avenues are ineffective with those same fans as adults, the bulk of our business isn’t TRYING to reach older listeners.
In my view, labels and artists alike simply suck at reaching anyone. Crappy, crippled tools, poor execution, a preoccupation with their own navels, and an unwillingness to stick it out for the long haul. It goes way beyond making people comfy at shows.
There Are Over 200 Bodies on Mount Everest, And They’re Used as Landmarks | Smart News. When you die on Everest, you become a trail marker, forever.
The Reality of Mainstream Creator-Owned Comics | Zub Tales. The creator of Skullkickers tells a sobering tale of just how hard it is to make money in the indie comics biz.
Alpha Colony Kickstarter misses $50K goal by $28. Just awful.
Posted December 3, 2012
Writing Wednesdays: Something Unique To Say. Wise words from Steven Pressfield:
It may help, the next time you hear that voice in your head that says you have nothing original to say, to remember that that voice is not coming from the part of your self that you write from, or paint from, or shoot film from. That voice is coming from the shallow end of the pool. Stay in the deep end.
Studio Neat — It Will Be Exhilarating. From the guys who made the Glif, a great little book about jump-starting a business, with tips on manufacturing, prototyping, etc.
Latest from Andrew Norsworthy Shows Off His Badass Guitar Playing and Equally Strong Voice - Seattle - Music - Reverb. My buddy Andrew gets some serious local press lovin'. Go listen to his latest album at his Bandcamp page.
Mastering for iTunes - Tutorials & Training | lynda.com. A free video tutorial by producer Bobby Owinski.
Penny Arcade - World of Warcraft. Big curated list of WOW-themed Penny Arcade comic strips.
Nnewts by Doug TenNapel. Newish adventure web comic from the creator of Earthworm Jim. Lush colors and awesome art. I've been reading since the start and am totally hooked.
Posted November 29, 2012
I came home from a weeklong Thanksgiving furlough to a bunch of cool Kirby Krackle news! Well, actually I knew it was coming because I'm in Kirby Krackle but still YAY OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS.
First, we released our new single "One More Episode," an ode to those weekends spent plowing through a DVD box set with your loved one. See how many TV title references you recognize in our video below:
Grab it at iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp.
And second, we have official confirmation that Kirby Krackle will be performing at the 2013 Calgary Expo, opening for "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Yep. That's not a typo. That "Weird Al." In a 5000-seat arena. All of this is kind of nuts and most likely evidence that the Mayan calendar is real. But if you wanna stick it to those ancient Mayans you can purchase Expo tickets here on December 1st. What a weird, awesome ride this whole nerd-rock thing has been.
Posted November 28, 2012
Posted November 11, 2012