Freakangels

Warren Ellis is writing a pretty damn good weekly online comic, and it's free, and you should go see it.

Now-ish.

Ha Ha. It is to laugh.

At the opening of Iron Man. We were the only cool ones there with Iron Man shirts on.

A Big Hick-win for Hil.

I love this line, but it needs a bit of colorful editing...

"West Virginians' attitudes to race may also have helped Mrs Clinton, the surveys suggested."

The line comes from a BBC story about Clinton's win in West Virginia.

I think it should instead say: "Mrs. Clinton won due to the enormous confluence of bigots in West Virginia, the surveys suggested."

...no?...

Well, excuse me. I thought it was a little more direct and to the point.

Headlines that you just have to click on.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7390109.stm

No, I won't tell you what the headline is. But I will say that I was a bit boggled that the BBC would sink so low...and yet, I had to click, didn't I?

I always knew they'd cope well with warming. Keep 'em warm, mates.

The Workshop

Sometimes called the kitchen. In a studio apartment, you do what you can. Which sometimes means a big mess to be cleaned up when you're not exhausted from doing all the creating + the stuff you do to survive to create another day. The second cloud cast is in the front of the ranks (The Lady got the first one, cause she's The Lady). The purple thing is the mold, with a curing cloud inside (super hot that stuff, don't touch!). The paper cups are for the mixing/pouring, and the two plastic jugs are the two parts of the plastic mixture.


The thing that I think is just amazing is that for the longest time as a kid, I had wanted to make my own toys. I was always making paper action figures and lamenting their lameness. I got a knife and tried to carve action figures out of wood, and gave up because they would never EVER be as cool as the stuff you could buy. But years later, and even though I'm not necessarily going to be able to make jointed toys that have great articulation (maybe, but not with my current skill set) I'm still able to come up with a concept and put out something that's pretty darn cool, in a durable plastic that I can pour in my own kitchen. That's something that just blows me away.

I think once I get a few more clouds cast (which means buying some more casting material) I'll post the process of making a mold. I'm going to make a large mold with six or eight clouds in it, so that I can do a larger batch all at once. The other reason, besides just the larger quantity, is that this first mold was flawed because the original was flawed in a couple ways that I didn't see (and one that I did). The original had some space under the sides where the silicone crept in during the moldmaking process. So the mold ends up making some crazy looking bases for the toys. A little sanding on all of these castings, and then a new mold will get rid of that, and make the next generation a bit more easy to finish once I pop them out. With these I'll really have to do some heavy sanding to make them look nice.

Also not sure about the black eyes and mouth. Thinking I might do them in powder blue instead. The Lady was saying I might consider molding faces for them on top. That's definitely a possibility. I think though, that I want these to be customizable, if one wants to do that, so I may do some customizations like that on my own, and encourage others to buy blanks to do such a thing, but that the mass produced ones that I'm putting out (or as mass as I can do in my kitchen) should be smooth. That would allow for if you wanted to do a custom job of your own and not be married to one of my molded faces. I like the Munny for that reason, and that's definitely the reason Munny works so well for customizing.

If you're into toy customizing, let me know what you think of these. I'd love to get some feedback from people who do this stuff too.

Dr. Phil, reaching out.

This is fucking brilliant.
But you have to listen to the end. I was thinking, "ok, it's a good gag." But the end is 100% win.

Iron Man Set Visit

Gotta Love Keith.

Bronx Kids Talk About Obama

Nothing wrong with a little wide eyed idealism coming from kids who sound like they were verging on hopeless a short while ago. I just hope their hopes are founded, and that the person they're resting on delivers if he's tapped.

Duh. S. of A.

This is me. Asking you. To not be so GODDAMNED PROUD of your IGNORANCE!!!!!

Here is a quote I just read in a Chicago Tribune article concerning the general feeling about Obama vs. Clinton in Pennsylvania. In it, a lady in a bar (who is not alone I'm sure) talks about Obama's loquaciousness.

"'He speaks more—I don't want to say over your head—but he uses more clichés. She's more straight up. For him, I'm not quite sure what he's saying. But he says it eloquently—all the time,' said Reda, a trace of disdain evident in her final words."

Dear Jesus Christ on a fucking handcart in Mardi Gras!! It's not like the man is using twenty dollar words all the time putting on a show that he's smarter than you. It's not like he's out there every day on the campaign trail telling us how he was in the lab with Madam Curie discovering radium. (I'm sure someone is going to go write some Curie/Obama slash fiction now, you perverts). He's just a well educated guy who's got a decent command of the English language.

But what the fuck?!!! What if he WAS a Rhodes Scholar? What if he WAS really so fucking smart that his brain was huge and bulbous and made him say things that half of us couldn't understand because it was so brilliant. Would that be SO BAD??? He's running for PRESIDENT!!!!!!

Haven't you had enough of your monkey-fucking-smirkey-chimp-headed-Conneticut-by-way-of-Texas- Hillbilly-Martha's Vineyard-draft-dodging-ignoramus of a president? Haven't you had enough ignorance to last you a thousand lifetimes?

Don't you want somebody in that office who might have a fucking clue as to what's going on in the world? I know YOU don't want to know what's going on in the world. I don't always want to know either. But don't you think the FUCKING GUY IN CHARGE should FUCKING KNOW???

Okay. I'm done.

Sanded and ready for molding

So tonight, I sanded down the cloud-y guy, and put a new face on him. This one has the eyes a little farther apart. I'm not sure if I like it better or not. I'm so happy with the way this guy looks now. I wasn't sure it would sand down as well as it did. Can't wait to see how he looks in white. Think this is gonna be really nice. I'll blog the molding and casting process soon.

Muse

This is a sketch for a new foamboard piece I'm planning. It's an updated depiction of Euterpe, the muse of music. The final version will have the same rounded edge on the bottom as is shown here on the top. Just adding a bit to the workblog section of this page.

cloudy days ahead.

Here's the strangely hued prototype of a cloud toy that I'm going to be producing soon. The actual toy will be white, with a couple variations planned which will be obvious when you see them. I did this one in yellow partly because it was the clay I had at hand, and partly because it made sense considering that it would be harder to see imperfections in white clay. So I'll be able to sand this one down and make him closer to perfectly round, and then go from there to making the mold. I'm pretty happy with this as a first attempt, but I may make a few different ones to see if another configuration works better stylistically. Or maybe I'll just make a few to make a few, and have a cloud family. I don't know yet. I'm thinking I'll likely do a short run and then maybe an extended run once I see if people dig them and are interested. Thinking about cute packaging too. Excited by the prospects, as I've always wanted to make my own toys, and this is a good start.

Woke up with a laugh.

This morning I woke up from a dream in which I was talking with someone in a church. It was Easter mass and this lady says to me, "It was around Easter as a kid when a priest tried to touch me inappropriately, so I twisted his arm and flipped him over my shoulder."

My response seemed rather like a Far Side cartoon. "So, which station of the cross was it where Jesus taught Jujitsu?"

What she said...

Don't know where it came from originally, but I love it. Makes me think of a few Civil War banners that were going around a while back.

New advertising stuff.

So I'm trying to get more people to show up to my shop, and I'm trying Project Wonderful, but I'm also thinking I'll provide some buttons, for if you want to get in on the action, and put a button on your site to help me out.


Once I get my brain in gear, I'll find the code to give you the whole shebang as an embeddable object, but till then, here are the buttons I've made so far.

In case you think McCain is a good idea...

Think again. I personally don't want this particular 72 year old man with his finger on the button. I'm not saying 72 is too old to make a contribution to society. I just don't know that for this septuagenarian that contribution should be the highest seat in the land. I'm sure there ARE people over 70 who would be capable of doing it well. I'm just not sure McCain is one of them.

Bulls.

The bulls were doing great the whole game, and then they tanked in the last 2 minutes of play. Here's a pic of me and the lovely one around third period when they were still winning, and she was on her way to a free big mac...which I think the Bulls still owe her.

Redcap Oranda - Koi (foamboard and acrylic)

Just posted this for sale on ChilledMonkeyBrains. It's for all those of you who needed a foamboard fish painting to put on your wall next to your fishtank, so that people passing by know what's in there. (you know you can't see anything for all the algae that's accumulated over the years. Get a pleco, for God's sake! That's what they're for!)

Dear God. This made me spit up laughing.

My girlfriend sent me the one with the guy in bed and his cat wakes him up, but I hadn't seen this one. The moment where the door is opened and the cat just sits there is priceless. Made me spit my drink. Almost nose-explosion.

Obama's Not Gonna Be Boxed In, You Hill-ites.

A great PSA for drivers to watch.

It'll make you think about keeping an eye out for scooters and bikes.
http://dothetest.co.uk/
Watch the whole thing.

Almost Baby-ocalypse

Here's one that's almost done. Just needs a caption. I've got a few brewing, but nothing that's solidly smacking me in the face with how well it fits.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised...It'll Be Blogged?

Warren Ellis has posted this on his blog, which is rather eye-catching.

A well thought out and provocative look at the 1962 work of sociologist James Davies, who laid out seven preconditions for violent revolution. The author stresses the point that all of these preconditions have now been met to one degree or another in the current U.S.

The seven conditions are:
1. Soaring then crashing standards of living
2. Rising class war/disillusionment
3. A generation of abandoned intellectuals (hey that’s you guys)
4. Incompetent government
5. Failure of leadership
6. Fiscal Irresponsibility
7. Inept and inconsistent use of force

Um. Yup. I've seen people signing up for their rocks and riot gear of late. I tend to hope that my meditation and bringing of the funny will cosmically help to temper things a bit and make it a revolution with a plan for what comes next, but we'll have to wait and see.

Stripped Postcards

This is a postcard that I sent out yesterday to have made. We're getting 100 of them free.

New Banner for Etsy!

Click for the full size version, but I just wanted to share the new banner that I made for my etsy.com site ChilledMonkeyBrains

The original was garnering criticism for being too graphic, and too dark, so I decided to choose a different tack. Ordinarily I wouldn't give a damn, because I think all art offends somebody somewhere, but in this case it just seemed like bad marketing. I mean, Etsy is largely peopled by moms who knit, so why piss them off right off the bat? Why not draw them in, and then have them click around before pissing them off?

hehe.

Seriously though, I hope it's a little more palatable, and makes me a few more customers than the last one did. I'll make a zombie monkey brain print for the true aficionados

ACEO - Henry

This was inspired by Cloverfield, even though it looks nothing like that monster. I was just on a roll with drawing ACEO cards that day, and this one came out of the pen. Not setting the world on fire or anything, but I think I'll post it on ChilledMonkeyBrains as an original that someone might want. If you're that someone, snap it up!

Baby-ocalypse

Soon for sale on etsy.

What I wish I were doing

This was taken before the winter and it sure sounds like a good idea.

Obama-ness

Okay, so if you haven't seen the original "Yes We Can" video, then watch this...


And if you have, then just click on this one, and watch the satirical yummy.


Here's hoping that this one makes the rounds as quickly as the original.

ACEO #5

Like I said, I'm not going to be posting every single one of these, so the numbers won't be consecutive here on the blog. But you'll get a taste for what I'm doing. I've decided to try something else with these cards as well. I'm sure I'll sell a few on Etsy, but for the majority, since I want to do one every day, I'm going to give them away or leave them on tables around the city, or wherever I go. I'll put my website on the back, along with the suggestion that whoever finds them keep them for a week, and then pass them along to someone who might need a pick me up. I'm also going to suggest that if they find one, they might take a picture of themselves with it, and send it to me. Perhaps I'll create a photomosaic of people who found my cards or something. Anyway, this one is called "Brief Respite."

Enjoy.

Baby-ocalypse

So I came up with this idea that wouldn't let me sleep the other night. It's going to be an ongoing feature of my etsy store. I'm going to do prints and other items (perhaps magnets and t-shirts) of drawings of babies with comments next to them that show them for who they really are in some moments. Sure, everybody loves babies. I love them myself. But there are those moments where you look in their eyes and you can just tell, they'd disintegrate you if they could. Or perhaps it's more of a look that says, "I tolerate you because you feed me, and my hands don't work so good yet." Anyway, I just had this idea that wouldn't sit still, to show babies as our slave-masters, little kings and queens that barely put up with us stupid grownups. And here's the first example of that. I'm still working out the wording for the etsy description, so it's not going up there until later tonight or tomorrow probably. Gotta figure out if my printer is actually capable of making archival quality prints. I haven't the foggiest what the qualifications are if I wanted to say that. I see it everywhere, but does that mean that everybody has an archival printer who's selling that kind of thing? I dunno.

ACEO #1

Trying something new. Called ACEO, or 'Art Cards Editions and Originals,' which is an offshoot of the artist trading card movement. I'm going to draw one of these every day. I can't commit to actually posting one every day, because there are probably going to be some that I won't want to share. But here's the first of them. Just some lady that came off the pen. No real reference.

My hope is that once I get used to working so small, I may find that I want to try to make some limited print runs of these and sell them on etsy. I'm not there yet, but this is just the first one. If there's anybody who really wants this one, let me know and maybe we can do a trade.

In other news...someone called in an order for fucked up winter weather here in Chicago. I walked out the front door this morning and found myself walking on a Slurpee mixed with Jello. It was strange and silent as I walked to the bus and then, waiting a half hour for the bus, the sky began to belch forth a hideous box of nails into my face. When I finally got on the bus it felt like I'd been waterskiing behind an aircraft carrier in the Antarctic. Right now it looks like the sky just can't make up its mind. Near my window there's happy little meandering snowflakes, while further away it's a sleet soaked nightmare.

Happy February, Chicago.

Lindsay Lohan mistakes quilt batting for crack cocaine.

Okay, so I lied. She didn't really. But I think maybe she should, if only because it would further my delusion that the things I think somehow come to pass.

Of course, if that were always true, then this morning, there would have been a little old lady on the bus who was inexplicably eaten by a gigantic purple monster that was sitting next to her. And really that would happen on an almost weekly basis. Someone would always be getting eaten by something on the 147 express bus to downtown.

Perhaps a giant Macy's Thanksgiving day parade balloon of Lindsay Lohan would snort that little old lady and then float away on the gases of her own celebrity-swollen head.

No?

Then perhaps you should just visit my etsy.com shop instead.

ChilledMonkeyBrains

Go. Now. Enjoy. Buy. Love.

Blue Abandon

Newly listed in my Etsy.com Shop
ChilledMonkeyBrains
Only 50 dollars, U.S. And you know how crappy the dollar is right now, so it's a steal!

Candle's Flame

I've put this piece up for sale on my Etsy.com shop.
ChilledMonkeyBrains

It's only 40 bucks, plus shipping, so if you want it for your nook (it's 5"x7") snap it up quick.

Study Buddies

I just posted some more in my etsy.com shop:

ChilledMonkeyBrains

They're cute, they're workin' hard, and they're inspiring you to work hard too.

So go buy a couple, or buy a set and give them to everyone in your office, or class.
You know you want one. You know you'll work harder if you see someone else doing it. We're all just monkeys anyway. Monkey see...

Know Who Else Died Today?

Somebody's grandmother.
Somebody's mother.
Sombody's brother.
Sombody's child.
Refugees the world over died of hunger today.
People died in Darfur because of hate and ignorance.
People died in Iraq today because of ego and fear.

I just can't find it in me to feel bad for Heath. If anything I feel sad for his daughter, and his family. For him though? He's cashed his final check. He's done for this go around. Only thing left for him is whatever comes after this, and the only one who knows that for sure is him. So, no, I don't really care much.

I hope that if I had a friend who was that low, I'd see some sign, and find some way to help. I hope that if I was that low, someone would step up and show me some love.

I'm not passing judgement, I'm just offering some perspective. He was an actor and he was good. But he wasn't a friend of mine, and he wasn't any more important than any of the other people who died sad deaths today. But perhaps his death was slightly less important than the people who died today who were trying their damnedest to stay alive.

That's allz I'm sayin'.

I'm Etsy-ing now.

The site is called ChilledMonkeyBrains.etsy.com, and you should go there and buy a snowman or a painting. I'll be posting more stuffs this week so the shop looks a little fullified.

Iron Man in the New Hulk Movie???

Apparently there's a new wrinkle in the Marvel movie world. Anybody who knows me knows I'm looking forward to the Iron Man movie with Robert Downey Jr. just about more than I've looked forward to any movie ever. So, imagine my happiness when I heard this little tidbit. Iron Man is going to make a cameo in the Incredible Hulk movie starring Ed Norton.

Just like Nick Fury is supposed to make a cameo in the Iron Man movie, Stark is supposed to be standing next to General Ross at some point in the Hulk flick. How cool would it be if he were brought in to lay the smackdown in the Iron Man suit? Tres cool. That's how cool. Alas, I think that'll have to wait. Jon Favreau says that he's got dibs if they ever do an Avengers movie, and I think that would be the coolest.

Any thoughts?

Sesame Street is not for kids.

Or at least it wasn't back in the day. I'm going to be a bastard and not give you a link or anything, but today I read that there's a disclaimer at the beginning of the old school Sesame Street DVD that just came out that says something along the lines of:

These old Sesame Street episodes may not be suitable for todays preschoolers. Sheild your spawn from Cookie Monster's eating disorder, Big Bird's big brown LSD induced friend, and that gay couple who do unnatural acts with latex waterfowl.

Okay, it doesn't say that exactly, but it says something LIKE that, the implication being that old school Sesame Street was just as bad as Amos and Andy. You want to be sure that if you show these episodes to your kids, you tell them first that this was aired before we all learned that Big Bird's imaginary friend is inappropriate and that no one should ever imagine anything...ever.