orphan #8: smurficons (amiga).

I uploaded my SmurfIcons (Amiga) to Aminet (a public archive for Amiga software/files).

I worked on these icons years ago.. maybe 10 years ago, and never released them, because I wanted to create 101 icons (the number of smurfs in the Smurf village) before uploading them. Never got around to it of course, but felt I should go ahead in light of the 3D Smurfs movie coming out this month.

There were so many more ideas I had - I wonder if I will ever be motivated to finish them. These icons were somewhat unique in their time because they had a simple animation (activated "on" and "off" images) -- something which I believe the Mac OS has surpassed with their animated icons..

The Amiga operating system is a 90's platform which has declined to a hobbyist market.

Attached is a grab of the icons that I completed - some of these icons were accompanied by sounds and further graphics. My favorite Smurfs were Clumsy and Rotten Smurf.

lord of ultima comic - 1st prize. =)

I won 1st prize for the lord of ultima comic entry!!

(it was just a online computer game contest so the only thing I ended up winning was in-game currency)... but I was really pleasantly surprised that I won.

I have spent the past few days rendering a new version of the comic incorporating the game graphics for a more polished look.

orphan #7: lord of ultima comic contest entry.

wow. I have been idle for more than a week, playing Freedom Force and Eberron online.

I spent the whole day working on a comic as a contest entry for an online strategy game, Lord of Ultima. The prize for the contest would be "100 diamonds" (an in-game currency), and I am not even sure what I would use them for (if I won). I did not think anyone would submit, but was surprised - some of the entries are good.

I am disappointed with my artwork - ideally, I wanted to make a comic strip similar to zogonia, and/or I was intending to incorporate the in-game artwork, but after I completed the draft, I did not want to waste any more time than I had already invested. (07:30)

I uploaded the original pencil draft for comparison.

orphan #6: black organza shirt.

I have been idle for the past 2 days -- was trying to fix up an old computer - unfortunately, even after playing around with it, the computer was not able to play the dungeons and dragons eberron online engine, due to graphic card requirements - dammit.

the project I took on today again was cutting off the sleeves of a long-sleeve shirt. this was a black organza tuxedo shirt (with white cotton french cuffs) that I got for free from work a while back. I would never wear it, and it also is a size 4. I have had it in my mind to play around with it for a while. first, to cut off the sleeves (01:45).

.. the second part of the shirt reinvention is shortening the length, and embedding black feathers into the back yoke.

to add the feathers to the back yoke, I cut incisions into the yoke seam. it is difficult to see with the lousy camera I have, but this is a concept sketch:

orphan #5: roy takes a photo of himself almost every day for 1 year.

I was supposed to make this video journal of daily cellshot photographs of myself with a bunch of other people, but have since lost touch with everyone...

taken throughout the year 2010, but never got around to compiling them into a video. (2:13)

((based on the youtube video: noah takes a picture of himself every day for 6 years))

unfortunately, I did not edit the pictures carefully before putting them into the video, so there are some shots that were taken on the same day. the video would have been more impressive of course if I had taken the picture from the same exact angle each day... but it was a cell phone camera goddammit [my old lg chocolate].

orphan #4: skewer ball

I did not want to go another day without missing my creative contribution to life. this is a skewer ball made from toothpicks puncturing a styrofoam core. it was one of the sculptural objects that I learned to make from an anthropologie demonstration. I already completed one at the class, and they gave us extra material to make a twin brother (2:00).

I missed doing anything yesterday, so I am -2 now. I am sure I will lose track at some point.

again, it is not a very creative project, but at least I did something today... other than see x-men: first class.

oh. there is a little bald spot at the top where I did not finish one section of the sphere. I am not sure what I am going to do with this guy - probably just gather dust in my bedroom. but the project actually did give me quite a few ideas when I was at the store. Initially, my idea was to make a porcupine hoody costume for halloween out of toothpicks, but after some thought, I felt it would be dangerous to myself and to others. what happens if some drunk guy bumps into me. both of us would get stabbed, I would probably be arrested and have to turn in my porcupine suit for a black and white striped suit.

I received the memory modules today to install into my computer (giving the computer 1.5gb instead of 768mb). I must say I am a bit disappointed; I was expecting an increase in the computer speed more akin to what happened with my mom's computer. It has sped up a little, but it turns out that what slows the computer down must be the computer processor (an Athlon) and the graphics card (the ATI All in Wonder 9700 Pro). I guess the next (and only) thing I could try is getting an upgraded graphics card... not sure if it is worth it though.

orphan #3: little cub and the 3 hairy bears - card.

I fell asleep yesterday after playing bards tale on ps2, so I am -1.

I re-created today a birthday (greeting) card that I made a few weeks ago for someone I used to work with. I had lunch with him 2 days ago (I gave his gift to him late because I never got to meet up with him on the actual day). I was really pleased with how he started cracking up when he read it. of course, the original version had some inside humor, so I re-designed this so that appealed to a broader market. I updated the graphic images as well (I will upload the original layout later today). I always wanted to work in the greeting card industry. I thought this card might sell to the urban bear market.

I made a custom envelope for the card as well, but I am not going to upload the image, since I used an image I downloaded off the internet (a block shadow image depicting the three bears). My idea in ripping the pages and mounting onto the card was so to give it that rough edge / home-made look.

later, I may try to upload the images as a flash card animation if I can figure out how to make one.