New Gobelins Shorts

Awesome!
http://www.gobelins.fr/galerie/animation/

Quick Sketches

Not for the Queasy!

Susan and I learned how to prepare specimens for the Ornithology Department at the University of Washington today. Chris Wood held our hands through our first Flicker prep. It was awesome! Brains that have been in the freezer are way less brainy than I thought they'd be.

DIY Squid Hat

I finally got the squid hat sewing pattern together this weekend! This album includes the pattern you need to make your very own squid hat friend.
By the way... Squid hats will attract a lot of positive attention, mostly from cute girls. You listening fellas? I'm trying to help you out here. :)

Supply List:
Polar Fleece (about 2 feet)
All Purpose Thread
Velcro or snaps
Large Craft Eyes (I used 35 mm)

There are two really simple ways of modifying this pattern. You can alter the shape of the ends on the big tentacles and top fin, like turning them into hearts! Also, making the backsides of the fabric an alternate color and adding alternate color appliques(spots, stripes, stars, etc.) will give the hat more dimension.

The next one I make I'm going to try to find some conductible thread to make light up eyes. I'll probably drill a hole in the black eyes and insert an LED there.

Word of warning:
If you make your own and make a white one be aware that people sometimes think it is a KKK hat at first. I've gotten a few angry people up on my grill wearing the white one, but mostly the reactions are very positive and people know what it is.

EDIT:
I just added an instructable for this pattern here!

Couple of movie notes

Firstly, I saw Bolt last night. Basic plot, little bit of a spin to it, nothing too wacky going on all in all. We all loved it! It's very funny and you feel for the characters. Maybe not a true classic, but really enjoyable. :)

Secondly, I watched a true classic this morning, Dumbo. Sixty years later and it still holds up. I haven't watched Dumbo in about 20 years, but when the Baby of Mine sequence came on it was all out gut wrenching tears. I'm not really a cryer when it comes to entertainment, but I'm not immune! Several of the older Disney films have sequences that trigger the same response. It's a testament to Disney's story telling abilities. It also drives home something that I've been thinking about for a little while, which is, outside of the older Disney movies an animation has never made me feel so strongly for the characters. While most of my favorite animations are relatively contemporary(they are very fun!), none of them have that strong bond I develop with the characters in these old school movies. I claim that the Lion King is my all time favorite(along with Godzilla), and the scene with Simba and Mufasa is pretty potent, but it doesn't make me well up with sorrow, just pity. THAT being said, every time I watch The Return of Godzilla(Godzilla 1985) and Godzilla falls screaming to his apparent doom into the volcanoe I cry uncontrollably. I know why. Because Godzilla can not speak I've placed upon him my own personality, and also hero worship, I'm not watching Godzilla die, I'm watching everything I believe in destroyed by the powers that be, and the world watches grimly as this tragic figure slowly screams himself into oblivion. I know they bring Godzilla back in lots of other movies, but it feels like he is really dying every time.

Anyway, along with my desire for Pixar to make a musical, I also wish they'd develop their characters enough to jerk tears out of me someday. I generally enjoy their movies, but I don't believe they have peaked yet. They do what they do with real polish in every aspect, but they play it too safe. I'm wondering if they are too happy to make their characters have more dimension. Disney was kind of fucked up inside from what I've read.

Good Morning!

I reeeally like the taste of coffee even though I hardly touch the stuff. The whole peeing all day thing is more annoying than feeling groggy for a few hours.

The best dog ever

From Phoenix and other memories

Goodbye Phoenix!

3 years of Guild Wars

There are videos of the 3 Years of Guild Wars panels from PAX up on youtube.

It was a pretty overwhelming experience being up there with so many hardcore fans. I really appreciated all the Charr love out there. For the record, I am pro pink Charr. ^_^

I went to the farmers market...

...and found a lost ferret!

The last three images are videos.

Another WIP of Cloudy

I've done some lighting, proportion, and general image tightening so far.