Facebook Motors

I'm guessing a lot of you use Facebook, and if so you probably notice how they change the design and layout of the site about every six months or so. Now, I love Facebook and I use it constantly as a break from drawing since I sit at my computer all day, and I always end up finding my way around their changes pretty quickly, but the changes themselves are usually very puzzling to me. They aimlessly move icons from one side of the layout to the other, make several ways to access the same feature for no reason other than cluttering up the interface and adding confusion, and then bury other features into specific pages where they don't seem to belong. I'll admit, when they first started this trend it bugged me simply because I was used to the original layout, and most people don't like it when you mess with something they're already fond of. But at this point it's not so much annoying as it is confusing. They seem to have no real aim with the changes they make other than being bored with how it looks.

To an extent I understand this, because I know there are times when I look at this site and think "Should I change something? Would it be easier to use if I did it like this? Why did I ever think that looked good?" It just comes from being in charge of a site and looking at it so much that you start to doubt yourself. I realized after a while that you can drive yourself crazy doing this, as it is easy to become overzealous when really you should just leave things alone. The people who run Facebook don't seem to have figured this out yet.

I was trying to explain these points to a friend the other day and I told them that it would be like if somebody changed all the controls around in your car every six months with no added functionality. That put this image in my head, so of course I had to waste some time making it in Photoshop. Click the image for a bigger view!

The Umbrella Academy

I just started reading The Umbrella Academy comics and this is a drawing I did in tribute to the book. The character featured here, the White Violin, is actually one of the less fleshed out and, so far, less featured members of the group, but the brilliance of her design is so iconic that it's hard to not want to draw her. I'm sure even if many of you haven't read the books you've seen her image looking at you from a comic store shelf and found it hard not to think "What is that?" Her design makes the comic look like something that has already long been established, even when it was brand new, so I give many kudos to the artist and writer for that.

One thing that struck me about the book is how close it is to Hellboy in...well, in many ways. Many of the art techniques are similar to Magnolia and Guy Davis, so much so that I had check that Davis wasn't the artist. And the pulp, off-the-wall content of the book is the same as well. Machines that have elaborate and decorative parts that serve no purpose other than to look cool, monkeys running around, strange occurrences that are never really explained...I really can't do enough to explain just how similar the two universes and their sensibilities are. I'm kinda surprised that I haven't read anything comparing the two before, and somewhat shocked that Mignola and Hellboy weren't listed in the lengthy preface or afterword that discussed the book's influences. You don't get a comic THAT close in tone and art to another comic and say you're not influenced by it.

That having been said, there are a lot of really cool ideas that make the book it's own thing, such as the televator (a teleporter that can transport you only to other elevators) and the fact that one of the characters, The Seance, can't use his powers when he's wearing shoes (for no logical reason I can find.) What's more is that they don't hit you over the head with these things, as it took me a while to realize exactly what the televator did, and took me until the end of the first trade paperback to even realize what some of the main characters powers were.

Update: Randall has just let me know that this has been featured on Comics Alliance. Thanks Randall!

Paper Art

I didn't think I'd make it, but I was able to attend the paper art exhibition at the Rivet gallery in Columbus, Ohio the day before it closed. Much like other forms of art, these paper sculptures are very impressive when you see them in person.

I sent the pictures I took to Chris at Cubeecraft and he made a nice little gallery that you can find here. Also browse the rest of the Cubeelog to find tons of free papercraft models you can download and put together, including some of the ones featured in this show.

Jim Henson

Here is a funky drawing I did of one of the celebrities who have been on my mind lately. I've been on a huge Sesame Street kick thanks to a book I received for Christmas from my friend Dave (who has just started a really cool photo blog here that deals with nostalgic and pop culture subjects.)

There's not much I can say about Jim that hasn't already been said; he's just one of those rare larger-than-life figures that was around in my lifetime. He sure as heck believed in what he was good at.

Also, if you haven't already you may want to place an order for my "Plumber's Wardrobe" T shirt as they just went on sale yesterday and sizes are already selling out!

Mario's Closet Tee is Here!

The one you've been waiting for! Now officially called "the plumber's wardrobe" for what must be obvious reasons. The shirt is available in men's and women's sizes.

Click here to buy the T-shirt
Click here to buy the Baby Tee

Also a note for those who have been asking, Splitreason will be selling a poster, and Gallery 1988 will be selling a limited edition signed print. I look for both of them to be on sale in the near future and I will certainly post updates as I receive them.

UPDATE: I just found an article about the release of the shirt while browsing Kotaku, please let me know if you see any more!
Kotaku - Clothes Make The Man, Woman, Frog, Raccoon, Penguin, Etc.
Go Nintendo - 'The Plumber's Wardrobe' shirt finally up for sale

A settings change

Unfortunately, a side effect of all the increased attention to my site is that I've been getting some spam in my blog comments. I was trying to wait it out, but they seem to be persisting. For this reason I've elected to enable word verification for commenting on my posts.

I really regret having to do this because I personally hate the whole word verification thing, and I didn't want all you great visitors to my site to have to put up with it or feel like I was trying to hinder your input in any way, so I am sorry for that.

I truly appreciate all the new and returning visitors that come to my site, all the feedback I receive, and all the new little faces that keep showing up in the "Follow" box over there on the right, so I hope this doesn't discourage anyone from from enjoying the site in whatever way they normally do.

Thank you, and God's speed.

Oh, and down with spam.

Peripheral Vision

A new shirt design submitted to Splitreason that is a visual index of first party North American peripherals for the Nintendo Entertainment System (and the Game Genie, made by Galoob.) You can vote on it here.

While simple in concept this design took a lot of work; half of the time I spent on this was just doing research. I had to compile a list of what should be included, then find pictures of each item that not only let me create an accurate drawing but gave me good size reference. Then of course I had to draw the thing. Click on the image above for a bigger version than is available on Splitreason's site.

I have also created a key, below, to identify each item for those who don't recognize them.



Click each item for its Wikipedia page:

1. Power Pad
2. NES Zapper (orange version)
3. Standard NES controller
4. NES Zapper (original gray version)
5. NES Four Score
6. NES Advantage
7. NES console
8. Power Glove (including glove and receiver rig that is placed on the TV)
9. Game Genie
10. Gyromite Kit for R.O.B. (Including platforms, tops, spinner, and grips)
11. NES Satellite (Including main unit and infrared receiver)
12. R.O.B.
13. Dogbone Controller for the NES 2
14. NES Max
15. Stack-Up Kit for R.O.B. (Including platforms, colored discs, and grips)

I know, I know. "Sorry, but you didn't include ______ ." and " That one shouldn't be on there." After Mario's Closet, I'm ready for whatever you want to throw at me. I hope.