Sparky's Candy Droplets

Every month I like to update my web site and add a couple things to the portfolio. It keeps things fresh. You never know how often they change out the produce on the internet, unless you're on Sparky Firepants Images. You know it's fresh. It's got that fresh-from-the-sea quality.

Wait. Does that mean it stinks?

I think I'm overloading on marketing metaphors lately. Strike that, I'll think of something better.

It seems I've been creating a lot of candy lately for my clients. I have two basic styles, "candy" and "granola." I've been neglecting the granola lately, but who am I to argue with the masses? I give them the candy. It's kind of fun making candy.

So for February I decided to feature the candy. Just promise me you'll brush after browsing, ok? I don't want to be responsible for your keys falling out.

Or, you could eat some granola to balance it out.

Election 2008

“Always vote for principle. Though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” — John Quincy Adams

Do you know who you're voting for yet? That's okay, take your time. There may be a lot of hype about it, but I absolutely believe that this is one of the most important elections in U.S. history.

Jason from gDiapers shared this on his blog today and I'm passing it along:

http://glassbooth.org

Not only is it an awesome site for exploring the candidates and the issues in detail, it's nicely designed, which of course I always appreciate. No bells and whistles, just an elegant interface that's not in-your-face.

This is probably on eof the few times I'll get all political here. It's an art blog, after all. Then again, as an artist and a Family Man I play a large part in deciding the future of this country. It's a huge responsibility and as goofy as I am I take that much seriously.

If you're 18, you need to vote, no question. Now, with glassbooth.org you have zero excuses to not understand what or who you're voting for!

Thanks to Jason Graham-Nye for the link!

Johnny Cat

This is my friend John as a cat. No, I don't know where I come up with this stuff.


And why is he carrying a fruity island drink?

IF - Tales and Legends

Tear it Off

I had to go out and get some coffee beans today. Yes, I said had to. There's no absence of coffee allowed in this house, ever. So I jumped on my bike and rode through the rain to the Alberta Street Co-op to get some of our fave Othello (#427).

I was perusing the bulletin board for a minute or two, browsing the usual tear-off flyers for yoga, massage and one for tax preparation (I tore that one off). Then I saw the rabbit. It was your average 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of copy paper with a little rabbit drawing on it. The tear-offs were the same little rabbit. No words. No numbers. Just tear-off rabbits.

I love this. It's just the kind of sideways thing that wakes you up in the middle of a sleepy Saturday afternoon.


Addendum: Listening to Neil Finn's One Nil. Secret God: "See a man collapse in the doorway of a restaurant..."

Just fueling the weirdness and wonder of a rainy Saturday. Neil Finn is excellent rainy day music.

A Place to Hang my WACOM Tablet

Check it out... a new drawin' table. It's my new favorite thing. It's real wood, too, not that white particle board veneer stuff you see everywhere. It's like something you would have seen at Disney's in the 1940s. Sorry, IKEA, this one had to be real.


Oh, and just because I can, I took a photo of my view while I draw. The photo through the blinds doesn't do it justice, but I love that tree. I can see the hills and the colors of the sunset behind it all.


I have wanted this my whole life. It feels good. A little celebrating of a little thing never hurt anyone.

Thank the Internets

I'm so glad I got this handy confirmation from The Internet about my status. I was so lost there for a minute.


I'm a little scared to use the bathroom now.

Flip of the Pencil

Today I've illustrated a banjo, a Swiss Army knife, and an iPhone. What a weird world.

I also sketched up this lady to go with a larger illustration for this really cool project I've been on for a couple of months.

The first lady is kind of old-fashioned school marm. With a flip of the pencil, I updated her look into more of a Diane Sawyer-type. It's so strange how just a small adjustment can make such an impact.


Am I an illustrator or a hairdresser? Hey - I could do illustration make-overs. Update your look! Get a higher salary! Get men to notice your hidden pencil lines!

It's really interesting and sometimes a challenge to come up with workable ideas for different iconic elements. I'll explain more once it's all complete, the company I'm working with needs to keep it on the down-low until launch. Suffice it to say I hope to do more for these folks in the future, they are very cool to work with.

What recession?

Why didn't anyone tell me there was a recession? When did this happen?

I guess I was too busy working and buying stuff.

Anyway, check out the first Sparky Firepants Images press release. It promises thrills, chills, and head-spinning excitement!

http://www.prweb.com/releases/sparkyfirepants/economy/prweb625141.htm

I am in Hell

I am in working-from-home hell today.

Check out my new business cards, aren't they jes' the cutest lil'... ugh.

So they are cute and fun and brightly colored and say "Look at me! I'm cute and fun... yet I'm a brightly-colored professional." Or something like that.

This was all happy and swirly and all those other artist-type feelings you get from drinking coffee and making art.

Then I hit "print. My day steadily sank into the fifth level of Postscript® hell.

Let me back up.

I wanted some new business cards. Those of us in the graphic design or any art-related business who want business cards typically will let no one else design them, even if it's our mother and she is an award-winning layout genius and invented type as we know it today. Guttenberg himself wouldn't stand a chance. No, the artist usually wants to design his own business card and I am certainly not going to go against type (pun intended, of course). So, design them I did. The choice was economical in part and by virtue of being a graphic designer I just saved myself a whole heap of money and a trip to the Microsoft clip-art page. I shudder to even think of it.

To take it a step further, I made a pit stop at Office Depot and picked up a pack of Avery inkjet business card sheets, pre-scored (Avery 8876 for the curious). Only $30 and I just saved another chunk of change. Hey, I already designed them and I have a printer with all this ink just sittin' there doin' nothin', so why not?

The next step was to download the Avery template. That was pretty easy after I made it past the Microsoft Publisher, Word Docs, and KoolKard!© garbage templates. The InDesign template was okay, but I was much happier creating my own template in Illustrator. If readers yell "Control Freak!" at their screens I wouldn't hold it against them.

I printed my cuteness on regular paper and held it up to one of my business card pages and everything was aligned beautifully, if I do say so myself (if you think that's a smart idea, it is. It only took me two wasted Avery sheets to figure it out). Then I printed on an Avery card sheet. It was off. Darn (actual word used rhymes with "water fowl"). I tried again, adjusting my print dialogue settings several different ways. I printed another on copy paper. Oh, pretty. I print another sheet. It's off.

Water fowl.

I e-mailed my friend Tim, who usually either knows the solution to my problem or has a cool YouTube video that makes me feel happy again. This time he had suggestions that I had tried. No video, either.

Solid human waste.

Let's see, what have I done so far to correct this issue? Maybe I missed something:

1. Yelled to my family in the next room that Avery sucks.
2. Had more coffee.
3. Read the news.
4. Checked my e-mail. Again.
5. Downloaded a QuickBooks free trial.
6. Rearranged my iTunes playlist.

No, I didn't miss a step anywhere. What's wrong with these children of no fathers?

Eventually I did solve the issue after a lot of work and careful research. If any readers have had this same problem, it may help you to follow my troubleshooting guide:

1. http://www.vistaprint.com

That's pretty much it. It's self-explanatory from there. When I calculated the cost of ink, the Avery inkjet sheets, the non-billable hours I spent trying to get this right, I'm pretty sure that VistaPrint owes me money for printing my cards for me. The math works out.

With the business card fiasco out of the way, I was ready to work. Not so fast, Waste Exit Portal.

It seems that someone forgot to turn on the barking dog this morning. They must have had an epiphany, because this afternoon they came home and cranked it up to Full. This matriarchal water fowl(ing) dog barked for three hours straight.

Put on my headphones, you say? Yes, that would be troubleshooting step number one, but in this case I needed to be able to hear the phone. I cranked up my tinny Macbook speakers as high as they would go, but the Chili Peppers still sounded like they were playing the Folger's Arena.

Jenni came home not long after and I gave her what for, let me tell you. Obviously this was all her fault and what's this "Hello Honey" male cow excrement? I'll teach you to get all nice with me, Lady.

This is what hell is like for people working from home.

Okay, it's only one day. I know, I know. I just need some meditation, a little Hatha yoga, some tea, and a funny movie to make it go away.

Tomorrow is a new day. The rest of my life is front of me. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Water fowl if I'm gonna let it get me down.

IF - Soar

One of the things I enjoy most about Illustration Friday is the ability to just mess around with my art. It's been good a good excuse for me to explore, trying new looks and methods. Too often I'm so concerned with getting that consistent Sparky Firepants "look" for my portfolio.

Rightfully so, because it's what clients expect and how I make my living, but those styles only came from messing about in the first place.

Well, that was fun.

Back to work! It's such a grindstone, this whole drawing thing.

Heh.