Whats the haps? The gentle *pitter patter* of rain is on the other side of the window in front of me...its damn near 3:30am...and I'm here online...I'm a techno whore...I've accepted this. heh...remember how I was going to bed all "early" at 12? Well go figure that the day I get my phone line hooked up here at home, I'm up till 5:30am online...*techno whore* Yuuuuup.
Today was "animation" day...well, having stayed up so late last night, I finally got to school around 4...shelled out 45 bux for a 500 ream of animation paper(damn, its like everyone is robbin' me blind!). I can't believe how quickly my cash is going...I'm withdrawing money constantly...only 20 bones at a time, so I can roughly keep track of how much I spend by how many times I have to hike over to the ATM. Aiy...so after that, I headed up to the animation lab to get my "animate" on. And animate I did...my leaf drop has been dropped down a notch from "ass-kicking" to "pretty good"...but I think it'll still be my redemption in class.=)
When the time rolled around, I hustled over to the workshop...and on the way there, I walk past a Warehouse Music store...look in the window, expecting to see some adds for new CDs...y'kno, Meaty Cheese Boys Vol. 5 or something...instead, I see...get this...N'sync toy figures...I'm like, wtf...?? DOOD! They're a SINGING GROUP! How are you gonna make toys out of a SINGING group! Thats got about as market savy as making a cartoon based on MC Hammer! *uhh...yo Dan, they DID....I believe it was called HammerTIME* Hmm....thats not cool. but anywayz...then I picture a little kid buying this little N'sync toy/doll(I say toy/doll, cuz its the whole GI Joe vs. Barbie deal...if a dude saw a GI Joe toy on the shelf that said "Own your very own, fully posable, weapon wielding, death dealing, Cobra defeating, GI JOE DOLL!" on the cover...he would just up and walk the other way...quickly...therefore, us guys prefer the term action figure...cuz it sounds...well, damn, it sounds pretty manly don't it? With the word action and everything?=)...I was wondering, how the hell does one PLAY with an N'sync doll?
little girl:"Okay Susy, I get to be JC this time okay? You were him last time..." other girl:"OKay fine...I'll be Justin...cuz JUSTIN'S my future husband!! *giggle giggle*" little girl:"You can have him...he's so like...ewww...I love JC! *both giggle*" other girl:"Okay okay...here's what happens...we're at a hotel and we have to go sign in under fake names...." little girl:"Here, we can use Barbie and Ken as the bellboy and the front desk lady!" other girl:"...and then theres all these other girls that want to marry us...and cute boys!" little girl:"but cute boys don't want to marry N'sync..?"
OR
little boy:"Okay Josh, I'm gonna be Justin this time, alrite?" other boy:"Fine...I'll be JC...the other guy with the wierd hair...he hurts my fingers when I try to pose his head.." little boy:"okay okay...and so like I was saying...here's what happens...so Cobra is fighting against the Joes, right? And then like they're trying to break out of the cave...cuz their way was sealed off by the rock slide..." other boy:"Yeah...yeah! We'll use Sgt. Slaughter!! Oh wait....his crotch is broken off...(didn't this shit happen WAY too often?)...lets use Duke!" little boy:"Aww man...my Duke! His rubber band broke...aww..." other boy:"Oh! oh! Use Snake Eyes...yeah, Snake Eyes is trapped in a cave..." little boy:"yeah...yeah, and OH! N'sync use their deadly harmonies to blast through the rocks and save him!!!"
See what I mean?? *sigh*=) Anywayz...so I proceed to the workshop...good model. Subtle poses..which is nice for a change...some models feel like they need to do some acrobatics all the time...heh. So I break out the sketch book and do my thing...things turned out pretty well...and oooh, cute workshop girl was there.=X Overall, a pretty productive, relaxing, and enjoyable session.
After the workshop, it was back to the animation lab to get a little more in before it was time to go home...around 11:30pm. It dawns on me while at the animation lab on a friday night..."Dude...you haven't got a life" Hehe...if you guys read regularly...you'll kno that I'm always like this when school rolls around...sure, on breaks I go nuts, partying, hangin', chillin'...but when school comes around...man, the no-life switch is hit. And just these past few days its been bothering me...I should be goin' out clubbin' and drinkin', and goin' to bars and hangin'...aiy...its a tough call. I'm driven at school...I'm passionate about what I do...so that makes me forget about the no-life part...kinda makes it not so bad when I put out good work...but just recently...y'kno...I feel like I need to get out.
Actually, I do do a lot of "hangin' out"...a lot of eating out with different friends...its just that the whole "living in a hostel for 3 weeks" has set off my overall vibe for the start of this semester...kinda messed up my flow with my classes, and all that. But seeing as how home is now HOME with INTERNET access...oooh...I'll be back in the swing soon enough. Though, dang...I wanna check out the clubs up here...compare 'em to San Diego...I just wanna shake ma' bootay...haha
So thats that...I'm gonna brush my pearly whites, microwave my microwave slippers, put on my pajama pants and get some Zzzzz's. Take care all....
Oh, and if you've got one of those N'sync dolls....please...e-mail...I've got a lot of questions for you........like did Snake Eyes make it out of the cave???
Hey folks...its done..I uploaded all those blogs from before. Now we're startin' on a new one...I'm here at school at the E-mail Zone. I just found out today another GBMer is "goin into stealth mode" with his website. How disheartening...
I just came out of my speech class...the next speech? A how-to. So we watched videos of people doing various how-to speeches in the real world...one was about making paper...heh..yUUUuup...kinda funny how the guy narrating(one of those funny old guys...y'kno the type, they got that old school humor...want a for instance? He's about to turn on the blender and he says...get this, "This isn't exactly rock music..." NyAHaha...how cool is that?) was describing all the steps in great detail...like "Make sure to squeeze the spunge out so that it can pick up more water" *slaps forehead with palm* Uhh...DUDE! hehe. But he was cool. Then we watched one about collaging...lady was pretty boring. Then we watched another one for the rest of the time...this particular one, my instructor was really championing. It was more a documentary on an artist, but she showed us anywayz. It was a medium which she worked in, so she felt that connection and wanted to share it. The medium is moulage based body casting...moulage is a seaweed algenate, and is really known for being able to capture minute details in the skin, etc...so I'm thinking, "oooh...body casting? I mean...where's the art in that?? Its just like a copy machine..." So we started watching...and this woman...the artist, her name was Willa...she started talking about it...the whole process...and the more she spoke, and the images were showed of her taking molds of people...man, I was just enamored. Willa and the video did a really excellent job of an artist's feelings...her feelings. And thats something that is really difficult to do. She talked about how the face is the anchor to the human experience...and how its the actual experience that brings artist and model into one. The model isn't objectified like in painting or drawing, etc...the model...their own individualities are what are shown...its deeply personal. She talked about how the body was the vessel for our beings, and how every body is perfect...and just watching her, she was deeply passionate...she really believed these things...she'd come to these conclusions through her journey in this life...and I was really feeling it..I was entranced. She talked about having her own mask molded...she talked about the tactile senses...and how the mask built up, she felt like there was a layer being made between her and the world, forcing her to go within...mentally. Later on, they showed a session where kids from a school for the blind came to view her exhibition...and they actually got to touch the faces of the famous people she'd casted. Willa talked about how for the blind, the TV stars, and famous figures in our society seem so distant...becuase unlike us, they cannot "see" their faces...so they had the oportunity to feel their faces...or their masks. It was really touching...damn, I turned into a big ball of mush..it was really beautiful. She helped the kids make plaster castings of themselves, so that they could "see" them...just watching her, you could see she had a tender heart, and so compassionate. And then it dawned on me that these masks and body castings were much more personal...more intimate than I had first thought...its the process...the perspective that one looks at it from. Because after hearing her talk, I could really see how itwas an artform...
After watching it, my instructor was saying, "I could watch that all day".=) Heh...my instructor kinda reminds me of Willa...she's kinda like that...a real sweetheart. She said she would try to bring in some of her work to show us...that would be really interesting...maybe someday, I'll get my mask made...that would be something else.
After that, I made the walk over to the "ghetto" Denny's...I don't kno man, I've been feenin' the Original Grand Slam Breakfast for the past 2 days...I HAD to satiate it...heh.
My plan for the rest of the day is to start crackin' on that leaf drop...like I said, its gonna kick some mad tail when I'm through with it. SOOooo...off I go to the animation lab, HOPEFULLY I'll post again from home tonite...but something tells me hombre landlord forgot to hook up the phone again...if it was someone else, I'd feel like I was bein' dicked around...but he totally strikes me as the kinda guy who honestly either forgot, or couldn't find the time...or whatever. Of course...I'll still be like a dog on his ass if this carries on much longer.
2/22/2001 05:55:09 PM
Okay, I think I should REALLY apologize for not uploading these blogs. I WAS...foreally I was...but then I called PacBell to see if there were any complications with my line...and they said it was all good, and that it had been activated on the 16th. THEN I called my landlord about it, and he said he'd just didn't have time yesterday, but tonite he would do it. SOOoo naturally...I hold off on uploading these posts till I get home...and low and behold...I get in the door, I take off my shoes, I throw down my bag and pick up the phone.....silence....SOOO, TOMORROW...FOR SURE. I WILL UPLOAD THESE BLOGS from school, deal? deal. As for my landlord, I plan on giving him ONE more day, then I'll be like a hound on his ass till it gets done.
Well, I had my Intro to Animation class today...the brick drop test was due. For you who don't know, in traditional animation, there are certain tests(eg. egg drop, leaf drop, brick drop, bouncing ball, 2 legged walk cycle, 4 legged walk cycle...) that either give students practice with different principles of animation, OR allow them to demonstrate their understanding of those principles...say, for a job at Warner Bros. Animation Studios. Me? My animation experience goes way back...at least like 6 or 7 years. I still remember the day...it was right after I beat Day of the Tentacle(a LucasArts game..). Hmm...should I go off on a tangent? Oh hell...=)
I had just beat Day of the Tentacle. I was in awe...I mean, really...of that game's scenes...and traditional animation...its style, its pizaz...its comedy, and wit. After I beat the game, I was inspired...inspired to do something, but what? I was about 14 or so at the time. So here's me...14 year old lil' Dan...just sitting in the computer room...just having beaten this AWSOME game...I'm all reved up to go and do something great...I could draw pictures of the characters in the game...I could draw out scenes...(and I did a little)...but I wanted to tell stories. I wanted that rush that I got seeing that game in motion...so I remember my brother bringing home this 2D animation program a few days previous...a real barebones type deal called Autodesk Animator. And knowing just the basics of how animation was done, I learned the program...in and out. I knew that thing backwards and forwards...and then I started animating my first short. It was of a tentacle...the one from the game, hopping around. And that just started off this obsession I had...I mean, I'd hole myself in the computer room, just animating my little ideas...spend hours in front of that damn 256 color VGA monitor, with my state of the art 286 humming at my side. I remember literally waking up early in the morning on weekends, and sitting at the computer...just animating throughout the entire day...I'd look outside the window, and the next thing I know, its night time. My parents used to be worried about me...haha...now that was TRUE "molestyle"...before I even knew what molestyle was. We're talking hours of work, just for a few short seconds of animation. But the feeling of seeing my images in motion on screen...seeing my gags being played out exactly as I planned. Its something else.=) Ahhh...fond memories...sing with me now, MEMORIES....lalala. heh. So yeah, I went on like that for awhile. And I put out some pretty cool stuff...even thinking back now, it was pretty dope=) After I had some animations together, I sent in a disk with my animations on it, and just some sketches into Lucas Arts...heh. How naive I was...my hero was Peter Chan, the lead artist at Lucas Arts at the time(yep...I worshiped Lucas Arts at the time...I knew all the lead game designers and a few artists on their staff...mostly from reading the ending credits to games..haha.) So I sent in all my stuff, with a little letter begging...PLEADING to animate something in their games. I think my exact words were something to the effect of "I'd just like to animate ANYTHING. A seagul in the distance, etc..." I just told them how much I loved their games and stuff. So the nice lady who read my letter sent me back a reply. I still remember what it said...she had said that she received my package, and due to company policy, they weren't allowed to view stuff like tapes, or animation...but she said she really liked my sketches and she had pinned them up on the bulletin board at Lucas Arts for everyone to see. And she sent me a fridge magnet of the Tentacle, and like a pen and stuff...*warm fuzzies creepin' up* Hehe...foreal, she was just a doll. I treasured that letter...she said when I was of age, to send my stuff to human resources.
After recieving that letter...18 years old seemed so freakin' far away! heh...so I guess I kinda curbed off animating...I still really dug it, but y'kno, when the fire's goin' and then you're told..."oh, wait 4 years." But even though I stopped animating, I still felt very comfortable doing it. I knew the principles of animation before I really knew they were principles of animation...its just stuff you pick up subconciously while watchin' toons...
So this comfort with animation led me to complacency. Which led to today's ordeal.=) So I went into the animation lab like 3 hours before class...determined to pump out a "brick drop test" in like an hour...no prob right? I hadn't really animated in a few years, but what the hey, right? Shoot, I can do it. So I do it. Under an hour...40 minutes. I get to class...we all show our tapes. Mine is well animated...the timing is great...a well animated, well timed...shoe box. heh...yeah, my shit looked like a SHOE BOX! Damn...the weight wasn't really there..and the shape was more akin to a domino than a brick. I brought it on myself, I kno...I watch the rest, and there are some really bad ones...there are a few pretty good ones, and 4 that the teacher really liked. She dubbed these 4, the top of the class...OOOOooooooh....I was like, "ooooh shoot, no you di'int...ITS ON!" So the next test...the leaf drop. I'm gonna rock this shit. Man, I'm gonna ROCK IT! Not that I'm feelin' all competitive, like I need to be top dog or whatever...its just that seeing those people's "pretty good" brick drops pushed me to see how lax I had gotten...too comfortable. I wasn't trying as hard as I should have. *slap self* Hell yeah, thats right...smacked myself out of the daze I was in...now I'm gonna rock some shit. Hehe...(I need to write a book on how to pep talk one's self) I know I'm capable of doing some really good stuff. So thats what I'm gonna do.
As for storyboarding class...I rocked that...no doubt. 'Teach really liked it and said everything worked...couldn't make any corrections, which means no homework from that class for next week=) More time for other classes.
Hmm...man, these blogs seem really long...again, I'm really sorry for holdin' out and not updating, but tomorrow for sure...kay? And if you're planning on catching up reading all the "new" blogs, pull up the lazy-boy, pop yourself some popcorn and grab a cup of java...there's like 4 days worth of 'em. Take care=) I'm heading to bed...
Oh, oh...bad news...horrible news. Jeremy's Inhibition site will be taken down until further notice. If you're wondering why, visit his site. *sigh* But, its for the best...and its not gone for good...so wipe away those tears. And now...for the 21 gun salute: BANG......BANG......BANG......BANG(x21)
2/22/2001 05:09:37 PM
FUCKK!!!! GADDAMNIT! I was just wrapping up a dope post and the fuckin' power cuts out...urgh...I was starting to get back onto the ball with this one, and the fuckin' power cuts out! Man, I wish there was a technician from the power company here so I could SMACK THE LIVIN' SNOT OUT OF HIM! *huffin' and puffin'*
*sigh* Well, as you guys know, these blogs are spur of the moment, built on inspiration...and can't just be "retyped"...pssh...can I make my Santa wishlist now? I just want one thing...ONE thing....A POWER COMPANY TECHNICIAN.
Basically, I hope you guys didn't think I fell off because you haven't seen anything updated in awhile...I just hoped to surpise you guys by updating from home...I was expecting to have my phoneline up and running today, but I don't kno if either my landlord forgot, or if there are complication with Pacbell...we'll see tomorrow.
Well, its almost three am and its been about 2 hours since I wrote that last paragraph...just got done with my storyboarding homework...I'm still steamed about that power outage thing, but I'm slowly getting over it. Hmm...a salad with heaping mounds of cottage cheese sounds good.=)
I had a mixed bag today...the day started out on a crappy note. Because my figure drawing homework requires us to draw on the 18x24 inch paper, I needed to hike over to the Powell building and pick up my big, cumbersome art bag. Then I had to trek back to the New Montgomery building with my art bag slung over my shoulder, my duffle(sp?) bag around my other shoulder, and my animation briefcase thingie in my hand...and me bundling up on the clothing thinking it would be all freezing. I was all sweating like a pig, and smellin', and grubby by the time I was done...man, it just got me in a pissy mood, all grubby and it only being like 10am...its like that morning shower was a waste of freakin' energy...so I had to just go grunge today...with my jeans, my hooded sweater, and my fav beanie(its like 25 years old..no joke! I dug it out of the old clothes boxes in our garage back home...its practically a family heirloom!). Well, it was one of those days when I just wasn't feelin' my silky best...my maximum sexayness...y'kno how those days go, right? Where you're just like, "aww forgit tryin' to maintain any sense of presentability...I'M GOIN' SCRUB today."
Okay, I'm gonna say it right now...state it for the record...I'm a completely CLUELESS SOD when it comes to chics...well, in regards to the "initial" thing...where you're just feelin' things out....eh? Nonono...I don't mean LITERALLY...daaaaaang...nono. Y'kno, when you're at the crossroad thing..."like/hate/friend" type thing. I'm so clueless...its not even funny...like a girl may have to beat me over the head with an English muffin before I take notice...or I'll find out like WAAAaAaayy later. Then there's the other "for instance" where I'll think everything's goin' good..."she's diggin' me man"..."I'm the shit"..."I'm like...like the asian FABIO man...yeah...." when in reality, she thinks I'm a big dork=) Oye...I don't know...sometimes the ol' Scooby sense works...sometimes it doesn't. Heh...okay, well I'm exaggerating a wee smidget...but you get the idea.
And another thing that ties in...I suck...did you hear me? I said I SUCK at initiating "something". I'm a big coward when it comes to approaching girls with the interest of getting to know them that way...hah...there, I said it. It'll be archived for posterity...if EVER I start mouthin' off about my prowess with the opposite sex, go ahead and cut and paste this puppy...hehe. Nono...I know I'm a wussy...there's no need to remind me. Anywayz...yeah, I'm the complete opposite of Jerome. That man...I've never seen balls of steal like that before. The man knows no fear...Me? I can talk to girls who I see as "friend" material...charm levels at maximum...y'kno? I can just act like myself comfortably...and things always work out fine. But if theres a girl who I'm sorta diggin' on or whatever...if it comes time to talk to her, the "err...uhh...duh..." part of me comes out. My voice goes all soft and I turn into a...a putz.=) Oh the humanity of it all...but I feel that things are slowly getting better.
Side Note: Dude...today, on muni. I saw this girl. She was...like...hmm...have you ever wondered what your next girlfriend will look like?.....yeah=)
Today was a pretty good drawing day though...I'm really diggin' this clothed figure drawing class...first of all, my instructor is a FREAKIN' badass. He's like one of the legendary drawing instructors at my school...so learning from him is a joy. Secondly, I really like the emphasis of the class...which is on quicker drawings...and drawings of the clothed model. Y'kno, stuff that will actually be used in the real world. I mean, if you come down to it...ANYONE can do a LONG figure drawing...it just takes time, and some technique. But in this class, to be GOOD, you've got to have all those things...technique, practice...y'kno...but you also NEED that artistic sensability. Its a fine line...I don't want to go making vast generalizations...yet=) And retract statements later. But all in all, I'm feelin' this class. And thirdly, I finally caved in and started sharpening my tools...for those of you who draw with charcoal, you'll know what I mean...sharpening my pencils and charcoal sticks so that they've got that really long tip...its great stuff. Of course I've been aware of it throughout my entire art student career, but only now am I realizing the importance of finely maintained equipment. AND...I finally picked up some "smooth newsprint"(thats the drawing pad for all those wondering)...its more expensive, but I tell you...its fabulous. Its like drawing on...an oil slick. My pencil just slides across it...great feeling=) And I can start to see improvement in my drawing already.*thumbs up*
Man, this post is long as all hell huh? Okay, I'll go ahead and end it right here...besides, I've got a busy day ahead of me, and I need to catch some Zzz's...take it easy all.(Tuesday 3:50am 2/21/01)
2/22/2001 05:08:39 PM
Well, here I am blogging from home...nah nah, I didn't get my phone line yet...but I DID get my computer hooked up=P *stroke stroke computer* Nice computer...beautiful computer...*stroke stroke computer* I was lost without you babe.=) SOOoOoo...yeah, I'm just typing here on the Windows Notepad...maybe tomorrow or Monday, I'll copy and paste it to blogger from one of the computers at school.
My brother stopped by today...my deliverance from this vile boredom, with the computer cables and the rest of my junk. Afterwards, I had laundry to do and I had to buy a pot and a wok from one of the stores on Irving Street. He drove me over to the laundromat, I started my wash cycle and we went to the Ramen/Udon shop on Judah...I digs that place=) And being today was a drizly, cloudy, cold day...it sounded perfect. While eating, we were talking about my bro's new place...he's got his own room now, and he was talking about his plan to go nutz on decorating the place...said he wanted me to paint something for him to hang on the wall...but he's like totally undecided on what he wants...so I told him to get back to me.
On the drive there, my brother had to double-take on a couple of chics...hehe...classic "guy-behavior", wouldn't you say? "Dude, keep your eyes on the road man! Yeah, I kno...they grow 'em pretty cute around here."
After the lunch, he dropped me off at the laundromat and he went off to get started on his daily agenda. Myself, I proceeded at my leisure. I set my clothes on the dry cycle, and went off to find my pot and pan...
When I was looking over the cookware, I felt like I was shopping for weaponry, the way I picked up each wok/pan and tested it for weight and balance...holding it at the handle and giving it a few stir-fry whips of the wrist...hehe. Well? Gotta make sure everything feels right, no?
At this moment, I'm chowing on some newly made spaghetti...I've staked my claim of cabinet space in the kitchen and put away most of my bowls and whatnot. I'm not too sure what I'm going to do with the rest of the night...OH, btw, its 10:05pm, Sunday night. Pay no attention to the timestamp on this blog.
I was doing some thinking last night...actually, a few hours of it, while listening to my Sam Cooke CD, laying in bed...err...I mean laying on the ground with my blankets pulled up over me. Like I said before...I'm starting to see this is the time that I'm the most honest with myself and its prime "pondering" time. oops, pardon me...I just put on my microwave slippers..=P OooOOoooh...warm, fuzzy goodness. *ahem* Dude...I uhh...forgot what I was gonna say....Oh yes, I was doing some thinking...
