Art Tuesday feat. Mike Deodato

The first place I ever remember seeing Mike Deodato's work was in the comic adaptation of the television series "Beauty & the Beast" starring Linda Hamilton & Ron Perlman. I was a huge fan of the show & was amazed at how he managed to capture the characters & environment so perfectly.

Now he's big time with Marvel covers & the New Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts and his latest ongoing series, Wolverine: Origins. Marvel has him all to themselves.



He has really improved over the years & I'm pretty excited that he & Brubaker, one of my favorite, if not favorite, comics writers will be working together soon in an Avengers title I believe. Go check out his site here: Deodato & Here: Art of Deodato

Follow him on twitter here: mikedeodato

or Facebook here: Mike Deodato, Jr.

Keep up the great work Mike!

Movie review Monday

Well, hmm....I didn't watch a single movie this last week that I can review. So I guess I will have to pick an old favorite or something. Hmm...Oh, I know. I'll review Inglorious Basterds. I saw this movie in the theater when it was released so my memory may not be exact on details. It is out now on DVD for purchase & rent.

Okay, first of all, I loved it. LOVED it! If you don't like Tarantino, don't bother, you won't like this either. What is wrong with you, by the way? Against cheesy fun or something? Your life really sucks so bad you can't enjoy Tarantino? Okay, anyway, if you do like Tarantino, and haven't caught it yet, go get it!

This is a movie set in WWII. It contains one of my all time favorite scenes in a movie EVER. I don't want to tell you what it is here because it would be a total spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but OMG! best scene possibly ever. I didn't see it coming & never expected it. There may not have been as many one-liners in this movie as other Tarantino flicks, but I think the scenes were better & more meaningful than previous flicks by the director. There were some seriously tense moments in this movie that I absolutely loved. Personally, I think this is Tarantino's best film.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Kill Bill movies, but this movie just has perfect moments in it, & seriously...I LOVE the one scene in this movie so, so much.

Go rent it if you haven't seen it. If you are a hardcore Tarantino fan, just go buy it. Of course if you are hardcore, you've probably already seen it 100 times.

Thanks for stopping by. Tell your friends to come by. Say hello, leave me a comment. Let me know you are out there.

Action Figure Friday

New Wolfman action figures by Mezco are out & about in your local retailers.

12inch scale figure features film accurate detail, 13 points of articulation, and real "bloody" cloth vest and shirt.

7inch scale figure features film accurate detail, 12 points of articulation, and sculpted clothing. Each figure also includes a scale wolf head cane as featured in the film.

Wait! There's also a necklace crafted and cast of metal. This life size, double sided, metal prop replica of the infamous medallion worn by Lawrence Talbot captures every detail of the original as seen in the film. A metal chain is included.

If you are a big Universal Monster fan or werewolf fan or just a Wolfman fan, these are pretty sweet figures & collectibles!

Make sure to head on over to TCM Hitchhiker's photostream on Flickr as well, to see some beautiful shots of the figures he took for Mezco!

New Music Thursday

Hello again. It's Thursday! One more day to the weekend for me! Although I think I might just take tomorrow off & finally get up to see the Family for Christmas. I haven't had Christmas yet & my Mother still has the tree up waiting for me. Lol!

It's new music Thursday. As many of you know I am quite the metal head. I love metal. I love guitars that sing. It doesn't matter if the band is serious or silly, if it's metal I'm there. I'm always on the lookout for new metal bands & metal bands that have been around that I've never heard. This weeks find is the band EPICA.

Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band that blends progressive metal, gothic metal & symphonic metal. They were founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from the band After Forever. Their debut album, The Phantom Agony, was produced by Sascha Paeth (known for having produced bands such as Angra, Rhapsody of Fire and Kamelot) and released in late 2003. Their second release, Consign to Oblivion, was inspired by the culture of the Mayan people & their stories & legends. Epica's non-metal album The Score - An Epic Journey was released in September 2005 and is the soundtrack for a Dutch movie called Joyride. In 2005 and 2006 Epica went on their first tour throughout North America with Kamelot. In April 2009, they announced a new album with the title "Design Your Universe". It was said to continue the A New Age Dawns saga which started on Consign to Oblivion. The album was released on October 16, 2009.

This band just happens to be swinging by my area:

Feb. 22 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
Feb. 23 - Marquee - Tulsa, OK
Feb. 24 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
Feb. 25 - White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX

and I am interested in trying to make a show. The song UNLEASHED is really good, & I would love to hear them live. Go check them out if you have never heard them before here: Epica Youtube , Epica Myspace , Epica Last.fm

If you want to make a show, check out tickets here: The VAULT

I've used these guys before & sometimes you can get V.I.P. & special tickets here.

Website Wednesday

This Wednesday I am going to send you in the direction of a stop motion filmaker & artist named PES. His videos are amazing & a barrel of fun! He has won several awards for his films & also been commissioned to do commercials for many big name companies. PES is yet another example of doing what you love becoming the thing you get to do for money. Follow your heart people. The money will follow. Be creative & love what you are doing. Go check out all the coolness that is PES here: PES

Art Tuesday!

Well, we are 5 days away from Valentine's Day. Yep, that's right. Five. You better go get something or make something or plan something if you haven't yet. To celebrate art & the coming of one of my favorite holidays I want to share with you a blog I stumbled across.

STOWE

Go check out this guy's blog beyond the link above. He has some great takes on Futurama characters & other art that is really cool stuff. His name is James Stowe & his bio says he's been doing RPG fantasy and horror illustrations for over 10 years now. He also has Twitter & Facebook links. Go check him out!

Movie Review Monday feat. Avatar

So I have now joined the millions who have witnessed the spectacle that is Avatar. I really don't even need to bother with a review because all of you have probably beaten me to seeing it anyway. However, it is Movie Review Monday, so I will go for it.

Let's start with the part everyone is enamored with, the effects. I give them a solid A. Great effects. Unfortunately for me, I was not impressed. Maybe it's all the PS3 games I play, or the artwork I do, I don't know, but I just wasn't taken aback by the glorious grandiose visual masterpiece of the effects. Batman: Arkham Asylum has graphics that are just as marvelous, they just aren't in 3-D. Maybe that has something to do with it as well. I've seen every 3D movie that has come out for the last 2 years. Coraline blew me away. That is when I, personally, was stunned by the leap in 3D technology. So maybe I am not blown away this time because I have seen the progression in each 3D movie I've paid to go see. If you haven't seen any 3D movies for a while, then you are probably going to be awed.

Next let's go to the meat & talk plot. It was good. A solid C. Not too cheesy, not too serious, followed the story-telling formula for success. It was nothing new either. The joke I had heard that it was just a re-make of Ferngully. After seeing it, I realized that statement wasn't really a joke. If you have never heard of Ferngully, it was an animated movie that came out in 1992. The plot was:

The magical inhabitants of a rain-forest called Ferngully fight to save their home that is threatened by logging and a polluting force of destruction called Hexxus.

Avatar...same story.

Now, this is what perplexes me. This movie? This is the movie that everyone loves right now? Really? It must just be the visuals, because I KNOW for certain that in the USA, people hate this kind of message. I don't, and most of my friends don't, but the baby boomers think this sort of thing is nothing but a bunch of tree hugger crap. So I guess the masses are choosing to ignore the message & just have fun with the visuals. Interesting. Of course, maybe I'm being a pessimist, am completely wrong, and everyone has woken up to realize how important the earth really is. How important all life really is. Maybe, just maybe, people are beginning to truly understand that we are all connected. The earth, the trees, the animals, the rocks & the people. We are all one. Seriously though, I doubt it.

I did notice not really feeling emotionally invested in the characters in this movie. There was some sort of detached feeling throughout the film. I'm not sure why exactly. Maybe it was because the plot was familiar, so as a viewer I knew what was going to happen before it did, thus leaving me unsurprised. I'm not sure. I'm still rolling it over in my head. One thing I can say is that I have heard many evangelicals calling it a "Godless" movie. Okay, LOL, you really didn't get it. Godless? Absolutely not. God is what is being lost. If you don't see this, it frightens me to think what you picture god is. This is NOT a "godless" movie.

So, did I like it? Yeah, I liked it. I like Inglorious Bastards better. District 9 did a better job storytelling. 2012 was more of a thrill ride visually. Heck, even Zombieland left me caring about the characters more, but go see it. The 3D & Weta effects are beautiful and maybe, just maybe it'll change you for the better. I give it a B- to a C+.

Action Figure Friday feat. Tom Baker as Doctor Who!

Finally a plastic representation of the Doctor of Doctors for most of us in our 30's & up. Tom Baker portrayed the 4th Doctor in the BBC series Doctor Who. Now Underground Toys has added him to their toy-line of Doctor Who treasures. This figure is 5 1/2 inches tall & includes interchangeable heads. He even has his signature scarf! You can pick him up at Entertainment Earth for about $16.00.

New Music Thursday feat. Luna Moth

This week it is another local band I'm putting people in touch with. I worked with one of the members for several years at a book store & this guy is a really great person. The music is very psychedelic sometimes & folky other times. You can catch the band Luna Moth live in Norman, Oklahoma at different spots at least once a month usually. Check out some of their tunes here: Luna Moth Myspace

It's really great stuff to paint to or just chill to.

Website Wednesday Feat. Conan's Creator

One of my biggest influences from the time I was probably around 7 or 8 was and still is the writing & creations of Robert E. Howard or REH. Not many people are aware that a guy from a tiny town in Texas was the creator of Conan the Barbarian, Solomon Kane, Kull, and what would eventually become Red Sonja. 2006 would have been Robert's 100th Birthday. Sadly, he never made it past 30. He had quite a tormented life & put a bullet in his brain hours before the death of his mother. I will always wonder what other characters full of rawness, freedom, & wanderlust REH might have conjured up. I smile a little whenever I see anything with sword swinging barbarians on it. If it wasn't for REH, they might never have existed. This is a great example of what Joseph Campbell meant when he said, "The artists function is the mythologization of the environment and the world". Thanks REH for all the inspiration. Go check out the official Robert E. Howard website HERE.

Art Tuesday!!!!

It's Tuesday & that means it is time for some art! I know this brilliantly talented woman who is a writer, artist, & great singer and has a great website featuring her art. She was born in Ohio & moved to Oklahoma in her 20's. She has her Bachelor's from the University of Oklahoma in anthropology & history & is working her way through the Master's program in Professional Writing now. She has several of her paintings up for sale as prints on her site. She also takes commissions. Her studies in history & anthropology heavily influence her work. She was really taken by the rich cultural history of China & ancient Greece.

Go check out her sight here: Jen Elsner

If you want to commission a work, her e-mail address is: jen@jenelsner.com

A side note....

You may have noticed I fell a little behind on my posts. Unfortunately I have a good reason for this. I've had to have some x-rays & visits to the Doctor. Apparently I am suffering from a condition called cricopharyngeus spasm & I have tennis elbow as well as a couple of small tears in my right rotator cuff. I had to have x-rays for the first time ever & was pretty excited. I find x-rays fascinating & being able to see your own skeleton is pretty cool. The bad news is the amount of discomfort & pain I am in right now. I'm going to try & keep on it with the blog, but some days it may just be a little too much. Let's hope with the physical therapy & steroids everything heals itself back up & I am A-ok in no time. So please, if you stop by & enjoy my blog, bear with me. Thanks.

Movie Review Monday

This week's movie review is for the recently released on DVD movie "Whip It". "Whip It" is a movie about a girl coming into her own by falling in love with Roller Derby. Being a Derby fan myself & making it to as many Tornado Alley Roller Girls matches as possible, I was interested to see this film. It is Drew Barrymore's directorial debut I believe & she has done a great job. We find ourselves in a sleepy little Texas town named Bodeen. We travel from Bodeen to Austin as our main character transforms from a beauty pageant reject to a skilled Roller Derby girl. The cast is great in this movie. You have Zoe Bell, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Eve, Kristen Wiig, & more! It's a fun feel good no-brainer of a film to just kick back & enjoy. I'd give it an A for just being what it was trying to be & being fun.

We interrupt this previous Movie Review Monday for....

Usually on Mondays I do a movie review, but this Monday I am going to do a little local review on a delicious restaurant I had the pleasure of eating at tonight. I went to a place called Ray's Smokehouse BBQ & boy was it good. I had a chopped pork dinner with homemade Mac n Cheese & fried Okra. Ray was there to greet us & took our order. He checked to make sure everything was good & we were happy. It was a truly wonderful dining experience with down home really good BBQ. T & I went because one of our friends had said Ray's was the "real deal" and man, he wasn't kidding. If you get to Norman, Oklahoma & are looking for a great place to eat, you have got to swing by Ray's. Check out reviews, articles, & directions here: Ray's

Action Figure Friday

Okay, there's an American Toy Company called Quantum Mechanix that has a license to produce Serenity products. They've come out with shirts & figures & key-chains & other stuff. Now they have the mother of all Serenity collectibles available for pre-sale. It's called: Serenity – The Big Damn Replica

What is the Serenity-The Big Damn Replica of? The ship of course, from Joss Whedon's show "Serenity". According to QM website: "Serenity – The Big Damn Replica is a professionally-crafted filming miniature made in the U.S.A. by Hollywood special effects model makers. Each ship takes over 46 hours to make, includes hundreds of parts, dozens of lights and and mulitple coats of paint.

This is how models are built so they can fool the eye on the big screen. And you can own Serenity for a fraction of what a movie production company would typically pay for a film-quality miniature of this caliber."

That being said, a fraction of the cost still ain't cheap. This baby will set you back $2,500 US dollars. Still, if you are a collector or the #1 Serenity fan, then you are going to have to own this.

For more of a description & further details go check it out here: Serenity

New music Thursday Feat. Ladytron

Better late than never....right? This week's New Music Thursday brings you the Band Ladytron. Ladytron was introduced to me by a guy at work when he heard me listening to Enigma. Ladytron considers themselves part of the new wave of electronic rock. Ladytrons debut album "604" hit back in 2001. That was the first album I got my hands on. I won't lie either, that guy friend at work burned it for me. Proof that pirating doesn't hurt the band, I have PURCHASED almost every album since. Check out the video for "Runaway" from their last non-live album here: VELOCIFERO

I really like these guys. They really set a calming mood for painting & working on my art that has a little bit of a 80's pop feel to it. Good 80's pop. I also enjoy the imagery their lyrics bring about. If you haven't had a chance to hear them, check them out. Here's their official site: Ladytron

Website/blog Wednesday feat. postwartrade.com

Back again? Awesome! Glad to see ya. This Wednesday our Website of interest comes from Post War Trade

Post War Trade is a merchandising & online art store. The main name behind the store is a musician named Amanda Palmer. Amanda Palmer is a performer, director, composer and musician who is best known for her role as front woman and keyboardist for internationally acclaimed punk-cabaret band The Dresden Dolls.
The idea to create one of a kind merchandise for her fans while helping them at the same time earn some dough on the side is what the idea is really all about. She doesn't have to pay for same old same old merchandise like posters, stickers, shirts, etc., but instead has unique items & makes profit off them, sharing with the artist & creators of those items.
Artists hand craft merchandise for sale to the public. Anyone can submit their artistic creations to be considered for sale in the online inventory.
Go check out the site, see what they are all about, and maybe find a unique way to sell some art or crafty type things & make some dough.
Oh, and go pick up Amanda's album...it ROCKS!

Art Tuesday feat. Sarah Larnach

Okay my friends, this week's Art entry is going to send you Sarah Larnach's way. Here's a link to her blog: Sarah Larnarch

Sarah does artwork for the band "Ladyhawke" as well as other works of art. Her watercolors are amazing. Right now though she needs everyone's help. She has family in Haiti.

She is now accepting artwork & accepting bids on artwork to help people in Haiti. Her niece Zenzi, aged 3, and brother-in-law, Emmanuel, have lost their lives. She & her family are still desperate to find Kofie-Jade, age 5.

If you have art to donate or want to help out she has an e-mail posted on her blog & what she is looking for as far as artwork.

Please at least head over to her site & check it out. Maybe you can do something to help.

Thanks for stopping by.

Movie Review Monday!

Welcome back! Back in 2001 a great little black & white sci-fi film titled "The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra" was released on DVD.

"Writer-director-star Larry Blamire has had a life-long love of low-budget sci-fi/horror flicks and wanted to make a film that looked and sounded exactly like one, playing it perfectly straight—which of course makes it an out-and-out comedy." -from the official site


Let me tell you, they pull it off perfectly. This movie is absolutely hilarious. The dialouge includes gems like:

Ranger Brad: Oh, say... You don't believe those old legends about the Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, do you?
Dr. Roger Fleming: Ranger Brad, I'm a scientist, I don't believe in anything.

If you like b-movies, godzilla films, & old sci-fi films, you should go rent this. The director just announced recently that a sequel will be released this year as well! Check it out here: The Lost Skeleton Returns Again

This movie is full of cheesy goodness.

Thanks for stopping by! Now go rent the movie, kick back, & have some laughs!

Action Figure Friday feat. Maleficent!

I know, I brag on Sideshow constantly, but the truth is, this company rocks. They just last year or late 2008 acquired a deal with the Disney Company to be allowed to create figures, statues, collectibles, etc. and have really had some impressive items to purchase. The one being released next week has me all a twitter. The sexiest & greatest villainess perhaps of all time. Maleficent. There is a link to a video that Sideshow has produced to give you a glimpse of what she will look like here: Maleficent Video by Sideshow

If you are a big Disney fan, make sure to check out all of their Disney items. They are some of the best I have ever seen, and with Sideshows limited releases they will be sure to grow in value. Check out the info & comment section for Maleficent here: Maleficent

Thanks for stopping by, and remember to always keep playing, no matter how old they say you are!

Music Thursday feat. local bad asses Circe

Okay, I admit it, I slipped up. I was supposed to go to Circe's show last night so I could write a good honest review about the live performance & show. However, I ended up passing out on the couch before the show was even supposed to start. Maybe I'm getting old...lol...I don't know. So I won't have a live review for you, but I can send you in the direction of their MySpace page to listen to them yourself. It is here: Circe on MySpace

I can also let you in on a little secret. They are going to be playing LIVE again tonight at The Deli in Norman, Oklahoma & at Coach's Brewhouse Friday night, also located in Norman, Oklahoma. If you are anywhere near Norman, Oklahoma, come out & show them some love.

Wesite/Blog Wednesday

Happy middle of the week to ya! For those of you that work weekends or mixed up crazy schedules, happy day to you as well. Today is Website Wednesday & I decided to go with a recent find. I am working really hard at getting the female form down in pencil & paint. Being in Oklahoma, you don't find many females willing to pose for art. So, I decided to do an internet search & see what I could find as far as poses & female anatomy.

Now, trust me, this is trickier than it seems. Since the #1 function of the internet is access to porn, steering clear of those sites proved a little tough. I did however, eventually find one that I found helpful. It has hundreds of poses that are free as well as pay images. It even lets you search for images based on age, body type, race, pose, clothes, etc. The really cool part is that you can put in a request for a particular pose. So if you don't see what you want, you can still get it. Now you do have to pay a subscription for that perk, but the cost isn't too bad. When you consider the cost of art books, it is pretty reasonable. I haven't subscribed yet, because so far I've found what I needed in the free sample pages. Right now they have 62.857 photos available on the site & more coming in all the time. Be aware though, these are nude pictures. They are not pornographic, so if you are strongly against such things you should be okay, but poses sculptors, painters, or comic artists would be searching for.

If anyone who does subscribe happens to read this, or if you read this & decide to subscribe to their site, please swing back by here & let us know how it is & if it is worth it.
To check it out, head over here: Female Anatomy For The Artist
They also have a male anatomy, animals & other sites as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

Art Tuesday Feat. Stephen Schwake

Hey, it's Art Tuesday. Every Tuesday I'm going to share with you an artist I like or some crazy art I've found. This week, it's a guy named Stephen Schwake & his cool artwork. Think skater punk meets the 50's. At least that's the feeling I get from much of it. It's a good feeling. Something comforting, yet just slightly skewed in time & space. He even has a great Youtube page where you can watch the artist at work. Find it here: Stephen Schwake on Youtube

Make sure to browse his site often as he updates often. His work is for sale on his site & if you can't afford one of the big pieces, then make sure to pick up one of his $20 drawings. He has PayPal all set up for an easy contribution to keep his art going.

Head on over there now & get cultured people! Go here: Stephen Schwake

Movie Review Monday: Terminator Salvation

Happy Monday to you! Yeah, I know, I dislike Mondays as well, but what are you going to do? So, I finally got around to watching Terminator Salvation. Now, first off, I want to tell you that I absolutely love the Terminator films. So if you don't, then you won't like this one either. The first Terminator film was an amazing concept. The fact that a machine just kept coming after Sarah Connor, a simple waitress, and just wouldn't stop, even after it was just an upper torso with no legs, scared the crap out of me. The effects were awesome & Sarah Connor, played by Linda Hamilton, very quickly became one of my favorite heroes. T2 I saw in the theater opening weekend & was completely blown away by. T3 I rented due to no Sarah Connor in the film, but really enjoyed. (No, really, I thought it was great!) That leads us to my review of T4 or Salvation. This film was directed by McG. I love & dislike some things McG does in his movies. He obviously has a love for the Terminator mythology and it was really great to finally move into the time where John Connor is the legend we have heard he becomes. I'm not a huge fan of Christian Bale, but I think he was a fairly good choice for the role. McG didn't do any harm to the original mythology, but he really didn't give us any great new moments or aspects to add to it. I thought that using Helena Bonham Carter as the face of Skynet was pretty cool. I almost wish he hadn't let us in on who Marcus was in the past until later. Knowing from the start that he was a terminator left what could have been an exciting twist, unexciting & predictable. We could have learned of his past little bits at a time through clues or something, but instead we followed him all the way from start to finish knowing full well what he was & what he was going to do. It was nice to see how Kyle came into the storyline. I also enjoyed that John listened to the tapes Sarah had made for him as well as the moment John hands Kyle the photo from the original Terminator movie. I think Bale's acting was a little emotionless & confused at times. My biggest problem with the movie was the over the top explosive scene where Marcus & one of John's team try to escape John's hideout. John & the others have made it very clear that they are hiding from Skynet, Terminators, & Hunter Killers in bunkers & small pockets of resistance all over the world. They have magnetic mines & people on watch all around their hideout, yet once Marcus tries to escape they put on a fireworks show that you could see from Mars. They needlessly waste ammo, lose a helicopter & team members, & light the night sky up brighter than the fourth of July just to try & prevent this terminator/man Marcus from getting away. The worst part is John has just admitted right before the scene that he feels like Marcus is telling the truth. That he is a good guy. The whole scene screamed of a scene inserted in the middle of an otherwise solid story just to blow stuff up & waste a bunch of money. As if some executive came in & said "You need more action...more explosions". If they were really hiding & ammo, people & vehicles were really that important & John had really been as smart or as good of a leader as we had been lead to believe, he would have NEVER done this. The explosions & ruckus would have certainly allowed Skynet to pinpoint their location & eradicate them. I was really into it until that scene. From there it was really quite predictable. Everything you think is going to happen does. Still, overall it was fun to finally end up in post nuke earth with John Connor. I think the story could have been deeper & more emotionally driven, but it was a fun ride. However, be warned, this movie really isn't about John Connor, or Skynet, or the Terminators. It's really about Marcus & getting a second chance to right wrongs. Everything is really about him and it is Marcus we follow from beginning to end. Overall, if you like the Terminator movies, go rent it. I'd probably give it a C. This has been your movie review Monday!

Goals

Okay, so the new year has begun and so far I'm loving 2010. Everyone has done the resolution thing and blah, blah, blah. Count me in as someone who dislikes resolutions. No one ever adheres to even one of them most of the time. Still, I do like trying to get organized and planning goals. Goals are more realistic than over the top resolutions. My goals this year?

1. Blog 5 days a week.
2. Rework & launch the JenTuckerArt.com site.
3. Sell one piece of art
4. Become social with one of the local art communities or start my own group.
5. 25 crunches 6 days a week.
6. Take my camera with me everywhere (and get a new one).
7. Relearn how to correctly burn a screen for screen printing.
8. Learn Wordpress
9. Submit something for publication. (Children stories I have written, Short story, Novel, Art, something)

and really that's about it. Nothing really too tough. Just things that will make me happy. So far # 1, 2, & 5 are already working out great.

Action Figure Friday!!!

Well hello! This post was a no-brainer for me. I am so excited about this next piece I can barely contain myself. Sideshow Collectibles has a magnificent polystone diorama coming out Jan 14th, 2010. It is slave Leia choking the life out of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. They have given Leia a heroic pose and Jabba's tongue is protruding from his mouth and his eye protrudes as he struggles against the chain.

Video of Diorama

They have announced a price yet. Many of the dioramas from Sideshow range between $200 to $500 dollars. I am hoping that this one will stay around the $200 mark, but with the large amount of materials & attention to details this diorama includes I have a feeling it might be closer to $400. It looks gorgeous so far. Go check it out here: Sideshow's Leia/Jabba Diorama

Music Thursday!

Okay...hmm...music Thursday. Who to chose? How about Shakira?! Shakira has a new album that came out in October 2009 outside the US & November 2009 in the US. Her first single "She-Wolf" is quite a wiggling your butt tune! Of course I just can't sit still when I listen to Shakira. The new album is good, but not great. Personally, I like Oral Fixation 1 & 2 better. There are two really catchy tunes on this album, including the title track, a couple of other good ones & the rest are really forgettable except for the one that mentions suicide, which is rather disturbing. Still, Shakira's charity work & positivity always make her shine for me. Here is a link to her site: SHAKIRA so you can go check out all the news & info on the artist & her music. She's also on Twitter & Facebook. I would recommend previewing the songs on ilike or some other service & buying the ones you like through Itunes, Amazon, or Target. This one isn't quite worth a full album type purchase unless you're just a hardcore Shakira fan.

Website/Blog Wednesday

Do you enjoy concept art? Looking for some great inspiration? Wanna see what the pros are doing? Looking for what is relevant in the illustration market right now? All of these things can be accomplished by heading over to: Concept Art There is a forum as well as thousands of artists displaying their newest works. Some of the stuff on there will blow your mind. So go check them out. Get inspired.

Getting a Little More Organized

So I have been thinking about my blog here. I love this little blog. I have no idea how many people wander by how often, but that's not really what it's about. However, maybe I should care a little. I mean, if you do wander by, I want you to enjoy it. So, I had an idea. A way to help me blog more often & possibly increase my traffic, & make it more exciting. I can have a theme a day. I have a friend that does things like "Love Friday" & "Thankful Thursday" & it occurred to me that I could do something similar. How about "Movie Review Monday", Art Tuesday, Website/Blog Wednesday, Music Thursday, Action Figure Friday? That way I find something exciting every week day to post & I know what to post when. So if you come here for the art, you know on Tuesday there will be a new post. Action figures? Friday is your day! Sound good? Okay. I'm going to give it a shot. So what's today? Oh yeah, Website/Blog Wednesday. Let me go see what I can find.

Happy 2010!

Finally a fresh start! I am happy to see 2010 finally appear. 2009 seemed to be like a trek in the swamps of sadness. Foggy, unclear, depressing, but you had to keep trekking through it to get to your destination. I feel such good positive energy in 2010. I have momentum & enthusiasm and feel like everything will start fruiting. The seeds have burst through the soil & with the right care & watering, by the end of the year I will have a big basket full of peaches. It's time to dry or dust yourself off & make your dreams come true! Good luck to all of you! Cheers!

cryptozoological pseudo-scientific assemblage art

"WTF?", You say? It's when you take something that cryptozoologists study, like Bigfoot, cthulhu, werewolves, or other weird things that no one has been able to prove exist & you paint them or draw them or build entire scientific cases full of examples of evidence of them, making them look authentic & appear very real. Go check out: http://alexcf.com/blog for a good example.

This stuff is seriously cool.

Snow lady!

T & I built a snow lady! Isn't she beautiful!? I Love the snow! This rocks!



This is her backside. Pretty nice for a snow lady, eh? Lol.

Shoveling snow

Okay, I take it back.

Alright, alright, maybe I spoke too soon in my earlier post. We got around 10 inches of snow here & I hear OKC got about 14.1. A new snow total record! Score on the white Christmas wish! The wind kept whipping the snow all around, so technically, I guess it was a blizzard. Wow. Crazy. We have some 4 ft. snow drifts in our backyard. 4 ft., no kidding! Unfortunarely the snow won't pack. I want to build a snowman. Let's hope it'll pack a little later today. Oh, and Merry Christmas.

More video of the 2009 "Blizzard Eve"

Video of the "Blizzard"

Hooray! Snow on Christmas Eve!

They are calling it a blizzard. Lol. I don't think I would call it that. Oklahomans are funny when it comes to snow. We rarely see it, so when we do, people freak out. They have no idea how to drive in it & there are accidents everywhere. Right now, the winds are 40 or 50 mphs. The little bit of snow & sleet that has fallen, around 1 or 2 inches, is blowing around. Blizzard though? Lol. They closed down H.E. Bailey Turnpike because of all of the accidents & stranded drivers. They are considering calling out the Nat. Guard. Lol. The funniest thing I have heard is the news lady mention the large 1 foot snow drifts. 1 foot? Hahahaha. Wow. The Governor just declared a State of emergency. They really are sending out the Nat. Guard. Part of I-40 is closed as well. People...stay home. Gifts are not that important. Risking your life & the life of others is not a nice thing to do on Christmas Eve. Stay home, enjoy the people with you, break out the board games & spend some family time together. Just stay home. Have a merry Christmas. Hooray for a white Christmas! It's a 3% chance here in Oklahoma.

The roof, the roof, the roofers are STILL not done

Well, it's been how long? It's still not finished. My advice, don't use Millennium Roofing. This week I got the interior work done. The ceiling looks good, but no insulation was replaced & the paint job in the bathroom is terrible. It looks like primer. I had a high gloss latex to make it easy to wipe down. They didn't cover anything but the floor in the bathroom so there are white specks of paint on the tile & some of my items decorating the bathroom. They still haven't replaced the facia on the outside of the house. I got an e-mail from Ted asking when they can come out to do a final inspection. I laughed, sent him one back that stated, when they finished the work we'd set up a time.



You can clearly see the water damage on the interior boards in the attic that were not replaced. I can't wait to see how many they said they did replace. The haven't replaced a single one. Not on the shed or on the house. Even the two that I can still clearly see broken in half in the attic. The living room ceiling looks pretty good though.



I can still see the stain from the leak in the bathroom under the crappy paint job. Will this ever end?



See the wonderful paint job?



Maybe I should have done it myself.

New art

Acrylic on paper. "Steve"


DareDevil. Watercolor. 14" x 19"



9" x 9" acrylic on Paper

Political talking dolls

Head on over to Talking Presidents.com and check out all the political dolls they sell. There is also a Dennis Miller doll as well as a Kinky Friedman doll and many Presidental Dolls.

So how's the roofing going?

So if you remember, I am getting a new roof. I went with Millennium Roofing and my field Representative is Ted Webb. So far the whole process has been like trying to buy a car. I got the main house roof replaced but I feel the work is sub par. There are still broken boards clearly visible in the attic, some of the shingles appear to have been laid to close together causing them to bow up, the siding has still not been replaced, I had to fight with them about the ridge vent, the shed still needs done, & we haven't even gotten to the work on the inside of the house yet. There is little or no communication from Ted & I have no idea when they are supposed to finish. I emailed Ted today & I received a call from someone speaking for Thomas in broken English who said they were from Millennium but sounded like they were 12. What I got from the conversation is that they wanted to know when they could finish. Funny, as of Friday, Ted said they would come out Monday. Now it's Tuesday & they are calling me? This is getting really irritating. Ted said he'd bring me my receipt for the $4007.99 that I handed him on Thursday for the work they started Friday but now, on Tuesday he has yet to bring it by. I have a bad feeling about this. I did copy the checks before I cashed them & have all my bank receipts. What have I learned from all of this? Never go with a company that says they will help you with the insurance or seem eager to cover everything for you based on what insurance money you get. Never even let the company you go with know what insurance company you are with or how much you are getting. Make absolutely sure you don't mention that you have replacement coverage. Get a detailed estimate, figure out all the costs beforehand, make them go into the attic with you & watch them like a hawk when they start putting the new roof on. Whatever you do, do NOT sign a contract until you have everything down to how many nails they use per shingle, what kind of shingles, etc, and a total cost of replacement & repairs. The insurance company will cut you a check before the work starts, so you don't need to worry about any up front money. The estimate should let you know exactly how much money it is going to cost you & when you get your insurance money then you will be able to go with the estimate & roofer that best suits your needs. Many of these roofers tell you they will work out the insurance for you, but that is really just their way of making sure they get all of your insurance money & they make more profit. Do not let them handle the insurance for you. If you get the estimates, work out the costs, & keep all the insurance stuff to yourself, you may end up a little ahead of the game. They will push, like a car salesman will push to find out how much you can pay per month as opposed to letting you know the full price of the car. This is how they make more money. All in all this has been a real pain in the ass, and I wish I would have known all of this beforehand, but at least I've learned & seem to have a roof that is way better than the one that was on there. Still, if you are looking for a roofer, Millennium would not be my first choice. Then again, I've got coworkers & friends that say Big Sky messed up their chimney & Affordable Roofing sucks. In Oklahoma getting honest work done by honest contractors is nearly impossible.

Star Wars Illuminating Stained Glass

Above is an illuminating Stained Glass piece celebrating the original Star Wars movies brought to you by the Bradford Exchange. 5 installments of $33.99 will deliver this nearly two foot wide collectible to your home. I've got to tell you, this would look pretty awesome behind my couch. Want to check it out for yourself? Click here.

Star Wars Hawthorne Village

So in the same vein as the Hamilton Collection or many of the Time Life collections of the past comes the Star Wars Hawthorne Village collections. You pay a certain subscription price & eventually you own the entire Star Wars galaxy recreated in miniature. They illuminate & come with miniature figures from the movies. For three "easy" installments of $19.98 you can get started with the Mos Eisley Cantina. And I thought it was all over in 1983. Hahaha. My checkbook is never going to recover.
Click here for Star Wars Village

Blade II Figure

Sideshow Collectibles & Hot Toys have done it again with this amazing sculpt from Blade II. The details are amazing & the figure comes with tons of accessories. There are sunglasses, shoulder Holster, Two (2) foldable glaives, Two (2) extendable hand armors, Sword with scabbard, Interchangeable sword handle with blades, Five (5) stakes, Two (2) UV Bombs, Machine Gun, Two (2) Handguns, & Four (4) sets of interchangeable gloved hands.



The figure has 32 points of articulation making sure you get just the pose you want. The costume has been made film-accurate as well. If you are a big Blade fan this is a must have. The figure is on Pre-sale now at Sideshow Collectibles & carries a price tag of $159.99. It may seem a little steep, but if past Sideshow 12" figures are any indication, it will only increase in value as time passes. These generally sell out fast, so if you want it, I suggest you hop on over to the site & secure your pre-order now.

The Cat Clock

I've always loved the kit cat clock. You know, the clock that hangs on the wall in the background of so many movie walls & TV show houses. It's even made appearances in cartoon shows & anime. The kit cat clock is a classic. Now, NJ Croce has created a classic style animated cat clock using a classic cartoon icon, Felix the Cat. Entertainment Earth has them for $39.99 + S&H here.

Why I HATED the G.I. Joe movie, part 2.

Okay, so far in the last post I hit on my main problems. Be reminded, if you still want to watch this horrible atrocity there are spoilers ahead. Now, on to more of why this movie is just a giant pile of FAIL. The entire plot was centered around Duke & Baroness & their relationship. Destro & his weapons building company & revenge were the second main story going on. I thought the idea behind Destro & the Mask were acceptable & going somewhere until the end where Destro is pumped full of the same gunk as everyone else, which happens to be nano-machines that can apparently do absolutely anything you could ever possibly imagine, and the nano-machines make his head a metallic silver. Cobra Commander does this to him as almost a punishment. Speaking of Cobra Commander...ahahahaha. That is about all I can say. I can not even begin to explain how incredibly stupid this character was. Remember how Cobra Commander in the cartoon always made you kinda chuckle 'cause he was so whiny & silly? The movie Cobra Commander makes the cartoon Cobra Commander look like Osama Bin Laden. Back to plot though. The third main plot was Ripcord's continuous tries at getting into Scarlett's pants. Seriously. The fourth main plot, oh yes, there's more, was Duke & Ripcord trying to prove they were good enough to be in G.I. Joe. The technology in the movie was way over the top and ultimately silly. The Serpento storyline in the cartoon, one of the cheesiest, was way more believable than anything in this movie. I realize that it is indeed a movie and things can be portrayed as fantastic in a movie sometimes, but when a storyline is grounded in reality (the military, USA vs. Terrorism, special forces) there are lines you can't cross. G.I. Joe was never meant to be science fiction. It was meant to sell toys and encourage youth to want to grow up & join the military. Just watching G.I. Joe as a kid made me want to grow up to be a Marine & then get selected by a special ops group because of my superior spy or ninja skills. Once I got older I realized there really isn't a special group that fights for freedom, only groups that fight for money & that the Marines don't particularly care for women. Just look at the rape statistics in the Marines. The G.I. Joe movie however made the US military seem laughable. What about Storm Shadow & Snake Eyes you ask? Eh. That's about all I have to say. Eh. Costumes were cool, fighting was good, but in the end really, just eh. They didn't use the characters properly & they were never very important in any of the ongoing plots. Oh, one more thing, then I will shut up about how much I hate this movie. I have never seen a movie with more flashback scenes. I swear, every 15 minutes somebody was flashing back. Save your money and your time and skip this sad excuse for a film.

Why I HATED the G.I. Joe movie

The G.I. Joe cartoon came out when I was an impressionable youngster between 8 and my teens. My brother & I used to watch it religiously. We bought the action figures and had an agreement between each other when we did. He got all the Joes & I got all the Cobras. Together we amassed quite a collection. The things I loved about the cartoon where that for one, all the Joes seemed to have their own special uniqueness. Each member had a skill that no one in the world was better at. There were also many kick ass chicks. Scarlett, Lady Jaye, Cover Girl, Baroness, Zarana, Jinx...and more. What other animated show or non-animated for that matter included so many awesome female characters? These chicks held their own! I loved how, even tho' they were a military unit, their distinct personalities stood out. The diversity of the individuals is what made the team so strong. Cobra was the same way. They were a terrorist organization full of distinct individuals but there was a difference. The were not praised for their diversity. Many times they were laughed at or made fun of because of it. They were bullied. They were also individuals who were follows instead of leaders. That's what I always got from this silly little cartoon show from the 80's. Now, let's fast forward to 2009 and the so called G.I. Joe movie. First off, there are no similarities between the 80's cartoon and the movie except for character names. Who are these people? Second, (don't read any further if you plan on renting this piece of crap, 'cause there's spoilers ahead) Scarlett is portrayed as bad ass only because she doesn't allow emotion to be part of her person. That's right, women are too emotional to make great soldiers, so the only way Scarlett is such an awesome soldier is that she suppresses all her emotion. WHAT!? Third, the Baroness is not Russian & has no accent & really isn't evil. She is in fact mad at Duke her Fiance` for not comforting her after her brother is killed by a military jet strike gone wrong. Duke was supposed to protect her brother in battle & because he failed he can't face her in her greatest time of need. Seriously? Cobra gets a hold of her, pumps some memory crap into her & "ta-da!" she's bad. Now in the cartoon, Duke always came off as an old fashioned fellow. He was quiet & polite & got the job done. The Duke in the movie, close for about 5 minutes, but not going to comfort his woman in her time of need, very unDuke like. Not to mention stupid plot device. Fourth, (there are still spoilers so be warned), Cobra Commander is Baroness brother that Duke failed to protect. Is he evil because of Duke's failure? No. He is evil because he is a scientist. I am not kidding. He's the one that kidnaps his sister & pumps the crap into her to make her do his bidding to get back at Duke for not saving him, but the main underlying reason we are given for him being evil is that he is a scientist. So the youngest kid in the movie with the least character development is Cobra Commander. OMG...stupid. Fifth, you could see everything coming a mile and a half away. There were no surprises, no OMG moments except when you were expected to suspend disbelief every ten minutes & you found yourself saying "OMG...for real? This is stupid.". Next, Zartan. Zartan is such a cool character in the cartoon & comic. He is a master of disguises and an expert in cosmetics. Seeing him transform using just the stuff in his metal briefcase was always pretty cool. In the movie? They just pump him full of the same stuff they pump everyone else full of which gives him the ability to alter his appearance by just thinking about it. His bones break & crackle and he screams as he turns into an exact replica of whoever. Ugh. I liked him better as a genius at make-up art. (to be cont.)

My first insurance claim

So, finally I have a roofer. The one to get out to the house & most willing to meet with me at a time convenient for me was Millennium Roofing. They helped explain things & came out when the insurance adjuster came out to make sure he didn't skimp on anything. The actual owners came out as well. I asked them how many nails they use per shingle & Ted, the "recon" guy answered 6, which was the answer I was looking for. We talked about ridge vents & turbines & I felt satisfied. Now the whole process with the insurance & the roofing company was very circus-like, but I think I will have a new roof within a couple weeks. Hopefully next week. There were times when I had to ask things to to make sure I was clear on the process, but all & all these guys were very polite and professional. They even put my neighbors trash in her dumpster for her so she wouldn't have to go through her gate. Step one accomplished. Cross your fingers everything goes smoothly & that when all is said & done, I will have a new awesome roof & be out $0.00. If you want to know who not to go with I will tell you this, Affordable Roofing did no shows on me twice. They seemed to have no interest at all in coming out & giving me an estimate. TRS took two days just to call me back & by that time I had already decided on Millennium. Big Sky came out immediately & were very nice, but I would have had to come up with some dough for them. Still, part of me is worried I missed something & am going to have to come up with cash before this is all over. We'll see. Hopefully though, everything will turn out great. I'll keep you posted.

Great watercolorist

So Sarah Larnach does some great watercolor work. Right now she does album covers & art for the band Ladyhawke. She started a blog. Go check it out here.