Central Adirondack Art Show! @ The View

I've earned an Honorary Mention in the Mixed Media category at the Central Adirondack Art Show!

The new work on display is Loon.

I snapped a quick pick before I sent Loon to the show.

The work on Loon was a bit rushed as the Side Walk Art Show at the Munson William Proctor Institute immediately preceded the Central Adirondack Art Show.  I was going to submit new work for the Side Art Show as well, but my plans for that particular piece hit a wall due to lack of acrylic resin.  Yet between that debacle and staging a new piece within a two week period, it did not come out that terrible.

Side Walk Art Show! ...Last Week

The June 28th edition of The Observer's Dispatch 315 (formerly weekend plus?) featured my work Best Mirror on their front cover!

So... I've dropped the ball a little bit.  Consequently 'tis time for a little catching up.  Especially as I haven't posted updates regularly of late.  (Hint: your going to be bombarded today.)

Every Rose as a piece is kind of old news by now.

First off, last week my Every Rose was featured in the oil & pastel category of the Munson Williams Proctor Institute's Side Walk Art Show!   The show ran from only June 30th to July 4th, so if you didn't attend I understand why.  I only managed to stop by for a half hour to vote on July 3rd!

If my work has not been sold I will be reclaiming it Thursday (the 12th).

Hopefully with a ribbon attached...

30 Days to Make a Habit, Part 1

Actual picture from my studio cork board.

Recently I read a passing reference to this idea in a the99% (not THE 99%, even though I wholeheartedly support them) blog post.  The general idea is that if you can make yourself do something for 30 days then that action will become a habit for you.  It’s nearly so self explanatory it borders on redundancy.

Think about your habits.  The little things you do every day.  Some of them are good, others could even be considered poisonous, but to an observer they all compose the narration of who one is.

This Idea is appealing to a self improvement addict, and unlike many other “techniques”, “tactics”, “strategies”, “tips”, etc, as there is actually some truth to it.

There is greater implication to the idea.  Habits compose who we are.  The idea is as ancient as the word’s Latin origins, habere, which was not only used as “to have or to hold” an object but to describe both inner and outward characteristics of individuals as well.  It was also used to refer to what one was wearing.

That knowledge confers a comforting idea, that through our free will (even if we prescribe to a delusion of destiny) we can control and disrobe from seemingly natural malfeasance of character.  Beyond this, and in step with nature’s abhorrence of vacuums, one could infer (however wildly) that one habit must replace another, and we can use that momentum to better our behavioral circumstances.  Still, if that is true then once more we must also cater to the notion of free will (my apologies to the god-fearing).

“Free Will” being the key phrase, for often I have found that there is seemingly far too little of it in abundance that would easily account for such a grievous misnomer.

Will is nurtured, will is earned, will waxes and wanes.  However I have never felt will as being free, especially strong will.

However, even a strong will alone is no guarantee that it is possible to change a comfortable habit.  Not a positive habit, just one that has developed unnoticed, or one that is chronic in nature and has been present so long it feels natural.

That requires a self evaluation, what habits can even be considered positive?  Negative?  Chronic?

You might have to simplify further and ask what is really important to you.  Chances are there is going to be some list making.

The focus of this blog isn’t self help though, so I am not going to cater specifically to the details behind that process.  I will however be talking this week how I am currently employing this idea, how it is generating results for me, and the mindset I have behind it.  If I can give you any insight I would rather dispense it through demonstration than lecture.

Speaking of what's going on with me.  I would like to remind everyone that the t-shirt war and a possible $25 is still up for grabs!  Thank you to everyone in the community who has come out to support us thus far!  We still need to get the word out though so if you can continue circulating the word around Ielle and I would really appreciate it.

Also!  In search of Alex Orange is continuing to update this week!  ...on FB, grumble, grumble...

In Search Of Alex Orange?

Wednesday's blog on Thursday!  Joyous...  Normally I would use my, "Time is probably an illusion generated by our perception of entropy." excuse, but hey this isn't science Monday kids.  It's not like you need me to cram your gray matter with somethin' that should be held in reserve for a postprandial constitution around the garden after tea an' scones, not this late in the week anyway.

So on to the corn syrup laced with nicotine of brain foods, with any luck on my part it will be like a trans fat molecule and it will stick with you for longer than it needs too.

ISOAO, ISAO, or In Search of Alex Orange, is now in full swing!

Facebook Or Site (Tech team is moving so give 'em a break will ya?)

There have been delays though, starting from all the way back in Oct. '11.  Have I been happy about it?  NO.  Impatient?  Just a little.

Although I have learned quite a bit, not including how to annoy an author, between where we started with the project and where my art is now.   Little did I know the kind of challenges this project would hold.

I am used to complexity in art, you can see it in my non-digital pieces.  I love making all the little pieces fall together just so, which by themselves are at best abstract, but together reveal my visual intent.

Comics, not even just web comics, but all comics are a different creature.  The way I planned my other work was meticulous and required time that is not only counter productive to comic creation, but downright demoralizing when applied incorrectly.

The problem comes with my stubborn nature.  The work I would have done would have been beautiful, but it would have been 2020 before Scene 1 was finished with the quality I was demanding of myself.  In the end I had to admit to myself (rather ungraciously) that "getting better" beat "being good".  Which leads to my next topic.

Oh and there is a ti-shit of this over at IelleMahon.

Rigor.

The way I train myself to do anything is pretty merciless.  The industry standard for webcomic updates comes in four different flavors (not counting a few eclectic update schedules like Dresden Codak):

1)  The once a week update (typically Mon. or Fri.)  e.g. No Need For Bushido

2)  The twice a week update (typically Tue. or Thur.) e.g. ...no good examples...

3)  The three times a week (Mon. Wed. or Fri.) e.g. Gunnerkrigg Court

4)  The daily (business days) + updates e.g. Least I Could Do

Naturally I want to be the last category mentioned.  So every day after every hold up, every catch, I make extra time, and learn not a better ways or even a more professional ways to go about comic craft, but rather rather just faster ways.  This is on top of the hour of pure figure drawing I force myself to do, and all the actual other work I have to get accomplished during a 24 hour period.

Even if In Search of Alex Orange starts with bi-weekly updates, I can assure you it's not going to stay that way for long.  This is simply because I can't stand producing work at an insufficient rate.  The faster I work that faster the quality of the comic increases.  Think of it like sprinting to increase endurance.

With that said I can tell you changes are already happening behind the scenes in basically all facets of the comic, and you will seem them implemented at an exponential rate over the next couple of weeks.


Don't worry I am still doing commissions.  I am still doing t-shirt designs.  I am still working on all the projects that I have been working on.  I am just as dedicated as ever to producing high quality work and providing ever increasing value to my clients and community.

Speaking of which, time for some shameless self promotion.

The T-shirt (Design) War between me and Ielle ends a week from now and we really would like your support.  If you can spare about 5 min head over to the page and vote for your favorite design.  If you suggest the theme of our next battle it's possible you could win yourself $25 via PayPal.

T-shirt (Design) War!!! The 5 W's...

My "Neapolitan Noir"

Ielle's "Busted Bogie"

 Who:  The oh so talented Ielle Palmer and Myself of course.  You can check out Miss Palmer's blog here: The Not-so-Rebel Ielle

What:  T-shirt (Design) War!  The 1st of hopefully many.  Vote over which design you think is the best!  No matter how you vote, or even if you don't buy a t-shirt, you will have supported something great by spreading the word!

Where:  Over at Facebook we have an event page setup:  IELLE! VS. SON OF MAHON! T-Shirt (Design) War!

When:  Now (March 12th) through Friday March 23rd.

Please Prevent Puppy Starvation.

Why:  The institution which employs Miss Palmer is suffering from a drop in enrollment, so they had to cut one of her classes.  This means she has significantly less to fall back on (monetarily speaking) in the near future, and things are going to get pretty tight if we can't mitigate that loss.  That is why I have teamed up with Ielle to help her get past this rough spot, reaching out to our mutual communities, so she can buy groceries and continue to feed her adorable little puggle Izzy.  If you can support Ielle, and get an awesome t-shirt in exchange, you should definitely check out the shop links below.  We would also be eternally grateful.

How:  Through Skreened and Cafe Press!  We are providing two options to help you provide salvation from destitution for Ielle, and more importantly shield puggles from starvation!
Skreened:
Ielle vs. Son Of Mahon

Cafe Press:
Ielle vs. Son of Mahon


Spreading the word about the design war between Ielle and I is the best thing you can do to help us, even beyond buying a shirt (and trust us we would really really love it if you bought a shirt.).  Even if you tell just TWO people, deux peoples, it would be huge for us.

Thank you for whatever support you can muster!

OH, and I nearly forgot to mention if you vote on the Facebook wall, and suggest the theme of our next T-shirt battle you could be in the running to WIN $25 through Paypal!  This is my own personal investment to help Ielle, and it is a reward for one lucky person from our community who comes forward to support us.  This person could be you, so I recommend heading over to THE EVENT and checking out the commotion.


Ielle's "Busted Bogie"

My (Son Of Mahon's) "Neapolitan Noir"

NOT DEAD YET!*

*Yep totally plagiarized Monty Python.  Shall we do more cliche quotes?  Perhaps, "We need a bigger boat!"  or "Back to the Chopper!"?

So anyway as you can tell I am not dead.  Also we will now be updating Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

While your waiting for tomorrow's post check out this sweet poster.

Yes, I made the poster.

In celebration of the newest addition to Hill vernacular.