The Littlest hobo is now in Glasgow!
Could the scottish accent be THE hottest and best accent in THE WORLD??
Nothing puts a smile on my face like speaking to the little old ladies who serve you in the pastie shops!
I was also served by some hot guy in a bar the other night. I couldn't understand half of what he was saying, but it was hot! (If I was into guys that is!!)
So what brings me to Glasgow?
A job meeting. And it went pretty well. Basically I got it if I want it.
Working for a small but up and coming multi-media studio doing Flash interactive/animation stuff.
Nothing too mind blowing, but it'll be challenging, sorta fun bread and butter work. It'll be for 2.5 months and will lead into more.
Plus I'll be paid well, and in ENGLISH POUNDS!! ££££££!! And I'll have the oppotunity to live in Glasgow, one of Europes culture mecca's!! ( and rent is sooooo cheaper here then in London)
For once in my life I can look at "spacious, roomy, upmarket units. Suit professional".
R-A-D!
But we'll see.
Also talking to an animation studio in Soho, London about a shorter gig. Unfortunatly there'll be a class between the two.
Later in the week I'll try and pop over to Edinburgh, then head down to London stoping in Birghminham to stay with Comics legend, James Hodgkins.
You know James? Inker star!
He inked all over John Mc Crea stuff thru Hitman and Batman and other things.
I met James a few years ago at san Diego where we stayed up till the wee hours at the Marvel drinks... uh, drinking and talking Sinatra!
(james has also just selfpublished Lass Vegas, a very cool, 60's atomic romp!)
A big Huzzah goes out to Mark Selan who turned 30 AND got engaged in Europe somewhere! I caught up with Mark for the first time last saturday in London, where we downed a few pints at a great, seedy English pub!
And shout out to long time Diggsville reader and commentor, Robin! On old and really good friend from 'da hood! We caught up for a drink in London the other day aswell!
Anyone else passing thru? Drop me a line!
Coming Soon: 10 songs that're rocking my headspace!
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Cities
Here I am in a busy internet cafe in Soho, London. Just half a block from Tottenham Court Road tube station. 1 pound gets me internet ALL DAY!!
So with nothing else planned for today, I plan to hole up here and connect on the interweb!
I've been in London for 2 weeks and one day and there is a bit of pressure for me to set up camp here.
So I've been doing alot of thinking lately (actually it's been a common thread of thought for me in the last few years) about the nature of cities and which ones to live in.
I've lived in a few and been to many.
Some i quite dig and enjoyed whatever time I stayed there. Others I didn't particularly like. Others cities I look at in a romantic light and think I could live there, while very few I could seriously think i could live there.
But London....... the jury is still out.
I didn't come over here with the intention to stay in London. It's big, expensive and filled with Aussies and Poms.
I had my heart set on some of the smaller cities. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol, Bath, York etc.
I've slipped into a familiarity here in London. 2 weeks in the one spot is quite a commitment for a rambling man. I've got a good network of friends and I've had some fun here.
I've been telling myself that i don't want to settle here. And I got a really tasty job bite up in Glasgow the other morning. But then i did something pretty bad.
I had an excellent day in olde London Town!
It was a lovely sunny day so I met the London-Girl for lunch in the park opposite St Pauls Catherderal. When she went back to work I met another friend in Soho to track down a jazz music shop. Not only did we find it, we also came across some other really funky shops nestled in some back alleys. A Jimmy Smith cd was bought for 5 quid!
Then the London Girl and I bought ourselves a bottle of Champaign and picnic food and we went to Hyde Park for dinner. We found a nice romantic spot overlooking the sun setting on the pond.
As we headed out of the park we were approached by a drunk fortune telling irishman and his dog, Sparky. He read our tarrot cards and while i didn't understand everything he said, the gist of it looked very favourible.
After that we walked to a swanky jazz bar for dancing to a great band.
Days don't get much nicer then that!
But I think the plan will be to just play my hands and wait and see where the chips fall!
So with nothing else planned for today, I plan to hole up here and connect on the interweb!
I've been in London for 2 weeks and one day and there is a bit of pressure for me to set up camp here.
So I've been doing alot of thinking lately (actually it's been a common thread of thought for me in the last few years) about the nature of cities and which ones to live in.
I've lived in a few and been to many.
Some i quite dig and enjoyed whatever time I stayed there. Others I didn't particularly like. Others cities I look at in a romantic light and think I could live there, while very few I could seriously think i could live there.
But London....... the jury is still out.
I didn't come over here with the intention to stay in London. It's big, expensive and filled with Aussies and Poms.
I had my heart set on some of the smaller cities. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol, Bath, York etc.
I've slipped into a familiarity here in London. 2 weeks in the one spot is quite a commitment for a rambling man. I've got a good network of friends and I've had some fun here.
I've been telling myself that i don't want to settle here. And I got a really tasty job bite up in Glasgow the other morning. But then i did something pretty bad.
I had an excellent day in olde London Town!
It was a lovely sunny day so I met the London-Girl for lunch in the park opposite St Pauls Catherderal. When she went back to work I met another friend in Soho to track down a jazz music shop. Not only did we find it, we also came across some other really funky shops nestled in some back alleys. A Jimmy Smith cd was bought for 5 quid!
Then the London Girl and I bought ourselves a bottle of Champaign and picnic food and we went to Hyde Park for dinner. We found a nice romantic spot overlooking the sun setting on the pond.
As we headed out of the park we were approached by a drunk fortune telling irishman and his dog, Sparky. He read our tarrot cards and while i didn't understand everything he said, the gist of it looked very favourible.
After that we walked to a swanky jazz bar for dancing to a great band.
Days don't get much nicer then that!
But I think the plan will be to just play my hands and wait and see where the chips fall!
Monday, August 15, 2005
Oscar for Best Guest Appearance..
And the Nominies are:
Doug and Scott in Las Vegas Nights
And Scott in The Londoner Accidential Tourist
And the Oscar goes to.....
Doug and Scott in Las Vegas Nights
And Scott in The Londoner Accidential Tourist
And the Oscar goes to.....
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Dig!
DIG: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Can Johnny Depp do no wrong?
DIG: The Brittish Museum
Mummies. Mummified people, cats, goldfish, storks and little crocodiles. Nothing I can't beat in a fight!
DIG: Man with goyters!
First spotting about half a dozen small ones around the neck. Then I saw the one at the back of his head. About half the size of his skull!
RAD!
sorta.
Can Johnny Depp do no wrong?
DIG: The Brittish Museum
Mummies. Mummified people, cats, goldfish, storks and little crocodiles. Nothing I can't beat in a fight!
DIG: Man with goyters!
First spotting about half a dozen small ones around the neck. Then I saw the one at the back of his head. About half the size of his skull!
RAD!
sorta.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Diggsville World Tour part II
When last we left our little hero, he was living it up with his crew in sunny San Diego!
The nerdfest was often too much for him, so they would while the afternoons away at The Dublin Square, a magnificant Irish watering hole that had good beer, pretty barmaids and an awesome band that played on the saturday night. The band started off as a traditional irish pub band, covering all the great standards, BUT they also did some fantastic covers of Rage Against The Machine, NIN and the Mortal Combat theme song!!
Much jigging was done by The Douglas and The Frase to the delight of the other patrons!
If we were not at The Dublin, then we could be found at the Tiki Bar, where they also had pretty barmaids! From our first night in SD we made friends with Mandoline, the cocktail bartender with killer skills to match her looks!
There we refreshed ourselves on mojito's and key-lime martinis!
SD Score Sheet:
# Find the TOP GUN BAR.= TICK!
(not only did we find it, but we ate the BEST ribs there!)
# Find George Martin at The Hilton= FAIL!
(Sir George was not to be found, despite the information given)
# Win the Rick-shaw gladiatorial race = TICK!
(The Douglas and The Frase proved their superiority when we beat the other competitors in a drunken ride home)
# Find the BEST pizza-by-the-slice place = TICK!
What trip to San Diego would be complete without the traditonal visit to Tijuana?
However, it is also tradition that what happens in Mexico, stays in Mexico so we'll skip straight to the Score Sheet:
TJ Score Sheet:
# Buy Mexican snake leather cowboy boots= TICK!
# Buy mexican wrestling masks = TICK!
(The masks were a big hit on the trolley back to San Diego!)
# Drink lots of great and cheap Mexican beer and dine on cheap and great mexican food= TICK!
# Have another Mexican man-whore story= TICK!
# Make it across the border without spending anytime in a Mexican Prison= TICK!
From SD The Douglas and The Frase drove in a rented convertable Ford Mustang
8 hrs through the desert to Las Vegas.
(see previous entry for more photo's)
Nothing but open road, semi-trailers and tumbleweeds!
We were also fortunate to drive through a rare desert electrical storm! Nothing quite like seeing lightening streak across the endless desert sky!
Landspeed record may/may not have been broken!
2 nights in Vegas in scorching hot temperatures of 40 degress +. Even at night!
The air was so dry that the very moisture was sucked out of your eyeballs!
We sought comfert in the air conditioned hotel room, hotdog diner with sprinklers, casino bars and the amazing cocktail bar we were introduced to at 4am on our last night. It was a shame as we had to get up at 7am the next morning!!
During the day we took the Mustang out to a nearby national park. Red Rock Canyon. The magnificant mountains and endless horizons were the locations for many western films.
Vegas Score Sheet:
# Not to gamble = TICK!
(The house always wins!)
# See a lounge act= TICK!
# Be cowboys = TICK!
# Get Married= FAIL!
(with great shame we left Vegas without completing the objective that was the inspiration for the whole world tour!)
From Vegas we flew to New York via Chicago.
It seems that the people of Chicago had heard what good fun we were and so they conspired to keep us there over night. We soon sorted that out and were on a plane only a few hours later then originally planned.
In New York, we stayed at the home of Christian and Lea in Astoria, Queens.
Just our luck to arrive when NY was experiancing a heat wave. 40 degree highs and humid!
The authorities were advising people to stay indoors!
The mood of the city was a powder keg waiting to happen. Like from Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing"!
Doug only stayed for a few days but I was there for 10.
NY was a hard nut to crack. Either I just didn't get it, or I got it, and didn't dig it.
From an observer it is a really cool city, but as a participant it was
really harsh!
It may have been the heat. I won't dismiss the city yet and would like to return in a differant season.
There was only one objective for NY
NY Score Sheet:
# Get tattoo: TICK!
(got it done at a place in Greenwhich Village by a Puerto Rican voodoo priest)
Other highlights include:
# discovering the greatest combination of food!
Pizza + Mexican food = Mexican Pizza!
# Natural History Museum.
Christian and I worked out once and for all just which dinosaurs we could take in a fight, and which ones we'd have no hope for.
We also window shopped for simion companions and decided that Spider Monkeys were the only choice for home entertaining duties, while orangutangs would be the ideal to take out in public drinking establishments.
# Partaking in a NY criminal deal in Washington Square
# Central Park on a sunday afternoon.
( Squirrels, breakdancers, disco-rollerbladers, volleyballers, baseballers, jazz-combo buskers, hotdog venders)
# Doing Christians' Ghostbuster tour of New York!
# Statue of Liberty over The Hudsen River
# Drinking at a dive bar called Doc Holidays' in Alphabet City
# Drinking beer on Christians rooftop with the sun setting on the Manhatten skyline.
On the 2nd of August, the Littliest Hobbo left America and landed in London for the next thrilling chapter of the World Tour!
(all photo's by D.Holgate)
The nerdfest was often too much for him, so they would while the afternoons away at The Dublin Square, a magnificant Irish watering hole that had good beer, pretty barmaids and an awesome band that played on the saturday night. The band started off as a traditional irish pub band, covering all the great standards, BUT they also did some fantastic covers of Rage Against The Machine, NIN and the Mortal Combat theme song!!
Much jigging was done by The Douglas and The Frase to the delight of the other patrons!
If we were not at The Dublin, then we could be found at the Tiki Bar, where they also had pretty barmaids! From our first night in SD we made friends with Mandoline, the cocktail bartender with killer skills to match her looks!
There we refreshed ourselves on mojito's and key-lime martinis!
SD Score Sheet:
# Find the TOP GUN BAR.= TICK!
(not only did we find it, but we ate the BEST ribs there!)
# Find George Martin at The Hilton= FAIL!
(Sir George was not to be found, despite the information given)
# Win the Rick-shaw gladiatorial race = TICK!
(The Douglas and The Frase proved their superiority when we beat the other competitors in a drunken ride home)
# Find the BEST pizza-by-the-slice place = TICK!
What trip to San Diego would be complete without the traditonal visit to Tijuana?
However, it is also tradition that what happens in Mexico, stays in Mexico so we'll skip straight to the Score Sheet:
TJ Score Sheet:
# Buy Mexican snake leather cowboy boots= TICK!
# Buy mexican wrestling masks = TICK!
(The masks were a big hit on the trolley back to San Diego!)
# Drink lots of great and cheap Mexican beer and dine on cheap and great mexican food= TICK!
# Have another Mexican man-whore story= TICK!
# Make it across the border without spending anytime in a Mexican Prison= TICK!
From SD The Douglas and The Frase drove in a rented convertable Ford Mustang
8 hrs through the desert to Las Vegas.
(see previous entry for more photo's)
Nothing but open road, semi-trailers and tumbleweeds!
We were also fortunate to drive through a rare desert electrical storm! Nothing quite like seeing lightening streak across the endless desert sky!
Landspeed record may/may not have been broken!
2 nights in Vegas in scorching hot temperatures of 40 degress +. Even at night!
The air was so dry that the very moisture was sucked out of your eyeballs!
We sought comfert in the air conditioned hotel room, hotdog diner with sprinklers, casino bars and the amazing cocktail bar we were introduced to at 4am on our last night. It was a shame as we had to get up at 7am the next morning!!
During the day we took the Mustang out to a nearby national park. Red Rock Canyon. The magnificant mountains and endless horizons were the locations for many western films.
Vegas Score Sheet:
# Not to gamble = TICK!
(The house always wins!)
# See a lounge act= TICK!
# Be cowboys = TICK!
# Get Married= FAIL!
(with great shame we left Vegas without completing the objective that was the inspiration for the whole world tour!)
From Vegas we flew to New York via Chicago.
It seems that the people of Chicago had heard what good fun we were and so they conspired to keep us there over night. We soon sorted that out and were on a plane only a few hours later then originally planned.
In New York, we stayed at the home of Christian and Lea in Astoria, Queens.
Just our luck to arrive when NY was experiancing a heat wave. 40 degree highs and humid!
The authorities were advising people to stay indoors!
The mood of the city was a powder keg waiting to happen. Like from Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing"!
Doug only stayed for a few days but I was there for 10.
NY was a hard nut to crack. Either I just didn't get it, or I got it, and didn't dig it.
From an observer it is a really cool city, but as a participant it was
really harsh!
It may have been the heat. I won't dismiss the city yet and would like to return in a differant season.
There was only one objective for NY
NY Score Sheet:
# Get tattoo: TICK!
(got it done at a place in Greenwhich Village by a Puerto Rican voodoo priest)
Other highlights include:
# discovering the greatest combination of food!
Pizza + Mexican food = Mexican Pizza!
# Natural History Museum.
Christian and I worked out once and for all just which dinosaurs we could take in a fight, and which ones we'd have no hope for.
We also window shopped for simion companions and decided that Spider Monkeys were the only choice for home entertaining duties, while orangutangs would be the ideal to take out in public drinking establishments.
# Partaking in a NY criminal deal in Washington Square
# Central Park on a sunday afternoon.
( Squirrels, breakdancers, disco-rollerbladers, volleyballers, baseballers, jazz-combo buskers, hotdog venders)
# Doing Christians' Ghostbuster tour of New York!
# Statue of Liberty over The Hudsen River
# Drinking at a dive bar called Doc Holidays' in Alphabet City
# Drinking beer on Christians rooftop with the sun setting on the Manhatten skyline.
On the 2nd of August, the Littliest Hobbo left America and landed in London for the next thrilling chapter of the World Tour!
(all photo's by D.Holgate)
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Tales of the Tour
Until I get my own eye-witness accounts written, here are some tour reports from my travel-chums.
I was there, but this is how THEY saw it.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/the_christian/382161.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/the_christian/382241.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/the_christian/383470.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/douglasbot/14080.html
I was there, but this is how THEY saw it.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/the_christian/382161.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/the_christian/382241.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/the_christian/383470.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/douglasbot/14080.html
Sunday, July 24, 2005
The desert!
Photos by goril-ass photographer Holgate. He's the official Diggsville World Tour photographer!
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Leaving, on a jet plane
After 5 years of living in Hobart,a truly beautiful city, I am about to leave.
Nearly exactly 5 years to the day I'm hoping on a jet plane and embarking on a world tour.
Hobart has been a wonderful experience for me. I moved down here chasing a girl with the intent to drop out, grow some dreadlocks and paint.
Instead, within 4 weeks, I landed a job that would turn into a wonderful career doing what I do best- draw goofy things!!
I could go on and on about what I've experienced here. The loves I've had and the loves I've lost. The beer I've drunk, the music I've discovered, the cheeses I've eaten and the friends I have gained.
But I won't.
On monday evening I'll leave Hobart, Tasmania, jump on a plane to Melbourne and leave the country the next morning.
I'm in the process of packing up my stuff, trying to throw out as much as possible and storing the rest.
My computer keeps crashing as I desperately try and get my shit together. I've fought the urge so many times not to punch the monitor, but I realize it's not the monitors fault. I've had to resist even more times the urge to throw the computer out the 2nd story window!
Here is the iternary for the Scott/Diggsville World Tour concerts, speaking
engagements and handy-man workshops::
> 12th July-18th- San Diego
> 18th- 21st July- Las vegas
> 21st July- 2nd August- New York
> 3rd August London.
> September- Germany (Berlin/Munich)
Armed with a UK ancestry Visa I will be looking for work opportunities while over there and back here in Aus.
At this stage I could be away for as little as 2 months or a lot longer. Like the Littliest Hobo, I go where I'm needed.
More updates at 11.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Things what gives me pleasure
For some reason i find great sad pleasure in staying up late on the interweb, drinking and listening to Louis Armstrong.
Tonight it is currently 1:02am.
I'm ripping "stuff" onto my i.river.
I'm drinking a 2003 Pinot Noir from Iron Pot Bay (Tamar Valley, TAS).
Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson is playing.
This is a sample of what I've done this week at work:
(All of which are based on true events!)
Tonight it is currently 1:02am.
I'm ripping "stuff" onto my i.river.
I'm drinking a 2003 Pinot Noir from Iron Pot Bay (Tamar Valley, TAS).
Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson is playing.
This is a sample of what I've done this week at work:
(All of which are based on true events!)
Monday, June 27, 2005
Things I've Learnered..
Things I've learnered in the last few days:
(In no particular order)
* My I.River records with either the internal or an external microphone, which means I can take it to the plethora of live gigs around town and record some stuff! Had a play with it on Saturday night, and while it's defiantly not broadcast quality, it's pretty good for prosperity.
* Catching up with my ex of 7 years put me on an emotional back foot- something I haven't felt in a long time.
* When trying to bring snake-skin cowboy boots into the country I must say that they're rattlesnake and NOT python leather. THEY will take them if it's python.
* If unsure, Custom Agents will use Google to determine if cowboy boots are made from rattlesnake or python skin.
* A "Scotty-love-sandwich" is really fun!
(In no particular order)
* My I.River records with either the internal or an external microphone, which means I can take it to the plethora of live gigs around town and record some stuff! Had a play with it on Saturday night, and while it's defiantly not broadcast quality, it's pretty good for prosperity.
* Catching up with my ex of 7 years put me on an emotional back foot- something I haven't felt in a long time.
* When trying to bring snake-skin cowboy boots into the country I must say that they're rattlesnake and NOT python leather. THEY will take them if it's python.
* If unsure, Custom Agents will use Google to determine if cowboy boots are made from rattlesnake or python skin.
* A "Scotty-love-sandwich" is really fun!
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Things I seen that pleases:
DIG: Last week I took a break from work in the afternoon. Sat on the couch with a cup of tea and turned the tv on.
Flicking over to the ABC I catch the very end of some show. Then the next little cartoon starts. The opening title sequence was very familiar to me, but it took a little while to work out why.
It was an episode of Blue Rocket's TIME CRACKS!
I was Production Designer, StoryBoard Artist and 2D animator on all of the 24 episodes (actually there was another 'boarder aswell).
I know these cartoons inside and out, so it was weird to have that moment of "where do I know these from....".
Being the first time I've seen them on actual broadcast air was kinda weird but cool aswell. My character designs, my drawings, being beamed all round the country!!
Was cool!
DIG: The soon-2-b Mrs Monkey Mattay made me laugh my guts out this morning! Funniest thing I've seen in awhile!! Go check her out in all her raddness!!
DIG: I saw Batman Begins on thursday night..... and i LOVED IT!!
GAH!!
Me, actually really enjoying a superhero-2-film film???
YES!
I genuinely haven't been on the edge of my seat in a movie in a long time! I honestly went in with NO expectations. I'd heard good things about it, but that was the same things I'd heard about Spiderman and X-Men. While I did quite enjoy both those films, they didn't do much for me.
But I really, really dug Batman Begins.
The cast was sublime, and they actually, you know.... ACTED! The whole film looked great, flowed nicely and was just kick-arse! It wasn't cool because it was Batman in a film. It was cool because it was a good film about Batman!
I probally have two tiny quibbles with it.
Katie Holmes is too cute and Batman's mask made his head look mongoloid. Just two tiny things that stuck with me but did nothing to ruin my enjoyment of the film.
I may even go and see it AGAIN!!
(Whats the world coming too when I spend my last 3 entries discussing comic-things??)
GAH!
Current Music: Miles Davis- Kinda Blue
Flicking over to the ABC I catch the very end of some show. Then the next little cartoon starts. The opening title sequence was very familiar to me, but it took a little while to work out why.
It was an episode of Blue Rocket's TIME CRACKS!
I was Production Designer, StoryBoard Artist and 2D animator on all of the 24 episodes (actually there was another 'boarder aswell).
I know these cartoons inside and out, so it was weird to have that moment of "where do I know these from....".
Being the first time I've seen them on actual broadcast air was kinda weird but cool aswell. My character designs, my drawings, being beamed all round the country!!
Was cool!
DIG: The soon-2-b Mrs Monkey Mattay made me laugh my guts out this morning! Funniest thing I've seen in awhile!! Go check her out in all her raddness!!
DIG: I saw Batman Begins on thursday night..... and i LOVED IT!!
GAH!!
Me, actually really enjoying a superhero-2-film film???
YES!
I genuinely haven't been on the edge of my seat in a movie in a long time! I honestly went in with NO expectations. I'd heard good things about it, but that was the same things I'd heard about Spiderman and X-Men. While I did quite enjoy both those films, they didn't do much for me.
But I really, really dug Batman Begins.
The cast was sublime, and they actually, you know.... ACTED! The whole film looked great, flowed nicely and was just kick-arse! It wasn't cool because it was Batman in a film. It was cool because it was a good film about Batman!
I probally have two tiny quibbles with it.
Katie Holmes is too cute and Batman's mask made his head look mongoloid. Just two tiny things that stuck with me but did nothing to ruin my enjoyment of the film.
I may even go and see it AGAIN!!
(Whats the world coming too when I spend my last 3 entries discussing comic-things??)
GAH!
Current Music: Miles Davis- Kinda Blue
Friday, June 17, 2005
24 Hour ARTY People
DIG: Last weekend I took part in the 24HR comic Competition. From 11am saturday till 11am sunday the goal was to do 24 pages of comics in 24 hours. Cartoonists all around the country and some from overseas took part. I think there were over 100 entries.
I got to about midnight and got bored so went out. Came back home at about 6am and went back to it.. sort of.
I'm in 2 minds about the whole thing. Actually before I start sounding too whiney, I should congratulate Mark Selan on a really top notch organising job. It ran smoothly, got some really good media attention and a really fun atmosphere was created.
Ok, so I think this type of event is good in that it creates a real sense of community and camaraderie on the day. People are posting their work online and getting immediate support and encouragement. It helps bolster confidence and keeps people going.
If you enjoy creating STUFF, then this is a really fun thing to do. Go straight thru the night creating STUFF. I've down plenty of all nighters getting work down and it's quite a rush to push through the barriers and keep on plowing through.
Personally taking part in this thing has got my comic-making juices flowing again. It's inspired me.
So thats all cool, yeah?
But the bad thing is it makes for really clumsy comics.
Comics DO take time to get done. The plotting, the scriptwriting, the thumbnail layouts, the penciling, the inking, the lettering, the colouring. It all takes time to get a good job done.
So to try and do a whole comic in such conditions is a detriment to the end product. Sure you can bash out any scribbly chain-of-thought piece, but the end result will usually be something not worth peoples time to read. Thats unless you hit gold on the day and get a real groove on. Then you can come up aces.(which happened in a few cases last weekend).
There ARE short cuts you can make in terms of the art, and I guess the script aswell. But the problem I see is that initital idea is the most important. You don't have the time to mull it over, chop it up and see how it plays out.
Its- BAM! GO!........... oh, well that was actually a pretty weak idea.
Speaking to an old veteran of these things, The Beard says he uses these events as a layout stage only. He doesn't try and get the whole finished comic done in the 24hrs. He spends the right time on his thumbnails, then does loose solid pencils, and gets as much done as he can. Then in the days after, he reflects and re-considers what works and what doesn't. And BANG, he gets a really solid comic out of the process. Something that EVERY year has gone on and down really good things for him.
Where as I see the majority of people bang out clumsy comics on the day and just leave it at that.
And me?
Well I got 12 pages down. Really messy pencil work thats all construction and no finesse. Some nice witty dialogue. (I'm in a bad habit of doing lazy draftmanship these days. That whole "Fix it in post" attitude. But dialogue comes easy.)
Some nice moments. Some good pacing. I worked on it for about 11 hrs with lots of interruptions. So I guess thats a normal working day. I could've kept with it thru the night and either added more rough pages, or cleaned up the pages I'd done. Instead I went out.
My real detriment was my initial idea. Like I said in a previous post I DO have 2 stories I want to get down, but they were projects I want to get right. So on the day I did an auto-bio story. About me on the day. So I was writing as I was going...
I haven't really done much auto-bio stuff before, but it was quite fun. Although if you write about your life, then you'd better have DONE something worth telling... so thats part of the reason why I went out at midnite and didn't get home till the early hours. I was out RESEARCHING!!
Anway CHECK OUT THE ENTRIES HERE!
And HERE for mine.
I add more pages and ink it up, but I want to get to these other comic projects first.
I got to about midnight and got bored so went out. Came back home at about 6am and went back to it.. sort of.
I'm in 2 minds about the whole thing. Actually before I start sounding too whiney, I should congratulate Mark Selan on a really top notch organising job. It ran smoothly, got some really good media attention and a really fun atmosphere was created.
Ok, so I think this type of event is good in that it creates a real sense of community and camaraderie on the day. People are posting their work online and getting immediate support and encouragement. It helps bolster confidence and keeps people going.
If you enjoy creating STUFF, then this is a really fun thing to do. Go straight thru the night creating STUFF. I've down plenty of all nighters getting work down and it's quite a rush to push through the barriers and keep on plowing through.
Personally taking part in this thing has got my comic-making juices flowing again. It's inspired me.
So thats all cool, yeah?
But the bad thing is it makes for really clumsy comics.
Comics DO take time to get done. The plotting, the scriptwriting, the thumbnail layouts, the penciling, the inking, the lettering, the colouring. It all takes time to get a good job done.
So to try and do a whole comic in such conditions is a detriment to the end product. Sure you can bash out any scribbly chain-of-thought piece, but the end result will usually be something not worth peoples time to read. Thats unless you hit gold on the day and get a real groove on. Then you can come up aces.(which happened in a few cases last weekend).
There ARE short cuts you can make in terms of the art, and I guess the script aswell. But the problem I see is that initital idea is the most important. You don't have the time to mull it over, chop it up and see how it plays out.
Its- BAM! GO!........... oh, well that was actually a pretty weak idea.
Speaking to an old veteran of these things, The Beard says he uses these events as a layout stage only. He doesn't try and get the whole finished comic done in the 24hrs. He spends the right time on his thumbnails, then does loose solid pencils, and gets as much done as he can. Then in the days after, he reflects and re-considers what works and what doesn't. And BANG, he gets a really solid comic out of the process. Something that EVERY year has gone on and down really good things for him.
Where as I see the majority of people bang out clumsy comics on the day and just leave it at that.
And me?
Well I got 12 pages down. Really messy pencil work thats all construction and no finesse. Some nice witty dialogue. (I'm in a bad habit of doing lazy draftmanship these days. That whole "Fix it in post" attitude. But dialogue comes easy.)
Some nice moments. Some good pacing. I worked on it for about 11 hrs with lots of interruptions. So I guess thats a normal working day. I could've kept with it thru the night and either added more rough pages, or cleaned up the pages I'd done. Instead I went out.
My real detriment was my initial idea. Like I said in a previous post I DO have 2 stories I want to get down, but they were projects I want to get right. So on the day I did an auto-bio story. About me on the day. So I was writing as I was going...
I haven't really done much auto-bio stuff before, but it was quite fun. Although if you write about your life, then you'd better have DONE something worth telling... so thats part of the reason why I went out at midnite and didn't get home till the early hours. I was out RESEARCHING!!
Anway CHECK OUT THE ENTRIES HERE!
And HERE for mine.
I add more pages and ink it up, but I want to get to these other comic projects first.
Friday, June 10, 2005
The problem with comics..
I know I said I wasn't ever going to get angry about comics, but.....
This morning I went to my local comic shop to pick up whatever I had waiting for me.
I got 3 books.
100 BULLETS. A political conspiracy story in the crime genre.
DAREDEVIL. While taking it's roots in the superhero world, it's recently become much more of a crime/pulp real-life feel with very gritty and realistic art.
WALKING DEAD. A zombie-world survival story that focuses more on the human relationships of a bunch of people and how they deal with love, family and morality issues under extreme pressure and circumstances.
I remarked to the guy behind the counter that I wasn't buying as much as I used to, and he then tried to push the new GREEN LANTERN onto me.
That's whats wrong with Western comics today on so many levels.
This morning I went to my local comic shop to pick up whatever I had waiting for me.
I got 3 books.
100 BULLETS. A political conspiracy story in the crime genre.
DAREDEVIL. While taking it's roots in the superhero world, it's recently become much more of a crime/pulp real-life feel with very gritty and realistic art.
WALKING DEAD. A zombie-world survival story that focuses more on the human relationships of a bunch of people and how they deal with love, family and morality issues under extreme pressure and circumstances.
I remarked to the guy behind the counter that I wasn't buying as much as I used to, and he then tried to push the new GREEN LANTERN onto me.
That's whats wrong with Western comics today on so many levels.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Straight, no chaser.
If I can be serious for a moment..
Despite the debaucherous and sinful nature of my last two posts, my recent trip to Melbourne was mostly all above board fun.
I arrived on the thursday afternoon and proceeded to THE Holgate/Hook Tower. After seeing to some matters such as paying some bills, posting some packages and reaquanting myself with the Love Kitten, I headed out to Fitzroy via tram. By myself!
(actually as i was waiting for the tram doors to open, an old friend from way back when happened to hop out of the very same door! )
Anyway, i took the 112 tram instead of the 96 and I took a right instead of a left and got a tad off track. After a brief phonecall i got myself sorted and arrived at The Best Mexican restaurant this side of mexico. There i dined with Sam, Dave and Crinnie!
After that we hit CBD for some lindy hop!
Good music was spun in the old skool vein. Good and mighty fun dances were danced! After that closed I was asked if I wanted to go get a drink. Being the fish that I am (they like to drink), I accepted.
The drink however wasn't at a bar, but the 7-11.
Never mind. Under the intense neon lights I got better acquainted with Sammy's crew. The really nice Big Scott, DJ Doris and Crinnie.
It turns out that BOTH Doris and Crinnie are scorpios!!
Add to that the fact that Sammy was one, and i was in Scorpio triple heaven!
(See I dig Scorpio women! Im too afraid to ever go THERE, but man, are they great to have as friends!)
Two of my good female friends in Hobart are also scorpios. And I've also made friends recently with ANOTHER Melbourne scorpio chick!
Then on friday Douglas and I made plans concrete for THE World Tour and then I went to the British consulate to have a chat. You know. Chit-chat and discuss the state of the Empire over a cuppa!
Friday night we hit a gallery opening at a noisy venue. Very interesting venue, crappy dj's. Doug and Jen went home, leaving Garth and myself to scoff much pizza and await Shawnie! Then we went a funky bar (Melbourne is FULL of them!). Fleischer Superman and Felix The Cat cartoons were played. Got back to Holgate/Hook tower at a reasonable hour.
Saturday Monkey and Mattay arrived. Then we did the usual rounds. Minatour, JB HiFi. Proud to say I spent NOTHING!
Then we hooked up with Sammy again. After scribblernerds met dancernerds we went our separate ways. Sam and I went to see a band, Virus, in Fitzroy.
We weren't going to dance at all, but after only a few songs from the excellent Dixie-ISO band, she turned to me and said "If you ask me to dance now, I won't be able to say no."
So more really fun dancing was had!
Then I hopped a tram (all by myself again!) back to THE Holgate/Hook tower and The Party Proper began! (see previous post for details!)
So that was Melbourne!
And in other wrap up news:
DIG: A source from Canberra tells me there is a rumor going around the ACT that Schepell may INFACT be guilty!! This rumour (which was leaked from a Federal Department) says that she was under surveillance for sometime before her BUST!
So there you go. Not that I particularly care one way or another.
DIG: Von Helgate made The Melbourne Age. Much Diggsville ink has been devoted to him already over this year, so we won't say too much more.
Except i've been NAKED in that very room!
DIG: The above mentioned Sam and I have some exciting interweb stuff happening. It's spunky glory will be unleashed any day now!
DIG:
Would you trust this guy to roam the world???
DIG: This saturday is the 3rd Annual 24 Hr Comics Challenge!. It's something I've never participated in before. I've always had something more interesting or exciting to do on a long weekend.(When you spend the week drawing, it's usually the last thing you want to be doing for 24 hrs straight. In the past I've either been away for the weekend, out having dinner with friends or just happy to hang with the girl.)
But this year maybe differant!
I've got a few ideas that'll benefit for time.
Theres the Toon Buggy story (although i don't want that to be so much of a loose, quick deal). There's the El Scorchio story. Art wise, it'd suit the time frame and state of mind, but the story needs some proper planning and research.
There are some other things going on in my head.
Every hour, do a page and have a drink. Watch it degrade?
Dunno.
Any writer-types out there want to jam? I'm looking at YOU Monkey/Jen/C-Man.
(Picture by the Uber talented Jase Harper)
DIG: I think I'm allergic to cats! Having the Love Kitten wake me every morning at 7am by rubbing and linking my face may or may not have contributed to my puffy, black eyes and sniffles. More reason why the species should ALL BE DESTROYED!
Current music: Jimmy Smith "Home Cooking"
Despite the debaucherous and sinful nature of my last two posts, my recent trip to Melbourne was mostly all above board fun.
I arrived on the thursday afternoon and proceeded to THE Holgate/Hook Tower. After seeing to some matters such as paying some bills, posting some packages and reaquanting myself with the Love Kitten, I headed out to Fitzroy via tram. By myself!
(actually as i was waiting for the tram doors to open, an old friend from way back when happened to hop out of the very same door! )
Anyway, i took the 112 tram instead of the 96 and I took a right instead of a left and got a tad off track. After a brief phonecall i got myself sorted and arrived at The Best Mexican restaurant this side of mexico. There i dined with Sam, Dave and Crinnie!
After that we hit CBD for some lindy hop!
Good music was spun in the old skool vein. Good and mighty fun dances were danced! After that closed I was asked if I wanted to go get a drink. Being the fish that I am (they like to drink), I accepted.
The drink however wasn't at a bar, but the 7-11.
Never mind. Under the intense neon lights I got better acquainted with Sammy's crew. The really nice Big Scott, DJ Doris and Crinnie.
It turns out that BOTH Doris and Crinnie are scorpios!!
Add to that the fact that Sammy was one, and i was in Scorpio triple heaven!
(See I dig Scorpio women! Im too afraid to ever go THERE, but man, are they great to have as friends!)
Two of my good female friends in Hobart are also scorpios. And I've also made friends recently with ANOTHER Melbourne scorpio chick!
Then on friday Douglas and I made plans concrete for THE World Tour and then I went to the British consulate to have a chat. You know. Chit-chat and discuss the state of the Empire over a cuppa!
Friday night we hit a gallery opening at a noisy venue. Very interesting venue, crappy dj's. Doug and Jen went home, leaving Garth and myself to scoff much pizza and await Shawnie! Then we went a funky bar (Melbourne is FULL of them!). Fleischer Superman and Felix The Cat cartoons were played. Got back to Holgate/Hook tower at a reasonable hour.
Saturday Monkey and Mattay arrived. Then we did the usual rounds. Minatour, JB HiFi. Proud to say I spent NOTHING!
Then we hooked up with Sammy again. After scribblernerds met dancernerds we went our separate ways. Sam and I went to see a band, Virus, in Fitzroy.
We weren't going to dance at all, but after only a few songs from the excellent Dixie-ISO band, she turned to me and said "If you ask me to dance now, I won't be able to say no."
So more really fun dancing was had!
Then I hopped a tram (all by myself again!) back to THE Holgate/Hook tower and The Party Proper began! (see previous post for details!)
So that was Melbourne!
And in other wrap up news:
DIG: A source from Canberra tells me there is a rumor going around the ACT that Schepell may INFACT be guilty!! This rumour (which was leaked from a Federal Department) says that she was under surveillance for sometime before her BUST!
So there you go. Not that I particularly care one way or another.
DIG: Von Helgate made The Melbourne Age. Much Diggsville ink has been devoted to him already over this year, so we won't say too much more.
Except i've been NAKED in that very room!
DIG: The above mentioned Sam and I have some exciting interweb stuff happening. It's spunky glory will be unleashed any day now!
DIG:
Would you trust this guy to roam the world???
DIG: This saturday is the 3rd Annual 24 Hr Comics Challenge!. It's something I've never participated in before. I've always had something more interesting or exciting to do on a long weekend.(When you spend the week drawing, it's usually the last thing you want to be doing for 24 hrs straight. In the past I've either been away for the weekend, out having dinner with friends or just happy to hang with the girl.)
But this year maybe differant!
I've got a few ideas that'll benefit for time.
Theres the Toon Buggy story (although i don't want that to be so much of a loose, quick deal). There's the El Scorchio story. Art wise, it'd suit the time frame and state of mind, but the story needs some proper planning and research.
There are some other things going on in my head.
Every hour, do a page and have a drink. Watch it degrade?
Dunno.
Any writer-types out there want to jam? I'm looking at YOU Monkey/Jen/C-Man.
(Picture by the Uber talented Jase Harper)
DIG: I think I'm allergic to cats! Having the Love Kitten wake me every morning at 7am by rubbing and linking my face may or may not have contributed to my puffy, black eyes and sniffles. More reason why the species should ALL BE DESTROYED!
Current music: Jimmy Smith "Home Cooking"
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Wheres the respect??
OK.
Vikings, Mead, Cigars and sluts! And my little Douglas became a man. "Where were the sluts??!!" Douglas exclaimed at 5.30am. "we were promised SLUTS(in a Conan voice).
"Don't you lose repsect for ME!!"
(If i had a dollar for everytime I heard THAT!!)
While Shanny, Douglas and i were being SECRET VIKINGS, Dr Garth was patting his pussy, like the commo/pinko he was. It turns out his socialist leanings preventing him from drinking the sweet, sweet mead.
He was SO not a viking!!
Screen printing Bouncher!
Douglas maintained TOTAL composure until the very end when he SMASHED a glass defending Schepllep's innocents!
Cute dj played 2 johny Cash and then a pixies song. HOT!
I paid taxi fair twice out of two!
Vikings, Mead, Cigars and sluts! And my little Douglas became a man. "Where were the sluts??!!" Douglas exclaimed at 5.30am. "we were promised SLUTS(in a Conan voice).
"Don't you lose repsect for ME!!"
(If i had a dollar for everytime I heard THAT!!)
While Shanny, Douglas and i were being SECRET VIKINGS, Dr Garth was patting his pussy, like the commo/pinko he was. It turns out his socialist leanings preventing him from drinking the sweet, sweet mead.
He was SO not a viking!!
Screen printing Bouncher!
Douglas maintained TOTAL composure until the very end when he SMASHED a glass defending Schepllep's innocents!
Cute dj played 2 johny Cash and then a pixies song. HOT!
I paid taxi fair twice out of two!
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Well Pleased!
It's been awhile since there's been a drunk ramble here, and in lew of anything really dirty, newsworthy and SIN-tilating to report I thought I'd better get on the booze and get a ramble happening!Infact the interweb in general has been a bit quiet of late. (Many, MANY things seem to be afoot though. So thats The Frase tip. Keep your ear to the ground. Things be illin' and stealin' on a WORLD-wide scale in the coming weeks!!!)
I've come down with a cold the last week so have refrained from the debaucherous party lifestyle of which I was accustomed too. And the week before that, for some crazy, puritian need, i gave myself the challenge of having a "dry" week.
So it's been a tad quiet in the Casa Del Frase.
Just been plotting a hell of a lot.
Oh yes!
But today I had a good day. Too para-phrase Ice-cube (anybody seen XXX2 yet?), "I didn't have to pop a nobody today!")
I instead had a very great lunch with one of my favourite babes. We had a great cafe lunch and coffee in a record store where we spent a few hours talking, gossiping and laying our Machivillian plans for Hobart. If we were a movie, we'd be Glenn Close and John Malkovich in Dangerous Liaisons. Lust. Seduction. Revenge. The Game As You've Never Seen It Played Before.
Rich and bored aristocrats in Rococo France (Hobart, Tasmania) play high-stakes games of passion and betrayal.
I had a nice Chicken Burger. She had a nice chicken salad. Then we browsed the cds.
I want to buy the new Nine Inch Nails album, the new Gorilazz, the new White Stripes and the 2nd Black Grape album!!
Then I hit home where i think I did some more drawing and some housework. Then I cooked dinner, watched Home and Away, and called my mum!
THEN I went to my favourite bar with my mate where we had manly chats about life, music, art and chicks. Over gin martini's.
Our regular barman, Joe wasn't working so it was an expirement to see if these other barstaff had the goods. Pleased to say they did.
Some mighty fine beverages were had!!
Anyway, I'm off to Melbourne in a few days.
For THIS:
I think it'll be like a bar mitzvah. Or a Bris. But hopefully Holgate won't get his La Laa out. I've had enough of THAT for a lifetime!!
Man!
I've come down with a cold the last week so have refrained from the debaucherous party lifestyle of which I was accustomed too. And the week before that, for some crazy, puritian need, i gave myself the challenge of having a "dry" week.
So it's been a tad quiet in the Casa Del Frase.
Just been plotting a hell of a lot.
Oh yes!
But today I had a good day. Too para-phrase Ice-cube (anybody seen XXX2 yet?), "I didn't have to pop a nobody today!")
I instead had a very great lunch with one of my favourite babes. We had a great cafe lunch and coffee in a record store where we spent a few hours talking, gossiping and laying our Machivillian plans for Hobart. If we were a movie, we'd be Glenn Close and John Malkovich in Dangerous Liaisons. Lust. Seduction. Revenge. The Game As You've Never Seen It Played Before.
Rich and bored aristocrats in Rococo France (Hobart, Tasmania) play high-stakes games of passion and betrayal.
I had a nice Chicken Burger. She had a nice chicken salad. Then we browsed the cds.
I want to buy the new Nine Inch Nails album, the new Gorilazz, the new White Stripes and the 2nd Black Grape album!!
Then I hit home where i think I did some more drawing and some housework. Then I cooked dinner, watched Home and Away, and called my mum!
THEN I went to my favourite bar with my mate where we had manly chats about life, music, art and chicks. Over gin martini's.
Our regular barman, Joe wasn't working so it was an expirement to see if these other barstaff had the goods. Pleased to say they did.
Some mighty fine beverages were had!!
Anyway, I'm off to Melbourne in a few days.
For THIS:
I think it'll be like a bar mitzvah. Or a Bris. But hopefully Holgate won't get his La Laa out. I've had enough of THAT for a lifetime!!
Man!
Thursday, May 26, 2005
RAD radio
Saturday 28th March
2-4pm.(East Australia time)
Edge Radio 99.3 fm
www.edgeradio.org.au.
I'll be getting jiggy. Non jazz.
2-4pm.(East Australia time)
Edge Radio 99.3 fm
www.edgeradio.org.au.
I'll be getting jiggy. Non jazz.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Draw you little Monkey! DRAW!
This time last week I was over drawing. Was even contemplating a career change/redirection.
But I'm digging drawing again. That rush of energy and exhilaration that comes with creating a cool image. The anticipation of waking up the next morning to jump back into an artwork!
It's been awhile.
Here are some more sketches:
Another Mexican Wrestler. Cos Tonia told me too!!
I will ink him up soon. Not sure if I'll use a brush or the dip pen.
This is an A3 drawing (it's kinda cropped here). I was intending just black and white, with ink washes and letra-toning on the jacket, but I may go COLOUR (Water colours that is!)
El Scorchio, version 2.
Who Dogpossum says she'd HAVE, (if the mexican wrestler was taken.)
More sketches for my Toon Buggy story.
Doodling with super-space models.
And another crack at the boss.
Current Music: General Patton vs The X-ecutioners
But I'm digging drawing again. That rush of energy and exhilaration that comes with creating a cool image. The anticipation of waking up the next morning to jump back into an artwork!
It's been awhile.
Here are some more sketches:
Another Mexican Wrestler. Cos Tonia told me too!!
I will ink him up soon. Not sure if I'll use a brush or the dip pen.
This is an A3 drawing (it's kinda cropped here). I was intending just black and white, with ink washes and letra-toning on the jacket, but I may go COLOUR (Water colours that is!)
El Scorchio, version 2.
Who Dogpossum says she'd HAVE, (if the mexican wrestler was taken.)
More sketches for my Toon Buggy story.
Doodling with super-space models.
And another crack at the boss.
Current Music: General Patton vs The X-ecutioners
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