Specifics On My Free And Open Arts Studio

Earlier today, Krissy asked me about my post from a week ago regarding an open arts studio. Her question was simple, but perplexed me nonetheless. She asked, (I'm paraphrasing) "So what do you want to do? Is this hypothetical or something you want to do?" I was taken aback because anytime she mentions reading my blog, I blush, but also because I though, "well, isn't it obvious?" But maybe it isn't. I assured her that I want to do it for reals, maybe not so seriously considering she walked in on me in my "Hipster week" look, which makes me look ridiculous.

In a future post, I'll write about fundraising ideas and other details, but this post will be more about general classes. Obviously this is merely some quick brainstorming so this will by no means be complete or final. So there's that.

I will attempt to do this in something resembling a coherent and organized manner.

There are probably an infinite manner of mediums for art. Really if something exists, you can create something with it, or on it. This is really quite fascinating that, in essence, arts is made with anything and everything. There are always barriers to entry for anything, but with art, the barrier can often be quite simple to overcome.

Golf can be fun, but if you're no good at it, the people you're playing with might not tolerate your having fun at shooting a fifteen on every hole. Then there's the cost of clubs and greens fees. Baseball, too, isn't much fun when you never, ever hit the ball. True story, in my career in little kids baseball I got two hits. Both in the same game. I'm also fairly certain it's the only two times I swung the bat. Suffice to say, I was very deliberate in everything I did whilst playing baseball.

But art can be made on cardboard or the blacktop using rocks or chalk. Art can last forever (at least, centuries) or be disposable. Art can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining or shallow. Art can be fancy pants or accessible. In reality, everything that surrounds us is art. Sometimes art is random other times it is calculated. Art does not discriminate (though, the art world can be very discriminating); a blind person can create.

That said, I'm going to try and break down various ideas into more general sections or categories.

Textiles

The first such category of classes will be textiles. Textiles surround us everywhere, and one can improvise with them pretty easily.

Stuffies

My first idea is stuffies. Who doesn't love stuffed animals? Who doesn't have someone in their life who would appreciate stuffed animals? Stuffed animals can be created in numerous ways, in varying complexities, for people of any age. Yes, I don't believe stuffed animals are solely for children. I have at least three of them within five feet of me.

Stuffies can be made very simply in a few minutes by sewing some felt together, or planned out over months leaving you with a whale that takes up an entire room. You can make them out of felt or fabric. You can knit or crochet them. You can make literally anything out of anything resembling a fabric. In fact, I bet you could make them out of other items, but I'm not sure how most people would feel about a cardboard stuffy.



Knitting & Crochet

Being in Woodbury and near Southbury, which are probably the undisputed champions of the world in elderly per capita, crocheting and knitting seem like obvious areas for classes. I especially like that young people are taking these crafts that are traditionally seen as very elderly and injecting them with a youthfulness that might not exist without a marketplace like Etsy.

Knitting and crochet are also limited only by one's imagination. You can knit or crochet almost anything. Want a blanket? How about an Ottoman? Stuffies? Yup, they too can be made with yarn. A fun offshoot of knitting and crocheting would be the process in creating yarn. I know there are quite a few yarn makers nearby to partner with. Any time I've met one, they loved talking about their animals and the yarn they make from their furs.

Basketry

I don't know anything about basketry, but I think it's intriguing. I saw a guy in Hawaii making them out of, I think, palm fronds. This guy clearly just sat there all day making hats and baskets to make a living.

Weaving

This, too, I know nothing about. Weaving is one of those things that seems exceptionally simple, but I imagine is far more complex. You can create some beautiful things with weaving though. I imagine that weaving is a very practical craft as well. You can make rugs, for example. Rugs are expensive. Making your own rugs and rugs for others seems a whole lot better than heading to Target and buying one of their generic rugs. You could make your own instead of blowing a few hundred bucks at Anthropologie, too. But like I said, I don't know anything about weaving.

Making Clothes

Maybe "Seamstressing" (is that a word?) would be a better title? Either way, making clothes intrigues me. I know Krissy would do it if she could sew. I always appreciate when people wear clothes that they make themselves. Of course, I think Jemma is the only person I've been able to say this about, since she made the dress she wore to mine and Krissy's wedding. I think this could be fun, though.

Sewing

I think sewing is an extension of the previous section. Or maybe the previous section is really more of a subsection of sewing. Either way, there's promise in teaching sewing. Everybody should have a very basic working knowledge of sewing (Think: refastening buttons, etc). Then there is hand sewing, which when done right adds an entirely different look to products/items. Sewing machines can do all kinds of fancy shmancy things, too.

Needlepoint

I don't personally care much for needlepoint. It's neat in it's own way, I just don't think it's my style. Maybe this is because most needlepoint is the ballet dancer or wolf crap you see at craft stores. Also, my grandma does it, so there's that. But as far as I understand it, needlepoint is basically pixel art with yarn. In that respect, I feel like I could like pixel art, so long as the endproduct wasn't so...cliche.

Quilting

I think more people should quilt. The irony, of course, is that I've never made a quilt, but I know I will. Think of all the fun family projects that could be made and turned into a quilt. If Krissy and I had children, I'm pretty sure we'd be saving little bits and bobs of art here and there for quilting. I'm a big fan of taking artwork, especially that of children, and turning it into something more display-worthy. Quilts seem like a perfect extension of that ideal.

Printmaking

Block Prints

Linoleum, wood, metal cuts. There's a certain magic in making a block print; cutting or carving them takes a bit of time, but it's very relaxing. Sometimes carving them can be a bit confusing if you're unfamiliar with positive and negative space, or working in reverse, but the worst that can happen is going to be a flaw that adds to the final print anyway.

Screen Printing

If I had the space and money, I'd have a screen printing machine. I'd crank out stuff like you couldn't believe. But that's not exactly why you're here. Screen printing is beautiful because it's automated to a point, but still very "hand made" in a sense. Each color is applied by hand, one at a time creating generally simple (in color) prints. You can print on probably anything, but for many people paper and fabric would be clear winners. I think screen printing would be a great way to raise funds for supplies, salaries, and equipment, too. I'd really like to have a class where parents take their children's drawings and turn them into t-shirts, ideally t-shirts manufactured in the USA.

Engraving & Etching

I don't know tons about these two, but I'm especially intrigues by etchings. I imagine engravings being involved and difficult to make, whereas I bet there are many ways to create etchings—even with common household items. I'm partial to ideas that people will be able to recreate at their home without needing all manner of specialized equipment. I'd really like to offer classes centering around lithographs and stencils, too. Other options include mezzotint, aquatint, drypoint, and photo-lithography.

Photography

Camera: Basics & Intermediate

Classes focusing on how to use camera and their many, many peripheral devices. What various functions are for and what everything on your camera and in the menus means. May also teach photography basics such as composition, understanding expose, when to listen to your camera and, more importantly, when not to.

Portraiture

Classes focusing on photographing living beings—namely people and animals. Certainly classes centering on photographing children, and allowing children to photograph will be offered too. Discuss various styles of portraiture from classic posed portraits to a more documentary style. Classes on using natural light and studio light would also be a given, which leads me to...

Lighting

Light is amazing and integral to all photographs. Classes on this topic would discuss how to understand and work with light in a natural, intuitive way. Topics would cover how to use the light to your advantage in any situation and also how to use strobes when you're looking for something different.

Landscapes

Landscape classes would be no fun inside, so these classes would head out into the natural beauty of Connecticut for some sweet hands-on training. I can think of plenty of places both near and far that a landscape shooter would love. Could be interesting to organize trips to places that are, ahem, a bit more exotic, too.

Darkroom & Film

Want to develop your own black and white film with household materials? Want to know how to set up your own darkroom in your home? Do you want to make prints from your negatives, or scan them into your computer for touch ups and printing? Really anything pertaining to film could be covered here.

Book Arts

Bookbinding: Beginner Through Advanced

I love making books! Making books by hand takes some time, but is really very relaxing. There are many types of bindings and ways to create books and all will be covered here. Hardcover, softcover, perfect binding, stab bindings, and longstitch are just the beginning. Book repair and conservation could also be covered under this section.

Altered Books

Classes here would focus of using books to create new pieces of art through, you guessed it, alteration. While I'm a bit undecided on whether I like seeing books destroyed, I have to admit that the end result can be pretty unique. In a good way. Altered books can take a flat, almost two dimensional object and turn that into something very sculptural and dynamic. Where bookbinding is the physical act of creating a book, altered books are those books turned into something new. Art books could probably fall under the purview of altered books as well.

Making and Using Book Cloth

Book cloth is great for keeping your finished book together since it resists tears far better than paper, but you're often limited to solid colors at your local store. This class would show various ways to turn any fabric into book cloth and various ways to use said bookcloth.

How To Make Books Out Of Anything

Books really can be made out of anything. My first was made out of a USPS mailing box and some dried acrylic paint. I think this class would be more child-friendly since the class is inherently more down to earth and less erudite. I have some craft foamy stuff in a drawer that would make an excellent children's book cover.

Making Boxes

Making boxes is sort of an extension of making hardcover books. Both use the same materials, just in slightly different ways. Making your own boxes, say for jewelry, photos, or books is far easier than you'd think. What are the odds you'll find a box the exact size you'll need anyway? Make it yourself and you can be certain it's perfect. Boxes are a great way to present books, gifts, or portfolios, too.

In Conclusion...

Well, I think that's a good start. Obviously this is just a very general outline of avenues worth exploring. Not knowing most of these arts and crafts myself, I'd need to get in touch with an awful lot of people who share in the same idea I have of a wonderful, free, and open art studio and would be willing to teach to their respective expertise. I know that I've left out plenty of worthy arts and crafts (painting; drawing) worth teaching too, so this list will be pretty heavily amended over time; but like I said, it's a start.

More to come!

A Grand Plan

I don't know about most people, but I always have ideas popping into my head. Most of them are what I'd consider insignificant in terms of their scope. Over the last couple years, Krissy and I have bantered about on varying ideas like selling pictures, crafting things, and so on, while others have suggested we do other things--namely open a bakery or go into construction.

Most of my ideas are not very organized. Krissy would probably disagree, thinking I can come up with a pretty organized plan off the bat, but my idea of organized and hers can be a bit different at times (which is great).

I think that there's a lack of accessible, free and open education; namely in the arts. College really shouldn't bankrupt people, and it hardly guarantees employment. Arts degrees, I suspect, are becoming even less worthwhile since it seems like funding for the arts is always getting cut.

I don't know what it's like now, but I really never took an art class. There were the normal arts and crafts type things in elementary school, but nothing that really encouraged a desire for the arts. I seem to recall cutting construction paper into circles and making a chain out of it. Now that's inspiring! Middle school actually got worse, if you can believe it. In Middle School we had this bizarre system where every single "elective" shared a period. This essentially meant that you spent two weeks in each class: Phys Ed., Health, Library, Art, Wood Shop, Computers, Spanish, French (and more that I'm sure I'm forgetting). This is a terrible "solution" for a mountain of reasons, but that's my exposure to art class as I remember it. My high school, as awesome as it is, did not require art classes and, having never been given the chance to want to like art, I skipped it.

Which takes me to now, where I have a vested interest in art and in a most bizarre turn of events: education. I'm not going to go into detail, but growing up I really did not like school. I think I prefer a more hands-on, learn at your own pace type of environment, rather than the standard approach that treats everyone the same and teaches, primarily, to standardized tests. Creativity is often a casualty in these methods.

Please excuse my rather rapid and poor graphic:

Perhaps I should explain. I'll try to do that in a reasonably coherent way, but I make no promises. My brain tends to go off on tangents.

Some Basics And Background

I've long been a proponent of free stuff. I understand the basic tenets of capitalism and respect the great wealth it has infused into this country. But I can't help but think that that's a bit selfish. Should Exxon-Mobil be rolling in the dough while your average Saudi is dirt poor. Or while Somalia is stricken with the most atrocious bouts of poverty and malnourishment-- far worse than I could possibly begin to fathom.

Or how musicians make little money while the organizations that purport to represent them are filthy filthy rich.
But that's not what this is about. What I want is an unrestricted. accessible place where people can (and will) come together. Not merely in the physical sense either, I want people to come together emotionally and intellectually because I believe that's the backbone of art. And I want this space to invite and encourage anyone to teach, and teach often.

Much has been written that information wants to be free; this is an old debate. but whether or not information wants to be free doesn't matter, it deserves to be free. Modern Science or mathematics would not exist if this basic idea didn't hold true.

The Basics

Don't mind the sentence fragments, this is a pseudo list.

I want to create a community-driven, free, and open space for arts education. I would certainly be open to other types of education as well, but the emphasis would focus on the arts, both arcane and modern.

Small classes, because no thirty people learn the same way, and no instructor ought to be stretched that thin.
I want to create a focus on children, but without alienating adults. I'd like to see children and parents working together. But there'd also be plenty of programs for adults. too.

Really fun informal events like open dance studio where kids and adults can dance together to some sweet jams. Well, the little tykes will probably dance while the parents watch from the perimeter waiting for some other brave adult to make the first move.

Something A Wee Bit Different

I'd like to have a user-friendly and intuitive website that makes all the information and lessons available to anyone, for any use.

I'd really like to encourage the premise of the open exchange of ideas. I feel that by giving away the information and allowing others to see and use it, that they can also improve upon it. This is a good thing. Not everyone is the best teacher in the world (it's statistically impossible) but the simple desire to teach should be celebrated. By teaching in a cooperative community-driven way, any idea can turn into something much bigger.

In a more technical sense, everything released by the "school" would be under a Creative Commons license. Specifically a non-commercial Share-Alike license. It might sound like gobbledygook, but this is the general idea:
We release something (a lesson plan, artwork, a template, et cetera). Someone can take that and share it with whomever they like. But, they cannot do so commercially. They are also free to create a derivative work. But this derivative must also be shared under the same license, ad infinitum. This kind of piracy is encouraged.

Crazy Talk

I'm not going to actually put a price on any of this. Art classes are typically expensive. Between tuition and course supply fees, art classes have a certain barrier to entry that most might find intimidating.

Instead, I'd institute a pay what you can model. I don't want someone to choose between art classes for their child or dinner. No one should ever have to make such a choice. (More on this in a future post.)

I understand there are a lot of kinks to work out, and that creating a non-profit is incredibly complex and that this hardly scratches the surface of what would need to be done, but this is just one post, and I think blogs with lots of words and few pictures can be, well, a bit wordy.

How do I hope to achieve this craziness and what are some more details? We'll just have to wait and see.
More to come...

What Is Art To You?

Everyone has their own version of Art.

Some people believe Picasso to be a genius, others find their children can draw just as well as he.

He did say it took him his whole life to draw like a child, after all.

But what is art to you? Personally?

Is art visceral or intellectual? Certainly it can be both.

Is art tactile or abstract? Again, it is certainly both.

Art is constantly evolving and yet staying the same.

My views on art have varied wildly over the last couple years, starting with being essentially nonexistent. Two years ago, to me, art merely existed. I didn't understand it because I never thought to try. Art was an enigma because I kept it in the dark. I think everybody does this, to some extent, saying to themselves that they just don't get art. But what's their to get?

Sure, when an artist creates something, they may have a very specific idea of what that art means and what they want you to feel. But what if you look at that art and see something different.

Take The Swing, for example.

There's a few things going on, but most people would not likely draw the same conclusion. Nor would I expect them to feel the same way about this painting. In the middle you have a lady swinging. She stands out, wearing pink, from the otherwise dismal colored painting. How does this make you feel? Look at the man pulling her from the back; he is smiling. Why? Should he be? Who is he? What about the man in front of he in the bushes. She is clearly looking at him and her cheeks are flushed. And she's kicking up her leg (losing her shoe) to let the man below her look up her dress. Considering all the clothing she's wearing, this is probably a very naughty thing to do during a time when, I imagine, modesty is best. Also, consider that they are, essentially, in public. Now how does this painting make you feel?

At first, this painting feels kind of happy. Sure, the painting is mostly dark, but the light casting through the shadows onto the woman adds a certain brightness to the painting; almost like there is something to look forward to.

But really this painting is a giant fuck you.

The painting was commissioned by a man for his mistress. He's the one on the ground up front; she's the one on the swing. Her husband is in the shadows (literally and figuratively) unaware of this affair. Is he pulling her back or Is he pushing her into it?

Art has a way of taking what you think you know and flipping it upside-down.

Now That That's Out Of The Way...

Now my personal journey through art hasn't focused so much on the minutiae of looking at and understanding art. My journey, short as it may be, has focused more on the process. I've long been intrigued by process more than meaning with art.

In particular, I've become more interested in more traditional, process-oriented arts. I feel like the process of creating and binding a book by hand is more rewarding than drawing a picture. That is not to say that drawing isn't rewarding, I just find that personally, for me, the tactility of an art encourages me to continue it.

I'm really intrigued by letterpress right now. I want to learn it. The process from beginning to end blows my mind. Letterpress seems like the perfect blend of old-school art form and new digital technology culminating in an amazing product that itself, too, is tactile.



I think that's all for now.

The Future Calls...

Everyone has dreams, right? Sadly, I think most of us never realize them.

I think I know what I'd like to do with myself, and with my life.

Unfortunately, it will take a lot of money. Actually, this may be one case where an alot of money will come in handy, only I am unsure of how to snare the elusive beast. His or her ever-replenishing coat of Jacksons or Benjamins could certainly come in handy.

Of course there are things like Kickstarter but I think that would be better put to use later in this dream.

I have a place in mind for this fantasy to take place in too.

I even have ideas of some people to involve in it, maybe some people I know would like to be involved in it. I'm not much of a networker though.

I suppose I could qualify for grants, but I don't know the beginning of that sort of thing. I see people hiring grantwriters from time to time--that must be what they are for.

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have to worry about finding accountants to help with things, but I think the type of plan I have requires lawyers. Well at least one, probably not more than that.

Its funny because I haven't really felt excited about anything job-related. like, ever, but for once I do. I just don't know where to begin. Unfortunately, I don't think the Internet adage of

Step 1: Dream Project
Step 2: Start project
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit!

applies here.

Especially since what I have floating in my head is anything but a for-profit mega-conglomerate. No, it'd be local and very community and art-driven.

I'd actually had a different plan months ago that was related to this, but I think that was more fanciful (and selfish). This non-plan-plan is much better because instead of (potentially) fattening my wallet, it would fatten the collective spirit of a community.

Most people give up on dreams, and I understand why; it's hard. I don't want mine to end up in the same place as most others. I want others to reap the benefits of what I want to sow.

Drawing is pencil and charcoal pencil on paper.

Making Books For Dirty Looks

I made some books. It's fun.





Here are some small books. They are pretty good for notes or small sketches, so they're kind of ike a mini Moleskine. The one on the right I made for Krissy and gave to her yesterday.




This is the Guestbook I made for our wedding. It was the first book I made so parts of it bother me, but overall it came out well, and no one seemed to notice it was wonky, even the people who didn't know I made it. The endpaper is a cream color with blue bird feathers on it. The paper on the cover and the back is actually banana leaves laid flat and pasted together and backed with something like mull.  It doesn't fold well (especially against the grain) so I cut it to size and covered the whole book in book cloth underneath it.





A sampling of books made. The one underneath them all will likely turn into a scrapbook of sorts. It's covered in ivory book cloth with a blue fabric covering the remainder (as you can see). It's about 240 pages, so it's quite large compared to the others.




A view of the books from the side. Krissy likes this angle. You can see all the imperfections, but that's okay. If you want a perfect book, go to a book store and pay $1.95. Hand made has more character--and character comes at a price.



A text block in progress. The paper is from a thrift shoppe. It's old accounting ledger paper. I'm honestly not sure where this paper went or if it made it into a book or not.

The Tools

This is an awl. You poke holes into paper and binder's board with it. They are sharp and pointy.



This is thread. You might recognize it. This thread is coated in beeswax though and made of linen.



This is a bone folder. It make folding paper super easy. You can also score things with it too. Like free beer. Okay, maybe not. Maybe just paper and stuff.



This is binding tape. It's not really "tape" but it works in a similar fashion. Combined with the mull this holds the text block to the outer case (cover) and makes the book much sturdier. Otherwise you'd only have glue and paper holding it together.



PVA. This is the glue for making books. It dries fast and clear and holds extremely well. White glue or mod podge might work, but PVA is also acid-free which won't obliterate your book and turn your paper yellow over time.




I also made this sweet card (and ten others like it) from a linocut I made. It's basically a bird flying in the clouds over the ocean. One cloud looks like Italy. Or a dolphin. Another looks kinda like a shoe. One looks like a Salvador Dali-esque middle finger. I think he'd approve. What do you see?

Babies Are Probably A Nuisance

Awhile back, I read this book. A lot of people read it, actually. I'm not going to lie, most people read it because of its name. And I'm not going to lie, it drew me in, too.

But anybody can write a book with a clever name. And a great many people could write a great book with a clever name.

But for people to deny this book its accolades because of a minor gripe they have with it is absurdist thinking. The art in this book is beautiful. I'm not going to spoil it and post a bunch of pictures, so you get just the one (and that is a crop, too, that is a small part of a two-page spread. You should buy this book to see the rest. It may not be the best to read to your child, but you can always read it to your significant other if the night is going as planned. It should brighten things up a tad.

Or you could give it as a gift to a newly preggers person with a sense of humor. Despite what you may read, I don't think this is a book for hipsters; I think it's a book for everyone. Well, everyone who has had, or is having, kids.

If all else fails, you could listen to the one and only Samuel L. Jackson narrate it:

"I Only Shoot Natural Light"

This subject came up the other day at the mall when Krissy and I were picking up my suit. We'd met an acquaintance of hers who is a photographer who shoots in natural light. I don't know if she uses it exclusively, but from what I saw and remember, she does.

This made me think of the numerous photographers I see saying they only shoot in natural light; when I start thinking, sometimes words just start flowing out of my mouth, this one one such time.

First of all, there is nothing wrong with natural light, this isn't some anti-sun rant or anything, this is more about attitude. I love natural light, I think we all do; without natural light, we'd all be dead.

But I have some problems with people who seem to brag about the fact that they use sunlight exclusively.

First of all, strobes are not unnatural light. They are available. Joe McNally often quotes someone who says he only uses available light. He of course finishes by saying that "available light" is "any fucking light that's available" and to this sentiment I agree.

What if you only use sunlight, and the sun isn't cooperating? You can't work. Yes, people will understand that, but I think at times it can look unprofessional. Imagine getting set up with a customer/client and the clouds roll in killing your dramatic light you had, or there are no clouds and the light is harsh and overbearing. Do you tell them to wait? Do you say you'll try again some other time? I understand you can work with this and around this, but by declaring strobes off-limits seems silly to me.

I think people are scared of flash. I think flash is the proverbial fat-assed gorilla in the room that they want to approach, because when do you get to see a gorilla up close? But they're terrified he will go, quite literally, apeshit on their asses. That's flash. People are intrigued, but afraid because of the uncertainty.

Or maybe they are just lazy.

Then there are the hipster types who are just too cool for any kind of light that isn't directly from the sun falling on powerlines or old fountains. And cross-processing it. Or using polaroids, because manual film is too mainstream.



All that said, I think that a knowledge of light, is paramount for any photographer. Painters were (and are) masters of light, so when something is the backbone of your work, you have the duty to understand it and to utilize it to its fullest potential.

Knowing how light works allows you to take sunlight that may not be ideal and sculpt it onto your subject. You can then supplement this light with strobes, or hot light, or iphone screens, or any other source of light as needed.

So I think natural light only is something of a cop out. People sound pompous when they say it like, "I don't use strobes, I don't need to cheat, I work with what nature gives me to show you how you really look" when in reality, strobes absolutely do the same thing--and so much more.



Rings made by Vicky definitely recommend her shop

Sometimes Wedding Bells Sound More Like Thunder Claps

Weddings are fickle things. They are important but silly all at the same time. They are kind of like birthdays in a way. I don't feel much different on or after my birthday, but the ticker that keeps track of my life has seemed fit to increase by one. After a wedding, is anything really different than before? I don't think marriage makes you care for someone more or love them more, but the way people treat weddings, you feel like you ought to.

I maintain a wedding is just a big ass party; I don't think you can deny that. Sure, there's a ceremony, but the bulk of a wedding is the reception-- that's the part people have fun at, the part people remember. Do people really remember a ho-hum ceremony when the DJ rocked some pretty phat beats courtesy Kenny G? I highly doubt it.

So it seems silly that for what is essentially a gathering of people, strongly resembling that of a party, has so much pressure put on it. Even more weird is that, most weddings are pretty much the same, formulaic bullshit. No offense to anyone who opts for such a wedding, some people love tradition, I respect that. I just think people should shake things up a bit from time to time.

I don't know if the best way to manifest that is by playing the Sex Pistols at a wedding, though. Just sayin'

There is definitely a weird aura that surrounds weddings and their planning, though. Everyone has an opinion. Most of those people, of course, are the ones who pay for weddings, so their opinions tend to find themselves grounded more in fact than opinion, though. This can be kind of stressful at times though, when the same people are telling you to do what you want to do in one breath, and the next don't seem too thrilled by your choices.

Like rings. Engagement rings aren't really necessary, are they?

Apparently to everyone else they are very important.

A song which will likely be played at the wedding:




This is pretty much verbatim what went down buying a suit. Some words may be slightly off, but I could not understand the tailor at all. Personally, since she was a woman, I think she is a seamstress. To me, tailors are men.

The salesman dude reminded me of an amalgamation of a whole lot of people. I actually quite liked him, though. He wasn't very pushy (until the end, but that's okay, I guess). He was more than patient, gave us space, and didn't mind being playful. Salesmen are all too often far too serious. I know, I used to be one and worked with a bunch of them. Pushy little fuckers. That company is out of business now though, so it serves them right. He had a kindness about him though, sort of Tim Gunn-esque. Just not as fabulous.

Prairie dogs. Need I say more?

Pronghorns. Their horns are unlike that of other horned animals. They actually shed their horns every year. They are also bone, which is covered in a sort of hair-like furryness.

Pygmy marmosets. Pretty much Krissy's favorite animal ever, so they had to be included. The Howler Monkeys are rather fun, too.

Apparently, dinosaurs are not appropriate. I think the dinosaurs and zoo animals would get along just fine. A rather large group of people are under the impression that humans and dinosaurs once coexisted peacefully, so I think they'd get along with peacocks as well.

Seating cards. If we could do it the way I'd want to (in an ideal world) they'd be flawless and seamless. Since we lack the right kinds of equipment and expertise and junk, we'll have to settle for adorable and still pretty kick-ass.

Where the whole shin-dig is going down. This picture is so pro. I should get paid for this kind of thing.

What's nice is that the walls are wood, so any light ends up with a very warm color temperature.



Peacock! They just roam about. There are at least five of them. This one is particularly pretty.



In the end, any stress really isn't worth it, though. Minuscule details, even if not perfect, will probably be forgotten. What people will remember is if the day was fun, if they enjoyed themselves, and hopefully that the day was a bit different.

It's Valentines Day

I've been instructed specifically not to blog about the origins of Valentines Day by my other half. There will be no rant about how Valentines Day is a "hallmark holiday" or how it really caters to women, and in a way sort of forces men to do something for their women today. There will be no mention of the executions of two men named Valentine, both on February 14th of different years. Nor will I delve into their canonizations.

Nope. Not gonna do it. And not just because the wife said so. Truth is, it's kind of depressing to think about all that on a day that's supposed to be happy (and hopefully stress-free).

A lot of people buy things on Valentine's Day, and you have to wonder why? Not "why do they do it" why, why why this day? Do flowers and a card mean more today than some other day? Is Valentine's really a holiday that caters to women and only to them? Is Valentine's a day for a guy to behave so he gets rewarded by his lady (or man)? I don't really think so.

Speaking of which, here is mine. I hope she doesn't get too upset with me over this. ; )

How can one not love this girl?

I don't think that Valentine's, at it's core, meant to become what it is today. I think we made it that way.

No one says you have to give someone a Hallmark card. No one said you have to give anyone flowers, or massages, or anything else. Who says today requires a romantic dinner? What makes it special today? To me, I think it is less special.

The best part about romantic dinners is that they are usually a surprise. They are special because, for all you know, you are the only two people doing it at that very moment. Chances are you are not, but you can believe it to be so.

But on Valentine's Day? Being special, being different is what I think makes a day memorable. You can (and should) shower your significant other with love, gifts, and the like every day of the year. On Valentine's Day, do something different. Make them something by hand, for example. I know no woman who doesn't appreciate something made by hand. And I'm going to assume that guys would feel the same way. I know I do.



Making your own valentine is certainly a start. This couple has been using the same valentine for seventy years. It doesn't have to be anything too fancy. If you are not artistic or crafty, it won't matter. It really is the effort and out put that matter, not the artistic sensibilities behind it. Though, if your other half is an art critic, I cannot guarantee this previous statement.

Maybe that is too simple, or you've been doing that and you want to impress your love with something new, something different. You might try a new, unique craft. Quilling (or paper filigree) is one of those lost crafts that people just don't see much of anymore. It's incredibly inexpensive, all you need is some paper, a quilling tool, and some glue. It costs maybe ten dollars to get started. You could make something like this:



You could go with a different craft, too. Maybe you are clumsy with your fingers, or you have large hands, or can't focus on the small minutiae of quilling. Try making a book. There are all kinds of ways to make, and further customize, a book. It could be a recipe book, a note book, or a book for him or her to write you letters. We personally have this one, and I like it. It's simple and not too overwhelming if you are starting out. Even better is that some books require nothing more than paper, while others do require a few more tools. I assure you though, they're not expensive.

I think an important part of Valentine's Day though, arguably the most important in fact, is every single other day of the year. No amount of neglect can be made up for in one day of flowers and chocolate. No Hallmark card is going to make up for you being a bastard for the rest of the year. It doesn't take much to go a long way. Make them breakfast (Pancakes are yummy). Leave them notes at random, maybe daily before they leave for work. Surprise them every once in awhile. Tell them you're going to go out for dinner, and leave work early to prepare a meal at home instead.

This is not that difficult.

Really, if you're going to be spending the rest of your life with someone, it is in your best interest (and theirs) to treat every day like Valentine's Day.

You'll only have yourself to thank for it.

Adventures In Advertising: The Dark Side

Some people think of advertising as an annoyance, while others think of it as an art. Still, to others, advertisements are more sales tactics than anything approaching art. Me personally, I'm somewhere in camp one and two.

One one hand, advertisements really can be a nuisance at times. Does anyone really enjoy looking at sixty pages of advertisements just to get to the table of contents? I actually enjoy looking at the photos, but since they do not change from one magazine to the next, it gets old fast.

Then there's the whole "advertorial" bait and switch. You're reading what you think is an editorial, and it just sounds a wee bit...lofty. Magazines are rarely that generous with their compliments, so something must be up. And indeed, there is something up. Advertorials are written by advertisers to look like they were written by the editors of the magazine. Beauty magazines and other decidedly female magazines are probably the worst offenders I've seen.

But then, advertisements really are an art form. Consider that you need to convince someone to buy something with nothing but a photo, or a thirty second video. If they are already a customer, you're set, but how does one convince a non customer to buy your product with just a photo, or short video?

Then of course there is the production that goes into advertising. Setting aside the fact that the end result is to, hopefully, sell a product, advertisements are kind of beautiful. With some exceptions, most of the photos in advertisements are top-notch and they should be-- they pay out the ass for it. Commercials are like mini movies of their own, with presents a challenge all it's own.

Granted, by no means do I mean to imply that all advertising is equally artistic. There are plenty of ads that are nothing more than a sales pitch, and others yet are thinly veiled attempts at best. But the good ones, the advertisements that really matter and make a lasting impression as being something special, those are most definitely art.

This is one such example:



Consider a few things after watching this commercial. First, they've not only used the Darth Vader costume, but also the Imperial March. While it may not seem like that big of a deal, George Lucas isn't known for letting just anybody use Star Wars as a vehicle to sell a product. Or in this case, to use Star Wars as a vehicle to sell quite literally, a vehicle.

The ad features a child dressed as Darth Vader. This is adorable! I'm always happy to see children in roles that are a bit different. I'd be only too happy if I never had to see another ad of a throng of children rushing into the kitchen to eat an entire plate of Totinos, or some other pseudo-food. People don't give children enough credit, but they also don't let children simply be children. This is important, and what makes this commercial work.

The ad is very Volswagen. Their ads, while not terribly unique in automotive ads, are very simple and understated. This advertisement is no exception. In this case, the simplicity and understatement works flawlessly, because I think anything overly sophisticated would ruin the playfulness of the ad.

And that, my friends, is how you make an advertisement not just beautiful, but work.

My only qualm? I really, really wish there was a matching print advertisement to go along with this. For all I know, there may be, but I doubt it. Most print ads for cars just show the cars. I think this is one case where a slightly quirky, and thus different, print ad would go a long way to capturing peoples' attention, which in these times, capturing anyone's attention for more than a fleeting moment can be damned near impossible.

Below is my contribution. You can thank me (and pay me) later, Volkswagen.

In Which I Look Back At An Old Website...And Other Stuff

I've always been interested in design and graphics, well, for at least as long as I can remember. I've dabbled in so many different programs that I feel like I'd used them all before I hit college. I remember downloading Paint Shop Pro (version 7, IIRC) from KaZaA on my brothers computer when I couldn't have been older than ten. I remember upgrading to Photoshop, though I can't remember which version. I remember a friend in my Computer Science class in high school passing along a copy of Dreamweaver and Fireworks to me at my request. It's actually kind of funny, because I still have the disc, even though Macromedia, who created the programs, no longer exists since Adobe bought them out, and because they are cust so old. Adobe released CS5 last year, which means that they are, at least, five versions past due. But it's funny to look back on it.

I remember downloading 3D Studio Max, which is a three-dimensional rendering program. If you don't know what that means, imagine Pixar movies, they are made with that type of program.

Now you might be thinking at this point about all the programs I've stolen and how I'm a bad person. Sure, it was wrong, but considering that I was like ten I feel like I probably shouldn't have the hammer come down on me too swiftly. Also, 3DS Max costs like $3,000-$6,000 if I remember correctly, not exactly in my budget at the time. Besides, I was really just taking them for a test drive, it's not like the companies were losing money from me.

I also used the GIMP, briefly. I never took to it's user interface, and I really had a problem with it's ugly name. The GNU Image Manipulator Project (that's more or less what it means). Essentially, the GIMP is Photoshop, but free and open-source. It does almost everything Photoshop does but it's supported by hundreds of people who devote their time to make it better.


In college, I quickly realized that I didn't enjoy life at school. The campus was beautiful at times, and ugly at others. There was some really awful modern looking buildings like the Javit's Center, but the campus was 1,300 acres of real beauty, marred by giant blobs of concrete. The newer architecture wasn't so bad.

Old, ugly architecture. That's a cube on stilts in back.

The Wang Center, yes, really. It's actually an amazing building.

Anyway, at some point, I decided to make a website. Apparently, I felt there weren't enough websites around for teaching things. Most likely, I created it moreso for myself as a sort of archive of what I'd been teaching myself. I didn't know much, but I decided to put what I did know to work; besides, it was more fun than going to class.

I decided to call the website Hugging Bunnies. I can't tell you why, specifically, that was just what came out. Though, I like cute things, I always have, so I'm guessing that has something to do with the naming. My AIM screen name was always imalilchoochoo, so you can see where I might come up with Hugging Bunnies. Above is the header of the "Graphics" section. It's kind of cheesy and in no way what I would consider good or professional, but I liked it. It fit the site. Besides, I had no idea what I was doing, really. Well, sometimes I did.

This is the main page, the index, or the front page, whatever you would prefer to call it. The page looks especially cool with my custom shell for windows, which I am not going to get into, that is really, really too nerdy to discuss here.

As you can see, even then I was a tab-a-holic, always multitasking beyond recognition. I also had Dreamweaver open, for creating the site, obviously. Next to that is my AIM window, because I was always chatting to people. And I has SSH open to upload the site to my student server space. Eventually, I bought a domain and had the site hosted at huggingbunnies.com, which is now, sadly, defunct.

The website had a lot of flash, because I was trying to teach myself how to flash (*giggle*). The flash was subtle, though. I like the design though, it's very clean and streamlined. I think the big black blobs were placeholders, because they totally clash with the design. The icons are pixel-art based. I like the black and white style with the splash of aqua for the links. On the left was, I believe, random quotes made by professors and students. From what I recall, my professors had pretty good senses of humor. Some of them were just downright crazy.

I remember making a lot of desktop backgrounds. I recently came across this one. While it is very plain and simple, and not particularly special in any way, it's neat. I like blue, I always used a lot of blue, I think. Sort of how when I paint I use a lot of a certain shade of green because it seems woodsy.





Also, back in the day I was the administrator for a BBS, (basically a web forum). I don't know why I joined it, really. I think I liked the name, although the forum was far too pink and frou frou, it needed some testosterone. I remember doing lots of graphics and stuff.

Eventually, I completely overtook the site and made a few friends (and probably some enemies). I learned a lot during that time; mostly about 4chan and the annals of the internet, which is kind of ironic considering the power puff girls feel the forum had going.



I created banners and stuff in my spare time, which I had a lot of due to the whole hating school thing I had going. This one was a ninja themed one. I like it, it's neat. I'm sure there are some cliches and I'm sure it's terrible, but considering my circumstances at the time, I think it came out okay.



Pink! Although, I like this one. It's more magenta or fuchsia, which I like. And the text makes it look kind of dorky with a modern twist.



This one is tiny (at least on my screen), but it's pirate themed. I remember having a thing for ninjas and pirates back then. I'm a boy, so it comes with the territory, I suppose. But the whole ninja-pirate thing was kind of popular then, too. Not that it isn't now. It's like velociraptors, they're never not cool.

At a certain point, my friend Jote and I ran the site, but basically used it as a testing ground for other, cooler projects we wanted to start. I remember there being all kinds of random projects, and it was fun. The radio.blog was one of them. I liked creating banners back then, so any excuse to make one was fine by me. I also love music, so a radio.blog skin seemed destined to be made. This is my favorite:



I never much cared for the RIAA, because they are a horrible organization pretending to care about the musicians they pretend to represent. This was how I decided to express that frustration. It seemed fitting on so many levels. And the little boy reminds me of myself. Though, my teeth aren't that bucktoothed.

This was another header for the radio.blog. I went through a squares phase. I guess it was related to the pixel art phase, just expanded and blown up. Again, I used blue because I'm a dork and I like blue. In fact, I'm wearing a blue shirt right now.



Last, but not least, and likely not the last new old art I'll dig up and post here is this render I made in 3D Studio Max. I suppose it's only fitting that I would end up playing with and using rendering software later in college for my most favorite of all my classes: Computer Science And Art taught by George Hart. George was a really cool professor and a genius. But he was also amazingly creative, which I admired about him. In a strange twist of fate, the rendering program we used was actually Maya and not 3DS Max, oh well.

I remember doing a bunch of renders. I can't find any but this one, though. I remember spending hours fiddling with it only to have to wait hours just to render the image and see the result. Well, usually it was quicker, but the final image always took a few hours or more to render.



I like it, though. It's pretty generic, and I probably followed a tutorial of some kind, but it's kind of amazing to design something at the computer and then have the resulting image turn out so realistic. I remember doing an indoor scene, too. And I made a table, that took more time than one would think. In Maya, I remember making a character with an abnormally large head.

When we were done, one of us got to have our model made on a rapid prototyping machine, but alas mine was not chosen.It's okay though.

Despite the fact that school sucked and I hated almost every second of it, there were some bright spots in the abyss that was my time at Stonybrook.

For the record, in 2005 it was rated the second unhappiest school, and  by 2008 it had been knocked down to fourth or fifth, so I'm sure that didn't help my distaste of the whole environment any.