A few years back, we struck up a wonderful creative partnership with the folks at Tor.com. Working with them, we created the One-Page Wonders series, which is still available for download and construction (all you need is a printer and some scissors). Then, last spring, we produced the illustrations for the online release of Cory Doctorow’s novel, Makers. If you’ve somehow missed this in spite of our endless rambling about it, take a moment to play the Flash game that lets you mix and match (and rotate) the illustrations online.
I have not been following Tor.com with my usual diligence of late. If I had been, I would have been quicker to let you know that our most recent commissioned work was published on that fine website this past Tuesday. Our friends at Tor.com asked us to come up with some fitting commemoration of their two years in business. Since we happen to live with someone who is almost exactly the same age as Tor.com, we decided to do a comic that compares and contrasts the ways and inclinations of the average two-year-old and Tor.com’s spirited rocket mascot Stumpy.
To whet your appetite, here are the first two panels.
But there are many more, for your enjoyment, to be found by clicking here.
I don’t know why I’m bothering with this post, knowing how much you all hate cross-eyed zebras, but full as I am with pride and satisfaction, I cannot help but share news of the gift I received this past weekend. Being a father has many perks, but chief among these has to be the acquisition of this fine set of four Nice Guys Finish Third mugs.
Thank you, Robbi.
I’m sure Robbi would be willing to sell you a set of your own, but the poor girl cannot stand the thought of further rejection.
To those of you patiently waiting for more pictures of buffalo and their assorted South Dakota kin, please wait patiently a bit longer yet. We’re having one of those weeks, but like all weeks, it will eventually end.
So, I was up til 4:30 working on today’s auction item. Sometimes things turn out, and sometimes they really just don’t. Last night was one of the latters.
I started off really excited about Moby Dick vs. Tiny Tim. But in my head, it was an acrylic painting. And those always take me a really long time. So, I looked through some little pre-stretched canvases I had stockpiled in the corner cabinet and found some mini minis – I think they’re 4″x4″. I figured at that size, a few brush strokes would make up each layer and I could zip zip through it. Well, not so fast. It still takes me a really long time. I started at around 10:30 and figured I’d be done by 1 or so.
Yeah. Not so much – I’m still not done, so it won’t post for auction this week, but hopefully next week I’ll have it done.
Here are some progress shots, if you’re at all interested:
First step is just blocking in the color. I’m not actually a very good acrylic painter (I’m even worse with oils) in part because I’m impatient, but also in part because I don’t actually know what I’m doing. So for all you artists out there, if I’m making egregious errors, this is just the way I do it. I’m happy to get pointers if you have them.
Second step is putting down thin layers of paint to build up my darks:
I always make my underlayers in weird colors that have little relevance to the colors it will actually be when it’s done. Actually, the relevance is that I usually pick something that is complementary to what I think the final is going to be. I was once told that this helps make the final color pop a little more. I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but that’s how I do it now. Sometimes I think it works, and other times I think I pretty much just cover it completely up. So who knows.
Third step is pulling up the lights while layering down the darks. When I say “third step” I actually mean “25th step” because there are so many thin layers at this point. And each dark layer that I paint over the whole thing, I have to wait for it to dry, then put on another layer of just the lights. So, at this point, I’ve probably got about 9 or 10 layers built up:
But I’ve still got a long ways to go, I think. I kind of enjoy the tedium, but it’s also good for me to have something to do while I wait for the paint to dry, because otherwise I start back in on it too soon and then things get all lumpy and weird because the paintbrush starts picking up the tacky paint instead of putting the new paint down.
Sorry, this must be dullsville to all you folks who want pictures of babies. You’ll just have to wait till Matthew gets back for all that nonsense.
So, while I was waiting for Moby vs. Tiny to dry, I figured I’d better just knock out a quickie for the auction. The third most popular suggestion in Prompt Robbi was “umbrella hats”. So I gave it a whirl:
NO.
NAH.
I liked this one better, but who wants a drawing of an old hippie with an umbrella hat on? Other than me, of course.
Then I found some correction tape on my desk, and thought maybe I could try something abstract with it.
I found it pretty uninspiring, though it sure was fun to put the correction tape all over everything.
So I went back to the Prompt Robbi suggestion box and found the next most popular item, “Final Flight of the Space Shuttle Program.” I like this one because it is for sure something I would never, ever, EVER think to draw on my own.
I did a little doodle of it
which I liked, what with all the factories and clouds and whatnot. But then I decided that if it really was the “final flight” then it would be fun to suggest that no one was left. Like, that the people had to take their own car and leave it at the launch pad. And then I drew the stupid car too big.
So I had to start all over again. This time I actually checked to see what a space shuttle looks like (not much like a rocket ship at all, it turns out. More like a plane, stuck to a big weiner). The scanner made it look all wrinkly, but in real life you don’t really see those wrinkles. I just didn’t have the energy to try to photoshop it right.
So, that’s it. This week’s auction, “Final Flight.” I hope you like it, after all that rigamarole. Hopefully Moby vs. Tiny will be ready for next week’s auction, but don’t count on it. You might get stuck with one of the sucky umbrella hat illustrations instead.
In other news, I will be working on an auction item into the wee hours of tonight. Using the new Prompt Robbi widget, I have some good ideas in the hopper. My favorite is “A family of clams doing a kick-line, Rockettes style,” because, WTF? that is so weird. Why “a family” and not just “a bunch” or “a pack” or “a whatever-term-of-venery (thanks wikipedia!)-a-lot-of-clams-are”? And of all the things to pick, why clams, which don’t have legs to kick with? But oh, how I have such a crisp image in my head for it…!
But it turns out that was Matthew’s suggestion (go figure), and it’s only the second-most popular suggestion, at a distant second, no less, with 13 votes/followers to “Literary character death match”’s 23. I don’t know who suggested that one, but I have to say, it’s pretty compelling too. Only problem is, I have to figure out who the literary characters should be. They have to be easily recognizable as literary characters. And they should be either fairly well-matched (Lolita vs. Cosette) or really poorly matched (Tiny Tim vs. Moby Dick).
Actually. Debate over. That’s it. Tiny Tim vs. Moby Dick. Look for it Monday afternoon, if it turns out.
For months now, you have been hearing us yammer on about the Makers Tile Game, a series of illustrations commissioned as a companion to the online release of Cory Doctorow’s novel Makers. The 81 illustrations are interchangeable tiles that can be put together into one big puzzle or recombined in seemingly endless ways.
Last week we sent the Tiles out to the subscribership as Volume 26 in the Idiots’Books series. Yesterday, the Makers Tile Game hit the big time, landing on popular media and technology blog BoingBoing to great fanfare and praise from Cory Doctorow himself (he called us “insanely creative,” and we blushed appropriately).
Not only was yesterday the single greatest day in the history of Idiots’Books e-commerce (we got orders from 24 states and seven countries), but in just one day, more than 4,100 people around the world have watched the Makers Tile Game promotional video that Robbi made. Here it is. Watch and dare not to tremble.
Those of you who are freshly inspired to own the Makers Tile Game for yourselves may do so by clicking here. At only $12, the Tile Game is a pretty cheap date, especially considering that it offers more permutations than there are atoms in the universe (as determined by the fine mathematical minds at Williams College).
In our last subscriber mailing, we announced a contest. We will award a fabulous prize to the person who sends us a photo of the most innovative or wonderful use of Makers Tiles. The current frontrunner is this submission by the great Steve Haske.
I’d really like it if someone else could do better. Subscribers, show us how you are putting your Makers Tiles to use for the world. Surely someone out there has invented something fabulous, made some mindbending art, or leveled a wobbly table.
For those of you who are already enjoying your Makers Tiles, please send Robbi’s video around to others you think might be interested. We aim to start a Makers revolution (especially since the Cross-Eyed Zebra t-shirt revolution seems to be falling squarely on its face).
This post aims to serve two purposes. First, I am happy to present this week’s auction, Nice Guys Finish Third.
Some of you might recognize this unfortunate fellow from our recent post about the Nice Guys Finish Third t-shirt, the t-shirt that could have been. The t-shirt that still might be, if only.
Let’s look at it again, people. Isn’t it magnificent?
As a refresher, we posted last week suggesting that we were trying a new approach to t-shirt design and distribution. Using an honor-based system, we pledged to produce this shirt if only 11 of you would agree in advance to buy it. The proceeds from those 11 sales would enable us to break even. So far, four of you have bought into this unlikely dream. Four of you. It is disheartening to be on the leading edge of a failed movement. It makes us feel like cross-eyed zebras, homely and underachieving.
Still, in a democracy, the citizen gets to vote. We have heard your opinion, and we will live with the results. Unless…
…unless seven of you are freshly inspired and decide that you want a Nice Guys Finish Third t-shirt after all. If you are feeling flush and in need of new threads, just write me an email, and I’ll reserve one for you.
We’ll keep the tally going for a while, refusing to accept defeat in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
Or, if you are perhaps more interested in art that hangs on your wall, this zebra can be yours via this week’s auction. It’s a nice piece. Vintage Robbi.
Last night in a fit of insecurity/pathos/general malaise, I was lamenting the fact that I am not much of a “blank slate” artist. I always do better (or at least feel better) when I have a directive (art-wise, anyway. Life-wise I tend to do better without any directive, strangely enough). While I was lamenting that fact, I was equally lamenting the fact that some of my favorite work has come when I’ve really embraced the blank slate, i.e. when I have no idea at all and just draw draw draw, channeling something I don’t really know what it is or where it comes from (the problem being, I don’t really know what it is or where it comes from). And then while I was lamenting that fact, I was simultaneously lamenting the fact that a lot of the drawings I like the most (dark, messy, pointy boobs, gnarly hands) are the ones that the viewing public generally likes the least, preferring instead the ones I seem to like the least (cute bunnies).
I have recently been trying my hand at more planned out compositions (see Midnight Swim, Industry, Sudden Rain). I have liked very much they way that they came out. Though I am also nostalgic for the days when I just chunked things out willy-nilly (Snow Bunny, Inorganic, Frog and Butterfly) and got to be surprised and delighted at the outcome.
All of this is to say that I am of two minds. I want art direction, and then I also don’t. I want to sell things at auction, but I don’t want them to always be cute animals. Which I am compelled to draw because I like to please people. (Though, in everyone’s defense, some kind people have also bought the weirder ones, for which I am grateful.)
So here’s the deal. I’ve added a function/widget over there —–> in the right sidebar called “Prompt Robbi” where you can make suggestions of things that I should draw for auction items. I may or may not take the bait. Other folks can vote for which ideas they like best, which might just sway me, since I am a pleaser at heart. If no one comes up with anything compelling, I will just draw dark, messy drawings of pointy boobs and gnarly hands. And nobody will buy them. And the auction will become defunct. And I will have another tragic evening of insecurity/pathos/general malaise.
While you ponder that eternal question of whether or not there’s room in your life (and budget) for a cross-eyed zebra, I offer another kind of treat from the animal kingdom.
I took the kids across the bridge yesterday to give Robbi a few free hours to work. She called me on my cell and asked what she should draw for this week’s auction. Knowing how much you readers like cute and fuzzy animals, I suggested that she draw a monkey. Who doesn’t like a monkey? I asked myself, already counting the dollars an illustration of a cute and fuzzy monkey would invariably rake in. No one, not even Robbi, could go wrong when charged with drawing a cute and fuzzy monkey.
Right?
What I did not mention to Robbi was that she should probably not make her monkey illustration a lice-themed affair. If there’s anything that can dampen the cuteness of a monkey, it’s thoughts of fur-based vermin. Next time I will be clearer in my art direction. Next time I will be less trusting in Robbi’s ability to take cute and run with it.
If you are less disgusted than I am, feel free to bid. I’m sure Stop Your Nit-Picking can be had for a song.
In writing this post, I’m working under a few assumptions:
1) You value art in some way, or at the least, you do not hate it.
2) You are inspired, or at least intrigued, at the thought of innovative ways of distributing creative merchandise.
3) You spent at least part of the holiday weekend outdoors, and in so doing, noticed that your t-shirt collection could use some refreshing.
Now, a bit of background:
Months ago now, we promised a free t-shirt to he or she who placed third in the Nasty Chipmunk Essay Competition. Said t-shirt (yet undesigned, at the the time) was to feature a cross-eyed zebra and the words “Nice Guys Finish Third.” The winners were named, two people tied for third place, and there the issue stood, us not designing or producing the t-shirt and the winners going unrewarded.
Until now.
Using the holiday weekend to dust some cobwebs off her TO DO list, Robbi sat down and designed the zebra t-shirt. The result pleases us so much that we both want one for ourselves.
Here it is:
Here’s where things get murky. We could either order four shirts on Zazzle (two for the winners and two more for ourselves) for around $80, or for $260, we could order 20 shirts, leaving 16 for the likes of you.
So here’s what we propose: If 11 of you out there in the Idiots’Blog readership also admire this shirt and want one for yourselves, we will be able to have it nicely printed and break even. And if an additional five of you decide you want one, we could actually make a small profit! It’s the same business model that fuels the subscription service. Why not, we say, try it with shirts?
So, if you like this shirt and would gladly part with $18 to buy one, send me an email and we’ll start a tally. As soon as we get to 11, we’ll call the t-shirt people and get the presses rolling.
But here’s the thing, this model only works if those who say they want the t-shirt actually end up buying it. So we’ll invoke the honor system and call it an experiment. At worst, we’ll be out $260 bucks, but at best, we could start a new way of distributing small-run t-shirt designs.
And whatever comes to pass, we’ll both have (what we believe to be) a really stellar shirt.
Let us know what you think. Comment to this post or write me an email if you want in. And be sure to let me know what size you want (unisex S, M, L, XL, XXL).
Last Tuesday we posted about our plans to give away an original Robbi illustration, choosing at random among all those who commented on the post.
To refresh your memory, here’s But It Feels Like Autumn.
A week has passed, many of you joined the fun by commenting, and now is the time to reveal the winner.
Many congratulations to Rachel H., who was the eighth to comment. The number 8 (of 42) was chosen at random using the random integer generator developed by the good folks at random.org, so if you have a complaint, send it to them (Actually, don’t. If you have a complaint, send it to Robbi, and she will tell you to stop being a sissy.)
In three weeks or so (or sooner, if we feel like it), we’ll be posting another free piece for the taking. For now, congrats to Rachel H. And thanks to all who posted. This was fun.
