The Moon

This is the first time I've taken a decent picture of the moon.

For anyone interested in astronomy, the last transit of Venus (where Venus passes in front of the Sun) to happen for the next hundred years or so will happen this June.

A Curious Clock Tower

Thought of You

I mentioned to someone the other day that animation is one of my interests. They sent me this link. I thought the way the artist combined dance and animation to create such an expressive piece was breathtaking.


I also noted that this was a perfect demonstration of one of my basic beliefs in regards to animation. Good animation is all about telling a story, and animation can tell stories in a way that is impossible in any other medium. Here the artist created a dance piece that would be impossible for a live dancer.

Anyone more interested in the artists work should check him out here or here.

Salt Dough Art

Pikachu without his stripes.

Pikachu, a white version.

Front view.

Bunny Bust

8-bit Joy

Figures of Pac-Man and Ghost made from salt dough.

What do the ghosts talk about as they wait for the level to begin?

"Run for your life!"

"Hey guys! A little help here!"

Happy Red

This sketch took about 2 minutes to do. I did it on a whiteboard using three different dry-erase markers: black, red, and blue. I was a challenge to control my hand without steadying my arm against the board. The outcome made me happy.
This second picture is a vectorized version of the first. I used Inkscape to draw over the digital photo of the sketch and to add color. It was fun to learn how to draw with Inkscape, but there is still a lot I need to learn. This second image looks flat in comparisan with the first.

Animation

Animation is so much more than "for kids" that American culture has made it out to be. Nor does it have to be pornographic, crass, or unintelligible to be "not just for kids." The best animation is more than just an artistic show piece. The best animation shows that moving pictures are a way to tell a story, any story, whether those pictures contain live-action or animated frames.

The following is a list of my picks for good animated films. They are separated by into MPAA ratings categories.

G
Cat's Don't Dance (1997)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
The Thief and the Cobbler (1993)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Ponyo (2008)

PG
The Incredibles (2004)
The Secret of Kells (2009) (not rated)
How to Train a Dragon (2010)

PG-13
Princess Mononoke (1997)

There are also several television cartoons which I believe are great examples of animation and/or storytelling.

Reboot
Beast Wars
Simpsons