Anyone who would doubt the significance of humanity needs only to look upon the history of this world, wherein our species has displayed an absurdly greater mastery of our environment and potential to change the image of an entire planet than any which came before us.
While there exists scientific evidence of our gradual divergence from other, less sophisticated organisms through the process of evolution, nonetheless, this is no reason to assume that our species is not special. The debate still exists between those who steadfastly believe that the presence of our species is merely a fluke in the ultimate scheme of the universe and that we are destined to merely fade into the void, with our only testament being a background of cosmic noise and space probes which no other sentient species will ever discover, and those who believe that we were placed here by a being on a higher plane of existence, with a purpose of being a sort of "master species" for this planet, with dominance over all lesser species, and in some systems of belief, over eachother as well; until we have reached a point at which we are prepared to join with whatever entity placed us here. Our unique role in relation to other species of our world is such that at this time, there are compelling arguments in the favor of both sides of this eternal debate of beliefs. As my beliefs compel me to take a more objective view of the world around me, I have, over the years, come to a different conclusion altogether.
Life is self-purposed. The primal desire to exist and thrive, the force of evolution, and our free will and intuitive curiosity about the universe are all interconnected. Life itself is a tenacious survivor; if environmental conditions are such that life begins to struggle, as long as there is a will to continue to exist and the changes are gradual enough, life will nearly always find a way to adapt and survive. Scientists throughout history have witnessed this self-preservation instinct in even the lowest forms of life; however, the mysteries of life are such that even the most intensive of scientific research cannot pinpoint the exact cause of this basic urge. To say that it is merely a chemical response system is also debatable, as there have been found microbial lifeforms which never advanced beyond that point, whose chemical composition are vastly different from those of other species, which nonetheless still exhibit the same self-preservation instinct as any other organism of that level of complexity.
That's right, as a species we have managed to split the atom, even collided sub-atomic particles to discover ever smaller objects of matter than current theory holds should even be viably possible to exist within the understanding of physics within this plane of existence... and yet, we still cannot find the source of our desire to exist.
If you are of an open mind, allow me to share my personal theories toward this subject.
Firstly, a common theme throughout nearly all religions is the mystery of the entity which created us. Some common statements are that (1) we were created in God's image, (2) that no man has ever seen the true face of God, and (3) that God exists in all of us. We should keep in mind that at the core of nearly every religious conflict throughout our history has been the disagreement over the exact form of our creator... but this directly conflicts with the second point listed above. How can any side ultimately be proven right if they cannot agree on what should be an inherent truth at the core of their own beliefs? In addition, with our current understanding of the nature of existence, is it not fair to assume that if something has a finite, perceivable form, that it therefore cannot be omnipresent? Or, by assuming that the entity we all have come to know as God even has a finite and perceivable form, are we not attempting to suggest that there is a limitation to a being which is understood to be omnipotent? The most simple conclusion in all of these questions is that what we refer to as God simply has no specific form which we can understand, and presents itself within our physical realm as the desire to exist... and that Yahweh, Allah, and all others are just titles which various human cultures have come up with as a means to identify the exact same thing. In other words, while one could argue that, as we are currently the most advanced species on the planet, that we are the closest to God's "image," there is still the issue that most cultures' understanding of God is based off of their own cultures' influence; that, in essence, we have created many Gods in our own image.
Essentially, the conclusion which I have come to is that God is present within our physical realm as the desire for continued existence, which in turn influences the direction of evolution as a means of achieving this goal. It is an influence on living beings which transcends the physical realm, which gives rise to what we know as souls and our ability to make decisions out of our own unique perspectives regardless of cultural influence. There should be no reason for the concepts of "free will" and "faith in a higher power" to be mutually exclusive as many people seem to believe; rather, can it not be said that these concepts can not only coexist, but are even one and the same? Perhaps the scientific evidence of humanity's rapid development from lesser species, the tales of our sudden creationism, and even our desire to explore and expand our frontiers are all, in the end, different means of expressing the exact same ideal. Our purpose in existence is, above all else, to continue to exist. This is a desire that is inherent in all living things, which transcends our physical being, even after the physical body has long since been extinguished.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Monday, March 08, 2010
The Empire of the "OhShitPlz" Icon
A few years ago, while bored (as with when the vast majority of more interesting; wouldn't necessarily say "better" ideas come to me), I decided to create a joke account on DeviantArt as part of the "_plz" craze, or for those unfamiliar with the site and its memes, an account created for the sole purpose of using its User Icon as a large Emoticon on the site.
Thus, the OhShitPlz was born.
It was a nearly instant success. Within roughly a year, it had surpassed my actual account in terms of popularity and pageviews, despite only having three actual items in its gallery; all themed around the icon. As time passed, there came to be several pieces of fanart making reference to it, which I, of course, added to my Favorites with great pleasure.
A considerable length of time passes; the joke account now has 3 times the pageviews of my true account. There are even other accounts which are permutations of the original, made by others along the way. And then, just recently, while doing random searches on a whim I stumbled upon this.
Yes, it would appear that the OhShitPlz's influence has begun to spread beyond the sphere of DA, with a (albeit small) following even on such a major networking site.
Further searches revealed an OhShitPlz account on Photobucket for the utilization of the Emote on an even greater range of sites and forums; even a few hits on Gaia which link back to the original!
Such a wide-reaching propagation of a meme, with the only effort required on my part being a handful of drawings and occasionally logging into the original account on DA in order to interact with its fans.
Isn't the Internet a wonderful thing?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The Drunken Philosopher #2: Social Networking Truly Social?
I sometimes wonder if the concept of the traditional "reunion" shall be supplanted by recent advances in online social networking. It does have the obvious advantages of being free and simple to keep touch with others; in addition, Skype and other means of teleconferencing even eliminate the time and travel cost requirements of a genuine face-to-face meeting!
Of course, there is subtle sarcasm in these words. Essentially, as a society, our newfound social aptitude seems to be, at the same time, making us more socially inept. Is it not a common perception that we value a meeting by how rare it is; or to quote Thomas Haynes Bayly: "Absence makes the heart grow fonder?" It's no secret that words, regardless of their significance, lose much of their impact when related via impersonal means. The ability to share jubilation or commiserate over a life-changing event in person carries with it a certain level of emotional frankness and intimacy which simply cannot be conveyed through mere text; while video communication may seem a suitable surrogate, sometimes such a simple gesture as a hug or a high-five are irreplaceable instruments with which to epitomize a conversation and its meanings.
Maybe I'm just being old fashioned... however, it seems to me that while social networking is an invaluable tool which allows people to maintain bonds with others despite the expanses of distance and time, those bonds are, by necessity of their very nature, generally not as strong as those with genuine personal contact.
Of course, there is subtle sarcasm in these words. Essentially, as a society, our newfound social aptitude seems to be, at the same time, making us more socially inept. Is it not a common perception that we value a meeting by how rare it is; or to quote Thomas Haynes Bayly: "Absence makes the heart grow fonder?" It's no secret that words, regardless of their significance, lose much of their impact when related via impersonal means. The ability to share jubilation or commiserate over a life-changing event in person carries with it a certain level of emotional frankness and intimacy which simply cannot be conveyed through mere text; while video communication may seem a suitable surrogate, sometimes such a simple gesture as a hug or a high-five are irreplaceable instruments with which to epitomize a conversation and its meanings.
Maybe I'm just being old fashioned... however, it seems to me that while social networking is an invaluable tool which allows people to maintain bonds with others despite the expanses of distance and time, those bonds are, by necessity of their very nature, generally not as strong as those with genuine personal contact.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Aftermath of house fire across the alleyway
Several months ago, a house across the alley from the apartment building I live in caught fire. The fire started in the attached garage, and quickly went into the house; the building hadn't been lived in for some time, and was only used as a shop to work on race cars at the local track... as such, no one was hurt, but the paint and fuel throughout the building made the fire spread very quickly. Fire shot out the windows in a manner similar to a flamethrower; and it took a while for the firefighters to contain the blaze.
Here are some pictures my aunt took the morning after with her camera phone:
This last picture shows the damage to the neighbor's house caused by the flames... the houses are roughly 12 feet apart! Fortunately, the damage was only cosmetic; the damaged siding has since been replaced.
About a week ago, a crew from the city finally came by to demolish what was left of the house. They used a huge backhoe (the type that's normally used for large-scale demolition projects) to literally "punch" what was left of the building from above! As it was raining during the demolition, I couldn't get closer to take better shots of it, but you can get the idea from this picture:
Here are some pictures of the aftermath:
Now, you can barely tell that there was ever a house there... I wonder what they'll do with the lot now.
This was certainly one of the more interesting things to happen in this neighborhood in a long time. From the scare of the fire, to the relief the next day that no one was hurt, and then finally to the fascinating process of the demolition; it was an interesting experience to have a "front-row seat" to the story unfolding just behind my home.
Keep in mind, my awe over the events would not be such if someone had been hurt.
Here are some pictures my aunt took the morning after with her camera phone:
This last picture shows the damage to the neighbor's house caused by the flames... the houses are roughly 12 feet apart! Fortunately, the damage was only cosmetic; the damaged siding has since been replaced.
About a week ago, a crew from the city finally came by to demolish what was left of the house. They used a huge backhoe (the type that's normally used for large-scale demolition projects) to literally "punch" what was left of the building from above! As it was raining during the demolition, I couldn't get closer to take better shots of it, but you can get the idea from this picture:
Here are some pictures of the aftermath:
Now, you can barely tell that there was ever a house there... I wonder what they'll do with the lot now.
This was certainly one of the more interesting things to happen in this neighborhood in a long time. From the scare of the fire, to the relief the next day that no one was hurt, and then finally to the fascinating process of the demolition; it was an interesting experience to have a "front-row seat" to the story unfolding just behind my home.
Keep in mind, my awe over the events would not be such if someone had been hurt.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Queen of Chaos
A new illustration of Enyo I just finished last night:
For this illustration, I wanted to go with a slightly more "artsy" approach. Since I didn't like the angle her left leg was in in the original sketch, I decided to draw her whip in her hand, and use said whip to make a border for the image. I worked out well, I think. The entire illustration, like my previous piece "Fabulous Night," uses my method of doing all of the colors with watercolor paint and then going over everything with colored pencil.
The part that took the longest amount of time was designing her card. orz
For this illustration, I wanted to go with a slightly more "artsy" approach. Since I didn't like the angle her left leg was in in the original sketch, I decided to draw her whip in her hand, and use said whip to make a border for the image. I worked out well, I think. The entire illustration, like my previous piece "Fabulous Night," uses my method of doing all of the colors with watercolor paint and then going over everything with colored pencil.The part that took the longest amount of time was designing her card. orz
Monday, August 04, 2008
"Fabulous Night"
During the time I had off from work, I was able to get this painting done:
This piece showcases a LOT of new techniques that I've picked up through my recent lessons... as a result, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Also, for my first time trying to draw the Moon, I think that turned out well too. It seems that I'm getting the hang of fashion, as well.
Materials used (and in order, too!) :
Bristol board
watercolor paints
markers (Prismacolor and Sharpie)
colored pencils (Prismacolor, and a couple of Rose-Art)
oil pastels
I don't know quite how Blogger will go about resizing the image, but on my DA account, I've added the option of downloading this in wallpaper size: This picture on DA
The painting was inspired by the song "Masquerade" by Kaya... the title of the painting actually refers to the secondary title of the song.
This piece showcases a LOT of new techniques that I've picked up through my recent lessons... as a result, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Also, for my first time trying to draw the Moon, I think that turned out well too. It seems that I'm getting the hang of fashion, as well.Materials used (and in order, too!) :
Bristol board
watercolor paints
markers (Prismacolor and Sharpie)
colored pencils (Prismacolor, and a couple of Rose-Art)
oil pastels
I don't know quite how Blogger will go about resizing the image, but on my DA account, I've added the option of downloading this in wallpaper size: This picture on DA
The painting was inspired by the song "Masquerade" by Kaya... the title of the painting actually refers to the secondary title of the song.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Winning hard enough to fail
LOL Spider Solitaire.
It took me over 50 games just to get it set up for this type of endgame... orz
It took me over 50 games just to get it set up for this type of endgame... orz
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
More work on the MG-styled F90
I've finally resumed work on the MG-style Gundam F90 that I started last October.
I had it put away for a while, since I had cut one of my fingers pretty badly while modifying the original feet of the HG F90 kit... but decided I had better get back to work on it.
Over the past couple of days, I've done some fairly extensive modifications to the legs. Here's an overview of what I've done in recent work:
1- I separated the knee area from the original HG F90 leg; since the MG F9a kit has a double-jointed knee but no separately movable kneecap, I decided it would be cool to attach this piece to the joint section of the knee so it can be movable as well.
2- I removed the accessory hardpoint from the leg pieces in order to glue it together as one piece; I'll soon do a lot of putty and sanding work to bring the halves of this piece together.
3- Since the F90 has a recessed area on the inner calf that corresponds with the intake vents on the F91 frame, I cut out the recessed area to expose the vents. I also made the inner calf its own separate piece just like the hardpoint, for the same reasons.
4- The finished inner calf (for the left leg), with the part with the vent on it glued in place. I'll fill the space between the part and the armor with putty once I get some more.
5- The original front lower leg from the old F90 kit. Not much to look at, and not very poseable either...
6- I cut up and trimmed down the inner part of the F91's rear skirt armor in order to attach it to the skirt armor of the F90. It took a lot of effort, but this is one of the parts I'm proudest of.
Here you can see the left inner calf and the rear skirt armor in action. Perfect!
Next, I plan to cut off the back half of each of the lower shin armor parts that came with the F91, in order to make the "exposed ankle" look of the F90. As for how I'll create the exposed components, I haven't figured that part out yet...
Here's a test-fitting of the parts for the torso and the arm. I'll also be using the F91's face in this build, as well. Also, note the section I cut out of the F91's abdomen; this will be to accommodate the F90 cockpit, which I will be extending to the interior of the torso just slightly.
I had it put away for a while, since I had cut one of my fingers pretty badly while modifying the original feet of the HG F90 kit... but decided I had better get back to work on it.
Over the past couple of days, I've done some fairly extensive modifications to the legs. Here's an overview of what I've done in recent work:
1- I separated the knee area from the original HG F90 leg; since the MG F9a kit has a double-jointed knee but no separately movable kneecap, I decided it would be cool to attach this piece to the joint section of the knee so it can be movable as well.2- I removed the accessory hardpoint from the leg pieces in order to glue it together as one piece; I'll soon do a lot of putty and sanding work to bring the halves of this piece together.
3- Since the F90 has a recessed area on the inner calf that corresponds with the intake vents on the F91 frame, I cut out the recessed area to expose the vents. I also made the inner calf its own separate piece just like the hardpoint, for the same reasons.
4- The finished inner calf (for the left leg), with the part with the vent on it glued in place. I'll fill the space between the part and the armor with putty once I get some more.
5- The original front lower leg from the old F90 kit. Not much to look at, and not very poseable either...
6- I cut up and trimmed down the inner part of the F91's rear skirt armor in order to attach it to the skirt armor of the F90. It took a lot of effort, but this is one of the parts I'm proudest of.
Here you can see the left inner calf and the rear skirt armor in action. Perfect!Next, I plan to cut off the back half of each of the lower shin armor parts that came with the F91, in order to make the "exposed ankle" look of the F90. As for how I'll create the exposed components, I haven't figured that part out yet...
Here's a test-fitting of the parts for the torso and the arm. I'll also be using the F91's face in this build, as well. Also, note the section I cut out of the F91's abdomen; this will be to accommodate the F90 cockpit, which I will be extending to the interior of the torso just slightly.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Meet Steve
Click to see his actual size! :D
This little fella has been hanging out around my office lately... he's already caught himself several flies, as well as keeping the ant invasion in check. To think, I used to be scared of these guys until I did some research on them, and discovered that they are more or less designed to peacefully co-exist with humans. For example:
- Humans are completely immune to the venom of the common centipede.
- Centipedes actively hunt common pests and other threats to our health and hygiene. Their favorite foods, believe it or not, are roaches and mice!
- They tend to avoid direct contact with us, and they keep their waste and their dead in places where they will be harmless.
I've noticed that ever since I started letting these guys live about a year or so ago, I've had no problems with any pests here other than the ants... but we're working on that. >:D
This little fella has been hanging out around my office lately... he's already caught himself several flies, as well as keeping the ant invasion in check. To think, I used to be scared of these guys until I did some research on them, and discovered that they are more or less designed to peacefully co-exist with humans. For example:- Humans are completely immune to the venom of the common centipede.
- Centipedes actively hunt common pests and other threats to our health and hygiene. Their favorite foods, believe it or not, are roaches and mice!
- They tend to avoid direct contact with us, and they keep their waste and their dead in places where they will be harmless.
I've noticed that ever since I started letting these guys live about a year or so ago, I've had no problems with any pests here other than the ants... but we're working on that. >:D
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Terror of the Deep
Here is a new painting I just completed, entitled "Terror of the Deep," of my character Galatea engaged in battle with some fishmen.
Of course, the "terror" to which the title refers is actually Galatea herself, rather than the monsters she's fighting... :D
Of course, the "terror" to which the title refers is actually Galatea herself, rather than the monsters she's fighting... :D
Sunday, June 15, 2008
An excellent quote
"To err is human, but if you want to really screw up, use a computer."
- one of my clients from work yesterday
- one of my clients from work yesterday
Friday, June 13, 2008
New model store I heard about on the hobby forums!
Just recently on the HobbyFanatics forum, a store was brought to my attention as a new, reliable source for importing model kits. This store, Toyking / Leo Toys, has a great selection of Gundam model kits to choose from; lots of older models that are hard to find nowadays. Also, as a wholesaler from Taiwan, they are able to sell the kits for a hell of a lot cheaper than anywhere else I've seen, and their shipping prices are fair, too. I was a little skeptical at first, since the prices seemed almost too good... but after plenty of reassurance from fellow forumers I decided to go ahead and place a pretty big order (including several kits that I still owed Zig to repay him for some money I borrowed from him several months ago).
So, my order consists of:
1/100 G-Cannon
1/100 G-Cannon Magna
1/100 Guntank R-44
MG Strike Noir
1/100 Overflag
HGUC Gaplant TR-5 "Hrairoo"
HGUC Gundam Hazel II
(only the last three are mine; I was going to get the F90 with the Type A,D,S equipment packs too, but I ended up falling just short of having enough disposable money to spare for it...)
A pretty big list of kits, but the whole order ended up being very cheap; around $150 even including shipping from Taiwan for a 12-lb large package!
After placing my order, I was a bit concerned as I did not hear back from them for about 3 days; but I E-mailed the store and we were able to complete the order within less than an hour! The exchange was polite, and well carried-out. That's pretty good customer service, I think!
And so, I eagerly anticipate my new batch of model kits!
So, my order consists of:
1/100 G-Cannon
1/100 G-Cannon Magna
1/100 Guntank R-44
MG Strike Noir
1/100 Overflag
HGUC Gaplant TR-5 "Hrairoo"
HGUC Gundam Hazel II
(only the last three are mine; I was going to get the F90 with the Type A,D,S equipment packs too, but I ended up falling just short of having enough disposable money to spare for it...)
A pretty big list of kits, but the whole order ended up being very cheap; around $150 even including shipping from Taiwan for a 12-lb large package!
After placing my order, I was a bit concerned as I did not hear back from them for about 3 days; but I E-mailed the store and we were able to complete the order within less than an hour! The exchange was polite, and well carried-out. That's pretty good customer service, I think!
And so, I eagerly anticipate my new batch of model kits!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The cat's out of the bag... Washington press release about my job
Hello! As some of you who know me in real life or from various other corners of the interwebz may know, I currently work for the government... but I've never been very specific as to what my current role is, as the information on the program had only so far been released to a few "pilot groups" on the outside.
Well, as of this morning a press release was issued to various newspapers throughout the United States about this project, the Direct Express social security benefits card.
The official release can be found here: Official Washington Press Release
Now that the information has been made public, our office can expect to become much busier. We had just been releasing the information packets to 2 or 3 states per month in order to "control" the influx of new applications for the card, but now that Washington has issued a press release about the program... I just hope our small office can handle the call volume! Fortunately, the article already answers many of the questions asked by recipients calling to sign up to receive the card... so that should at least make things somewhat easier for us on this end.
Well, as of this morning a press release was issued to various newspapers throughout the United States about this project, the Direct Express social security benefits card.
The official release can be found here: Official Washington Press Release
Now that the information has been made public, our office can expect to become much busier. We had just been releasing the information packets to 2 or 3 states per month in order to "control" the influx of new applications for the card, but now that Washington has issued a press release about the program... I just hope our small office can handle the call volume! Fortunately, the article already answers many of the questions asked by recipients calling to sign up to receive the card... so that should at least make things somewhat easier for us on this end.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Burger King had it HIS way
Huuurgh.... I'm beginning to remember why I don't go to Burger King anymore...
I was hanging out with some friends yesterday after work, and one of them suggested that we go to Burger King to try out their new "Steakhouse Burger." Well, the meat seemed underdone, the "fried onions piled high" was but a smattering of French's onion stick crumbs, and the barbecue sauce was of the watery, overly tangy and sweet variety... just the kind I hate. Cast-iron gut though I may have, but this sandwich actually managed to make my stomach hurt.
Well, it is now the next day after choking down what little of that sandwich I could stand,
and I now have food poisoning. I know that the burger is the culprit too, because despite having eaten other things and brushed my teeth a few times since then, the burger is the only thing I taste when dry-heaving.
Damn it, today's going to be fun. >:(
I was hanging out with some friends yesterday after work, and one of them suggested that we go to Burger King to try out their new "Steakhouse Burger." Well, the meat seemed underdone, the "fried onions piled high" was but a smattering of French's onion stick crumbs, and the barbecue sauce was of the watery, overly tangy and sweet variety... just the kind I hate. Cast-iron gut though I may have, but this sandwich actually managed to make my stomach hurt.
Well, it is now the next day after choking down what little of that sandwich I could stand,
and I now have food poisoning. I know that the burger is the culprit too, because despite having eaten other things and brushed my teeth a few times since then, the burger is the only thing I taste when dry-heaving.
Damn it, today's going to be fun. >:(
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Some newer sketches
Hello!
I've got some newer sketches done recently, to try out a slightly more realistic and detailed style than what I'm accustomed to doing. The thing I had begun to realize about my art is that, while the coloring and finish are generally good, the underlying drawings sometimes tend to be somewhat lacking. And so, I practice. With the larger sketchbook I had gotten for this purpose, it tends to be somewhat difficult to get the entire picture onto the scanner; and so there are parts which had to be left out... and there are also the occasional shadows caused by the paper being pulled away from the scanner's surface.
The first picture is of the first main character of my DevilSaint series, Richter Mitchell. I really wanted to show the details of his mechanical arm, as well as the type of expression he should be making as a somewhat serious, but well-humoured character.
The second one is of the co-star of the series, Heather Dawes. In this one, I wanted to experiment with expressing varying levels of "softness" as well as practicing curves a bit. I also detailed up the armor on her left arm and made some minor adjustments to things which were bothering me.
Finally, the last one is of Adrian Kadmon, the series's titular character. The effect I was going for here was that of a tremendously powerful, sweeping slash; portraying him as using his body weight to counter-balance the sword. There are a few directional movements which still look a bit odd, but overall I feel pretty good about this one.
I've got some newer sketches done recently, to try out a slightly more realistic and detailed style than what I'm accustomed to doing. The thing I had begun to realize about my art is that, while the coloring and finish are generally good, the underlying drawings sometimes tend to be somewhat lacking. And so, I practice. With the larger sketchbook I had gotten for this purpose, it tends to be somewhat difficult to get the entire picture onto the scanner; and so there are parts which had to be left out... and there are also the occasional shadows caused by the paper being pulled away from the scanner's surface.
The first picture is of the first main character of my DevilSaint series, Richter Mitchell. I really wanted to show the details of his mechanical arm, as well as the type of expression he should be making as a somewhat serious, but well-humoured character.
The second one is of the co-star of the series, Heather Dawes. In this one, I wanted to experiment with expressing varying levels of "softness" as well as practicing curves a bit. I also detailed up the armor on her left arm and made some minor adjustments to things which were bothering me.
Finally, the last one is of Adrian Kadmon, the series's titular character. The effect I was going for here was that of a tremendously powerful, sweeping slash; portraying him as using his body weight to counter-balance the sword. There are a few directional movements which still look a bit odd, but overall I feel pretty good about this one.
Monday, April 21, 2008
The Drunken Philosopher #1: The definition of being an adult
As an artist I would define being an adult as "the point in one's life at which one's life's work is relegated to a being mere hobby."
I suppose this may explain why the most successful artists, those who can do this for a living, tend to have a more childish personality than most of us working stiffs who have to make a living through other means.
This thought popped into my head as I sit here enjoying a mango. It is of a most enjoyable state of ripeness, just as it begins to become quite soft. Yum!
I begin to ponder the extent of the human experience. It would appear as though today's world has forgotten the significance of such things as the beauty of life, creativity, inspiration, and the simple pleasures of the natural world. In modern society, there is far too much emphasis placed on earning enough money to survive, the politics which govern our world, the institution of organized religion, and the drive to conquer, even at the expense of our own species (this part, of course, is the ultimate desire of all forms of leadersip, regardless of how altruistic their intentions may seem... so please refrain from any anti-US sentiment). While the desire to conquer may seem an extension of the natural territorial instinct, no other species has expressed it to such an extent. If the cows and pigs had opposable thumbs and could speak, would they not attempt the same, I wonder? While the presence of religion in and of itself is not inherently bad, as we all seek to interact with a power of a higher state of being which has allowed us to be self-aware and exist as individuals of free will... one cannot help but question the morality of institutions which are run by those who would use religion as a means of discrimination or control, to deny the freedom of its own members and all others who do not share its specific beliefs. And, it is not even necessary for me to point out that money and politics are entirely human creations as well.
To be sure, it is these human-created elements which are the source of progress within this world, and there is no denying that many of the technologies which have been able to come about as a result have made many aspects of our lives easier.
However, has the modern state of society really made life better for us all? In particular, those of us who wish to be able to live an expressive life of thinking freely and sharing our love of beauty with the world? Would most artists even exist if there was no monetary reward to be had from it? Would the lack of pressure from trying to keep up with the world allow more art to be created?
In other words, is it possible that this world demands that one's individuality and creativity be stripped away in order to survive as an adult?
I suppose this may explain why the most successful artists, those who can do this for a living, tend to have a more childish personality than most of us working stiffs who have to make a living through other means.
This thought popped into my head as I sit here enjoying a mango. It is of a most enjoyable state of ripeness, just as it begins to become quite soft. Yum!
I begin to ponder the extent of the human experience. It would appear as though today's world has forgotten the significance of such things as the beauty of life, creativity, inspiration, and the simple pleasures of the natural world. In modern society, there is far too much emphasis placed on earning enough money to survive, the politics which govern our world, the institution of organized religion, and the drive to conquer, even at the expense of our own species (this part, of course, is the ultimate desire of all forms of leadersip, regardless of how altruistic their intentions may seem... so please refrain from any anti-US sentiment). While the desire to conquer may seem an extension of the natural territorial instinct, no other species has expressed it to such an extent. If the cows and pigs had opposable thumbs and could speak, would they not attempt the same, I wonder? While the presence of religion in and of itself is not inherently bad, as we all seek to interact with a power of a higher state of being which has allowed us to be self-aware and exist as individuals of free will... one cannot help but question the morality of institutions which are run by those who would use religion as a means of discrimination or control, to deny the freedom of its own members and all others who do not share its specific beliefs. And, it is not even necessary for me to point out that money and politics are entirely human creations as well.
To be sure, it is these human-created elements which are the source of progress within this world, and there is no denying that many of the technologies which have been able to come about as a result have made many aspects of our lives easier.
However, has the modern state of society really made life better for us all? In particular, those of us who wish to be able to live an expressive life of thinking freely and sharing our love of beauty with the world? Would most artists even exist if there was no monetary reward to be had from it? Would the lack of pressure from trying to keep up with the world allow more art to be created?
In other words, is it possible that this world demands that one's individuality and creativity be stripped away in order to survive as an adult?
My goals as an artist
There are two main goals which I have been striving for; the first is to be involved in the comics industry, the second to be a concept designer for video games.
I have produced a few issues of an older comic of mine, Trooper Blaze, which were overly time-consuming, and I also was not able to afford to produce the books in sufficient numbers as to sell beyond the convention I brought them to. The lack of profit compared to the time spent on the project, my lack of knowledge of good page layout / composition, and also my inability to quickly produce art which not only looked good but was also consistent, all led me to give up on comics for a while. I need to find better ways of producing interesting scenes, and more efficient methods for getting the work done before I will be able to give it another attempt. Even a couple of years later, I'm still frustrated by how the old comics turned out, and by the negative responses they received. Now I'm too stubborn to even attempt another actual comic until I know I can do it properly and be proud of it... but I'll probably need more training first.
As for the concept design job for videogames, I feel that such a job would be perhaps the best way to get my work out to the largest audience possible. In this day and age, the more immersive the experience a certain piece of media gives, the more memorable the characters and events contained therein will be, and the large the audience which will be exposed to it... which puts comics fairly low on the modern entertainment consumer's priority, and videogames and movies at the top. Also, as many may have noticed, most of my character designs are of the type which make more sense when seen in action; what better way to portray them than the environment of a game? I've applied with, been interviewed and had my portfolio reviewed by a number of game companies here in the U.S., but the most common response I get is that my style is "too original" and that they want to see more flexibility, ie fanart and such in which I copy the style of another artist. :| Pretty much the only feasible way for a relative unknown in the industry such as myself to have a game produced with my original designs (not necessarily my own stories, but just my visual designs based off of the new concepts of a creator who actually has the balls to make an original, non-derivative game) would be to start my own company.
TL;DR: I would like to become big in the aforementioned fields, but currently lack the skill sets which the companies and possibly the consumers are looking for. :(
I have produced a few issues of an older comic of mine, Trooper Blaze, which were overly time-consuming, and I also was not able to afford to produce the books in sufficient numbers as to sell beyond the convention I brought them to. The lack of profit compared to the time spent on the project, my lack of knowledge of good page layout / composition, and also my inability to quickly produce art which not only looked good but was also consistent, all led me to give up on comics for a while. I need to find better ways of producing interesting scenes, and more efficient methods for getting the work done before I will be able to give it another attempt. Even a couple of years later, I'm still frustrated by how the old comics turned out, and by the negative responses they received. Now I'm too stubborn to even attempt another actual comic until I know I can do it properly and be proud of it... but I'll probably need more training first.
As for the concept design job for videogames, I feel that such a job would be perhaps the best way to get my work out to the largest audience possible. In this day and age, the more immersive the experience a certain piece of media gives, the more memorable the characters and events contained therein will be, and the large the audience which will be exposed to it... which puts comics fairly low on the modern entertainment consumer's priority, and videogames and movies at the top. Also, as many may have noticed, most of my character designs are of the type which make more sense when seen in action; what better way to portray them than the environment of a game? I've applied with, been interviewed and had my portfolio reviewed by a number of game companies here in the U.S., but the most common response I get is that my style is "too original" and that they want to see more flexibility, ie fanart and such in which I copy the style of another artist. :| Pretty much the only feasible way for a relative unknown in the industry such as myself to have a game produced with my original designs (not necessarily my own stories, but just my visual designs based off of the new concepts of a creator who actually has the balls to make an original, non-derivative game) would be to start my own company.
TL;DR: I would like to become big in the aforementioned fields, but currently lack the skill sets which the companies and possibly the consumers are looking for. :(
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Another grail kit obtained!
A couple of days ago, I received the 1/100 scale Nobel Gundam kit from Mobile Fighter G Gundam in the mail!
As many of you may well know, two of the things I like most are women in armor and unique mecha designs which stand out from the rest, and this one fits both criteria (well, technically, it's not a "woman in armor" so much as an "armored robot that is woman-shaped," but it applies just the same in my mind). The reason I had been wanting this kit in particular for so long, was because it is in such a dynamic pose. And then when Wijaya informed me that he happened to have an original that he'd be willing to part with, I wasted no time in taking the opportunity to get it from him.
After some test-fitting of the parts, the only possible issue that I might have during the assembly of the kit is the weight of the "hair" since it only has the head to attach to, and the neck may be a bit thin to support the weight. But, it's nothing some pins and CA can't fix! :D
As some may say, the levels of dorkdom go as follows:
The person builds model kits = Moderate Dork, maybe just average Joe with a hobby
The models in question are giant robots = Severe Dork, perhaps of the variety who listens to Japanese music all the time and shuts himself in for marathon anime sessions
The giant robot model is in the form of a Japanese schoolgirl = King Dork; one who is beyond the point of ever being considered normal. LOL
As many of you may well know, two of the things I like most are women in armor and unique mecha designs which stand out from the rest, and this one fits both criteria (well, technically, it's not a "woman in armor" so much as an "armored robot that is woman-shaped," but it applies just the same in my mind). The reason I had been wanting this kit in particular for so long, was because it is in such a dynamic pose. And then when Wijaya informed me that he happened to have an original that he'd be willing to part with, I wasted no time in taking the opportunity to get it from him.
After some test-fitting of the parts, the only possible issue that I might have during the assembly of the kit is the weight of the "hair" since it only has the head to attach to, and the neck may be a bit thin to support the weight. But, it's nothing some pins and CA can't fix! :D
As some may say, the levels of dorkdom go as follows:
The person builds model kits = Moderate Dork, maybe just average Joe with a hobby
The models in question are giant robots = Severe Dork, perhaps of the variety who listens to Japanese music all the time and shuts himself in for marathon anime sessions
The giant robot model is in the form of a Japanese schoolgirl = King Dork; one who is beyond the point of ever being considered normal. LOL
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