My Kid is a Ninja

I had my suspicions. Her catlike agility and tendency to reach the unexplored heights of the cabinets. Her tendency to wear skinny black pants and black slippers. The ever-present sais tucked into her belt. Spontaneous displays of acrobatic maneuvers. The stealthy and mysterious disappearance of treats around the house.

Then, on Saturday, I saw it. My little ninja girl. She climbed the rock climbing wall at the company picnic with ease. All the way to the top! Hanging out at 30 feet, she didn't even see the button at the top that rang the buzzer.

Yesterday, she asked me what a ninja was. She had checked out a book to read from the library about them, but hadn't started it yet. Thank goodness for Youtube! Can you imagine having to explain the wonder that is NINJA to a 6-yr old?

Please behold:






After viewing such thorough documentation on Ninjas, she finally understood.

"Ninjas scare people!"

Is this Creepy?

I don't know why, but my caricatures are coming out pretty creepy. Maybe it's just my personality showing through? I am pretty wacko...

painted

Photoshop CS2, took a few hours. No color yet! I'm gonna use Pat's Patented Photoshop coloring system technique on it.

Concept Art

We finally are semi-done with painting stadiums. Whew! I learned a lot, and could still learn from them, but I am glad to do some other stuff. Today we spent some time on caricatures for the upcoming show, here are my takes on some co-workers. I'm going to paint up at least one, more if I have the time...

For inspiration, I was introduced to the fabulous Joe Bluhm. Although I am currently strapped for cash, and my giant list of art books to buy would drive me to bankruptcy, I do plan on buying Joe's fabulous book of rejected caricatures. These are caricatures so crazy and pushed that the subjects did not like them and refused to purchase them. Not every piece in the book was rejected, but every caricature in it is fantastic.

Exaggeration and humor is something I need to work on in my art. It was really fun letting loose with these caricatures at work today! I used a plain photoshop brush with opacity locked at 100% and brush size controlled by pen pressure, min size 0% max size 100%. Pretty simple, the line weight variance was what I wanted for these.

On to paint! I'm going to have to correct a few of the sketches, some wonkiness in eyes and such.

Moving Violation

I'm sure most of you got the memo: moving sucks.

Thankfully, we only moved about 1 mile away from our previous residence. Why did we move? Because our last place was scaring us. No, it wasn't haunted - though the skittering of little clawed rodent feet in the walls and ceiling might spook you during the night.

We really thought the place was going to fall apart and kill us. It was all about survival, really. I can put up with a lot, and have lived in some crummy apartments, but this decision wasn't about me. It was for the kids. I did it for the kids.

Also, Alissa was driving me crazy. She will probably be miffed at me for saying this, but you haven't heard whining until you have lived with a pregnant woman who wants something. Truthfully, I don't mind it. I even ran out to Sonic and got her a banana split the other night (Sunday). See? I risk my eternal salvation for her. My soul is her slave.

I readily admitted that our place sucked, but I hadn't yet given the green light on any of the places Alissa was finding. After all, what's the point of moving if you aren't moving to a nicer place? Finally, we struck gold. Well, maybe just really really nice silver that we could barely afford as long as we stopped spending all our money on donuts and pizza. That, and if gas prices keep going up I'm going to have to ride my bike to work.

The kids have a great time romping around in the backyard, which hasn't been cut in some time. They get to play T-ball and hit the flower bushes with sticks, all the while taunting the neighbor's invisible barking dog. I got some lawn equipment to start acting like a Man. I'll probably be regretting that decision this summer as I drop from heat exhaustion and Wife and kids are rushing me to the hospital crying "Mommy, what happened to Daddy?! I need to go POTTY!!". At least I'll be reassured that I died like a Man, doing yard work.

I have to give big props to the guys from church who came and helped us move the boxes and furniture and appliances. It wasn't easy, and I'm hoping the donuts and juice were worth their time. Much to everyone's entertainment, Alissa directed everyone where to put things by pointing with her belly.