Archive for December, 2009
8 items.
Back in Auckland. We just arrived back today from a couple of days excursion down in Acacia Bay. Which is in the Taupo area. It was an awesome break. It’s nice to escape the city sometimes and check out a new place. Get away from some of the things at home and just chill back with a cold beer in hand. Lake Taupo is beautiful. The water was amazingly clear. We ended up visiting a Department of Conservation site which gave really lovely lakeside access. There were maybe 8 other people there with boats and kayaks, as well as a couple of ducks to keep everyone company. The bay was surrounded by pockets of native forrest. I wish I could have gone for a swim, but I wasn’t prepared to do so. Unfortunately the next day the weather turned on us, so that possibility never eventuated. Not to worry though, the main point of the trip was to just have a couple of days with a change of scenery, and in that case, mission accomplished.
We came back to Auckland to see in 2010. I’m not sure just this minute what we’ll be doing to see the new year in? I’m sure we’ll find something to do though. I might go and see that Sherlock Holmes film soon maybe? It could be alright from the looks of it. Avatar was OK. The effects and visuals were pretty stunning, and the plot while cliché, was good enough that you were immersed into that world. For a piece of fictional escapism I totally enjoyed myself.
Next mission? I have to start page 3 on this webcomic. 2010 is approaching and I have to get some work done so everyone will be able to read this stuff as of next year (just over a day away).
Hope you all enjoy the New Years celebration. Be safe out there.
Thanks for reading
Marc
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Merry Christmas everyone!
I hope you’ve enjoyed the Cold comic. That has finished up now. I’m now working on the follow up, made for the web purpose story line. Which should be making its debut some time in the new year. I’m just going to build a bit of a buffer up before I start putting them up. I’m excited for people to see it though, as it will be in full colour! Not only something new to look at, but a new challenge for me. The digital process is making it easier to turn a page out faster. Probably 4 times faster than what I would have if I were doing everything in pencil. That is amazing isn’t it? I’ll give you a release date on the webcomic series some time soon hopefully.
This week was an interesting one. Last Saturday I was out with a group of guys on a stag party for my friend Leo. At the tail end of the evening we were moving from one drinking establishment to another and on the way I lost my footing as I transferred from the pavement to the street to avoid some people. I basically caught my foot in a pothole of some sort and twisted it and landed on my ass. It was very painful, but like the idiot I am, instead of calling it quits I limped on to the next bar and hung out for a while before eventually resigning for the evening. The next morning I was barely able to walk. We went down to the emergency clinic and I had an X-ray. Thankfully nothing was broken. It was just a bad sprain. A few days on crutches and icing the foot would eventually help it calm down, though it is still sore and swollen. Looks like it will be a while before that bruising will go down.
The wedding went down on Wednesday. It was awesome. Everyone had a great time. All the best to my man Leo and his new bride Suriya.
Otherwise, finally got to seeing Avatar yesterday. Everyone is right, that is quite the visual spectacle. Some of the concepts with the creatures on that planet was cool. The colours were nice and trippy too! Ha ha!
Anyway, I had better get on with my Christmas day. Wishing you and yours all the best.
Happy holidays, and thanks for reading!
Marc
My fall from grace, or how i came to accept my fate and give up webcomics…*sniff*
December 11th, 2009 |Posted In: Blog, Uncategorized
We all know children are the future right? Sure we do. That’s a part of life. Is admitting that your moment is now, and if you don’t seize it you’ll soon be old and some youngster will be there to replace you. Cest la vie and all that. Well I had one of those moments today. This morning I was working away throwing down the finishing touches on my first digital webcomic page. The wife had a friend of hers scheduled in to visit late morning. So I knew I’d be stopping about that time and indulging in some catch up. Tell a few stories etc.
Our guest arrived. She had two in tow. Her child (new to the world this year) and her little sister. A seven-eight year old girl (I never asked to confirm that age, so I’m guessing) by the name of Angelique. While getting the tour of our new place the young lady noticed my new tablet and the art she had seen on the screen I was producing. We talked, and she expressed her love of art as well. So I said “Hey – would you like to have a go at it?”
Immediately we’re back in the studio and I’m setting her up. Including getting the chair higher so she can reach the tablet (always important). I throw down the gauntlet. This young lady is only too happy to accept the challenge. After a very brief introduction to how the tablet works, and Photoshop. I leave her alone. Unaided she is in the studio by herself happily just plugging away.
30 minutes later I return, and the picture is done. I couldn’t help but be impressed! The work was finished, colourful and fun. With very minimal guidance, Angelique was able to navigate a sophisticated piece of software, and a tablet off which the concept loses a few people.
Kids pick up stuff so much faster. I feel a little inadequate now, I’m still getting used to it! Ha ha! So the piece that leads this post is Angelique’s art. Enjoy!
Last night my wife and I hit up our favourite Japanese place in the city. Tanuki’s Cave. It’s an amazing Yakitori Bar. We treated ourselves to some awesome food and some good beverages. It was great. If you live in Auckland, I strongly recommend you go, even if you’ve been recently, do it again! You can experience the quality food and atmosphere once more!
Finally dragged my ass to a theatre to see “Where the Wild things are” which began here in New Zealand this past Thursday. That is quite a ways behind the North American general release, but it happens every now and again with cinema releases in this part of the world. I guess it must have something to do with how many prints of the film are made or something like that?
Thursday and Friday rolled past and I still hadn’t made any attempt to see the film. Finally on Saturday I was able to take my wife and we headed down to the local cinema. It was kinda frustrating at first. For one, we had booked online – but the cinema had no confirmation of our booking whatsoever. The dude was cool about it though, he charged us a second time, and told us if both charges went through on the credit card to call the cinema, explain what had happened and it’d be cool. After that there was a long wait before that theatre was open as they took their sweet time cleaning it out. Mind you, what was my rush? All I was going to do was go into the theatre and sit my ass down. I suppose it was just weird hanging around for 20 minutes while they did the cleaning.
Once we were in though it was all good and soon enough we were enjoying the film. Without spoiling it for anyone. I will say I did enjoy it. It had this melancholic tone to it, which probably makes it not so much for kids. It was a nice addition to the children’s book though, so for those of us who grew up with that book, I think you’ll dig it.
The concept of the story itself is a simple one, but its all about execution that makes it work. Who wouldn’t want to travel to a far off distant land and just be king of some rad looking monsters. I’m pretty sure if they were able to turn Max’s costume into a Halloween costume, they’d be spinning gold right there. Instant cash. Ha ha! [Update Edit: My friend found this for me. Apparently there are some cool Max costumes out there. Nice work peoples!]
It must have been a weird one to try and get production on. It looks as though they are trying to get kids in to see this flick, but I’m not sure that is the correct demographic to be aiming at. If not the kids though, then what? I guess that is the harder question to answer. We did see a lady pull her kids from the seats though, and take them out of the cinema about half way through.
I could be wrong though? Did you take your children (if you have them?)? Did they enjoy? I’d be curious to know. It seemed more likely to be aimed at people who grew up with the book like myself.
The marketing seemed to confirm that they are aiming it towards kids. I found this in the supermarket today on my break.
Though, to be fair, it is nice to see a promotion on something like fruit rather than the usual cheap plastic toys you’ll find in a shitty McDonald’s happy meal.
Rest of the weekend breezed by. The year looks to be wrapping up quickly.
Thanks for reading!
Marc
