Ventures, Drawings and Projects!

Still not much to report, just been so tired all the time... most likely because I have'nt been doing anything lol. And when I am not at home being tired I am working at "mey local Budgens" so a bit bored at the mo. Half of it is to do with the fact that the summer holidays have'nt officially kicked off yet So half my friends who live here in the village have'nt arrived yet while my friends at Uni have basically all gone home. So I am in friend pergatory right now... HA! That's great I'll write that down.

Now at some point this week I will start sorting bits and pieces out for my third year Animation (I mean we have all summer but I thought I better make a start) which I believe will entail me to start writing up a story, etc. Anyway I will post information on that project in it's own personel Blog on Word Press (so my Tutour can view it and not get bombarded by stuff she really doesnt need to read like the first paragraph for example.... or even Shit, Bolloks Bastard I mean did you really want to read that?

Although I have'nt done any work for this project those of you who know me will know that I have been attempting to create a comic book seires about a man from 1950s America brought back to life to fight monsters and baddies in 21st century England. The character was a skeleton in a black slim suit simply called Smith, but unfortunately the character design was too similar to an already exsisting character; Skullduggery Pleasant. Now I was quite disappointed by this as I felt I put so many ideas into this story and I thought it was over because no matter how much diferent the characters were they still had a very similar appearance. So finally Smith has gone through a slight redesign. One that will hopefully distinguish him as a very different character.

Now the original design is on the left and the new design is on the right. I may have been influenced by Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Skellington and DC Comics Dead Man but I don't really know as well I did the first drawing on a back of a receipt at work so... Anyway he has become more of a living corpse than a skeleton and I have now started creating all the recurring characters using my Cintiq Screen Tablet so it should be good practice!

But apart from that not much has happened a couple of friends and I have just been drinking and playing old videogames like Streets of Rage, original Super Mario Bros, Mega Bomber man and Road Avenger on the Mega CD. Also I gave a cartoon that I heard of and have seen parts of a go. The show is called Venture Bros and I love it! Granted it isnt for everyone, it's basically a spoof of old adventure cartoons like Jonny Quest and there are also alot of super hero and comic book refrences so if your into all of this then you'll be fine. However I got my friend Chris into it. Sure sometimes he doesnt get it but hey neither do I sometimes. Well I knew of this show since I went to Newyork as we went to the studio (thanks to my friend Alex who was a massive fan) but I didnt have a clue about the show. Now nearly a year and a half later I now own season 1 on DVD and season 2 as files from iTunes. Well anyway I recomend it...

Basically the whole month of May!

Well a post about a month late nevermind, hey.

So my second year at University is over... it's kinda sad really knowing that next year is the big final year, I mean I felt I only just got here! So as its over the summer holidays have started and I have FOUR MONTHS. I am already bored lol (nah I am sure I'll find something to do)

Although I have one big task to do over the summer and thats to sort out my project for the third year. More on that later. As mentioned in the last post I was sorting myself out for the assesment, obviously that's now over and I got my results. Although I did well I still feel I could have done better as in the last test Assesment thing I got a First (This time I got a Two-One) but its not the mark that got me down, it was the negative feed back that came with it. I don't think there were any positive points. But then again I obviously didnt do shit otherwise I would'nt have been close to a First. Anyway after talking to Susie (my Tutor) once again I feel I just need to put it behind me but of course keep it all in mind and get that damn First next year!



The next day after getting my marks was my birthday, 25th May. It was good fun. That night we all had lots of drink, especially me as I think I payed for only 2 of my many drinks lol. although I didnt get that drunk as a couple of friends and overdid it at the chinese buffet before.... regret that ever so slightly. But it was just so good! So now i am 20, or Twenteen as I call it.... I am still a teen right? As for the birthday with the family we went for a great meal at a local pub.... Nice! And I received a very special gift.... well special to me anyway. It was the oversized hardcover edition of Batman Hush. With art work by Jim Lee, one of my favourite artists. I have only read a chapter as I got distracted by other things but I will read it as the book itself looks fantastic and it was one of those books I always wanted to get as an Absolute Edition. At the moment I am currently reading The Walking Dead volume 5 (finally) and the Manga 'Pluto' which is by my now favourite Manga writer/Artist (Besides Hayao Miyazaki and Katsuhiro Otomo) Naoki Urasawa! wikipedia it, its awesome! May have a post on it later as I am about to start volume 3!

Jesus I have lot to talk about. It would been easier to have it all in small weekly blogs like I am supposed to do! Anyway that weekend (May 29th) three of my fiends and I went to the MCM Expo in London. Now I never been to a Expo or convention or whatever, so this was very different for me. I really did like it, I was amazed by people who really went all out on their costumes (although Huw seemed uncomfortable lol) and what they had come as. There was a transformer and a Gundam Wing robot there! And they didnt look cack! The costumes looked good lol. I also spent all my birthday money there on books such as 'The art of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney' 'The art of Steve Ditko' and DVD's such as Futurama season 2 for £6 and Ghost in the Shell 2.0 for only £1! Bargain! But the best thing I believe is the Hardcover copy of "Elephant Men volume 1". Now I always heard of Elephant Men but never thought about trying it as I read alot as it is. But when I saw the creator at his desk with the books I thought mother of god get it!!! So I did and Richard Starkings (The Writer) signed it and drew the hippo character behind the front cover and Boo Cook (The cover Artist) also signed it! So definetly the best time to try Elephant Men and I hope they're there next year as I am sure I'll wanna get volume 2 and 3 and I might aswell get them to sign them to! Anyway sucsess so as I said I will be going next year if all goes to plan.

But not much animation related to post this time but I will start work on the third year project so they'll definetly be some posts of that either here on a seperate Blog. Oh and in my last entry I mentioned getting a PS3.... well I bought one.... but it still isnt here and I bought it online on the uuuuurrrr.... on the 26th May... so uuurrr.... yeah....


Anyway heres a bit of Bottom! Skip to 0:33 Ritchie's face is priceless! :D