Refinger

Finished?

I've just finished up (I think) a job with Neil Ross.
He was gracious and kindly employer with a knack for asking for things that can only live in his busy head.
The lizard is his design and the finger comes from something I did for Uli.

Headline News

I've been reading some amusing headlines.
This is my favourite, from the Aberdeen Press and Journal, on the sinking of the Titanic:
"LOCAL MAN LOST AT SEA".

Flutes

I visited the Museum of Natural History again a couple of days ago.
This is a traditional Amazonian arse flute.

This is an Amazonian preparing themselves for the rigors of arse flute playing.

This is a collection of ceremonial toilet seats, sat upon only by arse flute masters.

Neil Ross watched on with menace in his eyes.

Drinking and Drawing

Last night Channel Frederator put on NYC's first Drinking and Drawing get together.
In short, animators were required to turn up, drink, then were given 8 frames to draw in 10 minutes following on from the animator that came before them.
A bit like animated Chinese whispers.
I know that my pals in London are all thinking "So all the animators get together and get maggoted and draw...Isn't that called "going to work?"".
It was a very jolly affair and I got to meet all kinds of good folks, including Bill Plympton, who I've been stealing from for years (but not his satchel, which disappeared).
I was very happy to follow on from Bill's frames, but in typical fashion I managed to create nothing better than a series of childlike scribbles that provided more embarrassment than entertainment.

Warwick

Warwick Johnson Cadwell is not a former US president, but with a name like that he should be.
Instead, he's a terrific illustrator with an exceptional talent for well written outlandish stories.
Visit his blog and read them - they start at the bottom of the page and go up.

In unrelated matters, here is a picture of me with a cork up my nose.

Monkey Fucker

Arse Me A Question

Spiked

Branches

Killer Koala

Pisser

Still here, just busy!

Christmas Art Swap

Over on Drawing Board someone had the great idea to do a holiday art swap.
Everyone entered their names and addresses and you were assigned someone you had to draw a picture for, and someone sent you one in return.
Here are the drawings I sent.

A Freddy Christmas

Christmas greeting for the folks at Frederator.
(And look! It's in colour!!!).

Childhood Flashback

When I was a small boy there was a program on the tv called Shirl's Neighbourhood.
Having watched these clips it's obvious they were trying to recreate some of the knockabout fun of the Muppets, and I think they managed that very well.
Shirl was Shirley Strachen, an ex plumber who became a rock star in Australia with his 70s band Skyhooks.
After Shirl's Neighbourhood Shirl returned to plumbing, and presented DIY tips on a lifestyle program for several years until he died in a plane crash.
The show was a big influence on me.
The puppets were, like the Muppets, very cartoony which was very appealing to me as a kid.
I've been able to dig up a few clips on Youtube, and although it's mostly bloopers, there's always something entertaining about hearing puppets swear, especially puppets with strong Aussie accents.
Anyone who watches these clips will see the character of Claude the Crow, who was the neighbourhood grouch.
Claude had a remarkable segment on the show, where kids would send him in used bandaids, scabs and toenail clippings, which he collected.
Hard to imagine something like it today, but this was of course the early 80s, a time in Australian television where things were very casual and very entertaining.
Shirl's Neighbourhood ran a remarkable 900 episodes from 1978 to 1983.
Also of interest is that the characters were designed and performed by well known artist Ron Mueck.
If you don't recognise his name, you'll recognise THIS character, who Jim Henson hired him to perform.

Suicide For Christmas

Last Saturday night we went and saw Tiger Lillies perform again.
I went twice earlier this year.
The show was called "Suicide For Christmas" and they played a much livelier show than they did when I saw them in August.
There was a great bit of silliness when Adrian Huge was encouraged to commit suicide by downing pills, which he attempted to do.
He ended up playing the drums by spitting the large pills out onto his drum kit which was a crowd favorite.
Here are some clips from their performances in other bits of the world.

Nip Slip

This looks surprisingly like a nasty old sow I used to work with...

Holding Hands

What the fuck is this about????

Cough...ahem

This is one I perhaps should not have remembered...