.
Frank Buckles is the last surviving American veteran of World War One.
Some time a few years ago I realized that I had not met nor scene a WWI vet in a long, long time. In fact, my only memory of WWI vets was as a child, Independence Day, packed into the Paris Tabernacle in the heat with a mass of respirating bodies and sun blasting in and no air conditioning or even fans and having to sing patriotic songs and, amazingly, not dying of heatstroke. Up on the stand, local veterans, including WWI vets in their light green uniforms, their heads dropping, their bodies falling, sitting and nodding in the immense heat. In retrospect, I'm surprised I never saw one of those ancient men expire during that shindig. It was a sweat and CO2 factory.
But it didn't hit me until adulthood that the ancient men of my childhood would not be the ancient men of my adulthood. Every single one of those old vets is dead now, and WWII vets are starting to look as old as they did. And then it'll be my parents. And then it'll be me. And then I'll be gone.
One aspect of mortality that I find fascinating is how I am constantly being surprised when reminded that I am mortal.
What evidences of the March of Time have caught you off guard?
(Besides that one last Easter Egg discovered in September, I mean.)
.png)
2009-11-17
2009-11-16
Saturday's Werewolf Redux
.
A more pop-friendly version of "Saturday's Werewolf" is appearing in the issue of Sunstone coming out at the end of this month; a miniversion of that version is up now on their blog, here.
That version has already been given a healthy bit of rediscussion by John Morehead of TheoFantastique, here. You should, you know, check it out.
A more pop-friendly version of "Saturday's Werewolf" is appearing in the issue of Sunstone coming out at the end of this month; a miniversion of that version is up now on their blog, here.
That version has already been given a healthy bit of rediscussion by John Morehead of TheoFantastique, here. You should, you know, check it out.
2009-11-15
Svithe: In dialogue with Richard G. Scott
.
Richard G. Scott is an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His words are taken from his recent talk To Acquire Spiritual Guidance.
Theric: So sometimes I'm not sure what my goal is with all this svithery stuff. It's a little presumptuous to put myself up as some sort of spiritual guide. But if I'm doing it only for myself, why do it at all? Besides, some of these things are born more of desperation than anything else.
Elder Scott:I share an experience that taught me a way to gain spiritual guidance.
Theric: Great.
Elder Scott: One Sunday I attended the priesthood meeting of a Spanish branch in Mexico City. I vividly recall how a humble Mexican priesthood leader struggled to communicate the truths of the gospel in his lesson material. I noted the intense desire he had to share those principles he strongly valued with his quorum members. He recognized that they were of great worth to the brethren present. In his manner, there was an evidence of a pure love of the Savior and love of those he taught.
Theric: I assume it turned out well?
Elder Scott: His sincerity, purity of intent, and love permitted a spiritual strength to envelop the room. I was deeply touched. Then I began to receive personal impressions as an extension of the principles taught by that humble instructor. They were personal and related to my assignments in the area. They came in answer to my prolonged, prayerful efforts to learn.
Theric: Right. Ultimately, we all find out own way to commune with God.
Elder Scott: As each impression came, I carefully wrote it down. In the process, I was given precious truths that I greatly needed in order to be a more effective servant of the Lord. The details of the communication are sacred and, like a patriarchal blessing, were for my individual benefit. I was given specific directions, instructions, and conditioned promises that have beneficially altered the course of my life.
Theric: I can believe it. Really, the schmuck talking matters a lot less. Listening to, say, me, should be no more than a catalyst. That's a chemistry term. I'm not sure if you know it, being a nuclear physicist? But anyway, what I was originally talking about is that I worry that my motivations might not be purely, ah, pure. But you probably have a story for that as well?
Elder Scott: Subsequently, I visited the Sunday School class in our ward, where a very well-educated teacher presented his lesson. That experience was in striking contrast to the one enjoyed in the priesthood meeting. It seemed to me that the instructor had purposely chosen obscure references and unusual examples to illustrate the principles of the lesson. I had the distinct impression that this instructor was using the teaching opportunity to impress the class with his vast store of knowledge. At any rate, he certainly did not seem as intent on communicating principles as had the humble priesthood leader.
Theric: Oo. Yeah.
Elder Scott: In that environment, strong impressions began to flow to me again.
Theric: Really!
Elder Scott: I wrote them down. The message included specific counsel on how to become more effective as an instrument in the hands of the Lord. I received such an outpouring of impressions that were so personal that I felt it was not appropriate to record them in the midst of a Sunday School class. I sought a more private location, where I continued to write the feelings that flooded into my mind and heart as faithfully as possible. After each powerful impression was recorded, I pondered the feelings I had received to determine if I had accurately expressed them in writing. As a result, I made a few minor changes to what had been written. Then I studied their meaning and application in my own life.
Theric: Wow.
Elder Scott: Subsequently I prayed, reviewing with the Lord what I thought I had been taught by the Spirit. When a feeling of peace came, I thanked Him for the guidance given. I was then impressed to ask, “Was there yet more to be given?” I received further impressions, and the process of writing down the impressions, pondering, and praying for confirmation was repeated. Again I was prompted to ask, “Is there more I should know?” And there was. When that last, most sacred experience was concluded, I had received some of the most precious, specific, personal direction one could hope to obtain in this life. Had I not responded to the first impressions and recorded them, I would not have received the last, most precious guidance.
Theric: I don't even know how to reply to that.
Elder Scott: What I have described is not an isolated experience. It embodies several true principles regarding communication from the Lord to His children here on earth. I believe that you can leave the most precious, personal direction of the Spirit unheard because you do not respond to, record, and apply the first promptings that come to you.
Theric: I---could certainly do better at that. May I pull out the I-have-small-children excuse here? Or is this just a matter of me not asking sincerely enough?
Elder Scott: Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer or unsolicited when needed. Sometimes the Lord reveals truth to you when you are not actively seeking it.... However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when that guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily.
Theric: Well, thank you, Elder Scott for stopping by. You're welcome in Thutopia anytime. Just stop staring at me. Please. Any closing thought?
Elder Scott: I testify that you can personally learn to master the principles of being guided by the Spirit.
ThericL Elder Richard G. Scott, ladies and gentlemen!
Richard G. Scott is an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His words are taken from his recent talk To Acquire Spiritual Guidance.
Theric: So sometimes I'm not sure what my goal is with all this svithery stuff. It's a little presumptuous to put myself up as some sort of spiritual guide. But if I'm doing it only for myself, why do it at all? Besides, some of these things are born more of desperation than anything else.
Elder Scott:I share an experience that taught me a way to gain spiritual guidance.
Theric: Great.
Elder Scott: One Sunday I attended the priesthood meeting of a Spanish branch in Mexico City. I vividly recall how a humble Mexican priesthood leader struggled to communicate the truths of the gospel in his lesson material. I noted the intense desire he had to share those principles he strongly valued with his quorum members. He recognized that they were of great worth to the brethren present. In his manner, there was an evidence of a pure love of the Savior and love of those he taught.Theric: I assume it turned out well?
Elder Scott: His sincerity, purity of intent, and love permitted a spiritual strength to envelop the room. I was deeply touched. Then I began to receive personal impressions as an extension of the principles taught by that humble instructor. They were personal and related to my assignments in the area. They came in answer to my prolonged, prayerful efforts to learn.
Theric: Right. Ultimately, we all find out own way to commune with God.
Elder Scott: As each impression came, I carefully wrote it down. In the process, I was given precious truths that I greatly needed in order to be a more effective servant of the Lord. The details of the communication are sacred and, like a patriarchal blessing, were for my individual benefit. I was given specific directions, instructions, and conditioned promises that have beneficially altered the course of my life.
Theric: I can believe it. Really, the schmuck talking matters a lot less. Listening to, say, me, should be no more than a catalyst. That's a chemistry term. I'm not sure if you know it, being a nuclear physicist? But anyway, what I was originally talking about is that I worry that my motivations might not be purely, ah, pure. But you probably have a story for that as well?
Elder Scott: Subsequently, I visited the Sunday School class in our ward, where a very well-educated teacher presented his lesson. That experience was in striking contrast to the one enjoyed in the priesthood meeting. It seemed to me that the instructor had purposely chosen obscure references and unusual examples to illustrate the principles of the lesson. I had the distinct impression that this instructor was using the teaching opportunity to impress the class with his vast store of knowledge. At any rate, he certainly did not seem as intent on communicating principles as had the humble priesthood leader.
Theric: Oo. Yeah.
Elder Scott: In that environment, strong impressions began to flow to me again.
Theric: Really!
Elder Scott: I wrote them down. The message included specific counsel on how to become more effective as an instrument in the hands of the Lord. I received such an outpouring of impressions that were so personal that I felt it was not appropriate to record them in the midst of a Sunday School class. I sought a more private location, where I continued to write the feelings that flooded into my mind and heart as faithfully as possible. After each powerful impression was recorded, I pondered the feelings I had received to determine if I had accurately expressed them in writing. As a result, I made a few minor changes to what had been written. Then I studied their meaning and application in my own life.
Theric: Wow.
Elder Scott: Subsequently I prayed, reviewing with the Lord what I thought I had been taught by the Spirit. When a feeling of peace came, I thanked Him for the guidance given. I was then impressed to ask, “Was there yet more to be given?” I received further impressions, and the process of writing down the impressions, pondering, and praying for confirmation was repeated. Again I was prompted to ask, “Is there more I should know?” And there was. When that last, most sacred experience was concluded, I had received some of the most precious, specific, personal direction one could hope to obtain in this life. Had I not responded to the first impressions and recorded them, I would not have received the last, most precious guidance.
Theric: I don't even know how to reply to that.
Elder Scott: What I have described is not an isolated experience. It embodies several true principles regarding communication from the Lord to His children here on earth. I believe that you can leave the most precious, personal direction of the Spirit unheard because you do not respond to, record, and apply the first promptings that come to you.
Theric: I---could certainly do better at that. May I pull out the I-have-small-children excuse here? Or is this just a matter of me not asking sincerely enough?
Elder Scott: Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer or unsolicited when needed. Sometimes the Lord reveals truth to you when you are not actively seeking it.... However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when that guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily.
Theric: Well, thank you, Elder Scott for stopping by. You're welcome in Thutopia anytime. Just stop staring at me. Please. Any closing thought?
Elder Scott: I testify that you can personally learn to master the principles of being guided by the Spirit.
ThericL Elder Richard G. Scott, ladies and gentlemen!
2009-11-11
No better way to spend your Armistice Day
.
.
Brief sum-up:
You don't have to watch movies to play. I see way too few movies myself. Don't be intimidated. Do some web research.
Cool prize for the winner.
Don't read others' entries before you post your own.
Play!
And your odds are good, by the way, only a couple entries so far.
Only 20 days left to play!
click to play
.
Brief sum-up:
You don't have to watch movies to play. I see way too few movies myself. Don't be intimidated. Do some web research.
Cool prize for the winner.
Don't read others' entries before you post your own.
Play!
And your odds are good, by the way, only a couple entries so far.
Only 20 days left to play!
2009-11-10
First EVER Scoop!
(an award for Chillygator)
.
The Scoop Award hereby awarded to Chillygator.
To qualify for this award, Chillygator:
Congratulations!
Your very own tasteless award to post prominently on your own blog!
And the best part? This award is unique to you. It's more exclusive than a Nobel!
So rock this scoop!
The Scoop Award hereby awarded to Chillygator.
To qualify for this award, Chillygator:
- 1. Is cool.
2. Has a reptilian theme.
3. Asked for it.
Congratulations!
Your very own tasteless award to post prominently on your own blog!
And the best part? This award is unique to you. It's more exclusive than a Nobel!
So rock this scoop!
2009-11-09
Do I want to accept this or not?
.
It's a much prettier award than most blog awards:
Here are the rules:
Moriah showed some of this ambivalence as well, just passing the award on to the first eleven (11) blogs that came to mind.
Now, the criteria for worthiness:
Anyway. Why be a spoilsport?
To make the choosing process easier on me, I decided roughly half people I know, half people I don't know, all people who've posted within the last five days. Stopping when I get to nine. Because ten is a big commitment.
In alphabetical order:Those of you offended for being left out, please leave a comment. I'll make a special award just for you.
It's a much prettier award than most blog awards:
Here are the rules:
- 1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link [Moriah Jovan].
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. [!]
3) Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen for this award. [Yeah, right.]
Moriah showed some of this ambivalence as well, just passing the award on to the first eleven (11) blogs that came to mind.
Now, the criteria for worthiness:
- ....acknowledges the values that every Blogger displays in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values with each message they write. Awards like this have been created with the intention of promoting community among Bloggers. It’s a way to show appreciation and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web.
Anyway. Why be a spoilsport?
To make the choosing process easier on me, I decided roughly half people I know, half people I don't know, all people who've posted within the last five days. Stopping when I get to nine. Because ten is a big commitment.
In alphabetical order:Those of you offended for being left out, please leave a comment. I'll make a special award just for you.
2009-11-08
S is for Svithe
.
S is for Sunday, the day that I write
V is for Vacuous, a curse that I fight
I is for Intellect, a party to please
T is for Telling, of faith in degrees
H is for Humble, to welcome the Dove
E is for Everything, proof of God's love.
S is for Sunday, the day that I write
V is for Vacuous, a curse that I fight
I is for Intellect, a party to please
T is for Telling, of faith in degrees
H is for Humble, to welcome the Dove
E is for Everything, proof of God's love.
2009-11-07
Post #1181 in which I promote myself
.
1. Buy The Fob Bible!
2. Follow me on Twitter!
3. Read my Motley Vision posts!
4. Buy a tshirt!
5. Play the Preseason Oscar Game!
6. Read Fobcomics!
7. Check out The Weekly Svithe!
8. Read Eating Solano!
9. Perform thplays!
10. Watch some thvlogs!
11. Mourn Peace Love & Gingerbread!
12. Read old columns!
13. Thmuse randomly!
14. Copy my reading habits!
That seems like enough.
1. Buy The Fob Bible!
2. Follow me on Twitter!
3. Read my Motley Vision posts!
4. Buy a tshirt!
5. Play the Preseason Oscar Game!
6. Read Fobcomics!
7. Check out The Weekly Svithe!
8. Read Eating Solano!
9. Perform thplays!
10. Watch some thvlogs!
11. Mourn Peace Love & Gingerbread!
12. Read old columns!
13. Thmuse randomly!
14. Copy my reading habits!
That seems like enough.
2009-11-06
2009-11-05
I cannot imagine anything less interesting than the Yankees winning another World Series
.
I'm trying, but I just can't do it.
I'm trying, but I just can't do it.
2009-11-04
2009-11-03
2009-11-02
2009-11-01
The Metaphors of Dr. Caligari (a halloweeny svithe)
.
This is part of my irregular series of posts wherein I take a post I want to write and jam it into a svithe-shaped box.
.
Part of our regular Halloween decor is placing on old tv in our big front window and playing a Halloweeny movie. The first year we did It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, then Nosferatu, the White Zombie and then, this year, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari:
At one point in the evening I was left home alone. As we don't get that many trickortreaters and as the weather was pleasant, I started the movie over then went outside and watched it though the window.
I bought Dr. Caligari some years ago for a buck somewhere, but never did get around to watching it (a common theme in my movie-related posts, I know). So this was my first time, interrupted now and then by trickortreaters and by my responsibility to the pizza I was cooking and then, just as the climax was hitting, by the return of my family.
One of the elements I was most looking forward to in the film was the German-Impressionist set design, the buildings offplumb and the walls lurching in ausettling ways. And all the triangular doors and trapezoidal staircases were cool, but they didn't affect me in the right way. Decades of Dr Seuss have trained me to view the skippywhompic as whimsical rather than threatening. And I think that's a shame. (Not whimsy, but exclusive whimsy is the shame.)
I think the arrival of sound may have limited film's potential in some key ways. The dreamscapes of films like Caligari or Nosferatu or Vampyre don't transfer well to a world where a line of dialogue may be expected to explain away the absurd shape of a jail cell or the stripes of black in the villain's white hair.
In a world of sound, things may not be merely unsettling.
In a world of sound, we expect an explanation. And that which is explained is weakened, because the rational mind is allowed to pretend the celluloid world too is safe and rational. Lame.
Anyway. Time to svithify. Here are some potential metaphors we can apply to the above. Please help me choose the most fit.
Yeah. And a righteous Halloween to you to....
This is part of my irregular series of posts wherein I take a post I want to write and jam it into a svithe-shaped box.
.
Part of our regular Halloween decor is placing on old tv in our big front window and playing a Halloweeny movie. The first year we did It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, then Nosferatu, the White Zombie and then, this year, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari:
At one point in the evening I was left home alone. As we don't get that many trickortreaters and as the weather was pleasant, I started the movie over then went outside and watched it though the window.
I bought Dr. Caligari some years ago for a buck somewhere, but never did get around to watching it (a common theme in my movie-related posts, I know). So this was my first time, interrupted now and then by trickortreaters and by my responsibility to the pizza I was cooking and then, just as the climax was hitting, by the return of my family.
One of the elements I was most looking forward to in the film was the German-Impressionist set design, the buildings offplumb and the walls lurching in ausettling ways. And all the triangular doors and trapezoidal staircases were cool, but they didn't affect me in the right way. Decades of Dr Seuss have trained me to view the skippywhompic as whimsical rather than threatening. And I think that's a shame. (Not whimsy, but exclusive whimsy is the shame.)
I think the arrival of sound may have limited film's potential in some key ways. The dreamscapes of films like Caligari or Nosferatu or Vampyre don't transfer well to a world where a line of dialogue may be expected to explain away the absurd shape of a jail cell or the stripes of black in the villain's white hair.
In a world of sound, things may not be merely unsettling.
In a world of sound, we expect an explanation. And that which is explained is weakened, because the rational mind is allowed to pretend the celluloid world too is safe and rational. Lame.
Anyway. Time to svithify. Here are some potential metaphors we can apply to the above. Please help me choose the most fit.
Yeah. And a righteous Halloween to you to....
2009-10-31
2009-10-30
The Blogger’s Dozen Best Animated Feature Films in the Thteed Collection
.
Inspired by Time Out's deeply flawed (but very fun) top-50 list, Kohl Glass wrote his "Top 10 Underrated Animated Film List".
Wanting to get in on the fun, I've combed the Thteed Family Film Collection and curated a list of my own.
First, only animated films that are clearly features were deemed eligible. We own hundreds of animated shorts, some of which are among my favorite films of all time, but that's too hard a task, combing through those babies. So a film had to be animated, a feature, and excellent to qualify. And owned by the Thteeds. Those are the criteria. Then came the narrowing down to a blogger's dozen.....
Which was really hard. Getting from 15 to 14 was the hardest part. I love some films that didn't make the final cut. If I'd made this list a day earlier, it would have been a different list. Same with tomorrow. So I didn't bother ranking them --- this is just alphabetical order.
(The links go to the films' Wikipedia pages. My comments are in the rollover text.)
Free bonus! The other animated features we own are listed below to help you kvetch that I chose the wrong fourteen. Again, when possible, I linked to the film's Wikipedia page. If there was none, then IMDb.
Inspired by Time Out's deeply flawed (but very fun) top-50 list, Kohl Glass wrote his "Top 10 Underrated Animated Film List".
Wanting to get in on the fun, I've combed the Thteed Family Film Collection and curated a list of my own.
First, only animated films that are clearly features were deemed eligible. We own hundreds of animated shorts, some of which are among my favorite films of all time, but that's too hard a task, combing through those babies. So a film had to be animated, a feature, and excellent to qualify. And owned by the Thteeds. Those are the criteria. Then came the narrowing down to a blogger's dozen.....
Which was really hard. Getting from 15 to 14 was the hardest part. I love some films that didn't make the final cut. If I'd made this list a day earlier, it would have been a different list. Same with tomorrow. So I didn't bother ranking them --- this is just alphabetical order.
(The links go to the films' Wikipedia pages. My comments are in the rollover text.)
An American Tale: Fievel Goes West
Bambi
A Boy Named Charlie Brown
Dumbo
Finding Nemo
A Goofy Movie
The Incredibles
The Iron Giant
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
My Neighbor Totoro
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Spirited Away
Toy Story
Toy Story 2
X
Free bonus! The other animated features we own are listed below to help you kvetch that I chose the wrong fourteen. Again, when possible, I linked to the film's Wikipedia page. If there was none, then IMDb.
Aladdin
Alice in Wonderland
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
A Bug's Life
Cars
Chicken Run
Cinderella
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
The Curious Adventures of Mr. Wonderbird
Fantasia 2000
Jungle Emperor Leo
Kiki's Delivery Service
Lady and the Tramp
Shrek
Sleeping Beauty
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Surf's Up
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Yellow Submarine
2009-10-29
Thoughts on Inktober as it draws to a close
.
So even though I am by no means an artist of Inktober-founder Jake Parker's stripe, I do enjoy me a bit of a draw now and then and I thought I would give it a go. I clearly had good intentions or my sole Inktober entry would not have been given a number. But even if I didn't really play, I did watch others play (Brandon Dayton, for instance) and I enjoyed the artist links Jake provided.
One artist Jake references is Bill Watterson:
I'm currently reading the first volume of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes and I'm amazed every time I crack it how strips I still have memorized after years of neglect can make me lol all over.
But did Watterson affect my drawing style? No question I pored over those lines endlessly, particularly the more contorted faces (But surely you could try harder than this! / Yes, but you face? Doesn't that hurt? / I came from Sears? --- Money! Wealth! Power! I can buy anyone! --- I didn't look these up, but you fans know which faces I'm talking about.), and it's the faces where I can see his influence most of all. When I look at all these drawings I made this month, they are a) mostly faces and b) generally contorted.
But the drawing I do is not based on Watterson's style.
So my subconscious has been considering this problem of who the greatest influence on my drawing style has been. And an answer has been found.
James Thurber.
Could anything be more obvious?
I read all his books in high school and I drew hundreds and hundreds of Thurber dogs like these two:
No question my drawing style is more influenced by Thurber than anyone else.
Which is kind of hilarious when you realize he thought about as much of his drawings as I do of mine. And he was blind.
Once he was asked to reillustrated Alice in Wonderland but he said the Tenniel illustrations were fine --- let him rewrite the book.
But the most shocking thing occurred to me as I was writing this post. In addition to copying Thurber dogs all over my high school notebooks, I also practiced his signature. Including....this one:
It’s Inktober! What is Inktober you ask? It’s a month long appreciation of the art of drawing in ink and the practitioners that embrace that art. To celebrate I’m posting one ink drawing a day for the entire month. No pencils, no water colors, no photoshop, just the unadulterated black and white beauty of thick black ink on crisp white paper. Drawing with ink means commitment. There’s no hemming and hawing as to which pencil line you’re going to use, no sitting on the fence of values, no pussy footing with color. When you make your mark you better mean it. It’s black and white. True or false. On or off. And that’s what Inktober is all about. (original source) (inktobery rendering)
So even though I am by no means an artist of Inktober-founder Jake Parker's stripe, I do enjoy me a bit of a draw now and then and I thought I would give it a go. I clearly had good intentions or my sole Inktober entry would not have been given a number. But even if I didn't really play, I did watch others play (Brandon Dayton, for instance) and I enjoyed the artist links Jake provided.
One artist Jake references is Bill Watterson:
I sometimes don’t realize what an impact Bill Watterson’s art has had on me. I used to clip the Sunday strips from the paper and study them (I still have that little stack of strips filed away somewhere). Sometimes I’ll pull out a Calvin and Hobbes book and I’ll be looking at a panel or a character pose and it will hit me: So that’s why I draw eyes like that, or a running pose like this.
I'm currently reading the first volume of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes and I'm amazed every time I crack it how strips I still have memorized after years of neglect can make me lol all over.
But did Watterson affect my drawing style? No question I pored over those lines endlessly, particularly the more contorted faces (But surely you could try harder than this! / Yes, but you face? Doesn't that hurt? / I came from Sears? --- Money! Wealth! Power! I can buy anyone! --- I didn't look these up, but you fans know which faces I'm talking about.), and it's the faces where I can see his influence most of all. When I look at all these drawings I made this month, they are a) mostly faces and b) generally contorted.
But the drawing I do is not based on Watterson's style.
So my subconscious has been considering this problem of who the greatest influence on my drawing style has been. And an answer has been found.
James Thurber.
Could anything be more obvious?
I read all his books in high school and I drew hundreds and hundreds of Thurber dogs like these two:
No question my drawing style is more influenced by Thurber than anyone else.
Which is kind of hilarious when you realize he thought about as much of his drawings as I do of mine. And he was blind.
Once he was asked to reillustrated Alice in Wonderland but he said the Tenniel illustrations were fine --- let him rewrite the book.
But the most shocking thing occurred to me as I was writing this post. In addition to copying Thurber dogs all over my high school notebooks, I also practiced his signature. Including....this one:
"My drawings have been described
as pre-intentionalist, meaning
they were finished before the ideas
for them had occurred to me.
I shall not argue the point."
----James Thurber
2009-10-28
Click on Oscar to Play
.
We're down to one month in Preseason Oscar Game play. And participation, which I, in my optimism, expected to be up this year, is down. Very down. I mean, in other words, so far it's just me. That's it.
So.... Maybe I won't have to give out a prize this year after all.
But I don't want that to happen. So please consider the movies (you already know more than I did, like, for instance, Amelia is apparently really really boring --- so use that) and put together your entry.
We're down to one month in Preseason Oscar Game play. And participation, which I, in my optimism, expected to be up this year, is down. Very down. I mean, in other words, so far it's just me. That's it.
So.... Maybe I won't have to give out a prize this year after all.
But I don't want that to happen. So please consider the movies (you already know more than I did, like, for instance, Amelia is apparently really really boring --- so use that) and put together your entry.
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