Our first artist of 09

Happy new year all, and may you make the most of it.

Today I would like to talk about Keith Thompson.

Mr. Thompson has a rather impressive online folio of concept and finished art that is wonderful roller coaster of creativity that plunges into some of the darker regions of the imagination. Though, not unlike most coasters, some of the pictures might give some people a bit of gastronomical unease.

I tend to enjoy concept art, since you get to see it usually evolve over time. Portfolios often include early sketches of finished works, and a bit of insight into what the artist's thought processes were.

Some of my favorites from this particular concept artist are: The Slaver, Havelock (more on him later), The Firestorm, and the Viraemia. There are so many more wonderful pieces of artwork available for viewing on his website. I really recommend checking it out.

Didn't I say more on Havelock? Well, that was because this is a special artist of the week! Enter round two with: Modofly. These folks have some REALLY impressive works of art laser etched onto moleskin notebooks. We grabbed one for a friend of our for holiday, and let me be the first to say: DAMN, was it nice.

The reason they are here is because one of Mr. Thompson's designs is featured on the notebooks! Good ol' Havlock in all his creepy glory, now in sepia. I would go through my list of favorites here, but like the above mentioned artist it would be better for you to go and check it out for yourself.

The Holidays are not over...

The 'season' has just begun. So for the next few weeks we will be tortured with erratic versions of the same song over and over, blinking lights, not to mention simultaneously jovial and belligerent fellow humans.

If THAT doesn't sound like a psychological stress test, I don't know what does.

The good news, of course, is that egg nog is on the shelves once more. I will proceed to drink myself sick on it, as is a yearly tradition no less daunting than the annual gift gauntlet.

Lets talk about that for a moment, this gift gauntlet. I find it a bit odd that, no matter how well I know a person's habits, interests, or cares, I still find it difficult to buy gifts for them.

The woman I have spent no less than five years of my life beside is one of the hardest of all.
The next hardest are the people who have a tendency to buy whatever it is they want throughout the year, and leave nothing really left over for gifts. (Guilty!)

So, I encourage you, make a list of things you want. I know you hope that your friends and family will get you the things you want, or that it is the thought that counts so what you get doesn't matter, but please think of the gift giver. They are stressing over that perfect something to get for you so that they can make you feel as special as they see you.

Give em a nudge, make a list, or (for the hopeless one in your life, like me) sit them down and straight up tell them and make a list.