mike O's blogo

I haven't posted here in ages...

2010-10-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

That's because I've been posting all my screenprinting-related words and pictures to the blog on my new website www.redtablepress.com

I MIGHT post some things to obriencomics.com occassionally, but your best bet for fresh info is redtablepress.com

Sleeper Cell presents: Arts & Craft

2010-05-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

Just finished up this flyer for the dudes who do Sleeper Cell. They're putting on an art show at the Fridge. My friend Billi French is going to be in it. I am going to be there. You should be there!

Max Levine Ensemble, Hot New Mexicans, Shitty Darkness @ Black Cat!

2010-05-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

This here poster, see, is for this here cool show, see. Come check it out and enjoy the music.

Defiance Ohio and the Two Funerals @ The Black Cat

2010-05-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

This here is a poster design for this here cool show. You all check it out, see. I'll be selling posters.

Yellow Dubmarine dot COM

2010-05-20T08:12:00.001-07:00

Just launched yellowdubmarine.com. Go on and have a look at it.

A poster of firsts!

2010-05-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

Printed these posters today. Attend audiocandy+radio's JAWBREAKER event Saturday at Jammin' Java in VA. The show begins...bah, look at the poster. I'll be selling these there. It was a micro run, so there won't be many available. But check it--they are double sided. One side brown. One side black. You don't even have to decide which color you prefer. Also attempted my first bit of split-fountain gradient action in the orange-red headband area. This is also my first poster on non-white paper. It's a poster of firsts! Get in on that action.

Fresh off the vacuum presses...

2010-05-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

I printed these 4-color 9.5x25" posters last night with friend Kevin Gomes. Edition of 22.
I'll be selling them at the 5/21- The Max Levine Ensemble, Ambulars, Body Cop, The Gift show @ St. Stephens Church. Consider attending. Twill be enjoyable.

AC+R presents: JAWBREAKER with Tennis System, James Nasty + Dj Dredd

2010-05-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

I drew up a poster for this fancy show. Come enjoy the music. I'll be selling screen prints.

The Max Levine Ensemble, The Ambulars, Bullfight Academy, Body Cop, The Gift

2010-04-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

I just drew up a flyer for this cool show. Check it out. I'll be selling 9.5x25 screenprints of the design at the show. Come enjoy the music.

New Retro funky classy

2010-04-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

My friends the New Retro are playing a classical show at the University of Maryland's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. I drew a flyer.

Sketchy McSketcherson

2010-04-16T11:47:00.001-07:00

Here's some doodlings from whence I was on a plane.

Audrey and Me in Santa Barbara

2010-04-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

Got back from Santa Barbara a few weeks ago. Visited my friend Graham who studies rocks at UCSB. Had some wine. Danced a little.

SQUIID LAUNCH!

2010-03-03T13:47:00.000-08:00

Folks, the moment for celebration has come. Yesterday, Shaun Robinson and I launched Squiid, our full-service interactive web design company.

We're official now. If you want proof, head on over to the site: www.squiid.com

And if you like the illustrations on the About Us page, keep checking in because we'll soon be offering ways for you to win or purchase illustrations of yourself in the same fashion. (P.S. I drew them)

I repeat

2010-02-13T19:29:00.000-08:00

Attend this show.

New Retro and Navid at Velvet Lounge

2010-02-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

Hey folks be sure to check out my friends Navid and the New Retro performing at the Velvet Lounge on March 6. I'll be selling this screen printed poster there, and I'm also performing live visuals via projector during New Retro's set. Don't be square. Be at the Velvet Lounge on March 6.

Holy moley I forgot about this

2010-01-27T05:39:00.000-08:00

At the end of December I spent three days putting an animation together to submit to the Monsters of Folk's music video contest for their song Dear God. I twittered about it when I first put it online but I completely neglected to put anything about it on my blog. To make up for that lapse, here it is now:

Hope you like it.

Making that money.

2009-12-14T07:16:00.000-08:00

Kevin Gomes and I sold several prints this weekend, including six of the posters we designed and printed for the Moderators who opened for the Pietasters at the 9:30 club Saturday. We've still got 14 of the posters left and we're selling them for $10 a piece. Shoot me an email at obriencomics@gmail.com if you want one. We've also got plenty of copies of our other prints still available. They range in cost from $10 to $30, so shoot me an email if you want one of those too. I'll tell you what it costs and we'll figure a way for you to get it.

First set of screen prints

2009-12-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

A month ago I mentioned I would start posting screen prints I've been working on. Here's a bunch of them. All collaborations between Kevin Gomes and me. He's an ambitious printer. We ended up laying down more than 8 layers of color on each of these designs. A lot of late nights at the print shop. Very rewarding though. Hope you like them. Most of them glow in the dark.

New Retro logo.

2009-12-01T15:07:00.001-08:00

I've done up a logo for my friends New Retro. Look out for it in sticker format later on.

I have got to say, I like drawing afro-ed dudes for this band.

The Moderators @ 9:30 club on December 12

2009-11-30T09:39:00.001-08:00

So I've done up a poster design for my friends The Moderators who will be opening for the Pietasters at the 9:30 club on December 12. I'll also be screenprinting a version of the design onto a 12x18 poster that I'll be selling at their merch table. They'll probably cost between $10 and $15.

I've also uploaded a photo of the transparency I've been drawing the design on in preparation for the screenprint.

The New Retro myspace design

2009-10-02T07:10:00.001-07:00

A short while back, Shaun and I designed this myspace page for our friends New Retro. Now, they are finalists in a competition that you can help them win. Checkout their myspace page and see what they're all about. Then, follow this link and vote for New Retro so I can see them perform at halftime at the University of Maryland homecoming football game.

Screen Printing!

2009-09-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

I've started collaborating on some posters and art prints with a screenprinting friend of mine, Kevin Gomes. I've done a few sorry ass prints in the past, using my own equipment, so it's a boost for me to work with a guy who really understands the craft.

Kevin's work blew me away when I first saw it on facebook. I'm posting a few of those images to show what I'm talking about. See that Megatron print? 24 layers of color. Nuts. Check out the Joker and Darth Vader pieces. He used a cmyk process technique, which I didn't even know was possible. There's a number of other techniques he knows that I can't even explain because I don't understand them yet. So all in all, I'm looking forward to the work we'll be doing. I'll post them as they come.

Audiocandy t-shirt design

2009-09-30T09:28:00.000-07:00

I just finished a t-shirt design for my friend Paige Dearing who runs the blog and online radio show audiocandy+radio.

T-shirts for audiocandy+radio are available at skreened.com. Check out mine and other artists' t-shirt designs here.

Redskins Animation

2009-08-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a project I worked on at my internship this summer. It'll run as the intro to the "Inside the Redskins" program, see it Saturdays at 10am on NBC 4 if you're in the DC metropolitan area.

Vote For My Cartoon

2009-07-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a finalist in the Union of Concerned Scientists' annual scientific integrity cartoon calendar competition. Help me get my cartoon on the calendar's cover by voting at the UCS website. I'm number eight "8. Michael O'Brien"

Neil Young remixed

2009-07-23T12:39:00.001-07:00

My friends Mike O'Brien and Danny Falsafi remixed a bunch of Neil Young. O'Brien asked me to remix the original "Rust Never Sleeps" album cover. This is what it looks like. Listen to the beats that never rust here. It's worth listening the whole way through.

Squirrel

2009-07-23T12:35:00.001-07:00

Colors and Characters

2009-07-13T09:49:00.001-07:00

The New Retro

2009-07-07T07:57:00.000-07:00

I created this flier for my friends' band the New Retro awhile back, but I wanted to post it because I'm working on a design for their new website which is turning out nicely. I'll post a link to the myspace when it's fully functional.

I missed MAY

2009-06-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

Folks, I've not blogged for over a month. It's not that I haven't done anything, I've just been lazy...and my computer crashed and I lost lots of files. Heartwrenching stuff, but only to me. My computer's back in business no, so so check out this latest flier for my friends' Matt, Andrew and Grady's new ska band, The Moderators. They're playing their first show this Thursday and they're super siked/totally nervous because it's with the Aggrolites. So if you've got $15 and a hankering for ska this Thursday, hit up the DC9.

As for those lost files from the computer crash and the missing month of May, I'm gonna be going through my Gmail account and recovering any work I emailed out, because I know there's a good amount of it stored in there. As I do it I'll make sure to post stuff up here in a "Recovering May" series of postings. Until then, enjoy the rest of the internet.

Blogger's been giving me the business

2009-04-27T12:50:00.001-07:00

Blogger's been having trouble uploading my images lately so I haven't been able to post as many as I'd like to. I've got some screen printing images to show and stories to tell. Hopefully when it stops being a bitch to load images I'll be able to post some stuff. Also cartoons.

I'm considering this for my next screen print

2009-04-27T00:28:00.001-07:00

...which I will sell for five bucks. Email me if you're interested in a copy. It'll be 7in wide by 22in tall. obriencomics@gmail.com

I was reading my own blog and...

2009-04-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

...noticed my last three posts each contained a drawing of a dude with both fists up in the air like he's flexing. Look at that. That is weird. Something must be subliminally happening to me...it took me this long to notice.

UMD fraternities get too drunk, Greek life events cut short

2009-04-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

A while back I drew a lot of cartoons that made fun of fraternities. It was free material, poking fun at their antics, but it got old. Now I don't do frat cartoons unless something happens that makes it too easy to pass up. This one was really easy. Sweetening the deal is the fact that people can't suggest I'm playing off a worn out stereotype-- this was a case in which the organizers of Greek Week events, had to cancel activities because people got too drunk to properly participate. We're not talking puzzle games either, more like tug of war. "Here dude, grab this rope and pull that way...oh...you're puking on it..."

Check out the story about drunken fraternity members causing Greek Week events to be cut short. There's some good commentary there too.

College Park bars give beer on the cheap

2009-04-20T12:37:00.001-07:00

Check the story this cartoon's about here:

BTMI, Good Luck, TMLE, etc Flier designed

2009-04-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

I don't have a lot of rhythm, but these bands make me dance...or whatever it is I do at their shows...exceptionally. I can't make it out to this event because I'll be out of town, TCOB at a wedding, but thanks to Jon of the Max Levine Ensemble for letting me draw this flier. Contributing artwork to excellent musicians is a pleasure.

Check out my rough draft too. Originally I wanted to have a giant rocket coming in at the top right of the flier, but the longer I looked at it, the more and more it looked like a dong wagging about in front of this rocket man's face. I like a good porn reference, but this was drawing too much attention away from the important stuff, so I Lorena Bobbitt'd it.

Booting Scooters

2009-04-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

Scooters run rampant on UMD's campus. They zip around, make a lot of noise and puff out smelly smoke, and make you feel like a total dope for walking. I hate them. That is to say, I hate that I don't have one. Anyhow, that's not a big deal anymore because according to the Diamondback, university police are cracking down on scooters that drive illegally on sidewalks. I don't know how they're going to catch them, though. I see a police patrolling on a segway, when suddenly a scooter flies past him. The segway cop flips on his sirens and attempts pursuit, yelling, "Stop! I am the law!" hoping to god he won't have to go over a curb or something tricky like that.

Maybe they'll use spike strips.

Don't take his cartoon as me saying athletes are stupid...it's more that athletes don't seem to realize that the things they do (ie driving their scooter up to an ATM on campus and revving the engine while they make a withdrawal) are fucking annoying.

I wasn't sure if folks would understand that its a boot I've photoshopped on there--it looks sort of odd on a scooter--so I went ahead and labeled the thing. It's hokey, but I didn't want people missing out on the joke.

Lonely in California

2009-04-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Vermont for legalizing gay marriage today and to the D.C. Council who voted to recognize same-sex unions performed in other states.

Tortoise Porn

2009-04-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

There's been a bit of hullabaloo in the news lately about the MD legislature stepping in to stop the campus movie theater from showing a hardcore porn flick. Catch the Washington Post coverage here.

How do your drug habits affect poor people abroad.

2009-03-25T09:26:00.001-07:00

Something tickles me about stoner activists who don't drink Starbucks because they claim the company exploits coffee bean farmers.

New Animation

2009-03-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

I've made another animation. It's running on the Diamondback website tomorrow and my vimeo page forever. Enjoy.

Madoff

2009-03-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

Fantasia America

2009-03-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

New Cartoon & Animation

2009-03-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

I've completed a new cartoon, and now watch it move.

Stress Test

2009-02-25T13:25:00.001-08:00

Drawing poop in cartoons

2009-02-23T16:04:00.000-08:00

I've really got to stop doing this.

Hi Quality version via Vimeo

2009-02-19T00:29:00.000-08:00

Want to give out the quality source.

And here's the single frame...

2009-02-18T23:50:00.000-08:00

Which ran in the news paper. The animation took over 12 hours to complete. The still frame took 1.5 hours.

Editorial Animation

2009-02-18T23:34:00.000-08:00

I've finally done it folks, I've created an editorial animation. Here you go:

And here's a link to the cartoon online at the Diamondback.

Cooperation

2009-02-16T12:45:00.001-08:00

Cartoon

2009-02-11T10:51:00.001-08:00

Latest cartoon.

2009-02-09T16:29:00.001-08:00

Indeed.

2009-02-09T16:17:00.000-08:00

I got a comment on my last cartoon post:

No need to apologize, anonymous internet user, you courageous detractor you. Revel in your glory.

Cartoon

2009-02-04T10:15:00.001-08:00

Another fluffy one.

2009-02-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

Here's another cartoon I'm not super proud of because it fails to say anything substantial. It works more as an editorial illustration to accompany an article rather than a standalone cartoon. However, deadline calls.

Flying Flier

2009-01-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

For this flier, I used a photo of the balsa wood, rubber band-powered "Flying Machine" my parents got me for Christmas. Rock on retro toys.

Snow Day cartoon

2009-01-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

The University of Maryland closed early yesterday, the second day of the new semester. A good number of classes will have to wait begin, but there were SNOWBALLS!

I'll admit this cartoon says very little, it's more of a goofy illustration. But it was fun to draw.

Surviving the economy for dummies

2009-01-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

Here's my first cartoon of the new semester.

I've also just joined twitter @obriencomics is my name

Flier

2009-01-22T12:31:00.000-08:00

My friend's band is playing in Towson next week. I drew up the flier.

Iraq veterans are having trouble getting in-state tuition at UMd

2008-12-10T16:15:00.001-08:00

"It's just a slap in the face."- Diamondback article on the issue.

Yay, he's president! Now, what's on tv?

2008-12-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

Three Big Flat Tires

2008-12-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

Here's hoping I won't offend gay people.

2008-12-01T14:57:00.001-08:00

Turkey delicious.

2008-11-24T16:03:00.001-08:00

Felon folly

2008-11-19T19:11:00.001-08:00

The Savvy Student...is a douche.

2008-11-16T16:22:00.000-08:00

Scooters on Campus

2008-11-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

Our stimulus package is bigger than your stimulus package

2008-11-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

Slots referendum passed

2008-11-05T16:03:00.001-08:00

Slots Referendum

2008-11-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

Polls

2008-10-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

Ted Stevens

2008-10-27T18:45:00.001-07:00

People getting upset

2008-10-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

I've been drawing a comic strip called Professor Gorilla in The Diamondback for several weeks now and I finally got proof that folks are reading it. Though that proof did come in the form of a guest column in the paper about how sexist and racist it is.

Here is the column link and text (special note - I write my comic strip under the pen name "Ted McTinder."):

Guest Column: The 800-pound gorilla
Kumudha Kumarachandran
Issue date: 10/27/08 Section: Opinion

It's been 43 years since the Civil Rights Act of 1964; 88 since women got the right to vote; and 143 since the abolition of slavery. You would think that by now we have come a long way as a more unified society, right? Well, when I see cartoons like Professor Gorilla in The Diamondback, I feel the need to take a step back.

I am referring to the four-part series featuring Professor Gorilla's substitute and his obsession with Jung Sung's "talking" breasts. While I am certain that Ted McTinder meant for the cartoons to be in good humor, they are sexist and racist in nature. They isolate women, who make up 50 percent of this campus, and Asians, who make up about 14 percent. Like all racism and sexism in today's media, it is subtle and can be defended as satire so that we don't fight back, or even realize we are being discriminated against.

Jung Sung is sexy, but also extremely intelligent. She also has a very Asian-sounding name. In those three simple details about her, I can already see three incredibly strong stereotypes that face Asian Americans in the media every day. First, there is the hyper-sexualization of Asian women. You've seen this image before: an East-Asian beauty decked out in a revealing silk robe or dress. You'll be sure to see it during Halloween, when hundreds of girls sport their "Sexy Geisha" and "Dragon Lady" costumes. While it is regrettable that the media promotes this perception, it is worse when it is played out in real life as a "joke" that alienates people on this campus.

Second, there is the Model Minority Myth, the stereotype that all Asian Americans are incredibly intelligent and hardworking and do not need government assistance. You might pick up on this in TV shows, when you notice that Asian actors are usually playing the nerd in class or a doctor. This stereotype often deprives underprivileged Asians of getting the resources and help that they need.

Finally, there is the Forever Foreigner stereotype that insists on a specific idea of Asian people as the "Other" in society, who are never really seen as American. The cartoon further perpetuates the idea of the foreign Asian girl who becomes the exotic "other." In fact, Asian Americans have a long and diverse history in this country that dates back to the early 1700s. It is a history of people that have fought long against racist perceptions that have caused much injustice in the community.

Although the racist nature of the cartoons is subtle, the sexism is definitely more pronounced. The substitute professor ignores Jung Sung's intelligence because he is too busy looking at her breasts. I understand this is supposed to be the joke behind the strip, but is it necessary to take a cheap shot at all the women on this campus by telling them their minds are secondary to their bodies? We are at an institute of higher learning, and I would think the students would be able to utilize intelligent humor and know better than to further the oppression our society lays out for us.

It is funny to me that our generation is so adamant about rallying for change, but when it comes down to eliminating simple forms of language and humor that are tools of oppression, we write it off as being in good fun. We'll chant "Yes, we can," but when it comes down to it, we don't care enough to actually do something about it. John Mayer might make it seem acceptable for us to be "waiting on the world to change," but change will never occur if we apathetically sit on our asses.

Kumudha Kumarachandran is a senior government and politics major and is head of the AASPIRE committee of the AASU, which focuses on Asian American women. She can be reached at Kumudha.Nadine@gmail.com.

Super Candidates

2008-10-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

It's because he's Hawaiin

2008-10-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

Voter Registration ends October 14

2008-10-13T15:54:00.001-07:00

FiscHole Responsibility

2008-10-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

My Views on a shuttle bus

2008-10-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

Stock Brokers, Congress and the Almighty Market

2008-10-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Jack Perry wants English to be College Park's official language

2008-09-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

This issue is local to College Park, Md.

Another cartoon about the economy!

2008-09-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

I've been on an economy cartoon binge, three in a row on the same topic. That's bad news bears for someone who wants to keep his jun fresh and edgy. But with this, I'm not concerned. News on the economic crisis changes daily, it has been lede story for the past week and opinion pieces on the matter reflect that. As should my cartoons. So as soon as the economy settles out (not soon) I can get back to the presidential election, or global warming, or any other of those stock issues we cartoonists shamelessly rely on for inspiration.

Stock Market Plummets, Fed loses it in the sun

2008-09-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

Capitalism don't fail me now.

2008-09-14T18:55:00.001-07:00

It's a scary thing when capitalism stops running smoothly. This year has been a disaster, but the government has managed to step in and prevent the economy from collapsing when major investment firms have fallen into financial ruin. As a result, there were a lot of funny cartoons about banks asking for loans from tax payers.

However, the Lehman Brothers are seemingly the first major firm denied the federal helping hand and we're seeing how destructive financial mismanagement actually is. The Lehman Brothers are about to be liquidated. Like a mattress store shutting down. Everything must go. This will probably happen to several more corporations this year. It will suck.

Cartoon Response

2008-09-13T01:12:00.000-07:00

A letter to the editor ran in Friday's Diamondback about my cartoon a few days ago. It went thustly:

Skepticism on slots

Congratulations on your Sept. 9 editorial cartoon! You should reprint it every day from now to November. The cartoon says it all: Why stop with gambling, when there are many other socially undesirable practices that could be set up under state sponsorship and made to generate revenue? Of course, nearly half the slots revenue will go to the private firms that operate the racetrack and the business. And, of course, even legal gambling generates all kinds of unsavory (and sometimes illegal) sideline activities. The bulk of the funds will come from the pockets of poor people who are hoping for a lucky windfall, and therefore gambling is an even more regressive way to generate revenue than a sales tax. But nevermind: There may be some pennies left over for "education" (whatever that actually turns out to be). I am disgusted and ashamed the Board of Regents have been browbeaten into supporting the slots initiative, and I hope the student body will repudiate this support.
Lee E. Preston
Professor
business school

Here's a link to the original.

It's not often you get positive response to a cartoon. It's nice though. I'm looking forward to inciting negative criticism this year as well. We'll see what the future holds.

Lipstick

2008-09-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

This cartoon doesn't send much of a message, its more of an acknowledgment that "lipstick" has been a real buzz word in the campaign. I don't like that we're using rhetoric about putting makeup on animals as points of debate, but I suppose we have to argue about something. Just hope the lipstick thing doesn't go any farther. Maybe move on to blush or eyeliner.

Slot machines

2008-09-08T12:21:00.001-07:00

Slot machines were an issue when I was in high school, back when Robert Ehrlich was governor of Maryland. He championed the things, but the Maryland legislature shot him down. Now it seems O'Malley has support to legalize what was deemed immoral four years ago. We're sliding into the gutter, I suppose. I drew a cartoon about slots for my high school paper. Later, if I can find the thing, I'll post it.

Palin BABY mania!

2008-09-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

I don't care that Sarah Palin's daughter is having a baby. It's a wonderful thing even, especially if this baby inherits its grandmother's good looks.

On the topic of grandchildren, there hasn't been a "first grandchild" in a while, has there? I suppose Barbara and Jenna Bush were H.W.'s grand kids during his term.

Palin mania.

2008-08-30T23:05:00.000-07:00

I hope this makes sense.

Creativity Song

2008-08-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

I've taken a bit of time to work an animation for the pilot episode of "Sunflower Express" a childrens show set to air of Bowie public access channel...sometime.

Flier

2008-08-01T00:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've designed a flier, so I wanted to make this one good. My friend Jack, who plays bass for the College Park band The Summary asked me to draw something for their next gig. I agreed to. If you're in College Park August 8th, try to check out the show.
Oh yeah, this one I sketched in pencil and inked digitally with my wacom. Here's the original sketch.

Naked Bush

2008-07-30T02:52:00.000-07:00

I'll write something about this cartoon later. It's 5am and I work tomorrow.

*Edit - 07/30/08 12:26pm*

I'm at work now, and I'm pissed, but I don't want to talk about it. I want to talk about this cartoon. This is my favorite version of Bush to date. Thank god I got a good one in, because there's precious little time to do him anymore. Mike Luckovich draws my favorite Bush. He small and clueless (I just spent ten minutes trying to write a sentence explaining why I like Luckovich's Bush, but my brain's not working today. There's more to it, I'm just having trouble expressing it).

The lettering is a custom font I created using the wonderful free tools available at fontstruct.com It was a pain to make and still needs work, but its worth it to avoid handwriting everything.

I cheated on the oval office, and my wacom made it possible. I pulled a photo into photshop and traced the outlines on a separate layer, removed the photo and completed the shading freehand. Now you know my dirty secret.

RSS is super

2008-07-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

I've finally understand Really Simple Syndication and have started subscribing to my favorite bloggers' feeds through Google Reader. Realizing how much I enjoy aggregating all my favorite internet material prompted me to make the luxury available to anyone who reads my blog. The folks at www.feedburner.com made creating an RSS feed easy and even provided a sweet little link icon. Look at it, over there, on the left side of the page.
Anyhow, if you enjoy the pleasures of aggregation, now you can subscribe to El Blogo de Mike O.

wacom-generated editorial cartoon 3

2008-07-23T01:13:00.000-07:00

I'm getting better with the wacom, faster at least. Today's cartoon comes from an idea I picked up reading August J. Pollak's blog. He's smarter than me and did a better cartoon on the subject. I got to draw a dude barfing though, and that's probably the best side-view of an apartment building I've ever done.

Okay, I'm blogging from...

2008-07-20T10:42:00.001-07:00

Okay, I'm blogging from the couch right now. So, we're gonna take this out a little bit on the Internet once we get up frim the couch and look on the Internet. And, go look at my blog, do a demonstration on it. How great it is to blog just like talking to your phone. All right, see you there. listen

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wacom-generated editorial cartoon 2

2008-07-15T23:12:00.000-07:00

Here's my second digitally-drawn cartoon. I wanted to do something on Budweiser because I've lately grown fond of the beer and finding out that the company is selling to InBev unexpectedly made me feel as loss of pride. Its a shame we're losing competitive edge in the world economy, but I suppose its years of American arrogance and worldly ignorance coming back to bite us in ole' tuckus. Whatever the case, here's my cartoon.

wacom-generated editorial cartoon

2008-07-09T01:10:00.000-07:00

This here is my first go at a cartoon created completely on my computer. I am very happy with the art, because it achieves the sketchy "luckovichian" style I've been striving towards for a while now. It also pisses me off a little that I haven't been able do do this with traditional pen and ink. It means i'm a pussy in the physical world. I wouldn't take risks with pen and ink for fear of the tedious touch-ups and re-dos I'd have to do if I made mistakes. None of that with the wacom tablet--I screw up as much as I want and just erase over whatever's wrong. It's wonderful, but again, an unwanted reminder of my pussyness.

What with that, I'm not sure this cartoon is a good one for the message it sends. I think you have to be too much inside my head to get at the bigger idea I want to portray. Seeing as most viewers aren't telepathic, this cartoon will likely bomb.

Whatever.

Wait...one more thought. Handwriting is a bitch on the wacom.

Janitor sketch

2008-07-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

It was something like 3am. I couldn't sleep and went out for a walk around the office building near my house in Fredericksburg. Noticed some lights were on inside. When I walked past the front door I saw a janitor fella squeezing a mop out and getting to work. It was 3am. Thought it was poetic. Sketched a bit before going to bed, and here's what it was.

Boy MonsterI

2008-07-03T01:21:00.000-07:00

I have not posted much lately, but that's ok because no one reads my blog anyway. Ha ha. But I just received a Wacom Intuos3 drawing tablet from the mailman today and got to draw something directly on my computer. No pencil ink eraser, just me and photoshop. Made me figure that not posting art I made and like on the computer is very lazy. No scanning to do. Just save the file for web and upload it. So here it is. A creepy baby sketch for my comic book thats coming, Boy Monster.

-O.

Hey Carry(?). This is...

2008-06-12T17:43:00.001-07:00

Hey Carry(?). This is Mike I'm blogging from my cellphone. All I'm doing is talking to my cellphone and it's transcribing everything in about 5 minutes it's gonna put it directly on to my Blogger. I don't have to type anything. Sure there's a couple of misspellings maybe, but that's the voice(?) technology. And I can update more frequently without any trouble. Plus, I hate typing so check it out. This is my blog listen

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Student Government Presidents

2008-05-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

The student government president at Maryland gets a pretty good deal. He oversees legislation affecting a student body that is largely uninvolved in the legislature. Things happen in the student government and for the most part no one notices. Its a shame though, because students get awfully upset about things not going their way, but they've got to blame themselves for not paying attention.

This new guy, Sachs, made his inauguration speech about getting students involved. And then he proposed we have a spring fling. You know, with food and stuff...to get people involved. Give me a break, Sachs.