Nov 26, 2008

R.I.P.

My trusty Wacom tablet has croaked. While I've had to replace the stylus and nibs a few times, I've used the 4x6 tablet deck itself since early 2003. I figured as a memorial I'd show some of the finer features of the unit, and point out some of my mods.















Firstly, the part I call the Diaper. This is a sheet of paper cut to fit and stretched around the tablet pad. This gives me a permanent sketchpad on a part of my desk that is rarely covered with junk, and rarely disappears when I need to find it. But most importantly, the Diaper creates a mildly coarse tension between the tablet and the stylus. Both items are made of a slick plastic, which of all the people in all the world, only seems to bother me. The Diaper kicks ass, and I replace it every week or two. As you can see by the limited number of scribbles, I'd just taped on a new one.















Nextly, you can see the Diaper straps and the rubber padding. I lost the last of the rubber feet about a year ago and came up with this solution. It reduces slipping, as well as bouncing when pressure is applied to the tablet.















Here is the unit, stripped nude, before I begin injecting the embalming fluid. You can see on the right that the finish is worn completely away, revealing under the sparkly blue? Glossy blue! Wow!


Lastly, the culprit, a frayed, bent-too-often USB cord. Sadness abounds, but not to worry, I have a backup, quickly installed and working aok. Still 4x6, with a new Diaper around it.

Yes, 4x6. Anyone who claims you NEED bigger is mental. Keep your eye on them.


Larger is just more expensive. Keep your money in your pocket. That's yours.

Nov 21, 2008

The right colors...finally


Went and found the proper paper. It seems that the posterboard is being replaced by the recycled, toothy stuff I've been fawning over. I bought almost a whole box of it. It's a bit bluer and not as bright as the posterboard of old, but it makes for a great silkscreen surface, esp with the inks I'm using.

We went down to the studio last night and actually pulled 2 colors on 30 sheets in the intended colors...success.

Nov 19, 2008

The Compromise

So the paper I was using for the first posters was great, with a toothy, recycled-ish, absorbent surface. But I didn't buy it the first time, Nicole had run to the store and gotten it while I wrestled with screens and inks.

Last week, I went back to the store with samples and discovered that it was posterboard. Posterboard. Currently, the various colors of posterboard come in that excellent paper while white remains that cheap, slick, junky crap that anyone can find at CVS. Tick-tock. I decided to print the new poster in a similar palette to the HHH3 poster. Unfortunately the red was designed to be yellow-green, so the small text is a bit harder to read than I would have liked. As a bit of a happy accident, many of the lights in the Lucky Dog are red. This really raises the contrast between the blue and the other colors.



I'll be selling these posters (18x24"), not sure when or how or for how much, probably $10-15 apiece. And I'm going to attempt to print these in the intended colors as well. Cheers,
d

Nov 13, 2008

Bumping this up for tomorrow's event...


























So I was asked a while back to participate in a project by my friends Scott Erb and Donna Dufault. They have created a portrait book called 20 Artists of Worcester (and their Work Spaces), of which I am honored to be a part.

To introduce the book Scott and Donna have arranged a show (including book signing). So grab your sharpies, or magnum45 marker if you REALLY cool and squeak this info onto your calendar:

The show will hang at:
The Davis Art Gallery, Printers Building
44 Portland Street - 3rd Floor, Worcester, MA

Opening Reception: Friday - November 14, 2007, 5PM - 7:30 PM

See you there.

Nov 11, 2008

Nifty new project just went to the printer...

We'll see how long until I get samples, and maybe see this in stores. Here's a small sample, can't show too much of this one...

Nov 10, 2008

HEY I HATE THAT STUPID THING YOU PUT UP



















YOU HAVE A BUSINESS! YOU PUT UP AN ANIMATED, FULL-COLOR, BRIGHTER!THAN!THE!SUN! ELECTRONIC-LIGHTED CRAPBOX ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. !!! IT DOESN'T MAKE ME WANT WHAT YOU SELL. INSTEAD--> IT TRIES TO DISTRACT ME --> WITH A SPINNING SPIRAL --> WHILE I'M DRIVING. IT IS A REAL-LIFE POP-UP BANNER. IT IS AS PISSP@@RLY DESIGNED AS A POP-UP BANNER. IT IS THE SAME RESOLUTION, THE SAME INVASION, THE SAME ANNOYANCE. INVASIVE ANNOYANCE. INVASIVE ANNOY--> YOU ARE A LITTLE-CITY HICK*RUBE*CHUMP WHO WASTED UMPTEEN GRAND THINKING YOU'D MAKE YOUR BUSINESS LOOK LIKE TIMES SQUARE. IT DOESN'T, AND THE DAMN THING IS MALFUNCT1O1O1OOOOIIINING HALF THE TIME ANYWAY. -->!!!
...

Also, if you own a pizza place, do you really need a 42 inch plasma? Seriously, relax.

Nov 6, 2008

O


Life won't be the same without constantly refreshing poll sites. Sigh...I guess I could go volunteer or something...

Nov 4, 2008

306 EV for Obama

I went to the Worcester flea market a few weeks back. there was one vendor who had lots of JFK busts. it reminded me that i used to see JFK busts all the time, everywhere when i was very young.

i get it now.

Jesse Jackson is on camera, but he seems anonymous in a crowd, and he's crying. While I type, John McCain is giving an admirable, honorable ...incredible concession speech.
d

I Voted.
























Yeah, I went there.

So, can anyone explain what's so difficult with putting a mark on a piece of paper, pushing it over a scanner into a big locked box. Touch-screens? Really? I guess someone saw someplace they could make a buck or steal a vote.

Monorail! Monoraaaiil!

I expect that tomorrow we'll have at least one YouTube video of some old guy in Ohio or Georgia beating the piss out of an electronic voting machine.