Accent On The Mental

I'm continuing to run the old TIM pages from experiMental Theatre, but the content grows more unsuitable for the front room as it progresses, so it's all on The Other Voice Of ODD!.

This morning has the next 30 strips (including the one above), and we'll run about another 100 pages over the next few days. Here's a direct link to the full version of this post.

Later today, out here in the main room, we'll look at the much safer pages of Mad Science with Dr. Nick!...

...and perhaps some of that alternate world's history.

(Yes, we'll get back to real entertainment soon)

stuff by -3- (2011, 2013)

Back In The Daze

Sorry no posts this weekend. I've been locked in an inward spiral and having a bit of difficulty finding the exit.

While i'm down here, i figured i could get back to things by raiding my own past. For a while, i did a webcomic called experiMental Theatre. The first arc was entitled TIM or This Is Me. I did very bad things with a cyber-voodoo doll, but we'll get to that later. Today, let's just look at the opening strips to get an idea of what sort of weird world it was. (I'd say 'to get an idea of what was going on' but that's probably misleading)

The strip was done fast and loose - minimal pencils and speed inking for a frantic brush style. And strictly black and white - no greys. So lots of hatching and odd line work for textures, with a fun additional challenge of getting psychedelic without colour (later in the series).

So, go ahead and dive in - you can claim you were pushed. I won't say a word...

At this point, we get the first nudity (of which there was a fair bit, along with other things like Language, Violence and eventually Sex), and so this strip is only visible in our back room for adult content. Later, we'll have to continue this discussion back there in the Other Voice of ODD!. Here's a direct link to the uncut version of this post. For the moment, let us summarize - 

Our protagonist ran full tilt into a thick tree branch and knocked himself unconscious. A naked girl comes along, pokes him with a stick, and then gleefully punts him over the treeline and off a cliff...

Next:
things start to get a little weird

stuff by -3- (2010, 2011)

Dia De La Cabeza Muerta

It's one of those days...

Brain not talking to me just now. And doesn't want to prep pages. And Mel doesn't want to play. So, here's a few random images from work on The Third Colony. That's obviously another shot from Alyce: Glass Wonderland above.

Here's advertising for one of the most popular eateries -
 

(Yes, Dina Jr.'s pose is intentionally awkward and stiff - and in character)

...Cats Will Play, with Tom Cat and Pritty Kitty (and Manic Monday in the shadows - poor Tom)...
 

...and a recruiting poster for the local force -
 

Yeah, mostly weak bits of filler sitting on hand. Sorry about that. Maybe if we kiss and make up, my brain and i will be back later today with more better.

stuff by -3- (2020)

Sleeper's Dance I-III

Okay - i changed the background to that painting, but wound up repainting it all because i also changed things up a bit. I wet the paint more and softened up the brush with a cluster so tight it was just this side of painting with q-tips.

And i kind of went into a painting frenzy - finishing all three paintings in quick succession. (As always with fresh works, "finishing" and "finished" are subject to later review and revision after time and sleep).

However, you'll have to step into the back room if you want to see them. While i could get away with posting I & II up front (though perhaps pushing it), III and the assembled triptych would definitely offend the blog authorities. 
Here's a direct link to the post.

stuff by -3- (2020)

Sleeper's Dance Sleeping

Hmm...

Seems to be getting light out. Didn't notice - i've been up painting all night. More than ready to crash now, and not really certain when i'll wake again.

So, in case i'm not up in time to decide on a topic and prep the pages for a post, here's what i've been working on. I think it's close to finished, but never know what'll run through my head when i view it fresh after sleeping. 

I started out last evening working on the next Alyce painting with her ascent of the glass beanstalk. I made good progress, getting quite close to painting - but then the ol' brain took off on its own again and this popped out.

It's entitled Sleeper's Dance I -

-and yes, the next two are trying to get out of my head now. 
And, Bonus! I can use these to make promotional posters for the Lullaby Festival they hold to keep the Big Guy sleeping in The Third Colony.

Okay. That taken care of, i feel covered and can sleep without concern for when i wake.

I mean, y'know - as long as i do wake.
I guess...

UPDATE: Nope.
Now that i'm awake and look again, i don't like the background at all. This piece started out with a concept of clean, solid colours on stark black. But along the way i decided to contrast the levels by doing fades that were contained with sharp edges. Don't like it today - and the eyes seem wrong. Isn't he supposed to be sleeping?

So, repainting the background before i move on to the next one.

art by -3- (2020)

Meanwhile, Out On The Fringeworlds...

'Twas a fairly successful supply run today. Apparently the fear of vampires has passed and the stores were stocked with garlic once again.

The ol' mind is skittering about, a bit too unfocused for a real post, but the urge to post is there anyway. So let's ramble a few about some of the progress on The 3rd Colony. (If that's unfamiliar to you, it's the game i work to keep my mind from rusting up)

In Week 02, The Registry is running a series of Lotteries to bolster the coffers. (The Registry is the agency which coordinates and supports the superheroes in the game.) The prizes are of the Win-A-Date With A Superhero variety. (Heroes should really read every bit of those contracts) Of course, multiple lotteries are needed lest potential  purchasers be excluded. Hence Lottery ratings M, F, and A. Here is a triptych sampling of the posters to show you what i mean...

A couple of explanatory notes:

The word Consentable is a term indicating Legal Self-Competence in the game world.

Seed is empowered by the World Tree (that's the Wawa Aba on his chest) and has a holy duty to pass on the lineage. But only 1 in 10,000 women (at most optimistic estimates) is capable of successfully bearing the sacred heir. Tired of it though he may be, his search is near constant, by obligation. This is well known in the hero guidebooks, so his 'Prize' is altered accordingly.

Yes, it's Pinku Cherry, too.

Meanwhile, new shows continue to arrive on the vid channels, one of which should look familiar...

New adverts pop up as well, which can be a lot of fun. I wind up setting the design aesthetic of the 'art world' out on the Fringe, as reflected through the advertising. There are two competing major agencies representing the old school and new wave of the current local art movement.

These first two ads are from the new style agency, which you can see reflected in the sets and backgrounds -

This ad is from the old school competition (which a heavy touch of Finger/Sprang influencing their ads - these are the guys who'd have the giant working type-writer).
Yes, Genni is a popular up & coming model/star sought by clients of both agencies -

BTW - that Fluid Glass Fabric is made from industrial mining waste and has some nasty toxic properties. But OKW is OK Worlds Enterprises, the sleazy major corporate co-owner of the mining colony. And they're the most 'good guy' of the partners, so nobody is monitoring that stuff out here on the Fringeworlds.

Yes, i go into ridiculous levels in some aspects of the game. That's the beauty of having no real expectation of completion. Since the work itself is the important part to help keep things chugging along upstairs, i can let it go where it wants - as long as it all weaves together satisfactorily.

And i do believe it's time to slip back into it. Maybe i can get the promos done for C'thul'hu And The Angel or Purr Patrol.

We'll see...

stuff by -3- (2020)

Behind Alyce

As planned, i went back to review the first Alyce painting yesterday morning. I did indeed find fixes that needed doing, but i didn't do them. I will.

I'll get back to those corrections at the same time i'm making another pass on the second painting in the series...

Yeah, now things start to get a little odd...

art by -3- (2020)

Been Doing Alyce

I've made mention a few times of work i've been doing this past week. Allow me to elaborate a smidge.

Every now and again i like to make myself a new "Alice" for some paintings in various 'Wonderlands'. And that urge seems to be upon me once more, as you may have already deduced. So this week i've been building Alyce and working out some initial tests for the current Glass Wonderland to explore. 

Most of the last 18 or so hours has been spent cramping my hand with the first test painting in the series (with a few breaks to eat and put together this morning's post). I may go back and make some small changes after sleeping and looking upon it fresh, but for now i'm willing to proclaim it as 'Finished'

As noted, this is the first in a series, so please pardon that the focus of the piece is as yet unseen. This is, of course, greatly reduced from the original 20"x30" version -

art by -3- (2020)

Wait Half A Mel...

I'm Up!

I know it's past noon, but i'm just waking - not crawling back into the cave. Obviously too late for Sunday Morning Funnies, but we'll have a post this afternoon - after i caffeinate.

Since i am here and planning to post, we won't be following the new Mel Tormé policy. Here's half a Mel instead to tide things over...

We'll be back in a few hours with even more stupid...

Living The Butterfly Effect With The Velvet Frog

A Kid wiggles his fingers in the UK and causes changes halfway around the world. Funny how those things work. And, no - we're not talking vague theory here. It happens all the time, and happened around here just in the last 24 hours.

Of course, the nature of chaos systems is such that while we can predict an effect, predicting the exact nature of that effect is near impossible. (And it certainly doesn't help when you toss my old peripatetic mind into the mix)

So, less babble, more specifics, eh?

Comments with Kid on yesterday's post led to thoughts of a painting of Mel Tormé. Gordie left visions playing in my head with Mel in a giant mushroom forest, brightly colored rain falling - the drops in the shape of music notes. Eventually i sat down to start doing some layouts for such a painting.

I'm not entirely sure what happened next, but i wound up with a new character in Kelly's game instead...

...yep, the Velvet Frog is now walking around town; and performing on the weekends.

And, no - that's not just static drawing, the animated model is now hanging out with the rest of the cast...

(Yeah, he's a Ladies' Frog)

There are actually 3 viable already-existing potential explanations for his existence within the game. Rather convenient, that.

You may perhaps recall from a previous pic of the GC Rejects that the Penguin surrogate in this world is played by Howard The Duck in the role of Señor Oswald...

This neatly fills a plot gap for me. I needed an obsession for Oswald, and trying to steal the Velvet Frog away for his SOT Border (South Of The Border and get sotted) club fits in perfectly.

By the way, the merging of Kelly's Game and This City finally has a name, and temp title screen - ever growing...

I figured a crowd shot was the simplest way to go, and a lot gets coveyed with that crowd. There's about 60 figures currently, but at least half of the main characters aren't included yet. I suspect that before long we'll pull the camera back and start re-arranging while jamming in a few score more.

Okay - enough babble on The Third Colony, on to more, better Velvet Fog. While we're talking about Mel Tormé, did you know he had a few comic book appearances hiding in his past? (So many of the greats do, it seems)

Let's head on back to 1948 for the first of them - Juke Box Comics #2, with Jerry Fasano doing the artwork...

Mel also made a few more single panel appearances over the next few issues...

...including a record review -

Two years later, he appeared on the cover of Youthful Romances #10 -

Okay, technically he was on the cover of Juke Box Comics #2, but that was just his name in a slot on the jukebox. It was really a Dinah Shore cover. So i didn't include it.

He was also the narrator/star of the lead story in that issue of Youthful Romance, with art from Harry Harrison and Bob Bache (writer unknown)...

...and they dedicated the postal required text pages to the Velvet Fog -

As near as i can tell, that's the complete comic book career of Mel Tormé. But it wouldn't surprise me in the least to find him hiding in other pages.