An Experiment Begun...



This is a blatantly inspired rip-off of the kind of thing Jim Woodring is doing on his blogspot site, but of course I am a far cry from his calibre of performance. Still since this blog is supposedly dedicated to comics and the other things going on at Crazy Naked Ape Comics Group I feel no shame in posting it. Stay tuned for more developments...

An Interesting Opinion




"...No man can be fully efficient if he expects praise or appreciation for what he does. The uncertainty of this reward, as experienced, leads to modificatioin of one's actions to increase its probability...If a man permits himself the purpose of securing admiration, he tends to make that purpose primary and the doing of his proper work secondary. This costs human lives..." Manual, Insterstellar Medical Services Pp.17-18;
from Doctor to the Stars by Murray Leinster

Malcontented Uprising



It should be noted that we never understood the true reasons for our dissatisfaction. We only knew that we could not continue under the existing regime and it's blindness toward our plight. As an organism we were a failure, so far removed from our orignial purpose that no one, NO ONE, could lead a convincing surmise of what that "true" nature could possibly be. There had been plenty of acceptable and even passingly plausible ruminations on the subject but after all none could agree and so the arguement degenrated into misperceptions and violence.

Superfluous Alchemy II



Ruminating on the chemical redundencies inherent in the system, our hero sallied forth into the transaxle. Armed only with his own misguided perception and a brush he attempted to catalog all that his senses revealed to him. Judging by his affect on the surrounding consciousnesses one could only catagorize his attempt as a failure. Undettered he struggled on and eventually was lost to the quest to rarely be glimpsed again by his original thought binder.

Mojo Risin'



Out past the forward observation station there occurred a most momentous event! It was witnessed by only three beings capable of consciously conveying the importance of the event, however in all cases the explanation of the happening fell upon deaf ears and unawakened minds so that the full meaning of the event would not be realized until many rotations had past.

Full of Sound and Fury...



Well here it is, what you've all been waiting for. The triumphant return of the new and improved Crazy Naked Ape Publishing logo! Your letters of support and appreciation have been overwhelming. We here at CNA hope you continue to support us in the coming years as we have much planned that may thrill you beyond your capacity to understand. Huzzah and bravely forward! Good day.

Perception's Deception



I heeded not the advice from dead Mentor's book. Only the challenge remained. The appeal of new discovery. The associated giddiness of unevaluated conceptualization. It was in this moment that I found myself staring back at me from the most likely and often most ignored of places. I let none deter, for what could they know of me. What could any other tell me that I could not discover individually.

Superfluous Alchemy



Under direction from the EXTERIOR Purpose, our hero's calamity became more manifest as the ever expanding rotations continued. Without abate the bananas fell and all the wonderful consciousness of the ulterior motive underwent miraculous transformation into a resplendent manufacture. Those who witnessed the exotic activity were forever altered and could from that day forth perceive happenings in the 33rd Dimensional Vortex. And our hero? What little rationality remained was stored in a locked cardbox, buried in an undisclosed location, making it a long and arduous journey ahead.

A Hastily Scrawled Note.



It wasn't until the diversion became the more prominent of my two activities that I gradually realized my mistake. I had put far more energy into "dis-tracted-ness" and not nearly enough into the things that mattered. All for the sake of a paycheck? What happenstance would need to occur to break me of this awful habit? What event would cause my orbit to fluctuate, And would I even recognize it when it occurred?

Carbarator Dung!


So fortuitous was it's manufacture that the clients never realized the depth to which their ordered device would alter the subjective realities of perception and comprehension. The whorled around them ceased to manipulate and catagorize, returning to it's original function; experiencing mysterium.



This second addition is merely a rough model sheet for an upcoming animation I intend on completing. Have a Merry March!

The Calamitous FUNderful Machine!



Accept NO substitutes! This is it! Everything you ever wanted and MORE! IF YOU pass up this opportuntity who knows when another like it will TAKE place? ALL this excitement for THE low, low price of your time! But you'll LOVE it so much, the hours you spend distractedly avoiding your primal urges and purpose will not be missed! If you act fast, we may just consider giving these things AWAY for free! Enjoy the centruy ahead of you!

Stone Face



Amoungst the J'ankarra Tribe their is a belief that all beings possess the inherent understanding of purpose. That once the drive and desire are combined, great power unlocks itself from the inner stores held in reserve until this moment of materialization. The being becomes it's purpose and it's capabilities increase. All is realized and the being begins a new manifestation. One that is expressed in the simplist of functions. The SMILE.

The First and Greatest Magic!



Under the brilliant moon we saw ourselves. With unclouded thought we knew this is what we wanted to be. And so we decided to capture this manifestation. To be FOREVER. All that would come after us would see what we were. Even if they could not understand us. That was not the desire, understanding is temporary. And we suffer from amnesia. But the "truth" of what we were would be emblazoned. We would dictate ourselves to the rock, to the tree, to the star. For to live once is to live always. Nothing could take this from us. And the magic we called down from the moon was memory, engraved on any and every surface we could find.

The Floating World



Incomprehensibly the scanners registered wave upon wave of gibberish. I could not decipher the ancient sigils of computerized context script nor would the circuitry allow me an opportunity. I was merely to observe and then later process. Now was not the time for thinking or understanding. I was merely a dendrite of some larger experintial organism. Breathing as it breathed. Sweating as it swote. The meticulous behavior of the larger forms of consciousness made me feel like an insect amoung giant uncaring beings. I mattered not to them. They were the dominate. They were the power. All I could do was feed off their refuse and process it back into the raw material they would consume at some later indefinable period of their existence.

Moonage Daydream



Floating in the etheric conciousness of the outer realms semi-phoric pre-ambulance, I awoke to the sound of her voice. She sang to me from across the expanding expanse. Seperated by eons of transcendence and gulfs incalculable by human imaginings, still she begged for my prescence beside her. I struggled with the breath. I clawed at the inner filaments of my brain. I pleaded. I bargained. I compromised. Anything to wreck myself to do her bidding. If only, for one moment to stand in the engulfing light of her love and know joy. To know my purpose as only she could determine it.

Power Symbol


The first divinity was the worship of the eye. All life corresponded with it's opening and returned to darkness with it's closing. The Egyptians praised it's power, making it the Supreme Symbol of the Goddess Maat who weighs the hearts of all those passing before Osiris against a feather. The ancient Solar deities were all manifestly connected with the Eye, a giant flaming watcher in the sky. The Hindu's speak of all reality being but the time's between great Krishna's dreams. We exist while his Eye's are closed and when he opens them, we vanish. Think on the uses of the Eye. It's functioning in interpretting data and relaying information to the brain. How through the extrapolation of light we are informed of the reality around us. What beauty would you fill your eye's with? What wonder would you choose to behold? My Eye's are more than just windows, they are my first memories and they shall be my last when once again I descend into eternal darkness.

The Eyes Have It!


Gazing into the immeasurable vastness of the expanse, one was only allowed to process so much. Everything else could merely be observed and hopefully recalled at a later period of contemplation. The cornea of the universe seized only what pleased it, and manufactured inverted imagery into incomprehensible sensibility. One's imagination knew no limits for a brief time span before the iris contracted. Until eventually the illumination ceased, leaving the watcher to dwell in darkness, waiting for the light to return.

Zombie Me and some other Dark Thoughts!



Not much to say about these two. I like using my brush pen again though, let me tell you. The flash and sparkle of Photoshop just doesn't hold out for me, especially since I'm so inept at using it. So from now on it's 'old school' all the way! Hopefully I'll post more frequently now? Keep your thoughts uplifted and you will reach the summit. Peace!

Through the Incandescent Window


Most mornings are the like every other. I get up. I get dressed. I go to work. Only slight variations from the norm, just enough to keep me interested. Can't complain though, many have less. Some have more, which isn't always better. Yet still this season has been long and exhausting. I feel used up. A dried out husk. The stimulation from my daily endeavors does not fulfill my heart. I feel the coldness seep into every pore. I long for the touch of the sun. In this despair I feel trapped. All of life seems like a madhouse. Then there are mornings when the mists sweep down from the mountains to caress the land about them and the sun is suspended in the fog just above the tree tops. Returning the World to it's self. Reminding me that; "Life is but a dream..."

Post Script: If you are having trouble seeing the image, try adjusting the brightness of your monitor.

Prolouge

Somewhere in the indefinably finite realm of vast blackness, we call space, there are rumors of a transport to other worlds. Where this transport came form and who built it? No one can say for certain. What little is known of it is often scoffed at by people who claim to be great thinkers. It's appearance is extremely rare. But let that not sway you to think that the story you are about to read is false or in anyway untrue. For all of these events did happen and were related to me by a person I have very much come to trust. The simple fact that they did not happen to you does not invalidate them. Nor should you assume this is merely some product of a writer's fancy. If you are ever to expand your conciousness beyond the little round world you live in, then look up in the night sky and watch as the stars dance along their circuit, perhaps one evening you will glimpse it. And if you are very lucky you may even catch a ride on the Space Rail.

Castus...Again!

Here's another attempt to get the lighting on the face correct. I don't think I quite nailed it. He's supposed to be bald and the shadows I placed on his forehead didn't come out the way I hoped. I'll try again later, but it felt good to return to the old-fashioned brush and ink method. It actually reminded me that I can draw good when I try (even if I can't wrote no good never.) Have a happy weekend.

Inquistor Castus



Here is a prelimenary "painting" of Castus. I would like to do a better version with more attention paid to color consistency and lighting. Specifically with the light source coming from the bottom center. I would also like to concentrate on the eyes to give them a more menacing appearance. Any criticisms, comments or cherry pies are more than welcome.

Inquisitor Morbis Kaal



This creation is another character inspired by an untold tale based on George Lucas' Star Wars Universe. Being a life-long geek I guess it's always been a dream of mine to contribute to this influential juggernaut of "science-fiction". For better or worse LucasArts has had a veritable stranglehold on the imagination of so many of us who adore specualtive future technology and the surrounding fictional stories associated with it, making it quite a task to avoid his influence.
I can't say that I enjoy LucasArt's seeming domination of the genre, but neither can I say I wouldn't jump at the chance to give my two cents. Who knows, I might just post installments of my laughable literary dreams on this very site?

Inquisitor Darth Castus


This is an old character I created for a Star Wars story my friend and I were working on. I never really got to tell the whole tale, but hopefully one day this very sinister man will become the stuff of nightmare for more people than just myself.

P.S. All apologies for the inconsistency of my posts lately. This winter has really taking more out of me than anticipated.

Corporal X-Ray!

This drawing was inspired by a character from an image I came across by Brian Bolland. I have been a fan of Mr. Bolland's work ever since I was 10 and read Camelot 3000. I love the oraganic feel of the wrinkles and folds he puts in his art. If you are unfamiliar with him I highly recommend checking out his stuff.

An Entire World of...





Some concept work that has no other home.

Panel #1220

Umm...yeah. Happy Holidays.

Falling into...?

Yet another freakish attempt to improve my "computer" art skillz. In this one I tried to duplicate an image from the Art of Episode III book, I added a little flourish to personalize it. I don't know why I bother, it seems like such a waste of time and I'd rather improve with a brush and pen anyway. Though I do like the color possiblities available in Photoshop and some of the masking effects are quite cool. Still...

Solution #1945 & Harry Houdini



Just some things I've been thinking about lately.

Two Great Masters!


I hope you all had a great holiday! I celebrated these two dead people by making pictures of them.

Fear the Hand of Darth Vader!



Yet another excursion into the inky realms of Darth Vader. The motioins are still real chopy, but I'm working on slowing down and geting some more solid looking movements from the puppet.

Darth Vader Speaks! (not really)



I did this animation with the Meadcom Real Action Heroes 12" Darth Vader "puppet" (okay so really it's a toy but I'm trying to sound "official" here). He comes with an assortment of hands for multiple gestures and with as many articulation points as he seems to have he is very conducive for stop-motion. I'm having a blast messing around with him in iStopMotion and can't wait to add things like a background, sounds and lightsaber effects!

More Altered Photos!


I know I said that I would move onto something else but I can't stop messing around with this new discovery. It is a sick fascination with self berratement. Why can't I do the techniques this computer program does so easily? Am I truly that untalented? Have I wasted my time trying to learn the finer arts? Should I just give into the machine? I'd like to say NO!, however what part of my life isn't ruled over by some kind of machine? Even the clock is a machine that keeps me up to speed with the rest of humanity. Lately though I am growing disheartened with such a connection, especially as it is so unfulfilling. What does it matter if I'm "on time" with the rest of the planet. Why isn't the rest of the planet on time with me? All this from a couple of photographs and a computer that's smarter than me? Oh well hope you check in again soon (maybe I'll really have gone crazy by then, now won't that be entertaining?).

A Binary Sunset: Redux


Just some more Photo-swipes. I really wish I could do by hand all the fancy functions this computer program can do. Sometimes compared to a machine I feel so ineffectual.

Tricks, Though Flashy, Still Fail To Satisfy!




So I went and learned this fancy function in Photoshop (let's hear it for aliteration everbody!). I practiced with it a bunch and here are some of my favorite results. I plan to keep trying, but am finding that I enter dangerous territory. The ease at which Photoshop renders certain things has made me very dubious of getting attached artistically to anything I produce with it. It would be far better to learn the actual techniques of rendering images by hand than by modifying them mathematically. However what a euphoric release to manipulate an image and alter it to suit my athstetic!

Again an Attempted Apptitude!


Yeah well, I'm trying. But honestly I think I'll go back to the "old fashioned' ways. the Wacom just doesn't respond to my particular brand of rendering and I'm too old (and lazy) to put more effort into perfecting my digital chops. Next time there will be (hopefully) something more appealing to look at.

The Horror, the horror!




All these "experiments" were done on Photshop CS. I am very angry with all of them as they are deformities brought to life by my ineptitudes with the Wacom tablet. Truly I should not have tried to play GAWD, for now I must take responsibility for these monstrous creations. Which means bathing and other grooming that I'd rather not go into, but they are all skin-crawling tasks to say the least. I hope you all take this as a warning to let Nature take care of itself!

He's NO Threat!



This here's my first attempt at "sketching" with Photoshop CS. The vast world of digital rendering has nothing to fear from me but fear itself. And maybe my 24 inch pythons! Seriously folks, though in other manifestations I may claim to dislike the rapid overtaking of the artist's craft with technical and mechanical wonders, I am somewhat amazed at the ease by which one can achieve a set upon goal in this, the 21st Century Age of Compooters! By no means is this particular rendering what I set out to create, however with practice and continued learning of the mathematical mania that is "digital art" I may just be able to advance above the level "shite" and be forever remembered as "crap"!

The Laughing Skull!

Enjoy the lunancy!

Samuryan Slash!



"The demonmachine was unprepared for the skill and speed of his stroke. Mere calculations were not enough to decipher the magnitude of the human spirit which, as fast as thought, struck true and to the point. With a soft release of breath the samuryan resheathed his deadly blade and walked on. Leaving behind the ruined circuits and parts of the demonmachine to rust in the dew and rain."