World Hetalia Day

Never before have I seen a phenomenon like Hidekaz Himaruya's manga/anime series, Axis Powers Hetalia.

What started as a Japanese web comic depicting a satire of history, culture and world events is now a published manga and anime series. That's pretty awesome in itself, however thanks to very active fans and the powers of the internet the popularity of this series has skyrocketed.

With the exception of some Korean protesters, people across the globe have lovingly adopted the characters which represent the many nations that make up our world. The result? October 24th is World Hetalia Day. According to the event's facebook page (so far) 28 countries are celebrating in 104 different locations. 104 separate events on the same day to celebrate Hetalia.

What makes it so amazing? Neither the manga nor the anime have been released in the U.S. as of yet. Manga strips were posted online and a translated by fans. The anime was released over cellphones and the internet, subtitles were made available by fans. The fact that fans and the powers of the internet took this series to the level of a world wide celebrated holiday is what makes it so amazing to me.

I'll be celebrating tomorrow too. Click here for the directory of public event locations.

Cartoon Network Goes Live Action

Cartoon Network is promoting it's summer lineup and I don't like what I see.  Four new live action reality shows have been announced and none of them have anything to do with the animation industry!  

Show number one, The Outsiders, is basically a teen version of Ghost Hunters or Paranormal State.  Show number two, Survive This, is obviously a teen rendition of Survivor.  Show number three, Brain Rush, is a trivia show that looks like Cash Cab but with teens and rollercoasters. Last but not least show number four, Destroy Build Destroy, is a Discovery Channel-esque show where teams of teens build and destroy stuff. 

Hmm there seems to be a trend here.  Obviously Cartoon Network is trying to expand it's teen audience.  I guess Adult Swin just isn't cutting it.  If that's the case why couldn't they have put more focus on getting the rights to air popular new anime or developing high quality cartoons like Total Drama Action and 6teen?  

If they really had to go the reality/game show route why couldn't they have done one for animators where the winner gets a job at a real studio or maybe a contract to produce their cartoon as a Cartoon Network Original?  How about behind the scenes programming of how cartoons are made these days? Interview big names in the industry from animators to voice actors and send some cameras overseas to where all the tweens are produced.  Where's the all cartoon trivia game show?   There are so many great options for this avenue.

I guess what bothers me most about all of this has been bothering me since Adult Swim started airing shows with poor quality production.  With a name like Cartoon Network they should strive to be the best in the field of art and animation.  Focus on reputation and quality.  Ratings are important, but so is the legacy of animation.  

Doodle 4 Google: Time to Vote

Help select Google's National Finalists from their 40 Regional Winners. 

Kawaii Not

My friends and I discovered Kawaii Not last weekend on a trip to Barnes & Noble.  "The comic for cute gone bad" by Meghan Murphy is a four panel webcomic that features inanimate objects with cute faces that say and do things that just don't seem right.

 

What a great concept!  Check out more comics at kawaiinot.com.

Google Image Search: With COLOR!

I just happened to notice today that Google Image Search now lets your search for images of a specific color.  How awesome is that?

I have no idea when this happened, but I just felt I had to make a note of it.

Try it out! http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en

Tegaki vs. Oekaki

So I am experimenting with a Tegaki E blog.  For some reason I expected it to be more advanced than my old Oekaki board.  So far I'm not that impressed...

Don't get me wrong, the whole concept of a doodle blog is awesome.  I love the idea that people can respond to your art with more art.  It seems like a great medium for role playing artists like myself, if you have someone to draw with, that is.  

Still the actual Tegaki tools are basic.  You can zoom, but you can't scroll.  You can pick colors from a large pallette, but there's no paint bucket.  You can change opacity but there is no watercolor brush.  Everything is on a single layer and there is no mask mode.  At least you can save and retouch your work.

Basic advise for anyone who wants to use an internet based drawing program:  Take screenshots often!

If you want to look me up on Tegaki, I don't really have anything up yet.  But you can find me here.  http://www.unowen.net/tegaki/uentries.php?u=62488

Tekkoshocon 2009

Tekkoshocon 2009 was a hit!  The Artists Alley experience this year was much improved over the previous year.  We joined a new fandom, met up with old friends and made new friends.  

No question, we will return in 2010.

Tekkoshocon 2009!

Dani Cat Designs and N. M. Allen Art are headed back to Tekkoshocon this weekend.  Here are some of new items for Artists Alley.

$5 magnetic dress up doll sets come with base character, two outfits and an accessory. Outfits are interchangeable.  Other outfits and accessories can be purchased separately from $0.50 - $1.00.  Fandoms represented are FMA, Death Note, Naruto, Bleach and Hetalia.

  

Doodle 4 Google

Google Doodles, the art designed on, around and through the Google logo, were started by a Google intern in 2000.  That Intern, now Google Webmaster, Dennis Hwang, began the tradition of celebrating worldwide events and holidays by creating themed variations of the Google logo.

Doodle 4 Google is a competition for K-12 students to design a new Google Doodle. This year the theme is "What I Wish for the World."  Registration closes on March 17th and all entries are due by March 31st.

Google is offering some very nice gifts for all finalists but the winner will recieve a $15,000 college scholarship to be used at the school of their choice, a trip to the Google New York Office, a laptop computer, and a t-shirt printed with their doodle.  The winner's school will also recieve a $25,000 technology grant towards the establishment/improvement of a computer lab.  

More information can be found here

http://www.google.com/doodle4google/index.html

I wish they did this when I was in school...

Wedding Sketchbook

So, I'm finally getting married and I want the details of the event to perfectly reflect my soon to be hubby and me. That's why I'm making a wedding sketchbook.

Like personal websites, most weddings have a guest book and ours will be no exception. However, I'm not satisfied with signatures. I want doodles! I have been obsessed with art my whole life. Even thought I don't find the time to doodle everyday, I carry at least one sketchbook with me at all times and I keep a note pad and pencil by my bed. I am a proud deviantArt subscriber and find inspiration through other artists all across the internet.

I love to inspire people to draw by sharing comments and critique and although only a few of my wedding guests actually consider themselves artists, I'm looking forward to encouraging the others to let loose and just doodle for the fun of it. Heck, I may even bring some colored pens or pencils... better yet, CRAYONS! That will bring out the kid in everyone and hopefully they'll get past any awkward performance anxiety and just have fun with it.

Check my latest deviation for the art I will use on the cover.

Sonic Fan Fights City Hall for Hedgehog & Wins!

The Sonic fandom is alive and well in today's youth. ktka.com reported that 11 year-old Judson King became so enamored with Sonic the Hedgehog that he decided he needed a real hedgehog. Unfortuantly the animal code in his hometown of Lawrence, Kansas prohibited hedgehogs in the city limits.  

Judson wasn't satisfied and asked his mom "How do we make them legal?" According to ktka.com, Jusdon researched every night for three years then sent a letter to city commissioners in January 2008,  asking them why they didn't like hedgehogs.  

Eleven months later, commissioners put his issue on a city commission agenda. Judson arrived in a suit and tie, armed with personalized folders full of hedgehog facts for each of the commissioners. It was no contest. Commissioners could not find a good reason why they were banned in the first place.

It took three years, but Judson got his pet hedgehog for Christmas.  You go little dude!