August 14, 2009
Hello again and Happy Friday! It's been months since I've posted a blog entry but tonight I've some exciting stuff to share. Tonight I have a spot in the late-night stand up comedy revue at the first inaugural Altadena Comedy Festival. The ACF is from Aug. 13th through the 15th and all proceeds go to a great cause, the American Cancer Society. I caught 2 of the shows last night and both were awesome. You can check out my myspace page for more links and details.
I'm working on a relaunch of Mark's Digital Arts for the near future. In the meantime thanks for all the support and cool comments.
Bye for now!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
I'm still here!
Friday April 20, 2009
Hello Again! It's Monday and I've been very busy and unable to post these past few weeks. I've been away from the blog because I've found a day job and have been devoting more of my free time to stand up comedy. Life is strange in that there are times when you will be most inspired when you have the least time. I suspect that muses are fickle and flighty. You can't choose when you'll have a creative burst or when you'll struggle through a dry spell. I've created a Myspace comedy page which is creative process as well. You can check it out to find out more about my doings since February.
There's no new picture or loops for this week, but I'll try to have something by the next update.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hello Again! It's Monday and I've been very busy and unable to post these past few weeks. I've been away from the blog because I've found a day job and have been devoting more of my free time to stand up comedy. Life is strange in that there are times when you will be most inspired when you have the least time. I suspect that muses are fickle and flighty. You can't choose when you'll have a creative burst or when you'll struggle through a dry spell. I've created a Myspace comedy page which is creative process as well. You can check it out to find out more about my doings since February.
There's no new picture or loops for this week, but I'll try to have something by the next update.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Context Free and a Frantic February
Wednesday February 25, 2009
Hello World! I'm very late but back with more of the good stuff. I may need to have fewer and less regular blog updates in the future but we'll see what time permits. My topic for tonight is graphics and the focus is on another fun and free program. Context Free is an art program that generates images from a set of written instructions called a grammar. The Context Free site has a great gallery of user contributed art and lots of examples. As a programmer I like the idea of using a limited scripting language to create images. The language itself is limited but flexible. I'll try it out and I'll post whatever results here.
There are no music loops this week, but I'll try to have some for the next update.
The picture of the week was created using Dogwaffle.
Click on the image for a full-siz
ed view
The DVD/movie of the week was The Dark Knight.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hello World! I'm very late but back with more of the good stuff. I may need to have fewer and less regular blog updates in the future but we'll see what time permits. My topic for tonight is graphics and the focus is on another fun and free program. Context Free is an art program that generates images from a set of written instructions called a grammar. The Context Free site has a great gallery of user contributed art and lots of examples. As a programmer I like the idea of using a limited scripting language to create images. The language itself is limited but flexible. I'll try it out and I'll post whatever results here.
There are no music loops this week, but I'll try to have some for the next update.
The picture of the week was created using Dogwaffle.
Click on the image for a full-siz
ed viewThe DVD/movie of the week was The Dark Knight.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A Mini Tour of Small Art
Sunday January 25, 2009
Hello again! Sorry for the lateness of this post, but fate and reality have conspired of late to keep me from getting to all I'd like to do. It's another quiet Sunday night and the rain has passed for the moment. The topic for tonight is minimalism and the focus will be on small works of art. The essential challenge of a small art work is to express an idea in a limited space. Writing tiny poems on post-it notes is a great concept and one that bears further exploration. A poet in Ireland has a blog containing a number of sticky notes with some small and thoughtful verse. A favicon is a 16x16 square image that is used to identify a web page. You can view this cool article about how to create your own favicons with a good selection of examples. Finally, I've found a page with links to 25 brilliant animated short movies. The shorts here are varied and there's something here for just about any taste. And that's it for this tour of small art works. I'll have more stuff to share next week.
The loops of the week are some strange synthesizer loops.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hello again! Sorry for the lateness of this post, but fate and reality have conspired of late to keep me from getting to all I'd like to do. It's another quiet Sunday night and the rain has passed for the moment. The topic for tonight is minimalism and the focus will be on small works of art. The essential challenge of a small art work is to express an idea in a limited space. Writing tiny poems on post-it notes is a great concept and one that bears further exploration. A poet in Ireland has a blog containing a number of sticky notes with some small and thoughtful verse. A favicon is a 16x16 square image that is used to identify a web page. You can view this cool article about how to create your own favicons with a good selection of examples. Finally, I've found a page with links to 25 brilliant animated short movies. The shorts here are varied and there's something here for just about any taste. And that's it for this tour of small art works. I'll have more stuff to share next week.
The loops of the week are some strange synthesizer loops.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, January 16, 2009
To Night, Tonight
Friday January 16, 2009
Unusually warm winter greetings. It's a balmy night considering it's January and this old gray cat has been busy. I've been out in the night a bit more this week so the topic is art with the word “night” in the title. The first night encounter is Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik, which has been translated (somewhat inaccurately) as A little night music. After listening to Mozart's lovely serenade you could view Vincent Van Gogh's The Starry Night. I've always liked the dark blue sky set with brilliant stars and moon and wisps that look like clouds or wind. Our tour of the night ends with a classic children's bedtime book Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. It's hard not to feel like a 3 year old in need of tucking-in when you read this beautiful book. I personally recommend warm (soy) milk and animal crackers as a suitable snack to be taken before bed with the 3 night-themed art works. And on that peaceful note I'll heat my milk and go to bed.
The loops of the week are some plucked string sounds.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Unusually warm winter greetings. It's a balmy night considering it's January and this old gray cat has been busy. I've been out in the night a bit more this week so the topic is art with the word “night” in the title. The first night encounter is Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik, which has been translated (somewhat inaccurately) as A little night music. After listening to Mozart's lovely serenade you could view Vincent Van Gogh's The Starry Night. I've always liked the dark blue sky set with brilliant stars and moon and wisps that look like clouds or wind. Our tour of the night ends with a classic children's bedtime book Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. It's hard not to feel like a 3 year old in need of tucking-in when you read this beautiful book. I personally recommend warm (soy) milk and animal crackers as a suitable snack to be taken before bed with the 3 night-themed art works. And on that peaceful note I'll heat my milk and go to bed.
The loops of the week are some plucked string sounds.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, January 09, 2009
I Got Rhythm
Friday January 9, 2009
Hello Again! It's another fine Friday in January and the new year is well under way. The topic for tonight is music and the focus will be on rhythm. I've always been fascinated by unusual and ethnic rhythm patterns. The combination of an odd rhythm with a strange instrument sound or sample can be both startling and beautiful. I've started an experimental piece that has that starts in a very conventional meter but gradually becomes more chaotic and less rhythmic. Adding a complex rhythm over a straight 4/4 or 3/4 meter can lend spice and interest to an otherwise bland arrangement. One of my favorite tricks is to start with a straight 4/4 kick/snare pattern and then add a hit every 3 beats on brushed cymbal or closed hi-hat. There are a lot of good DXi and VSTi drum machines out there, and most commercial software studios include some facility for grid entry of patterns. Devote some time to learning one and you'll soon be creating your own killer back beats. Give it a try!
The loops of the week are some sampled conga loops.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The DVD/Movie of the week was Whale Rider, an excellent film from New Zealand.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hello Again! It's another fine Friday in January and the new year is well under way. The topic for tonight is music and the focus will be on rhythm. I've always been fascinated by unusual and ethnic rhythm patterns. The combination of an odd rhythm with a strange instrument sound or sample can be both startling and beautiful. I've started an experimental piece that has that starts in a very conventional meter but gradually becomes more chaotic and less rhythmic. Adding a complex rhythm over a straight 4/4 or 3/4 meter can lend spice and interest to an otherwise bland arrangement. One of my favorite tricks is to start with a straight 4/4 kick/snare pattern and then add a hit every 3 beats on brushed cymbal or closed hi-hat. There are a lot of good DXi and VSTi drum machines out there, and most commercial software studios include some facility for grid entry of patterns. Devote some time to learning one and you'll soon be creating your own killer back beats. Give it a try!
The loops of the week are some sampled conga loops.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The DVD/Movie of the week was Whale Rider, an excellent film from New Zealand.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Finding Clarity Through Hilarity
Saturday January 3, 2009
Happy New Year! It's the first Friday of 2009 and it's chilly here in the Gray Cat's loft. The topic for tonight is writing and the focus will be on writing comedy. We've all had the opportunity to tell a joke we've heard but it's far harder to create a new joke. There is in fact an art to crafting a good joke and to combine a series of jokes on a theme. Brevity is a key skill and the silences between words or phrases can be as important as the words themselves. The meter and timing of a joke is rather poetic and at times nearly musical. The other side of writing comedy is performance and the real test of a good joke whether or not anyone will laugh at it. I've recently started attending comedy open mike nights at the local coffee bar and a nearby Mexican restaurant. These informal events allow anyone with courage or experience to try their hand at stand-up comedy. The seasoned pros will often try out new material while the newbies can get their feet wet in a rather forgiving venue. The process of trying your jokes can be daunting, but with practice it gets easier and the jokes that survive and get refined can form the basis of an act. I'll have more on the ins and outs of comedy writing and performance in a future post.
The brand new year 2009 holds promise and hope to balance the fear and uncertainty of the last year. Let's all try to embrace the positive and to give of ourselves in 2009. Help others if you can and keep the hope alive. Make every day an opportunity and seize the moment!
The loops of the week some high and glassy synthesizer loops.
The picture of the week was created using Project Dogwaffle.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Happy New Year! It's the first Friday of 2009 and it's chilly here in the Gray Cat's loft. The topic for tonight is writing and the focus will be on writing comedy. We've all had the opportunity to tell a joke we've heard but it's far harder to create a new joke. There is in fact an art to crafting a good joke and to combine a series of jokes on a theme. Brevity is a key skill and the silences between words or phrases can be as important as the words themselves. The meter and timing of a joke is rather poetic and at times nearly musical. The other side of writing comedy is performance and the real test of a good joke whether or not anyone will laugh at it. I've recently started attending comedy open mike nights at the local coffee bar and a nearby Mexican restaurant. These informal events allow anyone with courage or experience to try their hand at stand-up comedy. The seasoned pros will often try out new material while the newbies can get their feet wet in a rather forgiving venue. The process of trying your jokes can be daunting, but with practice it gets easier and the jokes that survive and get refined can form the basis of an act. I'll have more on the ins and outs of comedy writing and performance in a future post.
The brand new year 2009 holds promise and hope to balance the fear and uncertainty of the last year. Let's all try to embrace the positive and to give of ourselves in 2009. Help others if you can and keep the hope alive. Make every day an opportunity and seize the moment!
The loops of the week some high and glassy synthesizer loops.
The picture of the week was created using Project Dogwaffle.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
It's a Party for the Tardy
Sunday December 28, 2008
Hello again! It's another late post and the last one of the year. Holiday madness and a full couple of weekends have played havoc with my schedule. For this latest and belated update I have my annual list of my favorite games of the year. My top five for 2008 were:
#5. Civilization III. One of the best turn-based strategy games ever.
#4. Sword of the Stars. Space exploration and combat on a huge scale.
#3. Command And Conquer 3. 3D RTS with lots of varied units and depth.
#2. Unreal Tournament III. It's hard to go wrong with a good twitchy FPS.
#1. Forged Alliance. The sequel to Supreme Commander is pure addictive RTS goodness.
And that's it for this final report of the year. I'll be back with the first post of 2009 soon.
The loops of the week are a set of electronic percussion parts.
The picture of the week was created using Project Dogwaffle.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The DVD/Movie of the week was The Squid and the Whale.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hello again! It's another late post and the last one of the year. Holiday madness and a full couple of weekends have played havoc with my schedule. For this latest and belated update I have my annual list of my favorite games of the year. My top five for 2008 were:
#5. Civilization III. One of the best turn-based strategy games ever.
#4. Sword of the Stars. Space exploration and combat on a huge scale.
#3. Command And Conquer 3. 3D RTS with lots of varied units and depth.
#2. Unreal Tournament III. It's hard to go wrong with a good twitchy FPS.
#1. Forged Alliance. The sequel to Supreme Commander is pure addictive RTS goodness.
And that's it for this final report of the year. I'll be back with the first post of 2009 soon.
The loops of the week are a set of electronic percussion parts.
The picture of the week was created using Project Dogwaffle.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The DVD/Movie of the week was The Squid and the Whale.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, December 12, 2008
One Hundred and Counting
Friday December 12, 2008
Welcome Back! It's Friday once more and it's starting to feel more like Winter here. This week's posting is my 100th and it's hard to believe that over 2 years have passed since I relaunched Mark's Digital Arts. This week I'd like to thank all the good people who have contributed in some way to this web-log. I'll start with my lady love Bella who has always given me good suggestions along with hugs and smooches. My family, especially my highly creative nieces and nephew, have been a continual source of inspiration. Thanks to my BFF buddy Mark, who really should learn to explore his artistic side. Thanks for all the good reviews and kind words to C.K. Lester, a grand master of the Euphoria programming language and a heck of a good guy. A huge thank you to Steve, my sometime musical collaborator in New Zealand. You're a great guitarist and producer and I know you'll go far with your music. Thanks for all the humor and the serious writing to Ben of the Straight Scotch blog. Thanks for all the music suggestions and good vibes to April, of Dorkmuffin. I miss you kiddo. Thanks for including me in the band to Patrick, Michael, Randy, Todd, and Dutch of 3½. Thanks and hugs to Alejandra and Patrick, the other 2 thirds of the Experimental Film Group. Finally, thanks to Mom and Dad, for encouraging me to make music, and to write, and to create art. Here's to the next 100 posts and lots more tools, techniques, sites and tips to share. Thanks again to one and all!
The loops of the week are a set of electronic percussion parts.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The DVD/Movie of the week was Amelie. This film, like it's title character is both eccentric and charming.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Welcome Back! It's Friday once more and it's starting to feel more like Winter here. This week's posting is my 100th and it's hard to believe that over 2 years have passed since I relaunched Mark's Digital Arts. This week I'd like to thank all the good people who have contributed in some way to this web-log. I'll start with my lady love Bella who has always given me good suggestions along with hugs and smooches. My family, especially my highly creative nieces and nephew, have been a continual source of inspiration. Thanks to my BFF buddy Mark, who really should learn to explore his artistic side. Thanks for all the good reviews and kind words to C.K. Lester, a grand master of the Euphoria programming language and a heck of a good guy. A huge thank you to Steve, my sometime musical collaborator in New Zealand. You're a great guitarist and producer and I know you'll go far with your music. Thanks for all the humor and the serious writing to Ben of the Straight Scotch blog. Thanks for all the music suggestions and good vibes to April, of Dorkmuffin. I miss you kiddo. Thanks for including me in the band to Patrick, Michael, Randy, Todd, and Dutch of 3½. Thanks and hugs to Alejandra and Patrick, the other 2 thirds of the Experimental Film Group. Finally, thanks to Mom and Dad, for encouraging me to make music, and to write, and to create art. Here's to the next 100 posts and lots more tools, techniques, sites and tips to share. Thanks again to one and all!
The loops of the week are a set of electronic percussion parts.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The DVD/Movie of the week was Amelie. This film, like it's title character is both eccentric and charming.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, December 05, 2008
Easy Peasy 3D Bliss
Friday December 5, 2008
Cool December greetings! It's a rather quiet day here in the Gray Cat's loft. The topic for tonight is computer graphics and the focus will be on Carrara 5 Pro. I've mostly used and written about the Bryce 5 and Anim8or because they're both good programs and available as free software. I acquired Carrara 5 Pro as a featured free program on a 3D Now magazine disk, but it should also be available at a good discount because there is a later version. The application has always had something of a reputation as a good lower-cost alternative to some of the more powerful and costly 3D packages. I like the marvelous range of options and presets in C5P. You can create a 3D scene quickly using a wizard or roll your own from scratch. Every aspect of creating still or animation from modeling to finished rendering is included as are a number of sample scenes, models and textures. I like how easy Carrara 5 is to use and the high quality of the finished 3D art. It takes a good amount of learning and practice to get good results, but the training time is worth it. Another very cool feature is that Carrara will take advantage of the 2nd processor on a dual-core CPU when rendering. The only drawback is that Carrara doesn't have quite the same recognition as the bigger programs such as 3D Studio Max or Maya. C5P is a great balance between price, performance, and features. If you can get your hands on a copy, then be sure to give this excellent 3D application a try.
Next week: Mark's Digital Arts turns 100!
The loops of the week are some sample generated strings.
The picture of the week was created using Corel Draw.
Click on the image for a full-sized vie
w
The DVD/Movie of the week was Ringers-Lord of the Ring Fans.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Cool December greetings! It's a rather quiet day here in the Gray Cat's loft. The topic for tonight is computer graphics and the focus will be on Carrara 5 Pro. I've mostly used and written about the Bryce 5 and Anim8or because they're both good programs and available as free software. I acquired Carrara 5 Pro as a featured free program on a 3D Now magazine disk, but it should also be available at a good discount because there is a later version. The application has always had something of a reputation as a good lower-cost alternative to some of the more powerful and costly 3D packages. I like the marvelous range of options and presets in C5P. You can create a 3D scene quickly using a wizard or roll your own from scratch. Every aspect of creating still or animation from modeling to finished rendering is included as are a number of sample scenes, models and textures. I like how easy Carrara 5 is to use and the high quality of the finished 3D art. It takes a good amount of learning and practice to get good results, but the training time is worth it. Another very cool feature is that Carrara will take advantage of the 2nd processor on a dual-core CPU when rendering. The only drawback is that Carrara doesn't have quite the same recognition as the bigger programs such as 3D Studio Max or Maya. C5P is a great balance between price, performance, and features. If you can get your hands on a copy, then be sure to give this excellent 3D application a try.
Next week: Mark's Digital Arts turns 100!
The loops of the week are some sample generated strings.
The picture of the week was created using Corel Draw.
Click on the image for a full-sized vie
wThe DVD/Movie of the week was Ringers-Lord of the Ring Fans.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Turkey-Fueled Retail Therapy
Friday November 28, 2008
Hello! November is nearly done and in a couple of weeks this humble web log will see it's 100th entry. That's right mi agigos y amigas, Mark's Digital Arts is hitting the century milestone and I'm already looking for some special way to celebrate the event. The topic for this week is shopping in honor of Black Friday and the big Thanksgiving Weekend. This year the annual retail shopping binge was far more understated than in years past. The current bleak economy meant fewer shoppers to tussle over the deals. I hit the stores fairly early in search of some gifts for family members and friends and as a seasoned bargain hunter I'd done my homework. Check the the online or newspaper ads for the best deals beforehand. Plan a route for which stores you intend to hit with the best deals and must-have items at the top. Be prepared for the inevitable disappointments if the items you want are sold out. This year parking and checkout were a breeze, unlike in years past when I'd have to park several blocks away from the store and wait in a long line to make the purchase. Circuit City, earned my dubious “bait and switch” award for having a number of full-priced DVDs and video games mixed into the bargain bin with the sale items. No wonder those guys are facing bankruptcy. I'm done with most of my gift shopping now and need to find time to write cards and wrap the Xmas goodies. And that's my report from the trenches on a rather quiet Black Friday. Feel free to send me any shopping triumphs or misadventures you might have experienced.
The loops of the week are some synthesized bass loops.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The book of the week is The Secret Man by Bob Woodward.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it. Bye for now!
Hello! November is nearly done and in a couple of weeks this humble web log will see it's 100th entry. That's right mi agigos y amigas, Mark's Digital Arts is hitting the century milestone and I'm already looking for some special way to celebrate the event. The topic for this week is shopping in honor of Black Friday and the big Thanksgiving Weekend. This year the annual retail shopping binge was far more understated than in years past. The current bleak economy meant fewer shoppers to tussle over the deals. I hit the stores fairly early in search of some gifts for family members and friends and as a seasoned bargain hunter I'd done my homework. Check the the online or newspaper ads for the best deals beforehand. Plan a route for which stores you intend to hit with the best deals and must-have items at the top. Be prepared for the inevitable disappointments if the items you want are sold out. This year parking and checkout were a breeze, unlike in years past when I'd have to park several blocks away from the store and wait in a long line to make the purchase. Circuit City, earned my dubious “bait and switch” award for having a number of full-priced DVDs and video games mixed into the bargain bin with the sale items. No wonder those guys are facing bankruptcy. I'm done with most of my gift shopping now and need to find time to write cards and wrap the Xmas goodies. And that's my report from the trenches on a rather quiet Black Friday. Feel free to send me any shopping triumphs or misadventures you might have experienced.
The loops of the week are some synthesized bass loops.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The book of the week is The Secret Man by Bob Woodward.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it. Bye for now!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
It's Late but Great
Saturday October 22, 2008
Good Evening! Ugh, I'm late once more this week but hopefully this will be the last time for the year. It's Saturday night and I'm here with a fresh new entry, hot and straight out of the oven. I'm pressed for time this week so there won't be any new music loops and the entry will consist of an update of all my current projects. The experimental film group has cast an actress and I'm continuing to work on the music for the film. Work on the CSS enhanced version of my web site is moving ahead, though I seem to end up spending more time on graphic design then I'd like. I've also started work on some animated titles for new video project. I'll be back in about a week with more stuff.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The movie/DVD of the week was The Blues Brothers
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Good Evening! Ugh, I'm late once more this week but hopefully this will be the last time for the year. It's Saturday night and I'm here with a fresh new entry, hot and straight out of the oven. I'm pressed for time this week so there won't be any new music loops and the entry will consist of an update of all my current projects. The experimental film group has cast an actress and I'm continuing to work on the music for the film. Work on the CSS enhanced version of my web site is moving ahead, though I seem to end up spending more time on graphic design then I'd like. I've also started work on some animated titles for new video project. I'll be back in about a week with more stuff.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The movie/DVD of the week was The Blues Brothers
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Musical Construction in Progress
Saturday November 15, 2008
Hola! It's Saturday night and I'm back with the belated hits and misses of the last week. The topic for tonight is music and the focus will be on composition. This week I've started in earnest on the score for a short film project that I'd been involved in. This is an entirely new challenge after only writing non-connected, self contained works. The first step was to start with the script. The most logical arrangement was to divide the story into 3 parts; beginning, middle, and end. The beginning part is orderly and regular. The middle suggested turmoil and growing chaos. The end would be broken down further into sub-parts, that all contain pieces of a greater resolution. The overall theme of the end is liberation through self-discovery. Based on those emotional cues, I started writing out chords and progressions. Major and bright 7th chords for the first, minor and unusual chords for the middle section, and complex chords for the finale. I'm still in the midst of creating this work, I'll post occasional progress reports as it moves and evolves. Stay tuned.
The picture of the week was created using Corel Draw.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some metallic percussion pads.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hola! It's Saturday night and I'm back with the belated hits and misses of the last week. The topic for tonight is music and the focus will be on composition. This week I've started in earnest on the score for a short film project that I'd been involved in. This is an entirely new challenge after only writing non-connected, self contained works. The first step was to start with the script. The most logical arrangement was to divide the story into 3 parts; beginning, middle, and end. The beginning part is orderly and regular. The middle suggested turmoil and growing chaos. The end would be broken down further into sub-parts, that all contain pieces of a greater resolution. The overall theme of the end is liberation through self-discovery. Based on those emotional cues, I started writing out chords and progressions. Major and bright 7th chords for the first, minor and unusual chords for the middle section, and complex chords for the finale. I'm still in the midst of creating this work, I'll post occasional progress reports as it moves and evolves. Stay tuned.
The picture of the week was created using Corel Draw.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some metallic percussion pads.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, November 07, 2008
From Last to FIrst on a List of the Worst
Friday November 7, 2008
Warm autumn greetings! The topic for tonight are lists of art and creation that are the worst in their category. We're talking real bottom of the barrel sludge here so be sure to hold your nose as you wade in. I personally think it's harder to agree on the best examples then it is to name the worst. The first stop on our tour of the truly terrible is Web Pages that Suck. The intent of Web Pages that Suck is to help people improve their own web designs by showing examples of sites that,well, suck. Aside from sites that are only slightly ugly or hard to use there are a few standouts that are so bad they defy description. If movies are your thing then Wikipedia has complied a categorized list of what are possibly the worst movies of all times. Fate has been kind to me as that I haven't seen most of the stinkers on the list, but there are a few notable turkeys that I had the misfortune of catching. While album art has suffered with the demise of the 12” LP record, there is a site that lists the 100 worst album covers ever. It's a great site, the comments were funny enough to make the do a spit-take. The next site of interest is a list of the 25 worst sitcoms ever. TV situation comedy has always been one of my favorite types of programming, but the worst list reminded me of how many really bad shows have been produced. That's my list of the best lists of the worst. Check them out!
The picture of the week was created using Corel Draw.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some spacious synthesizer pads.
The DVD/Movie of the week was Still Crazy. You need to have been in a band to appreciate some of the jokes but it's funny enough for just about anyone.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Warm autumn greetings! The topic for tonight are lists of art and creation that are the worst in their category. We're talking real bottom of the barrel sludge here so be sure to hold your nose as you wade in. I personally think it's harder to agree on the best examples then it is to name the worst. The first stop on our tour of the truly terrible is Web Pages that Suck. The intent of Web Pages that Suck is to help people improve their own web designs by showing examples of sites that,well, suck. Aside from sites that are only slightly ugly or hard to use there are a few standouts that are so bad they defy description. If movies are your thing then Wikipedia has complied a categorized list of what are possibly the worst movies of all times. Fate has been kind to me as that I haven't seen most of the stinkers on the list, but there are a few notable turkeys that I had the misfortune of catching. While album art has suffered with the demise of the 12” LP record, there is a site that lists the 100 worst album covers ever. It's a great site, the comments were funny enough to make the do a spit-take. The next site of interest is a list of the 25 worst sitcoms ever. TV situation comedy has always been one of my favorite types of programming, but the worst list reminded me of how many really bad shows have been produced. That's my list of the best lists of the worst. Check them out!
The picture of the week was created using Corel Draw.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some spacious synthesizer pads.
The DVD/Movie of the week was Still Crazy. You need to have been in a band to appreciate some of the jokes but it's funny enough for just about anyone.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Macabre Movies for your Halloween Holiday
Friday October 31, 2008
Hello and Happy Halloween! The topic for tonight is films and we're going to talk about some great movies for the Halloween holiday. The first film on my short list is the original 1960 version of Psycho. There have been scary movies since, but few have come close to the impact and suspense of Psycho. In Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock created a cinematic touchstone that remains a standard for the horror genre. Another good film for Halloween is Hellboy, the 2004 film adaptation of Mike Mignola's amazing comic series. Hellboy is a marvelously unlikely hero and the film is visually amazing, filled with strange creatures and locales. The last recommended movie for our fantasy/fright fest is Shaun of the Dead. Shaun of the Dead is a dead on (no pun intended) parody of zombie movies with the few tenacious survivors under siege by hordes of the shambling brain-eaters. And that's about it for this Halloween. Try one of these films for some good thrills and laughs.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some synthetic plucked string parts.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hello and Happy Halloween! The topic for tonight is films and we're going to talk about some great movies for the Halloween holiday. The first film on my short list is the original 1960 version of Psycho. There have been scary movies since, but few have come close to the impact and suspense of Psycho. In Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock created a cinematic touchstone that remains a standard for the horror genre. Another good film for Halloween is Hellboy, the 2004 film adaptation of Mike Mignola's amazing comic series. Hellboy is a marvelously unlikely hero and the film is visually amazing, filled with strange creatures and locales. The last recommended movie for our fantasy/fright fest is Shaun of the Dead. Shaun of the Dead is a dead on (no pun intended) parody of zombie movies with the few tenacious survivors under siege by hordes of the shambling brain-eaters. And that's about it for this Halloween. Try one of these films for some good thrills and laughs.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some synthetic plucked string parts.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Creating tiled textures
Friday October 24, 2008
Greetings! It's Friday night and time once more for my weekly share of artistic and technical rants and ravings. The topic for tonight is graphic and focus will be on creating tiled textures. I've been making a number of seamless tiled textured to use as repeating backgrounds. Repeating patterns are also useful as textures for 3D models. To create a repeating pattern I usually start with a blank page of any dimensions. Next do some drawing or cut and paste images onto your blank slate. If your paint program has built in rendering you can use that feature to generate a semi-random pattern. Now it's time to make the picture seamless. Shift the image by about half the width and height. The “break” should now be visible in the middle. There are a few different ways to smooth the image. You can use a smear or smudge brush to blend the edges. You can also cut and paste small bits of the image over the edge area. Use your imagination and the tools in your particular art program. It's rather satisfying to roll your own tiled textures. Give it a try!
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some more dynamic drum parts.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Greetings! It's Friday night and time once more for my weekly share of artistic and technical rants and ravings. The topic for tonight is graphic and focus will be on creating tiled textures. I've been making a number of seamless tiled textured to use as repeating backgrounds. Repeating patterns are also useful as textures for 3D models. To create a repeating pattern I usually start with a blank page of any dimensions. Next do some drawing or cut and paste images onto your blank slate. If your paint program has built in rendering you can use that feature to generate a semi-random pattern. Now it's time to make the picture seamless. Shift the image by about half the width and height. The “break” should now be visible in the middle. There are a few different ways to smooth the image. You can use a smear or smudge brush to blend the edges. You can also cut and paste small bits of the image over the edge area. Use your imagination and the tools in your particular art program. It's rather satisfying to roll your own tiled textures. Give it a try!
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some more dynamic drum parts.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Great games for a lazy Friday
Friday October 17, 2008
Hello Again! It's Friday and I'm here with my weekly update of all things technical and artistic. The topic for this week is games and I'm going to share my current obsessions and time killers. MechQuest is a browser role-playing game with anime style graphics. I like pretty much any game that lets you fight it out with giant robots. The game mechanics are easy and the game can be played in short sessions that don't demand too much time. There are 2 RTS games that have been consuming my spare time at a ridiculous rate. Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a great game with a long lineage. The campaign is cool, but nothing is quite as much fun as starting up a skirmish against a few bloodthirsty computer opponents. The other RTS addiction of the week is Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance. FA is notable for sheer scale and numbers. It's quite possible to have hundreds of units engaged in separate actions across the entire map. Give them a try the next time you're looking for some fun and action.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some weighty drum parts.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hello Again! It's Friday and I'm here with my weekly update of all things technical and artistic. The topic for this week is games and I'm going to share my current obsessions and time killers. MechQuest is a browser role-playing game with anime style graphics. I like pretty much any game that lets you fight it out with giant robots. The game mechanics are easy and the game can be played in short sessions that don't demand too much time. There are 2 RTS games that have been consuming my spare time at a ridiculous rate. Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a great game with a long lineage. The campaign is cool, but nothing is quite as much fun as starting up a skirmish against a few bloodthirsty computer opponents. The other RTS addiction of the week is Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance. FA is notable for sheer scale and numbers. It's quite possible to have hundreds of units engaged in separate actions across the entire map. Give them a try the next time you're looking for some fun and action.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some weighty drum parts.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Styling and smiling with CSS
Friday October 10, 2008
Salutations! It's Friday night and once more I'm back with the usual mix of tech and creativity. The topic for tonight is web design and the focus will be on CSS (cascading style sheets). CSS were designed to add greater style control and to HTML web pages. Style is the colors, spacing, and fonts used in a web page, and CSS is all about controlling style. With style control you can create a web document that is far less generic and more artistic. I've been learning CSS and have embarked on a rewrite of my personal web site using style sheets. You can directly embed CSS style tags in an HTML document or you can link to an external file that contains all your CSS styles. With CSS you can design a web page with greater precision than is possible with plain HTML code. Everything works fairly well though I've found a few minor problems with Internet Explorer that don't occur when using Mozilla Firefox. Your mileage may vary based on which browser you use. You can learn more about CSS at the CSS Site. If you're looking to move beyond the basic functionality of HTML give CSS a try.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some rhythmic synthesizer parts.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Salutations! It's Friday night and once more I'm back with the usual mix of tech and creativity. The topic for tonight is web design and the focus will be on CSS (cascading style sheets). CSS were designed to add greater style control and to HTML web pages. Style is the colors, spacing, and fonts used in a web page, and CSS is all about controlling style. With style control you can create a web document that is far less generic and more artistic. I've been learning CSS and have embarked on a rewrite of my personal web site using style sheets. You can directly embed CSS style tags in an HTML document or you can link to an external file that contains all your CSS styles. With CSS you can design a web page with greater precision than is possible with plain HTML code. Everything works fairly well though I've found a few minor problems with Internet Explorer that don't occur when using Mozilla Firefox. Your mileage may vary based on which browser you use. You can learn more about CSS at the CSS Site. If you're looking to move beyond the basic functionality of HTML give CSS a try.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some rhythmic synthesizer parts.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, October 03, 2008
More Music and Free Glee
Friday October 3, 2008
Hello and Welcome! I'm back with the weekly dose of computerized merriment and artistic commentary. The topic this week is music and the focus is a on a great free sequencer. A sequencer program is the heart of a virtual music studio, in which you can record, arrange and edit compositions. Sequencers range from free trackers to costly and capable professional systems. I've advocated free and open-source software from the beginning of Mark's Digital Arts but I hadn't found a solid music sequencer with all the bells and whistles for zero bucks. Then this past week I stumbled onto MU.LAB from Mutools. MU.LAB comes in two versions; a slightly limited (6 tracks and 16-bit mixdown) free version and an “unlimited” version for a rather reasonable 50 Euros. MU.LAB free covers all the basic necessities (audio and MIDI, recording and mixing) and some advanced features (VST plug-ins). As will all music software you'll have to devote a little time to learning it but there is a complete HTML online manual and some short tutorials available at the Mutools site. The interface has a slick look and there is an included synthesizer instrument and some effects. I'm still experimenting and learning MU.LAB free so I'll have to save the detailed judgment for another day. Suffice for now to say that MU.LAB free is the only free music application I've found that approaches the sophistication of commercial offerings. Stay tuned for more about this intriguing and excellent free find.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some synthesizer sequences.
The book of the moment is Teach Yourself PHP and MySQL. Any computer book with a black cat on the cover gets my attention.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Hello and Welcome! I'm back with the weekly dose of computerized merriment and artistic commentary. The topic this week is music and the focus is a on a great free sequencer. A sequencer program is the heart of a virtual music studio, in which you can record, arrange and edit compositions. Sequencers range from free trackers to costly and capable professional systems. I've advocated free and open-source software from the beginning of Mark's Digital Arts but I hadn't found a solid music sequencer with all the bells and whistles for zero bucks. Then this past week I stumbled onto MU.LAB from Mutools. MU.LAB comes in two versions; a slightly limited (6 tracks and 16-bit mixdown) free version and an “unlimited” version for a rather reasonable 50 Euros. MU.LAB free covers all the basic necessities (audio and MIDI, recording and mixing) and some advanced features (VST plug-ins). As will all music software you'll have to devote a little time to learning it but there is a complete HTML online manual and some short tutorials available at the Mutools site. The interface has a slick look and there is an included synthesizer instrument and some effects. I'm still experimenting and learning MU.LAB free so I'll have to save the detailed judgment for another day. Suffice for now to say that MU.LAB free is the only free music application I've found that approaches the sophistication of commercial offerings. Stay tuned for more about this intriguing and excellent free find.
The picture of the week was created using Bryce.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some synthesizer sequences.
The book of the moment is Teach Yourself PHP and MySQL. Any computer book with a black cat on the cover gets my attention.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Drawing on Versatile Vectors
Friday September 26, 2008
Greetings! It's another warm Friday evening and I'm back with my weekly report of creative and fun stuff. This week the topic is graphics and the focus will be on vector drawing applications. The distinction between drawing and painting programs is whether they're vector or pixel based. Pixel paint programs draw and store everything as pixels, or tiny colored dots. Vector drawing programs draw and store pictures as dots, lines, curves, and shapes. The advantage of drawing programs is that they create artwork that can easily be scaled with no loss of detail. It's helpful to have at least one vector art application in your tool kit. Inkscape is a cool open-source vector drawing program with lots of features and excellent support. If you have a slightly bigger budget you can try Corel Draw 9 (or later). Corel Draw has a wealth of features and there are lots of tutorials online to help you learn. The remaining vector drawing program in my arts arsenal is OpenOffice.org Draw. OO Draw is the drawing component of the excellent Open Office suite. The benefits of OO Draw are greater simplicity and good integration with the rest of the OO package. There are many other vector drawing applications available but these three are a good start. Whether drawing a business diagram or your next art illustration, give vector drawing a try.
The picture of the week was created using Corel Draw.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some dynamic drum loops.
The movie/DVD of the week was Burn After Reading, a dark comedy from the Coen Bros.
The book of the moment is CSS in Easy Steps by Mike McGrath.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
Greetings! It's another warm Friday evening and I'm back with my weekly report of creative and fun stuff. This week the topic is graphics and the focus will be on vector drawing applications. The distinction between drawing and painting programs is whether they're vector or pixel based. Pixel paint programs draw and store everything as pixels, or tiny colored dots. Vector drawing programs draw and store pictures as dots, lines, curves, and shapes. The advantage of drawing programs is that they create artwork that can easily be scaled with no loss of detail. It's helpful to have at least one vector art application in your tool kit. Inkscape is a cool open-source vector drawing program with lots of features and excellent support. If you have a slightly bigger budget you can try Corel Draw 9 (or later). Corel Draw has a wealth of features and there are lots of tutorials online to help you learn. The remaining vector drawing program in my arts arsenal is OpenOffice.org Draw. OO Draw is the drawing component of the excellent Open Office suite. The benefits of OO Draw are greater simplicity and good integration with the rest of the OO package. There are many other vector drawing applications available but these three are a good start. Whether drawing a business diagram or your next art illustration, give vector drawing a try.
The picture of the week was created using Corel Draw.
Click on the image for a full-sized view
The loops of the week are some dynamic drum loops.
The movie/DVD of the week was Burn After Reading, a dark comedy from the Coen Bros.
The book of the moment is CSS in Easy Steps by Mike McGrath.
Send your comments and feedback and I’ll read it all and respond to some of it.
Bye for now!
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