DroolontheFrog Logo design

My Geek is taking the DroolontheFrog title for his new computer business. In the works is a web site featuring some software he's written and a technical blog. Of course, he needs an identity, which is one of my favorite things to do.


We didn't talk a lot about what he wanted it to look like. He mentioned using Willa in the design. I was willing to do it but it just seemed too home spun. The design would really have to be smart. My instant vision was of a frog in mid leap rendered in just green pixels. It looked great in my head but I couldn't get it to work out. The pixels were too scarce to convey the image of the frog I wanted.


I wanted the image to be simple, clean, smart and modern. Nothing cartoonish but not dry, boring or too formal. He wants to be taken seriously by big companies but approachable by private clients also. With the added pressure of a deadline, I opted for a flat, one-color rendering of the frog in my head. It has some nice geometrics to play with. I know My Geek had some of his own ideas so I thought I would be making several revisions but he loved it. He wanted very few changes.

I was also really pleased. The process was a blast and I just felt like I was in my element. Now I'm working the logo for use on the web and golf shirts.

Willa's Flic Pic: Next * * ½

Next
- Lee Tamahori
- Action/Sci-Fi, 2007
- PG-13
- Trailer

* * ½

Cris Johnson: I've seen every possible ending. None of them are good for you.


Overall, I believe the reviews for this film were pretty bad. All I know is that I had a good time watching it and since I was just going out for some mindless fun with my friends, this film worked for me.

Nicholas Cage, one of my favorite actors, plays Cris Johnson, aka Frank Cadillac the magician. In the 24/7 action and neon lights of Las Vegas he disappears, which is exactly what he wants because Johnson has a very attention getting ability of being able to see into the future. He can only see two minutes into his own future but it's still a skill that can be capitalized on by all the wrong people. Naturally, the Russians and the US government.

The US government knows that a Russian terrorist organization is going to detonate a nuclear bomb in the area but they have not idea where. FBI agent Callie Ferris (Julianne Moore) has caught on to the true abilities of Johnson and believes that he can tell them where the terrorists are going to act.

I find it very interesting that Johnson's ability is so limited. Although he exploits it in his own everyday life, he doesn't try to develop it for greater aspirations like world domination. He pretty much just wants to forget about it and blend in with his surroundings.

That 25-year-old Jessica Biel is 43-year-old Cage's leading lady is disturbing. Biel is the current hot item in Hollywood but we all know it's not for her acting abilities. The role simply called for a muse, a beautiful woman to inspire an uninspired man. There are a lot of hot 40-somethings out there who could have done this.

Even Julianne Moore, who played the bitchy, off-balance Federal agent would have been better. Her beauty is surreal in The End of the Affair and The Hours.

Moore is a great actress so I don't know what happened in her role as the agent. It could have been because she didn't have good direction or any context for the character, I don't know. She was playing a Fox Mulder-like character but it was just all over the place - smart then explosive, thoughtful then unconscionable. Weird.

My Geek made the best observation about the bad reviews. It is incredibly difficult to get a movie that messes with time past the critics. Since time travel and seeing into the future do not exist, it's easy for backseat critics to find plot holes or inconsistencies. A writer who spends too much time dealing with the plausible science of time could in turn lose an engaging story. There was enough story and enough action here to put Next on my list of Shameless Picks.

Illustration Friday: Suit

I came across the Illustration Friday web site last week while reading the blog of illustrator, Von R. Glitschka. This is what they are all about:

Illustration Friday is a weekly creative outlet/participatory art exhibit for illustrators and artists of all skill levels. It was designed to challenge participants creatively.

Illustration Friday is a weekly illustration challenge. A topic is posted every Friday and then participants have all week to come up with their own interpretation.

My entry this week is the SoulPerSuit logo. Playing cards are the basis for the art of SPS. I also collect playing cards so when I saw the topic "Suit" that's what I thought of.

I love the look of old wood carvings and etchings, especially in illustrated manuscripts. I wanted the logo to have that look and feel. It's actually a 2.25" square piece of carved rubber (NASCO Safety-Kut) imprinted using regular pigment ink (Brilliance by Tsukineko, I think).

3•1•6 Journal coming June 29, 2007

Well, it's finally here. The first issue of the 3•1•6 Journal will be published June 29. SoulPerSuit will be featured in this premier issue and the team is really excited. If you order your copy before June 17 you get a discount on the cover price. In celebration we'll be doing some cool giveaways over at the SouldPerSuit blog.

Wow! I had no idea it had been so long since I'd posted. Mostly that's a good thing.

We had a fabulous vacation in Florida and a well needed rest. Above is my little watercolor sketch. I like to get up early and sit on my sister's back porch and sketch the view. There were some beautiful flowers back there I didn't get to sketch. I hope my photos turn out. Watercolor is not my forte but I practice.

My SoulPerSuit team is getting ready for the first publication of 3•1•6 Journal on June 29. We have an article featured there and are mentioned on the cover. Very exciting! As a result, we are trying to get the web site updated, schedule some prize giveaways on the blog and start a study on Esther.

I am watching movies and reading a lot I just haven't had time to review any of them. I hope you're not at a loss for something to rent, although I would say the pickings are slim. Most of the movies in my list right now are over a year old.

I also have several little art projects in the works. A couple of logos, my design for Art Unleashed and I've just discovered Illustration Friday. I'll talk more about that in the future.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

For those of you who are fans of Studio 60, you know all too well that it was cancelled. The whole gang here (My Geek, Fluffy and ValetBoy) all loved the show and are thoroughly p-oed it was cancelled.

But if you're still wondering what happens in the rest of the season, you're in luck. NBC has decided to air the remaining episodes on Thursday nights (10E/9C) since they are all already in the can. It started Thursday, May 24 but you can always catch them online by clicking here. (Unfortunately, the first half of the season is no longer online so put it on your Netflix list.)

Vacation 2007

Since we were on vacation last week, I don't have a new movie to review for you.

We did go to the theatre and see 300... again. There still may be time for you to see this on the big screen which I recommend. It is very violent but if you can handle Braveheart, you can do this.

We also watched Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring on DVD. I would love a chance to sit and watch all three films (The Two Towers and Return of the King) back to back.

I have For Your Consideration, The Last Sin Eater, and Pan's Labyrinth on the shelf. I should get to one of those next week.