August 2008 Archives

Some try to keep memories alive while others seek rest. (Illustration Friday, topic: memories)

If the dark tones in this one blend to much together, please let me know. My LCD, although very good, sometimes shows more separation in darker tones than CRTs and prints.

Speaking of memories, while working on this I was listening to a great new album called "Sahara Swing" by Karl Hector and the Malcouns. It's basically a bunch of Germans playing Afrobeat (think Krautrock meets Fela Kuti). Made me think of one of my favorite bands, Can. So I listened to Can's "Soon Over Babaluma." It was good.

Prints: chrisleavens.imagekind.com

**NOTE** I'm in the midst of a major behind-the-scenes site overhaul, so if your comments don't show up right away, don't worry, they still made it through.

A few weeks back, a web/print publication called Oranges & Sardines contacted me requesting an interview. Here it is in all its glory.

In other Chris-art related news, it looks as if my painting, Seed Tax, will be appearing in a separate publication and another possible solo show is also on the horizon. More details when they arrive.

In site news, I've begun some under-the-hood tinkering, but you more than likely won't see any of the results for about a week or so. Apologies for any bugs or inconsistencies in the meantime.

My parents were in town, so my normal routine was interrupted, hence the delay. (Illustration Friday, topic: routine)

Acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20"

Unloosen has been in desperate need for an upgrade for a long, long time at this point. Since I had a few extra hours, I decided to upgrade the back end and database that power the site. This should allow for further enhancements/features (some of which I've been promising for months -- OK -- years at this point). If the upgrade results in any problems or inconsistencies, please let me know via email or by commenting on this post.

Editor's Note: Since NBC's Fear Itself is on hiatus during the Summer Olympics, Joe Blevins and Craig J. Clark have taken it upon themselves to review the direct-to-video horror anthology Trapped Ashes, which was released on DVD in July, as a stopgap measure. Their observations follow.

My fellow freedom-lovers:

Let me set the scene for you, citizens. It's Friday night [August 8 -ed.], and I'm sitting on the couch in my apartment watching a movie called Trapped Ashes. Screwy title, huh? Sounds a bit like Slapped Asses, which would also be a pretty screwy title but would not sound quite as gloomy and high-toned as Trapped Ashes. I'd been watching the Opening Ceremonies from Beijing earlier in the evening, but the Parade of Nations soon got to be monotonous, a seemingly endless procession of people dressed up like Century 21 agents, smiling and waving to the crowd in the manner of hometown beauty queens. Snoo-zers! So I succumbed the siren song of Trapped Ashes, which comes billed as a gore-riffic horror anthology, just the thing to substitute for my beloved AWOL Fear Itself. Anyway, the disc starts with previews, and normally I would automatically skip those but I figure, "What the hell? All the better to recreate the true experience of seeing a real movie in a real theater. Let the trailers commence!"

So many things to detach, so little time. (Illustration Friday, topic: detach)

The textures in this one almost brought my computer to its knees. Also, if you're ever wondering which Mouse on Mars CD is best to rock while working, I'd suggest Glam.

Prints: chrisleavens.imagekind.com

"Nobody writes anything of worth until they're 30." -Dr. William Wegner, learned professor of communications, Trenton State College, Fall 1993

I was given this pearl of wisdom at the beginning of my third year of college, when Trenton State's Television/Theater Production department - which had just been introduced the previous spring - was in the process of defining itself. I had initially registered at TSC as a theater major, but was informed on my arrival that the old theater department had been phased out and was being reconstituted to reflect the changing times. The result was TTP, which was so amorphous at the start that we students were essentially able to make up our own curricula. Since I was in college to hone my skills as a writer, that's what I decided to base my curriculum around - my writing.

And prior to this, all was calm.

Sailing through the air to meet some "friends." (Illustration Friday, topic: sail)

Feeling better about this painting than the last one.

Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 30"

Dermot had long hair and was fiercely proud of it. So proud, in fact, that he refused to cut it for any reason, even to get a job at the factory like his mother wanted him to.

“Those jobs pay good money,” she told him, “but they won’t hire nobody who has no long hair.”

Seizing his opportunity to be a smartass, Dermot replied, “Ah, so they’ll hire somebody who doesn’t have short hair?”

“No, that’s not what I said.”

“But it is what you didn’t say.”

“What?”

“Exactly.”

This is an entirely factual breakdown of the making of "Originally a Moose," one of my illustrations. The aim of this piece is to provide information on my illustrating process to those who may be interested. If you're not interested, I'd suggest skipping this article entirely.

I intended to draw a moose and poof, it turned into this (Illustration Friday, topic: poof!).

In all honesty this is the best I've felt about anything I've done in weeks. It's also one of the most complicated vector pieces I've done in a while. If anyone's interested, here's a breakdown of the process.

Prints: chrisleavens.imagekind.com

I have a confession to make. This is very difficult for me because I'm a very private person by nature, but my sponsor tells me that the best thing for someone in my position to do is to come clean, so here goes:

My name is Craig, and I am a werewolfoholic.