If you’ve ever ridden latest iteration of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland, you will remember how, right before you hit the first drop, you are greeted with the ghostly image of the tentacle-faced Davey Jones creature warning you that “dead men tell no tales”. I certainly did. The effect uses rear-projection video, […]

Mark Frauenfelder linked to a really tasty looking “how to illustrate a glass of beer” Photoshop tutorial by Eren Göksel at PSDTUTS the other day. It looked so good, I just had to give it a whirl. No matter how much you use Photoshop, you can always learn a new trick, and Eren has plenty […]

Jarle Helland came to the U.S. from Norway in 1920 after serving his compulsory stint in the Norwegian Army. To sample the New World, he purchased a Tin Lizzie and drove it across the continent at a time when (I would imagine) his route was scarcely paved. Jarle was a tinkerer’s tinkerer. A master carpenter […]

What is this about? It’s about finding an answer to that age-old question, the one that we have all asked ourselves: What would happen if you shipped 20 unassembled old-timey wooden fishing lure kits off to be finished by a bunch of artists? It turns out that the answer is CRANKbait! Lures of Distinction, a […]

Here it is. No. 2 in my BelAir series of retro-feel homebuilt AV equipment (see No.1). I used a surplus copy machine lens to make this opaque projector for use as a drawing aid. (See this post for background info and plans) . The projector is essentially a wooden box with with a lens, internal […]

Feast your eyes on this gorgeous pulp cover that was given to us as a house warming gift by my friend Pat after we bought our first house 12 years ago.

I‘m calling it a painting. I had been planning to smooth it out a bit, but the crudeness sort of grew on me.

Now I just need to figure out a frame.

Here is the painting framed and in situ.

Now I just need to figure out a frame.

Here is the painting framed and in situ.

Here’s a great mid-century illustration depicting a really fun looking beer bash, 1956 style. I wonder if the design committee expected most beer drinkers to be able to sight-read the chart for the jingle, and hear the music in their heads while they dreamt of throwing thier own Schlitznic , or if they thought maybe […]

I added some more eye detail and started the torsos

More paint.

Added some eye work.