http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:CaptainInvincible&section=today deviantART RSS for by:CaptainInvincible en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:05:14 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/9702922/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/9702922/ Sat, 12 Aug 2006 15:54:19 PDT
So I'm going to do "The hundred", a list of 100 words passed around dA - one sketch type piece on each. The aim for me isn't beautifully rendered pieces, but doing a bunch of black & white and increasing my comfort with drawing the gals. I begin!

The original 'rules' and hundred words follow:

1.) Make 100 pics each pic having a theme listed below. Each pic should have ONE and only ONE theme to it, for it to count.

2.) No time limit so have fun

3.) The main picture should be drawn but not limited to. for all fair purposes, people are allowed to use their paint programs and photo shop to create the pic.

3a.) pics should be of own artistic ability. You may not edit photos, or break any other rules set out in the Da etiquette policy. Your pics can be anything from sketches and doodles to great master pieces. Just have fun with it.

4.) The list below is to be placed somewhere in your journal for others to see that......
A.)You are in the challenge
B.)What you have completed

5.) make sure to update this list and check off what is done and make a link to the pic

6.) In the comments for your art work note if it is part of the list and what ONE theme it is.

THE LIST Current status: 11/100
1. Introduction [link]
2. Love
3. Light
4. Dark
5. Seeking Solace [link]
6. Break Away
7. Heaven
8. Innocence
9. Drive
10. Breathe Again
11. Memory
12. Insanity
13. Misfortune
14. Smile
15. Silence
16. Questioning
17. Blood
18. Rainbow
19. Gray
20. Fortitude [link]
21. Vacation
22. Mother Nature
23. Cat [link]
24. No Time
25. Trouble Lurking
26. Tears
27. Foreign
28. Sorrow
29. Happiness
30. Under the Rain
31. Flowers
32. Night
33. Expectations
34. Stars
35. Hold My Hand [link]
36. Precious Treasure [link]
37. Eyes
38. Abandoned
39. Dreams
40. Rated
41. Teamwork
42. Standing Still
43. Dying
44. Two Roads
45. Illusion
46. Family
47. Creation
48. Childhood
49. Stripes
50. Breaking the Rules
51. Sport
52. Deep in Thought
53. Keeping a Secret
54. Tower
55. Waiting
56. Danger Ahead
57. Sacrifice
58. Kick in the Head
59. No Way Out
60. Rejection
61. Fairy Tale
62. Magic
63. Do Not Disturb
64. Multitasking
65. Horror
66. Traps
67. Playing the Melody
68. Hero [link]
69. Annoyance
70. 67%
71. Obsession
72. Mischief Managed [link] [scrap]
73. I Can't
74. Are You Challenging Me?
75. Mirror
76. Broken Pieces
77. Test
78. Drink
79. Starvation
80. Words
81. Pen and Paper
82. Can You Hear Me? [link]
83. Heal
84. Out Cold
85. Spiral [link]
86. Seeing Red
87. Food
88. Pain
89. Through the Fire
90. Triangle
91. Drowning
92. All That I Have
93. Give Up
94. Last Hope
95. Advertisement
96. In the Storm
97. Safety First [link]
98. Puzzle
99. Solitude
100. Relaxation

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/9578817/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/9578817/ Wed, 02 Aug 2006 15:38:21 PDT
I found a fanart that I drew a couple of years - and it is apalling. I don't mean "bad" or "I do better now" - I mean it looks like something a well meaning but unfortunately retarded child would draw, painstakingly and over the course of several hours and a number of chewed crayons. Worst, I didn't just draw this; I drew it, liked it, and e-mailed it to the subject (who was kind enough to respond nicely and NOT dispatch trained assassins to torture me to death).

Since then I've developed a number of abilities which have helped me no end:
- Actually studying anatomy
- Using multiple drawings and attempts to learn and produce a piece, stretched over more than one sitting
- Actually throwing out the awful, awful drawings without ever showing them to anyone.

I can only hope the subject never again attachs my name to that work, and that over the rest of my life I can devote myself to producing Ein Masterwork which can compensate. And perhaps be sent back in time, to erase the first.

Embarrassment = Progress!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/9120153/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/9120153/ Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:01:25 PDT going for there." This got me thinking again about why I do it.

I do it, of course, because I enjoy it and no other reason. Specifically I putting the ideas in my head out where people can see them: a new character, an illustration of a point, or a joke that I want to share. I feel I'm at my best when I create original pieces. When I finish off something like Robo Caesar or Deacon Beacon, I know that I have created something that would otherwise simply not exist.

That's why fanart of major characters is a guilty pleasure for me. I enjoy drawing the characters I know and love, and it's great practise, but I know that those drawings are only for me. I'm nowhere near are skilled as some of the beautiful artists out there (and that's fine!), nor do I yet have a unique style that has something to add. When all is finished, there is no reason for anyone else to look at my picture rather than something rendered far better by others. In fact, other than learning from it, there's no reason even for me. It just doesn't feel so productive as creating something that without me wouldn't happen.

Of course the downside is that lots of people create things that shouldn't otherwise exist. We've all had the experience of looking for pictures of a beloved character, only to find them engaged in highly unhygienic behaviour, or with breasts the size of hippos, or heavily pregnant or half cow (or both) or any number of things to horrific to think about. The tragedy is that these pictures are often skillfully drawn - like finding racist graffiti in calligraphy.

Fanart of minor characters, or work of your friends, is another matter again. You're back in the ballpark of something that wouldn't otherwise happen, a personalised gift for someone else. It's a very nice thing to recieve, and a fun thing to give. And always appreciated by at least one person!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/9013510/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/9013510/ Thu, 08 Jun 2006 22:06:20 PDT
I've reached that fun stage in artistic development where I know just enough to be aware of all the flaws in my work and not actually want to show such imperfect pieces off. This is having really good effects; I'm critiquing my own stuff better, drawing the same piece multiple times to correct mistakes and try out new things, basically learning and developing a lot.

Just not producing much for your delectation and delight. For the same reasons, though, when I do upload stuff again it'll be better than ever!

Enjoy yourselves, and keep doing what you like to do!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/8679593/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/8679593/ Fri, 05 May 2006 07:55:38 PDT [link]

There's this awesome artist, and he can just sling up videos like that for any of us to see. It's a real education, and an impressive one!

(For those not in the know, he's the artist from AppleGeeks [link] , a near terminally-brilliantly coloured comic strip).

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/8260503/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/8260503/ Fri, 24 Mar 2006 23:12:48 PST
I haven't dropped off the face of the planet, thought my lack of recent submissions would suggest that. A few things have diverted power from my dA account:

- playing on some other forums, like Penny Arcade or Drawing Board, pieces that are part of a thread and out of place on their own.
- I no longer feel the need to display every piece! This has led to a lot more experimentation and learning exercises, very good for my development.
- I've started writing again as well, and it's feeling very good.

You can see some of the stuff I've been working on (humour articles, little projects and some sketches not quite for gallery display) over at my little site, Radical Changes [link] (just a holding spot for now, but that'll improve).

I'm going to come back from this playing with bigger and better display pieces. I'm better than before and still improving! Best status in the world....

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/7803638/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/7803638/ Sat, 04 Feb 2006 21:09:40 PST
I know a few other people who are working on their art read this - the book "Figure Drawing for all it's worth" by Loomis CANNOT be recommended enough. Just a few days with one chapter of it is improving me in leaps and bounds, and the pdf of the book is available here [link]

Go, get it!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/7717039/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/7717039/ Thu, 26 Jan 2006 19:09:48 PST
I'm putting the new comic project (DNS) on the back-burner until I improve artistically. The plan was that I would work on improving my art while drawing the comic (like I did during Cube 30), but I've realised that isn't the way to go. When I draw a comic, I get the urge to get each strip finished, done, and ready to roll - NOT the attitude with which to approach drawing experiments and self improvement. Also, I wouldn't be drawing specifically what I wanted to work on, but trying to jam that into the current strip (and drawing a strip consumes enough art time to reduce the time for anything else art-related appreciably).

So if I'm going to improve (and I am, and I need to) then one-shots and experiments are the way to go. 'cos I've improved a lot, but I'm not good enough to justify an ongoing webcomic yet.

Yet.

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/7577110/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/7577110/ Wed, 11 Jan 2006 18:41:38 PST
Had an excellent holiday back in Ireland, full of a load of things which aren't relevant here and one thing which is. The fact that I improved a TON over the holidays, without even a large effort in drawing. I mean I've really come up an order of magnitude in ability, and believe it is due to three factors. If you're interesting in improvement techniques, read on. If not, I really don't talk about anything else this post so you may as well go do something else.

1. Cryptosporidium! [link]

I was moved to try drawing the alien character from the super-fun "Destroy All Humans" videogame. Because he was so different from any humanoid I'd drawn before, it forced me to work on it from first principles - abandoning all the ruts/bad habits I'd got into up to this point. The result was very pleasing, and then I tried drawing regular people with the same freedom from previous habits. And the results are brilliant! I didn't realise how many things I was habitually doing wrong....

2. Pens from my wonderful sister.

My super-cool artist sister (who recently won a national art competition, and the prize of a rent-free studio for a year and about twenty thousand pounds sponsorhip) got me a set of marker pens for xmas. They're very nice. But better than that was the effect. For the last while I've been doing all my inking in computer and tablet form, and while it undisputably gives massively better online images in terms of polish and clarity it also takes up to a weeks worth of spare time to do a piece. This huge turn-around time slowed down my drawing, but now with the pens I'm drawing pencil and ink pieces whenever I can again. I even knocked together a robot villain while waiting to be served in a burger joint.

I'm reminded of what Warren Ellis said about improving. "Writers don't talk about their plans or think about what they're going to do. Writers write." The same definitely applies to artists.

3. Post mortems. (example here: [link] )

Something that I think will improve my art more than any other thing I ever learn - and I was taught it by a computer science lecturer last term. After any piece, do a post mortem. Don't just look at it and go "Ugh, bad legs, on we go" - go through it and highlight what's good and bad. And the next time you'll remember, and do better.

I've really had a good time drawing this holiday. I'm looking at things I've drawn and gone "No way! That's better than how I draw!"

It's a very nice feeling.

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/7020885/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/7020885/ Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:03:48 PST
If you're not interested in things like my reasons for drawing I recommend you skip this entry, go to 'Manage friends' and change your options so that you watch my deviations but not my journal.

Cube 30 is over. It's been tremendous fun, and has achieved all its goals - keep me drawing, be a place to improve, make me and my friends (and even a few other people) laugh. With it I've learned about putting up a webcomic, and taken part in some awesome web-ery (like SketchBattle).

So why is it ending? Mainly because it's "Nerdy guys in non-continous environment #136378". There are, like, ten thousand comics like that - and even if mine is better than 9,500 of them it has nothing to recommend it over the remaining few. That type of comic has been done.

Luckily Cube 30 has given rise to an idea for a new comic, an original story that I want to tell and which I can point to after the fact and say "See? I did that." This one'll benefit from MASSIVELY better art and standards throughout.

The existing Cube 30 characters will all be there, but changed around a bit. There'll be dedicated hosting, a proper site, the works. It'll be fun!

My favourite Cube 30? It's gotta be Creationism [link] and Pity dynamics [link] .

PS It would be after ending that Cube 30 that my guest art goes up on another site and I get my most hits ever.

All thoughts are welcome!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/6697784/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/6697784/ Thu, 06 Oct 2005 17:57:55 PDT
This is describing a recent realisation and change in my attitude. The arrival of my tablet triggered another burst of desire to improve my abilities (and rightly so), but it went a little too far and off track. I ended up having a list of things I wanted to try, like jobs. I would get Cube 30 finished quickly in a morning so I could get on with other stuff. I would play video games after having 'got a piece done'.

This was the wrong attitude.

Luckily my natural mode came to my rescue, and I realised once more that if I'm not enjoying it, I shouldn't be doing it. I throttled back, changed gear, and started drawing something I wanted to draw. Even better, as I spent some time on it, and improved my shading ability dramatically - not because I *worked* at it, but because I was playing and *wanted* to try a few things.

And now? For the last few leisure times when I've had a choice between videogaming and drawing, the games don't even get a look in. I've wanted to play through MGS3 (awesome!) a second time to be much more pro about it, but I've just realise that isn't going to happen. Because if I ever have that much time to spare, it's going to be spent on the sketchpad and my trusty graphics programs.

And I feel good!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/6540368/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/6540368/ Sun, 18 Sep 2005 19:26:39 PDT [link]

After months of back and forth e-mails I finally got this wondrous piece of technology second-hand, at about 40% of the full price. And it is marvellous. I've already done a couple of pieces with it (drawn and scanned normally, but processed with the tablet) and it is already adding so much to my abilities. Current goal - get to the point where I can add light and shade to my regular comic without taking horrendous amounts of time.

The pieces I've used it on already look so much better, so quickly! (None that show it off here on dA yet).

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/6515540/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/6515540/ Thu, 15 Sep 2005 20:27:32 PDT
I realise it's been a while since I've posted here, but I assure you that I am alive and well and feeling very good! The last few weeks have been taken up with a real gauntlet of deadlines and due-dates, but I'm through and out the other side now into a land of funky freshness!

I haven't stopped drawing the whole time (though there was a reduction), with Cube 30 and SketchBattle soaking up my alloted sketch/break time. I've been drawing other stuff as well, but nothing I feel the need to upload - I'm keeping that for more polished pieces these days. In a cool enough manner, I'm actually through to the finals of SketchBattle - you should go check it out.

Also, super-cool deviant is continuing to pump out fun and funky comics and characters, so you should go give him a call. You won't regret it.

Also, put together an awesome fanart for me - I'm blown away, if you like anything to do with Max Radical (and if you've read this far, you do), then you must view! [link]

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/6082066/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/6082066/ Sat, 30 Jul 2005 21:11:30 PDT
But when I grab a few moments, I sketch. In the five minutes cooling between high power laser shots in the lab, I sketch with pen on random scraps of paper. Yesterday while my girlfriend was on forums for twenty minutes, I did my first full pencils and drawing pad sketch for a long time - and I loved it.

No deadline, not for a specific task, I'm not even going to upload it to scraps. It was flawed and fun and beautiful and I deeply loved every single second I spent on it. The twenty minutes breaktime I took earlier today to ink it were even better.

I love drawing. I can feel it the way I used to hear artists talking about it, the desire and the wish (and becoming the need) to draw things and play with techniques and enjoy every lovely lovely moment with pencil, pens, paper and 'puter.

This was another moment when I realised I've come further as an artist.

(Plus, the sketch may have been flawed but if you'd told me a year ago I'd do something like it in twenty minutes, I would have been very happy indeed! In fact, I am happy now! Wooohooo!)

When my schedule returns to normal, I'm gonna do so much more....

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5752260/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5752260/ Sat, 25 Jun 2005 09:48:08 PDT
Awesome time in Germany and Ireland over the last couple of weeks. Now dossing around on the net, catching up on all the places and sites I haven't been on in a while. Yes, I am indeed a level 10 nerd.

What does this mean for you? Well, I uploaded the Cube 30 comics that went up while I was gone (I set them up before I left, 'cos I'm pro like that). They've been seen, but I appreciate the comments/critique I get here on dA. Also my gallery and scraps have been increased with a few bits I did while travelling.

I keep enjoying drawing more and more. These days I carry a sketchpad and pencil almost everywhere. I'm so damn chuffed with how far I've come!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5592622/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5592622/ Wed, 08 Jun 2005 19:48:22 PDT
1. Fun and Travel
I'm off to Munich, then Ireland, for the next two weeks. This means that updates here will be sporadic-to-nil, but Cube 30 [link] has been pre-stocked with comic goodness set to upload on mondays as normal.

2. OPEN ENDED ART TRADE.
There's a rather cool project called Continuous Comics, [link] , where artists can collaborate on comics. I've started a little experiment there, a comic called 'Open Ended' where anyone can upload the next page (or a parallel next page, or whatever). Go to the forum to check it out.

To kick start this, I'm making an offer: Draw a page of Open Ended and I'll do you a request piece. It might take a few weeks (see point 1 above), but I think it's a nice deal and fun for all concerned. (If you look at page 1, you'll see things don't have to be of hard-work-polished-up level. But no damn stick figures, thanks.)

3. Sketch Battle Season 2
Wooohooo! Come the week of June 20th, you will see Max Radical stepping up to the majors on the awesomely fun Sketch Battle [link] . Watch and enjoy!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5496090/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5496090/ Sun, 29 May 2005 19:29:05 PDT
Lots of fun stuff this weekend. And you can find out all about them in this scrap.

Living in Toronto kicks ass!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5393473/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5393473/ Wed, 18 May 2005 15:40:50 PDT
Bit of big webcomic-style news - remember that Sketch Battle [link] place I was talking about before? They've made their selections for Season 2, and they have indeed chosen ..... wisely.

Max Radical (aka ME, baby!) will be taking to the main battle stage in the next season, showing off skills and laying down smack on a site that gets over a million hits a month. Oh yeah!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5254392/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5254392/ Tue, 03 May 2005 08:48:01 PDT
Regarding my reduced activity recently - I've been sick. Pretty damn sick. I'm recovering now, but I'm still at the stage where sitting up at the keyboard makes me break out in a sweat. A pity, 'cos I was planning on spending this weekend on drawing-drawing-drawing.

Still, I got lucky. I was able to finish two new Cube 30's before falling near-unconscious. One you've already seen, the other will go up next week. I've decided to experiment with updating Cube 30 here after it updates on its own site. That way I still get the excellent comments and critiques (thanks guys!), but it also encourages me to upload more non-Cube 30 stuff here.

On the upside, this forced immobility, once I was able to sit up (yesterday) allowed me to watch Last Exile. So, silver lining, eh?

And when I have regained my full strength - I will strike!

PS Head on over to SketchBattle - things are really hotting up on the forum, and the main battles continue to rock: [link]

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5160465/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5160465/ Fri, 22 Apr 2005 17:30:26 PDT UPDATE: The 3,000th pageview has been achieved by *BCully. Congrats, amigo!

Original post
Hi everybody!

If you get the 3000th pageview, then you get a piece of request art, if you want it. Just note me with your desire!

PS SketchBattle is continuing to rock - check out the Forum > Battles section to see yours truly in action!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5007834/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/5007834/ Fri, 08 Apr 2005 14:47:12 PDT Update 8/5/05
I have been victorious in my initial battle! Woohooo! And lo, a new challenger has been spottted - view the second battle at [link]

Original journal entry
A brand new art-related thing for y'all, and one I think you'll enjoy.

Sketch Battle [link] is a very fun idea where a squad of webcomickers are pitted in one-on-one MC style battles against each other. Sketch/lineart only, no advantages of shading/colouring abilities, just a fight of wit and skill.

It's very fun, and I made it to the final ten before the selections were cut down to six. But I'd never let a little thing like that stop me, and I've engaged the first forum battle - view the bloody combat between me and Liam of Love and Centaurs [link] at this location:

[link]

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4908289/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4908289/ Fri, 25 Mar 2005 10:26:30 PST
Some people use dA to get feedback and comments on incomplete or sketched work, and that's cool, but that wasn't the way I was doing it. I think I just wanted to put more up. Now I realise I want to put *better* stuff up.

I've started using the scraps section, I don't put up every single thing I draw, I make sure to polish and finish the pieces I do put up. I've also cleaned out my gallery, removing pieces that I think I uploaded for the sake of upload.

I'll still be putting up random pieces as well as my regular characters - I'm just going to make the effort to make them more worth looking at (like the Maid-N Ty-1 montage [link] . I wanted to put up the first sketch, but I didn't. Later I had more pics, all coloured and shaded, and I think the result is much better).

Enjoy what you do - I do!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4506794/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4506794/ Sat, 05 Feb 2005 20:16:43 PST
Here I am, drawing away with a bit of spare time, a stack of Centurions episodes just downloaded, the freshly marker-coloured Cache/Kill Bill frame looks *so good*, I can remember when this point seemed to far away, and the improvements still to come will be even better.

I feel such a buzz.

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4440843/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4440843/ Fri, 28 Jan 2005 21:05:27 PST
The Cube 30 website [link] has broken a thousand hits, and I've even put up some celebratory bonus art - fear my professional comic artist-like ways!

The hits have stepped up recently (thanks to Carzorthade [link] ), and now it just remains to see if they stay up or die down. I'm not gonna lose sight of the fact that it's the drawing that's fun and important - but the hits sure are nice!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4297473/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4297473/ Tue, 11 Jan 2005 19:03:28 PST
The strip has always benefitted from the excellent work of Latif here on dA. Today I was blindsided by not one but TWO pieces from other webcomics, the crazy-cool Fever Dream and the groovy-funny Carzorthade.

And where can you see these wonders? Why, right here: [link]

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4271885/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4271885/ Sat, 08 Jan 2005 18:16:12 PST
I won't go into details about my holidays back in Ireland, except to say that they were the absolute coolest. You may one day dream of having holidays as good as mine just were. On top of all the grooviness and friend-seeing, I also got the two best presents ever: [link] and [link]

Now I'm back in action in Toronto, and the application of a little cash I am now uber-equipped for the art scene. Yes, behold, I can reach out my right hand and touch my very own scanner! Wooohooo! No more queueing for burned-out wrecks in the library. The power is mine! I decided that I wasn't going to give in and buy a webcam. Those familiar with my level of self-control will of course realise that I now have a webcam.

My other sister (the major artist one) made an interesting point - I have to be careful to do my drawing for the enjoyment of drawing, not in some race to pile up finished pieces. An insightful comment, and one I intend to take heed of. It's an easy trap for my personality-type to fall into, especially with my newfound hardware.

Summary: Everything is excellent with me! Hope it is with you!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4071778/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/4071778/ Wed, 15 Dec 2004 08:32:25 PST
Just to let people know - I'm outta here (temporarily). All going well I'm flying back to wonderful Emerald Eire later today, there to spend the holidays with friends and family. It promises to be wonderfully cool.

While there my net access will be heavily cut down, if it exists at all. So any lack of communication isn't because I suddenly decided to hate everyone. Plus, I'm looking forward to settling down with a mug of coffee and a few hours to behold the huge stack of wonderful work y'all will no doubt have filled my devWatch with by the time I get back.

Enjoy the holidays! In fact, enjoy every day!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3996715/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3996715/ Sun, 05 Dec 2004 16:37:51 PST
Willpower let me down a little this morning, slept in and missed half the day (I love sleep, but hate losing time). But that does not stop me!

For lo, today I have coloured and uploaded a very fine group picture, if I say so myself, and am currently enjoying some very cool and interesting Quantum Information Theory past exam questions, studying for the final tomorrow. (Note: no sarcasm in previous sentence. Man, I love enjoying my work!)

The studious experience is currently highly boosted by some uber-cool tunes pumping up the vibes. If you haven't yet discovered OverClocked Remix [link] , then get your ass over there now. Suh-weet sweet remixes and reworkings of very fine 8 and 16-bit music. If you have a soul and a memory and are over 20, you will find something you love over there.

Enjoy!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3905407/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3905407/ Tue, 23 Nov 2004 23:13:44 PST
First thing got a brand spanking new cast on my broken foot, so it's much easier to get around on. Then back to the house for Rescue Heroes! (Global Response Team!), coffee, and a good chunk done out of the term paper I have to do.

Off to lecture (which answers several questions about problem sheet to be done), talking to peeps, off home to eat chinese food and watch Kim Possible (Call me! Beep me!). More term paper, bit of drawing and Stargate, then off with amigos to see Ghost in the Shell 2!

Note: Go see Ghost in the Shell 2! It doth rock!

Back home, off to library to scan images. Return home (fetch pizza on way), fix up/load pics to deviantArt.

Write Journal. Then the sleep of the happy, fed, and pleased-with-a-day-well-done!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3855415/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3855415/ Wed, 17 Nov 2004 07:21:19 PST
Once more we have a journal post from the land of Invincible! Main news is that I've been limping around on crutches for a few weeks, but just the other day my foots condition was enhanced from "a bit broken" to "damn, that's broken". The kind of break that has it's own name (Jones fracture, break in fifth metatarsal).

'Tis all under control, though, and as previously stated I've taken the precaution of being Invincible so it's groovy. The only real effects are that my top speed has gone down and I'm getting a bit more upper body exercise than usual. Still, if I absolutely *have* to end up rugged and muscled, well, that's a price I'll just have to pay.

Quite a lot to do college-wise as well, so I'll have to get on top of that. Still making time to draw of course, but a few bigger pieces are being delayed a few days. Gotta mix the physics and play right, you know?

Summary: Left foot broken and soon to be en-casted (and drawn on), but whole body (incl left foot) feeling good and now off to buy a weeks worth of food!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3758238/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3758238/ Fri, 05 Nov 2004 06:34:51 PST
Things are going very well in Max-Land. Lots of stuff to do with the course, but I'm on top of it, which is the way to be (you get everything done AND get the positive vibes of accomplishment).

Cube 30 is in print! Yep, the Reality TV strip has been used in a college newspaper here in U of T. I realise this isn't exactly a difficult thing to do (student papers will print almost anything), but it's still nice to see it out there. It'll probably be a regular thing from here on.

Not only that, but various fanart pieces I have done for other webcomics/authors (mostly not shown here on dA) have been very well recieved, which is a nice buzz. A combination of pride in work, and happiness at giving a little back to all those who've entertained me so much.

More pieces on the way to dA this weekend....

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3646094/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3646094/ Thu, 21 Oct 2004 23:32:35 PDT
Finished a couple of deadlines today (course work - can you believe it?), and celebrated by dedicating the evening to drawing. And what drawing it is! Scanned and coloured the action strip I did while I was >cough< working >coff< the last couple of days, then did a couple more pieces I've wanted to do for a while. I was trying out new things in each, and gosh darn if every experiment didn't yield a pretty big "Success!". Woohooo!

I'm moving on improving my drawing and trying new things for the moment. The big new improvement I want to implement is shading and lighting (you only have to look at some of the pieces out there, or perhaps the bee-yoo-tiful cartoon art of something like applegeeks [link] or Adam Warren) to see the difference it makes. Only problem is shading with the mouse I average about one piece per geological ice age, so I won't be starting that until I can scrape together spare cash for a tablet (which I'm told speeds things up wonderfully).

But I've no shortage of things to do until that time, and since I enjoy doing them - I'm gonna!

PS The big 1,000 is coming up! Keep an eye out, if you get the kilo-hit there might be something in it for you!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3602615/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3602615/ Sat, 16 Oct 2004 10:26:36 PDT
Just a quick message for those who may have noticed a drop-off in the rate of item submission. Don't worry, I have *by no means* reduced my artistic output. For the last week or so I've been experimenting with my BRAND NEW LOVELY MARKERS! It's really nice to be able to do a colour piece completely by hand! I've celebrated with some gift-art for friends.

I've also done a coupla fanarts the old-fashioned (irony) digital way, but like the gift pieces they depend on background knowledge and so aren't really suitable for dA.

Rest assured, I'm still drawing, and will be submitting - oh yes, I will be submitting!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3558848/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3558848/ Sun, 10 Oct 2004 16:42:33 PDT
Things are continuing to rock in Captain-land. The main art-related news is my brand-spanking new website, [link] , where Cube 30 now resides in all its glory! Strips will still be uploaded here on dA, but the website is making me think more about strips (I'm having *loads* of ideas these days), as well as giving me a goal to meet (a strip a week, and anything else I can think of).

The other art-issue is resisting the urge to buy things I can't really afford at the moment. I would love a scanner, but don't *need* one, as I have access to scanners. I want a tablet, but that's quite obviously an extravagance and will have to wait until I have extravagant-money. I want to buy a set of markers to try hand colouring, and I might even just save up spare dollars for that.

And it rocks that I can resist all these things - because I *have* everything I need, and can continue to scribble away all I want - woohoooo!

My abilities are improving steadily, as is my 'professional' attitude to my work. I've done pieces that I haven't uploaded to dA: either they didn't work (experiments), weren't good enough (it happens), or weren't for dA (fanart for comics, and a piece for the Cube 30 website). I've drawn some pieces more than once, going back over to correct mistakes - while still having as much fun doing the drawing, not thinking of it as 'work' or a chore. And of course, the sweetest feeling, looking at something I've drawn and going "Wow", or realising I would never have thought myself capable of that a couple of months ago.

Yes, it's all going very well!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3454446/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3454446/ Sun, 26 Sep 2004 21:30:54 PDT
It's all going rather well. A good sunday starting off with my first league match of Ultimate Frisbee, then some work on physics coursework, moving on to a stroll in the sun and a few highly enjoyable games of DDR (with added good audience reaction), then I come back to res for a bit of time with the social coffee evening and, oh, what was that other thing.....

Oh yes. Drawing, scanning, finishing and submitting my best Cube 30 strip yet, all in one evening and from the comfort of my own flat! Hooo-haaa!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3398670/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3398670/ Sun, 19 Sep 2004 12:16:20 PDT
What leads to this massive amount of drawing? Well, yesterday my foot flared up (a hangover from an old injury), thereby blowing all my saturday plans out of the water and pretty much confining me to home and foot-elevated rest. But I'm well practised in this art, and you know, with access to a GBA SP (+ Metroid, F-Zero) and a Stargate DVD collection, enforced rest and confinement is no bad thing. I even managed to draw this time (and let me tell you, I'm fairly sure hunching over a desk inking while keeping the foot raised on the same desk is some sort of advanced yoga position).

I'm now 95% clear, able to make it to the library and scan/colour the pictures before returning to relaxation. Once fully recovered I'll be getting myself a computer (wooohooo!) and so should be able to do even more!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3339190/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3339190/ Sat, 11 Sep 2004 11:29:20 PDT
Wow, this Toronto thing is really working out. The city is bee-yoo-ti-ful, there is so much stuff to see and do (and so so much cheap fooooood!). I'm getting on with the whole meeting people vibe (on of my favourite things), while doing a bit of work regarding actually choosing MSc/PhD/supervisor etc, with some incredibly cool work going on in the physics department here (can you spell "Nanotech and lasers!"?).

I'm even getting time to draw, and speaking of which I'm still quite impressed with my progress. Introducing Cache (my female character) was a major turning point - consciously decided to draw things I had difficulty with or wasn't sure I could do. Now I want to try more and different poses, not to mention maybe get a few more strips and another female character going.

Life? Rocks.

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3291735/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3291735/ Sun, 05 Sep 2004 10:44:31 PDT
Behold, for I have crossed the seas and found myself in a brave new land! A new land with golden buildings, super huge colleges and (last night) playstation dance games set up on stages in the street! This rocks.

In a more relevant theme, I've found the local scanner/graphics/computer facility in the college, so I should be able to upload art way faster than I expected. Yes!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3260675/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3260675/ Wed, 01 Sep 2004 06:11:29 PDT
This is very exciting - I'm on a constant low-level adrenaline buzz that has to be kept under strict control as I get things done. Off to pack now. My next post will be from the land of the Maple Leaf!

As you might expect, this'll all likely lead to some disruption in my art/posting. But I shall make sure the break is as short as possible.

Remember, whatever you are doing, enjoy it! That's what I'll be doing....

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3197377/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3197377/ Mon, 23 Aug 2004 17:29:27 PDT
Here I am in the office, it's far too late at night/early in the morning and I feel high-power! Yep, it's another case of coming in to do work, getting it done (always a good feeling) and then rolling on with the next scan/colour/clean/comic, which in this case took longer than normal. On the other hand the comic is better than ever, so it's a good trade!

You know that buzz you get after pushing through tiredness? I was ready to fall asleep in my seat at 9pm, now I feel like I could run up the side of a building and do a triple-bonus-points backflip off it. Onto the roof of a moving truck! Yeah, the music really fits this mood!

Okay peeps, I s'pose I'd better blast on home and begin chilling procedures if I want to sleep anytime in the next twelve hours. Lots to do on the morrow!

Remember, whatever you do, enjoy it!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3165754/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3165754/ Thu, 19 Aug 2004 15:08:36 PDT
It's definitely All Systems Go over here in Kapitane-Land, as the clock ticks down to my Big Big Event. I'm leaving the emerald shores of Ireland, where I've lived all my life, to start a glorious new PhD for the next five years in the University of Toronto. This is what you might call a majorly exciting event.

I'm burning the fuel at high gain to get everything wrapped up in time - mainly my MSc, which is now well under control, dispersing all my gear (I've decided to have an unburdening experience and am giving my stuff to people I think might like it), making sure to meet up with all my mates and getting generally ready to roll.

Definite adrenaline buzz every time I think of it, the good old excitement/fear mixture that gets the heart pumping and the nerves singing!

"Go West! This is what we're going to do!"

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3138163/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3138163/ Mon, 16 Aug 2004 10:18:49 PDT
Lots done recently, the main event being the first full colour Cube 30, #18. Yet another step on the road to comic-dom, and some character development thrown into the bargain! I've also joined the esteemed ranks of Norm Scott (creator of the very funny Hsu and Chan) and the Evil Dead filmmakers by temporarily forgetting which hand is which. So I'm in good company.

Work-wise things are turboing along. In the office most of the weekend putting bits of the thesis together, just this minute handed it to my supervisor for the final (hopefully) round of improvements and corrections. Spent the day in the lab working on something that didn't quite work - but it wasn't critical, and just served to show how many of my other much more important experiments came off without a hitch. All systems go!

I have now declared this to be an evening of off-itude, which I suspect will feature large amounts of eating, reading and maybe even drawing. Lo, It Will Be Pleasant.

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3122131/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3122131/ Sat, 14 Aug 2004 07:00:16 PDT
I'm afraid that most of it isn't art - yep, I'm in over the weekend (and missing barbecue-times) working on my thesis. If I didn't love my work this would probably suck. And since I'm in the office *anyway*, I may as well scan/fix/upload a coupla sketches I might just have drawn yesterday. Plus since I'm being good and missing parties this w/end, I might just justify a coupla hours breaktime later to bust out the pencils and do a little more.

The thesis is going really well too. > Technobabble on< The new quarter meter spectra verified my corrected composite spectra (when it had the potential to blast all my work out of the water), plus me and a colleague measured the hell out of the normally awkward spot-size measurements - I hit a silicon wafer with a few laser pulses, and he bunged it under an electron microscope. The pictures are so beautiful I'm tempted to upload them!> technobabble off<.

I go now to latek files into perfection, while listening to groovy music. There will also be coffee! Wooohooo!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3041925/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3041925/ Wed, 04 Aug 2004 12:43:24 PDT
Thing is, the experiment I'm doing (which went extremely well, by the way) involves a lot of three-minute waits (as the target chamber/spectrometer reach operating pressure, for those of you into technobabble). Not nearly long enough to concentrate on any writing up/spectrum analysis, but just enough time to dig out the pencil and a piece of paper. You know what happened next. In hindsight it was kind of inevitable.

Then I used my Chill-the-Cerebrum break time to scan & colour it, and lo, here we have my latest creation! I'm flying past these checkpoints like a jet fighter on an F1 circuit - succesful fanart AND my first colour piece in one go!

This really rocks the house. Finish up the spectrum sequence I'm doing, then it's off for japanese food with a pretty lady. Life rocks!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3028606/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3028606/ Mon, 02 Aug 2004 17:33:03 PDT
I sat down to sketch the first panel of the latest strip while waiting for dinner to cook. Kinda maybe sorta got really really into it, and next thing I know it's eleven at night and I've drawn and inked the lot! Wooohooo! And lo, there was lots of grinning and laughing in the process - I'm very happy with how this turned out, and explaining the concept of Grimlock to a Polish g/friend who'd never seen him before was quite amusing.

This strip was particularly fun because my mate wrote it, and wrote it without thinking of drawing limitations. He didn't consider "Can he draw a Dinobot?" - he just put it in there and any complaints about difficulty would have been met with a "Get on with it, you wuss!". So I have him to thank for me achieving what I wouldn't have thought I could do yet.

Thing is, I'm hard at work on my MSc thesis at the minute, and the fact that I'd blown the evening on comics and maniacal laughter didn't change what I had to have done - hence me being in the lab until the next day and writing this now at half-one at the morning (I didn't let myself scan/upload the strip until I got everything finished!).

And you know what? I feel super-cool, really really happy. Work (which I love, by the way) and play, all in one high-performance package - an evening of achievement if ever there was one. Truly, tonights shall be the Sleep of the Just.

After that - I get a whole new day to play with!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3003774/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/3003774/ Fri, 30 Jul 2004 12:24:01 PDT
The latest and most notable upgrade has been the enhancement of my drawing technology - using a 0.5 mm rollerball pen to ink over my pencil sketches. The drawing takes longer, but the scanning/fixing takes less - which is the right way round. Plus the results look so beautifully clear!

Another major plus is the work of , whose crossover with my own comic is now underway. I'm so looking forward to the DDR competition. Go check out his Shin Tensai Kyo strip, it's really good!

What else? Well, direct your attention to the upper right of this page - yes, my avatar is now self-drawn! Talk bout your symbolic steps. Now look at the bottom-right of this page. Can ya dig it? I'm being devwatched!

Next steps:

Get another, thicker marker for inking solid regions in pictures.
Get a proper binder/whatever for storing works and reference art.
Draw more Max vs Kyo.
Draw some Cube 30 strips that my flatmate Chris drew (the real life model for the character Lan. Yeah, he's *real* happy about the most recent strip! I guess he'll have to win one now.....)

What are you doing now? Enjoying yourself I hope. Go do something you've always wanted to.

Really. Do it now! If you're here you've obviously got the time. Why not?

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/2969775/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/2969775/ Mon, 26 Jul 2004 04:12:21 PDT
The latest addition is the first piece of my own side of the Max/Kyo crossover (Kyo being the main character of ~Latif's Shin Tensai Kyo series), which was enormous fun to draw. I still break out laughing whenever I draw a character, then put down the pencil and see that the little guy I saw in my head is now out in the world for all to see. Truly, it doth rock.

This week I'll be passing another milestone, and investing in some kind of drawing pen/marker (I keep reading the phrase 'Micron 0.05' about the site), which should make the scanning a lot clearer (I'm afraid Max lost a few bits and pieces going through the procedure in the latest picture).

So what am I going to do? Well, apart from trying to prevent drawing from soaking up my work-time, I'm hoping to:

Piece for my sister - she's a big fan of Oh My Goddess, though Fujishimas beautiful hair and costumes are beyond me.

Piece for my brother - probably something Street Figher.

Plus my g/friend, whom has been dragged into watching Jackie Chan adventures, has developed an affection for the character Jade - so I might try my hand at drawing her a piece.

Yep, it's all go in Kaptan-land. And now I go back to the lab, where I intend to add Liquid Nitrogen to the spectrometer target chamber cryogenic finger assembly (I do physics research. Yes, I play with "lasers" and yes, it really does rock!).

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/2939349/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/2939349/ Thu, 22 Jul 2004 05:47:39 PDT
Without doubt the coolest thing so far has gotta be ~Latif importing my character, Max Radical, into his own comic Shin Tensai Kyo (if you haven't seen it, go to his gallery now and check it out. Go on, shoo, go!). So far he's done a sketch of Kyo & Max (prominently visible in my favourites) and it looks so so very good. Max has never looked better.

I celebrated all this coolness by subscribing to deviantART. I'm here to stay, peeps!

What am I working on now? Well, my thesis mainly. Aside from that I want to return the honour by importing Kyo into Cube 30, but I'll have to work at it before I feel I can do someone elses character any sort of justice. But I will!

]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/2838666/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/2838666/ Fri, 09 Jul 2004 03:51:41 PDT
And behold my improving skills! I have now upgraded to using TWO different types of pencil, and am making real headway with drawing the images I have in my head and want to put up for all to see - the latest example being Max Radical, the 80s Hero. His sketch is another landmark, the first time I completed a sketch and then felt compelled to draw it again, this time clearer and tighter. Nice.

I suspect we'll see him again - too cool a character not to keep around. Someday I might even draw him in an action pose.... ]]> ~CaptainInvincible http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/2770163/ http://CaptainInvincible.deviantart.com/journal/2770163/ Wed, 30 Jun 2004 08:53:56 PDT
It turns out that I really enjoy drawing, and want to get better at it. But I need to have a goal in anything I do - some sort of results, or objective, and a folder under my bed full of sketches just doesn't cut it.

So I've joined deviantART, which looks like an excellent place to host images and maybe even get some feedback, all the while looking at the excellent art of others that surrounds me.

If things go real well, I might even be able to chart improvement in my abilities as my collection progresses. ]]> ~CaptainInvincible