http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:XenonXylophone&section=today deviantART RSS for by:XenonXylophone en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:21:09 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/27164478/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/27164478/ Sat, 12 Sep 2009 06:57:08 PDT



14K guys! Thanks!

So, while I'm here, I'll confirm what anyone interested enough in my stuff to read this probably already knows.
I'm pretty much done with the Journal thing. I might post stuff from time to time about comics I might be working on, but based on how often I post one of those, I seriously doubt it.

But, hey, if you're interested, I've got a blog you can read instead (plug, plug).

"But Nick," you ask, "why don't you just copy and paste what you've written there?" Good question, I say.

The truth is, I don't know. It seems like a good idea, and one I've been meaning to implement for some time (since I set up the damn thing, in fact), but for some reason, I rarely do. Maybe it's because the stuff I do repost seems out-of-place here. Maybe it's because of something else.

Simply put, I'm not certain DeviantArt is the place to put this stuff in the first place. First and foremost, it's about art. If you feel the need to comment on what's been inspiring you lately, or why you've taken a certain artistic choice with your latest piece, that's what a Journal is for (if you can't fit it all in the description/commentary box, that is). If I posted more, I might have something worthwhile to write on this section of my page.

So, thanks in advance for the 100K pageviews. I knew I'd get there one day! I was kinda hoping it wouldn't take me 30 years, though...

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/25621515/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/25621515/ Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:55:29 PDT

Wow. That was quick!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/25621504/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/25621504/ Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:54:08 PDT

Because, based on my experience, there's no real science to it.

Case in point: A few weeks ago, we had a party. A party I was pessimistically apprehensive about. The last one sucked, and the signs weren't good. But, determined to make the best of it, I took a deep breath and plunged into the crowd, armed with two bottles of Bishop's Finger (it's not an STD, look it up).

And it turned out to be one of the best nights I've had in a while. I became good friends with the people moving in next year, signed on as a drummer for a local band and had a group of around eleven people playing Rock Band 2 on rotation until 5am.

And it didn't stop there. I stayed up talking with this guy until 10, during which we got in a few games of Left 4 Dead, compared music tastes and critiqued each others comics.

Feeling fatigue beginning to rear its ugly head, he took off at 10am to go home. Basing my assumption on parties past, I felt I should get some rest before everyone went down to Ascari's for breakfast around noon.

Two hours later, give or take, I was up. No alarm, no secondary alarm. Somehow, my body just knew. And I felt great.

The rest of the day was as great as the night before. A great full English for breakfast, strawberry ice-cream for lunch, hot and sunny weather and an interesting walk around the end-of-year exhibitions at the main site.

All I needed was two hours, and I was refreshed to take on the next day.

Last night, I went to bed around 2am, after staying up to catch as much of Blur's set at Glastonbury as possible (I came close to crying tears of joy on two occasions. Not even Bruce Springsteen managed that) and then listening to Animal Collective via the BBC website (equally amazing. Every song they performed merged together, like one big happy dance club). As is the norm on weekdays, my alarms got me up for 8am. With six hours of sleep, I felt fine, prepared to do stuff. Sadly, I have nothing to do these days, what with college finished for the summer. Maybe it's time for me draw another comic.

I sense I've been rambling for far too long, so here's my point.

Sleep is great, especially when enjoyed with a loved one. But if it's just you on your own, you might as well get up. Nothing's going to be achieved by lying there, however comfortable you might be.

Based on my experience, more sleep doesn't affect anything you do the day after. In some cases, I've felt more tired by oversleeping than I do from "undersleeping." Grab some shuteye, but not too much.

Get up and do something. Do anything. Watch a film, read a book, write an overlong blog entry about the importance of doing stuff. You'll feel better for it, honest.

Best of all, you can enjoy breakfast at breakfast time. This is a vastly underrated pleasure.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/24304459/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/24304459/ Sat, 18 Apr 2009 08:54:01 PDT

...by which I mean pageviews. I've just scuttled past 12,000, proving beyond all doubt that there is no correlation between the people who look at my stuff and the stuff I make.

Let me prove it with mathematics:



See?

Anyway, my thanks to you all, specifically the people that come back for more. You're insane.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/23765550/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/23765550/ Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:04:18 PDT




http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/22796073/ Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:23:15 PST



I had a feeling this might happen. I should really get round to finishing that 'Thank-You' journal.

You know what confuses me though? Between now and the time I passed 10K, I don't think I've submitted anything. This is a lot of pageviews to amass for nothing.

Still, thanks again, everyone!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21781220/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21781220/ Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:25:23 PST





Made it Ma. Top of the world.

Okay, everyone sit tight and let upload today's strip, and I'll get to work on that 'Inspiration' journal entry I talked about. Should be up sometime this week. Prepare for ass-kissing!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21641445/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21641445/ Mon, 24 Nov 2008 03:13:04 PST

Seems I got the e-mail address for the paper wrong. Just sent a new message to the right one, so NOW we'll wait and see how that goes!

Apologies for not getting anything up this week. Things have been hectic in just about every aspect of my life (being asked to make a showreel for the course and given two days to finish it didn't exactly help things).

Still, I'm on track to resume as normal this week. God knows what I'm to write about though...

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21516472/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21516472/ Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:52:22 PST

I've been awake for three hours.

Anyway, the latest news on the college paper saga is thus: I’ve emailed my elephant strip to them, along with a link to my DA page and what could be called my ‘mission statement’.
Just a case of waiting it out, see what they say.

I’ve been talking with my housemates about possible collaborations, and reaction has been mostly positive. Nick S has been pretty enthusiastic about Anti-Man (remember him?), and I think his art style could put a brilliant spin on the character and the world he inhabits.
The only problem this poses is on my end. I gave up on the series pretty early (even compared to my other abortions), and never really got round to properly designing any of the characters. I can’t even remember where I was going with the plot (but I think it had something to do with this: [link] God, that’s evil!).

The plan right now is to see if NS is willing to recreate the three pages I’ve already got finished, which should give us a chance to make any alterations to either writing or art style before moving rebooting the series proper.

We could do with our own website too, I suppose. But that’s for later.

A big thank-you to everyone who's helped me push past 9000 pageviews. I'm planning to post a grand journal entry once I hit 10K, praising every member on the site who's inspired me over the years.

What's awesome this week?:



_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21372089/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21372089/ Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:24:51 PST

I'm contemplating submitting something for the college paper.
It's got a couple of strips running already.
Some people I've talked to don't like them.
I'm not one to judge, but it's surprising an art college doesn't have a better example of narrative and sequential art.

The thing is, the stuff I do is built on a system of explaining things in a block of text beneath the strip. I'm not sure if that'll be an option available to me in the paper, meaning that my stuff may be just as indecipherable as the current comics.

I'll find out. Given the choice, I'd like a whole sheet of A4, seeing as it's only monthly.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21359627/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21359627/ Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:32:42 PST



Well, Yes YOU Did really, because I couldn't vote.

Good going, guys.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21284959/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21284959/ Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:09:55 PST

The good news is Fallout 3 is as awesome as I hoped. Seriously, if you liked the previous games in the series, or Oblivion, you owe it to yourself to play this.

The bad news is my 360 just got itself broke. A Google of the symptoms reveals a simple fix. Unfortunately it involves taking the console apart, which I'm not prepared to do.

The bad news is my warranty ran out four months ago.

EDIT: The bad news is Microsoft is asking me to pay £51 to fix their broken product because I haven't got RROD .

The good news is there's nothing to distract me from Tuesday's comic.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21141585/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21141585/ Sun, 26 Oct 2008 09:06:48 PDT

Inspired by *The-Mirrorball-Man's effort ([link]) while I was away, ~matthewgrayling and myself are putting our comic-making skills and body clocks to the test and simultaneously powering through 24 Hour Comics.

The rules are simple, and can be read here: [link]

24 pages, 24 hours. I think I may have to stick to what I know, narrative-wise (that is, my life), but who knows? Maybe I'll dream something up tonight.

I'll be starting work at 10am, first installment up by 11am. GMT.

---

I DID IT! WOO! Read it here!: [link]

With hindsight, maybe I should've stuck with a single narrative rather than bouncing all over the place. Something to remember next time.

"Next time?" I hear you think (because I'm suddenly telepathic), "Surely you aren't planning to put yourself through this again?"

Well, yes, I am. Not anytime soon, obviously, but definitely some day. Next year, perhaps. On the correct date this time (the designated 24-Hour Comics for this year being last Saturday)!

I think the main thing I've learnt from this exercise is this: my comics take next to no time to make. By the time I got to 17 or 18, I was producing one every 20 minutes or so.

So the next time I say something like "No comic today! I'm too busy!", kindly slap me in the face and say "NO! You have 20 minutes to spare! Go draw!"

The other main thing I've learnt is to never draw Mr Hat again. I've no idea where that idea came from, and I don't want to know. Horrible stuff!

Although he may come in handy when I next have to prematurely kill off one of my comic series!

Now, Don'tLookDown's next installment depends on when my scanner arrives at Ledbury Road.

I've got that page I uploaded last night to colour and add some text to, so that'll be up this Tuesday. Hopefully I'll be scanner-enabled by the Thursday!

Until then...


_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21124765/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21124765/ Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:12:28 PDT

...except, unlike the Holy Grail, it actually exists.

A webcomic that covers videogames (albeit not all the time), and isn't prone to sucking!

Holy fucking shit.

P.S. Sure, I'm a fan of Penny Arcade at the end of the day, but even that can have its bad days.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21100113/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21100113/ Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:17:13 PDT

It's 2:15. In the morning.

I'm wide awake. And bloody freezing.

And I'm back.

I am SO back.

...

And I have 391 deviations to sift through.

Thanks a bunch.




_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21026555/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/21026555/ Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:23:26 PDT

I get internet access Tuesday evening.

I’ve got a film to submit to mark the occasion.

Prepare for awesomeness!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20852697/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20852697/ Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:56:19 PDT

Going to take a bit longer to set up my broadband and stuff.

Roughly a week or so.

See you then!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20662758/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20662758/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:25:46 PDT

...genius. (Might have to scroll down a bit)

And his friend, soon-to-be-genius.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20633353/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20633353/ Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:25:08 PDT

[link]

Brilliant!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20562703/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20562703/ Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:20:25 PDT

A fun game. Stolen from *The-Mirrorball-Man.

The rules:

- Choose a singer/band/group/artist
- Answer using ONLY titles of songs by that singer/band/group

My band: The White Stripes.

01. Are you male or female?
The Same Boy You've Always Known

02. Describe yourself.
300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues

03. What do people feel when they're around you?
Let's Shake Hands

04. How would you describe your previous relationship?
Sugar Never Tasted So Good

05. Describe your current relationship.
I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart

06. Where would you want to be now?
Hotel Yorba

07. How do you feel about love?
Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine

08. What's your life like?
One More Cup of Coffee

09. What would you ask for if you had only one wish?
Little Cream Soda

10. Say something wise.
Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn

11. What do you want to do/be in the future?
I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself

12. Describe your home life.
The Union Forever

13. What would your last words be?
Your Southern Can Is Mine

14. Describe your car.
Icky Thump

15. Describe your style.
Jimmy the Exploder

16. What is the meaning of life?
Little Acorns

In the words of Neil Buchanan: "Try it yourself!"

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20508054/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20508054/ Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:25:09 PDT

To all those between levels 1 and 8,

Stop spamming the Y button.

Thank you.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20287991/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20287991/ Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:58:58 PDT

Thanks for that, guys! Just over four months since I passed 7K too, which is nice.

Anyway, moving comic submissions to Tuesdays and Thursdays for now, because I now have those days off from work. Speaking of work, it's finally become fun (to a certain degree, at least). It turns out that, since the store is closing down and customer numbers are starting to thin (presumably because they're beginning to twig that we aren't restocking), people aren't too bothered by a little messing about.
It's almost like Reaper! But, you know, without all the demons and shit.

I've still got a veritable LAKE of comic ideas, so it's possible I'll still be drawing these comics by the time I've gone to uni. Wow.

So, all's well with me. What about you?

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20020631/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/20020631/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:53:22 PDT

Ah, it happens now and again. The problem is the amount of ideas I still have kicking around that I don't want to draw.

So, you know...if anyone wants to offer to draw my words, go ahead.

I think I'd prefer that sort of system anyway. Seriously, I'll give VERY detailed notes on what to do in each panel.

Thanks.

P.S.

I love walking, I really do.

Unfortunately, this means I probably come off as quite rude to anyone who offers me a lift home.

It's something of a double-edged sword.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19913365/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19913365/ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:01:09 PDT

Tada!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19717476/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19717476/ Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:41:50 PDT

In case you hadn't twigged yet, I'm taking a short break from this craziness known as art.
Off to Spain for a week tomorrow morning.
Back next Sunday, something the day after.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19427336/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19427336/ Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:01:57 PDT

...can be seen here: [link]

Now, about this...



...I really, REALLY don't know what to make of that.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19387289/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19387289/ Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:30:10 PDT

Seriously sucks.

As a result, I've spent most of today trying to help Dad figure out why his PC suddenly can't connect to the internet.
My 360 and laptop can connect fine, his USB wireless thing seems okay and Firefox is installed correctly. But somewhere, something isn't pulling its weight. And I've no bloody clue what it is.

Expect today's comic tomorrow morning. I haven't even scanned it in yet, and Dad's still tinkering.

Oh, and after reading this, NO MORE BALL HANDS FROM ME!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19335063/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/19335063/ Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:04:19 PDT

The accommodation list for Hereford, that is, and with it comes the task of choosing where I'll be living for much of the next three years of my life.

Naturally, this takes a bigger priority on my free time than a comic strip. Which is a shame, because I was on a roll (yes, two strips on time in a row constitutes a "roll" for me!).
Still, can't be helped.

This is going to be an incredibly hectic weekend, what with Hereford being a three hour drive away. I'll do my best to get something up over the weekend, but I'm not promising anything (as if you'd take it seriously if I did!). A new strip WILL be up on Monday afternoon, I can guarantee that.

At least I have this to inspire me now.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18969505/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18969505/ Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:55:09 PDT

Okay, the plan was to go back to good old Mon-Wed-Fri submissions as soon as I finished at college.

That plan, however, may have just gone down the tubes.

Seeing as I'm moving to Hereford and living alone from some time in September for three years, it's probably a good thing to get a second job at B&Q to raise some funds (for man cannot live on a student loan alone).
The problem is that I find myself working in the mornings, and the job can be surprisingly demanding (considering it's only on the checkout), meaning that I largely spend the afternoons in a daze, not in the mood to do much that requires more effort than watching a DVD (Firefly is a fucking brilliant show, by the way) or talking to someone on the phone.

I MEAN to get back into the swing of comic-like things, but I'm just haven't been able to get into the mood recently. Maybe I should try breaking down the process into smaller chunks.
Something along the lines of:
1. Quickly plan the strip in the morning.
2. Work.
3. Pencil, ink.
4. Scan.
5. Colour (if it's that kind of comic)

What do you think? How you guys manage to juggle work/school with posting stuff online?

P.S. Please don't simply put "Do what you think is best." I know you mean well, but the more responses I get, the faster I can figure something out.

P.P.S. I didn't want 'Not Impressed' to be my mood, but for some reason I can't change it.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18822901/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18822901/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:54:20 PDT

The chaos that erupts when a hotly anticipated game gets a less-than-perfect score is, quite frankly, depressing.

Case in point. You don't have to look far for the screaming of fanboys. Honestly, if people actually read the words of the review instead of just looking at the score, there'd be a lot less bile thrown around.

I, for one, find it pretty saddening that the majority of people commenting on this article think that 8 and 9 out of 10 are bad scores.

But I still don't see how people can award MGS4 a perfect score. That would suggest that anyone can jump straight into the game, without the need for prior knowledge of the series to fully appreciate it. And nothing could be further from the truth.

Today's Penny Arcade blog entry explains things with a more diction than I could ever muster, but I think I'm getting my point across.

It's not as if this is the first time such a fuss has been made about a pointless digit. Remember when Gamespot dared to give Twilight Princess an 8.8? Looking back, I think it was extremely generous of them. At least Yahtzee defended himself when people whinged about his Brawl review.

I'll leave the almost-final word to some tit known as "Hatchetforce", who may or may not be a serial killer:
"MGS4 is the greatest title ever made. The game is engrossing and succeeds in giving Roger Ebert the finger. MGS4 is art. The technical prowess of this title is without parallel. It won't see an equal for years. As far as reviews, IGN is correct. An 11. The fact that 1Up rates GTA4 an A+ and this game an A- makes me wonder if they ever played MGS4 at all"

And at that note, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to suggest to every game review from now on doesn't give a score of any kind. Maybe just a final word of Good, Bad or Average.
Come on, who's with me?

Don't be shy!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18764884/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18764884/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:07:26 PDT

[link]

One of my favourite bands, playing my favourite song off another one of my favourite band's new album. Wow!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18725947/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18725947/ Sun, 08 Jun 2008 07:01:09 PDT

Well, two things I can't believe, actually.

1. I have just one week of college left. It's gone by fast. Seems like only yesterday I met these guys

2. Somewhat related to that first notice, I drew I comic strip. Nothing out of the ordinary, you may think, but the important thing is who was in it. Him.

So, what now? Should I bring him back? I've got the perfect excuse to explain away the ending, if needs be, and I DO need something to do over the holidays.

I'll get back to you.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18543119/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18543119/ Wed, 28 May 2008 12:23:13 PDT

[link]

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18542987/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18542987/ Wed, 28 May 2008 12:14:28 PDT

[link]

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little...
This series is officially dead to me.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18510004/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18510004/ Mon, 26 May 2008 11:54:52 PDT

Eyyyy!


Oh, and I recently passed 7000 pageviews. Thanks everyone!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18462493/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18462493/ Fri, 23 May 2008 11:57:28 PDT

I finished that film yesterday. The whole damn project. Was the first in my class to do so too, which is something of a miracle for me.

I'll get round to scaling it down to a comfortable size for DA soon, but, damn, I need a rest after that...

It's 27 minutes long...

Here, watch this, it's awesome: [link]

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18067444/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/18067444/ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:32:57 PDT

I'm still making that film.

Plus GTA4 is out tomorrow. Go figure.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17958252/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17958252/ Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:42:36 PDT

I'm making a film. Must dash!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17742395/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17742395/ Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:53:41 PDT

I had an inkling this would happen, but didn't want to believe it: [link]

£50 for the game alone? Fine, that's standard RRP these days (and most stores sell them for 40 anyway). I've still got my guitar from GH2, so that's one less thing to worry about (there's no way in hell I'm shelling out £60 for just a guitar, even if it is wireless). I also don't give a crap about singing, because I suck.

But, goddammit, I want to play drums too! Meaning I'm asked to hand over a further £70, which brings my spending to £120. Which is more than the US had to pay for the whole thing! It's a fucking joke.

Jeez, with the current exchange rate on the dollar, I was expecting less. MUCH less.

I picked a random US retailer, and had a quick look.

$466.97 for Rock Band AND and an Xbox 360.

£235.78 at today's rates. Only £55 more than Rock Band alone.

Fuck off.


CRISIS AVERTED! Sort of.

[link]

Now, £140, for me at least, is a lot more comfortable. Guess I'll have to forget about visiting the cinema for these next two months though...

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17710366/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17710366/ Sun, 06 Apr 2008 06:12:24 PDT

I suppose this actually IS a Spring Break for me, seeing as Easter's already come and gone. Guess it's time for me to take a trip to Florida and get drunk...

Nah.

Anyway, I've got two weeks off from college, and relatively little work to do for when I get back, so it's highly likely that I may, for once, be able to stick to my Mon/Wed/Fri schedule for once. The question is whether I'll have enough ideas. I currently have, quite literally, one.

In DA news, I fully recommend that all of you with Firefox (or some other customizable browser) download Deviant Statistics by =BoffinbraiN. It's a fantastic tool that gives you a snapshot just about everything you could want to know about a Deviant (or even yourself, for the self-conscious people out there!)
For instance, this is what it makes of ~The-DCE's profile:


And this is what it makes of me:


Stand up and be counted!

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17616818/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17616818/ Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:38:16 PDT

Why the fuck does everyone have Mudkip as their avatar!? What the hell is going on?




This is lame.

EDIT: Ah, it's April Fools Day isn't it? Well done.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17437058/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17437058/ Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:56:40 PDT

...but I'll just reiterate the point.

Meet the Spartans is the worst film I've seen since Men in Black II.
Worst film of the decade.
Heap. Of. Shit.



Happy Easter.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17312658/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17312658/ Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:04:40 PDT

And it's right here!

Good to see that this is going to be a completely different film to Ang Lee's effort (which I liked, but it just didn't seem like a Hulk movie). Looking at the interview Leterrier's given to Empire, it looks like this may be closer to Transformers than King Kong.

Which, if you ask me, is the direction to be heading in!

Any thoughts?

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17147693/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17147693/ Sun, 02 Mar 2008 11:18:36 PST

No, not 9000, but 6000 pageviews!

So, thanks to everyone who's ever seen my stuff, even those who thought it was shite
(and, I'll be honest, some of it is)!

To celebrate, let's all cuddle up with some cocoa and watch Half-Life: Full Life Consequences 2.





Yeah, it's not as good as the first. Guess the party's over.

_______________

Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17086407/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17086407/ Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:37:20 PST

...can go suck it. I hope I never have to listen to one of his songs again.

Also, cinemas should play songs by at least three different artists if the film is 25 minutes late.

On the plus side, No Country for Old Men is amazing.

EDIT: Oh my God, he's a murderer! [link]

_______________
Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17074477/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17074477/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:03:11 PST

To: *eloze, ~MsMatched

Based on MsMatched:'s suggestion, I've made this journal to discuss our first collaborative piece!

To: Everyone else

Feel free to help out in any you want!

____________________________________________________

Now, the theme for this first piece is 'Animal Perspective', and MsMatched is listed as the one to kick off whatever it is we decide to create ([link] Digi/Trad/Digi, Team 24), but I think it would be a good idea to brainstorm with each other with any ideas we may have for this piece.
I personally don't have any brainwaves as of yet, but I'll contact you as soon as I do! Looks like we each have two weeks to get our parts done too, so there's no great hurry!

These should help us out: [link] [link]

Oh, and be sure to check this entry regularly, so as not to miss anything!

_______________
Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17057751/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/17057751/ Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:17:22 PST

SCORE!

Once won Best Song!

FAIL

Transformers lost to The Golden Compass in Best Visual Effects!?

_______________
Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16875007/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16875007/ Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:44:50 PST





The explanation: [link]
Why it's a good thing: [link]
EPIC LULZ: [link]

Of course, it may seem a little pointless to have Screenshots on the front page all of a sudden, but this is a work in progress. Things will improve.

I'm just glad that there's less BE forced upon me. That stuff makes me feel ill.

_______________
Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16848373/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16848373/ Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:06:40 PST

John Solomon and the Elders of Zion are back back back!

Let the grinding of shitty webcomics commence! Again!

_______________
Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16816466/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16816466/ Sun, 10 Feb 2008 12:15:24 PST

I'm updating some of my older stuff for my portfolio. Nothing major!

_______________
Nick out.



]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16748114/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16748114/ Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:35:31 PST

You remember that extra-special thing I said I would hopefully be working on?


It's totally on. Watch this space.



P.S. Make sure you Flash player is updated!

_______________
Nick out.


]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16610157/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16610157/ Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:54:49 PST

Other than wiping you arse with it, of course (but why waster paper by printing it out in the first place?).

Although I'll let this one slide because the original author is six or something.

Fucking hilarious video though: [link]

_______________
Nick out.


]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16578779/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16578779/ Sat, 26 Jan 2008 09:27:15 PST

Quite simply, I've had lots of college work to do these past few weeks. And by lots I mean a fuck-ton.

Most of my time has been spent on research for my Final Major Project (which is coming along smoothly, I've doodled some character designs already), which should be filmed and finished around May. And because I've been given the okay by DA admin, I'll be able to submit the finished film right here!

Speaking of films, I've got an opportunity to make something REALLY special. I won't say what exactly, because there's a chance that it may not happen. But if it does...well, watch this space!

I've also joined *collab-da, which should give me a chance to do something different with whatever artistic talent I may have (and you should join too).

Apart from that though, I'll be adding stuff from time to time. Just don't expect me to keep up with my '3 submissions a week' commitment!

_______________
Nick out.
]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16535906/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16535906/ Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:06:17 PST

[link]

What a guy!

Anyway, I was originally planning to write a journal about the recently announced Oscar nominations (like last year), so here it is.

Best Picture
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Hotly contested as always, although I can't see either Michael Clayton or Juno winning the gong. As for the other three, who knows? Shame that Jesse James missed out on a nom. Stil, it could go either way, but seeing I'm forcing myself to choose something, it might as well be in the Coen's favour:

My (completely unofficial) vote: No Country for Old Men

Best Director
Julian Schnabel -The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman - Juno
Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton
Joel and Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood

Another tough one, especially considering how well Juno and Diving Bell have struck with countless critics. This is even more difficult seeing as I haven't seen three of the films on the list but, hey, that didn't stop me last year!

My vote (based entirely on US reviews and the trailers): Paul Thomas Anderson

Best Actor
George Clooney - Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises

Not a bad performance among them...hmmm...Johnny Depp was good, but this award has never been awarded to a comic/musical performance, and I doubt the Acadamy would start now. Tommy Lee Jones was a bit over the top for my liking, and Viggo's accent didn't quite convince me. And DDL has won one before so...

My vote: George Clooney

Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

Bardem. Hands down. The guy scared the shit out of me in the cinema, and that takes some doing!

My vote: Javier Bardem

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away from Her
Marion Cotillard - La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney - The Savages
Ellen Page - Juno

The no-show of Keira Knightly is a surprise, but I wouldn't vote for her anyway. My vote goes to the outsider.

My vote: Ellen Page

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
Ruby Dee - American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton

Was just about to say Cate Blanchett, but then I noticed Atonement's Ronan, who was nothing short of astonishing. Jesus, now I'm starting to sound like James fucking Lipton!

My vote: Saoirse Ronan

Original Screenplay
Juno, Written by Diablo Cody
Lars and the Real Girl, Written by Nancy Oliver
Michael Clayton, Written by Tony Gilroy
Ratatouille, Screenplay by Brad Bird; Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird
The Savages, Written by Tamara Jenkin

Stripper makes good.

My vote: Juno

Adapted Screenplay
Atonement, Screenplay by Christopher Hampton
Away from Her, Written by Sarah Polley
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
No Country for Old Men, Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
There Will Be Blood, Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson

Can't beat a bit of Coen banter, even if it is extremely morbid this time around

My vote: No Country for Old Men

Best Animated Feature =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16523984/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16523984/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:53:48 PST

Still reeling.



R.I.P. 1979 - 2008

_______________
Nick out.
]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16140429/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16140429/ Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:59:38 PST

...just make life a misery for the rest of us.

Check this out.

That's harsh. Especially the flagpole bit. Yowch.



Great music though. Cheetahmen 2?

_______________
Nick out.


]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16119901/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/16119901/ Thu, 27 Dec 2007 07:26:12 PST

Just a bump post to get Malcolm Middleton off my front page...

...Jesus Christ, 31? What the hell happened there?

_______________
Nick out.
]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/15929911/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/15929911/ Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:38:32 PST



'Cause he bloody deserves it! X Factor be damned!

[link]

_______________
Nick out.
]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/15929228/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/15929228/ Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:24:48 PST



Yep, more Cloverfield stuff!


Shame I can't post the widget here though.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of trailers/films, the graphics on this look fantastic!

_______________
Nick out.
]]> =XenonXylophone http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/15792801/ http://XenonXylophone.deviantart.com/journal/15792801/ Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:24:15 PST

Surely the Gamespot rumour about Kane & Lynch that's been floating around recently was damaging enough?

But this? And this?

Jeez, Eidos. Bad reviews getting you down?

Still, I guess you'll have to grab what you can.


P.S. Yeah, I've played the game. That Metacritic score seems about right to me.

_______________
Nick out.
]]> =XenonXylophone