Good whichever time of the day it is for you. I'm typing this out on my parents' computer because for the next week I'm on mid-term break from my Diploma of Graphic Design course. *lets out sigh of relief* Not that I'm not enjoying school or anything like that, I'm just worn out after non-stop designing and deadlines.
Amusingly enough, our teacher tried to interest us in considering the advanced design course by showing us the epic pieces of work by the advanced students. Apparently they also needed to churn them out in even less time than we'd had for the projects that had left us in a state of tired delirium

But I digress...

In my time off I'm planning on spending some time with my parents, playing with my camera again, upgrading my softwarez, hanging out with my brother, pwning some ps3, watching some frakking Battlestar Galactica, and getting a start on my next project... A box set, cases and book cover for the rumoured upcoming expansion to World of Warcraft, "Cataclysm". Since all I have to go on is a single word and a ton of speculation, I'll be building a set of designs based on what I'm expecting and/or would like the next instalment to introduce - the obligatory +10 level cap & new battlefield, Playable Goblins for each faction, a new hero class, southern seas areas, aquatic mounts (dolphins, sharks, pleiosaurs, orcas, zombie sharks...) and other goodness.

But first, how about I upload some of my latest work?

I haven't been very active lately, artistically or otherwise. I'll blame it on a punishing routine of school work, but other things have been occupying me too. Call it a lack of muse, or an inability to focus my creative forces, or a misaligned zen, it's a lethargy that's proving problematic...


On philosophy...
I find I've been taking a nihilistic view of the world a lot recently - frequently feeling that things don't really matter. But I've found some of Nietzsche's ideas to be particularly interesting. His thoughts of the "slave ethic" and criticisms of mob morality resonated with my own feelings on the matters well. Übermensch is a concept that really gets me - a feeling I often express is that humanity SHOULD be so much better than it is. We should be above poverty and genocide and paralyzed international authority and financial instability and environmental unsustainability. But we keep failing as people and individuals and as a species. Perhaps most importantly, are we failing to achieve Übermensch because of the mob mind?

On pop cultural observances...
I've recently seen a few movies. Fast and Furious (my brother's pick) was an unapologetically mindless and entertaining cops n robbers n boy-racers movie. X-men origins: Wolverine was a mix of the outstanding and the outstandingly mish-mashed. Starting from a stylish and gripping intro of wolvie and Sabretooth battling through a back-catalogue of American wars, it slowly devolved into half-sensible set-piecing and forced cameos. Like humanity in the shadow of Übermensch, Wolverine should be a lot better.

On current projects...
School is keeping me beyond busy. The inevitable last minute rush to print the projects, coupled with a constantly failing printer drives my class of stressed-out, over-caffeinated, hung-over late teens/early twenties insane. The resulting environment is not particularly conductive to creativity, but I am looking forward to getting a qualification I can be smug about. My current project is to write, illustrate and print a children's book. I thought the project would be fun, but my current creative block is making it rather awkward.

"No. Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise."
-Rorschach, Watchmen novel (1988)

So, I dressed up as everyone's favourite inkblot-mask-wearing psychopathic vigilante and waltzed off to the armageddon expo I was so unsure of. Here's my summary...

This was the first time I've ever cosplayed", and the reactions I got were generally very positive. Several watchmen fans wearing the comedian's blood-stained smiley badge (anyone know where I can get one of those?) and many others enjoyed seeing someone emulating a character they enjoy. One guy I talked to told me he'd made a rorschach costume too but didn't wear it because his parents were embarrassed

I must have posed for at least ten photos in the first three hours. Anyone who's met me in RL knows how shy I am in person, so it felt bizarre getting so much attention. It was nice to entertain people though

At 12:00 my girlfriend had finished shopping and went home since she was now bored. I changed out of my costume and washed the ink that had leaked from my mask off my face. Now out of character, I went to the dA stand and hung out with ~spikeyheadedfreak as he drew "a demon being impaled from behind" as per request of a rather violent 12 year old.

I set up to sell some 6x4 prints of some of my best works. At just $1 a piece (most likely the cheapest thing being sold at armageddon) and with some quite genuine interest from the patrons, I was very disappointed that not one of the 100 prints I had made got sold. In hindsight, I should have kept with the theme of the event and made more sci-fi and fantasy art to sell, but I was hoping to add some variety to the dA stall, and represent some photography and digital art beside the drawing, anime, inks and paints of the others.

On the topic of selling art, I saw some neat New Zealand comics and publishers but didn't really discuss the industry or art form with them. I also noticed that mass-produced artwork posters were selling for two-thirds of the price it would cost for an average artist to merely get their work printed. If anyone knows how Victoria Frances gets such unashamedly dirt-cheap publishing, I'd be interested to know.

My failures as a professional artist aside, I also hung out with =HyperCannon (who was rather amused by my costume) watched Hulk vs Thor (not that I care much for either character) played Secret Agent Clank (typically awkward as any PSP game), killzone 2 (fairly enjoyable, but not the halo-killer Sony is desperately hoping it to be), and finally failed epically on drums for Guitar Hero World Tour (essentially "Band Hero" with its multiple instruments).

I must say that overall I was a little disappointed by this year's event. As I mentioned in my previous journal, many of the attractions didn't appeal to me, none of the celebrity or panel guests interested me, I had no playing cards for the competitions (and didn't find out about a "sealed deck provided" contest until too late), and the films and anime being played were average at best. Fortunately, it was not as over-crowded as last year, but neither was it as eventful or enjoyable.

My final message to the organisers: try the food you give away in the goodie bags before you endorse it. That instant macaroni is atrocious.

So I've decided "what the hell". I'll be going to Armageddon on saturday, and depending on how it goes I'll see if I'm up for sunday too. I had a scavenger hunt around a second hand store, the city market, the warehouse and a "two dollar shop"-style place, and scavenged together a fairly decent Rorschach costume. I just need to customise that iconic mask...

Cosplay aside, I'll see if I can hang with the dA stall. I'm gonna print some of my photos to sell, but mainly I hope to hang out, goof off and have some fun. I hope to see as many of you deviants there as I can!

I'm unsure about this year's armageddon expo convention. I've attended Armageddon for the past two years and enjoyed both quite a lot, but this year I'm having trouble deciding on whether to go or not. So here's a list of pros and cons, explaining my mixed feelings about the upcoming event...

pro:
I enjoyed it the last two times.
It's a good chance to make contacts in the nerd industry.
I have the rare opportunity to hang out with some of my dA friends in RL.
I could do with unwinding a bit.

Cons:
I have little spare money, and Armageddon involves a lot of stalls selling cool - but expensive - stuff, on top of the entry fee.
I'm rather behind in my course work and should use the weekend to try and catch up.
I don't have any cosplay stuff (I would love to go as Rorschach)
I don't have any art stuff to sell or pitch.
many of the attractions don't appeal to me. (wrestling? seriously? SRSLY!?)
I'm not particularly interested in the celebrity/panel guests.
I don't have any trading cards for the trading card events. (I used to have a fairly decent yugioh deck, but a former friend misplaced my cards...)

So that leaves me wondering how I should spend this weekend - at Armageddon or studying, doing housework, restocking my pantry, and getting a bit of rest. Any comments?