Rusty Banana Forge

2008,  a leap year for me
It is February, with a 29
See me go from 29 to 30
Goodbye calendar February

For today is my last day 29
On 28 February I turn 30
Never to return to 20, yes to 20
Goodbye calendar February

I wish I could go back
Maybe stayed on track
Goodbye goodbye calendar February

The Pixel Pintura is now on its 6th year!  Despite having no internet at home, I can at least still use the PC to teach Digital Coloring & Painting!  If you’re interested click the poster for a larger version.

Digital Coloring Basics is 4 sessions @ 3 hours a session.
Digital Coloring Pro is 6 sessions @ 3 hours a session.
Digital Painting Basics is 6 sessions @ 3 hours a session.

We are located at 854 A. Mabini St. Mandaluyong City.  Philippines of course.

If you’d like to ask about the price or other details kindly text me at 09167481644 or contact me through this blog.  My phone line is dead at the moment, and I don’t know when it’ll be back.  (It will sound like no one is answering the phone.)

 Things have been busy (and more difficult with no internet connection at home) so I haven’t able to research and develop a new workshop for Digital Painting.  Guess what it’s called.  Think creative. 

Wow still no internet connection.  We’ve called every single day since February 11 to the Globelines call center only to get… the apology.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, sir.”

“I know how difficult it is without telephone service, sir.”

“I’m sorry for the wait, sir.”

“I do apologize for that, sir.”

Frankly if I hear any more apologies from Globelines… I’ll SCREAM.  It’s like praying to mechanized sympathizers.  They can’t really DO anything, and everything they SAY is the same.  And when you get really angry at the whole situation on the phone… they keep silent, expecting you to say something that will just repeat the whole insane conversation once more.

So now I have to spend time idly waiting at the cafe to upload and download my work files (80mb to 100mb). All around me are children and their noisy DOTA & Counterstrike.  The only consolation I have is that the married lady who manages the shop is easy on the eyes. But then that’s just a temptation now, isn’t it??  Lord God, lead me not into temptation , give me my internet connection baaaaack….

I’ve been working with leading vfx artist Alp Altiner on Team 14, a comic book project he conceptualized.  You can find an article describing Team 14 here on Digital Webbing.  It’s a real honor to work with Alp.  I first heard of him from the ImagineFX magazine.  I was flipping through the February issue (one I bought specifically for the matte painting article), read Alp’s workshop article on matte painting, and thought to myself … this is something I’d like to try out.

Then around 2 days later, I’m asked to show him samples of my color work by email.  And now here I am waiting like a zombie to upload Team 14 covers.  God can be so funny.

Oh and Elbert Or just sent me more Bakemono High pages to color.  Yes Elbert, I love you too.  My birthday is coming up.  Give me internet for my birthday, okay?

In the meantime, I’ve already begun asking around for trips to Singapore.   I’ve been meaning to take a vacation and I thought the Singapore Toy & Comic Convention would be a great event to catch… (along with the great Singapore sale.)  Ironically, it’s possible that I may find more work over there.

The entire week, no telephone, no Internet. Stupid Globelines.  How can it take them from February 11 to February 16 (and I expect this to drag until Monday.)  to fix my phone and internet connection???  It just takes them 3 to 5 days to hook up a new one!

The lack of an internet connection at home is seriously hampering my work and any rebates I would get doesn’t cover all the lost opportunity.

Schools in the EDSA-Ortigas consortium (EDSOR). Which includes La Salle, ICA, Poveda, Xavier (my alma mater) began their Peace Camp today, they invited Elbert Or and myself to hold a workshop on comics. Friend Vin Simbulan was invited to give a workshop on short story writing. Other artists were invited as well to discuss other arts.

25% of the class was left-handed. Approximately there was equal number of guys and girls. A fair number of the ladies were quite good, trumping the number of promising gents.

Elbert discussed the nature of comics and synaesthesia, and I discussed script breakdowns - anticipating the activity the kids would have of turning their reflections of the Peace Camp activities into comics. They began planning and illustrating at around 2:20PM and finished at 4:00PM.

I wish there was more time, but even then - learning how to illustrate comics doesn’t merely take a day even if teaching it can.

We received a cool EDSOR Tee and the appreciation of everyone involved. Poveda will be hosting it next year. Perhaps we’ll hear from them then.