Bride of Paper Craft!!

Yea...more paper craft links..so?


GAIKING! Get your ROBOT on!!

ALIENS POWERLOADER! This is insane!!







I've been watching these for a while. The designer is almost finished and some are in PDF, so I'll send them your way...THE WACKEY RACES! vehicles!! Booyaaah!














..and finally, the most insane 1966 BATMOBILE ever!!

You can't get any better than this!

Well, these should keep you busy for a while.

ROBOTS!

I love effin' robots! Check out this great time waster...CLICK HERE! When it loads, click on anything and watch what happens! Hours of wasted time you'll never get back and wished you had..someday...and thanks to Jeff Pidgeon for finding it.

Fort Worth "Trip"

Our buddy Eric had a great idea the other day..."Let's go see the "Modern
Illustrators of the 20th Century" exhibit at the Amon Carter Museum, guys! It'll be
cool...we'll take the Dart train and switch over to the Trinity Railway system all the way to Fort Worth! We'll cruise in style!" Eric has the museum info, the train schedule, and everything is timed out.


I thought, ok...I'd like to see some of these works in person. They might have some stuff by Leyendecker, Sundblom or Shoonover...hell, maybe some Erte! I've always wanted to see these styles of painting up close...to see the techniques. This'll be relaxing.
Penny and I get to Eric's at ...











Saturday, 26th
3PM:
Eric informs us we need to get to the Dart station quick because we need to catch the 3:52 Trinity Rail switch over at Union Station downtown. If we miss it, that's the last one out for the day. We haul buttocks through traffic and park. We head down the escalator to the platform...but with no actual tickets. We head back up the escalator to the ticket kiosk, buy tickets, then back down to the platform.

3:30PM:
The Dart train is on time...so are we...we load on and take off for Union Station
(downtown Dallas). We are enjoying the casual ride...as Eric promised.



(that's me.)





3:42: We arrive in Union Station on time, and immediately walk over and board the Trinity Rail. We stop for a second thinking this was too easy. We must be on the wrong train....with 10 minutes to spare? No. We're ok. It's the only one.

4:05:
All the while we ride, Penny and Eric are looking at the changing colors of the trees. Eric knows the names of all flora. At one point Penny jabs a finger out the window
and asks.."What are that?"
No...she actually asks "What are that?"

(when Eric saw the above picture, he asked.."What's that weird 'S' shaped thing, ya'll". We said, "It's your freakin' skull!")





4:55:
We hop off the Trinity in Fort Worth and start looking for a bus to downtown.
After a bit of intense discussion, we all agree that #7 to "University Museums", as stated on the route map, must be the one to take.

5:20:
After waiting a while for the bus to show up, AND for it to actually leave the
station, we're on our way to the museum district. Eric reports the smell of pee where he's sitting, and for some reason he's looking at me.

5:28:
The bus lady lets us off at a "non schedule stop" right in the middle of the
museum district, eventhough her bus is FOR THE MUSEUM DISTRICT. Gee, thanks for "doin' us a solid" bus lady!

5:30:
We walk across the street to the Amon Carter Museum and up the steps. We pause to
look out over the Fort Worth skyline and congratulate ourselves on the long journey.



















5:33:
Penny grabs the door handle of the museum to find it's locked. The museum closes at 5Pm on Saturdays.
Someone actually turned the lights off at that moment.




5:37:
After chasing Eric a couple of blocks, we stop at a Trinity Bus stop and catch our
breath. We decide to wait for a bus back to the Trinity train station. While we wait, we re-read the museum brochure that states the times of business.
Penny keeps stating over and over, "Take my picture as I lay down in the middle of
the road...c'mon."
We ignore her and Eric re-reads the museum brochure.

6:00:
We're on the bus heading for downtown. I'm standing, as the bus is full. Penny and
Eric are pointing out the window, like kids, looking at the older buildings.

6:30:
The bus stops and stays stopped for a few minutes. We can see police lights and
some action up ahead in a major intersection. The bus driver asks everybody,"If you're going downtown, you need to get off here. They've blocked the roads for the race."
Race? What race?
We get out and walk towards deep downtown, towards the popular Sundance Square. We see that the "race" is a "Jingle Bell Run" or something like that...a run for charity. The only way to our goal is along the same route.

6:50:
After jogging a couple of blocks with the other runners, we decided to leave the pack and find someplace to eat in Sundance Square. On the way we passed the "Largest Christmas Tree in Texas". Eric wanted to see this as well and stated, "See...it all turned out ok."

The tree was probably 40 feet high.

We keep walking and end up at a place called "8.0" I'm not sure what this in reference to, and I don't care. We go inside.

7:21:
We've eaten and re-read the brochure thoroughly at this point. I had 12 Buffalo
Wings and Penny and Eric had cheese burgers. We're now walking west to the Trinity Railway station that's "somewhere in this direction" we tell ourselves. Eric and Penny don't know where it can be, but as we pass different streets, I keep telling them that there are Rail Road Crossing signs to our left. It seems the station is to our left.
At a major intersection, we turn left and see the old timey station.

7:37:
I go into the station to look for a machine that might sell me some peanut M&Ms,
as Penny and Eric look at an antique rail car on display and re-read the museum brochure. Eric tells us that we have to get the 8:01 to Dallas 'cause it's the last one tonight.
"If'n we don't, we're screwed."

8:01:
There's no train at the station. We cross over to the other side because, "If we're goin' to Dallas, we have to board the other side". I'd like to ask someone who works
here, when the hell the next train is, but I can't find anybody. We cross over the tracks.

8:21:
When the train comes in, a "train lady" appears out of nowhere and yells at us,
"If you're going to Dallas, you need to be over here to board...BUT DON"T CROSS NOW!"...as the train roars passed us and to a stop. When we cross over, it takes a couple of minutes to get the info out of her that YES, this is the Trinity Train to downtown Dallas...leaving at 8:31.

9:00:
We've been on the train for 35 minutes or so. It has gone west farther down the line, turned around and is now back, sitting, in the Fort Worth station. I look over at Eric who has his jacket over his head. I think he's secretly reading the museum brochure. Penny is nodding off too. With hardly anybody else on the train, I choose this time to pull a hefty booger from my nose and fling it to the carpet. Penny, who enjoys such visions, must have a built in silent alarm. She bolts up and stares at the offensive rope on the floor.
"My mouth's watering" she states through glazed eyes.
I push her head back, "Go to sleep".

9:45:
We're in route to Dallas and I'm wondering several things.

WHY..is the train going slower TO Dallas, than it did LEAVING Dallas?
WHY...did I fling a booger onto the floor of this train?
WHY...is Penny having a dream about me...when I just flung a
booger to the floor?
WHY...did it take 7 hours to just go see a locked door?

(footnote)
The average drive to Fort Worth from Dallas is 25-30 minutes.

Deal's Wheels

A while back I showed some pics of a Rat Fink model I had done. I wrote that I'd show more of my kits, so here is one that I got out of storage and repaired a bit. This is from Revell's Deal's Wheels re-issue line from '96 called "Van". (another re-issue was Zzzzz-28 in '95) The originals were issued in 1970 and 1971, designed by Dave Deal and had titles like, Go-Mad Nomad, Stink Ray, Ferd Phoney Car, (a favorite, but hard to find), and Glitter Bug. There were 17 in all (18 if you count the Bug Bomb/Bug Out double issue), and all are awesome. At the time there were other Rat Fink/Odd Rod influenced designs on the market, like Zingers and such. More about those at BUBBLEGUM FINK.
I was obsessed with this stuff as a kid in the '70s, but the only one I ever put together (of the Dave Deal models) before this one, was the 80's re-issues of "Trans-Um Firebird" renamed "Funbird". This series was called Funsters.


And no I can't find my built up.











Here's my "Van" by Dave Deal. A perfect choice from the 70's line....a cool VW van . I made mine a two tone beach cruiser who's kickin' up some sand. Click the pics for a good look.




The driver didn't have an arm that hung out the window...I built that out of epoxy to match the box art.



One of the things that broke off was the antennae. It was similar to the one on the dune buggy, "Glitter Bug". So I replaced it with some kit bashing and a length of music wire for a sturdy, but flexible antennae. Since it was metal, super glue or traditional model glue wasn't going to hold it in place...so I used a tiny...tiny..bit of Gorilla Glue. Great stuff! I love those intakes on the sides!


Since he was "pullin' a wheelie", I bent the front axle a bit to show the weight and energy of the front tires.


In the front seat you kinda' can see an issue of CARtoons...


...and on the back glass is a Wacky Package sticker of "BustedFinger", one of my favorites.


The exhaust was molded in chrome, but I knew of a lot of enameled exhausts in the 70's and made this one white.You can see the tiny VW engine in the compartment. The tail lights were chrome already, but I added some 5 minute epoxy tinted red inside the trim.

I lost the other surfboard somewhere...but what would ONE dood do with two surfboards?
I finished the paint with chips and rust since this is an old cruiser and this guy lives close to the sea.

This particular design from the whole line, in my opinion, came out awesome and was real faithful to Dave's artwork. This shot looks very "Deal-ish"

$1

A while back at Penny's birthday party, we all sat around and watched her open presents. It was just about 5 or 6 of us. My buddy Bob was sittin' there too, a laughin' and slappin' his knee! Oh, everybody was having a good time until Bob got so worked up at one point, he broke my CHROME STEEL rolling desk chair! He almost broke it in two! He must have super dense booty muscles or something.
I've asked him to pay me for the chair at the party and he blew me off...he threw a little piece of cake at me. Later I mentioned it again, in an e-mail:
"...oh...by the way...I'm still waiting for a reimbursement, for-real-doh!
His response:
"And as far you being imbursed and all that, I hear where you're coming from but my lash got a little whipped on your dangerous ass chair. So I may be looking for a little bursement myself, knowdamsayin? Times is tough yo, times is tough."
So's I write:
"Now keep in mind, that was MY all time favorite chair...I was born in that chair...grew up in that chair and was buried in that chair....so it's pretty important to me. My 'bursement better be in the mail."
His resonse:
"I'm getting all that. I mean I hear you. But what about my ass? That was my favorite all time ass. Stuff's been born out of that ass...thing's are buried in that ass....and now? Dude, and now that ass has a crack in it. As long as I have an ass, you've got a place to eat. That has to be worth something."

So I let it go. Y'know...okay...be that way. Until this morning, I got this in the mail...

...a check for One Dollar (and "absolutely" no cents). That's it. Made out to Joe "I Love Chairs More than Women" Riley. His note on the check says: "It was sort of rickety when I sat in it."
That's all he's taking resonsibility for..a dollar.
OK...I'm showing everybody the picture I took of you Bob, right after you disintergrated my chair.


Isn't it ironic, that at that exact time...you're thinking of a broke chair...AND, you're wearing a shirt that proudly states your self imposed identity! You can't just walk away..limp away...from this. I demand reinbursment...and more than a dollar.


"We shall see, what we shall see."
-Moe Howard

Son of PAPER CRAFT!

I've found some more paper craft! Ahhaaa! Thought I'd grown out of that, eh? P-schaw, I say to thee!
READY MECH! Go there now..I command!

Bob...you've done it again, myeh heh!

My buddy Bob sent me this link about Bob McIntosh, one of the great designers from the "hip" mid fifties animation art movement...which is over at...CARTOON MODERN...which led me to this expsensive joint...The DEEP ARCHIVES..which led me to think about what I want for Christmas...Heh heh (rubs hands together)!
Oh yea....original Tom Slick cel with background...

..."Naw, honey...we don't need a new dish washer..this is orginal Jay Ward!!"
...or how about an orginal Groovy Goolies cel...

"We'll eat baloney or..ramen..it's art! Food can't compare!!"
How about an original Frito Bandito cel?

"It's about food, honey!! Sort of..."
...oh...and there's one of my 60's Gods...

..Frankenstein Jr!

Actually, I wouldn't buy the actual production (or numbered repo) cels. The real art is in the layout sketches and pencils for the cels. They were drawn by the artists. I've painted cels for animation and ANYBODY can paint cels.
Thanks Bob...you've cost me money..again!!

"He's Got the Look..."

I changed the look of the place. I wanted to put my own graphics up and personalize the image. For a while I couldn't figure out the HTML, but after having a "chin wag" with Dave over at BUBBLEGUM FINK, I got the look I wanted. I still may change the background colors and text, but for now it's cool. I've edited and redefined my links, too.
There's peace in the valley.
I'll be posting over at Bubblegum Fink as well, 'cause Dave thinks I gots what it takes.

Halloween Costumes

No, I'm not through with Halloween. It's year 'round, as far as I'm concerned.
This year we were invited to a Halloween party, so Penny and I wanted our costumes to rock.

After the party, some people who didn't go, wanted to see me and Penny's costumes, so I'd thought I share a few pics with ya.
First up is Penny's, entiteld "The Littlest Girl In Texas". It's pretty self explanitory. Here's a test run with everything in place, but no set dressing.


Pretty funny.
Here's close ups of the "stage" dressing...


...and the final effect at the party...

...and meeting her idol...Pippi Longstocking!!

My mask for my costume was based on a person named Simon Metz...better known as Schlitze (Schlitzie) the Pinhead from the movie "Freaks". Here's a frame grab:

I knocked out a rough sculpt in water based clay in a few sessions (1-2 hours each session). I showed these pics to some friends who gave me advice on things I couldn't see, because I was too close to the sculpt.


Penny is my best sounding board and helps greatly in this area of objective veiws. She can see things that I can't and can pinpoint the subtlest point of anatomy. She's my favorite tool. (ha ha..I called you "a tool", Penny!)
After a few more sessions, I had what I wanted...or what time would permit. Here's the finished sculpt...



...and the finished mask...




In retrospect, if I had enough time, I would have made the front teeth longer...a point Penny made..and made the cranium even smaller. BUT, as it was, I was still trying to cram my large head into impossible proportions. Here's the costume with the mask at the party....

Our friend Eric came along to the Halloween party and began to throw zombie gang signs...

...so our hosts threw us out...

...stupid zombie Eric.