I Want One


Can't get it at Pet Smart, tho:

The "snake" appeared to be about 6 feet long. Covered by fabric in military camouflage colors, it slithered along the ground and climbed rocks, its segments connected with joints that flexed in several different directions. Channel 2 said military researchers studied real snakes to copy their movements.

Good afternoon, friends. Haven't written in awhile since it's taken me a week to recover from last weekend, plus I've got caught up in the game Everlong again, making the mistake of starting again from the beginning since I couldn't remember what I'd been doing when I played last time. One of the best (if not THE best) old-school RPG free games out there -- and a superlative way to waste frustrating DAYS and DAYS of time.

As to my own "everlong" game (alas, no robotic snake in mine), I will work on it again, I really really will -- and I'm not waiting for the full body animation software/hardware to solve my problems, either. Am at a point in the story line where I have to do a whole bunch to just reach a pausing point so I can release it. Please be patient. I know the one-year anniversary of the last release is rapidly approaching, but Everlong doesn't play itself, you know.

Labels: Darkdevil County, games, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 4:00 PM | | | Link |

 
Go, Robots!
Thanks to all who bought prints of Security Robot #13 at various sales this winter (just picked up my check from sale at Chicago Printmakers Collaborative). And the card-buyers too.

Please come back here if you need more robots, cards, or anything else. Will perhaps set up a store at Etsy, or not.

Later.

Labels: art, printmaking, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 4:52 PM | | | Link |

 
Happy 5th Anniversary
to me.

Well, missed it by a few days, which is odd, in its way, to miss such a milestone.

Maybe with Obama firmly in charge, one of my original impulses to blog has lessened (but we must never ever drop the ball again. Not ever, else they will creep back in with their evil ways.)

The blogosphere has changed, consolidating around Facebook and/or My Space, so that individual blogs seem almost beside the point.

I'm not doing as much artwork as I was 5 years ago -- or it seems different -- or it's not painting -- or something.

I haven't been knitting in awhile -- 2 sweaters I started still need to be sewn together.

Mostly have been cooking and watching the market and my savings collapse, sometimes at the same time.

For example, am making my famous chicken leg 'n' thigh soup (roast 2 or 3 of 'em for about an hour at 375, then strip the good meat, dump bones and skin and weird meat, add rosemary, salt, pepper, a couple of carrots, celery, a half bay leaf into your favorite microwave bowl, cover with water and pan fat, nuke at 60 percent for about 45 minutes. There you have it -- strain and separate out the stock so you can refrigerate and skim the fat off -- but save it for sauteing).

And, of course, still scripting and doing artwork for my never-ending game, Darkdevil County. Next installment is nearly ready. I mean it this time.

Labels: AGS, art, computers, cooking, Darkdevil County, GOP incompetence, obama, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 5:27 PM | | | Link |

 
Robot With Sneakers


This is Duo, the robot I talked about below. He (or she) is no longer barefoot and has been reassembled.

He (or she) is one of the robots in my computer game Darkdevil County. If you go to the Ox-Bow benefit tonight, you'll have the opportunity to buy a different robot -- but a really good one, framed and everything.

Is so cold, but I really should get myself going if I want to get down there (I don't, not really, even with the full cash bar and fabulous food). Have been programming like mad all today and yesterday. Want to FINISH this latest version, because there's tons of GOOD STUFF in it -- not just more rooms to explore, but a the story line has gone a bit deeper and the animations are gradually getting better.

Also, am definitely looking to pick up a contract programming/part time/ maintenance/Excel/Access/lite development gig, if anyone knows of something. I can program any of the Visual Studio languages, tho the C family and Visual Basic are my key strengths -- and gaming languages, of course. I've done SQL Server work, but not using a recent implementation (does anyone remember pre-7.0??).

And yes, this is because my savings have been all but wiped out. Thank you, 8 years of failed GOP policies. Thank you very much.

Labels: AGS, art, computers, Darkdevil County, games, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 4:10 PM | | | Link |

 
Broken Robot


This is Duo, a robot experiment with human feet. He (or perhaps she) was dumped in an animal burrow as medical waste. Our Darkdevil County heroine (as always seems to be the case) finds him or her and is charged with a good deed.

Good evening, friends. Have been working rather hard on the game again, and the new burrow room and quest is nearly complete, with dripping water and distant river sounds and everything.

Does anyone know when Soundsnap.com started charging for sounds? It was a shock going back to my favorite sound site and discovering you can only download 5 a month with a free subscription now. I can easily download 5 a minute then decide I don't want to use any of them after all, and go back for more. Luckily freesound.org is still free, with Creative Commons sampling licensing. And they handily remember all your downloads which makes it easy to add the sound artist names to credits.

Labels: AGS, Darkdevil County, games, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 11:39 PM | | | Link |

 
A Final Robot


Yes, 2008 will soon be over, so let's all wave goodbye to it.

This is a zinc plate that was a little scratchy before I used it. Used a light hard ground and drew the linework with just a pencil, not a needle, and did a deep bite. Then commenced with the aquatint. The quality (and quantity) of rosin in our rosin box is not that hot, and I may not have fused it long enough (using a hotplate). Second try was better, but, of course, with a little of the blotchiness you always get with doing a second aquatint on top of the first.

Used a blowtorch instead of the hotplate this time, something I've never done before. A little scary (since I have depth perception problems and am in general a klutz), but fast and accurate. Is a skill worth developing.

Will play a bit more with this at some point, then on to the next. Such is the artist's life.

Labels: printmaking, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 1:26 PM | | | Link |

 
Chicago Printmakers Collaborative Small Prints
It's that time of year again. Just sent in my acceptance email to:

The 19th Annual International Small Print Show and Holiday Open House.

The hours have been expanded this year:

Grand Opening Party: Saturday and Sunday, December 6-7, 2008, 11am-7pm both days
Preview the exhibition November 23 and 29, 12-5pm
Extended Holiday hours: Tuesdays - Sundays, through December 21st, 12-5pm

The show will be up until February 1st.

Need I say, yes, there will be robots?

More later, I'm sure, with postcard image and everything.

Labels: art, lithography, printmaking, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 4:42 PM | | | Link |

 
Warm the House

Instead of watching Sarah Palin do a bad impression of herself on SNL, wouldn't you really rather wait for the YouTube highlight reel and go to a bunch of parties where you can attempt to hook up with people from all genders and inclinations, buy outrageously cheap art (including robot prints), and maybe even dance? I suppose you could leave early, if you still haven't figured out how to use the tivo.

We need these parties, if for no other reason than as a warm up for Election Night. We've been sorely out of practice in celebrating political victories, and some of you out there have never known the joy of staggering around a ballroom with a funny hat on your head as streamers and confetti fly around while hugging a lot of people. Let me tell you, victory sex is great.

Spudnik Press House Warming Party.
Spudnik Launch Party
Housewarming Event
Saturday, October 18, 2008
6pm-10pm (in theory...)

@ Spudnik Press
1821 W Hubbard St.
Suite 308
Chicago, IL 60622

Added bonus party in same building, down a floor: The Post Family
October, 18th 2008
6 to 10pm

The Family Room
1821 W. Hubbard St. #202
Chicago, IL 60622
312-265-6406

Labels: art, printmaking, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 11:49 AM | | | Link |

 
Evanston Arts Week
Starts Friday, October 10.

Here's a link to the whole schedule. The official, schedule that is.

We'll be giving demos and selling our work all day long on Saturday, October 11 (well, 11-3pm, officially) at the EAC Printmaking Studio, in the basement of Noyes Cultural Arts Center (see link above for directions). Nearly all the students will have work pinned up on the walls too, so you can get a really good overview of what we've been up to.

If you come to the studio this Saturday, just walk down the stairs to the very funky-looking basement. I'll try to get signs up guiding you in the right direction.

And yes, there will be robots and bugs.

Labels: art, EAC, insects, printmaking, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 8:41 PM | | | Link |

 
Last Day to Register to Vote in IL Is Oct 7
A little long, but stay with it, then pass it on.



Here's the link to www.maps.google.com/vote. Very useful tool.

Vote 411 is a handy website put together by the League of Women Voters that is another really good place to start.

You may think it isn't necessary, that Obama is a lock for Illinois, but there are a lot of very important congressional and state races that need your attention. For example, Dan Seals for Congress in IL-10, and Daniel Biss for IL State Representative in the 17th.

Good afternoon, friends. I, too, have a deadline -- for the next Spudnik Press show. Details:

Spudnik Launch Party
Housewarming Event
Saturday, October 18, 2008
6pm-10pm

@ Spudnik Press
1821 W Hubbard St.
Suite 308
Chicago, IL 60622

Will have more, plus the poster, later. I have to deliver some stuff to them by Monday (I think).

Hint: there may be robots involved.

UPDATE: this post is bumped up from a few days ago, so it's not your imagination if you think you've seen it before. Today is now the LAST DAY in Illinois to register. In Chicago, you can go to City Hall until midnight (according to the news). Other suburban locations open until 8:00. Check the county and city links on the side.

Labels: politics, printmaking, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 8:30 AM | | | Link |

 
Yes, My Friends, There Will Be Robots
... in the Spudnik Press show.

Have presented a few of them here already. Have run out of time for this show to get the complicated layering I really like to do, so, unless I get a whole bunch of energy and inspiration, I'm sticking to simple prints.

Would like to get some really small prints done too, maybe in time to bring over for the opening. Robot trading cards for a couple of bucks each!

Don't have enough energy to upload either the slaughered elm tree or the new Darkdevil County Demo. Barely enough energy to sling a chicken into the oven for dinner, which is pretty pitiful.

Perhaps we will talk later.

Labels: art, Darkdevil County, printmaking, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 5:28 PM | | | Link |

 
Decompression Day


Can only burn white hot for so long. Have mentioned before that I'm sick and tired of hating, sick and tired of intensity of political feeling. I want to be one of the "low-information" voters for a change, just coasting along, voting the way my mom votes, or just blowing it off this time.

So I give you a few robots this evening. I know, you're all getting seriously concerned about someone who goes from Michelle Obama's dresses to robots to politics to banana bread.

I'm ok, most likely. Don't expect all these robot drawings (except one) in this next version of the Darkdevil County demo. Will try to get it uploaded tomorrow, assuming the Apocalypse doesn't happen, or Palin quit the race, or the markets go hoo-hah, or McCain blows a gasket, or....

Labels: Darkdevil County, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 10:29 PM | | | Link |

 
I Love Them Too


A Dress A Day: Robots! Robots! Robots!

Definitely would make an awesome dress.

I have a few more things I still need to do before I upload the latest Darkdevil County demo update (have been spending WAY too much time on ahem other matters). If you're thinking about checking it out, you may want to wait a few days, since the save files from the old version won't be usable in the new. I realize I can zip through the thing in about an hour, but I know where everthing is and how to solve the little puzzles. And you don't.

I don't have a robot to leave you with, which is why I was delighted with the fabric, above.

Labels: Darkdevil County, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 10:44 PM | | | Link |

 
Robot Twins


You don't want to mess with this pair. Am trying to figure out what to call their weapons. Twinklizers, is the best word I've come up with. Kind of like holiday sparklers, but much, much more intense.

The civilized world of Darkdevil County grabs power directly from the sky (using a combination of solar/wind etc. that can enhance minute traces from many sources into just the right amount of energy for the right job.

Sometimes the right job means killing you...

Update soon, I promise.

Labels: Darkdevil County, games, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 2:27 PM | | | Link |

 
Patience, Darkdevil County Fans

An update is coming soon, and you will like it.

Until then, even robots can have unemployment problems.

Labels: Darkdevil County, games, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 11:08 AM | | | Link |

 
Your Daily Robot
Was going to call this blogging A Robot a Day, but knew I couldn't keep it up for longer than a week. But you get one today:



I am particularly fond of blocky robots that look like robots ought to look. They never get it right in the movies anymore.

This one is a character in my Darkdevil County game. He seems very mild-mannered, but he's a security robot and can be deadly.

Labels: Darkdevil County, robots

- posted by Cynthia @ 7:40 PM | | | Link |