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| | Where have I been?! | | | | Saturday, April 18, 2009 (11:21 PM) | | Hello everyone!
Just in case people have wondered where I have been. Well, I have been very busy! I have a new comic going, and actually a whole line of web-comics are becoming available soon! Those are available at: www.brainchildconcepts.net
I also moved! Here is my new home: http://dragonbrush.artician.com/
Stop by, and say hi!
I also hope to be making more vid's for my channels soon! :D | | | 42 Views | 0  Thumbs Up | 0 Comments |  |
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| | Adventuring spirit | | | Monday, January 12, 2009 (10:45 AM)
(I'm feeling artistic) | | Well a new year has arrived!
This year I am planning to explore even more possibilities in the Evildragonfire Theater universe! I will have more characters joining Captain Wallace, and Spooky Joe as they have their sordid adventures. I will also explain more of the background story of Evildragonfire itself. You will actually see the origin of Evildragonfire. This means that there will also be new characters introduced into the Theater itself, and they will all have their own story(s). The Evildragonfire Theater Project is branching out and creating more than the Captain Wallace universe, even though we will continue to see more of Captain Wallace, and some surprise characters that he will meet...............you will be surprised! This is an exciting project which is giving me a great deal of artistic satisfaction, and just plain fun!
The artistic satisfaction comes from learning how to do something new, and bending it to my own demonic will! MUAHAHAHAHAHA! As you may (or may not) know, I create the evildragonfire episodes by "acting" (ya, loose term.......LOL!) in front of a greenscreen. I then take that film footage and place it over the background set(s) that I make, and animate in photoshop. So, the sense of creating something from virtually nothing and making it into something through technical means, talent, and a warped sense of creation is very stimulating to me.
My goal is to give the viewer an opportunity to watch something which is slighty twisted, and new. I am also giving you the opportunity to become involved. You can email the characters, receive things from them, and also become involved in the forums to suggest what you would like to see the characters doing. I will also be holding contests soon!
So, here we go into the new year full of the adventuring spirit! Join the adventure!
You can see more at evildragonfire.com | | | | 48 Views | 0 Thumbs Up | 0 Comments | |
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| | WOW! What a move! | | | Monday, December 29, 2008 (6:02 PM)
(I'm feeling artistic) | | I hope everyone had a great holiday!
My family and I had a good holiday, even though we had to move during the week of Christmas..........whew! Yup, right now we are in our new house and living out of the many box's that we packed.....LOL! Although we are slowly putting out things in they're proper places. My studio (unfortunately) is still in box's, the family comes first. Once I get them settled, then I can put my studio together and start creating again.............Yahooo!
I have some surprises planned for the Evildragonfire Theater project, along with some new characters, situations, and, well, you will see what my devious mind has planned.................LOL! | | | | 47 Views | 0 Thumbs Up | 0 Comments | |
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| | Thanksgiving | | | Thursday, November 27, 2008 (11:15 AM)
(I'm feeling artistic) | | So, a few hundred years ago a few pilgrims landed on a rock. They met some indians, and eventually made friends with them. Then they all sat down and ate turkey. Then years later, the descendants of those pilgrims killed the descendants of those indians, and stole they're land! After stealing the land, the Pilgrims descendants continued to eat turkey, and give thanks, while the indians sat on reservations dreaming of days long gone.
During this holiday season, make your thankful spirit last. It is a daily process, not to be forgotten soon after the turkey has left your body.
For myself, I am thankful for my wife of twenty years. My children of whom I am so proud. I am thankful that I live in a free society. I am thankful for my life! I am thankful for far too many things to list here, for if I did, you would be reading for the rest of the year!
What are you thankful for? | | | | 64 Views | 2 Thumbs Up | 2 Comments | |
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| | Bunches of crap | | | Wednesday, November 26, 2008 (9:18 PM)
(I'm feeling amused) | | I am sorely dissapointed in this community.
I realize that what most people on this community obviously want to watch is crap. I have watched as the daily drama video's, soft porn vid's, senseless spam vids, and wastoid vids are rewarded with mega hit votes, while the creative video's which actually took some talent, and creativity to make are widely ignored. So sad really. I just do not understand people who are living such horrible lives that they must relish in the drama of others, and then when a day goes by when there is no drama, they feel the need to create some! It seems to me that this site is nothing more than a stopping place for all of the Jerry Springer rejects to congregate.
I feel bad that there are a select, and very few people here (you know who you are, because you feel the same way i do, unlike you however, I have to voice my opinion) who are making actual video's that are creative. So sad that art is ignored while the mass' flock to mediocryty, and senslessness. So sad that so many live they're lives sitting on they're ass, or laying on the couch, bed, etc., and the only excercise they get is they're little fingers typing some baseless dribble while watching a mind numbing video, and eating cheeto's. I would truly suggest to some of you to go out and get a life. There is an entire world out there which is passing you by, and you do not even realize it.
Oh my, I think I feel the boat rocking! :-) | | | | 41 Views | 0 Thumbs Up | 0 Comments | |
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| | EDF Theater project | | | Thursday, November 6, 2008 (11:19 PM)
(I'm feeling artistic) | | FUN!
That is what it is in a nutshell! However, I know many people do not understand what I am doing, so I thought I would take a minute to explain what EDF Theater is, and what I am trying to accomplish.
Have you ever seen a "Punch & Judy" show? Y'know with the little hand puppets beating each other up. They really did nothing more than entertain children so that they're parents could go on and conduct business, this was popular during the latter part of the "dark ages" actually.
Well, EDF Theater is my "Punch & Judy" show.
Sure it is set against the backdrop of a popular video game (Mortal Kombat), mainly because I like that franchise and I thought I could interject something into an existing mythos that people recognize. I wanted to take some time to explore some animation film making with greenscreen effects. This is something that I have always wanted to do, however, have never had the time to learn untill just recently.
This project has nothing with trying to instill any type of highbrow message, or comment on the state of affairs. It is only for entertainment. It is not polished, or perfect, and since I am still really just learning how to animate, it is a bit "rough & tumble". However, that is part of the appeal and character of it. I am also setting it up to be retro in the fact that there are a lot of "old school" type refferences, and design elements to it. Yes, it is cheesy. It is meant to be.
I am having fun doing this project. If you watch it, I hope you have at least a small amount of the fun watching it, as I have in making it.
If you really have to think deeply about it, and analyze what I am doing. Suffice it to say, that EDF Theater is the "Ying" to Dragonbrusher's "Yang."
Life is too short not to take some time out for yourself! :D
"Arrrr ye scurveys!"
Contact Captain Wallace for a free autographed photo: capt.wallace@evildragonfire.com
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| | Vote! | | | | Monday, November 3, 2008 (10:34 PM) | | Get out there and do it!
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| | Perma play list | | | Thursday, October 30, 2008 (11:11 PM)
(I'm feeling annoyed) | |
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| | My interview | | | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 (11:08 AM)
(I'm feeling artistic) | | Here is my latest interview for WhoHub.com. I thought some may be interested in it:
What do you do? How do you define yourself as an artist?
I do many different things. As an artist, I am constantly looking for new medium(s) to work with in order to create visually stimulating, and thought provoking work. I am a painter, illustrator, graphic artist, film maker, and teacher. That is why it is difficult for me to define myself, and lock myself into any specific niche. When I have a project, even if it is not a medium I have worked with before, I learn very quickly how to produce an interesting piece of work with it. That I think is what an artist does. We take a medium, and bend it to our will to create something interesting for the viewer to experience!
What is your message?
My message is to "Remain true to yourself always!" In other words, do not listen to those negative influences in your life who say you can not accomplish something. Those people are toxic. Listen to your inner self, your heart, your soul, and accomplish your dreams! Never give up! Remain the dreamchaser, someday you will catch it! Do not stagnate, re-invent yourself, and your dreams!
Your biography in four lines.
Dan Monroe was born with a paintbrush in his hand. He served his country for ten years, then began selling his artwork in art galleries throughout America. He then became a teacher at Western Michigan University for several years. Dan Monroe continues to produce artwork, illustrations, and video's that inspire others!
Do you upload your work to the web? If so, where could we see it?
There are several places that my artwork can be viewed:
http://www.dragonbrusher.com
http://www.evildragonfire.com
http://dragonbrusher.cgsociety.org/gallery
http://www.behance.net/dragonbrusher
These are just a few of many places that I can be found on the internet!
How is an idea born? For you, what is inspiration?
Life. No matter what I am looking at, my mind instantly begins to calculate the brushstrokes it would take to capture, and paint it!
What role does techonology play in your creative process?
I am using computer technology quite a bit. Right now I am using Photoshop CS3, Painter Essentials 3, Corel Painter Classic, Magix Movie Edit Pro 14, Zbrush3, and many other pieces of great software. I also use a WACOM Intuis3 12X12 digital drawing pad.
What is art?
For me, art is the expression of your inner self. As a human being we have the ability to formulate thought, an idea. Then we have the ability to find a suitable means to express it intelligently to others. Whether we use paint on canvas, graphite on paper, or moving images on a video cell, we are expressing our thoughts, and ideas for others to gain some inspiration. The ability to experience, and share an intelligent artistic expression is a joyous wonder! It is what makes us most like the one who made us.
When do you get your best ideas?
There is no easy answer here. I am inspired by life! I will say that I may see an image, a tree blowing in the wind of an oncoming storm, or a woman standing on a pier with her child, or a spider crawling down to a moth captured in its web, and say to myself "I so want to paint that!"
How do you evaluate whether an idea is good or not?
It depends on the level of excitement it evokes within me! There are times when I have a project which is just not exciting, however, I am doing it for the money. Then there are those times (often) when I am working on something which is so exciting that it does not let me sleep! I may be exhausted, and lie down to bed. However, my mind is so stimulated, and excited that my heart begins to race, and I must get up and start working on it again! THAT is how I KNOW.
Three creative ideas that you would have liked to have created?
1) I wish I had written the "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" series of books by Stephen R. Donaldson.
2) I wish I had been able to make the "Lord of the Rings" movies. Peter Jackson did it exactly the way we wanted to see it!
3) I wish I created the internet! Such a wonderful way for people from every walk of life to be able to share idea's! I just wish it were a friendlier place!
When and how did you begin to see yourself as an artist?
There was a time when I was about four years old that I took a picture that I drew to my mother. It was a picture of Bugs Bunny. I had actually copied it from a Bugs Bunny comic book. I did not trace it. My mother accused me of tracing it, and I sat down and drew it again in front of her. She was amazed! She also realized that the original one I drew was much larger than the tiny picture that I referenced! When I saw the amazement upon her face, I was hooked! I also remember the first painting that I realized was a painting. It was in a school textbook when I was about six. It was the "Persistance of Memory" painting by Salvador Dali. I would sit and stare at that painting for hours! It stimulated a response within me at that young age that I will never forget! I began producing, and selling pastel portraits of people by the time I was nine years old.
Why do so many artists and creators have such volatile personalities?
Hightened awareness. We are so stimulated with sight, and sounds. The things that "normal" people ignore, we do not ignore. As I stated earlier, my mind is always calculating how I would produce an image. Every single second of wakeful awareness. I have even "painted" in my sleep, in my dreams! We do not rest. I think that we become frustrated with people who do not seem capable of self expression, or who just seem not to care about it. People generally do not realize the hours, upon hours of solitude that the artist invests within they're artwork! Not only do we create in solitude, we also learn in solitude. The artist is alone with his/her work! The artist often will sacrifice personal health, companionship, and even hygiene in order to produce an interesting piece of work for the viewer to experience, and enjoy! The problem is that most people do not know how to experience it. They look at something for five seconds and then move on. They may even say "That's kinda nice"
The artist is of course screaming inside! I think that artist's are so creative, that we just can not understand how people do not, or can not appreciate what it is that we do, or the lifetime involved in doing it. I have had people say to me, "Dan, I just don't know how you can sit down and create something." My reply is, "I do not understand how you can not do it."
I think in the end. It comes down to the artist being frustrated with people who just don't get it.
Do you consider yourself postmodern?
I consider myself "Cross-modern" I say this because I will use whatever "Style" that I consider to be interesting at the time. I do not limit myself to a cubism, dadaism, or classical style. As an artist, my passion is to create art in any form possible that will stimulate the human mind, and be experienced in a way to evoke a response. If I feel that I can use a classical style, surrealistic style, or any other style to achieve my artistic goal, then I do so.
How should a work of art be evaluated?
Art should be evaluated by the feeling(s) that it generates within you. Whether it is to laugh, cry, or to induce a deep idea. Great art is not exclusive to the walls of art galleries. There are great resources of great art all over the internet,in magazines, on book covers, in movies, and probably in the halls of the school your child attends, or hanging on your refrigerator under a magnet which will never grace the walls of a stuffy gallery! It is just too bad that a select few can dictate to the population what the idea of art is. Art is not a "painting" by an elephant! THAT is commercialism.
If you are a human being, and you can pick up a pencil, crayon, or paintbrush, and express your abstract idea. That is to have a thought, and control your motor functions in such a way as to express it through the use of an outside tool for others to look at, feel, touch, experience, then that is art!
Must an artist reinvent him/herself everyday?
I think an artist must reinvent themselves often to avoid becoming stagnate. For many years I was a traditionalist. That is to say, that I would not use the computer to produce art. I felt that it was not art unless the artist had his/her hand in the medium! I thought the artist must be covered in paint, graphite, etc. I thought the computer removed the "human equation" I viewed computer generated art as a series of button clicks by a non-talented individual which was just streaming together a series of shapes, and colors to hopefully make something kind of cool. Well, I was so narrow-mindedly wrong! I have since realized that the computer, and computer software is nothing more than a tool, much like a paintbrush, and canvas. It is how the individual uses the tool to bend it to they're will, and create an intelligent expression which gives it life! The "human equation" is intact!
I reinvent myself often.
Which artists do you admire and how do they influence your work?
There are so many! I have of course admired so many of the old masters. I love Salvador Dali. I also love some of the artist's that do not always get a "fair shake" from the art establishment. In other words, I like the illustrators that we have enjoyed for the past fourty to sixty years. I love Norman Rockwell, Boris Vallejo, Greg Hildebrandt, and Frank Frazetta. Is they're work stylized? Yes. Do they paint the human figure in idealized expression? Yes. However, no more, or less so than Raphael, Michelangelo, and even Da vinci. You may see some of all of these influences in some of my work.
What do you think about public funding for the arts?
There should be more!
As we have noticed from paleontology a culture is largely known by the artwork which survives it. Once again, not only by the "gallery art", but by the designs on clay pots, beaded sandles, and the pounded metal by the humble smithy. We need to fund more art projects in our cities, and schools to stimulate the young minds which are losing the ability to express themselves through artistic means, because the school system chooses beefy bodies chasing a ball, over exercising the creative mind!
Is art necessary?
Without art you would be naked. You would be hungry. You would be un-educated. You would living in a cave. You tell me if it is necessary.
Does it pain you to let go of a piece you have sold?
Yes. At times it does. It is truly like a child you are letting go of. As I mentioned before, think of the investment the artist has put into the artwork.
In art, there is no guide. How do you know what the next step is?
You don't.
Experimentation is key.
What advice would you give to those just beginning?
Never give up, never surrender! Remain true to yourself, and your own ideals, goals, and character always!
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| | My greenscreen process | | | Saturday, October 18, 2008 (10:59 PM)
(I'm feeling artistic) | | I have been asked by some people how I did my latest video. I thought I would post some of the answers about my greenscreen process here also.
Please know that I am not an expert in this field (yet), and I do not have all the answers. Here is how I do it though:
1) I designed my "set" in photoshop. I used a resolution of 300dpi, and made the size 640px X 480px, this is the perfect resolution (I have found so far) for internet video viewing.
2) I filmed my greenscreen footage. I use a Casio, Exilim 7.2 Megapixel digital camera which has movie recording capability.
3) I edit my film in Magix Movie Edit Pro 14, which is a nice compositing software. It is within this software that I composite my greenscreen, and place it "against" my "set" graphic. It is within this software that I also add my music, sound effects, and any other animations that I need. Once I am satisfied with the project, I import it to Windows Media, and upload it to the internet!
While I have made the process sound extremely simple, it does take a lot of time to do. I am still learning, and experimenting everyday. I just got a new "rotoscoping" software that I am playing around with. Rotoscoping is the process by which the movie "Through a scanner darkly" was made. It is a process of painting over the existing film, to make an animation. I am playing around with it now.
When you set up a greenscreen, you need to have the brightest green possible. I am using a fabric which is almost a neon green. The entire trick to greenscreening successfully is the color of the green, your lighting, and contrast. Notice the colors I am wearing in my video. They are as far removed from the green spectrum as I can possibly get. I also wear no green item. If I were to want to wear, or use green items, then I would have to do a whitescreen instead of green. You can do greenscreen, whitescreen, bluescreen, and blackscreen. It all depends on what you are trying to do. If I were to wear a green item, like a green jacket, and act in front of the greenscreen, when I do the composite process, my green jacket would not be visable, and I would look transparent. Same with white clothes on whitescreen, and so on.
I hope this helps you!
Dan
"Remain true to yourself always!" | | | | 65 Views | 0 Thumbs Up | 0 Comments | |
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