Wacom has just updated their graphics tablet driver software for Macintosh and the release notes PDF tells us that a new feature has been introduced, “Scroll Click” (my nickname for it). This is an awesome new feature that allows the user to set a pen button to the “scroll click”, and then when pressing that button, you can drag the pen on the tablet to activate scrolling. In addition to this being very cool, it’s a feature that I suggested to the tech & PR departments a few weeks ago, I can’t help but assume this was implemented due to that request. I was initially given a not-so-encouraging response, basically because the Intuos line of tablets has the Touch Strips srcoll/zoom hardware touch-sensitive areas. Of course, their other tablets do not have these.
I have been holding off on writing up a review of the Wacom Intuos3 graphics tablet until I had a chance to work with them for some time and really get a feel for real-world usage, particularly for cartoonists & illustrators. Oddly enough I had a hard time finding an in-depth review specifically geared towards artists that draw. There were some big questions that needed to be answered, most importantly that of how the Wacom tablets worked with Adobe Illustrator.
Starting today, my PSP Tubes licesning agreement with MyPSPTubes.com for pin-up art is now live with the availability to all you PSP tubers and MySpace graphics artistes of four initial sexy & cute devil girl pin-up illustrations.
The initial PSP tube cartoon illustrations feature an updated version of the cute cartoon pinup devil girl on my cartoon illustration portfolio site, as well as 3 additional devil girl pinup illustrations that have been in my personal stash.
My previous post about those vector cartoon coin illustrations which didn’t make the cut over at iStockPhoto has a pleasant update – for some reason, they have been accepted! I put a pretty good amount of time on these, as they were a pet project of mine for years and I have been itching for a reason to get off my lazy butt and create final vector art of these cartoon coins. I’m glad I finally did. Move your mouse on over and check out (and download) these cool cartoon coins (direct links below)! And don’t forget to give me some rating feedback (5 stars of course).
For the past few months I have been working on a pretty cool project, redesigning the official website for the relaunch of the classic Odd Rods™ trading card series of crazy, funny cartoon hot rod monsters & creatures – big eyes bugging out, goofy smiles with teeth bared & tongues wagging. The proud new owners of the Odd Rods™ trademarks and copyrights got in touch with the original cartoonist/illustrator/artist extraordinaire Bob “B.K.” Taylor to bring these awesome cartoon characters back into the popular culture where they belong.
So I have recently wrapped up a series of very fun new cartoon illustrations for my initial upload as a contributor to iStockPhoto. (more art on the full article page – link below).
All artwork has to go through a mysterious screening process to be accepted, which is kind of cool – it keeps the crap out and makes sure the end users get quality work to use for their projects.
The not so cool part is that I have been rejected, on grounds of needing a model release. The bizarre thing here is that the artwork is a series of cartoon versions of United States coins, which obviously feature human faces (the U.S. Presidents that are featured on the coins – Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Franlin “FDR” Delano Roosevelt and George Washington).
Why The Pickled Pig you ask? Well, eons ago I created a t-shirt for a mail-order company based off the phrase “The Pickled Pig”, and it was intended to be a faux “pub shirt”. Not only have I received many emails regarding that illustration since posting on my website, but I was also informed that the company was no longer producing them, and no intentions of doing so in the future.
Well, that just isn’t right, and I set about to fix things. Not wanting to cause any headaches with the original company, and knowing I could create an even better version of the Pickled Pig, I set about months ago to sketching up a new one. And the sketch sat on my computer, anxiously awaiting the touch of the Wacom tablet to it’s roughly sketched being. Until today.
Immediately available for purchase as a t-shirt from Zazzle.com, I present to you the new and improved Pickled Pig cartoon t-shirt!
And awesomly enough, before I have even had a chance to finish thi spost I see on the product page I have been awarded best design of today! Not really sure how that award thing works, but it’s cool!
Update: I lost my Zazzle award after deleting the original shirt due to uploading a version without my copyright & website tagline on the shirt. After my Nerf fiasco in my younger days, I have come to realize the importance of protecting your work.
Available from my online cartoon art store at Zazzle.com now, get your very own Nerd or Geek t-shirt and flaunt your inner (or outer) geek/nerd with this popular cartoon geek illustration. Pocket protector not included. Continue reading →