LOTs to share with you

I've come across some wonderful links to artists whose websites are a must see for those seeking inspiration when low on supplies. All these links are given on the right in the 'Rat Recommends' section:

1. Marshall Vandruff, a freelance illustrator who has worked for Mad magazine, Dark Horse, WB and many others. He currently teaches animal anatomy at the Laguna College of Art & Design in California.

2. Lauren K Cannon, amazing artist who writes frequently for ImagineFX magazine. She dabbles in both digital and traditional art.

3. Joel Dos Reis Viegas, concept artist whose interests range from hip-hop to sci-fi to animation. His style is simply amazing!

4. Tom Nel, storyboard artist who has worked on projects spanning from low-budget animations to live-action blockbusters.

5. Darren Rawlings, a canadian-based illustrator who is now working on his own comic book/graphic novel called Agent Orange and the characters are really interesting. Check out his blog for more!

6. Jessica Gonacha, for all things wonderfully illustrated or animated in beautiful patterns, delicious colours in such simplicity that you WILL get hooked immediately.

Do check them out.

The Cat Piano

So you've heard every musical instrument eh?

I was going through some videos on vimeo and this particular one caught my eye. It's called The Cat Piano, a really good piece of animation made by The People's Republic of Animation (PRA) a studio based in Australia. The story is good(and creepy!) the colours limited and the character design simple yet wonderful. Narrated by Nick Cave, it has won some very well deserved awards. All in all an intriguing film and let me tell you, watching it sent chills down my spine!

The Cat Piano from PRA on Vimeo.

Also this movie brought to my attention a musical instrument so strange and vile! I couldn't believe something like this was even created and that too for medical purposes... read about it --> The Katzenklavier.

Read

Manasi writes really well. I was just reading her blog. You should too.

Pluto's Domain

What's your flava? :D

So i found some old, old, OLD cd's lying around which had songs from my confused and rather trashy music phase in Abu Dhabi. And from the carnage I managed to find some passably good songs (that are now on my Ipod ---> HA HA! Sruti!!!).

Sigh! AUH memories...fun times with pointless songs ( like 'Little Miss Perfect' by this person called ABS feat. Nodesha) that made life one happy sing-along :)

so the piece below was made in I think 12-15 mins while listening to 'What's your Flava?' by Craig David.

Top 5 Reasons

To sit at the window:

1. because this weather cannot be ignored; it is way too beautiful!
2. because the mountains in the distance remind me of a story.
3. because I want to know whether the dog managed to catch that dratted pigeon.
4. because I am waiting...to see you.
5. because reading a book is so much more enjoyable sitting at the window.

AWESOME !!

got this link from saurabh sethi...amazing videos!! :)

http://koikoikoi.com/2009/10/10-creative-video-inspirations/


do check them out! they are not to be missed.

THAT one train ride

I've been on Bombay locals before, lots of times. And almost all my experiences have been good. Waiting, ready like an Olympic runner about to go for the Gold, managing to get to the door when your stop comes and getting off without leaving a limb or two behind, yep! I've had it easy for the past 3 years of 'Bombay Local Train Travel.'

But this time! It was the first time I actually went through what Sanjyot had always warned me about...'THE bombay local train travel.' :O I make it sound, well, scary I guess, but for someone like me it was one of the most harrowing experiences of me life!!!

So Maya and I are waiting there on the platform for said local to come which will take us to Dadar and even she points out, "Shit! there are a lot of people here!" to which I reply with a nod. I mean, how bad can it really get? Like really?!?!?

I soon found out.

Said local stopped, we both positioned ourselves somewhere near the front and the madness began! God only knows, or I'm pretty sure He was scratching His head at this point, who-pushed-who-shoved-where-squeezed-how all the women got onto the train! See, I was always surprised at the capacity of these tin cans, but it's usually a kind of bewilderment that you don't pay much attention to. But at that time...my eyes were thrown open in wonder and it actually hit me, "SHIT! How did we manage to do this!?" And most of these women do this on a daily basis!

So we had to stand there for some 20 mins before our station arrived and it was 20 mins of standing in the weirdest fashion possible, something I didn't think my body was capable of ( see figure.01)

fig.01

We finally (FINALLY!) reached Dadar and our next mission: catch the train to Pune. 10 mins were spent trying to find the platform and during that time the memory of people and sweat and being jam-packed in a moving train was replaying in my head. So, by the time we reached platform 6 my face looked something like figure.02.

fig.02

It was hot and I felt like throwing up. The remainder of the journey was alright. Except for the unhappy realization that my tonsils had acted up(again) and I'd most probably be sick for the rest of the week.

Aaackh well!