Operation: Mad Men

Week one-seventeen of Operation Graphite – theme: Mad Men

These mid season breaks are bullshit, especially when that pause is six months long, that’s next season. It’s not like this is a struggling show, but we’ll still have to wait till 2015 for season 7.5 of Mad Men.

A show that some think is painfully boring, and others see as the best show on TV; Mad Men is an interesting take on 60’s culture, and the dawn of modern, hyper commercialism. As we try to navigate the omnipresent advertising in our online, and real world, it was those Mad Men who first began taking psychology and manipulation to a whole new level in the pursuit of higher sales. Even in high school, I was fascinated by marketing. Why do we chose one product over another? As some have turned against modern consumerism and marketing practices, it’s important to know why we buy the things we buy, both to protect ourselves, but also for whatever we might be ourselves marketing, be it goods or services.

If there were any other contributors this week, If figured Don and Joan would have been the most popular, so I went with minor character and keep with last weeks eye patch streak. Cosgrove was played by the same actor who played the main Cop in LA Noir, so I often half expect him to start brutally interrogating someone while watching the show.

Shock – Ken Cosgrove

Week 118: Flash Gordon

The theme selected for week one-eighteen of Operation Graphite will be: Flash Gordon.

Weather you prefer the cheese-tastic 1980 film with the soundtrack by Queen, the original pulp comic strip from the 30’s, or the early black and white serials, Flash Gordon is one of the great, early Sci – Fi characters. Forget the fact that we was pretty much just created to compete with the earlier Buck Rodgers comics.

Please submit any drawing or painting, using traditional or digital media, that fits the theme: Flash Gordon.

All art work is due on Thursday, 6.5.13 Submissions will be published the following Friday, 6.6.13

Operation: Samurai

Week one-sixteen of Operation Graphite – theme: Samurai

My time in Nippon is nearing its end. The reverence for samurai history is visible everywhere you go here. Even if a samurai is only as good as the master he serves. like the noble gunfighter of the American West, the ideal samurai image is revered by all.

Contributing Bushi:
Micah – Iai
Shock – Jubei

Week 117: Mad Men

The theme selected for week one-seventeen of Operation Graphite will be: Mad Men

To prove that not all the shows I watch involve dragons or spaceships, this weeks theme will be centered around a show about a New York ad agency in the 1960’s.

Please submit any drawing or painting, using traditional or digital media, that fits the theme: Mad Men

All art work is due on Thursday, 5.29.13 Submissions will be published the following Friday, 5.30.13

Operation: Japanese Mythology

Week one-fifteen of Operation Graphite – theme: Japanese Mythology.

Gods, Tricksters, Monsters and Heroes; that is a common theme for all mythologies. The Shinto and Buddhist traditions make an interesting blend of religion and folklore. And then, there’s also all the grudge ghosts.

Shock – Nio

Week 116: Samurai

The theme selected for week one-sixteen of Operation Graphite will be: Samurai.

Keeping the theme central to the Land of the Rising Sun, it seemed fitting to feature one of the most powerful icons of Japan, the Samurai. The warrior class of feudal Japan, or Bushi, is such an important symbol in modern Japan, even though the age of the Samurai is long past. The complexities of their warrior code may be very alien to westerners, but the bad-ass Samurai archetype is legendary worldwide.

Please submit any drawing or painting, using traditional or digital media, that fits the theme: Samurai.

All art work is due on Thursday, 5.22.13. Submissions will be published the following Friday, 5.23.13

Operation: Muppets

Week one-fourteen of Operation Graphite – theme: Muppets.

So far my little youngling seems to enjoy the Muppets quite a bit. Little Hiccup would probably like any moving image he sees at this point, but it’s important to start the kid off with the classics. A few times now I’ve used some Muppet or Sesame Street video to soothe his restless behavior. The little guy also is to blame for my late post, but I doubt anyone was really missing my crappy drawing of the week that much. Next time I will try to take more than a single lunch break.

Shock – Zoot and Floyd

Week 115: Japanese Mythology

The theme selected for week one-fifteen of Operation Graphite will be: Japanese Mythology.

Mythology is a favorite topic, we’ve covered Greek and Norse so far, now it’s time for something from the Far East, or really far West depending on where you’re coming from. Japanese Mythology is pretty much about the same things as all other mythologies are, its all about explaining natural phenomena using giant animals, scaring the crap out of kids with ghost stories, and telling some sort of disturbing moral tale. The raccoons with Giant Scrotums on the other hand, is absolutely unique to Japan. So is the blend of Mythology and Folklore unique, where the Japanese religion is a blend of Shinto Shamanism, and Buddhism; all sorts of myths, legendary creatures, heroes and antagonists coexist.

Please submit any drawing or painting, using traditional or digital media, that fits the theme: Japanese Mythology.

All art work is due on Thursday, 5.15.13. Submissions will be published the following Friday, 5.16.13

Operation: Logo

Week one-thirteen of Operation Graphite – theme: Logo.

While some of us might be wise to the pervasive and almost insidious methods of advertising, good graphic design says so much about a group, product, or destination. Is a logo enough to make you buy a product? What about wear that logo on a t-shirt as free advertising?

Contributing Logos:

Micah – Gonorrhea

Shock – Advanced Idea Mechanics