Week 204: Arcade

The theme selected for week two-oh-four of Operating Graphite will be: Arcade.

Adult life has seriously cut into my video game time. I don’t count the little iOS games that are only played when using the toilet, I mean good old addictive, engrossing distractions from the dreary, mundane world. Now, modern games definitely are an escape, but their advanced graphics no longer demand a little imagination for them to captivate. Back in my day (curmudgeonly old man voice) you had simple graphics, and you had to imagine that these 8 or 16 bit effects were as amazing as the artwork that promoted the game. While we can certainly get into many other video game topics later on, this week we will focus on the era of the video arcade, before the home consoles nearly destroyed that market. What games did you waste countless quarters on?

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

All art work is due 9 P.M. PST on Friday, 2.5.16. Submissions will be published the weekend of 2.6.16

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Operation: Batman v Superman

Week two-oh-two of Operation Graphite – theme: Batman v Superman.

When the news first hit that Ben Affleck was going to be the new Batman, a wave of disgust and rage hit the internet. My first thought was, “he does have a nice jaw line for the cowl.” I honestly didn’t get why it was such an issue. There are some much worse casting ideas out there, this one was odd, but thought there was also something kind of inspired by the idea. Now, I can’t say if the movie will be good or not, even if I like Affleck as Bruce Wayne. While Cavil makes a great Superman, Man of Steel was a little disappointing. I have my concerns with this next film in that universe, but I’m also really excited to see other Justice Leaguers who’ve never made it to the movies screen before.

Contributing Justice League members:

shawnbrookwilliams – Bats whooping up on Supes

Shock – Power Armor

Week 208: The X-Files

The theme selected for week two-oh-eight of Operation Graphite will be: The X-Files.

 

This Sunday, Mulder and Scully reopen the X-Files. Not since the Force Awakens has there been such excitement for a franchise that so massively let us down previously. But we are all about forgiveness here. So, that last movie didn’t really hit the mark. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t good; it was like a mediocre episode. X-Files is better off episodic, and this time we get a six episode mini series to tell a greater story. I can guarantee aliens, but will there be monsters? Could the Smoking Man return somehow? Will the Truth be out there?

Please submit any drawing or painting, using traditional or digital media, that fits the theme: The X-Files.

All art work is due 9 P.M. PST on Friday, 1.29.16. Submissions will be published the weekend of 1.30.16

Operation: Doodle

Week two-oh-one of Operation Graphite –  theme: Doodle.

I had a surprising amount of difficulty with this week. For a theme that was supposed to be open and light on structure, I had a tough time finding a doodle that worked. I started two or three sketches that were either too forced, boring, or just plain un presentable; that last one might be the big issue with the theme. Doodles are random brain droppings, hand exercises or daydreaming scribbles, they are never meant to be for anyone to see. Now, years ago, before my brain ossified, I did have large sprawling doodles that when the page was complete, was actually rather impressive as a whole. Others artist have these large sprawling doodles that retain some sort of consistency and complexity while still being free form and unplanned. That was what I was hoping for, but found myself missing my target. The end result really isn’t like most organic doodles of mine, but did try to fill a page with weird characters, so that kind of worked. I mostly like the devil playing bass.

Shock – Bubblegum and the Tumbleweeds

Week 202: Batman v Superman

The theme selected for week two-oh-two of Operation Graphite will be: Batman v Superman.

In just a few weeks we will have the grittiest Superman square off against a paranoid, brooding Batman. And later on the next Marvel movie has Cap fighting Iron Man too. Is this an election year or something?

So Supes and Bats are going to be beating the crap out of each other. Cue Wonder Woman who will probably be there to smack some sense into those two. The Warner Brothers (and sister, Dot) have been drooling over Marvel’s Cinematic Universe for years. Even with all DC characters under their control, it has taken this long for anything to come close to the Justice League on the big screen. There will be cameos by the Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg, but no one with green in their name. Apparently even mentioning the color green is forbidden.

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

All art work is due 9 P.M. PST on Friday, 1.22.16. Submissions will be published the weekend of 1.23.16

Operation: The Force Awakens, Again.

Week Two-Hundred of Operation Graphite – theme: The Force Awakens, Again.

Well, did you see it? Did you like it? Did you feel it was too much of a rehash of the original film? Did you like the new characters? Did you like seeing Harrison Ford at his most wrinkly and curmudgeonly?

I loved the film. After the disappointing prequels, it was nice to get back to feeling like a Star Wars film. That is why I felt like it was ok to share some of the beats from, A New Hope. I did kinda hate the new Death Star. You would think the cost vs. benefit of galactic super-weapons that are destroyed after the test fire would not be so prevalent. Maybe if that super weapon was a one shot, disposable type of device, but to always have it be the primary base? Sounds like bad strategy for the space nazis that hope to conquer the galaxy.

The thing that made this new Star Wars film so great was the characters, pure and simple. The plot was reused, the story had a minor hiccups, but it was the characters made the film shine. The film was also well paced and executed, and that credit goes to JJ. I doubted early on, but he did a great job. Not so great that I can forgive him for his Star Trek movies yet. he still has a bit of that to work off.

Shock – Rey

Week 201: Doodle

The theme selected for week two-oh-one of Operation Graphite will be: Doodle.

Mostly because I am running out of theme ideas, next weeks theme will be Doodle. That pretty much means draw whatever you want, with an emphasis on abstraction and randomness. What are you actually scribbling in your notebook during boring meetings? Pretty sure it isn’t new idea on how to improve synergy.

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

All art work is due 9 P.M. PST on Friday, 1.15.16. Submissions will be published the weekend of 1.16.16

Example doodle by crazyruthie