By Ben. Because I can.

Jack of all trades; master of none

2011-02-02T01:09:00.001-08:00

Mum always said I should pick something and learn to be good at it. In fact, the above was exactly what she said to me, when I said I wanted to learn to do everything. I never forgot it. And so it's bugged me that, quite ironically, I've never adhered to it. I decided that I wanted to write and draw.

Needless to say, I have yet to master either one. I've done pretty good on both counts; I'd rank myself above average in both elements. Shamelessness aside, I've noticed that I especially outdo my most (if not all) everyone in art classes. And so, it's quite disheartening when I look at those in the industry, and realize that Ye gads, I'm nowhere close to that level of expertise!

Maybe I should have just gone straight into art. I could have done wonderfully.

MNDaily Cartoons!

2010-12-15T19:27:00.000-08:00

It's the end of the semester, and in line with tradition, here's the cartoon for the Daily's joke issue.
I'm quite proud of it.
My supplier also trades in Oompa Loompas.

Here's another one of my best. I think I captured N. Korea's "Beloved Leader" and his little tyke.
This cartoon is brought to you in the wake of the missiles launched at Yeonpyeong Island, which I believe to have been an attempt to gauge America's reaction and aggressiveness, and also to usher in mini-Kim's reign.

Penny the Pyromaniac. It's coming.

2010-11-10T18:49:00.000-08:00

Two posts in one day!

Penny the Pyromaniac is currently being manifested into existence as an animated short. To those I have yet to flaunt my idea to: Penny the Pyromaniac is about Penny, who happens to be a pyromaniac.
Ye gads, almighty! Who would've guessed.

It's about kids, and the little monsters inside them. I do have some pretty frustrating childhood memories. Kids can be mean. So, so mean.

I'm currently behind schedule, still fuddling about with character designs when I should have already planned out the story, and started drawing.

Will update with sketches soon.

Let not their sacrifice be in vain.

2010-11-10T18:19:00.000-08:00

My job at the paper is going well. I've been getting a lot of praise, and apparently, I have fans.
Evidently, I haven't posted much of my work since I started. They're not very well-drawn, and so I'll reserve blogspace for pretty self-indulgent pictures--like below.

Happy Veterans Day!

When I did this, I was pretty happy. Then I overdid it, and I was happier. I overdid it some more, and now, I want to kick myself.
I'm considering reworking this digitally, to clean it up and fix the many flaws.

The aim behind the cartoon is for readers (college students) to be better men (and women). There is so much wrong with this country and its people, just from the lack of wisdom and common sense. And that's not what the American forefathers fought and died for.

Anyway, visit www.mndaily.com/opinion/cartoons to see me at work. Also, click 'Like'. I need the confidence-boost.

MNDaily Cartoon 5

2010-09-20T21:58:00.000-07:00

The University of Minnesota lost to the U of South Carolina today. Horribly.
We scored out second touchdown, effectively gaining the lead 14-13. And the next 16 seconds were painful to watch, as USC ran the ball through our defensive line, all 97 yards. Painful.

We had a chance to win, if only they had tried different tactics, rather than try pummeling through their defensive line. Didn't work, of course.

MNDaily Cartoon 2 & 3

2010-09-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

Political cartoons aren't easy when your editor wants a local focus, and less so when you're not from the country, let alone state. This here is Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota guv'nor. Tim Pawlenty here refused a large sum of federal cash weeks ago on accounts of it being "recklessly handed out" as a government "spending spree", or so I gather.

The past Saturday, someone left an odd box on campus. It lay there...oddly..and suspiciously. Thank God it was found in the afternoon. Then again, more thanks to God it wasn't a bomb.

On another note:
'Happy Malaysia Day!' also known as 'We-screw-up-a-lot-but-here's-a-holiday-yay Day!' Yay!
Stupid as they may be, our great glorious leaders at Barisan National sure are shrewd.

MNDaily Cartoon 001

2010-09-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

For those of you I haven't bombarded with the good news, I has good news!
I am the Minnesota Daily's (my university paper) new political cartoonist! And to make it better, it'll be my opinions, not the paper's. God is great!

I'm to submit 4 cartoons a week, and this here will be my online archive.

Scud: The Disposable Assassin

2010-05-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

Nenenenenenene-BATMAN! Ka-POW!

2010-04-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

Length of legs are off. Will be fixed...hopefully.

Maranatha!

2010-03-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

When I was coming over to the States, I hoped for fun college times--drinking and gallivanting and bullshitting about.
Oh man! I got something so much better, and so much more wonderful!
I'm feeling the Lord!

I'm elated! Rapturous, even! In my 12 years of church-going, never have I felt such joy!

There's always been Faith, just not much love or joy. And it's just sooooo good to finally feel this! I came out from a one-on-one bible study, and suddenly, I felt all happy and teary.

Hallelujah!
-Benjamin

"Git yer hands off mah Nut!"

2010-02-14T14:38:00.001-08:00

How could I? The question, sirs, I think, is how could I not?

A Happy Valentine's Day message to you couples-- Suck it.
Have a great one. I know I will, considering the Valentine's Day Rules of Engagement are in effect. Pelting happy couples with snowballs. Also known as the Trial of Love.

A grin from me to you all,
Cheers!

First brush with 3D animation and Maya / Heh. You said 'Balls'

2010-02-03T22:39:00.000-08:00

It turned out rather well actually. The first assignment in my animation class was to create a short sequence of a bouncing ball, equipped with stretchiness and hitting-the-ground compression.

Of course, I took advantage of my creative liberties and expanded on the initial instruction to simply have it bounce three times and then through a hoop.

The next assignment: Design a room. Oh yes, you know it, I'm making it hard on myself and there shall be an attempt to recreate the TARDIS' interior.

Also, Maya, for the moment, scares me. It scares me very much.

I has a floating lightbulb

2010-01-30T23:28:00.000-08:00

Howdy-do, folks?

I have been busy. Yep, that means no art. No complete art, at least. Back to school, and it's been a crazy two weeks. I have two night classes (M:6-10; W:5.30-9), followed the day after by... Drum-roll please... 8am classes! Joy. But I am taking an Animation class, so you'll be seeing some Maya-rendered 3D works around here soon.

Well, in the midst of it all, my creative braincells arose from the ashes and are beginning the long and arduous push for victory! With the desire to illustrate a short comic for kids of my own design!

"Penny the Pyro: A Cautionary Tale"
(Penelope the Pyromaniac instead, maybe?)

Yep. Already, I love it, YOU love it, and the world will love it.
Unfortunately, it is essentially a very simple theme, and for that reason, writing the story is a tough job. The possibilities for the direction of the story are endless.
And so it is that I throw down my hat, and ask for help and suggestions for what exactly we shall do to Penny the Pyro.

Accidentally set fire to an oildrum? Have the neighbourhood cats (*cough* victims) rise against their oppressor? Revive a millenia-old, malevolent spirit of fire?
What say you? What ideas do you have? How would you like to see Lil' Penny Darling learn her lesson?
Here is your opportunity to contribute and throw your idea hat into the ring, and join in on the Epic of 'Penny the Pyro'.

It goes without saying--A burnt hand learns best. Har

I pity the fool! Mr. T! Man! Gargh!

2010-01-13T22:19:00.000-08:00

This sat behind my blog title for a coupla' months. It's way past time I post it.

It is fantastic, the amount of compliments I received regarding my drawing skills. I am good, am I not? In that respect, it more than served its initial purpose.

Fooled'ja, didn't I?

Movin' Along.... Bit by bit by bit by frame by frame

2009-12-17T17:17:00.000-08:00

Quick! Let's do a lil' word association!

Potato - Cannon
Paint - --A horse! ^__^
Free-topic Art Project - Anything that'll be a pain in the ass. Oh! Stop-motion!

Eee-yup! Free topics compel some sort of fit to overtake me in "creative" bouts-- it can't be good for my sanity... Does wonders for my credibility though!

In any case, I present to you...
--after 700 pictures taken (500 used).. 10 hours of (rather shoddy) photography.. 8 hours of editing.. and many hours of sleep lost--
'That Blasted Island'

I know it's choppy. I didn't think it would be this choppy. Also, the tripod was jittery and its horizontal-turning joint was loose. very loose.

The story's not finished too. The Escape is missing.

I can't believe the creative fit that compelled me to do this a week before Finals. It's been taxing, yet quite relaxing.. relative to all the reporting and the writing and the researching.

Also, new blog subtitle!
Next up, 'Real men keep diaries'!

Lean Mean Workin' Machines

2009-11-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

Finally, after an exhausting 10 hours of filming and editing, it's finally ready for the web (then again, when is anything not). This here's my film project for my Time and Interactivity art class.

It's a short mockumentary of an interview with a Terminator knockoff and his chronologically-displaced plight and disgruntlement with the conditions that come with his line of work, and... I'll not ruin it.

PS: Keep watching after the credits roll over.

I am proud of myself, though I definitely could've pushed this further. Of utmost significance, I should've kept my original script, which length I overestimated. So I cut and cut. The lighter, poorer quality camera wasn't a good idea either.

I might take it upon myself to redo this film. Longer script, larger cast, better cameras, and better understanding of darn video editing programs.

In Shambles

2009-10-28T23:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.

To those of you who wait in on-the-edge-of-the-seat anticipation, whom I will be unreasonably optimistic to number a little bit more than five (Hi, mom!), here are some minor updates, which can be summed up with: I feel total disarray.

I've not had a good 8 hours of sleep in a while, and I'm running on backup energy that I remain clueless about (but would like to believe comes from the mint Oreos and various forms of sugared products I've been heavily ingesting).

The workload for this semester has been an unrelenting slew of rubber bricks to the face, meaning to say: my eyes sting from all the red rubber sediment (evidently, when I make anecdotes like this, I am tired). I am tired -- not 'sick', mind you, just tired, of and from Magazine Writing class.

***

These few days have and will be mightily packed with too many things to do. The two midterms, the two writing assignments, one collage for art class, a mechanical hand I've to built by Saturday for Halloween, a short 3 to 8 minute film for another art class, running about getting work permits signed, attending talks about creationism vs. evolution and intelligent design, and oh, dinosaurs, catching-up with friends.

***

Of late, I've found myself wishing I'd gone into something related to drawing. Illustration, maybe, or even graphic design. The hours I could just put into working on 'art' projects were always fun, and not one that required too strenuous mind-work.

***

The amount of work I've had to put with this semester has left me with very little time for hobbies. And when I do, I just space out despite having several hours. I need a 4-day holiday soon.

***

Also, I've gotten a haircut. I hesitate to post it up here, but I'll happily, though awkwardly, show it to you if you ask me in private. It's been refered to as "something out of the 80s", "a surfer dude's style", "like I'm in a boy band", and received many comments of "I like it", usually accompanied by "Though your bangs (pfft, they say 'bangs') could be shorter".

***

Needless to say, I'm altogether not too happy with where I am at the moment, but God'll see me through as he always has, and I'm glad He does.

It's a sonic sc-... Well, it's sonic.

2009-10-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a particularly brilliant conversation from Doctor Who, between the Doctor (time-travelling alien) and Jack Harkness (Eye candy for women (or men, if you swing that way, I know he does O.o)).
This little bit of their's always puts me in a good mood.

"Okay, this can function as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon, and a sonic disruptor! Doc, whatcha' got?"

"I've got a sonic uh- Nevermind! It's sonic. Let's leave it at that."

"Disruptor? Cannon? What?!"

"It's sonic. Totally sonic. It's a sonic-....oh"

"SONIC WHAT?!"

"SCREWDRIVER!"
.........
"Who has a sonic screwdriver?"

"I do."

"Who look's at a screwdriver and says, "Ooh this could be a little more sonic"?

"What? You've never been bored?"

Humor.

2009-08-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

Humor is the rape of Truth.

Humor is the rape of Truth for the enjoyment of others.

To the Monty Python comedy group:
Humor is the gang rape of Truth for the enjoyment of others.

There he goes again!

2009-07-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

Another Tim Burton flick -- his rendition of 'Alice in Wonderland'. I don't think very much about it though.

Generally, Burton movies are awesome, yes. However, I did find Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to have been a tremendous let down. I was disappointed, yes. But of larger relevance, I was upset. It was some retardation spawned from Gummi Bear Hell -- sweet, sweet burning horror.

And I think 'Alive in Wonderland' would be no different. Just look at Depp for crying out loud.
Why the white makeup, and the disturbing, gravity-defying eyebrows? And the mascara and eyelashes, and the yellow eyes. *Shudders* It's worse than his Willy Wonka look, which I might add was horrible enough.

It's no longer a Tim Burton/Johnny Depp creepy; It's just "ew".

I also don't think much of Johnny Depp for the Mad Hatter role. But we shall see how it turns out.

---

I've been terribly busy with assignments. I understand that it's the last two weeks, but still... it's NUTS!
Add that to finding an apartment, and finding the ideal roommate, dios mio.

I can hardly find the time to do any drawings lately. I am in some desperate need of practice.
Along with the books I have to read, games I have to play, miniatures I have to paint, city I have to explore, where does one find the time.

Then again, as Isaac's been telling me, "Time pretty much bends for you," which interestingly enough, seems to hold some truth.

"You fight like a dairy farmer"

2009-07-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

A little Monkey Island/Guybrush Threepwood fanart. Awesome game.

Toilet Bowl in the Wilderness? Ben's tale of his Boundary Waters Camping Trip

2009-07-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

For the uninformed (which is pretty much, almost everyone), I went camping here in Minnesota.
It was an expedition I'd heard rather high praise about. I wasn't disappointed. It was an awesome place, the Boundary Waters.
Considering the five hour drive in a gear-packed van, it had better been.

My group of nine had to get through a 5-hour trail long which had us paddling our canoes and hiking our heavy packs across 1/2-mile long trails, in no particular sequence. We'd lug our packs and canoes through tracks, set them down my streams, paddle, hit land, lug packs, and rinse and repeat.

And those were some pretty heavy packs. I could not stand straight while carrying one; I'd actually tip backwards if I tried.

Sometimes I paddled.

Sometimes I lazed in the middle of the canoe.

That's the canoe, and the muddy bank I got my boots dirtied in, and the beginning of the 1/2-mile long trail.

Base camp, baby!

Nature called.

I answered.

Saw a moose and it's calf. It was awesome. Apparently, most of these guys who've been up there a few times, have never seen one. Got it on my first go *triumphant beam*

Would've been a good picture were it not for my camera's inability to take clear photos without the flash.

And fish!

I learned how to fillet a fish, along with the skinning.

Slightly bored at the campsite with nothing specific to do, found a good carving log, and carved what I could in an hour with a rock.

See that bigass thing on my back, that's my pack, bloody heavy sack. Well, when the photo was taken, it was much lighter, we were leaving and most of the food I lugged all that way in was gone.

And after constant exposure to the sun, despite filling my pores with large amounts of sunblock, I got really tanned. Taking note of my wrist, you'd see a white strip where my watch had been.And oh lord, the mosquito bites. I'd say easily 30 bites on each leg. My arms suffered less of such ill a fate, 30 altogether on both arms. Which still isn't saying much.
It was a fun trip altogether though. The day after I came back, the city just felt so surreal, and I just wanted to get back to the "wilderness". I miss it there. That is, until I need to take a crap.

Dum Dum Dugan?

2009-06-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

With an archive of video games, digital comics, a few novels, need for digital art practice, and a downwards spiral into the Brotherhood of Geek at hand, very little of anything has been achieved. My time is sprawled all over the place, writhing on the floor in over-exhaustion.

This much I can say, I've completed this drawing at least. It took, I want to say, somewhere between 3-5 hours with much delays.

It began as a doodle of a moustache and lips. I find myself with the inclination to draw facial lately. Probably compensating.

Looks mighty lot like a Marvel character, Dum Dum Dugan, actually.

Feedback and critique will be appreciated, preferably on DeviantArt. Thanks

In Fear of the Almost-sentient Dirt Stains

2009-05-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

So, I finally use my Intuos3 today, with nothing to do in the morning. Took me about 1 hour (including time it took to mess around the apartment) to draw this, which is somewhat okay since this was an exercise to get used to drawing on a tablet. And then about another 30 minutes to color this very minimally, largely because I did the inks on a single layer with a white background *dush*, and had to do the same with the colors. Oh well. Good first one though.

Yesterday (Saturday about 3-4pm), Isaac and I moved into an apartment we're subleasing from friends.

Ugh. There's all kind of stuff here. From their american roommate who messed up more than they could (and eventually, would) clean.

So yeah, it's 11pm (Sunday) now, we've cleaned up a LOT of stuff, which mainly consists of us spraying cleaning agent everywhere while I shout, "Die!" and wiping stuff down. We've also got a clogged toilet bowl that made the bathroom smell pretty much like 5 guys just farted.

Briggs. Burke. BURN!

2009-05-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

Middle of my final exams.
I should do well in Macroeconomics -- should get an A.

History of the Mass Media is in two and a half hours. Studying for it isn't going too well (understatement). The textbook should be damned to the lowest levels of textbook hell for being unnecessarily long-winded, where relevant, let alone important, points make appearances every 50 lines (practically the whole page).

The irony is that this book that drags on with useless information is a book about communication, which relies of brevity and effectiveness.
"A Social History of the Media" by Asa Briggs and Peter Burke. They should burn. They should have all their copies of the book shoved down their throats. Burning books! shoved down their throats. Followed by the god awful publishing company that released said hellspawn.

Needless to say, I've given up on reading it, after having wasted the past 2-3 hours reading through this drudgery.
I'll just revisit my lecture notes, which wouldn't be enough to guarantee a good grade, but it's far better than wasting my time in that black, soul-leeching void that is the words of Briggs and Burke. Rather like J.K. Rowlings dementors. Bloody pair of useless writers, those two, but for their ability to kill the mind.

To be a Dork.

2009-05-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

It arrived! *Gapes in Ben-like expressive mad joy* And for only $0.95 with a shipping price of $6.95 (Yeah, wth. How? Don't ask. Just be happy). That's $7.80 -- assuming the Ringgit:US exchange rate is 3.5, that's RM27.30.
A really sweet deal for something that retails at $20 at the very least. I love eBay. Now to get me that Intuos3.

And check out the tremendous amount of detail on this. Even the boots have zippers on them. It stands about 4 10/12 inches,

No camera does the details any justice, let alone my crappy can't-take-a-clear-photo-for-nuts camera.

Suffering for my art; My hands and feet hurt.

2009-05-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

After 15 minutes of scanning and another 10 for uploading, these here are the 20 single-theme-based drawings compilation I was assigned to do. My concept for this was the subtleties of the body (bones, veins, muscles that have some amount of protrusion). Most of these drawings required me to use my own feet or hands as models, for which I had to grip or twist my limbs at certain angles while I took 30-45 minutes to draw. It would hurt a little after. Suffering for my art, heh.

My drawing class teacher gave me a B+ for this, ignoring the amount of skill I possess, evident in my proportions and understanding of light, which she herself frequently comments on, and the rest of the class agrees to. 'Tis an outrage I will not stand by idly and take. Instead, I bitch about it here XD Pffft. But seriously, I'm having a word with her the next class. I want you to judge: 'A' grade material or not? (Comment on it)

Granted, I did leave two-thirds of these to the last minute, staying up until 5am to finish them off. And many a time did I just say, "Screweth it," and surrendered myself to sloth, and cared not to put my heart into it. But nevertheless, awesome-ness prevailed through and is rather evident.

The following two are the comments and ratings my classmates gave, all describing my awesomeness.

And this is what she *grumbles* thought of it.

Picture Imperfect

2009-05-04T22:11:00.000-07:00

Well, evidently, I'm using the old blog URL for this new one. So much easier for everyone.

Today, I got back my 20-drawing assignment that was based on a singular theme, for which I based mine of the subtle protrusions of body parts (veins, bones, muscles).
Last week, we had a review session. I got amazing feedback from the rest of the class; everyone was impressed. And I can say, with no modesty whatsoever, that I am definitely an exceptionally skilled artist in that class. A-grade material those drawings.

My teacher, however, thinks otherwise. She gave me a B+, a grade I share with a few of my classmates who, I'll say shamelessly, can't hold up against my artistic skills.

How?! Why?!

She graded me the same for the first half of the semester. And all this despite her frequent comments of "You're such a skilled artist. You've really great with proportions...." Bah! All inconsequential notions in her mind when grading time comes.

I'll let the rest of you assess for yourselves tomorrow, when no one's hogging the public PC the scanner's hooked up to. I just want to not care for this class anymore. But I can't. Damned artist's integrity.

Fall break boredom: built random weapons, and ninja the person next to you.

2009-04-29T14:36:00.000-07:00

So, what does Ben do in his spare time (at least in Malaysia). A number of random things actually. Here's one:

Play video game. Witness use of cool mechanical assasination weapons. Develop a desire to have one.
And then, make one with whatever spare objects available around.

1d2 Retractable Wrist Blade of Bluntness

Scout for potential targets, and pounce for the kill.... um, for the bruising.

2009-04-19T01:43:00.000-07:00

Here we go again.

2009-04-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

Time to alternate between templates between blogskins until I'm satisfied.