Jumping Toaster Productions

Hello readers,

Today I thought I’d start a new topic about the websites I view on a daily basis. These sites have helped me keep my sanity throughout the morning dealing with incompetent people. They make me laugh, they inspire me and they pretty much make me a happier person. Without these websites, I think I’d have a pretty difficult time finding a similar site to get my daily ‘brain food’.

Let’s first visit So Misguided

I frequently visit this website not only because it’s my sister’s, but because it’s very informative! She blogs about Canadian literature, ‘soon to be released’ books, blogging in general, workshops she’s attended (with great summaries and tidbits of very useful information) and of course she has a personal section were she uploads her photos and stories. The ‘Duck’ always seems to get her feet wet before I do…which is why I visit her site daily. Keep up the great work Monique!

Next on my morning Internet commute is Drawn, The Illustration and Cartooning Blog

Simply put, it’s a spotlight on some very amazing and talented artists from around the globe! A fantastic blog featuring; Flash videos, tutorials, animations and of course some pretty amazing illustrations. Where else are you going to find such a diverse collection of artists on one single blog or website? Kudos to the people who ‘hunt down’ and do the brilliant write-ups for the artists.

Finally for today’s write-up Married to the Sea

It’s a humorous website, that takes ‘old’ illustrations and creates funny jokes out of them. Pretty darn original and quite an easy concept to make daily posts. Heck, simplicity sells people! There are tons of comics to scroll through and they each have there own HTML code that you can upload the comic to your own MySpace or website.

Well those are just a few sites I visit daily, I’ll continue to post to this topic and I hope that most of my readers frequently visit Jumping Toaster Productions to get their daily dose of humour!

Enjoy

😀

One of my favourite artists is Bill Campbell. Quite a strange but common name, you might think it was just plain weird. Not too many people remember Campbell’s work, but I remember the resurrection of his work in the form of a 3D animation show on YTV (see below).

Bill Campbell is best known for his work on HAWK Model box covers in 1963. Such a creative genius when blending a 1952 Ford Pick-up, that’s “Tricked-out to the tits” with a monster behind the wheel. From what I recall reading on the Net, Bill was born to draw. Of course he started off using watercolors. But Bill’s path took quite a different turn and he was left to look for work. Bill finally landed a gig where he produced brochures and color art pages for Sears and Blomgren Brothers.

1943. Bill was inducted into the army, of course that didn’t stop Bill from drawing. During a leave from the service he got married, she gave birth to a baby girl months later, and Bill continued the fight. Afterwards Bill settled back into civilian life…whew…then got to work on a new portfolio. Eventually a little company called Hawk put out a call for artist. A few artists turned down the offer, but somebody suggested Bill Campbell.

He signed with the Hawk Company and stared cranking out wicked cool model box covers for all kinds of aircrafts, trains, cars, the works! While at Hawk, Bill met some interesting people. One of which was a man names John Andrews who was an already established designer. They had some pretty radical ideas, good thing that the Hawk company was a risk taker. The two paired up and turned out some of the most insane work of polystyrene you’ve ever seen! “39 Horrible Parts of Fine Molded Polystyrene”. I believe Bill Campbell and John Andrews work superseded “Big-Daddy” Roth’s work…Rat Fink…moving on! The collection of that particular work I’m referring too was ‘The Weird-Ohs’, which the 3D animation show went by the same name. He had a long stint with Hawk, as well as freelancing himself out to numerous other studios before he decided to retire. He would be 90 this year…

Live free, be weird and speak out!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzvkfUHPISY

If you haven’t heard by now, Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation is BACK! After a five year hiatus, the gang that brought you such memorable classics like; No Neck Joe, The Hangnail, Tongue Twister and of course Doctor Tran is back with an entirely new collection of their sickest stuff yet! Attending the Sick and Twisted festival is such a ‘hoot’! I love the audience participation during the animated shorts, please be aware that there is some rowdiness during the show. Sometimes you’ll smell something a little ‘skunky’ in the air to. Of course the festival is playing at a new location, so those people might not be able to get away with ‘indulging’ themselves during the show. Be safe people, save that kind of ‘business’ to do in the privacy of your own home!

Rio Theatre
1660 East Broadway & Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC Canada
www.riotheatre.ca
(604) 879-3456

Feb 20/09 – March 05/09
Monday-Thursday 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Friday and Saturday 4:30pm, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Sunday 4:30pm, 7:00pm – 9:00pm

For the entire festival tour schedule, click here

Tickets are ONLY available at the Box Office!