The Gallery

Where are my keys?!

2008-09-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

New weekly topic! Thanks for posting last week, those of you who did. I know there are a few more in development and I'm excited to see what comes of them! This week is the same premise. Make a short comic strip/story sequence to tell the story! Keep it up!

Who is Simple Gibson?

2008-09-15T00:42:00.000-07:00

I guess its about time for a new topic. This one is inspired by a great idea from the Disney Story Artists. Here is a link where you can find out more about it. The basic idea is that they were given the question "Who is Rocket Johnson?" Then the artists all created a short comic strip to explain who Rocket Johnson would be. Our character is Simple Gibson. Good luck!

"Simple Gibson's life isn't so simple anymore"
Quick Zbrush sketch with paintover. I gotta get back to my competition.
-Man Louk

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MORE ARTS PLEASE!
-Alexis

I'm done with this. Next time I'm gonna do the whole thing on paper. But I still probably won't color it. Time for the next topic!

-Danny

Short Walk Animation

2008-05-20T18:08:00.000-07:00

I'm bringin' it back!
If it turns out to be just me then so be it, but the new topic this week will be an animation. Do a short (1 to 5 seconds?) animation of a walk. Any kind of walk, and not necessarily a walk cycle. Just a walk: jaunty, reluctant, psychotic... pick your fave adjective and insert creativity. Deadline will be next Tuesday night. If you've got any ideas for future topics then throw them up and let's do this.

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Laid-back surfer dude type walk.

-Daniel
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Ball and Tail

2008-01-29T07:21:00.001-08:00

Here is a link for what we are looking for in this next assignment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMgVTlJNf0w Its about halfway through. The main objective of this assignment is to combine the last 2 assignments and make it jump with the tail emphasizing overlap. This should be a fun one and we can make the deadline on Sunday. Good luck! www.woodsideanimation.com/Tailey.ma

Danny "I never know when to type under or above my post" Young ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah, this is so not finished but hey it's Sunday and due so here's what I have till I can sit down an animate the tail nice and proper. - Alexis
The tail kept separating from the ball in Maya, so I got frustrated and did this. ~Katie

-manlouk

Moving on...

2008-01-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

Pendulum exercise... Here's the link for the maya file.

www.woodsideanimation.com/Pendulum.ma
and for maya 7:
www.woodsideanimation.com/Pendulum_maya7.ma

Look at the example videos and search YouTube for Class 1 Animation Mentor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe3MeI97cXE
-EXAMPLE

The objective is to move the platform causing the parts underneath to swing (an exercise in overlapping action). Do well.

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~Katie

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-Michael (WIP, pending critiques)

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-Man Louk

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-Alexis

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-Kait blahhhhhhhhhhh

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-Daniel

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-James

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Shot Mask

2008-01-11T13:33:00.000-08:00

Hey all. If you've been checking out the work from Animation Mentor (and hopefully you have, or else you won't know enough about your competition), you've probably seen the black bar at the bottom of their in-progress assignments, which lists their names, the status of the assignment, and the frame count.

Frame counters are extremely helpful in critiquing someone's animation, but frame counting scripts in maya utilize the HUD, which results in a tiny, tiny number that doesn't read well online after compression and the like.

The shot mask animation mentor uses is not something added in post. It's an object within maya that updates the visibility of several polygonal numbers to keep track of the frame. They position it in front of the camera so that it occupies the lower part of the screen.

In order to help us critique each other, I've coded a similar shot mask. It has a place for your name, a frame counter, and a "Status:" label. I've added a control that lets you choose the text displayed there from the following list: Blocking, Rough, Refining, Polishing, and Final.

The mask looks like this:

The same control also allows you to move and scale the mask. The background black bar can be scaled independently of the other objects, so you can make sure it fills the area you want it to without skewing the text.

You will need to change the name to yours, of course.

1. Create -> Text -> Option Box
2. Type your name
3. Select front "Verdana.
3. Select Type: Poly
4. Create
5. Delete the history on the selection.
6. Delete the curves that are left over from creation (they border each letter)
7. Delete the extra group that was created (check your outliner)
8. With all the polygons in your text selected, go to your hypershade, right click the material called "matMaskText," and assign material to selection.
9. Now use the group to which all the character belong to scale and position your name accordingly.
10. Delete my name, which is the group "ggMask_Name"
11. Make your group the Child of the curve ShotMask_Ctrl

The control for moving the mask is a curve beneath the center of the mask. It has an attribute called Status that will allow you to select the text you want for the Status line.

All righty then, that's a wrap. I hope this proves useful for you. Here's an example of what it looks like in a shot:

Download the file here:
woodsideanimation.com/shotmask.ma

Later!

Back to the Basics

2008-01-08T17:37:00.000-08:00

As we all know, its hard to get into the industry. But its even harder if we don't have animation reels. So the next few weeks are going to be focused on getting some reel worthy material ready (doesn't mean rendered. Take a look at some reels online. Most of the best ones look like playblasts). If you haven't heard of Animation Mentor, go to their website now (www.animationmentor.com) and get motivated. They post their work up so we are just going to utilize the exercises they go through to strengthen our own animation skills. So, since we are starting our reel journey, why not start at the beginning again. The infamous bouncing ball. But not just any bouncy ball. Varying bouncy balls. Not sure what I mean?

So we will be using 2 separate balls here, one light and one heavy. This shouldn't be that hard so don't take forever putting it up, people. The faster we all go on this, the more we can cover to get some reel-worthy material going. That way, during the demo reel weeks at school, we can finesse and not have to worry about starting from the beginning. Good Luck to you! -Post Below

-Michael (Updated even more)

-chris

-Daniel (omg I posted!)

-Alexis

-kait :(

~Katie

-Alex

-ManLouk

Narcissistic Vikings?

2007-11-20T11:58:00.001-08:00

You figure it out.

Knigtingales Help!

2007-09-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! My friend is in a cappella group on campus and they want a logo design for their t-shirts. I figured since they want something cute and cartoony that it would be a fun blog topic idea! So here is what she sent me. Thanks guys!
-Alexis

"We're basically looking for a logo or character to put on t-shirts for the Knightingales A cappella group. We're a small group of all girls and are looking for something cute but Knight-like. It doesn't have to be big eyed-puppy cute, but we want a nightingale bird, with some knight-armor or accessories with it. It is a singing group, so maybe some notes and treble/bass clefs can be incorporated. interpretation is up to you, and if you feel you have a better idea then what I've described, then go for it: we're open to anything. Thanks So Much!"

Ladybug: Action Brush

2007-09-12T14:14:00.001-07:00

Here are some instructions for putting the brush on your computer and using all the right settings. In this tutorial, I am using Photoshop CS3 but the menus and settings are the same for all versions of Photoshop.

The brush files can be found in the network in the folder "LBAH Storyboard - Photoshop Brush." Copy the LadybugActionHero.abr file into your "Photoshop CS (2 or 3) - Presets - Brushes" folder and start Photoshop. (Photoshop has to be off while you are putting the brush in. If Photoshop is on while you install the brush, you can restart it so you can get to the brush).

First, press "B" on your keyboard or just click on the brush in the tools box. Once you have the brush icon selected, click on the brush palette in the top left corner. Select the side dropdown arrow at the top right of the Brush palette. Find the "LadybugActionHero" set from the list. Select it.

Tell it to append it to your list of brushes. Scroll down to the bottom of the list and select the brush that looks like this:

Then select the Brush Palette by going to "Window - Brushes" and you see this window. Make sure your Master Diameter is set to 90. (The brush stroke in the images below is the final brush. Yours will look differently as you follow the steps but at the end, they should look the same)

Check the box for "Shape Dynamics" and select it so you can modify its settings to the following:

Then check and select "Dual Brush" and match these settings. Make sure that you have selected the same dual brush (number 32) and the Mode at the top is set to "Hard Mix." Double Check the "Diameter, Spacing, Scatter, and Count" settings.

Then check and select "Color Dynamics" and match these settings. This gives us the "Painterly look" for the mixing of colors. (See description at the end for why we are using this)

Now that you have your brush settings set, click on the "Tool Presets" icon or go to "Window - Tool Presets."

Select the button similar to the New Layer button.

Type in "Ladybug Action Hero" and make sure the "include color" box is unchecked. Click OK.

Now use your brush. As you can see, I have my foreground color set to red and my background color set to blue so the stroke interpolates between those colors and creates a blended look. The foreground color is the dominant one. (Obviously we would use colors closer to eachother in hue, this is just to illustrate the point).

We decided that the backgrounds are the same style as what is printed and hanging in the back of the computer lab. The characters should use this same brush, but make the foreground and the background the same color when painting them (so it only paints one color). This way, they are distinguishable from the background. Have a good time.

LadyBug Action Hero is naked!

2007-08-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Clothe her.

My ideas. Yaaaay.

-Kate

Because everyone needs an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini. Sorry for the offensive skin tone, Man Louk.

~Katie
Zombies are fun.

~Katie

Sorry, I'll stop now.
~Katie

Rats!

2007-07-05T13:31:00.001-07:00

If you haven't seen Ratatouille yet, see it and be inspired to draw something here. Do it!

-Michael

I don't know why Linguini is holding a scooper, but it seemed like a good prop at the time.

-Kate

Yeah I know. I don't have a tablet on me, or even Photoshop and I know if I don't do this now I'll never put it up. Sorry it doesn't look professional. I was looking at sketches of Remy and thought I'd do my own pose. He's falling. Why not?

-Danny

Anton Ego, everyone's favorite food critic.

~Katie W.

For Han. Because you like her when she's threatening to kill someone.

~Eunice

Here is a quick sketch, I have not seen the movie so I went off of some images from Google.

~ James

Landscapes

2007-06-08T04:21:00.000-07:00

Remember when we had art classes? Let's try to bring some of that back for a little but with this next topic. Katie likes the idea of landscapes coming from Canada, which can be the main thrust. But if you don't want to do one from Canada (or from anyplace real at all, Han), then just pick a landscape from anywhere and SUBMIT!

For ManLouk
-Michael

Ah, the beautiful beachy islands of Canada. Who can forget them?

~Katie W.

(and I know it looks like crap, I painted it with a mouse, but at least I posted something)

I decided to do a second one...
-Michael

Yay! It's both trite AND made up! Michael, your brush metamorphized into something else since I last used it. It's no longer a dual brush and it's fuzzy.

-Kate

6 Hours later... Huzzah a finished landscape! So for this I photo referenced 5 other Canada images then sat down and sketched them out into one coherent landscape. And I'd just like to say how incredibly addicted I am to Graffiti on facebook. It's not photoshop but it's still tons of fun.

-Alexis

whatever
-manlouk

Arrr....

2007-05-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

Due to a unanimous decision on the Facebook group (by way of 2 votes), the topic this week is the much anticipated Pirates. Make it happen.

... (have too much time, yet too lazy do anything right) - han

"bastard"
those who sat next to me know who i'm talking about
needs work suggestions
-manlouk

I am never ever again attempting to draw from scratch on my tablet. What a pain in the ass that was. By the time I was ready to color I wanted to go swimming. Yay for ADD and rushed color jobs! Paper, pencil and scanner are my new BFF's.

-Alexis

Here's Orlando Bloom with a skin condition, among other issues. I also realized, after working on this, that I was working in a really low, crappy resolution, but oh well.

~Katie W.

lol i'm so behind.
-kait

Monkeys...

2007-05-16T19:49:00.001-07:00

Ask and you shall receive... How long should this one last?

AHHHH I only saw the new topic today. X/ I did it at fast as I could. Um, it's a wizard with a tamarin. It was the first thing that came to mind. Er.

-Kate

HAT HAIR
20 minutes of fun
-manlouk

"Planet of the Apes"

~Katie W.

"A Distant World"

- Michael

Hey gang! This one goes out to Man Louk, and whoever else played volleyball and didn't bother to invite me. It's called, "Appreciation"
-Danny

Yay Monkeys! Shrek inspired. "My banana..."

-Alexis

I didn't know what the topic was and accidentally drew a group portrait of Max, Jim, Darlene, AJ, Brian and everyone's favorite, Laura Trad. Sorry.

-Joe

Forget painting man, I'm not getting any better.
-kait

This is what I've been doing this summer so far...

-Alex

End of year models

2007-04-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

Per Fernando's request, lets post up our models here. This topic will take up to the end of the school year. So if you have the Ladybug Action Hero model done, post that. Also, this could be used for the final Brian model too. So as soon as you have it done, post it up. (What might also be nice is if you could post up an image of your first model for Brian too, just to see how far you have come. To save room, do some photoshop magic and put them in the same image file so that it doesnt take so much room. Example below):

Here's my beatnik butterfly and, of course, Hips McGee. When I finish my Tooth Fairy, I shall post him as well.

-Kate

This is my frog Bugger... cause he likes to eat bugs like the lady bug!!
This one is cooper the compact car from the movie "Cars"

Fernando aka AmznFX

I can't f-ing rig the right arm. EVER. NO MORE PAINTING WEIGHTS!!!
-kait

Here's my tooth fairy!!!!!!

-Kate

Meet some dumb bug, and Dwight, the Dolphin.

guy and Sydrome's sidekick (other views on my blog)

My two creature models...I think teeth are the major improvement here.

~Katie W.

Modeling is not my forte. Might as well add rigging to that while I'm at it lol.

Alexis

I redid the frog model I did for Brian's class just for practice.

-Alexandra

Keep Stalking

2007-03-07T16:41:00.000-08:00

Ok so actually do it this time. This is seriously something that everyone does who is serious about this industry. Be one of those people... Do it.

A little girl was waiting in line for Chip and Dale.
-Michael

this is a continuation of my Nino de la calle etching. i just began etching this piece... so it has minimal detail... i think this is a good piece for stalking... what u guys think?

fernando aka Amznfx

Stalking!

2007-02-27T20:15:00.000-08:00

Go somewhere public and watch people. When you find someone worthy, draw them. If you want, color them "crazy-like" in photoshop or just draw them. Don't get caught.

So I didn't get around to going anywhere to draw random people this week. But since apparently no one else has either, I thought I'd put this up. It kinda fits. I did it last semester. Do you know who it is?!
-Danny

I went to EPCOT and sat around while people ate around me. Just in time....
-Michael

I will get around to painting these ones... i swear lol
Fernando aka AMZNFX

Sorry it's late...I didn't do a good job of stalking, so I just drew some of the positions we had to hit in jazz class tonight.

~Katie W.

Dragons

2007-02-20T07:03:00.001-08:00

Pretty sweet topic this week. Make it awesome and, most importantly, make it!

I didnt get to color it... but maybe ill get around it once my photoshop stops acting up

Fernando aka Amznfx

Somewhat more majestic in my mind... :-/
-Danny

Because, hey, sometimes dragons have to pick up the milk on the way home, too.

~Katie W.

I'm abusing the airbrush. You Photoshop people must teach me to paint o_O
-Kait

Enjoy the show...
-Michael

A very special family photo.
-Alexis

Dragon con trunk.

-Kate

...

-han

dragon head

-manlouk

Self Portrait

2007-02-12T14:30:00.000-08:00

We are branching out, youths! This time around, we are drawing self portraits (not contour line style, eat it UCF). Draw it in your own style. Don't have a style, you say? Then draw it until you are happy with it and then put it up, its probably in your style. G'uluck!

For my portrait I went for my usual position during Phil's movies. As well as the usual expression... and assortment of snackums.
-Alexis

I figured that my self portrait would not be complete without showing at least a few of the friendly creatures in my head.

~Katie W.

Who wouldn't want to buy a picture? I know I would.
-Michael Woodside

this is a constant scribble without stopping type thing. but yeah, my usual position at 3am Friday night (...technically Saturday) doing hw. and behold, my fluffy hair and constant snacking. whoops, my glasses are missing.
-kait

This one goes out to the ladies!
And Han...
;-)
-Danny "Da Beast" Young

when i was making it it was suppose to ba a Visual Language t shirt design.... i put too many colors so i made it a self portrait... cause thats pretty much how i see my self... tech freak!!

Fernando aka Amznfx

i got stung by 2 bees

-manlouk

Ghostbusters

2007-02-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

The topic for this week is fantastic. You know the drill.

(Also, for those of you who still want to partake in the the shirt contest, post up your stuff soon. We need to have a decent amount to show the elders so they can choose one. Do it)

He's slimy and he's comin' to dinner!
-Danny

Mmm...ghosts...

~Katie W.

DUDE. I had a nicer version of this but I closed it by accident without saving (well, didn't save since the initial sketch). So this is the quick, "screw the background" version. Why is she standing like that? NO CLUE. It's GOZER-- are you a god?

-asd;lfkajsdflkajdf kait

P.S. I swear I'll get to the general VL shirt thing eventually

I always imagined this was the true end to the Stay Puff man lol. Art done on a post it note as I was too lazy to draw anything bigger. Yay post its!
-Alexis

VL T-Shirt

2007-01-29T14:02:00.000-08:00

Ok so since last week's topic went so well, lets make our own for this week. Joe was talking about making shirts for our class and then the idea came up about designing them. That is your job this week. At the end of the week, we show all of our designs to Max or Darlene or someone and have them pick the favorite. So go wild and remember, its more expensive to print shirts with a lot of color. Be modest.

CONTEST OVER.

I'm sure I could find a nifty, threadless-y way to cut back on colors (I count 6), but I mean, c'mon.

-Chris

Ok so here is my input. Generic bug. Thoughts?
-Michael

Yeah way late lol. This was actually pretty fun to make. Used the generic bug idea Michael had. When we have the ladybug design picked we can just pop her silhoutte in.
-Alexis

Star Wars

2007-01-22T10:43:00.001-08:00

"Nuff said!"
Somebody's got to do it! And this is why we need a painting class! I mean look at it...it's TEERRRIBLE. This was the result of like, TWO HOURS, trying to figure out how to paint stuff. How embarrassing! Look at the rear engines, what was I thinking? I just can't bear to let the coveted Star Wars topic go unattended. I'm thinking maybe I'm hurting my cause...

Don't worry, I can't paint either. I cheat- this is called "paint with paint at lower opacity and repeat strokes" technique. We really do need a painting class.

-kait

The Wild West

2007-01-16T16:21:00.000-08:00

(I dont know if it was because of MLK day that they didn't post it up till today but here it is). Anything related to the Wild West. One thing that I noticed in the other Blue Sky entries is that they incorporate a background setting (if it is not a place, then it is a texture). I think it would be a good idea for us to think about our subjects and how they relate to their setting. (Also, dont feel bad... most of theirs dont get submitted until the last day or so either...)

I wanna be the 1st one to post... :)

Title: It's rought in the bloody hills of the Wild Wild West

- Fernando aka AmznFX

-Michael Woodside

Got a bit carried away this week. Than again I also did them in 10 minutes lol.
-Alexis

"Nice Pants"
-Kait

Super late, but here it is.

~Katie W.

Evil Robots

2007-01-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

No explaination needed.

It's so eeebil!

-Alexis

It watches you sleep.

-Michael

Don't cross him.

~Katie W.

fuglyrobot -manlouk

Not original... if I think of something else, I'll post it. But this is an evil robot (android, whatever), so it works.
-kait

wait....here's my real original robot. my aardvark + potato chip bag topic inspired me to make it for some reason.
-kait v.2

Poor little bunny!!

-Fernando aka AmznFX

BlueSky Link

2007-01-06T23:05:00.000-08:00

Ok so here is the link for the actual website where they come up with our ideas. But NO stealing. We all will know if you steal now because of this link. So don't even bother. Seriously...

http://bsschallenge.blogspot.com/

Abstract Art

2007-01-04T20:44:00.000-08:00

Ok so this one is late, but no one ever did it till the last minute anyway. No explaination needed this week. Everyone took art history. Do it

I call it the "5 minute abstract." Done in that glorious program, Microsoft Paint.

~Katie W.

"Traffic"

-Michael

"If pandas ruled the world!"
Wow do I impress myself!
Hey Michael! can u post the link to the real site that has the blog where you get these ideas I wanna check it out to see how great we really are
-ManLouk

...
-kait

1 hour of Christmas Left!

2006-12-25T19:51:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas to all. Well, at least, I hope you all had a good one. Here's a quick pinup illustration made for a friend last-minute.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-18T08:11:00.000-08:00

Ok so the topic this week isn't jew-friendly. But it doesn't really matter since we aren't here to promote the holidays (See Man Louk's suicidal turkey below). So there is a lot to draw from here.

I thought of snowmen, and then I thought of stuff I could do with them.

~Katie W.

Snowball fight. Sloppeh! Mah.
-Kait

In case you didn't know already. merry christmas
-Michael

I love my new tablet!!!

-Alexis

How to mess with santa lol maybe thats why i didnt get any presents

-Fernando Aka AmznFX

Automobiles

2006-12-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

This is just taken straight from their website. They said it best:

I've been noticing that a lot of what we've done here on the BSS Challenge is character based. In order to stretch us a bit further than we would normally be stretched, this week's challenge is not to draw a character, but to draw an automobile. Yes, the automobile. Man's greatest fusion of engineering and design. Sure, there's some ugly cars out there, but some of the most beautiful peices of art ever created are on four wheels. So, go draw a car. You pick which one. Is it the Lamborgini of your childhood dreams, or the Honda of your current reality? Or is it a totally made up car no one has seen before? Show us.

I'm going to draw sketchy and sloppy and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
-Kaitlyn
P.S. I'm expecting a drawing from you this week, Mr. Woodside.

Anyone want to buy a firebird?
-Michael

A car
i did a late entry to moby dick below!
-manlouk

And my car doesn't suck Manlouk!!... at least mine has wheals!!

-Fernando Aka AmznFX

Moby Dick

2006-12-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

Make something inspired by the novel. This one should be interesting.

Captain Nemo doesn't appreciate Captain Ahab harpooning his ship.
-Alexis

An ivory leg will do that to you.

~Katie W.

my interpretation of Fedallah after reading the spark notes. flat color ftw.
-kait

Nope...it doesn't come colored or shaded, (who has time?! ... ignore other colored and shaded posts before considering) but it does come cropped and with fully integrated text!
-Danny

Here's my late moby dick
its moby the musician and dick tracy in their latest adventure?
-manlouk

Superheros!

2006-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Make one up. A brand new superhero. Have fun with it

FOOTMAN! His foot is HUGE!
-Michael

FROGMAN! He's in a FROG suit
-manlouk

Sorry, sketchy sketch for this week. Super Ninja-Pirate-Penguin Man and his trusty sidekick. Helping ninjas, pirates, and penguins everywhere. I don't know who it was that said it, but someone said that anything with ninjas, pirates, or penguins is an immidate draw for people. Completely unoriginal *fails*
-kait

Just in time! So I saw a vision of a grenade throwing elf in the clouds today and thought, hm, what a great idea for a video game super hero. So here he is, ready to blow up your ass!
-Alexis

She's here to fulfill any adhesives needs you might have.

~Katie W.

First Post: Thanksgiving

2006-11-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

Who would have guessed that this week's topic is thanksgiving? We'll leave this topic open till Sunday. Please post your artwork in this same post underneath this message. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day! Alexis

In case you can't tell, that is a knife and one of those things you shove up a turkey butt. The two essentials when bringing down cooked turkeys, naturally.
Be careful what you eat... lest it eat you back. Happy Thanksgiving!
-Danny

Its not Turkey day! its Thanksgiving as you can tell it is a vegetarians favorite holiday. Here is a cool link before u eat your turkey today www.peta.com
And I know all you guys wanna try this delicous Tofurkey check it out at http://www.tofurkey.com u'll love it. mmmm mmmm yummy
give thanks to those u love and have a safe holiday
-Confucious say "eat tofurkey"

Speed painting/drawing ftw.
-Kait

Reason to Return

2006-11-12T17:20:00.000-08:00

This is a community blog for the Visual Language Students of 2008 at the University of Central Florida. Weekly a new topic will be posted and the students will draw their own interpretation of the topic. As soon as we can decide on a day, the posting will begin. Till then, adieu