TONY BOJANGLES

Painting is Lame

2011-12-21T15:07:00.000-05:00

I really don't understand people. Losin my mind a little over here. Why the fuck don't people just fall in love with pieces, instead of picking out furniture. It's disgusting. Painting as a profession is total shit. It's alienating, promotes extreme and deathly poisonous misanthropy, and RUINS MY FUCKING CHRISTMAS COOKIE BAKING TIMES. Seriously! God-f-n-crap-damnation. Pullin my eyes out.

(Sorry H)

Workin on the Smallzy

2011-11-06T15:42:00.004-05:00

City by a Volcano

Lakeboat

Pink Mountain City

Pink Wind

Artmonton

2011-10-26T14:45:00.001-04:00

Small art for The Front. They will be for sale. You can buy them and help mes buys videos games.

Bigs and Littles

2011-09-20T13:17:00.000-04:00

The first is a commission for a friend, the other 2 is me working on little stuff! It's fun to tinker with little paintings and have 4 or 5 going at once, while you also have a bigger one on the go. Makes for a very satisfying day at the studio:

Nightfall on Stankleton

Hot Rod

City on a Lake

Words of absolute wisdom. From WoW.

2011-09-08T20:13:00.000-04:00

Lunchbreak!

2011-09-08T19:06:00.002-04:00

An esteemed and observant friend pointed out that there is a hotdog building in the background, which was unbeknownst to me as I slapped a title on this pupper! She is the awesome. Unbeknownst is a strange word and is way too long for its own good.

Lunchbreak!

Summer Trip!

2011-08-29T16:42:00.000-04:00

Went back to Refinery Row for a visit. Jammed in much visitation and family hi-5ing. All of our friends are making kids! Snuck off to Tom's studio above the Front for 1.5 super productive days! I really had a blast painting these, and I think it shows. Then we went to Bermuda for more family hi-5's. We spent most of our time on the velvety coral sanded beaches. Me likey Bermuda beachy.

Buddies!

2011-07-29T17:11:00.000-04:00

That's all I got. Here's some new buddies.

New new Destructo

2011-07-29T16:46:00.003-04:00

This is that big grey bastard from a couple of posts ago. Man did it change. As it hung on the wall I grew tired of its dainty pretty drawings, so I worked on it, and it got prettier! GAH! So then I went into destructo mode and here it sits. Who the farg knows anymore. I kinda like it, so that's something I suppose.

At Night the Trees Would Sway

This one has has gone through many changes. The last time I worked on it it got destructoed, and was left with 6 giant goofy faces on it. It sucked major arse. Now only one of the faces survives, and I'm likin the lackadaisical warm-chaos color scheme. It looks like he's distressed and talking about many ideas at once. Hence the title.

Memories of a Bad Day

On Being Productive

2011-07-29T16:31:00.000-04:00

Find some garbage on the floor, paint it, stick eyes and mouths on it, put it in half a box so as to make it diorama-y, sell it for thousands of doll-hars. Haven't got that last one worked out yet, but I've sold tapeys to people! I've given them as gifts! People are excited to recieve them! It has happened! This new horizontal tapey is clearly an alpha in some way. Leader-tapey material. I love you Leader Tapey.

I love you too master!

More Escaping

2011-07-29T16:23:00.001-04:00

Ah Wow. Will I ever tire of you? Actually yeah, I already have, sadly. It is a little depressing actually, how I neglect it. Anyway, here's a couple more fantasy-tastic pics before I move on to being productive.

On vacation. Yes, that is a baby panther buddy. Awesome.

Sunset in dwarfy-lands. It's purdy.

Isn't he CUTE?

Escapist Artist 1

2011-06-22T17:51:00.003-04:00

Who knows if anyone is still reading this crap? Because all I do now is play World of Warcraft. So bad. I am now one of those nerds. It's awesome. I'm always taking pictures when in-game of Gren and his dog Dolly, which as it turns out, since I'm an "artiste", is my favorite part of the game. Here's a tantalizing cross-section of the life of Gren.

Gren's first big kill. She deserved it.

My other favorite part: exploring. That's an enemy town and they might kill me!!! SUSPENSE!

When Grenny finally got his first flying mount. Excuse me, I must brush away a tear.

Dragons are cool. Let's kill them.

Buddies 4evah

Stay down.

Swimmin

There's golden hour in WoW too! Why ever leave for "RL" (Yes, I had to google RL when someone used it).

Escapist Artist 2

2011-06-22T17:41:00.000-04:00

Then I actually got my lazy ass to the studio this week. Here's the results.

This one is a big 5 x 6 foot canvas. It was fun. Maybe not done.

Destroyed an old boring painting. This one is called Escapist Artist. Also maybe not done.

1-eyed Tapey loves almost everyone. He hates artists.

Wolf-Tapey also hates artists, and likes to eat my studio snacks. Little bastard.

Blue, Yellow, and Grey are Having a Party, and you are Invited

2011-03-21T23:36:00.001-04:00

For some classy friends I've known since University. They have super adorable kids, and hopefully I can glean some kid-feedback out of them, as kid's art comments, just like their art, is always top notch, and puts us "professionals" to shame.

TAPEY RULES THE UNIVERSE

2010-12-05T04:59:00.000-05:00

These are shite photos, but that's just too bad, cause I'm putting them up anyway. You're just going to have to deal with it, and what's more, tapey wants you to LURVE it. And eat it.

Torontony

2010-11-30T16:58:00.000-05:00

Did a skyline painting commission for somebody. It was fun to paint, and it turned out Ok, methinks!

painting painting painting

2010-11-17T05:42:00.004-05:00

Using a lot of pink lately. Pink is the new blue? or something. It's pleasant and defiant at the same time. It's saying, "Here's a delicious cake. You want this cake don't you? You can have it if you're nice."

Home from Edomontony

2010-10-18T10:21:00.000-04:00

Had a show, made some paintings, hi-5ed friends and fam, it was goot.

New Stuffs

2010-10-03T19:07:00.000-04:00

ninja bob!

2010-09-28T22:05:00.000-04:00

Been Painting in Ma Stooooodio

2010-05-22T09:47:00.002-04:00

It's nice to get back to the big stuff... but don't you worry, dear viewers, I'm still itchin to have more diorama-ramas.

Studios are so amazingly good. You have all of your creative projects around you which you can delve into or leave at will, and everything is laid out for you to grab without worries of mess or tidying or... talking to people. HA! Kidding. Sort of. You know what I mean. Everyone should have a studio I say. Even if you are an investment banker, and it should be at least 20 minutes away from the home, and you should have to go there at least 3 times a week. Put on some coffee, flip on your music, turn off your stupid bloody cell phone, throw the cell phone into a vat of acid, and clear your info-addled brains. It doesn't matter if you think you have no creativity, you'll think of something to do. DO IT. That's an order.

If you really don't want to look for a studio, or you just don't know what you'd do with yours, you can come to mine in my off hours and build me canvas stretchers and cradled panels. Get your own coffee.

Note: WOW I have no idea what happened to my post editor, but it really sucks shit. Please let me have the old one. Why does everything always have to change... WHY?

Cut Away Of A Corgal Processor

Traveller In The Underworld

They Got Lost Because They Wanted To Be Lost

More Diorama Puleeze

2010-03-17T15:38:00.003-04:00

So that's it for 2-D Tonys. I now will only work in diorama form. I have a bunch of these in the upcoming show in Windsor and MAN I had fun making them. More fun than you could possibly imagine. You don't know, you can imagine quite a bit? You'll get it! You'd better? You will!

Special super-blog-thanks out to Josh who is driving all the damn way from South frickin Carolina to come up to the show. You are the awesome.

Landscape Painting!

2010-03-02T22:59:00.006-05:00

Now that the Gibs and Nowans have left, people are starting to think about moving around on Triple-G again. For many it's been over a hundred years since they've set foot outside the gates. The wastes are a different place now let me tells you. Trade routes are shattered, many settlements are ghostly ruins, and all manner of hostiles roam about unhindered. Weird!

Sunset on Yellowville

Something approaches on the Flats of Now

Oldetown Patrol on the Ilgard Barrens

"The Travellers of Triple-G"

2010-02-19T10:38:00.004-05:00

A new solo art show! Woohoo! I'll make another post with the fancy handbill when they make one. For now here's the deets!

Artcite: March 19 - April 24, opening on March 19th, and I'll be there!

109 University Ave. W.
Windsor, ON, N9A 5P4
ph/fx: 01.519.977.6564

And right on cue, here's good ol' Vale looking serious and stuff.

Anton the Scriver

2009-12-10T19:36:00.003-05:00

Anton enjoys writing info-scrolls for trades, green transactions, diplo-actions, planterions, harvestors, you name it, and he'll be in the middle of it. He always makes sure he gets his cut.

THE GIBS ARE COMING!!

2009-12-02T20:29:00.003-05:00

An expansionist, militarist and isolationist culture with nowhere to expand to, the Gibs want to spread their influence across the Expanse as much as they can. They believe they are superior to all other cultures, as most cultures of the Expanse do, and they believe they were the third culture to populate the Expanse (after the Bears and Machina) as most cultures do. Mostly over-active, over-consumers and heavy industrialists, much of Gib activity is devoted to fighting the Nowans. However, a surprising number of Gibs are engaged in performing and visual arts and oppose common Expanse warlike and wasteful behavior. Most Gibs believe they are evolved from, and worship, the Kef. The Kef is a pack animal as well as food for most other cultures, causing a good portion of Gib hatred and isolationism. Half of the Kef worshippers in turn believe they originate from the sacred Kef herds of Tan Borrus (an unofficial belief), a world that has suffered badly as the center of the Nowan-Gib conflict for more than a hundred years. A shaky peace now exists between Gibs and Nowans, and many Gibs and secret Info Collectors are working within the Gib government to try and strengthen that peace.

New Studio-io!

2009-11-15T21:33:00.005-05:00

A good pal got a line on a sweet sweet studio in Mirvish village just off Bloor. It's a corner room on the third floor of a classic Toronto 3-story brownstoner, and as you can expect, the location absolutely ra-HULZ. We took it pretty much before we even saw it!
Somehow it's super cheap, cause I think our subleter is powerfully nice, and I'm riding high everyday now. It's like someone clicked my dial over to the right spot, and as I walk Dolly home through the park after a day of work, I have a constant buzzing contentedness again. I liked Toronto well enough before getting in this studio, now I love it. Life is good. Hi-5's!

A beautiful sight.

First new studio painting!

Second new studio painting!

Uh Oh's Artshows!

2009-11-04T11:09:00.008-05:00

Back to the fine artery! It's been fun to doodle like a 4-years-old again. I didn't realize how much I missed it actually. I think this has triggered a scribble tsunami. LET THE FRANTIC SQUEAKINGS OF THE FELT PENS OF FREEDOM RING OUT. If you don't like to go outside (I hear you), this is all the stuff I'm putting in the show right here in your own personal artshow! I didn't choose 2-3 images, I just put them all up. I didn't want to hurt any of their feelings.

Anyways, the show is at the new Sideshow Gallery:

A Little of This, A Little of That
A group show of small pieces
November 20 - January 3
Opening on November 20, 2009

Sideshow Gallery
9609 - Whyte Ave.
Edmonton, AB
(780) 433-1430

The Travellers of Triple-G Map

2009-10-28T08:31:00.006-04:00

It's in four quadrants, and each fits on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Print it off and put it together. I dare you. You can stop raking leaves or blogging or whatever boring thing you're doing and have adventures on it. ADVENTURES!

top left

top right

lower left

lower right

Grenatars For Everyone

2009-10-14T11:30:00.009-04:00

I've been having a blast drawing avatars on the good old BoardGameGeek for some generous and fantastic peeps. Here's a few of the newies!

missles of miscellanea

2009-09-26T13:50:00.003-04:00

filmy fucks

2009-09-24T04:00:00.006-04:00

i worked on a film and had a real nice time. except for 1 filmy fuck. he was annoying.

the end.

She's an artist too!!

2009-06-03T15:12:00.002-04:00

Dolly looks proudly into the camera beside her first painting. Very nice my sweet girl, very nice. Clearly you are a genius.

An assortment of art for thine eyes to peruse!

2009-06-02T12:47:00.014-04:00

Hail Blogulons!
My good old iMac from the ancient times (think way back to the year 2000) finally died so I'm updating my image data base on the shiny new iMac. I love the shiny new iMac. Not so much of the rainbow wheel, it looks so damn pretty, and the keys go typety-type so very nicely.

I recommend that you listen to "Let's Get Physical" as a viewing soundtrack for these images.

HOLY CRAPOLI IT'S AN ARTSHOW!

2009-05-24T10:17:00.002-04:00

SpeakEasy's Annual Drawing and Painting Show, Thursday June 4th, 2009
Discover the works of 25 local artisans at the 13th annual SpeakEasy Fine Art Show. Every year art lovers dash to the Gladstone to mingle with Toronto’s best and brightest artists, and maybe even take home a treasure or two.

Time & Space:
Thursday June 4th, 8pm-Midnight
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen West
Second Floor Lobby + Studio Rooms

Cover:
Pay What You Can ($4.00 Donation Suggested)

For more information contact:
David Brown
email: david@blttogo.com telephone: 416.533.1374

Sham Wow

2009-04-17T15:44:00.007-04:00

Good one Shamwow creative team... good one.

My first child will now be named Shamwow, I decree. Or at least nicknamed Shamwow. Or maybe my dog's name will be Shamwow. Poor little bastard.

No, actually my dog's name is Dolly!!!
I gotta go buy a crate, a collar, a leash, some tasty doggy treats, a license with Shamwow engraved on it....

Oh yeah, here's some newies:

Stupid Oilers

2009-04-13T18:05:00.005-04:00

The weather still doesn't feel all that Toronto-springy to me, and it's warmer in Edmonton. Curses! That's LAME. Stupid Oilers.

Worked on this one a few days. Got my inspiration from walking past a person's house and doing the snoop on a stranger's living room, as it was dark out and they had the lights on. It was a quick passer-by snoop, I didn't stare too long. Anyways, they had this bulletin board covered in papers, postcards, postits, etc. - this big giant whitish mess - and it was mounted on an ultramarine blue wall. At first I thought, "Holy Fucking HELL that's a Fucking Brilliant Painting!!!" Then I realized what it was and thought, "Holy bla bla bla, that'd be an AWESOME PAINTING!" And thusly... here we are. I'm pleased with myself and I gave myself four pats on the back after completing it. No erasies.

In other news, thanks very much Edmonton Oilers for another exciting post season. Try not to choke on your coke and whores.

Tony 1 - Weather 0

2009-04-06T18:22:00.004-04:00

I have a sneaking suspicion that there will never be leaves again. I don't know. It's just so cold, damp and grey that I think it's not possible to grow foliage in Toronto. The plants are on strike. I just took a picture outside of my "studio" window for Sarah and she's Tippity-Typing about the exact same thing right now! HA! So anyways, dear unknown microscopic signals in computer landia, I had a swell day today. I beat the fuck out of this day. In spite of the stoopid weather, I cranked some weights with my feeble arms, ate McNuggets and had a coffee on the way to the Grocery-place, where I then got some shit that you always run out of, and then did my laundry as I painted. I don't know if this is an "awesome" painting yet, but it's pretty damn cool and I'm putting it up so I can stare at it on my compy screen instead of in reality. Strange? Yes, but it works somehow, because the compy never fails me. Buy this painting and while you're at it, buy me a studio in Mexico. Cheers.

Compy won't fail me.

Secret Scout Snack Bar

2009-04-01T12:30:00.005-04:00

Hiya computer world!
Today has the low-light heavy Toronto rainy gloom all about it, and the cars make the greasy street noise as they go by. When I first got here it tended to get me down a little, coming from big wide-open sky Alberta. Now I loves it. It makes things all cozy and introspectroflective. Vera nice.

Anyways, there's your mood establisher. Drink it in. Tasty times. And now for the main body of this post...

I'm going to BoardGameGeek to look at board games while I eat lunch. Here's a painting for you to peruse. I'll be back in an hour to collect the milliums of dollars you will no doubt have waiting for me upon my return, as you will fall completely in love with this painting. Ta.

Train to Somewhere

2009-03-30T12:57:00.004-04:00

Gather round children!

nah that sucked.

hey peeps

suck

Ok then, so since I'm slow of mind, and not a little lazy, I get locked onto modes of thinking, or "railroad tracks of the mind" if you were. Y'see, Lately I can't seem to drum up the wherewithal (see first sentence) to venture down into the parkade with all of my crap, set it up, paint away, and then haul it all back upstairs. So this was my mind track, and I was sort of avoiding painting, which weighs on me. I lose sleep actually. So this morning, in an outside of the engineer-cockpit-thing kind of way, Sarah easily bloobs out a plan for rearranging stuff so I can paint upstairs. My mind, on it's mind track, is churning to a halt, the coal-man stops his infernal shoveling, the brakes squeal, passengers are thrown out of their seats (not that many of them though)(I don't know what that is a metaphor for), and I say... "Oh yeeeaaaah". So I finally finished my sister's wedding present and I love it. Good thing Sarah's on this train, I have no idea how to drive this thing.

And this one is called "Dinner":

We're Running With the Shadows of the Night

2009-03-16T14:39:00.005-04:00

ok so i didn't do another post right after that one. Shit! here's a new post. i am now an official citizen of ontario as i have an ontario drivers license, and i gotta tell's ya, it feels pretty fucking good. i think i'm going to take ninja school or a baking class or maybe go work on center island selling snow cones. summer jobs! here's some more drawings!

I need to make more posts

2009-03-09T17:27:00.008-04:00

It's not that I don't want to, good readers, and I think it's not a little vain to think anyone's actually reading this, but I really think I should do it for me. It's like... going to the gym. Well maybe not that painful. Or stinky. Or funny with the people watching and the slight superiority complex I have been harbouring. Just a slight tiny one. But come on, there's a guy I've named "All-Chest" who only works out his chest, "Tiny-pumper", a tiny East-Indian girl who only does tiny tiny little pumps for reps, and "Stinky", pretty obvious there. Stinky likes to put all of the weight on the dip/pull-up machine and hasn't realized, in the 2 years I've been going, that the wieght is for counter-weight to help your lift. Man he pumps that thing. I guess he could also be called "Mega-Pumper". Oh yeah, and speaking of pumping, there's also "Machine-Humper", and what he does to the ham-string worker-outer is not printable. See there we go. Good post. That was fun. I capitalized and everything. I promise I'll do another tomorrow, and maybe I'll have something to say about art. Or maybe I'll introduce you to "Dr. Purple Pants" (not a real nickname, just made that up). Here's some random drawings to take your mind of the boredom of your everyday existance:

Back to Work

2009-02-02T15:45:00.009-05:00

Ah the Christmas cheer is gone, tumbleweeds roll by, and hobbies fall by the wayside. A little over to the wayside. The hobbies can still easily see the road from where they're standing, it's not like they're in the ditch or anything. Don't be that way hobbies. I still love you.

Here's some new paintings, anyone want to buy 'em? I have no room for new paintings. Why am I making new paintings when I don't have any room for them? Cause it's in my SOUL, man, and if I don't play games - I mean - paint, I go crazy man.

Orlock Juvies

2009-01-12T09:24:00.004-05:00

Juvies! Good word. Like I says it before, Citadel miniatures are just great, and these one from Michael Perry pretty much paint themselves. They credit the designer on the box in the main product description, instead of a tiny footnote (or not at all) which shows their commitment to the art of it. Sweet sweet geek art. What have I been doing with my life? Anyways, I love the way the "juvies" (new gang inductees) look eager to prove themselves, but also dumb and terrified. I'm not gonna lie to you, I'm havin a great time over here people.

More Figures

2009-01-09T12:29:00.003-05:00

Ah the Nazgul. When I first read the Lord of the Rings, I think I was 13, maybe 14, I remember the quaint comfiness of the early book. Nice safe Hobbiton. Then the bad news started rolling in, and suddenly Frodo realizes that he isn't some content, unnoticed fella in his warm little hole, but in serious danger from forces that are thousands of years in the making. I felt like I was right there with him in the terror, and when they start to travel they get pursued by the "Black Riders", who get worse and worse as the books go on. It's such a genius way to start a book, and lead Frodo, and the reader, into a story much larger than themselves. Many writers have tried to ape this magic, but you can instantly recognize this same love for "Hobbiton vs. super-evil", and it's just never as good. Even the big fancy-money-pants movie falls short of this building excitment/terror, which is one thing you'd think they would've been able to capture with the bonus of visuals. Tolkien rocks!

Painting, the real deal.

2009-01-05T15:34:00.006-05:00

hey bloggers, what's bloggin on? been painting miniatures from games. haven't done it since i was 14, so my tiny painting skills aren't quite up to snuff. i'm thinkin, "how the HELL did i paint that??" anyhoo, it's super good fun. chjeck it.

first foray, Strider and the Witch King (lord of the Nazgul, don't you know)

My buddy lent me a Necromunda gang called Orlocks to paint. citadel does the best mini's in the world.

getting a little better here, i like this dude.

2 'lil fellas from Runebound, a boardgame that translates DnD roleplaying into a boardgame. that = awesome, by the way.

Getting Out of New New Towne

2008-11-28T16:56:00.006-05:00

I'm feelin pretty cool right about now. I'm a published artist. sweet! A big thanks to Correy Baldwin of Buffalo Runs Press, for without whom this would not have possible. I can't express enough thanks to him. It was a really fun process, and I loved putting my doodles to a story that was still pretty light, but slightly more involved than usual. There's dialogue!

Correy with the proofs:

So I'm off to Expozine in Montreal to promote the book with Arwen (another awesome Alberta ex-pat, studied classics with Sarah), and Dr. Baldwin, so if you're Quebec-side, look us up!

For the occasion, I made some action cards (of course) with tons of stats on them (of course) of the characters and places in the book! Feel free to email me for the files. (I use the Avery 38871 inkjet business cards, template 05371).

Another Mappe

2008-10-27T13:31:00.014-04:00

Ah central Triple-G, the neutral melting pot of the Expanse. Who knows who will end up in control.

big blue dots = big-townes
blue dots = small-townes
big green dots = friendly cultures with strongholds
green dots = points of interest and small settlements
red dots = hostile groups

New New Towne - New New Towne encompasses the flattest portion of the Flats of Now on the shores of the Blue Sea. It is the largest non-abandoned big-towne in the Expanse, as well as the most culturally diverse, and is home to many important and influential groups. The people of New New Towne like to think of their towne as the “Captain of the Big 7”, and it is the only towne on Triple-G to still have a spaceport (although it hasn’t had any use since the Gibs and Nowans limped homeward).

Market of the Mantas - Known of course for its massive and extremely diverse market that takes up most of the towne, MOTM (as it is referred to by outsiders), one of the big 7, is on a lush island in the middle of the Blue Sea, 500 leagues from the Flats of Now. Before the wars, their market was a hub for central Triple-G and the East, bringing in goods from the Eastern shores of the Blue Sea, and the Eastern Wastes. They used to be close allies with all cultures, but the wars caused many underhanded deals and side-jumping, making them bitterly suspicious of everyone. Many mantas who used to be skilled controllers and traders have turned to raiding and piracy, and the Flats of Now are all the more dangerous for it.

Bluedomia - For as long as anyone can remember, Bluedomia, considered one of the big 7, and New New Towne have been bitter rivals. Bluedomia was overtaken several times during the towne-wars by New New Towne and other large townes, due to their hugely strategic location near some of the richest grey patches on Triple-G. This has made them even more isolationist than your standard Triple-G towne.

Greenetowne - One of the big 7 on the Southern edge of Wistwood, Greenetowne is quite green. It could really also be called Bluetowne or Purpleville, because of all of the jengo and duodengo trees. Greentowne exists largely because of the constant flow hunting and wood expeditions entering Wistwood every quarter, many of whom never return. The expeditions were fairly frequent throughout the wars, due to the lucrative trading from a successful trip, and Greenetowne will swell with opportunity, scum, and villany now that there is a semblance of peace.

Oldetowne - Every culture in central Triple-G has a name for Oldetowne, but this big 7 towne is known to most as Oldetowne. Located at the crossing of the Gandarmos Chasm, its origins possibly predate New New Towne and the towne-state wars. Before the wars, Oldetowne played host to a myriad of explorers and opportunists looking for artifacts, glow-hides and trillion in the ruins that extend down into the chasm, leading up to the mysterious Ancient City. It grew considerably when the Oldetowne bridge was built, linking up Yellowville and the West to New New Towne. However, during the third Gib-Nowan war, the bridge was destroyed as it was a highly contested towne, and center of many a bloody battle. The bridge is still gone, and many Oldetowners believe it will never be rebuilt.

Yellowville - One of the big 7 townes of Triple-G, and located in the middle of the Fields of Wen, Yellowville is primarily a hub of food production. The towne is home to many prestigious kef herders, pak growers, tremuleen plant harvestors, and humin conglomerates, with their operations spreading for hundreds of leagues around the towne. Since the Oldetowne bridge was destroyed, Yellowville has become totally isolated, and almost no one travels to or from its tall grey walls.

Fugaltowne - At the Southern tip of Gandarmos Chasm where it runs into the South Sea, lies bitter Fugaltowne. Over the last 1500-1600 years, Fugaltowners have developed a stern dislike for all non-Fugaltowners from a long series of abuses in the towne-state wars, and the Gib-Nowan wars.

Tiope – Located near Fugaltowne, at the end of the Gandoarmos Chasm, Tiope used to thrive on the trade of glow-rocks, found along the shores of the South Sea. As it is with every towne, traffic has severely dwindled, and the towne is under constant threat of being overrun by howlies from the North.

Dren – The tough Dren live near the Glacier Mountains East of Wistwood. Many Dren allied themselves with either the Gibs or the Nowans (or both) in the past years, and now they’re having a lot of trouble getting along with each other.

Duste – A small food-producing towne, and makers of the highly demanded pak-tree armor near the Pak-Tree forest, the controllers of Duste have forbidden arts and entertainment to increase productivity.

Nerral – Located in the green and grey fields of the North Wastes, Nerral is home to many harvesting crews. The Nerral controllers have forbidden any non-lookie art as it angers the workers.

Redbergia – Redbergia was formed as a strategic stoppe-pointe between Oldetowne and New New Towne, and grew from people seeking to be free of big-towne controller oppression. Like everyone else, they suffered during the wars, and are threatened everyday with lack of supplies, and by the hostiles of the wastes. To combat this they have built up a small patrolgroup and plan to raid other townes for their food, green, and grey.

Settlement 232 – Formed by Nowans in the year 232 in an effort to start a Nowan settlement on Triple-G, 232 became the site of many a heated battle and was thought to be abandoned. Unbeknownst to the Nowans and Gibs, tired troopers from both sides that have deserted their battlegroups are now living in the ruins. As they rebuild their towne they hope it will become a stoppe-pointe for travel between the Flats and Fugaltowne, and they believe their battle-hardened Gib-Nowan patrols could be just the thing to clear the trade routes.

Adora – Adora is located in the essential North Pass, linking New New Towne to Greenetowne, and home to some of the toughest scouts, rangers, hunters and patrollers on Triple-G. It is a rugged and unforgiving place, as they are surrounded by Fragonards, Cragmontolians, and the host of other creatures of the Flats and the North Wastes. It is amazing that it hasn’t been overrun.

Yom – Yom is a large and successful kef-herd conglomerate that had many trade dealings with Yellowville, before the wars. Rig Bimworthy, a popular kef-rider and now head-controller of Yom, won many kef-races across Triple-G back in her day. Yom wasn’t as hard hit as other townes, due to its relative isolation, and Rig has ambitious plans to reopen trade with Yellowville, Oldetowne, and hopefully the rest of central Triple-G.

Gorth(not seen on map) – Located in the “dark lands” South of Tiope on the Western shores of the South Sea, Gorth is a diverse and beautiful city built entirely with glow-rocks. Before the wars, Gorth was hot location for art and trade, and many glow-rock-former artists lived in Gorth and became notorious for their outings in the Gorth crudder scene.

Hetterbelder(not seen on map) – Located West of the Fields of Wen, there has been no contact between Hetterbelder and Yellowville in over 55 years. HB’s believe that the rock the city is built on is an ancient, and possibly sentient, Atom. That’s how they explain the city’s occasional migration over the Dome Mountains.

Gint(not seen on map) – Known for their rare blue trillion taken from the Gint mines, Ginties are looking forward to the trade routes reopening now that the Gib-Nowan wars have abated. They are currently preparing a well-armed caravan that will travel West to the Blue Sea, and then make the crossing to the Market of the Mantas.

Mendulpft(not seen on map) – This towne was founded by Mendulpft the haver after the towne-state wars, as a refuge for richies and havers trying to get away from conflict and the masses. It can only be entered by air as its giant walls have no gate.

Culea(not seen on map) – Culea is a large slum on the North wall of New New Towne that is home to many havenots, roamers and pirates who flock to the city every quarter seeking their fortunes. Whether Culea is its own towne or part of New New Towne is the product of some debate.

"we're always right"

2008-10-24T14:24:00.003-04:00

named after american analog set lyrics from my favorite song in the known universe. if one of the band members is drunken-self-googling and runs across this (which is the reason i make this post) make some new music, because your absence is hard for me.

THE TOWNES OF TRIPLE-G

2008-10-16T13:49:00.004-04:00

hundreds of hours later, i'm playing my expanse boardgame. i've lost quite a few times actually, stupid game. sarah's terrified to play it.

this, dear friends, is the beautiful 10 sided die. essential to any GOOD boardgame. (the boardgames you don't play at parties with cool people)

painting for a friend

2008-10-15T21:04:00.001-04:00

it's a goodie, i thinks

here's a better version of the photo, edited on a strange new "computer program" called "photoshop" by mc at studiosavant.

why do we scream at each other???

2008-10-15T20:39:00.004-04:00

this is what it sounds like when doves cry

this is the patrol counter for the board game... "the cities of Triple-G"
tantilizing, no?

and this, is your scout

and this, if you survive this long, is your traveller (awesome)

Tragic Loss on Triple-G

2008-07-25T14:43:00.002-04:00

Travellers come across another trader caravan that met its demise in the deadly West Alley, not four days out of New New Towne. Who, or what, could've done such a thing? Needless to say, the travellers won't stick around long enough to find out.

Actually, sole dear reader of TB (thanks by the way) this was my first kick at sculpture.

2008-07-24T14:44:00.003-04:00

I love the tapeys, oh how I love them. Sentient tapeballs that drift around picking up whatever sticks to them. Plus, for some reason, they're always drunk/hungover. Where are they getting money for booze, dammit?

A Diorama-Rama!

2008-07-23T17:26:00.003-04:00

That's what it's like at my desk.

It's a boxy semi-3d version of the Expanse.

I have a glue-gun.

ART SHOW IN CALGARY

2008-07-14T10:26:00.003-04:00

This is the other acceptance! (same old theme, by the gods i love it)

The Expanse is a broken place. The Gib-Nowan wars have abated, and they hobble back to their corners to muster. Everyone knows they'll be back, it's just a question of when. Food is scarce, communication networks are non-existant, paranoia and isolationism rules over hearts and minds. The Grey-Green-Giant, the world in the center of the Expanse, is the hardest hit. Not only is Triple-G the center of the Expanse, it is the center of the most important things in the Expanse: green, grey and people. Now those precious resources are in even higher demand. When the wars lifted their vice-grip on the Interior worlds, peace, sadly, does not fill the quiet. Into this unexpected vaccuum rushed the myriad of predators in hungry strength, eager for those three things that drive the Expanse. The walls and gates are shut tight and all who huddle within are doomed to an existance of dictatorship and servitude. Who will bring reason to the people of the Expanse? Who will scale the walls of fear and hatred?

probably none of these people...

Event #1: Untitled Main Gallery Exhibit
Location: 4th floor, 319 10 Avenue S.W (back entrance)
Exhibit Title: Rebuilding the Expanse
Artist: Tony Baker
Exhibit Type: Installation
Exhibition Date: September 2-14
Opening Reception: Friday, September 5th (7-10pm)
Cash Bar. Artist in Attendance.
Open to the public: Friday, September 5th (7-10pm)
Saturday, September 6th (10-4pm)
Sunday, September 7th (12-4pm)
Friday, September 12th (12-4pm)
Otherwise by appointment

ARTSHOW IN TORONTO

2008-06-03T17:06:00.005-04:00

Awesome! I received two acceptance letters in as many weeks! I did a happy dance and pulled a leg off! Now I have a robot leg made of old commodore64 parts that I'm slowly getting the kinks out of.
I've officially abandoned (well, maybe not totally-officially) the glass clip frames and, like the harcourt show in Jan, have been glueing the drawings to painted masonite, and then glueing two slats of wood on the back so the drawing floats on the wall. I'm pretty pleased with it. Here's some fellas and my silly and possibly alienating blurb (P.S."glueing" as a word looks weird, back to the drawing board on that one, word-inventors):

Tony Baker - 2008

Early on, Baker thought a good artist could draw a killer alien in a multitude of poses. Lots of armor, blood, weapons, gore - ah, those were days. Then he went to art school and learned about the bravado of abstract-expressionism, and the great big world of art opened up like a giant, magical gateway into a strange and wonderful land. As his skyrocketing art career as a volitile ab-ex artist swept through the cafes and record stores of Edmonton, he decided he wanted to bring back the aliens and weapons. Now, having moved to Toronto, his art, selfdescribed as “Road Warrior/Lord of the Rings/Star Wars meets Basquiat” has happily devolved into base, self-indulgent escapism. Actually, the catch term being bandied about by the press and his scores of fans is “Abstract-Escapism”, and he seems quite pleased with himself.

DRAWING & PAINTING
SpeakEasy’s 12th Annual Fine Art Show
Thursday June 5th, 8pm-midnight

Discover the works of 24 local artisans at the 12th annual SpeakEasy Fine Art Show. Every year art lovers dash to the Gladstone to mingle with Toronto’s best and brightest artists, and maybe even take home a treasure or two.

Participating Artists:
Uros Jelic
Wendy Campbell
Tony Baker
Stewart Jones
Rui Pimenta
Mike Caron
Margaret Glew
Leah Gold
Mitch Clark
Julie Fader
Jennifer Wigmore
Ian Winton
Gabrielle Lasporte
Gosia
Antonio Cangemi
Christopher Hayes
Bill Philipovich
Ben Stansfield
Bonita Silver
David Brown
JET ARTS: Justyna Zaklina Dunal, Elzbieta Katarina Goluza, Tamara Maja Bogosavac

Time & Space:
Thursday June 5th, 8pm-Midnight
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen West
Second Floor Lobby

Cover:
Pay What You Can ($4.00 Donation Suggested)

For more information contact:
David Brown
email: david@blttogo.com telephone: 416.533.1374

workin 2 electric boogaloo

2008-04-30T11:32:00.002-04:00

so for the past two days i've been ACTING! hilarious!!! yesterday i had to use full facial expressions and everything! they will definitely cut all of scenes as usually i'm smiling, embarassed, or looking into the camera. HAHAHAHAHA! i keep trying to get away for their own good, but my pal matt booi keeps me in wardrobe and calls me back for scenes. its totally super goddamn fun, and instantly addictive, but i suck so bad!! i had to bump into a drunk british officer, get a bag chucked in my face and then act "indignant/submissive/defiant". so hilarious! i am truely a renaissance man now!

work it

2008-04-28T02:28:00.003-04:00

i've been workin on a book with this fine gentleman: barley poet

i've also been a production assistant, working on a WWI documentary about Passchendaele. it's totally great work and there's a chance i may be an extra! i can't wait to go to war, strangely enough.

Uli and Pummel #15

2008-03-27T18:14:00.003-04:00

::Exclusive Spider McKay Internal Dialogue::
"I've checked where the pointy hats hang out. Damn pointies, never a straight answer. So I threaten. I always have to threaten. They tell me they worked at Yushant's Weapon Shacke. Could use some new blades anyway. These things are useless."

Roamer Tales #3

2008-03-26T16:46:00.003-04:00

Z-Lord the machina skipper hangs around in Yellowtowne, waiting to make food shipments back to New New Towne. He lives in his own highstacker in the Lokkertowne district, and longs for his card games with his neighbors that extend into the night.

Sarah and Tony Collab!

2008-03-25T12:27:00.003-04:00

Sarah wanted to make a doggy-captain from the Expanse so she penciled this 'lil guy, and then I added the inks and color. It is so damn awesome that it breaks my heart every time I look at it.

Roamer Tales #2

2008-03-24T11:57:00.004-04:00

Roamer Tales #1

2008-03-24T11:54:00.002-04:00

Uli and Pummel #14

2008-03-18T13:07:00.002-04:00

Spider McKay just rolled into Towne, and he's lookin for Uli and Pummel.

Ghella's ENEMY

2008-03-17T09:08:00.001-04:00

He's mean, AND he's self absorbed... (go figure)

The Expanse: The Animated Series

2008-03-07T15:27:00.003-05:00

Well, it looks like a major animation company has decided to make 425 episodes of "The Expanse: The Animated Series", stating with two, twenty-four episode seasons of "Ghella the Traveller"!!! I'm super pumped as I now have enough money to never apply for shows or funding ever again. It's fucking totally awesome.

uli and pummel #13

2008-03-05T21:00:00.001-05:00

suddenly, they were killed by g-rats.

Uli and Pummel #12

2008-02-25T11:43:00.002-05:00

"And then there was that musil, when we first had to hunt, how long ago was that?" asked Uli
"Well, there was that lizardo guy last week." replied Pummel.
"Yeh yeh! he was such a crammer! and then the cave in..."
"And then before that we saw the barge fight didn't we?"
"Was that three weeks ago already?"
"I think so."
"When did you have to scare that Nowanid lady stealin in our flat?"
"I guess that was over a month ago hey? When we first left Yushants and I bashed that musil?"
"It got away though Pum."
"Yeh, but I bashed it!"
"Man, we've been here over a month already. Still alive."
"Still kickin."

Uli and Pummel #11

2008-02-13T17:41:00.003-05:00

"That g-rat was such a crammer." answered Uli
"When I saw the eyes, and you didn't..."
"And then you flipped it and scared the jimmy right out of me..."
"Then - then I slipped with the clanging things."
"And then the scurrying!"
"Yeh! then the lot of them bolted! Man that was noisy!"
"Heh... but we got that little crammer."
"Sure did. Gonna get another."
"You know it Pummers."

Uli and Pummel #10

2008-02-11T16:24:00.000-05:00

They found the opening in the brick pit and headed in. It was indeed a very dark place, as most places are under the city-crust in New New Towne, and it smelled like mildew, stale water, and wet hairy creature. They were both very glad they were able to get some fire, and they both really didn't want it to go out. There was silence for a while, then some creaking, then some creature-noises in the distance, followed by random pipe banging, and then silence again. After a few hours of quietly scurrying after g-rat noises, they came to an open room filled with a green pasty stuff, and decided to take a rest.
"Remember that crammer of a G-rat we caught last week Uli?"

Uli and Pummel #9

2008-02-09T10:55:00.000-05:00

"At least it's still morning, we gots lots of time to find a good dark place," said Uli.
"Yeah I remember one down in that brick pit, two streets left of our place," said Pummel.
"Uh huh, I member that one, the big cave in. Let's move-it, I'm gettin hungry."
"We need a plan though."
"Ok, the plan is..." Uli thought for a moment, "I'll hang back with the fire and you sneak ahead. When them g-rats make a rush at me, you pop out and stick'm!"
"Zounds good to me U."
"Zounds like an option!"

Uli and Pummel #8

2008-02-08T17:08:00.000-05:00

After walking for a bit, feeling a bit downtrodden, Uli turned to Pummel, "Y'knows what Pum, you can use the fire as a basher, and I can use the sticker."
"Well, I think I'll be better as sticker, than a basher. More moves with a sticker."
"Really huh, I always thoughts you were a better basher."
"Nah, I like the stickin."
"Shows what I know."
"No worries, you can't member everything."
"Cooly then, I'll stick with the fire-basher I guess."
"I'm real proud of us for gettin the fire-basher, Uli."
"Yeh, me too Pum."

Uli and Pummel #7

2008-02-07T13:02:00.000-05:00

"Well, I guess we do have this sticker and a dartchucker..."
"Those'll do nicely then." said Red-Pants.
"Now, now, pants, we don't want the pointies to not be able to bring us back some g-rat do we?" said Gillega.
"Nicely voiced, boss."
"We'll take the sticker or the dartchucker, then you bring us some g-rat, eh pointies?"
"You can have the dartchucker" Uli said, "I'm no good with it anyways."
"Nicely voiced, pointy."
As they left with a fire-stick, Uli and Pummel looked pretty worried.

Uli and Pummel #6

2008-02-07T11:18:00.000-05:00

"Well," said Uli, "I gotsa dirkball, a couple of snackies, and a sniffer..."
"And I gotsa hanky, some snackies, a picker, and a writer!" said Pummel.
"Cranky, pointy hats, that'll get you approximitatly NO fire." said Gillega.

Uli and Pummel #5

2008-02-07T07:01:00.001-05:00

They didn't find any shades or stompers. But they did find Gillega the 2-headed lizardo, and his gang. Eventually, they decided it'd be better to walk up friendly-like, then get caught stealing fire.
"Heya, Red-Pants" said Gillega, "Look at the two little crammers coming up to my fire."
"Two strange little crammers," said Red-Pants, "with pointy hats."
"HA! Pointy hats, Red-Pants, we've got some pointy hats here!" bellowed Gillega.
"Hi there fellas," said Uli submissively, "Is there any hope in the Void that you'll let us take some fire for huntin?"
"We need trades for fire, 'lil jimmy." said Gillega.
"Trades." said Red-Pants.

Uli and Pummel #4

2008-02-07T06:04:00.000-05:00

They weaved through the streets of Brender Gardens towards Caffanti tower without getting too lost, as they were starting to get to know their way around. The people they saw they avoided, cause you never know, and the creaks and clanks in the corners made them step a little quicker. Eventually they saw the burning tower in the distance.

Uli and Pummel #3

2008-02-06T20:54:00.000-05:00

"There's always fire over at the Caffanti Tower. They had a storage bay that the Gibs shot up a few years back. still burning."
"Yabbut, they say there's shades and stompers and whatever and whatever there!"
"Ok Pummel, but you got your sticker, and I got my dartchucker, we should be ok, yeh?"
"Wish I had a dart chucker."
"You're better at the in-close stuff. Dart chucker's useless in close."
"yeh, i guess."
"We'll get us some fire, then we'll net us some fat g-rat and eat for months!"
"Ok."
"We'll be crafty."
"yeh. I know."

Uli and Pummel #2

2008-02-06T14:52:00.000-05:00

Morning hit empty Brender Gardens full on in the face, and Uli and Pummel headed out.
"Where the crank do you think the g-rats will be today Uli?"
"Dunno Pummel"
"Where do you think the musils will be today Uli?"
"Dunno Pummel"
"Aren't we hunting today Uli?"
"Well yeh! I wouldn't know what else to do buddy. Plus's we gotta eat!"
"We gotta go to a dark place don't we... Uli..."
"We gotta find some fire first, then yeh, yeh we probly gotta go to a dark place."

Uli and Pummel #1

2008-02-05T08:26:00.000-05:00

Uli and Pummel worked in Yushant's Weapon Shacke in New New Towne for many years until the trading got so bad, Yushant had to let them go. Uli wanted to hit the crudderies, but there was no crude to be found, and Pummel thought to go become controllers, but the Fortress of the Hand was not accepting any fodder. Now they live in the Brender Gardens district in an abandoned highstacker, and hunt for musils and g-rats.

Settlement 232

2008-02-04T15:41:00.000-05:00

Settlement 232 – Formed by Nowans in the year 232 in an effort to start a Nowan city on Triple-G, 232 became the site of many a heated battle and was thought to be abandoned. Unbeknownst to the Nowans and Gibs, tired troopers from both sides that have deserted their battlegroups are now living in the ruins.

Nowan Patrol over Trillion

2008-02-04T10:19:00.000-05:00

Once a multicultural center of trade in the Bear Empire, Trillion the city-world was abandoned for unknown reasons some 5-10 million years ago. There are reports/myths of a wealth of benign and hostile creatures, and possibly cultures, living in the labyrinths of structure that extend for hundreds of kilometers below the city-crust.

Til the Straker

2008-02-03T07:21:00.001-05:00

Til is a 2D straker who enjoys making even paintings with rest stops. He labels the rest stops so veiwers can find them, and he thinks he is being clever. Mostly he is avoided by the arte community.

Your Friends and Neighboors

2008-02-03T06:08:00.000-05:00

Shingletapper is a building foreman with One-Oh-Niner Builders. He is known for his shouting and love of breaks.

Often described as cute by her colleagues, Keelo is an info-thinker, one who takes in as much info about the Expanse as possible and then makes wide-scoped observations and predictions. She does most of her info-thinking on the roof of the Info Facility of Samo.

ken the roofer is lazy and doesn't really want to be roofer.

Morgan the hunter is a lizardo from Ghel. He loves to hunt avions, and goes on many expiditions to Rilon.

Spence's explorer team. Spence (a Nowanid) and his team of Bunnies from Tiope explore the Gandarmos Chasm for artifacts of cultures long gone.

Shimbola and her roamers are itching for the travel lockdown to end in New New Towne so they can open up the traderoutes again.

on the way to Mitch's Crudder

2008-02-02T16:43:00.000-05:00

A good sized gangle of spacefarers and their crews are stranded in New New Towne due to the green shortage. Many of them, of course, like to hang out at Mitch's Crudder in the Southkeen district. Sadly, there is also a crude shortage, as the brewers in New New Towne have mostly shut down, from the green shortage, and the controllers have locked down all travel to and from towne indefinitely. Mitch always seems to get a short supply from somewhere though.

From left to right: Devon, Bilk Scrambler's machinist and copilot; Kim Cham, Doug Muddy's loader; Big Bean, Gren Doogan's Loadmaster.

Aromaro Mod

2008-01-31T14:00:00.000-05:00

Nowan grunts are allowed, and sometimes encouraged, to modify their body aromaro.

Coban the Lookie Maker

2008-01-31T13:37:00.000-05:00

Coban is a 3D lookie former from Samo who tries to churn out works as fast as she can to resolve as many spacial concerns as she can within her lifespan. She is - er - was such a fan of Dooly that she colored herself in the scheme of that last drawing.

Dooly the Straker

2008-01-31T13:26:00.000-05:00

Dooly was a 2D straker from Samo. for his entire painting career he was looking for the key to straking. when he discovered he didn't need the key, and he could just paint, he got so happy he self-combusted and burned to death.

Scurb the arte critick

2008-01-30T08:57:00.000-05:00

review of Kaulow the Shadow's one piece show by Scurb:

Kaulow the Shadow's much anticipated "Portrait of Dreven" at the Savogild Arte Guild was revealed yesterday, and was quite well received by a scarce but enthusiastic crowd. painted from various accounts of the few spacefarers who have lived to tell about what Dreven the Gas Giant looks like up close, the work is a mass of beautiful expressive chaos and color that stirs the imagination into the wonder and terror that one might experience being next to Dreven. although i found the piece to be stunning and accomplished in every way, and i'm a supporter of Kauslow's practice, i thought he could've used more color, perhaps painted it on something else, strived for more impact, made it a bit smaller, thrown some more referencing in there, used more varied mark-making, and the painting could've been larger maybe.

Sgt. Hambledrommer

2008-01-29T16:49:00.000-05:00

Sgt. Hambledrommer was in the Nowan Space Army about 50 years ago when the 3rd New New Towne incursion occured. Suffering from severe war fatigue and some incredibly dodgy activity (accounts vary) of his strikersquad in the heart of New New Towne, Hambledrommer deserted his unit and went into hiding. At first, feeling self-destructive and depressed, he left New New Towne to hide out near the Howling Hills in Oldetowne, offering himself up as a roamer, protector, or sometimes even a profiteer for the Elmerist expeditions. Now he's back in 2NT in the Runnylane district as a weapons merchant and has become quite a districtman. Although the Gib-Nowan wars have abated for the time being, his higher profile has put him back on the map for the tiny crew of Nowan spies stranded in New New Towne.

The holidays are over

2008-01-16T12:10:00.000-05:00

man that was good tymz. good good times. good holidays, good friends, good shows, good arte, thanks to everyone who came out to the shows. i loves ya. i'm filled with love for the whole damn world today. good to be home.

Animation Nation

2007-11-14T09:08:00.001-05:00

what have i been doing with my life? clearly i should've been doing these, and tons of them. the biggest obstacle in doing them, is not actually doing them, but exporting them into a format that looks good, isn't gigantic, and no one says, "dammit you fool! it didn't work!" any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

here's a transcript of my conversation with myself when trrying to figure this out:

"duahhhh it look nice in imovie, but then it look yucky in movie file thing"

i put it up in myphotoalbum so chjeck it out

ooo ooo!

2007-11-07T14:18:00.001-05:00

and i've been painting too!

you're only as good as your last 5 paintings (or maybe not)

hunting party

Board Game 2

2007-11-07T13:52:00.000-05:00

Here's s'more images! They're awesome!

Giant Ogs!

The Dread Aromaro (awesome)

Here's a 'lil Gib squad counter

The Dread Gordions! (totally awesome)

The More Dread Gordion Elite (look how awesome that drawing is!! This is what board game design brings out in people)

Board Game Love

2007-11-06T11:03:00.001-05:00

Last year when we moved to toronto, I found this excellent 'lil geekery store in a mall by our place, and I started drifting in there quite a bit. They have an amazingly well stocked boardgame section, which have come a long way from the classic Monopolies and Life. They have many of the genius "Catan" titles, that Puerto Rico game - probably one of the cleverest designs for a board game I've ever seen - and numerous giant 5-6 player space/fantasy expansion/adventure games. If I ever have kids it will be to force them to play these giant space/fantasy-domination/adventure games. Sad, I know. "C'mon kids, its SPACE DOMINATION TIME!" "Aw, DAHD, can't we watch TV or some other boring shit??!!" "No I'm afraid not kidlings! Now who wants to be the elves this time?" I'm at the point now where I'm actually considering looking for some board gaming group that meets regularily. This is how far my nerdery has come.

Anyways, as my interest in board games increased, I, of course, had to design my own. (sigh). It has this giant map, and will probably take an hour to set up (over 500 "exploration chips" - HA!), and, of course, it is set in the Expanse on Triple-G with the Nowans and Gibs fighting together against a new threat - THE GORDIONS!!!! I'm playtesting it now before I head back to Edmonton and get down to some real work, and man is it fun. Here's some tantalizing (only to a very selsct few) pictures:

Good ol' Nowan Capt. Belvane

You gotta have Bilk Scrambler in there

Gib Capt. Bular

Ulu, the assassin

Halloweeny

2007-10-31T13:45:00.000-04:00

my second annual halloween of handing out candy in the lobby of our building. our super-swell landlords decorate the entrance and the grounds with serious conviction, and then all of the kids from miles around flock to fill their buckets. i get to wear a zombie mask, pretend to be dead, and then scare the living crap out of them. good fun! how many people are popping in their "great pumpkin charlie brown!" DVD's tonight!! c'mon people, GET AWN IT! i think i'll watch it 4 times. i love the snoopy bits the bestest.

this has nothing to do with hallow's eve, but it's a new painting, and it's a bad photo of it. the title of it is now "Wandering Fugaltowne Looking for Bille" (a la the story of Quinn the Searcher) enjoy...

Art 8

2007-10-23T16:35:00.000-04:00

Well kids, I was in an art show put on by Ukula and Johnny Walker at the Whipper Snapper gallery on College. Good gallery, good booze, and the folks at Ukula are darn good folks. A few days later Johnny Walker had a scotch tasting at Ukula where I sampled the new Green Label variety (good), as well the Gold Label (real good), and finally the $230/bottle Blue Label (oh dear god).

For the show, I wrote a little background for the works, and each member of Art 8 had a little bio. It vas rad:

Portraits of Art 8

Expanse Artists: Art 8 is a secret group of installor-artists that mainly work around the twilight hours in the Southkeen District of New New Towne. Their work is usually controversial and incendiary and has been officially banned from public spaces by the New New Towne Controllers. Their last piece entitled, “Why is Life so Hard for Everybody”, which they installed in Crambert Square, featured a giant portrait of Mr. Salsbury (a well known richie) on a throne, on top of a pile of rotting garbage, surrounded by over a hundred dead musils and g-rats. It’s said that the smell reached the Ungerdin Market District 45 blocks away within 2 hours of the piece’s installation. Hailed as the most important installors New New Towne has ever seen, they have promised to reveal another piece within the next 3 weeks, and they claim, “it won’t be pretty this time”.

Hopper the Dren - The only Dren to study at the Savogild Arte Center, studied installing, location scouting, and flat-art

Todd - Good flat-artist, newest member of Art 8, trying to change the name to Art 9

Skim the Drunk - Lives up to his name, also excellent at generating ideas

Quinn the Searcher

2007-10-18T13:54:00.000-04:00

A couple of posts ago I showed some new portraits of some Expanse fellas I was painting for a friend. This here is a wee story about Quinn the Searcher I wrote for said friend, so fasten your Expanse belts! (?)

They Wandered Fugaltowne Looking for Bille
An account of the recent job of Quinn the Searcher by Din the Netter
(compiled from conversations in Mitch’s Crudder)

Quinn the Searcher had been given the assignment 3 weeks ago in New New Towne at the Cragmontolian Highstack from Brallie the Cragmontolian elder; Get yourself cleaned up, get yourself a second, and go to Fugaltowne and find Bille! We need Bille! Who the frag was Bille? They never told Quinn, and Quinn never asked. He only needed to know the straight details: what am I searching, where do I find it, and how do I get it back to the people who hired me.
Fugaltowne was a long way off, and pretty treacherous, but Quinn hadn’t worked in a quarter and he’d spent a lot of time at Mitch’s Crudder. The Crags were trading him 25 sacks of dried kef burgers, half of which he owed to Mitch, so he wouldn’t be looking for food for another quarter, which would be a luxury these days.
So here he was finally at the cliff stairs down to Fugaltowne with Podde the Jobber, whom he had picked up at the Roamers Guild for 2 sacks, and this gateman lackey wouldn’t let them in. Was he part of some tiny Fugaltowne controller squad? Was this a footman of some local sluggerboss? Quinn had no idea they had border patrol here, but he wasn’t really all that surprised.
But as he started to whine at him again, Podde put a dart in the gateman’s eye and then looked over to Quinn and shrugged. Well, Quinn shrugged too. Then they kicked in the door.
They entered Fugaltowne at twilight after the long climb down and started searching where the Crags told him to start. Go straight to the pits, look in the crudders and the relaxos, that’s where he’ll be, they said. So they looked there, had a few themselves mind you, and they met a hopped up Nowan grunty named Paz. When the Nowan and Gib standoff lifted from Fugaltowne , he’d had enough of his commander and hid out in the pits. Always in the grip of fear and guilt, he’s sadly no better off, but he’d seen Bille on many occasion drinking with Yellowmender, and he’d tell them where he was for a good trade. Quinn traded the crudder some singers (a good searcher knows what’s valuable where they’re doing the searching) for a barrel of pale-crude for Paz, he felt a bit sorry for him even though he was a filthy planet-hopper, and Paz told him the 6 possible places to find Yellowmender.
They went to 3, avoided what turned out to be the local sluggerboss’ men looking for the gateman’s killer, went back to the pits for a day, and then they found Yellowmender at the Kobiene fish market stealing food. He told them, after Quinn got him some food, that Bille wouldn’t go back to the Cragmontolians, and that finding him would be useless. Quinn pretended to listen carefully to this advice, and having found out where to find Bille, he told Yellowmender of Paz’s barrel and left.
After another day they found that Bille the Cragmontolian on the roof of an abandoned highstacker. He knew they were searching for him and was trying to hide in the exhaust tube. Oh he went on and on. The drink that he and the Cragmontolians were trading to all of Triple-G was bad bad bad! They were secretly poisoning as many people as they could in retribution for their lands that had been taken, and he could have no part of it anymore. Again Quinn pretended to listen carefully, and Podde followed suite having learned quickly, and rather impressively, in the past few days, and with an invisible signal from Quinn he put a dart in his leg, and Quinn knocked him out. They avoided the sluggerboss again, checked in at the pits for some crudders and rest with Bille stowed on a Kef’s back, and then left the following morning.
The trip back was slightly eventful, a few giant ogs to avoid, the death ball came a bit too close as they marched along Scab Ridge, and the usual run-and-hide game with the howlies. They saw a trader group get overrun by a pack of doom dogs, Quinn knew it was too early for trade to be opened up, anything bigger than a 2-3 person is going to be swallowed for sure. Bille had warmed up to Quinn and forgiven his dart-wound of Podde eventually, and after a few hobbling attempts at flight in week 1, Quinn had admittedly warmed to Bille. Travel tends to do this to people, or the direct opposite of course.
They got to New New Towne after 3 weeks and 2 days, checked in at the North North Gate with the NNTC, and headed to the Cragmontolian Highstack. Bille protested very little, having learned that his place was with his people. He was resolved to affect change from within, committed to convincing his people to take the poisonous edge of their popular energy drink, and take some other sort of revenge. At their parting Quinn and Podde nodded their approval and loaded a wagon with 25 sacks of dried kef burgers and 5 bonus cases of unpoisoned Cragmont, as Brallie was very happy to see Bille. They headed to Mitch’s to pay debts and swig some much needed crude.

(Podde the Jobber has given up jobbing with the roamers and is now Quinn’s official second.)

you gotta have maps

2007-10-17T10:07:00.000-04:00

so in the purist traditions of geekery, i have started to create maps. oh who am i kiddin, i love making maps!!! i'm making maps because they're AWESOME!!

if somebody said, "starting today tony, we're going to pay you $20,000/year to just draw maps of the Expanse, and that's all you can do, creatively, anymore."

i would reply "you got yerself a DEAL THERE BUDDY"

a tiny bit of an exaggeration, dear readers (cue desperate self-deprecation plea to see if anyone is even fuckin reading this thing), but close to reality! very close...
here's an early version of New New Towne.

Cultural Profile: Machina

2007-10-10T09:15:00.001-04:00

Machina are the other "olde culture", besides the Bears, and have been living mostly on Metal 1 and Metal 2 in the Kon Field for possibly millions of years. The historic year 1 in the Machina Logends, roughly 12 million years ago, seems to be around the same historic year 1 as the Ancient Bear Trader Documents. Either that or Bears, Machina, and current info collectors are going on that assumption for the sake of ease. Around year 1 is said to be the meeting of Machina and Bears and several unknown cultures on the now abandoned city-world of Trillion, which seems to have been a center for trade for a few hundred thousand years. It is said that an offshoot Machina colony, known as Maculogs, still live on Trillion, and could possibly have many secrets of the pre-historic and historic Expanse.

Machina were really hit hard by the 1st Hivoid (Historic Void) when the Expandor reigned over the Expanse for a few hundred thousand years (which is said to be the origins of the ideas of paranoia and isolationism). They possibly flourished when the Bear Tribes covered the entire Expanse, but the Age of Death seems to have been particularily hard on Machina, causing their hardwired paranoia and mistrust of everyone they meet.

Unfortunately, even less is known about the ML than the ABTD, as most of the Logends reside on Metal 1, and as everyone knows, the Kon Field is poisonous to most cultures and Atoms (except Machina Atoms somehow). Most Machina that settled on the various worlds of the Interior have little to no contact with their homeworld, and the homeworld Machina keep to themselves.