Can't really call this sketch lost. I just did it. Enjoy regardless.

Between the PS3 launch/shoot-out and the Black Friday fist-fights I have two new reasons to be ashamed of my country.

PS3s are offensively expensive and have a laundry list of technological problems and short comings and (if reviewers are to be believed) only one game that's worth playing. And if you bought one of those things and you don't have an HDTV that's capable of displaying 1080i via HDMI, uh... What the Hell is the point?

Isn't that like buying a Ferrari and politely asking the dealer to remove the standard transmission and replace it with a nice little automatic?

Look... By the time you buy the HDMI cable, second controller and a game you've spent close to a thousand dollars right?

So pony up and drop a couple grand more on an HDTV.

Vizio makes an affordable flat-panel with a decent display. Or you could be a real man/woman and get the Sony. Because you're not really complete until you own the best right? Right? That's what it's all about isn't it?

So spend sheep! Spend!

And speaking of spending...

Is it really worth the savings to be crammed into a line full of credit card junkies at 5 AM outside of a Best Buy in Kansas?

Seriously. I'm asking. What's the attraction?

Sure you save a few hundred on a television or a toaster... But... So what?

All around us we can see examples of Americans paying extra for convenience. Anyone who's paid a dollar extra for a gallon of milk at a convenience store to save themselves the drive and the hassle of going to a big-box grocery store knows exactly what I'm talking about.

Think you're different? Do you own a car? How about a Tivo? Or an Ipod or a satellite radio? Ever eat at a restaurant?

Can't take the bus? Watch shows when they're on? Listen to music on the radio? Cook a meal?

See? You do pay for convenience. Just like me. (I love my Tivo and my Ipod has become a permanent part of my anatomy...)

So why do you all throw that concept away on Black Friday? You're not gaining anything in my estimation.

As far as I'm concerned that extra two hundred I'll ultimately pay for my new television is a convenience tax paid so that I don't have to get up at 3 AM and stand in line with a bunch of spend addicts who are just dying to trample me as they bolt for the plasma displays.

I know, we all like to save money. I do too. But some things are worth the extra money (like a college education and health insurance) and ultimately if a few hundred bucks price difference is going to deter you from making a purchase then you probably shouldn't be buying the item in the first place.

But what do I know? This is just my opinion.

Hope everybody had a happy Turkey day...

Another oldie but goodie... I completed this in about 30 minutes for a student's sketchbook back in 2004.

Everyone else had drawn characters so I decided to buck the trend and draw a tricked out post-apocalyptic chopper complete with a jousting lance and pounded metal skull welded to the front fender.

The blurred terrain beneath the bike was added in Photoshop.

Also, notice the photos on the right? Those are from my afore-mentioned Flickr account. Thanks to Travis for tweaking the code!

Check back soon for more lost sketches.

First off let me start by apologizing if you've emailed me recently and I haven't replied.

I was on vacation over the weekend and before that I've been slammed with work.

I'm in the process of getting back on top of email, client meetings, class prep, etc.

Second, let me apologize for something else entirely... You see, I've been holding out on you, I haven't been posting any of my sketches, illustrations or 3D models for quite some time.

So now I'm working to rectify that situation. The new website is still coming. It's in the early prototype phase in fact... But I'm not going to use that as an excuse to not publish work.

Now realize that not all of this work will be polished or perfect but at least it'll keep the ball rolling as far as new content.

This fellow is called a Greelak. I made him up as an example for my creature concept and design lecture some time last year.

I also started a Flickr stream to host some of my travel photos. You can find it here.

I'm having a run of bad luck this week and I won't be there for your class today.

You see my wife was diagnosed with Bronchial Pneumonia today and has been ordered to stay in bed and take lots of medicine with really long names for the next 3 days.

That means that I'm in charge of fetching said medicine from the pharmacy and ferrying chicken soup to and from the bedroom.

Today was always meant to be a lab day and I had no intention of delivering any sort of lecture. So use the time to complete your brochure. Have a color print of the front and back of your brochure along with the Quark file ready to hand in at the beginning of class next week.

If you have any questions just email me.

I can't make it in to the school today thanks to some inflamed lumbar vertebrae.

So do this... Follow this link and work through the tutorial..

This project will cover bi-rail sweeps with NURBS, project curve on surface, trim and duplicate with transform..

It actually covers everything I was going to talk about today. Pretty lucky on my part because I can't sit in front of my computer long enough to complete a tutorial for you guys..

So for next week have the tutorial completed and have an object constructed and added to your environment that you've modeled using bi-rail sweeps and project curve on surface..

If you have questions just email me. Sorry I couldn't be there. I'm bored out of my skull sitting here doing nothing....