08.30.07
Posted in Art at 2:02 pm by Fletcher
Well, after a long bit of detective work and some back and forth over the shameful abilities of my current camera, I found out what the problem was with some of the prints for sale at DeviantArt.
Turns out that a: my camera blows and b: I’m a lousy photographer.
Well, my camera is half a step away from dead anyway, as I took it to the beach last week and got a ton of sand in it and now the thing refuses to start up when I turn it on, and now with this new info about image size, quality and graininess - lets just say that it may end up as either a practice hockey puck or an alt-indie-avant guarde video piece depicting what happens to a camera when it falls 11 floors…
I have to give the staff at Deviant a lot of credit - they were prompt, professional and covered every aspect of the problem - and somehow managed to throw it back into my lap to solve. Rest assured ardent readers, prints are still available, albeit in smaller sizes, as I did not meet their stringent requirements. I guess getting a better camera and setting up a flat art shooting stand is in order - and first up on the block will be:
I also got a email from the two girls doing the updated ‘Thin Man’ short film. They loved my mockup newspaper ad - in addition to getting credit, I’m hoping they’ll make a donation to the Fletcher Beer fund. Hey, every little bit helps.
Anyway, I’m about halfway done with my Midwest tour, just got back from a visit to West NY state wine country. It was just like that movie, ‘Sideways,’ except funnier, more entertaining and minus the two dorky guys. I got burnt to a crisp and have been bathing in aloe gel - but I should be nice and tan when I return to the city, or peeling like a snake shedding its skin…
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08.25.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:11 am by Fletcher
Got an email from the Muse - seems her parental units wanted to purchase a print from DeviantArt - and something got crossed in the order.
Not freakin’ good.
I’m hoping that this is a temporary glitch and that since I’ve been posting images that I have not been losing sales because of it…
cause playin’ with my money is like playin’ with my emotions, man.
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08.13.07
Posted in Art at 10:45 am by Fletcher
Trying to wrap up a few bits before I’m sucked off on another Midwestern adventure.
Got an inquiry from a former associate who is interested in collaborating on a book / DVD - will have to call later tonight to get the details…
Trying to run around cleaning - getting ready for The Director to pop on by - last minute changes to the credits, and to start figuring out what we want to do for the ‘webisodes’ from the shoot…
And Holy Bits - I just got a call from one of the actresses from ‘Duplex’ - looks like I’ve got another page layout gig for another play…
Got a lot to do before vacation…
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08.10.07
Posted in Art at 4:20 pm by Fletcher
Not that I’m any great shakes as a photographer - well, not to put too fine a point on it: I suck. I’m the one who gets literally hundreds of blurry, hand shaking photos of people’s elbows, 3.25 seconds after the action has happened, and instead of a cool portrait, I have a photo of a person in the last throes of anaphalactic shock.
SO, it is always an extreme measure of pride that I can (when the planets are aligned just right) snap off a photo that I can be proud of, and that others will actually compliment me on and inquire, ‘So, who took and used your camera for that shot?”
Thinking about this - and looking back over the comments I’ve gotten from posting said photos on this here blog - I looked through DeviantArt to see if they also sold photos. They do. So, after editing 3 gigabytes worth of pictures I’ve taken, I came up with a small (no, seriously, REALLY small) selection and posted them.
My rare feats of photographic prowess can be seen (and purchased) here.
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08.09.07
Posted in Art, Film at 10:47 am by Fletcher
The past few days have had me in a foul mood - between the heat, humidity and flash floods, the creative work has crawled. Its tough to sit at a desk and work when the weather make you want to sleep curled up next to an air conditioner…
The hefty edits of ‘Sovereignty’ are done now - the film is off to Du-Art for the digi-beta edits and quicktime versions are in the hands of the sound mixer and composer. My work now done - I turn to editing the video blog stuff, the gag reel 96% done and contemplating my next entry - The Blood Effects… The trick is, I’m quite certain The Director will not want me showing too much of it online (or any of it at all) because it is ‘The Money Shot’ - and he wants it to be a surprise.
Not that it helps that I’m telling y’all about it beforehand.
I had totally forgotten how much I enjoy working with acrylics. The speed that it dries, that it has a very ‘watercolor’ feel to it when thinned down to the extreme - but able to go opaque in an instant - flexible and less toxic than working with solvents. Not that I’d ever abandon oil paints, this does make for a nice change of pace - perhaps if I do make money on the art - I’ll use acrylics for quick and easy ‘crank them out’ paintings - and oils for a slower, more thoughtful process.
I’ll be leaving soon for another epic dash across the Mid-West. Time to do some travel, see the kinfolk and wrap up summer in grand style. I hope to bring some creative work with me - hopefully I’ll be able to post from the road…
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08.03.07
Posted in Art, Film at 11:54 am by Fletcher
Just figured out that all of my art for sale was print only - and that I needed to rectify that situation pronto - people need Fletcher Artwork on coffee mugs, fridge magnets, puzzles and more…
The complete collection can be seen (and purchased) here.
I also just started a new painting - despite being up to my eyeballs in ‘Sovereignty’ related work - but hey, when the itch strikes, it must be obeyed…
It started out as a simple pencil sketch, but I’ve decided to get a little funky on this one, so I quickly traced the whole thing in permanent marker - and then a quick layer of acrylic wash. I want this one to be moody and dark, decayed and beat down to the point of the non-color of dust…
I’ve also been wracking my brains trying to get a Quicktime file of the film to the sound guy and the composer. @%^#$@%# Mac users - I can open just about every file that a Mac can, (except stupid Final Cut, and hay, Premiere can do everything that program can) why oh why can they not open a simple DV file? Didn’t Apple invent the Firewire and DV codec?? So, I just wasted hours trying to render out a QT file, smaller frame size, lower quality and bitrate but I still end up with a FOUR GIG file? One that looks ten times worse than the DV file?
Ugh. I could have been done with this 2 days ago. And before a flame war starts - until I can see a Mac user laser cut 1/4″ plastic on a laser cutter with AutoCad 2K or play me Half Life 2 deathmatch - I don’t wanna hear a @%^#$@%#! word. Read Maddox’s rant on Mac users here - its foul mouthed, but funny.
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