UltraShock Characters

[as_clark20]

Take a look at UltraShock (http://www.ultrashock.com) and someone please tell me if there is a tutorial somewhere on how to draw those cool looking cartoon-like characters. If anyone can think of a good method for drawing them then I'd love to know.

[Kitiara]

I've written a tutorial on this (kinda), it's in Kirupa's Flash MX - Special Effects - Line Art In Flash.

The principle is sound anyway, and you can apply that to drawing your own stuff. If you want to animate the things, you just have to split up the drawing into things like arms, legs, features etc, then put them togather and tween...

[as_clark20]

Cheers babes! You're a good un!

[Kitiara]

Well, one doesn't like to boast... :)

Seriously, all I'd say in addition is that if you're drawing chibis like those on that site, leave in the black lines round the edge...

[as_clark20]

Yeah I really like those funky charaters. They're great. Love your cartoon drawing its really cool. Is that a flash self-portrait?

[Kitiara]

What, my little avatar thingy? Kinda. :) It's part of a whole character I drew ages ago. Should be somewhere on this board, but months back...

[as_clark20]

Yeah, I forgot what it was called until you reminded me. Your avatar is really cute. I love it.

[Kitiara]

Thanks. :)

It also saves me the potential embarrassment of displaying my actual picture where everyone can see it... :)

[as_clark20]

Why would you be embarrased about your picture? You've got me really curious now. What do you look like?

I didn't want to put my picture as my avatar but I thought I'd put part of it on (hence my evil eye [yup, its actually my eye]).
Just had a 30 second messaround with Photoshop and I was done.

[Kitiara]

Argh! Not you as well. I think they're all forming a committee to try and get me to find an honest to God picture.

I suppose if I stuck up a picture of Britney Spears, you wouldn't all be fooled?

And that is definitely an evil eye. Actually, if you're into Photoshop, talk to vts31 (Edwin). The man is a genius with a mouse.

Jealous? Moi? :)

[as_clark20]

Yeah I like evil eyes. Everyone says I look evil so I might as well play it that way. he he he.

Genius with a mouse you say? Mouse?! Whats one of them. I've got me a Wacom tablet my dear, I haven't used a mouse in about a year!! I'm addicted to this tablet its the greatest. Get yourself one, I seem to remember reading on one of the other forums that your boss won't buy you one. Yeah, I've got a good memory for things like that - little details.

[Kitiara]

It's true. They've given me MX Studio, Illustrator, Photoshop, Swish, Cool Edit, the works. But I guess they reckon I don't need a tablet for drawing nodding dogs (yes, get the gags in now, I work for Churchill. "Oh yes").

I want to get my hands on one for more recreational use really. I'm a bit limited with the mouse.

[Kitiara]

Is this the sort of thing you want to draw?

[as_clark20]

Thanks for the lineart, your a doll!
Yeah you'd love a tablet. I've got a big-*** wacom one its great. And you work for Chirchill? Ooooh yes. Sorry dear, just had to get that one in - although its kind of a funny in-joke really because anyone outside the UK who reads this won't have a **** clue. He he he!

Anyhoo I'm going to practice my lineart and waste some company time! Sweet. I still don't finish for another 30 mins. Finish at 6! The whole days gone then. I really gotta quit! BUT I LOVE MONEY TOO MUCH!!!!

[Kitiara]

Do you have a car? Do you know how much ma-honey - sorry, money - you could save by switching to Churchill?

There, that should confuse any non-Brits reading this thread. :)

[as_clark20]

Yeah they'll be wondering what the hell is going on. I've actually tried Churchill because I'm getting my first car very very soon. They wanted a fortune from me! It was scandalous! Oh well, everyone just wants my money!

[Kitiara]

I think if you're a bloke aged under 25, ALL your insurance is going to be scandalous. :) Never got around to taking lessons myself, I keep meaning to though. That's all this country needs, another woman driver. Heh heh. :)

And I tell you, the number of people that have asked me for a nodding dog since I started working here... You wouldn't believe it.

[as_clark20]

Yeah its going to be crazy for the next 4 and a bit years insurance wise. You don't have a car? On your profile (I'm a curious little soul) it said you live in Kent and work in London. Thats a hell of a long commute ain't it? How do you manage without a car? Train? Well I suppose that a car would be worse with London traffic. I mean Manchester centres got crazy traffic so old London town would be crazy! You'll have to get yourself a scooter, then you can weave through traffic.

[Kitiara]

I guess I need to update my profile. Now I live in Kent and work in Bromley. :)

Still a fair old trek, though not as bad as going to London. 40 mins on the train, practically door to door so I can have a kip on that as long as I don't fall asleep, miss my stop and wake up in Margate. Again.

Have driven up to Bromley before (not me personally, but I got a lift), and it only takes about 10 mins longer, but you have to go on the M20 and that's a nightmare sometimes, especially if there's roadworks. Thankfully no speed cameras though, as we were in my mate's Impreza, and that thing goes like **** off a shovel, if you'll pardon my un-ladylike language.

[as_clark20]

Unlady like language. Tut tut tut. I'm only kidding.
Yeah Subaru Impressa's are mean. My boss has got one. I was going up from our head office which is in Rochdale to our Blackburn branch in his Impressa. I though any faster and we'll go back in time! Those things are crazy. Saying that I don't know whats crazier, the engineering insanity or the person behind the wheel. Still its a good ride! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!

How did we get talking about cars? Didn't it start off with cartoon character drawing in flash? Funny that.

[as_clark20]

Oh just curious. You got a website I could look at? I'm working on a Flash website for my company and one for myself. Thats why I originally wondered about those cartoon characters. I want my site to be really cool looking and fun.

[upuaut]

Subaru rule. I've got a forester.. not nearly the pickup of the impreza, but I'll tell you what.. I don't slip on the road no matter what I'm going through. That baby sticks to the surface like flies on ****.

just to continue this bad language.. :)

My friend has a customized imprezza. Sweet deal.. though the 0 to 60 is much more impressive than the top speed of the vehicle. He likes driving his on back roads more than the highway for just that reason.

[Kitiara]

Oh yeah, the Impreza just <I>rocks</I>. It's pretty much like any other car, until you hit about 60 and the turbo kicks in. Plus you can hear that engine a mile off. Lovely. I wanted one, but then my mate got one, so I can't now, they'd accuse me of copying. I'm opting for the BMW M3 or Mitsubishi Evo instead.

But I digress.

I'm ashamed to admit that I don't actually have my own site. How embarrassing is that? But in my defence, I'm working on one now. Honest.

Some of my 'corporate' stuff is on Snooplife (http://www.snooplife.com), Espresso (http://www.espresso.co.uk) and Churchill (http://www.churchill.com) though. But these aren't really all that exciting. Or much Flash involved either, for what they called, 'business reasons'.

[Jubba]

Well, since you are all talking about cars, i just thought I would add my opinion. In terms of durability and function, and speed, in my opinion German manufactured cars are the way to go. BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and even some VW (just not the freakin' beetle!!) And never get an Audi TT, check out www.myaudittsucks.com or www.myvwlemon.com.

I own a 1987 porsche 924s, with just over 100,000 miles. I figure it has a good 75,000 left before I have to rebuild the engine, and it does 0-60 better than most other cars on the road, and it handles like a dream. It only loses traction when I let it.

Sorry, just love German cars...

[upuaut]

German cars are really really good. Nothing beat out my old Jetta for sheer fun driving. Still.. I like the forester best of all the cars I've driven. I'm not into speed, but safety and durability. That car has both. Comfort too. Soft heated seats.. a great moon roof (the thing is 3 feet long) and a massive amount of storage space. It's perfect for camping and such.. which being one of my main passtimes it's perfect for me. I do understand the love of the German vehicle though.. great cars in general.

[Iammontoya]

I am spinning out of control... why don't you fill us, non-UK people in? heheheheh

Churchill?
nodding dogs?
oooohh yeah? (that sounds like Herbal Essences! A totally organic experience) (aah.. maybe you dont know what that is..hheeh).

Kit, we've always been curious about you. Bring it on! We can take it!

Tablet is definitely the way to go. I use both (tablet and mouse). I play games as well, so it really doesnt feel right to shoot 'em up with a stylus. (I know, pen mightier than the sword).

:)

[upuaut]

I know, pen mightier than the sword

I never thought of that. giggle.. that's pretty funny.

[Kitiara]

Churchill?
nodding dogs?
oooohh yeah? (that sounds like Herbal Essences! A totally organic experience) (aah.. maybe you dont know what that is..hheeh).
Kit, we've always been curious about you. Bring it on! We can take it!

Gawd, should I consider setting up a fan club? :D

Alright, for all you non-UK residents who've no idea what I'm on about, here's the full sp.

I work for an insurance company called Churchill. They've been going for about 20 years or so, and their corporate logo is the British bulldog - very patriotic and all that.

Now over the years, they developed a series of commercials, featuring this bulldog. But since they deal mainly in car insurance, they made this dog one of those nodding ones that you put on the back shelf of your car. You with me?

These commercials (and dog) are voiced by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. Don't know if they've made it out to America, but they're too English comedians who are very funny. The dog has a couple of catchphrases, which are "oh yes" and "Oh no, no, no, no", and there's kind of a duck as well occasionally...

Look, I know how this sounds. Bizarre doesn't come close. If you look on the company website, you can watch some of the ads. That might explain a few things.

And I do know what the Herbal Essenses thing is, we've got that over here. Honestly, you'd never see anything like that in a British Court. And considering the sort of lawyers we have over here, that's probably a good thing.

I'm now open for questions. :)

[as_clark20]

I'd have to say you explained that one pretty well, Kit. I'm sure everyone else might know what you mean now. Isn't it fun to confuse the rest of the international comunity?!

Nearly Friday! Thank Gawd for that Bank Holiday monday, the week seems to be dragging on enough as it is. I'm gearing up for a nice weekend stuffed with pizza's, chips (fries in American-speak) and maybe some ice-cream. Hmmmm, ice cream ....aarrrrr (Homer Simpson-style guggling noise).

Roll on Friday night!!

[Kitiara]

Yep, although the whole Bank Holiday thing threw me out completely, and I've gone through the whole week thinking it's the day before.

Consequently, I've just realised that today is not Wednesday as I thought, but Thursday, and I've forgotton to put the rubbish out.

<B>Rats</B>.

[Jubba]

For you UKers...Ever heard of Eddie Izzard?

[as_clark20]

Hell yeah, I've heard of Eddie Izzard. He's funnier live! He's funny as something rhyming with "duck".

[Kitiara]

I have indeed - I went to see him live at the Hammersmith Apollo a few years back. Incredibly funny, that man.

I especially liked his American tour. :)

And do you guys know who Jack Dee is???

[as_clark20]

I just love Jack Dee's sarcasm, reminds me so much of my brother who is the most sarcastic person in the known universe. I like the way he never smiles but its so funny when he looses it and cracks up.

I think the funniest comedians are Billy Connoly and Lee Evans - he sweats so much on stage! Eddie Murphy is brilliant thought. Have you ever seen his videos Raw and Delierious? So **** funny.

[Kitiara]

Seen Jack Dee live twice. :)

He leaves notebooks at the side of the stage during the interval for you to write stuff in, then goes through them afterwards and adlibs for an hour or so. Great fun.

[Ryall]

Raw and Delierious - some of the funniest standup ever produced. I still get to tears when I view those - absolute comedy.

Peace

[Jubba]

Murphy's comedy is hysterical, but I love Eddie Izzard. I actually have 4 of his videos, including the Hammersmith Apollo show. It was Glorious I believe... Never heard of the others, but I will have to check them out. Emo Phillips is a riot as well...

[[Legoman]]

Have to jump in and agree that Eddie Izzard is the funniest thing ever invented.
Billy Connelly too, he's doing a few charity performances up here in his home city, first time he's performed here for six years. Me no got ticket though :-(
Anyone like Phil Kay, he's not the greatest but he's a great improviser, he did a Freshers week performance at my Uni and went on with no material and made it up. At one point he nearly pissed in someone's bag...

[hojo]

There, that should confuse any non-brits... i know im confused..

[as_clark20]

We weren't talking about anything of great consequence anyway. Wouldn't worry.

[Kitiara]

How can you reduce the Churchill dog to something "of no consequence"? :)

I'll have you know I love that dog.

Actually, no that's a lie. I threatened to barbeque one of them over a spit.

Go right ahead. :)

[as_clark20]

Barbequed Dog?! Ooooooooooooooh yes! He he he. Not feeling violent at the time were you Kit? I don't know. You violent women! Cool though! Yeah, roast the dog. Thats what it gets for my high insurance premiums.

FRIDAY IS HERE!! Thank Chrunchie its Friday. Mmmm, Chrunchie. aaaaaarrrrrr (Homer Simpson-style gargle). Anyway someone tell me what the hell am I talking about? Oh who cares it friday. Its alcohol time! Can I get amen to that?!!

Bored little meeeeeee!!!

[Kitiara]

Amen to that indeed. :)

It's moving day today, E-Commerce is being promoted from lowly orange floor to Marketing blue floor, so we've got to be packed up and finished by 4pm. A whole 2 hours early. **** shame. We'll have to pop off to the pub that's opposite. :)

And what's wrong with barbequed dog? They're irritating things these nodding dogs. Can you believe we've sold thousands of them? Someone has even left one on my desk. Grrr...

Did you get the code I sent you by the way?

[as_clark20]

Yeah, I got the code. Thank you! You're a good un!

[Kitiara]

Thank you very much. :)

Lets just hope it works, otherwise I'm going to look very silly.