Holli Rausch

After a kick in the pants from Graphic Content’s Graphic Comic Week I decided it was about time I learn how to draw manga. I’d been meaning to for weeks, inspired by the anime Miles and I watch (mostly by School Rumble) but just was downright lazy. So I checked out four books from the library to assist me in this endeavor and got started. I did a step-by-step of a chibi (cutesy short person!) to start off. She’s just so cuuuuuute! But, again, it was step-by-step so it’s hard to screw up. Though, I did use some artistic liberties in the fact that I gave her a headband. Go me!

I had supergrand ideas that I know many of you would have loved. I was going to create a scene from LOST using  season one characters in the chibi style. I quickly realized that it would not happen (over the weekend, at least.) Have you noticed…nothing really defines the characters in their wardrobe? There are a couple I could do things with, like Claire (pregnant) but she wasn’t in the scene I wanted to draw and Charlie (hoodie, guitar). Nothing really defines anyone else and so in my head, I figured it would just look like a bunch of short people standing around and one person has a guitar. Nothing too grand there. So for now, that’s on hold, but I might pick it up again in the future and give it a real go. Before I decided it was a flop, I drew two characters (actually three, but Hurley was a FAILure).

Sawyer - angry, and in chibi style. And Kate, not angry, but in handcuffs and human person style. See what I mean? If I didn’t tell you who they were, or that they were from LOST, you wouldn’t have been able to guess it yourself.

I guess I’ve got my work cut out for me.

And hey! I see Graphic Content has posted my submission to them while I have been writing this post!

Initial sketch to final illustration, here is my contribution to the April issue of 605 Magazine. It was for an article that gave creative ideas for graduation party invitations. One of the ideas, obviously, was to put your party information on a soda bottle. In the final version in the magazine, I noticed one small error, which was my fault. (A consequence of indirectly working with the magazine and therefore, not seeing a proof.) Otherwise the overall quality was much better than last time.

When struggling to write a paper defending one side of an issue for Government class in high school, my dad gave me some advice. He told me that the best debaters know how to argue both sides of the issue. It makes sense. Being able to foresee how the other person sees the issue, can help you in defending your side. I assume it’s a fundamental part of debate. But my school didn’t have debate club, or whatever.

Sometimes, I take the other side of an issue, even if it’s not the one I’d side with. And even if it’s not an issue at all. I do it just for the sake of uncovering the possible problems that may arise. I do it to bring up other points. I frequently wonder if that makes me a pessimist. I don’t think so, though sometimes I *am* pessimistic (just as often as optimistic).

I’d like to think of it mostly as realism. I think people, by nature, are disagreeable. Even if you have what could be considered the greatest idea in the world, someone will have a problem with it. Someone will think they have a better way to do it. Someone will think life was better before your idea was realized. Sometimes, these people will be right. Sometimes, these disagreeable people have the knowledge and capability to make your “greatest idea in the world” into something better.

This way of thinking (pessimistic, realistic, argumentative, whatever you want to call it) brings change. From Blu-Ray discs on our shelf to the mighty mouse on my desk, to the “new” Facebook open in a tab in my browser, to browser tabs. And to the cell phone you might be reading this post on. Everything around us exists because someone thought differently from everyone else around them.

And everything around you right now? Right now, someone’s thinking of a better way to do it.

We’re watching Wall•E with commentary from Director Andrew Stanton and we’re loving it! (You may have seen me tweet about it yesterday, but we had to split it into a two-day viewing because we started it too late last night.) Not only do they show concept art, storyboard panels, and video footage, (all awesome) the director gives some great insight on the messages they were trying to convey through certain ideas.

One particular thought he had I found very interesting. He was explaining the humans in space and how they were portrayed in the movie 700 years in the future—as lazy vacationers who interact with their neighbor via video screens and golf via touch screen. They’re in a perpetual vacation and never get out of their lounge chair. Instant gratification, as they click what they want to buy and receive it immediately. He talked about people on a busy street walking by each other on their cell phones, or in the commuting lane in their cars and how close we are to each other, but still being so removed. He joked that with things like 1-Click shopping, we will evolve into being only a thumb (for clicking) and a mouth (for eating).

My one question for you is, do advances in technology make us more removed from each other or more connected? I, personally, am more connected to those around me because of advances in technology, and social media specifically. There are so many people I would have never heard of a year ago, but now I know their interests, their career, their humor, etc. though many of them I have not met. Is this connection false? Does this change the definition of “connected”?

But most importantly, will there really be robots who do style my hair in the future?!

Even though I think the thought of eating the stuff is nasty, here’s some sushi wallpapers! And since I didn’t feel like making the decision myself, you have color options!