So today's random art is a pair of unnamed, completely unimportant characters. They will be in the background of an upcoming page from The Chronicles of Crosarth. They're literally just designed to stand in the background. I don't know who they are, or why they're dressed so ridiculously -- they just are.
I'M SURE THAT EXPLANATION WAS WHOLLY SATISFYING.
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 2 ) ]
It's hard to believe I've been doing UnCONventional for three years. Well, technically the anniversary is in another week, but since the Third Chapter just ended, I figure it's close enough.
It's kind of odd to compare today's comic (a panel from which is featured above) to the first one. My style has evolved, the art no longer looks like a terrible monstrosity (seriously, I cannot begin to say how much I hate the art in that first year).
Many things have changed of course, I've learned to pace storylines better, I've actually started adding things like backgrounds... and in two separate storylines, the strip has been presented in color.
Chapter Four will start on Tuesday, and I'm excited for it. There is one major change happening to the comic - and it's a big one. Rather than return to black and white, Chapter Four (in its entirety) will be presented in color. It'll be a little bit more work, but I figure what the heck.
It'll be a few months before the print edition of Chapter Three comes out - as I plan on adding some bonus content (much more than what's been in previous books), so you'll have to wait on that until early spring/late winter if you're one of the people who enjoys the dead tree versions of my comics.
All in all, it's been a good run so far - and hopefully it'll continue to be one.
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 1 ) ]
Between Daisho Con and Thanksgiving, I've spent more time in Wisconsin these last two weeks than I have at home. While both trips to the state I consider my true home were more than worth it, this amount of travel can be downright exhausting and I'm glad that Crysta and I are back in the moderate comfort of our apartment.
Thanksgiving itself was a nice affair at my parent's house in the suburbs of Milwaukee. It was a small gathering, only six of us really, but the food was delicious and the company entertaining. Frankly, it was probably the best Thanksgiving I've had in years.
The lovely wife and I stuck around Milwaukee for a few days, finding time to hang out with both my family and Crysta's brother. Eventually though it came time to hit the road, and take the Illinois tollway home for the last time until Christmas (hopefully).
In truth, all I want to do right now is collapse and sleep - but sadly the "vacation" is over. I have to re-enter the real world and get things done again. Time to get back to everything I put off before going out of town in the first place... which isn't that much, as I was finally smart enough to work ahead on my own projects for once.
It's still nice to be home again though, be it ever so humble.
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 0 ) ]
Got back from Daisho Con last night and collapsed. I had an awesome time, and it yet again remains one of my favorite conventions. We sold some books, the new prints went over well, and got to hang out with a bunch of friends I rarely get to see.
All in all, an awesome way to spend a weekend.
This is my last con for a while, as I don't have anything on my schedule until Anomaly Con and No Brand Con in the spring (and you should go to those if you can). This makes me a little sad, because I love cons -- but that's what I can make time for these days.
Such is life.
In any case -- as previously stated, Daisho Con was an awesome time. Thanks to everyone who stopped by my table and said hello - I hope to see you all again soon.
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 0 ) ]
Tonight I hit the road and head north to Daisho Con 2012 in Wisconsin Dells, WI. I'll have copies of UnCONventional books one and two, The Chronicles of Crosarth books one and two, and some prints (both old and new) in hand. If you're going to be there, find me in the Artist Alley and say hi.
This is one of my favorite cons, so needless to say I'm excited. If you aren't going already, trust me when I say you're missing out on quite the good time.
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 0 ) ]
So today's Random Art actually comes from one of last week's UnCONventional comic strips. There is no actual story that goes behind this one really. I have stories of people driving into fields, I have weird con stories -- but I lack any con stories where people drive into fields. The idea was spawned slightly tangentially from something much more realistic.
For the first No Brand Con, I was in charge of all staff scheduling (a post now called Workforce Organizer but had a different title back then). Back in 2002, a day before the con, I was still working on the schedule. As I'd been out of town, was doing so from the side of the road with a few print outs and my cellphone.
That, to me, is amusing but not actually funny... and because I've known people who have ended up off the road (in that very model car), I thought I'd spice it up a bit.
As, y'know, this is fiction.
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 0 ) ]
 So yesterday's election was, honestly, everything I had hoped for. As a supporter of Barack Obama, I am obviously happy that he got re-elected. As a resident of Indiana, I'm elated that we beat Richard Mourdock (although I'm saddened Gregg lost the Governor's race). As a former resident of Wisconsin, I'm also happy that Tammy Baldwin will be their next Senator.
We didn't take back anything, but we didn't lose anything either - so while I'm not dancing in the street, it's still a pretty good Wednesday morning.
What amuses me more than anything is Barack Obama's decisive Electoral College victory - while he only won the popular vote by a narrow margin. This is, of course, exactly what some of us were expecting. Frankly, anyone who understands the electoral college hasn't been concerned about a Romney presidency for a while now... if ever. The math was, honestly, always on Obama's side.
You probably didn't really hear anything about that unless you stuck to the numerically inclined parts of the web though. First off, no one campaigning would ever mention they were confident they'd win - that's the easiest way to get your supporters to be lazy. And lazy supporters stay home, don't vote, and then you end up losing via complacency. The depressing thing though is that the news media downright ignored this data, and only covered national polls.
Why? Simple: Ratings.
National polls are exciting. As I mentioned before, Obama only won the popular vote by numbers which would be in the margin of error on any statistical poll. And when you focus on those numbers, the race looked close and exciting. But that same closeness was downright meaningless. It doesn't matter how many pickles you consume in a burger eating contest. There's a correlation, but a meaningless one.
...not my best metaphor, but you get the picture.
Ironically, it may have hurt Romney to focus on the popular vote. It could have led to overconfidence in swing states for Romney, and prevented overconfidence for Obama supporters. I'd love to see the data for 2012 to see how things break down. Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe things would have been hopeless for Romney even if the news had been reporting on the right race.
My point is though that we'll never know. But hey, my guy won -- so I guess I shouldn't complain too much...
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 1 ) ]
 So Tuesday is one of the most important days of 2012: Election day. Our nation is going to decide yet again who is in control and what we, as a nation, stand for.
I don't really hide that I'm a Democrat and consider the words Liberal and Progressive badges of pride - and while I'd like you to vote in line with my opinions in an ideal world, that's not my focus today - what I want to say is that (regardless of your politics) you need to make sure you vote in the first place.
The singular power of the citizen in a Democratic Republic is one that is too easy to take for granted. As a citizen of the United States, you have an obligation to get out and make sure your voice is heard.
One of the reason so many people feel like politicians ignore the needs of many segments of our population is because they don't vote in the first place. You want to know why politicians cater to seniors? Because they vote. You want to know why politicians cater to the religious right? Because they vote.
Politicians ignore people they think won't come out to the polls. Politicians ignore the people they think will just stay home. Politicians, like anyone else, ignore anyone who won't cost them their job.
So if you get your ass up and get to the polls tomorrow, you will make sure you are heard. Even if your candidate of choice loses, suddenly you'll be a part of the group that's counted in the first place. When the analysts and pundits look at the numbers afterwards, you'll be taken into consideration. I know that people don't like to be thought of as statistics, but trust me - this is one you want to be counted in.
And there's one more thing - by voting, even if your candidate loses, you'll be granted one additional privilege: the right to bitch about how things are run. Because if there's one thing I can't stand, it's someone who chose not to vote complaining about how our country is run. If you're not doing your part of the job, you don't get to complain about it. Period.
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 1 ) ]
Today's Random art comes, of course, from The Chronicles of Crosarth. I have a couple weeks of buffer for that comic, so I've been waiting for today's comic to post to finally put this out there on the web.
I'm particularly fond of this shot of Friday, which is why some variation of it will likely end up on the cover of the forthcoming Book 3.
Because it's fun.
- Traegorn
[ Comments ( 0 ) ]
|
|
|
![Trae Dorn [dot] Com](http://www.trhonline.com/traedornproductionslogo-2025-web.png)
