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slimpsyboogins

INKTOBER 8th, 2016

INKTOBER 7th, 2016

INKTOBER 6th, 2016

TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!!!

Just a Shadow on the Wall
(Sharpie on discarded library book cover)

Peacock & Lil' Witch

INKTOBER 5th, 2016

The Little Mermaid

INKTOBER 4th, 2016

INKTOBER 3rd, 2016

INKTOBER Day 2

INKTOBER 1st, 2016

     My mom gave me a big multi-pack of Sharpies, so here you go! ;)

NEW BLOG LOCATION!

Hey there, anybody who's interested! This blog will from this point on continue on its very own page on my new website, HERE.

TESTING, 1... 2... 3...

I just connected this blog and my library blog to my newly-revamped tommykovac.com website. I think I did it correctly, so that any new posts I create here will automatically appear there as well. But I want to check it, so... here goes.

CASUAL LUNCH

     So, we have a district meeting today for all library staff. There are about 18 of us, 19 counting the District Librarian. We try to get together for lunch before our afternoon meetings, because that’s nice, or whatever. Last time it was Ruby’s, and everyone was fine with that.

     This time, however, things are not so simple. Oh, no, my friend.

     I will convey the gist of things below. And believe it or not, this is almost verbatim.

LIBRARY TECH 1 (via email to group): Hey, are we doing lunch together before the meeting?

LIBRARY TECH 2: Sure! Where should we meet?

LIBRARY TECH 1: I don’t know that area very well. Suggestions?

LIBRARY TECH 3: Tommy, how about that Mexican place you usually go to? Or how about this Country Café Place? (includes link)

LIBRARY TECH 4: I don’t like that place, it’s not very good.

LIBRARY TECH 3: I think there’s a Spires nearby…

TOMMY: Yes, there is a Spires right across from where our meeting is being held. I vote Spires.

LIBRARY TECH 4: Yes, but there’s also a Chipotle, and plenty of other eateries in that same area.

LIBRARY TECH 5 (privately to just Tommy): That’s where Library Tech 6 and I usually go before meetings! (Presumably referring to Spires)

TOMMY (privately to Library Tech 5): Great! Let’s go there, then. Should we make reservations?

LIBRARY TECH 5: Well, let’s find out where everyone else is going, first. Library Tech 6 and I haven’t figured out where we’re going, yet.

LIBRARY TECH 1 (to entire group): I’m totally down for Spires!

TOMMY (to group): Okay, how many of you are good with Spires, other than me and Library Tech 1?

LIBRARY TECH 7: I have errands to run first, but I’ll be there.

LIBRARY TECH 4: I’ll be there.

LIBRARY TECH 8: Have you eaten at the Sandwich Place across the street from Spires? It’s really good! We might want to try that.

LIBRARY TECH 9: I vote for Chipotle, because it’s better and healthier. Library Tech 4 is going there, too.

LIBRARY TECH 4: Well, actually it doesn’t matter to me! Either place is fine.

ANONYMOUS (sent via private text to Tommy): Library Tech 9 wants me to go to Chipotle with her. I know you committed to Spires, but I vote you come to Chipotle with us!

TOMMY (after discovering no cell coverage anywhere in library, and wandering out to quad in the sun, holding phone at various angles and directions until weak signal finally appears): Who is this?

LIBRARY TECH 3: It’s Library Tech 3.

TOMMY (hot, frustrated, getting crabby): Oh! My cell is fucked up, not showing me who’s texting. Already told Library Tech 1 and Library Tech 7 I’d go to Spires with them. ALL THESE BITCHES NEED TO MAKE UP THEIR DAMN MINDS!

-Tommy has to get some work done, and goes to counseling office to scan some documents. While there in the copy room, he mentions the frustration of the library techs not being able to figure out where to meet for lunch.

OFFICE ASSISTANT: Oh! You should go to this really great place on Euclid—

TOMMY: No way, I don’t even want to CONSIDER adding another option at this point! That’s the last thing we need!

OFFICE ASSISTANT 1: --and Broadway, it’s a gourmet hamburger place, the chef is amazing, and—

TOMMY: Thanks, but no.

OFFICE ASSISTANT: --it’s cheaper than that other place we went last time, remember, Office Assistant 2?

OFFICE ASSISTANT 2: Oh, yeah, Fancy Burger! It was good, but they were, like, $15 burgers!

TOMMY: Hm. I HAVE been wanting to try that Fancy Burger place! No, wait! That’s not helping! I’m not suggesting another place!

-Tommy runs back to his office.

TOMMY (via email to Library Tech 1, Library Tech 4, and Library Tech 7): So, apparently lunch is a big issue and requires much heated debate. Are you guys switching to Camp Chipotle, or staying with Camp Spires?

LIBRARY TECH 1: Well, I’m not really in the mood for disease with my rice and beans. Remember that contamination issue with Chipotle? But this is a community thing, so I don’t know. Where are you going?

TOMMY: I don’t know. My brain is dead and I am now incapable of making a decision. I say we let Library Tech 4 or Library Tech 7 decide.

LIBRARY TECH 4: Who knew lunch would divide us? I’ll go to Chipotle. But there is a Northgate Market there, too, and they have a HUGE food court!

THE END???

ORIGINAL ART : "eat a dik"

ORIGINAL ART : "Robot"

     I would like to mention that this little robot's chest plate is (a scan of) the cover of a discarded library book. his head is from a wooden castle thing I painted and assembled months ago. I think he's pretty cute and I would be friends with him.

ORIGINAL ART : "Clownsidious"

"Clownsidious"

     I think this weird clown drawing was probably inspired by that scene I love from the movie, Insidious, where the lipstick face demon appears unexpectedly just behind what's-'is-name.

COMICS : "Go Ask Flower Bean"

(FLOWER BEAN VERSUS TEEN)

Page 1 of 2

Page 2 of 2

CRANK UP THE SQUIRREL

Front cover

     In 1998, I put together a squirrel-themed zine called CRANK UP THE SQUIRREL with friends Julie and Matt, and husband Anthony. It was 28 pages long, photocopied on 8 1/2" x 11" paper, and we left stacks of them around for free in various coffee shops and laundry rooms.
     The cover says "#4," but it was actually the first and only issue. But four is my favorite number, so there you go.
     It was pretty rough, but had some cool comics, stories, and silliness by all of us. And it garnered a legitimate crazy fan, who used to send fan letters and packages to my PO box.

Table of Contents

     Above is the Table of Contents. NOTE: the email and street address above are now defunct.
     See how it says Heenie will be handling correspondence? Heenie is an old character of mine who also showed up in my Skelebunnies comics published by SLG.
     Our crazy fan sent all sorts of stuff for Heenie, including a "nest" for him that was actually fairly complex and made up of plastic and straw and cardboard. Crazy Fan also sent Heenie some bizarre squirrel-themed art that was really good. But disturbing.

Movie review in comic form of Heavenly Creatures, by J. Squirrel

     We each used squirrely pseudonyms for the zine. Jules was J. Squirrel, Matt was Branch Maplebum, and I was alternately Nutsy Whiskers and Claw Twiggins. (Anthony did an uncredited parody advertisement)
   

"play" by branch maplebum

"An Entreaty" by Nutsy Whiskers

The end of J. Squirrel's short story, "Stunted," and Anthony's gross ad. I reminded him of it on our walk a few nights ago and he just chortled.

COMICS : "Squirrel"

"Squirrel" page 1 of 8

"Squirrel" page 2 of 8

"Squirrel" page 3 of 8

"Squirrel" page 4 of 8

"Squirrel" page 5 of 8

"Squirrel" page 6 of 8

"Squirrel" page 7 of 8

"Squirrel" page 8 of 8

SKETCHBOOK : Open Mic Night

     This is what I sketched while we were at the Gypsy Den in Santa Ana last night, watching our friend Matt do "open mic" night. Matt played guitar and sang, and did a great job. There were maybe one or two other acts that were okay, and the others were mostly endurance tests.
     I never know where to look when anybody other than Matt is up there. We sit very close to the stage, and I don't have much of a Poker face, so I'm afraid to look directly at the performer, in case I accidentally sneer, frown, or make a painy face. So it helps my nerves to have my sketchbook to disappear into. Especially if someone is reciting a poem, which is worse than having your teeth drilled.
     It was kind of cool, though, when a young lady at a table across the room somehow set some napkins on fire with the candle on her table. All of a sudden, while some guy was performing, there were flames and people running over to douse it with water.
     The lady was by herself, and had a strange honky afro. When she first walked in she had an attitude like, "I am a quirky, interesting lady!" But after the fire, she looked like she wanted to disappear into the floorboards.
     In my mind, I have re-written it so that her honky afro was what caught fire.

T-SHIRTS : "Bibliophile" and "Artificial Demonology"

Get "Bibliophile" T-shirt HERE!

Get "Demonology" T-shirt HERE!

SKETCHBOOK : Doodle

T-SHIRTS : "Razors"

"Razors" t-shirt design on Amazon, courtesy of "CleverT"

     This is another design I did for CleverT. There are two colorways available. One is for a black or dark shirt, and the other is for lighter or brighter colors.
     You can buy it on Amazon HERE.
   

I can't decide which background color I like better- red, or blue.

ORIGINAL ART : "Artificial Demonology"

"Artificial Demonology"

Photoshop Quickie : CRIMSON PEEP

   
     Did I get to this before somebody else did? I Googled "Crimson Peep," and didn't find anything like this. Anyway, just thought I'd leave this here.

T-SHIRTS : Scream of the Bear

"Screaming Bear"
design for T-shirt by yours truly.

     I did another design that CleverT has released as a special limited run Tshirt. Here's a screenshot of the listing on Amazon:

     Click HERE to purchase it from Amazon!
    But please note, they run SMALL, so order several sizes larger than you think you'll need. I prefer men's 3x, because then it's comfortable and there's room to grow. Not that I plan to grow any fatter, but the trend is pretty obvious at this point.

T-SHIRTS : Valentine's Skull

     I had to order my own to make sure I liked the quality of Amazon's Tshirt printing, but I received mine today and it looks pretty cool, if I do say so myself. So Adam (CleverT owner) has the following two color versions of the shirt listed, and I've placed links below each. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Valentines-Vintage-Skullman-Mine-T-Shirt/dp/B01B3XPPFW/ref=sr_1_5?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1454026758&sr=1-5&nodeID=7141123011

http://www.amazon.com/Valentines-Mine-Heart-Skull-T-shirt/dp/B01AR4WNJ4/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1454027405&sr=1-1&nodeID=7141123011

T-SHIRTS : experimental Amazon product

     Above is a screenshot of a listing on Amazon for a T-shirt with some original artwork I did. This is a new thing I'm trying out.
     A high school friend contacted me recently, and said he's been selling T-shirts on Amazon through a new venture they have in which Amazon prints and ships the shirts on demand. My friend's company is "CleverT," and he asked if I'd be interested in doing some designs and sharing profits.
     What I'm most interested in is seeing what the quality of the printing on the shirts is like. Usually print-on-demand isn't the best quality. I've done CafePress before, and others like it, and the image is usually okay at first, but grows faint quickly, especially when washed.
     He's doing a test one for me, and I'm going to wait until I see Amazon's t-shirt printing quality before I start really promoting this.
     But I have to say it's nice to have somebody else doing the legwork to create the listing, and I like the way he worded the stuff about me and my artwork. So, that's cool.

Here's a link to the page: http://www.amazon.com/Valentines-Mine-Heart-Skull-T-shirt/dp/B01AR4V886/ref=sr_1_6?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1453135009&sr=1-6&nodeID=7141123011

FAMILY BAKE DAY 2015

Anthony displaying his peanut butter cookies

A moment before the shot above, Aunt Wanda's dog, Abby, rushes in to sniff his crotch.

     I'm posting this way after the fact, but I think we did this on December 12th, the Saturday before my last week of work before winter break. I wanted to have homemade stuff to give coworkers and students.

Mom in her cute apron

     Mom, Anthony and I all gathered at Aunt Wanda's house, and made all sorts of good stuff. Lemon bars, chocolate chip cookies, pretzels dipped in stuff, peanut butter cookies, and various other cookie-like things. I'm getting over a flu right now, so I can't think too much about that, or it'll be barf time again.
     But we made lots of great stuff and had a really good time.

Aunt Wanda presiding over baking supplies

     This has been a tradition with us for the last five years or so, to gather for "Family Bake Day" sometime around mid-December.

Me with my chocolate chip cookies

Mom and me working on the pretzel goo