MIKE & MINDY!!! 16 YEARS AND STILL CRAZY!!!

Welcome to February CRAZIES!!!  Already a month in, can you believe it?  Lots of big things coming up  this month.  Valentines Day, Presidents Day, the CRAZYVERSARY...  What's that?  You forgot about the CRAZYVERSARY?!?  Well, let's fix that right here and now!  Yes folks, it was 16 years ago this very week that Mike, Mindy and a very young, unsure cartoonist and writer all took their first steps towards web infamy!  It's certainly been an interesting ride to say the least, some lows, but far more highs,  I can honestly say it has been an absolute pleasure creating these silly comics and writing these blog posts for you CRAZY faithful!  And although Mike & Mindy ended their five-year run back in December of 2014, they still have fans, and every so often, I'm gifted some fan art of the Terrible Tykes!  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and take a look for yourself!  Enjoy...

Oh Mike and Mindy.  Those two sure did seem to get inflated a lot.  They must've really enjoyed having squeaky voices afterwards?  A good many of you will likely remember this gag from one of their most memorable comics where they inflated themselves with an air compressor and use the propulsion from deflating to get to get school on time, only to learn that they'd had the day off all along!  Well, that comic also inspired a host of pals and fans online to take part in a Draw This In Your Style challenge that led to a fun blog post several years ago with many takes.  Well, my good pal Alex Schumacher wanted in on it too and recently delivered this wonderful and insanely detailed take on that legendary moment!  Alex Schumacher is an incredible cartoonist and illustrator whose resume speaks volumes.  That he was willing to take time out of his insanely busy schedule, which included tending to a newborn baby, really means a lot to me!  Seeing this classic cartoon trope rendered in such a detailed and realistic way is also very mind blowing!  Thanks again Alex for puffing up my cartoon kids reminding everybody about the trouble that having an inflated ego can cause!

That's all for this first week of February, but fear not!  We got a little more bloated fun to have with Mike & Mindy next week as we wrap up the CRAZYVERSARY festivities a little early this year.  Why such a short celebration?  Well, you'll have to come back next week to see!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIXED MEDIA MAYHEM!!!

Welcome back to the CRAZYVERSARY!!!  It's the last week, but don't worry folks.  We got something really cool lying in wait, but more on that later.  It's time for some art!  Fine art even!  And today we got a triple shot!  So sit back, relax and take a look at the creative process in motion!  Gonna be your last chance for awhile anyway, but again, more on that later!  Enjoy...

So the last few weeks you've seen some of my attempts at oil pastels.  Well, in addition to those, I've also been dabbling in other mediums, mainly watercolors and colored pencils.  My watercolor efforts have been less than stellar, hence the reason you don't see any on here.  Colored pencils, however, have been a little easier to grasp.  All three of today's pieces are the same line art, just colored in different ways.  The piece above was done using colored pencils.  It's medium I'm getting more and more into the more I use them.  I especially like the way they blend.  Much like pastels, you can create some really cool effects by blending colored pencils.  For the most part, I'm fairly satisfied with the attempt above, with the exception of the skin tones.  Despite using the same color types as my markers (I use PrismaColor for both mediums), this kid looks anemic!  I guess PrismaColor pencils go on lighter than their ink counterparts.  This leads to a very important thing I learned about colored pencils: USE QUALITY PRODUCTS!!!  Normally, I'm all about affordability and using cheaper supplies to practice with until an artist is ready to make the jump to real supplies.  With colored pencils though, and even certain paints, you really can't skimp!  My first attempts with colored pencils were with an Artist's Loft set, which is a Michaels brand.  Good God were those things crap!  Tips kept breaking, colors were off and they couldn't even blend!  I think Crayola pencils might actually be of higher quality!  It was certainly an eye opener for sure.  Hate to say, but if you're looking to try colored pencils, spring for a quality brand!

Next up, a more traditional medium that I'm far more familiar with: Markers!  Not much to explain here.  I used the same color choices as I used for the colored pencils.  Depending on the color, PrismaColor markers will either lighten or darken as they dry, so a piece can look very different within a few hours of finishing.  I will say I've gotten so much better with markers over the years, especially now that I've learned blending and shading.  Ironically enough, some of these techniques I learned completely on my own by accident!  Always funny when things work out that way, am I right?  The only downer really are the marker highlights.  Highlight colors have to go on first and as such, they don't always blend in too well with other colors, especially lighter ones.  Of course, there is another solution to that...

We see the same piece yet again, but this time I mixed things up...  LITERALLY!!!  You see, I went in with a marker base and even did the shades in marker, but then I added a layer of colored pencil highlights on top that look more natural and didn't mix in with the markers.  I even added a color pencil sheen to the crystals!  It's nice to know that the countless hours I spent watching YouTube tutorials during the pandemic are really starting to payoff here!

And that's a wrap for February 2023!  Sheesh, two months down already?  It'll be Summer time before we know it!  But before Summer, there must come Spring, and with that comes one of my favorite events!  That's right CRAZIES, it's almost time for WonderCon,  and starting next week, we're bringing back the CRAZY WonderCon Countdown, a look back at all the fun of the past while getting hyped for the future!  So be sure to come back have some retro-tastic fun as the art gives way to the cosplay!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

WHERE CHERRY TREES BLOSSOM...

WOOOOOOOOO!!!  Halfway through February and we are now at the start of SHAMROCK SHAKE SEASON!!!  And if that weren't cool enough, there's also a crap ton of half-priced Valentines candy waiting to be bought and the XFL returns this weekend!  Granted, I'll likely miss most of the games because of work, but that's why God created DVR!  I realize I look at the 2001 XFL with rose-colored glasses, but I'll always contend that it wasn't as bad as they try to make it out.  The tech they introduced certainly caught on and the 2020 reboot of it was phenomenal!  They were making good strides until a little turd called COVID had to go and ruin things.  But we're beyond that now to a degree and hopefully things will work out this time around.  Until then, let's keep the CRAZYVERSARY party going with more attempts at me jumping from cartooning to fine art!  Enjoy...

Cherry tree blossoms.  One of the first real signs that spring is on its way!  Here in San Diego, cherry trees have a deeper significance.  One of our sister cities is Yokohama, Japan.  Many years ago, our friends in Japan gifted us some cherry trees which currently reside at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park.  Through the years, many events came to pass, but through it all, our friendship with our sister city endured and as a true testament of that, so have those cherry trees, which still stand and grow and blossom to this very day.  It's a beautiful legacy.  With this piece, I was mostly just trying new techniques involving blending and stippling.  One of the cooler things about oil pastels is that in addition to being able to seamlessly blend colors, you can also layer individual colors on top of each other with little to no blending!  You can definitely get some cool effects with it.

For this one, I was trying to be a little more detailed with it, though I wasn't quite as successful as I was in the piece above it.  Objects off in the distance are a little more forgiving in that they're naturally out of focus, so closeups are a little more difficult.  Especially when using a medium like pastels where there isn't a fine point!  Still, I'm happy with the outcome, especially with glowing effects of the clouds and moonlit hills.  The black paper used was both a stylistic choice and an experimental choice.  It's a vellum surface, so there is a bit of a tooth to it, though not as much as actual pastel or colored pencil paper has.  Admittedly, it didn't blend as easily as it would have on toothier surfaces, but by and large vellum paper still works well enough.  The reason you want to use a toothy or rougher surfaced paper is so that the pastels will blend better.  It you're using smooth paper, it'll slide right off!  I haven't tried it on a white vellum surface yet, but that day is coming!  I should also note that if you are using a black paper, you're gonna want to use your brightest colors as the darker colors, even some of the middle shades, will just blend in with the background.  Also, when finished, coat with a matte sealer.  It'll preserve the piece, keep the pastels from smearing, and, should you want to, even allow for further tinkering as matte finishes are toothy!

Well, another week down and only one post left in February!  We're switching gears a little bit for the finale as another medium I've been experiment with gets center stage, so be sure to come back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THIS TIME OF YEAR?!? THIS TIME OF DAY?!?

We are back!  Not only is the CRAZYVERSARY is still going strong, but we are THAT much closer to one of my favorite times of year: SHAMROCK SHAKE SEASON!!!  Oh yes!  Those gelatinous, minty green shakes that the Golden Arches only serve for roughly one month will be back next week and I fully intend to indulge!  Don't know why they are so addictive, but I just can't get enough of them Shamrock Shakes!  But enough about that.  It's art time!  And I have another fine art piece to show off!  So sit back and take a good long look at my attempt at being more cultured!  Enjoy...

An aurora borealis, one of nature's truest beauties (And a great payoff to one of The Simpsons' funniest bits!).  I won't pretend to act like I know the science behind them because I don't.  I'll just stare in awe at the amazing sights they produce.  This was among my first successful attempts at using oil pastels.  For those that have never used them, they're essentially glorified crayons.  They're made of wax and oil and as such are really greasy!  They are a messy medium for sure, but the effects you can get with them are amazing, especially when it comes to blending.  I learned that one of the most important things you should do when using oil pastels is use a proper paper stock!  You're definitely NOT going to want to use these on standard printer paper or card stock, nothing with a smooth surface.  A thicker paper stock with a toothy surface is best.  They do make paper specifically for pastels, but it can be expensive.  I've found that colored pencil paper and mixed media vellum-surfaced paper are cheaper and fairly effective alternatives.  Watercolor paper can be used, but it will take a lot of coloring to get the effect as the surface is more porous than toothy.

Another week down in our February march!  Be sure to come back next week with a double dose of oil pastel intrigue!  I think next week's art will really grow on you!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

CELEBRATE 13 YEARS OF THE CRAZYVERSE WITH... FINE ART?!?

Welcome to February CRAZIES!!!  The month of romance is here, though if you don't have a significant other, I guess Pink Halloween is kind of pointless.  But hey!  There's candy at least!  That's cool, right?  Well I feel no need to keep yammering on here.  After all, this month also means that the CRAZYVERSE is now 13 years old!  We've reached blog middle school!  And if it's anything like actual middle school was, I'll probably wanna forget that it ever happened!  Normally I'd be doing something Mike & Mindy-related this month, but this year, we're doing things a little bit differently.  Over the years, I've really grown as an artist.  I'm obviously not turning into Charles Schulz, but I have in recent years really started branching out and trying other things, some of which I've posted.  Mixed media art and mediums beyond markers and digital have really become a bigger part of my skillset since the pandemic, with oil pastels and colored pencils especially factoring into my artwork more often.  This month, I thought it'd be cool to share some of that artistic growth with you, the CRAZY faithful.  After all, 13 years is a long time to NOT try and learn something, so here we go!  Enjoy...

Despite the color choice, I wasn't feeling blue when I made this!  In fact, this was used for the background of my Christmas art last year!  I had tried to do it with watercolors, but it just wasn't happening.  It ruined my original art for it even, so I had to start over.  In the end, I chose oil pastels on colored pencil paper and simply combined it using Photoshop Elements with a drawing of Pepper from Bubble Fox that had been colored in marker with colored pencil highlights.  I was trying to go with a wintery feel, which is why I took the blue route, despite blue not typically being a Christmas color.  I do like the end result though.  The shades of blue blended quite well.  Even as is with the eventual foreground elements not included,  I think this piece really works.

And that's all she wrote for Week 1 of February 2023!  Be sure to come back next time for a little more winter fun with oil pastels as the elements of nature take center stage!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE & MINDY: WEIRD PLAYMATES ON A WEIRD PLAYDATE!!!

Well, we've come to it at last: The end of this year's CRAZYVERSARY.  Yeah, I know, it's kind of sad, but time must go on.  Especially considering what's coming next!  But more on that later!  For now, if the CRAZYVERSARY has to end, then we're gonna end it on a high note!  LITERALLY!!!

Last year, I made a commitment to support more artist pals by commissioning original artwork from them.  Then I got swindled out of my unemployment extension and had to go into survival mode until work started back up towards the end of summer.  Needless to say, I wasn't able to commit to that plan as much as I would've liked to have, but I was able to get at least one commission though, and it was from the first fellow web cartoonist I befriended after joining Twitter, the Queen of Webcomics, Dawn Griffin!

Dawn is a cartoonist and illustrator best known for her hilarious comic Zorphbert & Fred, the tale of two aliens disguised as dogs sent to earth to study humans and their ways.  It was a true benchmark in Webcomics and often hit the nail right on the head when pointing out the absurdities that is modern society.  It's a pity Dawn ended the strip when she did, because the current times are a comedy goldmine for cartoonists and writers, but she knows well the virtue of quitting while ahead.  Dawn's long been a friend of this CRAZY man presently typing and has even done guest comics for me in the past.  She even gave me my first shot at doing a guest strip which I will always be very proud of.  Dawn does commissions, so I put in an order!  The request was simple: Mike and Mindy having a playdate with the Weird Kid from Z&F.  Dawn took the ball and ran with and scored big!  What follows is the process!

Dawn was kind enough to send me some progress shots of the commission, starting with the pencils.  For traditional comics and cartoons, this is how it starts for many of us: A simple sketch that gets roughed out and refined as the idea is shaped.  Since helium is a big part of the CRAZYVERSE, we decided that the poor Weird Kid was getting round!

Next up are the inks!  Depending on how one works, this stage is done either traditionally, with a pen or marker, or digitally with a tablet and stylus pen.  It is here where further revisions and refinements take place in the art.  Its a gamble sometimes, as inks are often where most mistakes are made, but some artists reach a point where they're comfortable enough that they can freehand with a pen.  There are certain pieces I was confident enough with to do it on and others I chose to refine further with pencils instead.  It's a skill that comes with time for sure.

And finally, the finished piece, which Dawn rendered in watercolors!  I was very impressed with the colors here as Dawn claimed watercolors are still a work in progress for for her, but she could've fooled me!  I myself have been dabbling in other coloring mediums as of late, mainly watercolors, colored pencils and pastels, but admittedly could be trying a little harder to practice!  Markers are what I started with and am just more comfortable with them.  For the time being at least!

And that's the piece, a hilarious and colorful crossover that sees the Weird Kid "Playing" with Mike and Mindy while also sending up The Cat In The Hat!  The real funny thing here is that this scenario is totally plausible in either comics' universe as both M&M AND Z&F were surreal toons that featured offbeat and irreverent humor!  Poor Weird Kid seems so baffled by it all.  I oughta commission another piece where Mike and Mindy play with their human beachball!  Thanks again Dawn and thanks for giving us a look at the creative process!  This piece reached new heights!

Well, that's all for this week and for the CRAZYVERSARY!!!  Thanks again to all the pals who sent in fan art for this joyous occasion!  It was the biggest celebration yet and topping it is gonna be impossible!  All month long I've been teasing something big is coming, and it is!  Next week: WonderCon returns!  Well, the countdown does at least!  That's right folks, it's been three long years since we last had a WonderCon, but it's back!  And we are gonna get into the spirit with a look back at previous shows, so be sure to come back and check it all out!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE & MINDY: DEVIOUS AND EXPLOSIVE!!!

Welcome back my CRAZIES!!!  We are inching ever closer to the end of this year's CRAZYVERSARY, but there's still a couple weeks of fun left to be had.  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and see for yourself nonbelievers!  Enjoy...

First up, we have some fan art from a longtime friend of all things CRAZY, Scott Warren!  Scott, the creator of the insanely funny and nostalgic comic, Crunchy Bunches, likes to surprise me with fan art from time to time and last year gifted me this great piece reminding us all how devious Mike and Mindy could truly be!  They were always great friends, but often made better enemies!  I've always loved Scott's style.  Beyond it being super cartoony, it's also very bouncy, loose and expressive.  When I see his art, it moves.  That's takes a special talent to pull that off!  Thanks again Scotty!  May Munchy and Crew be back on the box soon!

Next up, picture book illustrator Sheri Palmer dropped off this adorable piece celebrating the first "Draw This" theme I posted back in 2020, which was a panel from another popular M&M strip in which Mindy tried to hold in a sneeze with hilarious results!  Sheri decided to make things a little less gross by having Mindy fart out a rainbow because, as Sheri put it, "Mindy's part unicorn!"  It's always a joy when Sheri's art pops up in my timeline.  Besides being adorable, it's also just straight whimsical.  There are times I feel like I can crawl into the picture by simply looking at it.  Thanks again Sheri!  Hope to see more Mike & Mindy in your style in the future!

And that's all for this week, but do come back seven days from now as we close out the CRAZYVERSARY on a high note with some uplifting art from a very dear pal!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE & MINDY PUMPED FOR THE CRAZYVERSARY, PT. 4!!!

 

Welcome to March CRAZIES!!!  We're two months into 2022 and things are, well... Much the same.  Some areas are better than others obviously, but there's always room for improvement.  Here at the CRAZYVERSE, the CRAZYVERSARY still floats on as the celebration was so big, it's spilled past its normal month of celebration and into March!  Weird?  Yes, but believe me something really cool is on the horizon that I can't wait to cover!  But more on that in a couple of weeks.  Y'all came here for some inflated Mike & Mindy insanity and I plan on delivering!  So scroll down before they float away!  Enjoy...

For those that haven't been keeping up, last summer I posted this panel from a classic M&M comic as part of the popular "Draw This In Your Style" challenge all across social media.  I was stunned by the sheer number of entries I got from fans and pals all over Twitter!  It's nice to know people still care about the terrible tykes, even though their comic series ended back in 2014.  Today we present the last ten entries I got, bringing us to a grand total of 40!  So put on some extra stretchy clothes and inhale deep, because Mike and Mindy are going on an adventure!  Take it away pals...

Bill Greenhead

Nora Racz

Pat Sandy

David Buist

J.A. Parker

Eline Wagemaker

Corey Kramer

Ted Dawson

Jennifer Cuthbert

Nick Davis

And that's a wrap on this portion of the celebration!  Big thanks again to all my wonderful pals in the Webcomics and Illustration realms who took part in this fun challenge.  M&M ran for five years between 2010 and 2014, and although they never reached the heights or longevity that Bubble Fox has, it's comforting to know they still have fans and are still remembered fondly.  Those years were a lot of fun and if I could relive them again, I would.  I promise to have an even sillier panel ready for this summer's theme!

That's all for this week, but we still have a few CRAZYVERSARY surprises left before launching into ANOTHER very fun event, but that's news for another day!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE & MINDY PUMPED FOR THE CRAZYVERSARY, PT. 3

We've come to it at last...  The end...  Of February 2022.  What?  You thought I was ending the blog?  Come on now, you know nobody's THAT lucky!  Besides, we're only halfway through the CRAZYVERSARY!!!  There's still plenty of bloated goodness to feast on!  Like more Mike & Mindy fan art!

For those not following along, I posted this panel on Twitter and challenged other artist pals to draw it in their own styles.  Much to my surprise, it got a LOT responses!  So many so that I had to split it up into multiple parts!  Here's our equivalent of Return Of The Jedi!  Enjoy...

Sorry to start this off on a sad note as the artist behind this was my dear pal Torben Christensen, who passed away not long after drawing this.  I, like so many others who knew and loved "Torbs," had no idea that he'd been ill, so it caught a lot of us off guard.  He was a fun, encouraging and insanely talented soul, always happy to jump in on these wacky art collectives on Twitter.  He was posting art on social media up to the end and even had a final piece ready, a true pro to the end.  The above piece was among the last few sketches he posted, which makes this even more bittersweet.  That he deemed me and my cartoon kids worthy of time that was growing more precious by the second is very humbling.  Thanks again Torbs.  You were an inspiration, but more than that, you were a pal too.

Jean Okada

Howard Stacy

Dave McTaggart

Kalon Anne Sardin

Ian Bossons

Ric Lumb

Will Flitcroft

DF Morrill

Ryan Klassen

Although it is a Wrap on February, it's not a wrap on the CRAZYVERSARY!!!  We still got ten more takes on bloated Mike and Mindy to showcase, not to mention a couple a special pieces honoring the puffed pals!  So be sure to come back next week so we can kick March off on the same high note we ended February on!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!
 

MIKE & MINDY PUMPED FOR THE CRAZYVERSARY, PT. 2!!!

 

We are back and believe it or not still early on in the CRAZYVERSARY celebration!  Mike and Mindy are 12 years old now, but don't look a day past eight!  I keep asking them what their secret to staying young is, but they just won't talk!  Maybe someday...

For those just tuning in, last year I launched a "Draw This In Your Style" challenge on Twitter to see how many folks, if any, would draw the above panel in their style.  Amazingly enough, quite a few pals responded!  So many in fact, I've had to split it up into multiple weeks!  So scroll on down and see what the second wave of artists had in store for these "Balloonatics!"  Enjoy...

  

Sheri Palmer

Anthony Moorin

Monica Rondino

Esa Holopainen

Andrew Fraser

Lisa Poggioli

Kim Belding

Richard Lowke

Sarah Owen

Gotta give another special mention here as Guy Olivieri also took the time to animate Mike and Mindy's puffed posteriors for the occasion!  It is still a dream to see these two on the small screen, possibly in animated bumpers on an upstart cable network.  The future is bright!

Week 3 of the CRAZYVERSARY is done!  But never fear!  Next week's post is already overinflated with even more fan art goodness!  Had to wrap up February on a high note after after all!  And Mike and Mindy have definitely been reaching new heights as of late!  So be sure to come back for more!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!