joe randel's art dump

I’m sure that regular visitors have noticed the change in the blog look.  As I’ve mentioned before, I’m trying out a new WordPress theme.  I’m still on the fence about it and I’ll let you in as to why.  I bought one because I loved the gallery it had and the layout it presented.  It looked very snazzy and had what I was looking for to make this area evolve to what I wanted it to be.  The issues I’m having with it is time.  It might sound trivial, but I don’t have the time to put in to doing lots of leg work behind the scenes.  Which is what I like about my current theme.  I can insert an image and it will become the title image of the current post.  It will scale it properly to fit the blog, no worries.  Quick and easy.  With this new one, I need to make sure the image is the proper size to fit the blog or it will overlap the side bar and make things look crappy.  Also, posting an image at the top of the post will not make it the title image.  I’ll need to make a thumbnail or smaller size image and add that in a separate section.  This will totally break the whole blog, as none of my previous posts have these special thumb nails and so will lack a title image.  Sigh…  The only work around is to go back and make thumbnails for every post I’ve done which is something I’m not willing to do.

I feel that I made a decision to buy something with out really making sure it’ll fit what I need, but was sold on the flashiness of it.  I still love the gallery set up it has and the slider image on the top (I really love that) and the clean look it has.  But it’s not worth breaking the rest of the content.  I’ve found another theme and I’ll give it a try.  It was free and seems to have the things that I want as well.  I hope it won’t break things as well.  If it does, I’ll go back to old theme and find a new gallery set up that works.  Sorry for the crazy back and forth on the look of things while I figure it all out.  Hopefully it won’t be for long.

So I’m pretty sure most can guess what I’m playing.  I’ve got Aliens in my DS and Mario Galaxy 2 in my Wii.  I’m totally enjoying both games.  Mario feels like a continuation of what made the first one so awesome and Aliens is full of pixel action goodness.  I’ll probably to a better review on it once I get more in to it.

What you playing now?  Or is there a game that’s coming up that you’re waiting for?

So I hope that everyone had a good Valentines Day.  Mine was quite nice.  I draw a homemade card for my wife and I also made some for the kids too.  After work we all went out and had dinner out.  Yup, very nice indeed. ^_^

I also thought it would be a good time for some art history.  The painting above is called Cupid and Psyche in the Nuptial Bower, (1792-1793) and was painted by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, and Irish painter in the late 1700’s.  It’s based on the story of Cupid and a beautiful woman named Psyche.  Many sculptures and paintings are based on this story but I picked this one as I thought it has certain appeal to it. I like how Cupid seems to be trying to convince Psyche of something, but she’s hesitant.  But in that hesitation there is a small bit of her that wants to be with him.  She knows that if she looks into his eyes she will fall for him.

That or she’s looking at his wang.

There’s a 3DS game in development that’s caught some peoples attention as of late.  It’s called Code of Princess and it’s being developed by Agashima Entertainment.  It seems to be a title made in the Guardian Hero’s style of play, which is a classic four player beat’em up for those who might be too young to remember.

Continue reading

So tonight The Walking Dead started up again.  My wife and I have been waiting for it to come back on since it ended in the fall.  We’re kind of on the fence about the show though.  We really liked the first season, but then it was a really slow 1/2 season.  I guess we’ll see how this shapes up and if we’ll continue to follow it.  We really wanted to like this one.

I’m not a huge tv buff but I do have a list of favorites.

• Fringe – I loved X-Files, so this is right up my alley.
• Amazing Race – Been a fan since the beginning.  I love seeing different parts of the world.
• Survivor – Started watching back in the 2nd season.  Can’t seem to stop.
• Modern Family – Funny, awkward and sometimes painful, but still fun.
• New Girl – Zooey Deschanel is just too cute not to watch.
• Top Chef – I love Iron Chef (Japan) and this one is just as good and more down to earth.
• Canada’s Worst Driver – It’s like a train wreck you can’t turn away from.
• Canadian Pickers – My Dad make repo furniture and deals in some antiques this appeals to my interests on a personal level.

What shows do you follow on tv?

Here’s a gripe that I don’t think I’ve posted yet.  Bathroom doors.  Specifically, those that keep them closed regardless if someone is in there or not.  See, for me this gripe, this teeth grinder, started when I began to date my wife.  Her family keeps the bathroom door(s) closed all the time.  So if I had to us it I felt like I had to do a head count around the house.  Of course I could have knocked (and I did that too) but I felt like I shouldn’t have to.  Although that seems to be more an issue with me then anything else.

Anyway, bathroom doors needlessly closed.  Grrr! There are times though when I can totally understand why it would be closed.  Baby safety, dog destroys bathroom, maybe the bathroom is really messy.  No, scratch that last one.  Just get off your ass and clean it.  Grrr!  I keep my bathroom doors open, the right way… the way they should be.

How’s your feeling on bathroom doors? Open or closed? Or is there any other strange house traits you’ve come across when you visit people?