S K Y L A R K I N G

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

Because apparently you've gotta have one.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

Monday, August 16, 2010

On a happier note, this weekend I attended the 18th annual Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival. It is a three-day music festival that happens every year in our town. It's always colourful, always interesting and usually very loud.

Here's my buddy Ernie Phillips doing some fancy dancing at the opening ceremony:

Here's my boy K'Naan performing that Wavin' Flag song:

I didn't actually see K'naan perform. He was the headliner on Friday night and our schedules conflicted so I'll have to catch him next time.

Other than that it was a fun time. My daughter and I went Saturday and Sunday, we watched the crowds, bought iced coffees and little doughnuts, and we caught some awesome acts including the Alexis P. Suter Band, Daniel Champagne from Australia, John Lee Sanders from B.C., Non Stop Bhangra from California, Shemekia Copeland, the Wasabi Collective and John Németh among many others.

RANT: IS THE INTERNET AN EXCUSE FOR LAZINESS?

I heard an announcer on CBC radio this weekend (For those of you in the UK CBC radio is the equivalent of BBC radio. For Those in the US: It's the equivalent of NPR) bemoaning the fact that because she has spent so much time googling and twittering that she can't get the concentration together to finish a whole book. She said this during an interview with a tech writer who brought up Nicholas Carr's article in the Atlantic Monthly "Is Google Making us Stupid?"

This is not the first time that I have heard an otherwise intelligent person complaining that their internet use is making them incapable of concentrating long enough to read a book.

To that, I say, unequivocably: Bullshit.

Frankly I was appalled that any intelligent person would try to argue that point. I cannot hide my contempt for anyone who would say something like that. It is merely an excuse for intellectual laziness. That's it, pure and simple. It is right up there with "My dog ate my homework."

I won't accept it.

If I go to the trouble of sustaining my attention long enough to write a novel (and I have written four*) then I expect that you can muster up the attention span to be able to read it. It's one thing if it doesn't interest you. You don't like my book, fine. It doesn't interest you, don't finish it. But don't come to me with the lame excuse that the internet is somehow to blame for you not being able to read a whole book.

Our brains are flexible. Our thought processes are shaped by our experiences and by what we concentrate upon. If we spend all day doing something, our brains adapt to do it more efficiently. That includes painting a house, fixing a car, or researching on the internet. But to say that those changes prevent you from switching gears, from mustering up the concentration to do something else, is ludicrous. We would not accept that argument from a teen who claims that playing video games makes him unable to study. I am certainly not going to accept that argument from a CBC radio announcer, nor anyone else.

The way I see it, if one can muster up the attention span to watch LOST for SIX YEARS(!) then that argument holds no sway with me.

End of rant

*unpublished as of yet

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

A TYPICAL DAY IN CANADA

Let's face it: as Canadians how often have we been in this situation -- having to bitch-slap a Yeti who has decided to get all up in your grill while you are cavorting naked in the snow.

Happens all the time north of the 49th parallel, I'm telling you.

Another cover for Rogue Blades Entertainment's Heroicologies.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

Monday, August 9, 2010

THE ELECTRONIC DREAM

Norman Spinrad has been posting a series at his blog about the current "Death Spiral" of the publishing industry. It's been pretty depressing reading but Spinrad tries to pull it up in the final installment with a vision of how the electronic publishing industry can survive and thrive without the traditional book publishers.

It's a wonderful vision of a gloriously free market and grist for the mill for small e-publishers like my partner and I. But to my mind it's a little too unrealistic.

Nevertheless, this is Norman Spinrad and it is well worth perusing for his insights into the industry.

MONDAY MUSINGS

I haven't posted anything here in a long while and there are several reasons for that. We've had a number of guests coming to stay with us this summer which is unusual for us. The guests are gone now and things are back to normal but I'm finding that I don't have the energy to do the things I'd like to do.

I wanted to write a long and philosophical post about family and raising children. I also wanted to write a review of SHERLOCK, Stephen Moffat's modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes (The crux: If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, even a purist, this series is very gratifying. First rate.) and a review of a British TV series called DEMONS (avoid like the plague!)

But honestly, I find that I am just too worn out to do any of that. So instead I will post a picture which isn't even new.

I did this a while ago. It's actually an alternative version of a wraparound cover I did for an upcoming anthology from Rogue Blades Entertainment. What anthlogy is it for? That's the kicker. You get to decide!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

SPEAR GIRL

I have just finished one commission (two in a row, actually) and am about to move on to another. In between I decided to cleanse my palate (but not my palette) with a quick painting. You'll probably recognize the figure as my Minimalist Fantasy Pin-up drawing I posted a while back. Here it is in full colour with a background.

Done with Corel Painter X. About two hours' work.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

MAURY CHAYKIN: 1949-2010

Maury Chaykin was born in Buffalo, New York in 1949 to an American father and a Canadian mother. He soon moved to Toronto and began his career as an actor. Although he never became, strictly-speaking, "famous" he was an actor that most would recognize when they saw him. Either from "Dances With Wolves", "Whale Music" or as detective Nero Wolf from the A&E television series a few years back.

To my mind that was one of Chaykin's greatest roles. He brought Rex Stout's detective to life like no one else had before or has since. (Find the series -- it's on DVD -- and watch it. It's worth it)

Chaykin died in Toronto yesterday on the morning of his 61st birthday. He was an underrated and under recognized actor, but his performances were always memorable.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT

Who else could it be? When I heard that actor Jason Momoa was in the running for this role I was quite excited. I thought he was great in Stargate Atlantis. When I heard he was chosen to play the role I was quite pleased but heard a lot of negative comments at a number of blogs and boards. "Who?" "He looks too native." "He doesn't look buff enough"

Well take a look at this picture and tell me that the guy you see here isn't Conan the Barbarian. Better yet, tell him that.

The movie may suck. I don't know, but I think it's becoming clear why Momoa was the right choice for the role.

And no, he doesn't speak with an Austrian accent.

Conan the Barbarian is scheduled for release in 2011.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

Monday, July 26, 2010

FOOLISH GODS

I just finished this cover for C. J. Burch's re-issue of his novel Foolish Gods.

You will be able to buy the book here.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

Friday, July 9, 2010

THE STAR OF KALEEL

THE STAR OF KALEEL by C.J. Burch is a wonderfully fast-paced Sword-and-Sorcery novel with two very interesting (and rare for that genre) female lead characters. The book has been available at Amazon for a while but Burch recently asked me to come up with new cover art for the re-issue. He has given me permission (actually he actively encouraged me) to post it.

Without further ado...

Click image to see the full size

You will be able to buy the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=cj+burch&x=0&y=0

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

ERNIE PHILLIP

Ernie Phillip was an old friend of my father's. As young men they worked hard together, had fun and occasionally got into trouble. I met him once as a child. A few years ago we reconnected and today I am proud to call Ernie a friend.

I am a middle aged, doughy white man. At 80 years old Ernie is thinner, far more fit and much more energetic than I will ever be. He also has more hair on his head. Despite what he has gone through in his life he always wears a wide smile and has a fun-loving attitude. If you have ever seen him performing traditional dance, you will know what joy looks like. It is always a pleasure to run into him around town when he is home and not traveling the world.

Aside from performing all over the world for Kings, Queens and World Leaders of all stripes, Ernie is also a respected leader in British Columbia's native communities. More than 30 years ago Ernie and Art Shofley had an idea of an elders’ conference. They wanted to see native elders from all regions gather as they had always done in the past.

The first conference was held in Chilliwack in 1977 with just 34 people. This year thousands are expected to attend the 34th annual conference. Ernie will be front and center.

You can read all about it here.