Happy Birthday, Dad!

Happy birthday to my dad, Michael Madison, my very first artistic hero! Also, he likes frogs.

12 days...

Mary Todd's Todd-ally Nutty Bars!

In honor of Honest Abe's 204th birthday, Heather and I baked up an American classic: Mary Todd's Todd-ally Nutty Bars!

Ingredients
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 bag (14 oz.) caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup half-and-half
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup coarsely chopped mixed nuts
1/4 cup broken pretzels
2 cups emancipation

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour and oats. Spread in pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat caramels and half-and-half over low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramels are melted. Pour caramel mixture over crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks, nuts and pretzels.

Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until chocolate is softened. Cool about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

12 days...

Fantasy Football Swag on Zazzle

 

Fantasy Football: Jaguars vs Bills by AustinTranslaion
Check out other Football Cards at zazzle.com

Howdy folks! I've been getting a lot of requests for Fantasy Football prints, etc. So I thought I'd update my Zazzle store with a few new items. Just a taste of things to come!

33 days...

Adam and Dog

 A lot of you guys have been asking for it, and here it is! Minkyu Lee's Oscar-nominated short film, "Adam and Dog" in its entirety. Enjoy!



If you dug the film, or if you dig animation in general, Minkyu's Adam and Dog tumblr has a peak inside the garden and some wonderful pencil tests by folks like James Baxter. They spared no expence!

33 days...

Chades Challenge LXXVII: Steampunk Cloud-surfers

Happy birthday Jules Verne! Today's theme, Steampunk Cloud-surfers is a tribute the the godfather of science fiction. Over a century after his death, science and technology are still catching up to the insights and foresights of this storytelling genius!

As always, the Chades (Character Design) Challenge is open to anyone who wants to contribute. If you have a Steampunk Cloud-surfing design of your own, let me know and I'll post your art below. Otherwise, you can join in February 22nd for a special Academy Award edition...

Chades Challenge LXXVIII: 

Oscar Contenders


Thierry "Spiff" De Wolf

33 days...

The Imp & The Pimp, Part 5 of 10

Part four in a series of boards used as a portfolio to apply for a story position at Pixar.

Joffrey: "I...uh..."

Stark Bannerman: "Sorry lad, you'll have to speak up. I'm a bit 'ard of 'earing!"

Joffrey: "TYRION, DO SOMETHING!!!"

Tyrion: (Gasp!)

Bar Flies: (Whispering) "Tyrion?"

Bar Flies: (Whispering) "Could it be?"

Bar Flies: (Whispering) "Tyrion the Imp?"

Stark Bannerman: "Tyrion, is it? Wouldn't be Tyrion Lannister, would it, wee man?

Tyrion: "Ha! I can assure you one thing, my robust friend..."

Tyrion: "If I was Tyrion Lannister..."

Tyrion: "...you wouldn't catch me in a rat's next like this!"

Barman: "Rat's nest??"

Stark Bannerman: "And I suppose you're some OTHER toe-headed half-man named Tyrion?"

Tyrion: "You and your men have been drinking quite heavily, haven't you?"

Stark Bannerman: "Aye, we enjoy a stiff drink after a victory over Lannister pansies!"

(Stark men cheer in agreement)

Tyrion: "And I'll wager a big man like you drinks enough to piss pure ale!"

Stark Bannerman: "HA!"

Stark Bannerman: "Aye, half-man. They say a Northman's piss is volatile as wildfire!"

Tyrion: "That's what I'm counting on."

 SFX: VWOOM!

Next Week: "Ice and Fire"

35 days...

Fantasy Football, Super Bowl Edition

To end my Fantasy Football series with a bang, I did a quarter-by-quarter interpretation of the Harbaugh duel.

1st Quarter

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter Power Outage

According to my Twitter feed, this was either caused by Beyonce or Bane.

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

As George R.R. Martin says, dark wings bear dark words. Congrats, Baltimore, and let's get 'em next year Niners!

37 days...

Fantasy Football XXIII: Ravens vs Niners

Alright folks, this one's for all the marbles! Brother vs Brother. Hermano y hermano!

I have to say, as much as I love seeing the Niners back in the Superbowl, I was really looking forward to drawing Chuck Norris storm the Millenium Falcon in a Texans vs Falcons game. Maybe next year.

1 day...

A Very Miserables Musical

The latest poster for Pixar's improv troupe, The Improvibles.

 

I originally had Russell Crowe belting out a shattering melody note to the tagline, "Even worse than Russell Crowe." My wiser colleagues mentioned that RC might supply a voice for Pixar some day and that the more prudent path would be leaving the note intact.

I still think it's funnier the other way.

3 days...

The Imp & The Pimp, Part 4 of 10

Joffrey: "Pissing on MY banner?? I'll have their heads!"

Tyrion: "Joffrey NO!"

Joffrey: "Before you do anything rash, please consider the effect it may have on our heads."

Joffrey: "The lion does not fear the wolf!"

Tyrion: "Yes, but the wise lion knows to fear the pack of wolves."

Joffrey: "Those stupid Northerners wouldn't even know which end of the sword to point at me!"

Joffrey: "Give me thirty seconds against one of those crannogmen...!"

Joffrey: "I'll split him nose to toes..."

Joffrey: "...and paint the fields yellow..."

Joffrey: "...with his craven innards!"

Stark bannerman: "And whose innards would those be, boy?"

Joffrey: "I...uh..."

Next Week: "The Stark Knight Rises"

4 days...