Can't read it, don't need to.

Pygmy jerboa comic.

Could not be more cute.

Packaging Design

Stumbled upon this blog, and I cannot stop looking at it. They frequently showcase student design work, which can sometimes be divorced from the constraints of cost and materials and shipping, but at least is fun to look at. One of my favorite posts was this one, where students were given only a sheet of paper and a wine bottle to work with.

Dear Demian, it's not a Youtube video!

I probably yammered at you about everything in this article already, but it's still a worthy read: how we lost the cure for scurvy.

Also from this author, Argentina on Two Steaks a Day.

Sassy gay friend saves Shakespeare's women.

Juliet, too.

Dear Demian, illustration blowout!

This is that "redesign the Lolita cover" thing I was telling you about.

Seems like a lot of people missed the point of the novel, or perhaps just aren't great designers, I think the top prize was $350 or something, but it's interesting to look at nonetheless.

This is a collection of images of printed Lolita covers from 1955 to just a few years ago, from editions published all over the world.


I wasn't familiar with David Levine until he died recently, but he was a caricature artist for the "New York Book Review" for more than forty years, and has got a really fantastic style.


This video combines parkour and animation in a blend not entirely unlike chocolate and peanut butter.

Upper Playground put together a Haiti relief fundraiser recently, getting a bunch of poster guys to make prints for "Inglourious Basterds." The standout for me was Rene Almanza. Most of the text on his site is in the Spanish, as he is from Viejo Mexico, but click any old where and you're bound to see something fantastic.

And that's as many links as I can stand to make in one night!

Dear Demian, things from Japan

This is one giant flan:


Now I have that song stuck in my head forever.

I have no idea what is going on here, but I like it. Time to check the WiiWare store!

If you are lucky, a dogbean/beandog will pop out of your food and gift you with bits of trivia. Truly, Japan is a magical place.

Dear Demian, bike parkour

Clearly these things are not possible: bikes.

James Lipton's beard saves us all.

Give it a ponder.

Dear Demian- Are you Jeff Vader?

Also, you may have seen this one, since I guess it has gone all meme, and I suggest you watch with the sound off, but damn, is this one cute kitten.

Dear Demian (and Sarah): Flash Mobs.

I'm enchanted by the idea of flash mobs. The largest, most slickly-executed flash mobs are generally advertisements. But there are some crazy kids getting in on the action, too. Of course, you don't have to dance or fight to be part of a flash mob. You can just freeze. Or, you can be like the Japanese, and really put the "mob" in "flash mob."

Dear Demian, those old ladies are slammin'.

Someone thought they ought to make a biographical comic about the author of the Twilight books. Only she didn't really do that much before beginning her evil empire. What's a comic artist to do? Make some execrable artwork, is what.

Dear Demian, WHIPS

Not too instructive really, but neat to look at, nonetheless: animated gifs of works in progress from comic artists.

Dear Demian, I didn't realize Moby was such an accomplished juggler.

Dear Demian, one million starlings

This is evidently not an uncommon occurrence. Apart from signaling the onset of the End Times, small birds also do this for safety:

When frightened by a flying predator, a flock of small birds such as sandpipers or starlings will bunch up and fly in as compact a mass as possible. A dive-bombing falcon will avoid plunging into such a crowd for fear of injuring itself in a collision, but instead will seek to pick off laggards or birds shearing away from the flock. The flock itself will veer and turn in erratic fashion, making it difficult for the predator to predict its movements. [The Straight Dope]

Dear Demian, "fffff"

Oh, Kate Beaton. How I love her. It's a good thing she's already in Canada, because I am ready to gay marry her so hard. Mystery Solving Teens!

I wish I could draw something that looked half so effortless and expressive.

Dear Demian, "prancing around with your head full of eyeballs"

I've never played a video game like this, I probably never will play a video game like this, but the clips this company made to introduce the character classes are pretty clever. Meet the Team. I think the one for the Spy is my favorite.

Dear Demian

So, some guy has been asking illustrators to draw their favorite authors/literary figures and posting them on the internet for about ten years now. Hey Oscar Wilde! It's Clobberin' Time!!! is his collection's current home. Some of the drawings are terrifying, some are pretty neat, though.

Dear Demian

Why must all photographers have awful Flash navigation on their websites?

Despite the interface, this site features some great photos of birds in flight. And now I know that there is such a thing as a Jackass Penguin.

Dear Demian

Anthropomorphic toilet.

Dear Demian

I am making one of these for Harper. Many such gems to be found at Black and WTF. The October 31st posts are especially good.