THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE THE way you think about (as author Scott McCloud concisely defines it) “sequential art.” McCloud takes us inside the art form to explain how and why comics/graphic novels work. He tracks the 3,000-year history of Sequential…
Tag: creating
Making stuff: up, real, and nicely.
Words To Bring Back: “Cubit”
– Definition: n. A unit of measurement; the distance between one’s elbow and middle-fingertip (approximately 18 inches) – Used in a sentence: My cat is almost exactly two cubits long, including his tail. – Why: Sure, we could always double…
The Knot’s Tale
THERE I WAS, TYING AN intricate bit of decorative knotwork in the Golden Hinde II‘s hold, and feeling more than a little proud of myself. I was then just a beginner at that sort of thing, and the glow of…
Words To Bring Back, Special Edition: “Wheeler”
SOMETIMES, WE ATTAIN IMMORTALITY BY becoming part of the language: e.g., “boycott,” “pasteurize,” “guillotine.” And to these noble eponyms I would like to append … “wheeler.” – Definition: v. To unconsciously, persistently and innocently pocket other people’s stuff.
Words to Bring Back: “Ambit”
– Definition: n. A space surrounding a house, castle, town, etc. A precinct. – Used in a sentence: It is my ambition to diligently guard my ambit against encroachment. – Why: Where I live in semi-rural Northern California, such things…
Words to Bring Back: “Desuetude”
– Definition: n.; pronounced “DES-wuh-tude” or “de-SUE-uh-tude.” A condition of disuse. – Used in a sentence: Unless we act to protect them, our Constitutionally guaranteed rights are apt to fall into desuetude. – Why: It rolls nicely off the tongue.…
Words To Bring Back: “Terrible”
– Definition: adj. Of a nature to excite terror; appaling – Used in a sentence: “That’s the most terrible Hallowe’en costume I’ve ever seen.” – Why: The current connotation of “terrible” as slipshod, sub-par, etc. really grinds my gears. Time…
Words to Bring Back: “Artless”
– Definition: adj. 1. Lacking craft or deceit; guileless; naive. 2. Natural; simple – Used in a sentence: Her whole manner, from clothes to attitude, was perfectly artless. – Why: A useful antidote to the snarky, cynical-chic times in which…
Words to Bring Back: “Rejoice”
– Definition: v.i. To feel joyful; be glad. – Used in a sentence: Richard rejoiced when the Red Sox won the World Series. – Why: It’s little used outside translations of the Bible, but addresses a HUGE part of life…
Words to Bring Back: “Amateur”
– Definition: n one who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession – Used in a sentence: “He is a true amateur of cooking.” – Why: What I would like to…
Why I Love: Writing
IT’S THE SCARINESS OF THE blank screen. It’s the focused attention. It’s the mental sensation of assembling Tinker-Toy pieces into a coherent structure. It’s the way the hours fly by. It’s the nothing-else-like-it buzz (thank you, Stephen King). It’s the…
Words to Bring Back: “Illicitator”
– Definition: n. An auctioneer’s shill – Used in a sentence: “Some of these political rallies seem to reek of illicitators.” – Why: It’s obscure, yes, but how many illicitators have YOU spotted recently?