DAVE LOWE DESIGN the Blog: March 2008

VIVA GLITTER!

I've worked with Kathy Cano-Murillo aka The Crafty Chica on a couple of DIY shows. She's currently fighting back (with tongue in cheek) against Ellen DeGeneres' campaign to ban glitter.

You can read all about it on her blog by clicking HERE. To help Kathy's cause, I've added the design above to LOWE DOWN STUFF (my online store for T-shirts and much more).

Sketchbook Sunday

Trying to imagine what SMURFS might look like if actually real.

30 cartoons and counting.

I've added my 30th cartoon today on PARA ABNORMAL. If you haven't visited yet I hope you do and tell a friend. WWW.PARAABNORMALTHECOMIC.COM

A Rustic Sign

Here's a project from HGTV's OUTER SPACES that ended up on the "cutting room" floor and no one saw. I like it because it's a good idea, easy to make and had personal meaning. I thought I'd share it and the "how to" for anyone interested.

My sister Megan and brother in law Paul got a backyard makeover on the show. Nepotism? Yes, but it was not unfair to other applicants. There was a unique criteria needed for homes on the show. Megan and Paul's place sat in the "maybe" file for two seasons among others before the design idea just happened to work for the new season and fit in the schedule. So there!

One element to the yard was a small outdoor "pub" for Paul. A pub needs a sign right? I designed a project making the sign from old wood fence pickets. It was named the THREE DOG INN for the 3 dogs that were part of Megan and Paul's lives.

It's construction is very simple.

This sign was a 3 family member team effort for family. I designed it, brother in law Kirk constructed it and sister Monica painted it. I like that.

STAR WARS Tuesday!

Back in the summer of 1980, just after THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK was released (and had seen it 12 times and counting) I couldn't wait for the next chapter. It was already rumored to be called REVENGE OF THE JEDI (and of course became RETURN). I decided to write and draw my own comic book of what I imagined the final film might be. It was a 72 page adventure drawn on ACADEME' grocery store art paper in felt tip pen and colored with magic markers. I had certain ideas or situations in mind but dove right into it without planning. Making it up as I went along from page 1 to the last. I blatantly stole Luke and Leia's spaceship design from an issue of Marvel Comic's Star Wars series drawn by Michael Golden. I just thought it was too cool looking not to use.

For laughs, I've decided to share my fanboy epic done when I was a 14 year old every Tuesday. Please forgive some cropped edges, my scanner bed is just a little too small.

So, without further adieu...

CHAPTER ONE

Click on image to enlarge.

NEXT WEEK! The rescue of Han Solo!

Easter Sunday

As kids, our Mom would block our bedroom door on Easter morning with a large rock to remind us what this day was really about...

Saturday night surprise...

in the tree out front.

Flashback Friday

An old "poster" I did around '88 for fun and practice. It lives at my brother's place now. Acrylic on illustration board.

Spring is here.

Traces of the past Halloween discovered under leaves near the front porch as Spring gardening begins.

One reason my neighborhood is cool.

Van Nuys and the San Fernando Valley in general gets flak about being lame to live in. It's cool to live here. I love the Valley or "the 818" and my neighborhood in particular. I'll post many reasons in time but here's one for today.

Remember the '80s classic FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH?

OK, remember the characters Rat and Stacy (Brian Backer and Jennifer Jason Leigh)?

Images from here.

Remember the scene when Rat and Stacy had their big date at the Swiss restaurant? You know ...with the scary looking waitress and when Rat forgot his wallet. That scene was filmed at the Matterhorn Chef. It's just around the corner from me. It was a well known Valley landmark. It's now the new home for another well known Valley restaurant, Barone's (which used to be on Ventura Blvd.)

Images from here and here.

Watch the movie again and go there. The interior decor is less Alpine now but you'll still recognize it. I love useless trivia like this, especially when I live near it and from a movie that I love.

P.S.
The Billy Bob Thorton version of BAD NEWS BEARS had many scenes in there.

Home Decor Tips for the Hoarder #2

Want to get rid of the excess craft paint and cheap brushes you've been hoarding? Want to get some Easter lawn decorations as well?

Hire a 6 year old! They work fast and cheap (usually just for a pizza or turkey sandwich).

First draw a bunny on 1/4 thick plywood panel as an example and then let the child draw their own on another.

Who cares what it looks like, this is your chance to help clean out the garage of junk.

Then cut it out with a jigsaw. Make sure the kid is standing far away for safety.

Next, save yourself some sweat and teach the kid good work ethics. Show them the magical sanding block that makes rough edges on wood disappear!

Patronize the kid if they get detail orientated and want to add more. Besides, helps use up old markers.

Let the painting begin! Throw an old grimey work shirt on the kid as a smock (I found this one under a moldy box in the garage).

Encourage going outside the lines, it uses up more old paint!

Keep the kid busy for hours by making them paint large areas with a tiny brush.

When working outdoors watch out for falling leaves landing in the wet paint.

Once painted and dry, get rid of old garden stakes and hot glue them to the back of the cut outs.

Now the cute bunny, I mean old material user upper, can be stuck in the garden or lawn for all to enjoy...

Not only is your home a little more hoard free, but you gave a little kid creative fun and her parents a couple of hours off.

He looks like a Picasso portrait and hence the name Pablo.

One reason...

I really should learn to make things with yarn, besides the fact that I worked on two TV shows all about knitting and crocheting, would be to make this scarf from MONSTER CROCHET.