Tuesday, September 23, 2008

My Medicated Cartoon Life is 1 Year Old!

Yep, my blog is one year old today. Kind of sad that I had to do my own birthday pic... not to worry, I got a cake from Astro Andy! Looks like the candle is burning my producer's crotch.
And he likes it.

It's been a long year. And a very short one. I don't think I thought I would blog as much when I began this thing. I didn't really know what I was doing with it actually. Initially, it was going to be just my own little private space where I could get stuff off my chest - stuff I couldn't say day to day. Mainly, that was because of my depression. It's something that it's generally not a good idea to mention, especially when the shows I've been working on have been so happy and are aimed at young children.

But then, sometimes people don't take into account that we're all adults, with our own crap to deal with. Even if we're making stuff for children. Who knows what kind of seedy stuff those Wiggles guys are into. Does it affect their wiggling? Not in the slightest. But some people might not like hearing about their debauchery.

So I chose to get stuff out here. Oddly, after the first few posts, which went along the lines of 'I have depression', I felt better. Had I quit the blog at that stage, it would have done its job. But stuff was happening in work and life and I just sort of kept going.

A lot happened over the year. I got my first comment (thanks Andy!). The iPhone was launched. I pissed some people off. I learned Flash and got a mention over at Cold Hard Flash as a result (thanks guys!). I got spammed. Workmen ruined my stuff (pack of wankers). Astro Andy got stranded. I got loads and loads and loads of rejection letters. That sucked. My dog (and best friend) died. That sucked more. I ranted about life, and society. And, almost every day, I wished I was somewhere else.

And I got a domain name - http://www.mymedicatedcartoonlife.com

The look of my crappy drawings changed a bit over the course of the year, not really for any intentional reasons. It just sort of evolved. I didn't actually set out to illustrate the posts initially but I did it for the first early ones and then, well, it's sort of hard to stop. It becomes habit. But I'm really glad I did - I actually enjoy doing the drawings for this blog, as crap as they are. They're quite honestly the first time I have drawn for pleasure in years.

Though, had I known I was going to keep drawing on the site, I would love to have actually used some sort of design. Put a bit of effort in or something. But I didn't and it just became what it is. Oh well.

I've had a lot of great visitors over the course of the year - Andy J. Latham (now of Traveller's Tales), the always polite Mr.Trombley, Toole, Mitch, Ron (of Collideascope Studio), Murray Bain (of Copernius Studio), the wonderfully talented Jeaux Janovsky, the (also talented) Bobby Pontillas, actually a whole bunch of talented people, like, em, Elliot Cowan (I suspect he's slightly twisted) and so many more I could just keep on dropping names. But then this post would get waaaaay longer than it should be. Suffice it to say, if you've dropped by, I really appreciate the company and I'm honoured to be visited by such an interesting and talented mix.

So one year on, here I am... still blogging. I hope those of you who have passed through have found something interesting. Who are all you guys? What brings you here?



Hopefully I'll still be here doing whatever it is I do in another year's time. If these chest pains don't kill me first. Or I decide to leave society and shack up on an island somewhere (in a shack, of course). But for now - happy blogday to me!

12 comments:

Toole said...

I think the drawing thing is cool, you were saying maybe with all of that thought and training behind your work stuff, this is what's underneath and its like you developing your more intuitive personal style. You're a professional so it's not like its a crutch.

Andreas Schuster said...

congratulations!
i don't think "adventure time" is the devil, but i still enjoy your blog.
on to more years!

Humphrey Erm said...

Happy Blog Day to you...
Happy Blog Day to youuu....

Happy Blog Day dear Bitter Animator...
Happy Blog Day to yooooouuuuuuu!!!

Man, I remember reading your blog after Cold Hard Flash had that post about you. After reading those I went back to the very first one and read up to the current and kept me reading ever since. You have had some great insight on the world as a whole, and you have done it with a sense of sincerity that I didn't think possible.

And keep up with the drawings! That's what captures my attention and interest in any post :)

Mr. Trombley said...

Dear Sir,

Merry Anniversary! I thank you for the kind words. It seems like only yesterday I stumbled across your blog. Well, not quite yesterday. Actually, it does seem like about a year ago.

I suppose the reason why I like your blog is that I like people's lives. I even like mine! It's like hearing an old blues song, even if you've never been in that particular situation you know exactly what the song is about. Sort of like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l0zmS7a3vY

A quick note, this song was done solo by Mr. Johnson without drums. His left hand was powerful enough so play the song with hammer-ons and his right hand "drummed" on the guitar. Rev. Davis uses the same technique in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46GlLOhQscs

I didn't have much time, but I got you one more song as a gift:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25E0ACkA6uo

Adam H said...

Congrats, & happy aniversary! Hope to say the same in another year's time.
I think I found your blog from reading comments on John K's ("bitter animator huh? sounds like me.." *click*) nearly a year ago.
You've been a daily read for me ever since.

For the record, I don't believe the drawings are "rubbish" (I think it's your Brittish-blogging-fault that I started using that word in coversation, haha). They're sincere & honest, which is more than can be said about a lot of art. I'll always take pure expression over technical marvel. However I think they have more technical value than you give them credit for.

Jeaux Janovsky said...

Happy Blog Day Bit!!! Well deserved! Here's to many more my friend.
Keep on keeping on, i'll keep on reading on.
-Jx

Red Pill Junkie said...

Many happy returns Bitter.

I've checked your blog for while, And I found it interesting because you have a funny way to illustrate & comment on those little pesky things that can cause daily life to be so annoying; but the way you do it turns them into something sublime.

...Or maybe it's the thought that there's some one out there more f****d up than I am, what makes me smile ;-)

Ron said...

Happy bloggiversary indeed... if you're ever in Nova Scotia, Canada, feel free to drop in and talk!

Aaron Simpson said...

happy anniversary from the gang at coldhardflash.com!

Bitter Animator said...

Thanks so much for all the messages guys (and especially the Talking Heads track, Mr.T). I really appreciate all of you taking the time to pop by.

Betül said...

happy-belated-birthday! :)
I waiting for the day that you will have a science-cartoon :) that is the first step of a nerd-blog, then you will be really welcomed!

Elliot Cowan said...

Elliot Cowan?
He's a fucking bastard!