Loading ...Percy Jackson, Book Vs Movie
Posted In: Random Thoughts
Feb 22
I got to see Percy Jackson a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. I was about a third of the way through the book at that time. I thought the movie was okay at that point, not hitting a few things that I saw in the book … then … I finished the book.
Wow. Normally I am not upset by books translated into movies. They are what they are, but I found the translation of Percy Jackson to be a bit insulting to the author and .. a huge commercial for the Pantheon in Nashville, which isn’t in the book. I didn’t like how they moved Grover into a stereotypical satyr. It was cute when he got dreamy eyes thinking about Aprhodite in the book, not so cute when he’s chasing just about every pretty girl in a somewhat disturbing way in the movie.
I HATE IT WHEN POP CULTURE REFERENCES ARE TOSSED INTO A MOVIE FOR NO REASON. I HATE IT.
Using a cellphone was pretty clever in the movie, to see Medusa, but I preferred the gazing ball method because I don’t buy that Percy would have HAD a cellphone with how bad and controlling Gabe was. They didn’t portray Gabe NEARLY as bad as he was so that the end was a bit disappointing. (I did stay after the credits.) The book is a bit different and I prefer the book’s conclusion there.
Hades, was so much better in the book (and Persephone was NOT there, which is a huge plot hole in the movie. 9.9 Wrong time of year, which did also dawn on me while watching the movie. I had to try to remember how many months she was there. 
) He made more sense. I also would much rather have seen Cerebus than those three hellhounds. And Ares would have just been awesome to see.
This movie was one of the very few that I would say: Read the book instead.
I just don’t get why they felt a need to CHANGE the story at the point they did or in the ways they were changed. They lost a lot in the translation.
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You can see examples of my finished commissions done for Christmas here: Databank – Molly – Kitsune , Herman – Nevix – Skunk – my favorite and Elfgrove – Swan Prince – For a Human Representative
My sites HAVE stabilized, but the fallout from a really bad December doesn’t set a good tone for the New Year. Ad revenue for this month is actually FAR better than last year and hopefully will improve to pre 2009 levels. I’m taking commissions instead of updating more comics for now. I will be working on additional ones as I have time. I would honestly rather be working on the comics, but we also like to eat. (Forgoing Valentine’s Day.)
Pricing is simple, please read everything below. The lovely shaded ones like those above are $35. Simpler cel shaded type ones are $20. I’ll do Livejournal/Square headshot/waist up shots for $15 in color.
The Current List: Last updated – Feb 13
1. Nevix – Coloring Now
2. Owsla – Big Commission, as in … multiple characters – Preparing to Color
3. Advertisement Commission – Pending – also big project
4. Available
5. Available
What you get: A SINGLE character (one of mine or your own), simply drawn and shaded in this manner with one prop. The image will be sent to you in a print sized 300 dpi jpg file or posted somewhere you can download it, suitable for printing and as a web saved version.
Let me know if you don’t want me to publicly post the image – I will be setting up a commission section soon to show off the lovely commissions. PLEASE be thorough in your description. I will not go back and add/fix things that are not in the description you give me. To make this as fast as possible I will also not be sending you lineart/pencils for approval.
What you do not get: The original inked artwork, because they are inked digitally and possibly drawn digitally depending on what I’m feeling like doing and what day it is. Inking something by hand involves having to go in and clean my daughter’s room, which I’m just not in the mood to do, nor do I have time to do it. 9.9 (That and I have a fear of ink being spilled all over the carpet…)
Please, nothing controversial, disturbing or that you think I might not want to draw. If you have to ask, you probably shouldn’t. Basically if it’s inline with content on my site, I’ll draw it.
You also cannot sell the artwork as prints or such things. This is for a prints off the file for yourself or as a gift and publication on your own website if you like with proper notes on who did it. You may upload it to Cafepress/Zazzle etc to put the image on items for your own personal use or for gifts. You may not sell them.
I don’t know where it ORIGINALLY came from, but this was sent to me by my husband off the 105.3 The Fan website, posted here, because I don’t know the link and I don’t really want to link to it. 
(Lots of NSFW content.) It’s called Man Crack. I’m reducing this to half for the hubby and likely making some french fries to go with it.
Ingredients:
- 2 packages of cream cheese
- 2 cans of no-bean chili
- 3 bags of mexican shredded cheese
- 1 jar of jalapenos
- 2 bags of Frito’s “scoops” tortilla chips
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
- Take both packages of cream cheese and dump them into a baking dish
- Take a knife and smear the cream cheese until it covers the base of the pan
- Dump two cans of no-bean chili on top of the cream cheese covering every square inch of the chili with all three bags of Mexican shredded cheese
- Add some jalapenos and cook that bad boy for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese on top is thoroughly melted
- Dump a bag of chips on the couch cushion next to you and continue eating until the Man Crack is gone
Geeee… I forgot to do this. I’ve been busy working on books, comics and commissions and it slipped!
Right now, Alien Dice and Genoworks are updating. Nothing else. I’m working on commissions and books in the place of most of the comics. I might be open for more commissions shortly, I just have to finish the ones I have, which are almost done. Just haven’t had time to put in their backgrounds. Sadly, this may just be how I have to do things in the first quarter of the year from now on. :/
I’m working on the extra pages for Alien Dice #1 and I will be developing content for the iPad and iphone/itouch on my own. I am not going to get an iPad though – it’s cool… but it’s lacking one important thing – a Windows OS. I don’t want to be constricted to only having one device to work on and I already have a list of three things I need to replace/get this year, starting with a 12″ Cintiq – the extended warranty on my tx2000 ends in April – it’s already showing signs of dying again. While I’m hoping that they’ll FINALLY recall the machine, I doubt they will, even with thousands of complaints. :/ I’m not going to get a new laptop until Kim has to go in the hospital again, that would be likely when she’s 10. I really love the tx2000, so want to ‘retire’ it to being the family laptop and turn down its power settings so it stops committing heat suicide. Next on the list is my desktop. Smart me opted for the cheaper one when I got it and oh, look at that, I got a model that was the last configuration using certain parts and it’s not worth upgrading. (Some of you recall the LAST time I manually upgraded my desktop before getting this one… oh the horror…) New machine is tax deductible, so I should NOT have bought the cheapest. 9.9 Because what I don’t spend up to a certain amount, the government takes. This time, I go for a midrange Core i7 model – That’s scheduled for late summer. And maybe, if things go well and it’s possible, a nice little netbook with an ssd drive that I can pop into my bag and replace my Palm TX with and not worry about it getting banged around on occasion. (I am very careful with my electronics. I treat them like precious metals because I use them so much for work.) I’ll wait and see what the new HP Slate is/does/costs/has a keyboard docking station.
Seriously, one of the strongest things about Windows is that they DO have very good voice recognition to text and handwriting recognition built in. I’ve been using it on my tablet and it works almost flawlessly. I primarily use OneNote to sync my scripts and files together, although I also have a fondness for NoteTab. If that new HP Slate works out, that’ll be awesome, but I think I’d rather they say whether or not the Courier exists first. I can wait. I’m not going to be an early adopter anyway. I’ve learned my lesson.
In other news, Find the Corgi!
When I first started using Manga Studio EX 3 I used it for awhile then had to stop because it was VERY unstable. I recently was forced to upgrade to Manga Studio EX 4 and after a short break in period (and a lot of annoyance at lack of documentation for what I wanted out of the program….) I figured out how to make it do what I desired and below… is a super simple ‘get started’ item.
Now, before this, it’s good to make a template the same size as your pieces will be. I don’t use the panelling in MS yet, but do that in photoshop as well as set up my pencils. I import those into my template and save, then get to work!
Before playing with things, use what you can, then test things here and there. I have the brushes and pens down and that’s what’s here… because one little toggle is like magic… and that is to double click on the pen you’re using (you will have to do this individually for EACH brush) and turn on anti-aliasing. This removes the horrible choppy squares and makes your drawing smooth. You will have to do this with EVERY tool. You really do not have to adjust any of the other settings, just test each of the choices for the one you like. I typically use the Maru nib and just adjust the width slider. G, Kabura and School are also good. The actual Brush … is personal preference. I don’t like it as much because it seems harder to handle.
And that’s it. Just IGNORE all the other little windows until you feel the need to move on. (Tones are very easy as well, but I’ll do that in another one.. )
And for those who know all about anti-aliasing … I use anti-aliasing because it makes a smoother line, when I go to color, I make two layers and ‘bitmap’ the lower one for colors. 
Since I use bpelt filter for coloring, it makes things much faster.
