Tall Tails Kickstarter Launch!

Not sure if you’ve heard or seen on Facebook, but I’ve been working for the past few months on a new mobile game –Tall Tails! It’s a dog themed adventure puzzle, and if successful, it will work to give percentage of its profit to dog rescue charities.

My team has been working really hard lately to make it all come together, and it’s finally ready! Well – almost ready. We’ve completed half the work, but now we are launching our game onto Kickstarter to help build awareness, and get the last bit of funding we need.

If you’re not sure what Kickstarter is, it’s a crowdfunding website where friends, family and complete strangers can donate towards a cause or project. Any amount is accepted and no amount goes unnoticed. I’m reaching out to you today and asking for your help! I hope that if you’re taking the time to read this email you will check out my Kickstarter page https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1348130725/tall-tails-puzzle-adventure and consider donating to our goal of $150,000. All pledge amounts from $10 up help us get one step closer to our goal. Best yet, each pledge gets a reward in return, so be sure to read through our rewards tiers and see what’s offered. I’d be forever grateful for any support you could offer.

It would also mean the world to me if you would share the campaign https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1348130725/tall-tails-puzzle-adventure , with all your friends through email or on social media. The more people that know about our campaign the better our chances of success!

In case you don’t already know how Kickstarter works, the amount you pledge will not be charged to your credit/ debit card until we meet the fundraising goal of $150,000. If we don’t reach the goal by Wed, Jun 18 2014 10:22 PM PDT., your credit/debit card will not be charged.


Thank you so much!

Valentine's Day is almost here!

 

Grab the one you love!

This was a quick water color sketch of a cute moment I thought I would share.

The Seven Most Interesting Startups At 500 Startups Demo Day by Alexia Tsotsis on TechCrunch.com

Here is a good article I found regarding some of the more fun app ideas I have seen. Below is a snippet from the interview by Alexia Tsotsis on TechCrunch.com:

"Halfway to living up to its moniker with over 250 startups, 500 Startups held a series of demo days this week and last, where a group of 33 scrappy startups presented their wares to investors in both New York and San Francisco. As we are wont to do with these things, we visited the 500 Startups offices in Mountain View and interviewed the seven that we thought were the most interesting, from both an investor and consumer standpoint.
The startups chosen spanned all sorts of market territory, from a novel take on media-based eCommerce to a SaaS for farmers, but what they all had in common was a unique approach to the problem they were trying to solve as well as an inkling of that other indeterminate thing that makes a startup great."

Follow here for the full article and videos of some of the interviews. The Seven Most Interesting Startups

The Art of Revelry Contest

© 2011 Riot Games Inc. All rights reserved.

It's 2012?! Are you in the mood for a new art contest for some sweet computer loots? Well then look no further then Riot Games, League of Legends, "The Art of Revelry Contest" where participants will be asked to create League of Legends art with a Lunar Revel theme!

The competition has some pretty sweet gear from Alienware, Logitech, and Riot.

© 2011 Riot Games Inc. All rights reserved.
League of Legends and Riot Games Inc. are trademarks or registered trademarks of Riot Games, Inc.

Here is the rundown of their rules:

• Your entry must be your original artwork that you created yourself!
• Your entry must include at least one champion and at least one item from the League of Legends in-game shop.
• Your entry must be themed around Lunar Revel and the New Year! That means fireworks, lanterns, however you’d like to show it.
• It should be art that you have drawn, painted, sketched or otherwise created in traditional mediums, digital or real!
• Entries must be received in one of the following formats: .jpg, .bmp, .gif or .png.
• You’re welcome to collaborate, but there must be no more than three summoners per entry.
• Your entry must be crafted specifically for this contest. We’ve got eyes and ears everywhere, so no funny business!
• Entries must be appropriate for all ages! Nothing naughty, summoners.

The prizes include:

"The top two entrants will win a new Alienware m14x gaming laptop and 15,000 Riot Points! There are many other prizes you could win, including awesome gear from our friends at Logitech including the G510 keyboard, G400 mouse and more! Be sure to send your summoner name and region (NA, EUNE or EUW) off with your submission to contests@riotgames.com before February 2nd at 8am PST! To check out the official rules, click here and thanks to our buddies at Alienware and Logitech for these awesome prizes!"

Mini Golf: Wacky Worlds

©2011 Glu Mobile Inc. Check out game here

Mini Golf: Wacky Worlds by Glu Mobile was a fun project to have an opportunity to work on. It was winner of the "Bronze Award" from Pocket Gamer (more on that review here), and is a game featuring:

• FOUR WACKY WORLDS: Explore the wackiest courses ever imagined for an ultimate mini golf experience. Float on islands in the sky, dodge volcanoes in the sea, slip and slide on the ice, and jump over rivers of melted cheese!
• DIVERSE AND CREATIVE MINI GOLF EXPERIENCE: Play through 40 uniquely different holes with interactive scenery and striking 3D graphics. Play around giant mushrooms, rivers of lava, snowy beasts, and lumps of cheese. Watch out for the dynamic obstacles and be sure to knock out all the gophers in Gopher Mode.
• FOUR CUSTOMIZABLE CHARACTERS: Visit the pro shop to upgrade your equipment, personalize your characters and buy better clubs, like the Gyrohop Mark III and the Robosteer 1000!
• SHOW OFF YOUR SWING: Touch and tilt to control the ball and earn up to 15 achievements to unlock courses and show off to your friends.

I worked primarily in the pre-production stages which gave me the chance to do the early concepts for the Cheese Moon level. Here is a look at some of those early concepts:

And here is a look at what it all looks like finalized in game! Check it out if you like mini golf!

©2011 Glu Mobile Inc. Check out game here

Bachelorette Party Accessories!

Greetings! Here are some fun Bachelorette Party accessories that we have had put together for CuteWeddingThings.com. So if you are getting married... time to take a shot before you tie the knot!


Find their Store at:
Zazzle.com/CuteWeddingThings


And their blog at:
www.CuteWeddingThings.com

Available as a Button, Shirt, or Sticker

Available as a Button, Shirt, or Sticker

Customizable Bachelorette Party Jewelry

Customizable Bachelorette Party Accessories

Available as a Button, Shirt, or Sticker

zazzle.com/CuteWeddingThings

www.CuteWeddingThings.com

Red African Art

This piece was inspired and created by Jane as a color piece while researching African art and culture. It is (5" x 5") Colored Pencil on Wood. Enjoy!

African Culture Art (5"x 5") Colored Pencil on Wood

Low Resolution Mobile 3D Characters

Here are a couple Low Resolution 3D characters that we made for a slot machine game with kingdoms and pirates!

King and Queen - Low Resolution Mobile Phone 3D Characters

Pirate Swabbie - Low Poly Mobile Phone 3D Characters

Joy Toy Paper Doll

This was a project made as marketing material for a game I worked on titled Sushi Shuffle 3D by Superscape, now Glu Mobile.

Enjoy!

Joy Toy Paper Doll for Sushi Shuffle (Robot Paper Doll)

Joy Toy Paper Doll in Space! (Robot Paper Doll)

Joy Toy Paper Doll with Pigs! (Robot Paper Doll)

A Warm Slice of Apple Pie Pinup

Apple Pie Pinup Girl

Yummy apple pie always hits the spot! Warm, comforting and sweet with just a touch of spicy cinnamon. Mmmm!

Concept for a series of pinup & food art for the kitchen :)

iPhone Language Game Concept

Game Title: "Say What? Academy"

iPhone Language Game Conceptual Graphics © 2011 Christopher Reed Digital-Crash.com

A little while back we had put together an idea for a simple & fun language game for the iPhone, and named it "Say-What? Academy." It would be designed with colorful, eye-catching graphics to be utilized as a fun way to learn basic phrases in other languages.

How It Works for the Player
You would take the role of a world traveler (or an exchange student) visiting a foreign location of your choice and taking up a simple job to pay for your trip.

Occupation Examples (see above image)
As the Hotel Receptionist, you will be tasked to speak with guests in their native language. You are to greet them, check them in, and take them to the correct room number.

As the Waiter or Waitress, you will be tasked to greet your guests, take orders correctly, serve the requested items, and take correct payment.

You will eventually learn basic greetings, food items, ask restroom location, numbers & currency exchange, lodging, transportation inquiries, and much more.

As the game progresses you will unlock new occupations, new social situations (such as Parties & Nightlife), new activities, and new attractions to visit. Each language edition can be purchased either separately or in a bundle. There would also be an option to connect with friends so that you can share your "travel" experiences together!

Thanks for reading!

Real-time app download wall at WWDC

A few months back one of the apps, "Period Tracker," which we lucky enough to provide the graphics for was displayed at WWDC on a visualization of the 50,000 most popular apps in App Store displayed on 30-synchronized 24-inch LED Cinema displays.

It is very exciting to see Period Tracker, something that you worked hard on displayed in such a fun way.

Here are a few pics of the event from the GP Apps team:

WWDC Real-time app download wall

It's cool how all the apps being downloaded are separated by the color of their icons. Also, the falling icons are of the apps being downloaded. Neato!

Period Tracker Icon

 If you would like to see more about this, you can visit the GP Apps site at www.gpapps.com

You won't believe what love can do.

Yet another of my attempts at creative writing. This was written as a very long answer to an age old question. Enjoy.

Trying on for size  

 "Everyone admits that love is wonderful and necessary, yet no one agrees on just what it is." -- Diane Ackerman (b. 1948). Love… A simple four letter word, not extravagant or particularly hard to spell, yet has more weight and power then most words twice its size. We have all felt this word in some form or another in our lifetimes; at least I would like think we have. Acceptance; friendship; comfort; family; belonging; love, we strive our entire lives to find this one simple word, be it the love of another or simply to find the strength to completely love ourselves. But, do we truly know what love is? Can we explain the sudden rush of emotions we feel when we are in love? Or when love fades, where does it go? Is love quantifiable? Is it tangible? Can you touch love with your hands or feel it on your skin? Love is truly the single most desired word of human existence.

            One of mankind's biggest fears is to not be accepted; therefore we are constantly seeking approval of some form. This fear runs so deep that we envy those who we socially deem desirable, longing for perfection at any price. Is perfection love? That is what the magazine articles would have us believe. We learn to hate ourselves for all that we are not instead of learning to love ourselves for all that we are. Before we can even attempt to love another or allow another to love us, we must first love ourselves. "He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals." -- Benjamin Franklin (1706-90). Only then will we be truly free to allow ourselves to be loved and in turn love someone back fully and honestly. The fact is if we love ourselves with all our flaws, then we are perfect.

            The quest for love and completeness begins in our youth. We spend our lives dating and "trying on for size" personality after personality until we find a connection, an unquestionable bond for another person. Someone that we can give ourselves freely and completely to, someone that trusts us and that we can offer our trust to in return. We open up our hearts and let someone inside. In doing so, we find in this person all that we are and all that we are not. And it is in loving a person's flaws, not just their accomplishments that truly binds you to this person forever. Love allows you to see a person for who they really are, allows you to intertwine yourself within their deepest desires and darkest fears, finding their inner beauty and wrapping yourself warmly in its embrace. They become someone that you find solace in when you are weak, comfort when you are hurt, and laughter when you are sad. When you love, when you truly love someone unconditionally,

you find yourself.

           

Love is defined by Dictionary.com as "A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness." The definition goes on to say "A person who is the object of deep or intense affection or attraction; beloved. Often used as a term of endearment." But, does a definition truly do justice to the sentiment that we call love? Love is an all encompassing rush of emotions that washes over you, a feeling that completely consumes and devours your senses until you have completely lost yourself in the moment. When you are in love you feel like every sense is on fire. The feel of a cool summer breeze can feel like electricity flowing straight through you, yet at the same time lull you like a beautiful lullaby safe and warm. Colors become more vibrant, they radiate with untold possibilities and share moods that uplift the soul; as if each color was boldly telling a story that only you could hear. You find yourself staring into the face of oblivion and longing to tumble down the rabbit hole.

So do we really know what love is? Can we explain it's over whelming electric static of emotions or where it drifts off to when it fades? Is it quantifiable or tangible? Can we truly feel the subtle current of love on our skin on a hot summer day? The answer to all these questions is YES… and no. Love is everything and it is nothing. It can be found in all that we are, all that we seek to be, yet it is nothing more than an abstract idea. Love will not satisfy your hunger, yet it feeds you. Love will not fill your lungs with air, yet it brings you life. How profound a feeling such a small word can make

by crash

Creative Writing Oldies but Goodies!

I do enjoy trying my hand at creative writing from time to time as well as the fine arts. Here are 2 shorts I did a while back. Enjoy

*Some language not intended for children.

 ---------------------------------------------------


1) Super Powers

 

if i could have super powers...

                           I would want to FLY!

                                                                            invisible...
                                                      i wanna be invisible...
Frack'n Laser Beams!

"eff you" Super Powers!

                     U wanna know what Super Powers are?
Not getting FRIGG'N sun burned...ever
                                                                                       that is super.
Or better yet... waking up each day and loving the person that you see in the mirror and not just the reflection.
                           Maybe it's finding someone that you completely relate to and sharing a moment.

 or simply doing what is right everyday instead of what you want.

or maybe it's just not get'n sun burned.

whatever... stop wishing and be super.

by crash

-------------------------------------------------------

2) Sleep

SLEEP...

n.

1.  
1. A natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially lost, so that there is a decrease in bodily movement and responsiveness to external stimuli. During sleep the brain in humans and other mammals undergoes a characteristic cycle of brain-wave activity that includes intervals of dreaming.

...dreaming... pffft the lack of sleep makes me feel like I am dreaming with my eyes open or like the volume has been turned way down and i live in my own bubble. 1 day.. 2 days go by until my eyes burn like there is jalapeno pepper JUICE in my retinas and then I sleep for what feels like forever only to wake up and not know what damn 

day it is...

I love college.

by crash

Watercolor Sketch of Brittany S. Pierce, Not Britney Spears

Brittany S. Pierce of Glee

I'm having a bit of a personal art renaissance, so I'm going back to creating pieces I've always wanted to do, but was too busy or nervous to pursue my own personal style. As of late, I've been very inspired by such artists as Kei Acedera, Brittney Lee, and Liana Hee. 

One of the pieces is this watercolor sketch of Brittany S. Pierce from Glee. Not to be mistaken with Britney Spears, even though she's awesome. I really like the elongated body of the actress who plays Brittany, and I thought she looked great doing the Britney Spears dance numbers on Glee.

“Because my name is also Brittany “S-Pierce”. My middle name is Susan, last name is Pierce – that makes me Brittany S. Pierce. I’ve lived my whole life in Britney Spears’ shadow. I will never be as talented or as famous. I hope you all respect that I want glee club to remain a place where I, Brittany S. Pierce, can escape the torment of Britney Spears.”

Aimee Mullins-inspired Can-Can Dancer with Wooden Leg

I'd recently watched this video with Aimee Mullins on Ted Talks. It was such an inspiring video and I found a new hero in Aimee. I decided to do a piece with 2 of my favorite things: Can-can dancers and Aimee Mullins:

Handi-capable Dancer

Aimee is an amazing lady. I've never heard of anyone turning their handicap into life-altering inspiration! Talk about focusing on the positives, she's made herself into a beautiful piece of art. Here she is, the woman behind the fantasy:

Aimee Mullins in Black & White, Aimee in Half woman half cheetah makeup & costume

 Aimee Mullins you are my hero!

Pentakill Sona sketch from League of Legends (LoL)

"Pentakill Sona" League of Legends, fan art by Jane Reed

For those of you who are new to LoL, League of Legends is a PvP RTS game that was inspired by DOTA (Defense of the Ancients). What makes LoL so special is the large myriad of Champions that you can "summon" to fight for you. I mean really, there are like 857037421 characters to choose from. You're bound to find someone that matches your play style!

"Pentakill Sona" League of Legends, In-Game skin and 3D model

  

For me, that someone is Sona. She matches my defensive play style perfectly, making playtime with Hubby Crash much more fun & enjoyable for me. I wanted to do my take on the Pentakill Sona skin. I've always loved it but wanted to see how it would look with more motion and dynamic posing, and this is what it evolved to. I'm planning to finish this piece in watercolor.

This goes nicely together with an earlier piece which I refer to as  "Tribute to Gamer Girls." Yep, gamer girls are still pretty rare...but the overabundance of gamer boys do love us. Even if we do have a chip on our shoulder 'cause we can PWN you in a duel! You WoW girls know what I'm sayin'. I'm planning to finish this piece in vector format. Enjoy!

Digital-crash.com | creating high-end Professional graphics for iPhone, iPad, Web, and so much more.

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