Screen printing and new tees

I'm completely self taught when it comes to screen printing. I'm of the thought process that if you don't know how to do something you find out and give it a go, most of the time it ends up being much easier than you initially anticipated. Now, I say this because ever since I began screening tees I have avoided fine lines in my designs. This is because I tried one early on and it didn't work properly and I had a wobbly (I'm a brat too unfortunately). However this changed today. Minions demanded it and I hate to let my minions down so here is a new tee of the Recon Unit in their bunker trying to send out communications (see all the little lines in the timber? That used to be the stuff of nightmares to me). After 3 years of screening I have had success:

The reason for my joy and happiness. Look at the light coming through those lines (Obviously I don't get out much....)

All ready to get started

Yay!!!! The first print is always exciting (once again, I don't get out much...)

And the joy of screening, where there was one, there are now many.

These tees (all in grey marle) will be available at Salamanca Market and at designed;made this weekend.
Hurrah!

Terrain Training Tuesday: Move like a Commando (Part 1)

The Commando Role got me thinking about movement. What do you do before and after your triumphant Commando Role? Who knows how many stupid people are around? They must be avoided at all cost and the only way to do that is to learn how to move without being detected.

Time to break out the foliage and get dirty, you know you want to....

Your own and your unit's ability to move depends on your movement skills and those of your fellow minions. In this part we look at techniques to avoid being seen or heard by the ‘enemy’:

 Camouflage yourself and your equipment.
 Tape your jewellery and dog tags together and to the chain so they cannot slide or rattle. Tape or pad the parts of your weapon (should you be carrying one, who knows?!) and equipment that rattle or are so loose that they may snag (the tape or padding must not interfere with the operation of the weapon or equipment). Jump up and down and listen for rattles.
 Wear soft, well-fitting clothes.
 Do not carry unnecessary equipment. Move from covered position to revered position (taking no longer than 3 to 5 seconds between positions).
 Stop, look, and listen before moving.
 Look for covered and concealed routes on which to move.
 Change direction slightly from time to time when moving through tall grass.
 Stop, look, and listen when birds or animals are alarmed (the enemy may be nearby).
 Cross roads and trails at places that have the most cover and concealment (large culverts, low spots, curves, or bridges).
 Avoid steep slopes and places with loose dirt or stones.
 Avoid cleared, open areas and tops of hills and ridges.

Next week get ready to start crawling!

October Sketchbook

Better late then never I always say.... Current sketches are influenced by a vintage military book I found amongst my Nan and Pops stuff called Khaki and Green: Australian Troops at Home and overseas, which was written entirely by the Australian troops who were identified only with their military numbers. I will post some images of the war sketches soon as they are brilliant, meanwhile I have been sketching to try and capture some of the army candidly as with the Occupational Force map reading motorbike sketch. It's a start....

And Berserkers are always causing trouble....

Terrain Training Tuesday: How to do a Commando Roll

The Commando Roll, the ultimate cool move to pull when your out in the wilds. Luckily for me, it came pretty naturally. Others however have to train hard. So for all the little minions out there who want to know how to win admirers and influence people, here is a quick crash course in the Commando Roll.

Now to skilfully perform a commando roll, you begin by diving dramatically forward landing on one shoulder (this depends on which hand you would use normally e.g. If you are right handed you would use your right shoulder). Land on the back part of your shoulder, and deftly roll across your back diagonally (eg. right shoulder to left hip). When you have done that, assuming you are right handed, you should have rolled up with your left leg should be bent with your weight on that knee, and your right leg should not be bent. Pull a dynamic military pose and whala! Commando Roll completed!

A word of advice, make sure your head doesn’t touch the ground when you dive forward. This is bad, this is VERY bad. And it hurts too.

Also I couldn't find a picture or image of a commando roll so instead here's Arnie in a knife fight.

Ninjas and helicopters

T-shirts are never far from my mind. I do think about them quite a bit but I am still amazed at how I stick to the steady and true when I print them, like putting the prints in the middle of the tee. In the back of my head I know that it doesn't have to go there but it goes there all the same. Well, no more. If there is one thing HiiRagi dislikes, it's sticking to the everyday and banal so I am endevouring to push myself much more with my designs in the future ( I think we call it a New Years Resolution but I was never good sticking to timelines). In the meantime here is a new Ninja tee (available only in Black, of course):

I had planned to place it at the bottom of the tee but it just didn't look right (such is the way with the best laid plans). I like it though, the way that the fight flows down the shoulder. What do you think?
And for the conservatives who like to stick to the middle print, we have the Occupational Force in their little helicopter (you may remember this from the cards I have done):

Both tees are available from the Salamanca Stall but only the Ninja fight is currently available on line.

Keep drawing

keep drawing from studio shelter on Vimeo.

Terrain Training Tuesday: Driving a Tank (Part 3)

Here we go! Whack on your goggles and slip into your headgear because we are on the move! Now there are a few issues to consider being a tank driver, these are explored below and conclude our uber exciting tank driving escapade.

Step 9: Listen for tread buildup because the tank’s treads can become disabled with debris and we do not want that. When the tank ceases responding quickly to your steering and instrumental commands, you may have mud, sand or some other substance built up on your tracks, which may cause the treads to come off the wheels, leaving the tank powerless, which is dangerous during combat operations. This buildup is usually revealed by a cracking or a popping sound. You should drive your tank forward over level ground until the cracking and popping sound ends, indicating that the tracks have cleared themselves. Otherwise just keep this baby heading in the direction you want to go and hey presto! You're driving a tank, how cool is that?! Put your brakes on when you have arrived at your destination (duh!). You come to a stop by easing your foot down on the service brake located on the floor beneath your steering handle. Before exiting the tank, reapply the parking brake by pulling the black T-shaped handle to your right. you want the tank to stay right where you left it.

Step 10: Finally, an OH&S warning: be aware of potential problems. Put on protective head and body gear (as seen above looking seriously cool) before entering your tank. Tank interiors are designed with levers, knobs, and other protruding objects that can seriously injure tank operating personnel. Don’t attempt to board a tank or get inside a tank while it is moving, no matter how slowly it is in motion (unless you are sure you can make it for glory awaits the brave). Wear noise-canceling headphones to protect your hearing because tank engines are very loud. Run the exhaust fan for five to six minutes for every hour you are on board because you may need to replenish the tank’s oxygen supply. Tank interiors are often nauseating and claustrophobic for many tank drivers because they are usually fill with the awful orders emanating from their gigantic engines.

So, I'm sure we all feel much more confident waiting for the moment when a tank becomes available to us. Good luck my little minions!!!!

In the jungle one day....

This guy is so ready for action! You can see him in the flesh at Spacebar Gallery.

Terrain Training Tuesday: How to drive a tank (Part 2)

Ok, so we have made it into the Tank, I repeat we have made it into the Tank. Now all we need to do is figure out how to drive this thing.

Step 4: Recognise your tank’s measurements and instruments. Your driver’s master control panel sits to your right and instrument panel to your left, this is important to remember if necessary and you forget left and right (as I often do even though I know my left hand makes an L shape) do as bored office workers do and label them. The instrument panel features your fuel level indicator and other measurements while the control panel holds the switches and knobs necessary to turn on the tank’s engines, fans, and other systems. The control system and measurements are usually marked. Your gearshift should be located atop the steering handle in front of you.

They're not great images but you get the gist....

Step 5: Examine your fuel gauge system. Inspect your fuel gauge on the instrument panel to your left to determine if you have enough fuel to drive the tank and reach your destination. Tank fuel consumption is measured in gallons per mile. You will need 10 gallons just to start the engine and about two gallons per mile when you get going. You can travel about 300 miles on a full tank of fuel.

Step 6: Start your tank engine. Flick the silver ignition switch at the bottom left-centre of your control panel up to the on position. The engine will warm up for about four to five minutes. You can speed up the warming process by revving the engine, twisting back the throttle on the right steering grip like a motorcycle grip.

Step 7: Test your periscopes. The driver’s visual system consists of three periscopes that look like windshields. The two on either side of you allow you to view in front of the tank and to its left and right for about a 120-degree visual field. In between those two periscopes, you will find a central image-intensifying periscope, which looks straight ahead, for use in driving at night or in smoky or dusty situations.

Step 8: Release your parking brake. The parking brake control is to the right of your steering handle (see the image above). Pull on its black, T-shaped handle, twist and ease it downward to release it. Also, put the tank into gear. Pull the silver transmission selector knob above the steering handle and ease it into the D-drive section, second from the right. Begin driving your tank slowly because some tanks can accelerate from zero to 40 kilometers per hour in less than 10 seconds. Gently ease your throttle backwards to move ahead, slowly at first, twisting back further as you feel more comfortable when handling the tank at higher speeds. Also, steer your tank carefully. Guide your tank as you would a bicycle, snow-mobile, or motorcycle by rotating the steering handlebar to the left and right.

YAY!!!!! Next week we set off on our first tank adventure!!!!!!!

Terrain Training Tuesday: How to drive a Tank (Part 1)

I really love tanks. Nothing says I'm kings*#t like the tank. With this in mind and considering the continuous threat that stupidity brings to us in our lives I thought wouldn't it be great if all minions could drive a tank. Doesn't matter if you don't have one, just so when the time comes and you find one, just like MacGuyver, you will instinctively know what to do. HiiRagi minions are awesome like that.

See, once you know how it will be easy to just take the tank out for a Sunday arvo drive, what bliss....

Firstly a brief history of the excellent Tank.

Tanks are heavily armed combat vehicles that move on two continuous metal chains referred to as tracks. They are usually equipped with a cannon mounted in a revolving turret and automatic weapons as machine guns. During the First World War, crafty British engineers developed tanks to satisfy the need for armoured attack tracked vehicles that could cross the muddy, uneven, and dangerous terrain of the trench warfare battle zone. The first tanks participated in combat operations at the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

This is a random Japanese tank that no one really knows what was going on with it, awesome isn't it?!

In the Second World War, Germany's tank forces were the most effective in Europe because they were organized into fast-moving massed formations with great striking power. After the Second World War, tanks became larger and more heavily armoured. A few modern battle tanks weigh more than 60 tons and they are capable of road speeds of 60 to 70 km per hour. The modern battle tank’s standard main armament fires armour-piercing projectiles, laser range-finders, and infrared heat imaging devices designed to aid in sighting the enemy’s heat emissions. Driving a battle tank requires months of training before a soldier can be qualified to drive these modern weapon systems.

However HiiRagi minions are a clever bunch and I think that the following information on basic tank driving should be all you need, apart from actually finding a tank. Remember... it’s all about confidence.

Step 1: Begin by surveying your area. Assess your immediate surroundings before entering your tank because your field of vision becomes limited when you are inside. Understand that you will be part of a three or four person tank crew, but fear not, you are the driver. Remember to avoid obstacles, unstable ground, steep slopes, and banks until you are more experienced because these objects may cause your tank to turn over and I don’t like the idea of trying to turn it back over either.

Step 2: Enter your tank by using the step on the left front of your tank to climb onto the front of your tank. Find your driver’s escape hatch, which should be below the Tank turret. Raise and swing the hatch to the side before locking it in the open position. Climb inside your tank, lock the hatch and feel the power. Remember how to unlock the hatch quickly because if your tank is penetrated by a projectile or missile weapon system, you need to leave quickly if you survive the hit. Not that this will happen, but just in case someone stupid gets their hands on a heat seeking missile. Weirder things have happened...

Step 3: Take a seat. The driver’s seat is located in the centre of the interior tank space and it is tilted backwards as a dentist’s chair because of the driving area’s low ceiling. Change the height and the angle of your seat until you become comfortable where you can see through the periscopes in front of your seat and you can reach the controls easily. So many controls....

Now that we've settled in, take a break because next week we fire this baby up. Hurrah!