PEEP HUNT

So, I apparently forgot about my blog. Life happens. It has a tendency to do that to me. Make me forget things that I once considered super important.

Heh, anyways... a good friend of mine is holding her 2nd Annual Peep Diorama Contest (Theme this year is VIDEO GAMES!) and I want to participate, but I don't really want to spam her Facebook page with a bunch of pictures. Therefore, I will be linking my entry to here from the Facebook fan page of JRose's Cheeseblarg. :) Also, I am super-doubly excited because the judges for this years contest are none other than the members of  Dr Pants, whom are ridiculously talented and funny. Check them out!

So, to recap, Video Games & Peeps in a Diorama... Well, After about a week of deliberation on what video game to pick (many had already been done, and way better than I could have managed anyways), I decided I definitely wanted to do something 8-bit (think "Original" Nintendo...Super Mario Brothers, Zelda, you get the picture). I gleefully stole the suggestion of doing Duck Hunt (circa 1984) from a VIP who shall go unnamed (but it was very much appreciated) because, I mean come on... Who doesn't love Duck Hunt?

 And so began the epic journey of researching this majestic 8-bit game in all it's glory...

 Ok, That dog... It's all coming back to me now. I remember REALLY hating that stupid dog, and wanting to shoot HIM instead of the ducks for mercilessly laughing at me for missing (even when I'd crawl up to the tv screen and press the gun up to the glass...STILL missing, grrrr!!). So, definitely needed to include that jerk in the diorama for sure... Here's a preliminary 8-bit drawing of Mr. Jerk Dog in progress...

Just look at that smug sense of satisfaction on his face. He KNOWS you're going to miss, it's just a matter of time before he gets to laugh at you.

And here he is transferred to some thicker paper, getting water-colored for your enjoyment. And let me just tell you, it was a sad day when I discovered my markers were all dried out and I thought "Pffft, I can just use watercolor! It'll be no big deal! And it'll give him a more ~edgy~ artistic level!"

I wish I could go back and smack myself in the back of the head for foolishly believing that. It's almost as if the smug dog was silently laughing at me as I shakily attempted to watercolor in square after square of his jerkface body. Look at him laying there, laughing...judging. : sigh :

Fast forward!!! (Because I suck at consistently taking progress shots)

This is a progress shot from like, 3 weeks ago.. And I know you are probably thinking to yourself "Hell, she's done, why did she wait till now to post about it?" Well, a lot of things happened right after taking this photo: Easter, Obsessive Cleaning Spree (they happen, I can't explain it), Migraines (wish those didn't happen), and a small addiction to Pottermore.com (don't judge me!) (ahem QueenHex31600 if you want to add me).

It was at this time yesterday, getting in from work, that my "partner in crime" reminded me that the Peep Diorama deadline was on Sunday (tomorrow). Well, Shit. So, cue me frantically pasting my lovingly crafted watercolor 8-bit video game to the wall outside and screaming at him to "HOLD THE PEEP STICK HIGHER! GET YOUR SHADOW OUT OF THE WAY! OMG, WHY IS THE PEEP SO DERPY?!?" That's my panic mode, I get mean. Sorry, blame the dog for conditioning me into a very vengeful, angry child. So here is my final submission in all it's glory...

I would like to note that I understand I am taking a bit of artistic license with the term "Diorama." But, to be fair, it's an 8-bit video game, so I think concessions can be made, yes? Also, I did some post editing to remove the stick jammed up the peeps rump and a bit of shadows left behind from my cohort. Other than that, the juxtaposition of the peeps on top of the water-colored sky is understandably bizarre. I also realize that the dog is super over sized in comparison to his surroundings. I just hate him that much, I decided he deserved a bigger feature in my artwork. If you made it this far, Congratulations! You got a perfect score! ;)

Also, a big thanks to JRose of da Cheeseblarg  for hosting her 2nd Annual Peeps Diorama Contest. JRose is a lovely lady who always makes amazing artwork and whom I feel privileged to call my friend (and I can suck up, because she isn't judging this contest, mwuahaha). If you haven't read the joys of her blarg, you are seriously missing out.