Google Doodle Alexandre Dumas

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Two doodles this month by UK based artist Matt Cruickshank. Today's Doodle honors author Alexandre Dumans.

The doodle is a slide-show format with scenes from Dumas' classic novel, "The Count of Monte Cristo.”

Here's the bio on Dumas from the Google Doodle page. This link includes a brief Q and A with artist Cruickshank about the doodle.
https://www.google.com/doodles/celebrating-alexandre-dumas

"In honor of one of the most revered French authors of the 19th century, today’s Doodle slideshow celebrates Alexandre Dumas. Perhaps best known for swashbuckling adventure novels, Dumas produced a prolific body of work that continues to thrill readers around the world today. An abbreviated version of one of his most famous novels, “Le Comte de Monte Cristo” (“The Count of Monte Cristo,” 1844-’45), is included (spoiler-free!) in today’s Doodle artwork. On this day in 1884, the Parisian newspaper Les Journal des Débats (The Journal of Debates) published the first installment of the novel, which appeared serially in the publication through 1846.

Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was born in 1802 in Villers-Cotterêts, France. He later took the name Alexandre Dumas, assuming the surname of his paternal grandmother Marie-Césette Dumas who was a woman of African descent and a slave in Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti). As a child, Dumas was regaled with stories of his late father’s exploits as a general, elements of which later found their way into some of the writer’s most famous works. 

Dumas moved to Paris in 1822 and became an accomplished playwright before he hit upon monumental success with his action-packed serialized novels of the 1840s, including “Les Troi Mousquetaires” (“The Three Musketeers,” 1844). Today these works have made him one of the most popular French authors in the world, and his books have been translated into over 100 languages.

In the late 1980s, a long-lost Dumas novel was uncovered in Paris’ National Library of France. Titled “Le Chevalier de Sainte-Hermine” (“The Last Cavalier”), the book was finally published in 2005.

Merci, Alexandre Dumas, for all the excitement you’ve given to so many readers!"

Dumas own life was as dramatic as his many books.

 Discover more about Dumas in these links:
https://www.cambridgescholars.com/the-black-musketeer-14
https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/top-10-fun-facts-about-alexandre-dumas/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Dumas

learn more about previous Google Doodles and their artists featured here on the blog:
http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2014/05/google-doodle-mystery-artist-with-links.html

Lightbox Expo 2020 -- online registration now open

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If you were lucky enough to attend the inaugural Lightbox Expo (LBX) last year, you know what an extraordinary event that was.

We were all looking forward to Lightbox 2020 --- 

and we still can, because it will be online, September 11-13th.

https://lightboxexpo.com/

Just as the in-person Expo exceeded expectations last year, prepare to be amazed by the online version.

This 3-minute video gives you a preview of all the benefits at various registration levels. 

Perks include limited edition LBX merch 

https://lightbox-expo.myshopify.com/

like a Wendling t-shirt 

and a Mignola Tote bag.

You can sign-up for only $1 to access programming and the virtual Arists Alley!

I will be adding links to articles here:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lightbox-expo-creating-virtual-show-for-2020

http://fanboyfactor.com/2020/08/announcing-lightbox-expo-online-an-international-celebration-of-the-arts/

https://graphicpolicy.com/2020/08/24/lightbox-expo-heads-online-in-september/

Five posts here on the blog for Lightbox Expo 2019.

http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2019/09/lightbox-expo-2019.html

SIFT system and sites to fight misinformation (updated 10.20.20)

This post updated -- new info in BLUE. You can click on images to enlarge them.
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Always SIFT through online info. 
This is a Public Service Announcement post, and a bit of my personal philosophy.
Stop.
Investigate.
Fact check/find corroborating stories from credible sources.
Trace claims, quotes and media to its original context.

This link  

https://onezero.medium.com/the-simplest-way-to-spot-coronavirus-misinformation-on-social-media-4b7995448071

is where I first read about the SIFT system method coined by Washington State University digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield. 

Check before you post.
Is what you're sharing from a credible, original source?
Does it pass the fact-check test?
If not, investigate. Be curious. Be a critical consumer of online content

Share facts not fear.

 "How to Spot Fake News." chart from International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, World Library and Information Congress, 6 Mar. 2017, www.ifla.org/publications/node/11174. Infographic.

Social media sites thrive on impulsive sharing. 

Always SIFT first.

Stop.
Investigate.
Fact check/find corroborating stories from credible sources.
Trace claims,  quotes and media to its original context.

Mis-information is a world wide problem. This 10.28.20 clip from PBS Newshour explores why we are so susceptible to misinformation.

 The United Nations has been posting info graphics to raise awareness and fight the spread. The next 3 graphics are from the UN.

Don't be a misinformation "super spreader." 

Memes and unattributed quotes are designed to be easy to share. Fight the impulse to spread them. SIFT first to find the source. Try to trace back to give quotes attribution and context. Information attributed to random experts can and must be checked. 

If a photo or post gives you an emotional reaction.. and/or urges you to share it.. and/or comes from a source you don't know or recognize. STOP. 

 Emotionally charged posts from dubious sources are gateways to misinformation. Don't give them traction online. Be responsible, not reactionary.

Communication is essential. We must learn to listen and talk with each other, especially when we don't agree. Acknowledge emotions. Respect facts.

This clip from the Lincoln Project You Tube channel has some excellent tips on how to communicate with compassion.

Be the internet you want to see.

Post responsibly.

Engage in discussion, not division.

Insist on knowing it's fact before you share it.

Create beautiful content people can enjoy and rely on.

More tips on SIFTing here:

http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2020/04/covid-2-of-15-april-2020-sift-before.html

Here are links for some sources on fighting mis-information online:

https://mediaspecialistsguide.blogspot.com/2020/08/10-non-partisan-fact-checking-websites.html?m=

https://libguides.volstate.edu/evaluate/news?fbclid=

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/

https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news

https://www.politifact.com/

https://www.snopes.com/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-mishaps/201907/can-we-stop-the-spread-misinformation?fbclid=

Google Doodle Barbara Hepworth

 This Google Doodle celebrates UK sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth

Excerpt from the Google Doodle's page post.

Today’s animated Doodle celebrates the life and work of English abstract sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth, widely considered one of the mid-20th century’s most impactful sculptors. On this day in 1939, Hepworth arrived in St. Ives, a town on England’s southern coast, where she established her studio and lived for the remainder of her career. 

Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth was born on January 10th, 1903 in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, and by the age of 15, she knew she wanted to become a sculptor. She enrolled at the Leeds School of Art, where she began a mutually influential lifelong friendship with fellow sculptor Henry Moore, and then attended the Royal College of Art in London. While her early work incorporated classic elements, by the 1930s she had shifted to wholly abstract pieces, among the earliest such sculptures crafted in Britain. 

As depicted in today’s Doodle artwork, Hepworth was one of the leading practitioners of “direct carving,” a technique by which the sculpting process is influenced by the qualities of the raw materials, rather than a preconceived model. Her work is frequently marked by a sensitive, organic quality and a signature focus on the interplay between mass and empty space. 

Among her many accolades, Hepworth was awarded the Grand Prix at the 1959 São Paulo Bienal, and for her invaluable contribution to British art was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1965. Hepworth’s more than 600 sculptures remain a testament to the unique power of art to reflect the timeless values of humanism and natural beauty. 

Thank you, Dame Barbara Hepworth, for using your art to help carve a path toward greater harmony within our society and environment.

This link also includes a Q and A with doodle artist, UK based Matt Cruickshank.

https://www.google.com/doodles/celebrating-barbara-hepworth

Previous posts here on the blog about Google Doodles:

Juneteenth 2020

https://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2020/06/art-in-action-google-doodle-for.html

Hawaiian icon Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole

https://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2020/05/google-doodle-honors-late-hawaiian-icon.html

Google Doodle Mystery artists revealed (updated post from 2014, includes links to Google Doodle posts)

http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2014/05/google-doodle-mystery-artist-with-links.html

Masters of the Illustrated Film poster -- links to legacy artists

This post is a deeper look at this online panel from SDCC 2020.

(art by Drew Stuzan)

Masters of the Illustrated Film Poster
"The history of the illustrated movie poster can be tied into the history of art itself, the panelists have expressed that they have 'learned from the masters' and that 'we all stand on the shoulders of giants.' This year we welcome artist Paul Shipper (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) as host to the ASIFA Hollywood panel featuring artists Steve Chorney (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), James Goodridge (Deadpool, Alita Battle Angel), Greg Hildebrandt (Star Wars), Rory Kurtz (The Graduate, Baby Driver), Robert Rodriguez (The Jewel of the Nile, City Slickers II), Akiko Stehrenberger (Girl on Fire, The Last Black Man in San Francisco), William Stout (Wizards, Life of Brian), and Drew Struzan (Hook, Back to the Future)."

I featured this panel in a post last month because it highlights not only the artists on the panel -- but  insights into the artists who inspired them .http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2020/07/sdcc-2020-online-panels.html

Here are some more details and links from this panel...

At appx 25 mins into the panel you can hear icon artist Drew Struzan share his thoughts on life as an artist and how art connects us. Art as part of the human experience for a thousand years. Art is designed to communicate to human beings -- what is life all about: Beauty. Loving. Truth. Happiness. 

(art by Drew Struzan -- detail from 1984 trade paper ad for 20th Century Fox)

27 mins into the talk is a fun moment when Stuzan reveals a number of his originals at now for sale at a gallery in Texas. Watch some of his peers react to this news.

Here's a link for the gallery

https://galacticgallery.com/drew-struzan-art

 Another icon interviewed is Greg Hildebrant. (There's also a reference to a documentary about him and his brother, Tim.  More on this: https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/05/the-story-behind-one-of-star-wars-most-recognizable-posters/)

There's a lively exchange between Greg and Struzan at about 34 mins -- They name some of the artists who were influences and mentors

Artist William Stout agrees with a great quote about how "We all stand on the shoulders of giants" 

Here are just a few of the names these contemporary giants look back to:

Howard Pyle

NC Wyeth

Gustav Tenggren

Jessie Wilcox Smith

Dorothy Lathrop

How to the best artists get better? 

They keep learning. 

They don't look at all the other art that everyone else is looking at. 

They go out into the world. They go to museums and exhibitions. 

They look back into the artists who impacted past masters.

Want to learn more about artists like Pyle, Wyeth, Tenggren etc?

Check out the SNB website! Books about these sorts of artists and books featuring their art move quickly in and out of the inventory of reference books. 

https://stuartngbooks.com/americas-great-illustrators-en-2.html

Here are books on the individual artists that inspired the panelists:

Howard Pyle

https://stuartngbooks.com/history-and-romance-works-by-by-howard-pyle-from-the-brokaw-family-collection.html

NC Wyeth

https://stuartngbooks.com/visions-of-adventure-n.c.-wyeth-and-the-brandywine-artists.html

Gustaf Tenggren 

https://stuartngbooks.com/where-is-the-poky-little-puppy-a-little-golden-book.html

https://stuartngbooks.com/tenggren-juan-and-juanita.html

Jessie Wilcox Smith

https://stuartngbooks.com/smith-jessie-wilcox-jessie-wilcox-smith.html

Dorothy Lathrop

https://stuartngbooks.com/lathrop-a-little-boy-lost.html

And get ready for the grand opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Artists like these will be featured in the core collection. It will be amazing to see so many originals on display.

https://lucasmuseum.org/ (concept art for the museum, currently under construction at Exposition Park, across from USC, in Los Angeles)

SDCC 2020 -- online panels

UPDATED 7.29.20

A major benefit with SDCC @ home was online access to top tier panels. No more standing in lines! I sure hope the success of these online format panels will make more of these possible at cons in the future -- both online and in person.

Here are some panels I enjoyed seeing online and recommend.

Charlize Theron -- Evolution of a Badass
"Actress and producer Charlize Theron reflects on portraying over two decades of action heroes, from Æon Flux to The Old Guard's Andromache, Mad Max: Fury Road's Furiosa to Atomic Blonde's Lorraine Broughton. In a lengthy retrospective Q&A moderated by IGN's Terri Schwartz, Theron discusses the evolution of the modern female action hero, the roles that inspired her and what drives her to constantly push her limits with fight training."

Watch this inspiring interview to learn the connection Charlize felt between Furiosa and Ripley. Also learn now NOT to pitch a female action character to her.

Directors on Directing
"Robert Rodriguez (Alita: Battle Angel), Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World: Dominion), and Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) take part in a wide-ranging and in-depth discussion about the craft of directing and projects past, present, and future. Moderated by Collider's editor-in-chief Steven Weintraub."

Many advice gems in this panel. Tips on pitching; bringing diversity to casting; why you should cut your own trailer and how that makes act three of your story stronger; amazing story about table read for a version of a film that didn't happen, but still turned out great; and concludes with sharing "pinch me" career highlight moments that will make your day.

Masters of the Illustrated Film Poster
"The history of the illustrated movie poster can be tied into the history of art itself, the panelists have expressed that they have 'learned from the masters' and that 'we all stand on the shoulders of giants.' This year we welcome artist Paul Shipper (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) as host to the ASIFA Hollywood panel featuring artists Steve Chorney (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), James Goodridge (Deadpool, Alita Battle Angel), Greg Hildebrandt (Star Wars), Rory Kurtz (The Graduate, Baby Driver), Robert Rodriguez (The Jewel of the Nile, City Slickers II), Akiko Stehrenberger (Girl on Fire, The Last Black Man in San Francisco), William Stout (Wizards, Life of Brian), and Drew Struzan (Hook, Back to the Future)."

More Panel picks coming soon.

This 7.25.20 NY Times article discusses how several indie artists coped with no Artist Alley.
"Comic-Con Is Online, and So Is the Artist Alley"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/25/style/comic-con-online-artist-alley.html?referringSource=articleShare

SDCC 2020 -- Comic Con @ Home. SNB featured titles --- UPDATED 7.28.20

Comic Con 2020 is all online!

You can see highlighted offerings from SNB via this link to the SDCC online Exhibition Hall
https://n1a.goexposoftware.com/events/cch20/goExpo/floorPlan/viewFloorPlan.php
Type "stuart ng books" in the "company" tab... or click on Booth 5012 on the Exhibition Hall Map.

Be sure to click though the "Products" tab when you check out the online exhibitors. Often the most exclusive products can only be seen when you scroll through the tab! There are 19 items featured on the SNB link.

If you miss SDCC in person -- this 2015 "Comic Con -- The Musical" You Tube clip from Nerdist will remind you of some pros and cons...

Follow Stuart Ng Books on Facebook. This week, the SNB Facebook page highlights Stuart's Comic Con @ Home offerings.

Celebrating art by Wendling has been a staple at SNB since 2005, when Stuart made his first-ever trip to France to meet her when she was honored at the annual Angouleme festival. The Wendling zodiac postcard set
https://stuartngbooks.com/wendling-chinese-zodiac-12-postcard-set.html
and Wendling sketchbooks in this photo from the SNB Facebook page are all SNB publications.
https://stuartngbooks.com/iguana-bay-2.0-signed.html

SNB is the distribution source for unique titles like this imported Disney book about the film Bambi
https://stuartngbooks.com/bambi-with-exclusive-english-translation-booklet.html

And this first volume from the Hyperion Historical Society Alliance Mongograph Series "The Making of Walt Disney's Fun and Fancy Free"
https://stuartngbooks.com/the-making-of-walt-disneys-fun-and-fancy-free.html

 Below you can see an interior page from the Bambi book.

 This is a peek inside "Fun and Fancy Free."

Another peek at the covers of some popular titles you'll find on the SNB Website
https://stuartngbooks.com/the-art-of-dean-cornwell-en-5.html
https://stuartngbooks.com/malcolm-t.-liepke-a-retrospective.html
https://stuartngbooks.com/the-life-and-art-of-mead-schaeffer.html

"Art of Klaus" -- a scarce book that takes you behind the scenes of this beautiful 2D animated film.
https://stuartngbooks.com/klaus-the-art-of-the-movie.html

Here are some images from the SNB Facebook post for this book, featured for Comic Con @ Home.

Here's a primer on this year's Con from the SDCC organizers email newsletter.

For the first time in our 50-year history, we won’t be able to meet in person, but the news isn’t all bad because we WILL be able to meet virtually. We hope you’ll join us at www.comic-con.org for all the fun of Comic-Con at our first ever Comic-Con@Home, starting today, Wednesday July 22 at 9:00am PDT.   Whether you’ve been attending for years or haven’t been in a while, we hope you’ll join us and take in all that we have to offer. Here is just a sampling: YouTube will host over 350 of our panels and programs, and beginning at 7:00pm PDT on Friday, July 24, that’s where you’ll find the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. GoExpo by Community Brands will host the Online Exhibit Hall, with approximately 700 exhibitors offering a variety of cool fan-centric merchandise. Be sure to visit our Portfolio Review page on the Comic-Con@Home website! We’ll also have Gaming which will live on the Discord platform and feature a number of interactive gems, including Wyvern Gaming/Stargate and Legion M/Joe Manganiello’s DEATH SAVES. If you’re looking for a souvenir from Comic-Con@Home, be sure to visit the Merch store for the official Comic-Con T shirt (art provided by DC Comics) as well as lots of Comic-Con and Comic-Con Museum related merchandise. Amazon and Prime Video are official sponsors of Comic-Con@Home and will be treating fans to additional activities from a variety of Amazon-owned platforms through their Amazon Virtual-Con portal. Prime Video is also the official sponsor of the Comic-Con 2020 print-at-home badge, which will allow participants to print and wear their free badge as well as take part in many of the fun fan activities. Tumblr will serve as the platform for both the Comic-Con Art Show and the always popular Comic-Con Masquerade. The 46th annual Masquerade will open for viewing Friday, July 24, and winners will be announced on Saturday, July 25. For this year, the Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive will be a 26-day drive, starting Wednesday, July 22, and ending on Sunday, August 16. All blood collected on those dates will be credited to the Comic-Con Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive. Collaborator and sponsor IGN will stream roughly 34 Comic-Con@Home panels as well as produce extensive hosted shoulder content, hosted interviews and more, all in support of the online initiative. We welcome BLUEfin as a first-time sponsor for Comic-Con@Home. Films and Anime will live on the Scener Watch Party platform. Scener is a Chrome browser plug-in that will allow fans the ability to simultaneously watch and discus movies and anime. Funimation will also exclusively host all of the Anime watch parties including Black Clover and Fruits Basket. Don’t have a Funimation account? No problem, as Funimation is offering a six-week free account! Just use the code: CCHOME20. FX will unveil the digital experience FX UNLOCKED, where fans will engage with virtual activations for American Horror Story, What We Do in The Shadows, Cake and DAVE. FutureTechLive! returns for a fifth year to present the virtual “World Builders” activation, featuring content by a global community of creators. We’re also excited that joining in the fun is the Comic-Con Museum, which is offering a variety of activities and tutorials throughout the Comic-Con@Home weekend and beyond. Don’t forget to check out the online version of the 260-page Souvenir Book, which is available as a free, downloadable PDF. We hope you have as much fun at our virtual convention as we have had in putting it all together, and we look forward to seeing you next year, July 21-25, 2021!