#its so hard to get it with the official renders because of the filter

[epicwingman]

Withered Roses: Steven Rudboys

Steven Rudboys is a talented pilot who works in the U.S. military and a main/secondary character in How to Bake a Loaf of Bread. When he isn't showing off to his friends, he's drinking too much alcohol for his own good or spending some time with his father. Nacha moving in doesn't affect Steven at all, but him and Walter don't exactly get along.

Steven is probably one of the better written characters overall. He doesn't really do much in the first book, just drinks, fights and has an ego that can be seen from miles away, but the next 3 books will focus on him more and I've just loved writing and developing his character!

Nacho is releasing little sneak peeks constantly! I love the fact that it's getting a Steam release honestly. I also can't wait to see what this whole character creator thing is that Nacho has planned! I don't have any main OCs for TNMN (there's 3 for Withered Roses but I don't have specific designs for these characters... they're just all sort of there) but it'll be cool to play around with this!

[clowndotgay]

if you dont mind me asking, how do you do the card renders?

so i'm not 100% sure how to answer this because its kinda vague - i'm not sure if you're asking about the card (image editing) part or the rendering process! if you want to know about the process of getting the characters and areas into blender, i've written a few posts about that already - they're under the "toontown models" tag on my blog, so they shouldn't be too difficult to find. RAMBLING ABOUT IMAGE EDITING BELOW THE CUT EXCLAMATION MARK EMOJI! THIS ISN'T A TUTORIAL IT'S JUST ME TALKING!!!! (only slightly related, but i'm putting it above the cut so more people might see it - i wrote some mock pokemon cards for managers a bit ago but i don't want to make them full images, would anyone be interested in me just posting those as text?)

the actual image editing part i do in photoshop! it's kind of a bad program but my usual art program dies when i try to do what i do for cards because it kinda struggles with text. i've started doing the text in-render for the cards recently, though, because it's kind of a blast?

it's probably obvious to anyone who's looked at them hard before, but my mock cards use the Series 1 Cog cards as a base (the official Disney ones)

they've just got a sort of weirdly unhinged vibe to them, they're so far off of the cogs representation in-game and kinda gives a look at (imo) how the cogs were originally imagined, as I feel that some of the card art is closer to original concept art (or probably is concept art) than it is close to in-game character appearances. man, Cold Callers card doesn't even look like the same guy! he's lanky here!

and i mean, kinda obvious, but i can't get the same level of craziness these cards are on with renders, but i can try. so i do! it's fun!

i don't know if anyone has really noticed it, but for the last handful of cards i've been opting for colouring the border of the card dependent on the department of the cog. green for cashbot, pink for sellbot, etc. here's a test i did of it a couple weeks back when i was playing around with the idea in my head (the renders were randomly chosen):

(the boardbot colour is kinda subtle - but that's just how it is in-game, exe bd skelecogs are super close to exe lb skelecogs, but maybe that's just my eyes)

the actual "process" of putting the card together once i've done the render is kinda just plopping the render into the .psd and telling photoshop what department the cog is (for the border colour) & then i'm done. the file is super simple, it's just a series 1 card but i edited everything out other than the border, bunch of layers connected to the border that give it the department colours, layer of a kinda-crappy filter i slap on to try and give it the same "feel" the card scans have, layer for the text (optional now that i do it in-render), layer with the render.

there's some extra fun stuff i try and do with effects in the renders, but i'm kinda new to messing around with blender stuff like that, so i try and hold it to a minimum. as an example, the CFO render is kinda hue-shifted so i could get the colours closer to what i was basing the lighting of the render off of! to use a better example of silly effects i used for a card, i'm gonna talk about this high roller card:

dude this thing took forever because i wanted to do Everything in-render (would've taken way less time if i wasn't stubborn). it's a bunch of layers and gradients and shine. i'm kind of tipping my hand here, but there's straight up just a blindingly bright cube in their hands that's making the shine, and then i kinda just. told blender to add a lens flare. and it did. i had to simulate rain for that one misty render and that was a time. y'know. i actually have to finish up a commission where there's blinding light emitting from something and it's really really good and probably one of the best renders i have done and it is 99% thanks to the commissioner because the ask is So Good.

anyways that's kind of all i wanted to say. i hope this answered your question? maybe? was your question just "what do you make them in?" if so, it's blender and photoshop. sorry for making you read a text wall instead. at the risk of sounding too silly, i really like speaking about the things that i do, but i feel weird talking about them unprompted? so i took this as being prompted and talked.

[thebibliosphere]

I don't want to stress you out so feel free to just delete my message if this is a topic you're avoiding! I was wondering how you're handling all the panic around coronavirus. I'm immunocompramised and even 'the common cold' will knock me on my ass for weeks and the only reassurance I'm hearing is that it doesn't kill healthy people. I'm trying to reassure myself that people are more likely to wash their hands& the like during the outbreak, but I was hoping you might share some thoughts?

Immunocompromised solidarity fist bump. I too am only just now getting back on my feet after the cold I caught two weeks ago, and I do mean back on my feet in a very literal sense. That shit knocked me six ways from Sunday and now suddenly people are telling me it’s March. Amazing.

That said, when it comes to coronavirus, I’m treating it like every flu season. Which is to say, the usual annual fear and preparedness that comes from being immunocompromised and surrounded by privileged, healthy people who don’t seem to understand the importance of handwashing and covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze all of the time, not just when we’re facing a possible global pandemic.

What I am having to factor in now, however, is other people’s panic, and the fact that healthy and able-bodied people are buying up medical supplies that disabled and chronically ill people need to use, sometimes on a daily basis, despite the fact that things like paper face masks really won’t protect them from something like the COVID-19 virus, not least of all because they don’t know how to use them, and don’t know how to take them on and off without the risk of contamination. Same with vogmaks. Vogmasks should never be used to prevent the spread of illness, firstly because their filter doesn’t work that way (it’s not small or well fitted enough) and secondly because as a reusable mask, it’s a high risk of contamination every time you put it on, especially given that vogmask comes with a fitted filter, and washing the mask renders the filter into mulch. So using a vogmask in a contagion type situation is highly not recommended, and if one has to be used, it should be discarded immediately afterward. This hasn’t stopped people from panic buying them in droves, however, and as of March 2nd 2020 the official store is still out of stock, meaning that people like myself who need them to go outside due to pollen and air pollutant risks aren’t able to get our hands on them. Heck, we can’t even get our hands on regular paper masks, and the ones that are available are selling on Amazon for $200 a pop and are not properly made and are not certified medical grade. Fuck, even my SIL’s hospital where she works is running out of masks, all because people are panic buying.

Which sure was the long way round of me saying, I’m more pissed than worried.

Oh sure I’m worried, but no more so than I am for usual cold and flu season because every year is a potential risk to my health and longevity of life. And while I think some worry is healthy and entirely understandable, I also think it’s important not to let it escalate to full-blown “gargling with bleach” panic, which yes, is apparently a thing people are asking google if you should do. Cause, y’know, can’t catch coronavirus if you’re dead...

Being alert and aware is good, being prepared is good, and sure, it’s probably a good idea to make sure you’ve got some extra meals in the freezer and an extra package of two of toilet paper in the house just in case all of humanity grinds to a halt for a few weeks. (also stock up on any meds you might need) But I’m also not lying awake at night worried about it. I’m far too busy lying awake at night worried about my own body and the things it’s capable of all on its own. So yeah, am I more at risk from something like COVID-19? Yes. Am I worried about it? Yes. Do I find it completely callous, ableist and utterly monstrous to hear able-bodied and healthy people saying things like “don’t worry, it’s only going to kill the weak”, abso-fucking-lutely. I’m legit one more comment like that away from drowning a motherfucker. 

But I’m also trying very hard not to let panic and fear rule my life. Which is basically how I’ve been living for the last 5 years anyway if I’m honest. It’s so very, very easy at the moment to look around and be consumed by terror, and if I’m honest, it happens to me at least ten times a day before I’m able to reel it back in and do what I can about it. Which in this instance, is taking care of myself, and taking a few extra precautions here and there to avoid potential sickness.

So yeah, I don’t know if any of this is reassuring, cause honestly, I’m not sure how to reassure myself sometimes. But I also acknowledge that anxiety and stress take a toll on my immune system, and I need to do what I can to stay calm and not weaken an already fragile vessel any further. So I’m taking my meds, I’m practicing good hygiene habits, I’m avoiding people where possible, and generally just trying to live my life as safely and as best I can in a world where people cite the death of people like me as an acceptable statistic provided they make it out all right. Sad, pissed, and resolved to outlive every one of the motherfuckers if it’s the last thing I do.  

Take care of yourself. I know you will, but take extra care of yourself. Be kinder than usual, allow yourself to rest more, stock up on your meds if you can, get some extra food in the freezer so you don’t have to expend energy going grocery shopping. And toilet paper. Trust me, you never want to run out of toilet paper while in self-imposed quarantine. 

[loadthree979]

Daniel Craig Clue Movie

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List Of Daniel Craig Movies

Daniel Craig Film Clue

Knives Out—In theaters November 27, 2019. Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Sta. This crossword clue Notting Hill Actor Who Plays Daniel Cleaver In The Romantic Comedy Movie Bridget Jones's Diary: 2 Wds. Was discovered last seen in the June 18 2020 at the Daily Themed Crossword. The crossword clue possible answer is available in 9 letters. This answers first letter of which starts with H and can be found at the end of T. Clue (1985) is one of my favorite comedies ever as it is a quick 96 minutes of non-stop hilarity. Director Jonathan Lynn makes long sweeping shots of the gorgeous mansion set look as lovely as his quick cuts to each character. His fast paced direction makes Clue a breeze to watch and revisit time and again. The reason you are here is because you are looking for the Fictional spy portrayed by Daniel Craig crossword clue answers and solutions which was last seen today August 21 2018, at the popular Daily Themed Crossword puzzle. Clue: Fictional spy portrayed by Daniel Craig Possible Solution: BOND Already found the solution for Fictional spy Read more →.

The reason you are here is because you are looking for the to Die upcoming spy film starring Daniel Craig which is the 25th installment in the James Bond series: 2 wds. Crossword clue answers and solutions which was last seen today January 2 2020, at the popular Daily Themed Crossword puzzle.

No Time to Die

2020

UK

2h 43min

Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Jeffrey Wright, Ana de Armas, Dali Benssalah, David Dencik, Lashana Lynch, Billy Magnussen

UK release: 2 April 2021

The 25th James Bond film is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and sees Daniel Craig in the lead for one last time.

Knives Out

2019

US

2h 10min

12A

Directed by: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Christopher Plummer

UK release: 27 November 2019

When mystery writer Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) is found with his throat slit, puffed-up private detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) gets on the case. A wickedly knowing, flamboyantly bitchy take on the whodunnit, with a great cast, bags of style and a splendidly outrageous comic turn from Craig. Bloody good fun.

Logan Lucky

2017

US

1h 59min

12A

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Daniel Craig

UK release: 25 August 2017

Jimmy (Tatum), his brother Clyde (Driver) and sister Mellie (Keough) enlist the help of redneck jailbird and explosives expert Joe Bang (Craig) to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Soderbergh’s latest comedy heist movie is perhaps his best, with a great cast, a satisfying plot and witty dialogue.

Kings

2017

UK

1h 26min

Directed by: Deniz Gamze Ergüven

Cast: Halle Berry, Daniel Craig, Lamar Johnson

Following the life of a foster family in LA amidst the riots that followed the Rodney King trial verdict.

Spectre

2015

UK

2h 28min

12A

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Andrew Scott, Dave Bautista, Stephanie Sigman

UK release: 26 October 2015

James Bond (Craig) comes up against a global crime syndicate, while back at home, the 00 programme is under threat from reckless moderniser C (Scott). With its swagger, dry humour and frequent, well-executed action it's a solid crowdpleaser, but the story is predictable, the characterisation is thin and overall it lacks…

Skyfall

2012

UK

2h 25min

12A

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Written by: John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade

Cast: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe

UK release: 26 October 2012

When cyber-terrorists steal an MI6 hard drive, 007 is ordered to recover it. After the let-down of Quantum of Solace, the 23rd official Bond movie is a belter; the script is smart, Craig is better than ever, and Bardem is a thrilling villain. 50 years on from Dr No, it's a well-wrapped birthday present.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011

US / Sweden / UK / Germany

2h 37min

18

Directed by: David Fincher

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Steven Berkoff, Robin Wright, Yorick van Wageningen, Joely Richardson

UK release: 26 December 2011

An investigative journalist (Craig) forms an uneasy alliance with a computer hacker (Mara) in an attempt to solve a disappearance. Th400 transbrake kit. Fincher amps up the dark poetry and Mara exudes a barely suppressed rage in every scene, elevating a populist novel into a compelling (if overlong) drama of bleakness and corruption.

Dream House

2011

US

1h 31min

15

Directed by: Jim Sheridan

Written by: David Loucka

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Marton Csokas

UK release: 25 November 2011

Publisher Will (Craig) relocates to the suburbs with his wife (Weisz) and daughters, but when their house turns out to be the scene of a massacre, the domestic dream turns sour. Best remembered as the movie that saw Craig and Weisz get together, because their chemistry can't save the clunky script and inert direction.

The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn

2011

US / New Zealand

1h 47min

PG

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig

After buying a replica model ship at a flea market, Tintin (Bell) is embroiled in a world of subterfuge. Not since Indy's third outing has Spielberg felt so fresh and unshackled; it feels like a hark back to the heyday of 1980s adventure cinema.

Cowboys and Aliens

2011

US

12A

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Cast: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde

Drunk and trouble maker Jake (Craig) is broken out of jail and forced to help grumpy old Arizona lawman Percy (Ford) when aliens start to attack. Dull, humourless and over written sci fi western from Iron Man director Favreau.

One Life

2011

UK

U

Directed by: Michael Gunton, Martha Holmes

Written by: Michael Gunton, Martha Holmes

Cast: Daniel Craig (voice)

Documentary for kids featuring stunning footage of animals in the wild and narrated by Daniel Craig.

Defiance

2009

US

2h 16min

15

Directed by: Edward Zwick

Written by: Edward Zwick, Clayton Frohman

Cast: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, George MacKay

Remarkable true story of the Bielski brothers, three real-life heroes who, against all odds, preserve a community of Jews who escape Poland for the forests of Belarus during WWII. Allied with the Russian resistance, the community thrives unexpectedly, leaving leader Tuvia Bielski (Craig) with heavy responsibilities.

Flashbacks of a Fool

2008

UK

1h 53min

15

Directed by: Baillie Walsh

Written by: Baillie Walsh

Cast: Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Claire Forlani, Felicity Jones, Eve, Emilia Fox, Jodhi May, Miriam Karlin

Set in present-day California and an English seaside resort circa 1972, Joe Scott (Craig between Bond outings), is a washed up Hollywood star who recalls a traumatic teenage experience that leads to professional success and personal self-destruction. Good supporting performances and rather pedestrian flashbacks make for…

Quantum of Solace

2008

UK / US

1h 45min

12A

Directed by: Marc Forster

Written by: Ian Fleming, Michael G Wilson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Gemma Arterton, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini

'Quantum of Solace' starts with a trademark action sequence involving cars burning rubber around narrow roads and then proceeds to jump from one thrill to another, while moving through locations like pages in a travel brochure. A major plus is Amalric's turn as the villain Dominic Greene, head of an organisation which…

The Golden Compass

2007

US / UK

1h 45min

12A

Directed by: Chris Weitz

Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Freddie Highmore, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Jim Carter, Tom Courtenay, Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, Ben Walker

Based on the novel by Phillip Pullman, this fantasy adventure follows Lyra (Richards), who has been entrusted with the last remaining 'alethiometer', or golden compass, which she must keep from the power-crazed Magisterium. The world Weitz has created is beautifully designed and fascinating, but choppily structured and…

The Invasion

2007

US

1h 39min

15

Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel, James McTeigue

Written by: Dave Kajganich, Wachowski brothers

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jackson Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Veronica Cartwright

Another reworking of classic 1950s thriller 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. A mysterious epidemic is sweeping the world, and when a DC psychiatrist (Kidman) discovers its extraterrestrial origin, she and her colleague (Craig) must work together to find a cure before they become its next victims. A waste of celluloid.

Infamous

2006

US

1h 58min

15

Directed by: Douglas McGrath

Written by: Douglas McGrath, Book:, George Plimpton

Cast: Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock, Lee Pace, Daniel Craig, Jeff Daniels, Peter Bogdanovich

A more flamboyant and light-hearted biopic of Truman Capote than Bennett Miller's 2005 film 'Capote'. Jones is great in the lead as the eccentric writer but a weak supporting cast renders this the lesser of the two.

Casino Royale

2006

US / UK / Czech Republic

2h 24min

12A

Directed by: Martin Campbell

Written by: Ian Fleming

Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench

The prequel to the other Bond films time warps back to the enduring action hero becoming a 00 licensed to kill. The latest Bond (Craig) proves to be a strong leading man, but the film is let down by trying to do too much. With a weak villain and Bond girl to boot, it doesn't really feel like a Bond film at all.

Renaissance

2006

France / UK / Luxemburg

1h 45min

15

Directed by: Christian Volckman

Cast: Daniel Craig, Romola Garai, Jonathan Pryce

Impressive looking 3D futuristic thriller with a black and white render which never quite gets going. Paris 2054. Ilona Tassueiv (Garai), a young and brilliant researcher is violently kidnapped. Avalon, a giant multinational corporation and her employer, wants her found. Dellenbach (Pryce), Avalon's CEO, has requested…

Enduring Love

2004

UK

1h 40min

15

Directed by: Roger Michellv

Cast: Rhys Ifans, Daniel Craig, Samantha Morton

Based on Ian McEwan's bestseller, a man's worldview is bruised when his attempt to save a boy from a hot air balloon accident goes wrong.

Part 2: How to access iMessage on Chromebook 1. The app Chrome Remote Desktop must be downloaded from chrome web store on your Mac or Win computers. The downloading and installation will be quickly completed on the computers. Imessage on chromebook. Chrome Remote Desktop allows access to another computer's apps and files securely via the Chrome browser or Chrome book. So connect the two computers through the security code and enjoy the iMessage on your Windows PC. 2 Jailbreak your iPhone. There is one more method through which you can get iMessage for windows.

Layer Cake

2004

UK

1h 45min

15

Directed by: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Daniel Craig, Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon

Daniel Craig Clue Movie Poster

A cocaine dealer works his way through two tough assignments from his boss on the day before his retirement.

The Mother

2003

1h 30min

Directed by: Roger Michell

Written by: Hanif Kureishi

Cast: Anne Reid, Daniel Craig, Cathryn Bradshaw

A recently widowed grandmother embarks on an affair with a man half her age, who is also sleeping with her daughter.

Sylvia

2003

UK

1h 40min

15

Directed by: Christine Jeffs

Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Daniel Craig, Lucy Davenport

A biopic of the relationship and fatal attraction between poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes.

Road to Perdition

2002

US

1h 57min

15

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Cast: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Daniel Craig, Tyler Hoechlin

A Depression era gangster picture with solid American family values. It may also, like Mendes' absurdly overrated Oscar-winner 'American Beauty', fool cinema-goers into confusing its moody self-importance for profound insight. For here are Big Stars, Big Themes (Fathers and Sons, Loyalty and Betrayal, Sin and Salvation…

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No Time to Die

2020

UK

2h 43min

Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Jeffrey Wright, Ana de Armas, Dali Benssalah, David Dencik, Lashana Lynch, Billy Magnussen

UK release: 2 April 2021

The 25th James Bond film is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and sees Daniel Craig in the lead for one last time.

Knives Out

2019

US

2h 10min

12A

Directed by: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Christopher Plummer

UK release: 27 November 2019

When mystery writer Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) is found with his throat slit, puffed-up private detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) gets on the case. A wickedly knowing, flamboyantly bitchy take on the whodunnit, with a great cast, bags of style and a splendidly outrageous comic turn from Craig. Bloody good fun.

Logan Lucky

2017

US

1h 59min

12A

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Daniel Craig

UK release: 25 August 2017

Jimmy (Tatum), his brother Clyde (Driver) and sister Mellie (Keough) enlist the help of redneck jailbird and explosives expert Joe Bang (Craig) to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Soderbergh’s latest comedy heist movie is perhaps his best, with a great cast, a satisfying plot and witty dialogue.

Kings

2017

UK

1h 26min

Directed by: Deniz Gamze Ergüven

Cast: Halle Berry, Daniel Craig, Lamar Johnson

Citrix workspace silent install. Following the life of a foster family in LA amidst the riots that followed the Rodney King trial verdict.

Spectre

2015

UK

2h 28min

12A

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Andrew Scott, Dave Bautista, Stephanie Sigman

UK release: 26 October 2015

List Of Daniel Craig Movies

James Bond (Craig) comes up against a global crime syndicate, while back at home, the 00 programme is under threat from reckless moderniser C (Scott). With its swagger, dry humour and frequent, well-executed action it's a solid crowdpleaser, but the story is predictable, the characterisation is thin and overall it lacks…

Skyfall

2012

UK

2h 25min

12A

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Written by: John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade

Cast: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe

UK release: 26 October 2012

When cyber-terrorists steal an MI6 hard drive, 007 is ordered to recover it. After the let-down of Quantum of Solace, the 23rd official Bond movie is a belter; the script is smart, Craig is better than ever, and Bardem is a thrilling villain. 50 years on from Dr No, it's a well-wrapped birthday present.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011

US / Sweden / UK / Germany

2h 37min

18

Directed by: David Fincher

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Steven Berkoff, Robin Wright, Yorick van Wageningen, Joely Richardson

UK release: 26 December 2011

An investigative journalist (Craig) forms an uneasy alliance with a computer hacker (Mara) in an attempt to solve a disappearance. Fincher amps up the dark poetry and Mara exudes a barely suppressed rage in every scene, elevating a populist novel into a compelling (if overlong) drama of bleakness and corruption.

Dream House

2011

US

1h 31min

15

Directed by: Jim Sheridan

Written by: David Loucka

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Marton Csokas

UK release: 25 November 2011

Publisher Will (Craig) relocates to the suburbs with his wife (Weisz) and daughters, but when their house turns out to be the scene of a massacre, the domestic dream turns sour. Best remembered as the movie that saw Craig and Weisz get together, because their chemistry can't save the clunky script and inert direction.

The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn

2011

US / New Zealand

1h 47min

PG

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig

After buying a replica model ship at a flea market, Tintin (Bell) is embroiled in a world of subterfuge. Not since Indy's third outing has Spielberg felt so fresh and unshackled; it feels like a hark back to the heyday of 1980s adventure cinema.

Cowboys and Aliens

2011

US

12A

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Cast: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde

Drunk and trouble maker Jake (Craig) is broken out of jail and forced to help grumpy old Arizona lawman Percy (Ford) when aliens start to attack. Dull, humourless and over written sci fi western from Iron Man director Favreau.

One Life

2011

UK

U

Directed by: Michael Gunton, Martha Holmes

Written by: Michael Gunton, Martha Holmes

Cast: Daniel Craig (voice)

Documentary for kids featuring stunning footage of animals in the wild and narrated by Daniel Craig.

Defiance

2009

US

2h 16min

15

Directed by: Edward Zwick

Written by: Edward Zwick, Clayton Frohman

Cast: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, George MacKay

Remarkable true story of the Bielski brothers, three real-life heroes who, against all odds, preserve a community of Jews who escape Poland for the forests of Belarus during WWII. Allied with the Russian resistance, the community thrives unexpectedly, leaving leader Tuvia Bielski (Craig) with heavy responsibilities.

Flashbacks of a Fool

2008

UK

1h 53min

15

Directed by: Baillie Walsh

Written by: Baillie Walsh

Cast: Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Claire Forlani, Felicity Jones, Eve, Emilia Fox, Jodhi May, Miriam Karlin

Set in present-day California and an English seaside resort circa 1972, Joe Scott (Craig between Bond outings), is a washed up Hollywood star who recalls a traumatic teenage experience that leads to professional success and personal self-destruction. Good supporting performances and rather pedestrian flashbacks make for…

Quantum of Solace

2008

UK / US

1h 45min

12A

Directed by: Marc Forster

Written by: Ian Fleming, Michael G Wilson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Gemma Arterton, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini

'Quantum of Solace' starts with a trademark action sequence involving cars burning rubber around narrow roads and then proceeds to jump from one thrill to another, while moving through locations like pages in a travel brochure. A major plus is Amalric's turn as the villain Dominic Greene, head of an organisation which…

The Golden Compass

2007

US / UK

1h 45min

12A

Directed by: Chris Weitz

Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Freddie Highmore, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Jim Carter, Tom Courtenay, Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, Ben Walker

Based on the novel by Phillip Pullman, this fantasy adventure follows Lyra (Richards), who has been entrusted with the last remaining 'alethiometer', or golden compass, which she must keep from the power-crazed Magisterium. The world Weitz has created is beautifully designed and fascinating, but choppily structured and…

The Invasion

2007

US

1h 39min

15

Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel, James McTeigue

Written by: Dave Kajganich, Wachowski brothers

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jackson Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Veronica Cartwright

Another reworking of classic 1950s thriller 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. A mysterious epidemic is sweeping the world, and when a DC psychiatrist (Kidman) discovers its extraterrestrial origin, she and her colleague (Craig) must work together to find a cure before they become its next victims. A waste of celluloid.

Infamous

2006

US

1h 58min

15

Directed by: Douglas McGrath

Written by: Douglas McGrath, Book:, George Plimpton

Cast: Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock, Lee Pace, Daniel Craig, Jeff Daniels, Peter Bogdanovich

A more flamboyant and light-hearted biopic of Truman Capote than Bennett Miller's 2005 film 'Capote'. Jones is great in the lead as the eccentric writer but a weak supporting cast renders this the lesser of the two.

Casino Royale

2006

US / UK / Czech Republic

2h 24min

12A

Directed by: Martin Campbell

Written by: Ian Fleming

Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench

The prequel to the other Bond films time warps back to the enduring action hero becoming a 00 licensed to kill. The latest Bond (Craig) proves to be a strong leading man, but the film is let down by trying to do too much. With a weak villain and Bond girl to boot, it doesn't really feel like a Bond film at all.

Renaissance

2006

France / UK / Luxemburg

1h 45min

15

Directed by: Christian Volckman

Cast: Daniel Craig, Romola Garai, Jonathan Pryce

Impressive looking 3D futuristic thriller with a black and white render which never quite gets going. Paris 2054. Ilona Tassueiv (Garai), a young and brilliant researcher is violently kidnapped. Avalon, a giant multinational corporation and her employer, wants her found. Dellenbach (Pryce), Avalon's CEO, has requested…

Enduring Love

2004

UK

1h 40min

15

Directed by: Roger Michellv

Cast: Rhys Ifans, Daniel Craig, Samantha Morton

Based on Ian McEwan's bestseller, a man's worldview is bruised when his attempt to save a boy from a hot air balloon accident goes wrong.

Layer Cake

2004

UK

1h 45min

15

Directed by: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Daniel Craig, Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon

A cocaine dealer works his way through two tough assignments from his boss on the day before his retirement.

The Mother

2003

1h 30min

Directed by: Roger Michell

Written by: Hanif Kureishi

Cast: Anne Reid, Daniel Craig, Cathryn Bradshaw

A recently widowed grandmother embarks on an affair with a man half her age, who is also sleeping with her daughter.

Sylvia

2003

UK

1h 40min

15

Directed by: Christine Jeffs

Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Daniel Craig, Lucy Davenport

A biopic of the relationship and fatal attraction between poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes.

Road to Perdition

2002

US

1h 57min

15

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Cast: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Daniel Craig, Tyler Hoechlin

Daniel Craig Film Clue

A Depression era gangster picture with solid American family values. It may also, like Mendes' absurdly overrated Oscar-winner 'American Beauty', fool cinema-goers into confusing its moody self-importance for profound insight. For here are Big Stars, Big Themes (Fathers and Sons, Loyalty and Betrayal, Sin and Salvation…

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #433

Top Ten Things I Want from Xbox Series X

June is Games Month here at David’s Top Tens! That’s right, all month long we’re exploring the majesty of what we all used to call “computer games” before we became too cool. That’s because it’s the time of year when huge multinationals tantalise us with pre-rendered cinematics showcasing gaming experiences utterly divorced from what we’ll get to play. Even in this Time of Crisis (as opposed to a Time Crisis), games companies are still Touting Their Wares, and as such, I am brimming with fanboy fervour, tantalised at the prospect of Gaming Yet to Come. This week alone has seen sexy new videos from the likes of EA, Pokémon, and Sony – whose PlayStation 5 reveal gave us the best glimpse yet at exactly what the next generation could look like. I was impressed; although there wasn’t too much in the way of radically new concepts or whatever, games looked good, with plenty of sexy, shiny new bells and whistles, and it looked like environments will be bigger, more fluid, and more reactive than ever before. Plus seeing the ray-tracing in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart gave me serious “Quake II running on a 3D accelerator card” vibes. Suddenly I was sixteen again, getting all sticky-knickered over texture filtering and coloured lightning.

It was great.

However, I’m pretty much an Xbox-first gamer; mostly, I suppose, due to inertia, having gotten used now to how an Xbox works, to the point where a PlayStation always feels a little alien (still wanna play The Last of Us Part II, though). I’m more of a fan of the Xbox game franchises – the main reason I bought an original Xbox in the first place (way back in 2001) was to play Halo: Combat Evolved, and because of the promise of Fable. This love of Xbox games has only grown with the acquisition of Rare (despite the slight misstep of Perfect Dark Zero) and the release of games like Crackdown, Gears, and Forza Horizon. So as much as I try to be open-minded – and certainly I try to avoid any kind of partisan mud-slinging – I guess I’m pretty much in the tank for Xbox. As such, I’m phenomenally excited for Xbox Series X. I got an Xbox One at launch, and despite all of the hullaballoo and criticism, I’ve always really liked it. I think it’s kind of struggled compared to its predecessors (cult favourite OG Xbox and revolutionary Xbox 360), and hasn’t quite had the era-defining games that both of those enjoyed. All that being said, though, I’ve had loads of fun with it, and so have my wife and kids. But I’ve stuck with the same machine all these years, never upgrading to the more streamlined Xbox One S or the super-duper-sexy Xbox One X. So when I do upgrade, I think the jump will be far more noticeable than someone who’s been enjoying Red Dead Redemption 2 or Gears 5 on a 4K display; it should really feel like a new generation. And that’s before we get to all of the traced rays and other lovely gubbins.  

Anyway, when it’s this time of year, I tend to do a semi-comical “E3 predictions” list, followed by a “Stuff I liked at E3” list. Obviously E3 isn’t really happening, but these other online game reveals are, and given my aforementioned excitement over Series X – and Microsoft’s upcoming and much-anticipated reveal of first-party titles – I thought I’d divert my thoughts to what I want to see on the new console. However, unlike the traditional E3 predictions of yore, I’m going to look at what I’d like from the console rather than what games I’d like to see. Partly that’s because these announcement videos are getting spread so far and wide that it’s hard to keep track of what’s been revealed or when we’re likely to see something; partly it’s because we already know quite a few Xbox games that are coming out; and partly because the list would just degenerate into older franchises I want to see come back round again. Plus, with Crackdown 3 having already happened, a new Fable more-or-less an open secret, and a new Perfect Dark being very heavily rumoured, my go-to “wants” are getting thin on the ground. Perhaps Tim Schafer can bring his old LucasArts classics to the Xbox next year…? Whatever, this time around, I’m looking at that big black box and thinking about what features and design elements I’d like to see. What could be improved from how the Xbox One works? How would I like Microsoft to leverage their assets – from the faster SSD to the power of Project xCloud? Basically, what do I want Xbox Series X to be like, outside from glittering reflections on Master Chief’s shiny armour?

Streamlined, faster dashboard: now they’ve already said that the Xbox Series X dash will be effectively identical to the Xbox One dash, which is a trifle disappointing, but I hope that doesn’t mean that both systems can’t get an improved dashboard before Christmas. At the moment things are a bit fiddly, and I’d like to use the improved SSD to mean seamless transitions from page to page. Make it super-easy to get to your game library. Allow more customisation of the landing page. How about allowing us to resize icons, like on Windows 10? Don’t have quite so many obscure categories clogging up the front page. Use the shoulder buttons to hop between sections. Make it more about the games I can play rather than connectivity, shopping, or chatting. Stuff like that.

Integrated streaming: with Project xCloud on the (official) horizon, hopefully we can integrate that service into how the Xbox works. How’s about letting us stream demos straight from the store? Or stream games while they install/download? Or the option to stream any game we own rather than play it from the console? Or cast games from console to phone, or tablet, or PC, so we can enjoy the benefits of Series X hardware in the palm of our hands?

Discless play: teased then withdrawn from the Xbox One launch as it require the internet to check, I hope this can make a belated return. I like physical media, but I also like not having to get off the couch to change discs. I’d be very willing to accept an always-on connection as the price for playing a game without the disc in. If they could find some way to implement this and keep everyone happy, I’d be delighted.

Improved Guide menu: the best thing about the Xbox 360 interface was the Guide menu, which – certainly by the end of the generation – basically offered you full console functionality from one simple pause-button menu. The One Guide has been refined but could go further. Offer instant access to all our games, and all the system settings. Let us seamlessly jump from one thing to another and back again. Let us view all our captures quickly and easily. And let us go through game-by-game and see all our achievements, cycling through their related imagery. Basically, make it more like the 360, please.

Standardised settings: another amazing thing the 360 did that was totally walked back for the One is the idea of having a standardised range of settings that were applied across your entire profile. So if you want to invert your Y-axis, you tick one box, then all games are inverted. This was fantastic, and Microsoft were daft for undoing it. Make it good again! You have the power!

Refined subscription services: I think Game Pass is the future of Xbox, and I think xCloud is the future of Game Pass. This seems fairly obvious to me. I don’t know how much money Microsoft makes from Game Pass, but the way they’re leveraging their entire gaming strategy around it suggests that it’s a much stronger money-spinner for them than the traditional console market. I just hope that eventually the myriad Xbox subscriptions can be refined. Perhaps “Gold” as we understand it could be retired, replaced with a simple three-tier monthly sub, similar to Netflix; Game Pass Bronze (limited multiplayer, limited ability to download games from the library); Silver (Gold and Game Pass as we understand it, plus limited streaming), and Gold (all the games plus full streaming of everything)? This would, hopefully, mean we could get some of the benefits at a reduced cost (say, a fiver a month), and the “free” games in Game Pass would offset the loss of Games With Gold, perhaps.

Switch app: simply put, this would be cool: the ability to stream Xbox games on a Switch. Nothing more to it than that, really; the Switch form factor and controls would lend themselves to the Xbox experience effortlessly, and it’d mean I could continue my Halo campaign whilst my wife hogs the Xbox with Stardew Valley again.

Tangible differences between generations: on the one hand, I really applaud Microsoft’s blended approach to console generations. Smart Delivery, Backwards Compatibility, and Play Anywhere combine to form a very consumer-friendly approach; if you a buy a game now, you’re more-or-less guaranteed the best possible version come the Series X launch in November (or whenever). The downside to this, however, is a slight nagging feeling that we’re not going to see the best that the console can do; it’s fair enough that the Xbox One and Series X versions of Halo Infinite are, to all intents and purposes, on the same disc, and your progress and achievements carry over; but does this not mean that, aside from improvements in graphics and loading times, the Series X version is functionally identical? Is it just like upgrading a graphics card? Ratchet and Clank boasted some nifty dimension-hopping technology that presumably is a core part of the gameplay and looked like something that maybe wasn’t possible this gen; will Xbox owners miss out on features like that? If Series X could, say, give us a new Fable that presented as one continuous open world with no “hubs” or separated areas or loading, with some kind of magical traversal that allowed us to rocket across the landscape on a broomstick or whatever, would that not be handicapped by having to carry save game data over from the inevitable Xbox One version? Basically, I’m fascinated by how it’s going to work, but I hope we’re not going to end up slightly short-changed from a featureset point of view.

New hardware: not just the Series X itself, obviously; and not even the strongly-rumoured “Series S” either. I mean other bits and bobs. As they’ve already shown us the controller, I can’t realistically wish for one that had a microphone in it, but a tiny mic attachment maybe? Alongside the obvious headset. I wanna talk to the machine, basically; it was the one genuine benefit of Kinect. Also: a new, improved, media remote. A wireless mouse and keyboard, or some kind of lap-based hybrid. A new camera, not as invasive or scary as Kinect, just so we can use the Xbox to Skype people. And y’know what? VR support. Doesn’t have to be unique, bespoke headsets; just let us use PC ones, and let developers support VR in Xbox games. I don’t have the money or space to upgrade my laptop to be VR-ready, but if I had a PlayStation you can be damn sure I’d have PSVR. Half-Life: Alyx might be a pipe dream, but can I play Star Wars Squadrons at least?

Don’t bankrupt me: yeah, this. I’m cautiously optimistic that Microsoft will at least attempt to make this manageable; the recent rumour that it’d sell for $399 was much appreciated even if I think it’s supremely unlikely, especially if Lockheart/Series S is a thing. With Sony giving out noises that the PS5 will be a “good value” proposition rather than cheap, I think MS will strongly attempt to undercut them, but also not feel the need to go stupidly low. So please, Microsoft: $450, top end. Please don’t give us a $499 box. I’m already gonna be forking out for a new TV so I’d appreciate if I could keep the whole cost. For what it’s worth, I think the prices of all the new consoles will be: PS5 $499; XSX $449; PS5 DE $399; XSS $299. There you go: I managed to slip in an E3 prediction right at the very end. Prove me wrong, guys!

Phew, that was another epic one. But it was fun. I guess it’s weird to try to talk about the feel of a console without having used it. There are things I’d like improving with the look and feel of Xbox, but it’s hard to quantify it; stuff that’s clunky on a daily basis. And I’m probably an edge case anyway: someone with a huge interest in games and gaming, but who’s not very interested in multiplayer, and who – because of time and money but mostly time – rarely plays new releases, and takes ages to complete a game. But anyway. I’m dead excited about the Xbox Series X, and I can’t wait to hear more.

[jefferyryanlong]

Fresh Listen - The Squids, The Squids (Bankshots Music, Inc. and Oto-Songs, Inc., 1981) and Duganopacalypse Now (A Fan Compilation, circa 1981)

(Some pieces of recorded music operate more like organisms than records. They live, they breathe, they reproduce. Fresh Listen is a periodic review of recently and not-so-recently released albums that crawl among us like radioactive spiders, gifting us with superpowers from their stingers.)

The first band I ever loved was the Beatles, and John Lennon was dead years before I had any idea of who they were. It wasn’t until Kurt Cobain died that I had any interest in Nirvana--I recall an eighth grade classmate looking at mw with contempt after I told them I was unfamiliar with their music, when “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was already an MTV hit. The chemical composition of my brain was dissolved and reconstituted over the course of two weeks when, at twelve years old, I watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Cool Hand Luke on late-night television, but both films were about twenty years old by then. I just heard of Herbie Hancock’s V.S.O.P. album, featuring Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams, about two weeks ago. I’m 42 years old now and I’ve only just come to realize how cutting and prescient Claude McKay’s novel Banjo is. 

All this to say that I wish I’d been around when Honolulu’s The Squids were playing around town. (Much thanks to Roger and Leimomi from Aloha Got Soul for pointing me in the right direction.) The Squids were so odd and varied, a New Wave outfit with the muscularity and venom of the truest punk rock, able to invoke the B-52′s in the same gig as Talking Heads or the Ventures or the Specials, all with the same veracity, but much weirder and crueler. They married a sunny, breezy synth sound with an aesthetic that I can only describe as joyously psychopathic, spraying smart-ass malice on the unfortunate subjects of their songs.

Though the band only officially released a 7-inch EP in 1981 (currently unavailable on Amazon) Comrade Motopu, the mysterious archivist who, through digitized vinyl and cassette tapes, as well as donated photos, scanned liner notes, flyers and news releases, has painstakingly agglomerated Hawai‘i rock music and associated miscellany on a magnificent pre-Y2K looking website, has not only shared the Squids’ EP (featuring “Tourist Riot,” “‘Love Theme’ From Surfer Boy,” “In,” and “Rio”), but what is also listed as Duganopacalypse,  a fan compilation with even more twisted tunes: “Medicine,” “Sexy,” “Head in the Sand,” the ska-soaked “New Girl in Town,” their partially awful, mostly spectacular “Cool Clear Water,” and “Pretty Vacant (with Dugan),” the Never Mind the Bullocks classic with a seemingly hated fan on the inarticulate vocals. I only pray that Comrade Motopu continues documenting this underhand era of Pacific rock music of the late Seventies to early Nineties--the site is a treasure, and more words about the bands highlighted on comrademotopu.com (the Vacuum and Yahweh’s Mistake, for instance) will be coming soon.

The Squids began as a concept by guitarist Beano Shots in 1979, later to take shape as a full-fledged human/cephalopod music group with members Kit and Gerry Ebersbach, Dave Trubitt, and Frank Orall. Those of us who sweatily flailed our way through a booze-and-drug bender on the strobe-lit (at least, as it appeared then) dance floor of the Wave Waikiki between the hours of 2 AM and 4 AM when all the other bars closed down would be surprised to learn that the now-demolished former nightclub, a hub for the scraped-out, after-hours husks operated by the residual combustion of chemicals in their blacked-out reptilian brains, once hosted the edgy Squids as the house band, presumably when the going-out crowd still had an affinity for fun, strong music, and did not simply seek to propel themselves upon the the mechanized beats and soulless zombie tracks initiated by a faceless button masher, in hopes that they would be manipulated, by the end of the night, into some loveless fuck with a nobody. 

Of the Squids’ stage show, we have but one recorded example of the band live in concert: a faithful interpretation of the Sex Pistols’ “Pretty Vacant,” in which the players serve as back-up band for a loyal heckler known only as “Dugan.” Having taken (jokingly) enough shit from Dugan, the band harasses him into sing-shouting the song. The performance captures the “fuck you” sentiment of “Pretty Vacant” with a primitive abandon that almost makes the original seem like a Monkees’ tune. It also portrays a punk rock scene less enlightened to the diverse lifestyles it later engendered, when “dick sucking” was applied exclusively as a pejorative.

The same pissed-off adrenalin leads off the the 1981 EP in “Tourist Riot,” an apocalyptic narrative of that species of traveler compelled to hammer a new experience into a predetermined mold that will establish an appropriate backdrop to their social media posts. The tourists here burn hotels and smash out windows when their expectations aren’t suitably met--a bad vacation in which they are pushed around and mistreated leads the tourists to murder and mayhem.

“Tourist Riot” lays out the Squids’ music aspirations right away, especially in the interplay between Beano Shots’s electric guitar and Kit Ebersbach’s keyboards, which morph from forbidding electronic warning tones to psychedelic ghost notes to the replicated sirens of a city on fire, collateral damage in a war between locals and tourists. Following a surprisingly effective bridge that concludes with a shouted “Fuck it, I’m going to New York City!” is an atonal guitar solo reminiscent of Nels Cline asleep at the wheel, redeemed by a more fluid keyboard exploration.

When Jimi Hendrix claimed that “you’ll never hear surf music again” in 1967, he was, through the example of his own transcendent playing on “Third Stone from the Sun,” burying the corpse of that elementary, improvisationally unimaginative rock instrumental with the axe with which he had slew it. To that end, after hearing Jimi Hendrix and all the musical manifestations that took shape from his cosmic residue, it is sometimes hard to take surf music seriously. “‘ Love Theme’ from Surf Boy” comes across as the Squids’ winking parody of the genre, with its reverb, its whammy, its overall melancholy, and its simplicity. That said, there is some sophistication in the song’s structure, as if the wordless tune was more an exercise in technique, an attempt to take stock creatively before reaching out to a farther and stranger place.

On “In,” the guitars and keyboards snarl rabidly toward the same explosive destination, barely kept in check by the talents of the players. Lyrically minimalist, the song’s non-sequiturs slice through the instruments like assembled cut-up style by William S. Burroughs. “Are you losing sense of humor, could be Jesus was only kidding” followed by “are you losing sense of humor, could be Jesus was just a salesman.” These pieces of thoughts unfinished resonate in my head like something close to catchy--to what end, I don’t know. Where the keyboards overmatched the guitars on “Tourist Riot,” on “In” the guitar is locked in and dirty, climaxing in repetitive harmony between the instruments to close out the song.

When I first read the track listing to the 1981 EP, I thought the final song “Rio” would be a rough rendering of the hit video single by near-contemporaries Duran Duran (whose synth-guitar arrangements, though undoubtedly smoother, find relation in the Squids’ overall aesthetic). Instead, “Rio” is an acid commentary on the American Capitalist, represented as a white suit soaked in sweat, and his compulsion to foster vice and iniquity to exotic locales.

I’m not sure whether the fan compilation Duganopacalypse, also available for listening through the Comrade Motopu website, was recorded before, after, or  during the sessions of the 1981 EP. A few tracks lead me to believe that the songwriting and arrangements are from a wiser, more sophisticated band, while other songs seem so apelike in their imitations as to come through as pointless satires, or maybe the explorations of a band trying to find its identity.

In “Medicine,” for instance, the Squids operate under an overpowering B-52′s filter that washes out their uniqueness. Whereas on previous tracks this influence existed only at the fringes of their sound, the singer on “Medicine” channels Fred Schneider on the verse and switches to David Bowie during the bridge. The role-play, though, doesn’t kill the the more interesting aspects of “Medicine”--its guitar lick is inventive and so wormy as to be slightly irritating, and the song’s themes, that one must willingly imbibe “the medicine” to accept the hypocrisies of this “downer world,” resound strongly to anyone who casts their eyes around a crowded room.  

Where the B-52′s references go deep in “Medicine,” Talking Heads emerge in “Sexy,” from David Byrne’s vocal tics to the subtle and swampy “Take Me to the River” vibe. It goes beyond straight homage to cover band territory, but it does emphasize the band’s technical ability to lock into a groove. “New Girl in Town” is a heaping serving of not-completely-warmed-up ska leftovers, a bit misogynist (of its time, but still). “Head in the Sand,” regrettably, could have been the Squids’ crossover pop hit. I say “regrettably” because, even though the song has a point--that the ability of humans to maintain a semblance of happiness is to carefully cultivate the warm fuzz of obliviousness, sacrificing will to fate in the belief that nothing we could do to change anything would matter anyway--the effort seems more calculated than organic, a plastic approximation of the closest this band, given their specific set of skills, could get to a pop crossover hit. The work put into it seems to drain away at some of the dirty magic. It‘s self-conscious in a way that the other songs aren’t.

Finally we have “Cool Clear Water,” what would have been the band’s masterpiece if they’d spent a little more time recording a decent take (the version on the Duganopacalypse almost sounds live, though it could have been laid down in a rehearsal space). This is not the country classic performed by Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash. The Squids’ “Cool Clear Water” is the frightening confession of a soldier recently returned from the war in Vietnam, directed by an angel spirit to mass murder with a shotgun from a tower in town. When the killer is set to be executed, the angel spirit comforts him, tells him his spirit will be redeemed in heaven for “setting the people free.” The unnerving subject matter of “Cool Clear Water” is given sinister shape by the relentless horror-notes of Kit Ebersbach’s organ, the guitar holding down the song’s march toward inevitable nothingness because the bass (normally played with elan by Gerry Ebersbach) is a complete mess (I’m not sure if she hadn't learned the song or if she just showed up at the gig drunk).

As Marc Maron frequently says on his podcast, “there’s no late to the party” anymore, given the the amount of content available to all of us via the digital consciousness that we are now more plugged into than not. But I’ve waited all my life to lose myself in something vital, of the moment, with my eyes and ears and heart present while the thing is taking shape, at its most temporal. I feel that way listening to the Squids. I wish I could have seen them at one of their Wave gigs. I wish I could have had a beer with them afterward, and gushed in the embarrassing way I do about things I love.

[cherryyharryy]

Chapter 3: Xiphisternal Joint

 My mom and dad let me stay home

“I’m comin’ over.”

“Harry, I’m fine, it’s just a stomach bug.”

Adeline pulled her phone away to let out a dry cough into the crook of her elbow, clearing her throat and blinking away the few tears that had bubbled up in her eyes.

“I heard that, m’on my way.”

“Harry—”

The call ended before she could get another word in, opting to type out a rushed text—‘stop fussing over me, you’ve got a chem test today!’—but she knew her protest was unwarranted once he had his mind set on something.

The alarm that was set to erupt in an hour was turned off and her phone was tossed to the other side of her bed. The room was still bathed in early morning darkness, sparing the humid yellow glow from her lamp, tempting her to drift back to sleep. And she would, needed it really, but her boyfriend was a worry wart.

Breathing through her nose became a tortuous task anyway, leaving her mouth dry and throat a scratchy sore. Her ears were achy, head heavy, and her chest filled up with a stifling weight each time she attempted to hold back a brutal cough, finally giving in when her lungs were seconds from exploding.

Chills raked her body, coming in waves with a supporting round of sweat coating her skin, and she’d take her temperature, because she’s positive a fever had settled itself within her weak body, but that meant climbing out of bed and going downstairs, which she couldn’t be bothered with at the moment.

The last time she’d spent the day in bed with a runny nose she’d indulged in a Scooby-Doo marathon with her mom’s chicken soup warming her from the inside, and the satisfaction of her friends stuck at school topping off her day. But somehow things just weren’t the same anymore.

“How’re yeh feeling, love?”

Adeline jumped at his voice, settling into the covers with a scowl on her face. “I just talked to you twenty minutes ago.”

He shrugged his jacket off and set a grocery bag down on her desk. “A lot can happen in twenty minutes.”

Harry kneeled down on the floor beside her bed and tucked the blanket over her shoulders, skimming his knuckles over her cheek and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Sorry you feel crummy.”

She hummed in response, cracking her eyes open to get a look at him.

He was beautiful, to a fault, could get anything he wanted with the right smirk or boyish grin, but there was something about Harry in a Rolling Stones tee, baggy gray sweats, and thick navy socks—one hitched up higher than its twin—tucked into knockoff designer loafers that he argued were for style and not shuffling down the driveway to get the mail, that had her heart melting.

She turned on her side and pulled his head to rest on the bed, running her fingers through his unruly bed-head hair. He sighed, relaxing his body against the mattress.

“Harry…”

“Hmmm.”

“Come up here, you’re fallin’ asleep on me,” she whispered. “Been up as long as I have.’

He didn’t waste a second to round her bed, toe off his shoes and slip under the heavy duvet. Adeline turned to face him after switching her lamp off, nuzzling into his side, fisting his t-shirt and shuffling her leg across his thighs.

Despite the official start of spring having passed two weeks ago, the mornings were still chilled, only thawing out in the late afternoons, which made her warm bed all the more pleasing. But there were still spots left untouched by her restless sleep that sparked goosebumps to rise over her arms, and had Harry grumbling as he kicked the legs of his pants down to cover his ankles.

“S’awfully cold in here.” He spoke against her hair, cradling his head against hers and the pillow. “I’m freezin’.”

“You’ll warm up soon.”

“Are you contagious?”

“Don’t know.”

“You better hope you don’t get me sick, Adeline.”

“Told you not to come,” she mumbled.

“Was this your plan? Contract a virus, lure me over here with your needy pleas, then infect me to render me helpless?”

“Yep. You caught me. Spent weeks on this one too.”

“S’not very nice, Addy.”

“I’m terribly sorry.”

A yawn escaped her mouth and she tightened the blanket around her shoulders. Harry’s hand traced her jaw, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear and pressing his lips to her head.

“Get some sleep, darling.”

***

Adeline’s eyes peeled open to a soft glittery light filtering through the window, the smell of warm rain filling the air and the bite of chill no longer eating at her skin. She turned to her right but found the spot Harry had occupied empty, but not yet cold.

He stepped into the room just as a sneeze attack took over her. He jogged to the bed and ran his fingers over her back, handing her the tissues off her nightstand once she caught her breath and slumped into the pillows.

“Yeh don’t look so good.”

“Thanks.”

“Maybe I should take you to the doctor?”

“No, harry, I’ll be fine. Just need to ride this out. I’ll be better tomorrow.” her voice cracked and strained against her sore throat.

“If you’re not I’m tellin’ your mom to take you in.”

“Whatever.”

“Nice to see your attitude hasn’t been affected,” he joked, tugging her shirt back up her shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

She nodded to her desk. “What’s in the bag?”

“It’s my very own first-aid kit,” he boasted, opening up the bag. “If this doesn’t heal you, nothing will.”

The smirk plastered across his face ignited Adeline’s nerves. Harry was a troublemaker, and her vulnerability was prime opportunity for him to take full advantage.

He pawed through the bag, only pausing to throw a wink over his shoulder. Adeline shook her sinus-heavy head and rolled her eyes, snatching another tissue from the box.

“Let’s see, I have Advil, an ice pack, heating pad...cough drops, more tissues…” He piled everything onto her desk, looking back at her with a gleam in his eye that meant nothing good.

“Harry you didn’t need to buy all this, I don’t need it.”

He pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. “My treatment has been proven effective, but if you don’t want it…” he started putting everything back into the bag.

“No! I mean I do, I was just saying, you didn’t need to go to all the trouble.

“S’no trouble at all love. Now, what else,” he hummed, “vapor rub, microwave soup, and oh—I also have someone’s favorite candy,” taunted, waving a bag of skittles in the air. “But someone doesn’t believe in my medical expertise, so I guess someone won’t be needing this.”

Adeline threw the covers off her body and shuffled over to Harry, but when she reached for the candy his arm shot up in the air, dangling it above her head with a proper devilish grin gracing his face.

“What d’ya say, Adeline?” He drawled out. 

“Please,” she huffed, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of watching her beg.

“Hmm, sorry, s’not quite I’m looking for. Care to try again?”

Her eyes rolled back. “May I please have the skittles…”

He shook the bag and cocked his head to the side. “Wrong again, my dear.”

She shifted on her feet while playing with the hem of her purple sleep shorts, avoiding the one word she knew would settle this stand down.

“Harry—”

“Not quite…”

“With a heavy sigh she pinched her cheek between her teeth, daring a second of eye contact. “Fine.” She passed her weight between her legs, eyes gazing down at the carpet while her voice came out in a muffled grumble. “Daddy.”

“M’sorry, petal, didn’t quite catch that?”

“Harry!”

“M’running out of pet names, darling...and patience.”

“For the love of—” she stomped her foot and groaned into her hands. “I said, daddy.”

His smile grew as he lowered his hand, setting the candy in her grasp. “Thank you, now s’that so hard?”

“I’ll be getting you back. Soon as I feel better, you’d better watch out.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Adeline rolled her eyes and tore the wrapper open with her teeth, offering Harry a few pieces before filling her mouth.

They settled back in her bed, curtains drawn to block out the sun, pillows that still held their shapes, and extra blankets to mimic the warmth of sunny seasons.

Harry played with her hands, slipping his rings on her fingers and cooing about how each one fell off onto the mattress. Adeline finished off the skittles and tossed the bag on the floor, closing in towards his body with their legs in a tangled knot.

“I’m entering that writing contest at school.” Her voice was shaky, muffled by his warm chest.

He pulled back only for her to follow his movements, keeping her face flush against his body. “Hey, look a’ me.” He tried moving again, this time blocking her with a hand on her shoulder. “Why’re bein’ so shy?”

She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes glued to the faded famous band logo on his shirt.

“I’m so proud of you, baby.”

“Was worried you might be mad.”

“Why on earth would I be mad?” He tilted her chin up to face him. “For doing what you love?”

“Because,” she uttered softly, “You haven’t, well I mean, I haven’t shown you anything I’ve written. And it’s not that I don’t trust you! I just—I don’t know—”

“Hey it’s alright, love. You don’t have t’show me anything, don’t owe me anything.”

“It’s just that most of what I write is pretty personal, y’know?”

“Addy,” he warned, “What’d I just say, hm? Don’t owe me any explanation. Your writing is just that—your writing. Which means you do what you want with it.”

She nodded as he pecked her nose, curling right back up next to him.

“Nice of your mom to let you stay home today,” she spoke into his shirt, nuzzling closer to his chest.

“She thinks I’m at home sick in bed.”

Adeline looked up to see the goofy smile on his face, a blush working its way onto his cheeks.

“I have to be home by five, before she gets back from my aunt’s house.”

“You could’ve just told her the truth.”

“Might not of let me skip.”

“True,” she mumbled. “It’ll be nice when we won’t have to worry about things like this, once we’re on our own.”

“Me too, sweet girl.”

***

Adeline bent over the sink and scrubbed away the face mask that had begun to itch, leaning in close to the mirror once she finished to inspect her skin.

“Aw fuck.” Her hand flew up to the bump that was throbbing on her chin, seemingly bigger and angrier after the diy concoction her sister had recommended, her Saturday night pamper night already off to a bad start.

“Addy, you alright?”

She drug a towel over her face and cracked the bathroom door open. “Harry?”

“Hi, petal.”

“What are you doing here?”

He sniffled, clutching a box of tissues to his sweatshirt covered chest with one hand and the other stuffed into the pocket of his pajamas.

“You wanna help deliver my mom’s magazine next weekend?”

She flicked the light off and stepped out into the hall, pulling him towards her room. “Why would I do that?”

He plopped down on her bed, sneezing into his arm half a dozen times. “Because, s’your fault I got in trouble. Only fair you take half the punishment.”

“My fault?”

“Yeah,” he coughed out. “ If you hadn’t gotten sick in the first place, I wouldn’t of skipped school to cater to you, wouldn’t have gotten caught, and wouldn’t have gotten a lecture ‘bout how I need to ‘be more responsible.’”

“How’d she find out?”

A round of sneezing followed by a spell of wheezing left his face flushed and his voice a raspy shrill. “Take a guess.”

[aion-rsa]

Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Breakdown and Analysis

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It’s finally here. We truly never thought it would arrive for awhile. But sure enough, the first Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer has arrived. And just as you might have expected from the veil of secrecy that surrounded it, it would appear that at least SOME of the crazy multiversal rumors about this movie are true.

From its MCU multiverse shattering central concept to the presence of both Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange and Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus (with hints of even more characters yet to be revealed), Spider-Man: No Way Home looks like the biggest Marvel movie since Avengers: Endgame, and seems likely to set up future MCU Phase 4 projects, most notably Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

In other words, there’s a lot to unpack here. Here’s everything we’ve found so far. Oh, and just in case you haven’t watched it yet, here’s that trailer for you:

OK, now let’s get to work…

The Fallout From Far From Home

As we all remember, the previous Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home had a rather shocking ending, and one that didn’t exactly leave Peter in the best place. Thanks to the machinations of Mysterio, Peter found his secret identity outed by J. Jonah Jameson, and the world now knows he’s really Spider-Man.

We see glimpses of this in the opening moments, with Peter seeming to have a combination celebrity/pariah status, and it’s negatively affecting MJ and Ned Leeds as well. One classmate this seems to be going well for? Betty Brant, who we briefly glimpse on a TV screen in the high school, presumably reporting on this whole mess.

One fun detail about this? MJ is reading the real world New York Post, which on its own isn’t funny (the Post is a rag…except for the sports coverage), but in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies the Daily Bugle’s logo and layout were clearly modeled on the Post‘s. Another subtle reminder that this isn’t the world of the Raimi movies, and that The Daily Bugle of the MCU probably spent the last five years telling people to take Ivermectin to bring their “snapped” loved ones back.

That headline says “Spider-Minions” and I’d bet the puppets on the webs are MJ and Ned. Zendaya’s “Yesss, my Spider-Lord,” is legit hilarious, though. Not sure why the sports page would say “pray for New York”…UNLESS it’s about Spidey’s favorite baseball team, the New York Mets, for whom prayers are not enough.

Later on in the trailer, we see Spidey and Michelle being hounded by new helicopters, so this isn’t going well. But they take refuge on top of a bridge which…

Peter! You better Spidey your ass right the hell down off that bridge right this instant! You know what happens when you bring your girlfriends to bridges. Knock it off!

Steve Ditko

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the fact that Steve Ditko co-created both Spider-Man and Doctor Strange and here they are sharing the screen in an impossibly mega-budgeted film. Ditko absolutely would have hated this for any number of reasons, but especially because he barely ever saw a dime from all the Spidey and Strange merchandise through the years.

Why am I bringing this up (aside from the obvious)? Because Ditko’s name is literally in the first shot of the trailer, as some graffiti on the wall behind Peter and MJ. I’m sure Mr. Ditko wouldn’t have approved of street artists like this, either.

Damage Control

We see Peter being interrogated by someone in law enforcement, and it’s clear that Mysterio’s frame job is sticking pretty well. But wait…look more closely at the insignia on this guy’s jacket.

He’s not an ordinary fed, that DODC stands for Department of Damage Control. Remember them from Spider-Man: Homecoming? These are the folks who get called in to take care of the messes after big superhero/supervillain battles.

Here Comes Daredevil?

While there’s no official sign of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock in this trailer, it sure seems like Peter could use a good lawyer right about now, and it’s hard to imagine a better time to bring in Daredevil, the most beloved character from Marvel’s Netflix era. Unless, of course, the faceless individual who slams a stack of files down in front of Peter is, in fact, Murdock.

Anyway, it should come as no surprise that Peter wants his secret identity back, and he’s already fought side by side with exactly the kind of guy who could help him do exactly that. Of course, the thing that reminds him of this are these Halloween decorations that look like if someone tried to describe Doctor Strange to Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan and then Happy went and whipped up some cosplay based on the description.

It’s kind of cool that this movie seems to at least partially take place around Halloween. The MCU Spider-Man movies have always had a particular sense of time that most MCU flicks lack (although yes, Virginia, Iron Man 3 is a Christmas movie). Spider-Man: Homecoming took place at the start of the school year in September, while Spider-Man: Far From Home was a summer vacation movie. Assuming the end of that film was late summer, Peter has been dealing with his new and hellish existence for anywhere from 60-90 days by this point in the trailer.

Paging Doctor Strange…Doctor Stephen Strange

Benedict Cumberbatch returns as Doctor Strange for the first time since Avengers: Endgame, and he appears to be doing well for himself. He does, however, seem a little too eager to help Peter by casting a spell that is meant to either just erase the memory of the world that Peter is Spider-Man, or perhaps as Peter puts it, make it so Mysterio never went public with his identity.

Hell, Wong even shows up to till him what a mistake that would be. And Stephen being Stephen he, well, he ignores the hell out of him.

Also worth noting that Peter trying to wish his troubles away via magic is ALSO the basic idea of one of the most hated Spider-Man stories in all of history, the loathed “One More Day” which undid Peter’s marriage to Mary Jane in exchange for the life of Aunt May.

The Broken Spell

Of course, leave it to Peter’s anxious ass to have second thoughts at the last minute. You see, he wants Aunt May, MJ, and Ned to remember the fact that he’s Spider-Man. On the one hand, that’s nice, and reminds us that Peter is a good kid who still feels guilty about deceiving his friends. On the other hand, look at the big picture, dude! You can just…reveal your secret to them after the fact!

Also…is something wrong with Doctor Strange? For one thing, he never should have agreed to this. But for another, it’s clear that something isn’t quite right in the Sanctum Sanctorum since it’s snowing indoors. Is Strange having trouble with his magic for some reason? Will this be one of the things we have to deal with in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?

The Multiverse

Anyway, Peter’s interruption screws everything up. How? That’s not entirely clear just yet. But it seems to be the nexus event that either sends Peter into other corners of the MCU multiverse or allows variants from other Spidey realities to start filtering in to the Sacred Timeline.

The Black and Gold Spider-Man Costume

The long-rumored black and gold Spider-Man costume seems to make its first appearance here. Is this a new suit Peter has whipped up, or is he Quantum Leaping into some variant form of himself elsewhere in the multiverse?

This scene also appears to take place in the charity where Aunt May works.

Get Ready for the Sinister Six

We get the introductions (well, re-introductions) of at least three villains in this trailer, and three is halfway to six, which can only mean that Sony has finally found a way to do that supervillain team-up Sinister Six movie they’ve been threatening us with for so long.

Electro

Is this lightning bolt blowing up police cars our first confirmation that Jamie Foxx’s Electro from the film we’d all rather forget, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, is indeed making his return here? There’s another shot that also makes me think this is more than just some multiversal storm.

Green Goblin

Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin is definitely about to make an appearance! That’s a pumpkin bomb, alright, and you can just barely hear his sinister cackle.

Doctor Octopus Returns

And, of course, the biggest applause moment in the trailer comes with the return of Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus, one of the great big screen supervillains of all time. Is his “hello, Peter” directed at Tom Holland’s Peter Parker? Or is possible that he’s addressing another Peter entirely…perhaps one played by Tobey Maguire?

In any case, this scene looks like it might happen right after that pumpkin bomb explosion, which would mean that Doctor Octopus and Green Goblin have already teamed up by this point. Who else might be joining them in battle? We’ll find out soon enough…

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Spider-Man: No Way Home opens on Dec. 17. The full schedule of upcoming MCU Phase 4 and 5 movies can be found here.

Want to point out a Spider-Man or MCU Easter egg we missed? Just want to freak out about how cool this looks? Let us know in the comments!

The post Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Breakdown and Analysis appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[coolfox826]

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Clip Studio Paint is a versatile digital painting program that is ideal for rendering and inking with its many useful and unique features. It is easy to learn and has many tools and custom brushes that allow you to paint and render any type of illustrations you want. It even include 3D models of characters, items and backgrounds that you could. Free Digital Painting Software for Mac and Windows. FireAlpaca is the free Digital Painting Software that is compatible with both Mac and Windows. It’s FreeFOREVER! Download the latest version NOW! Mac Download OS X (10.7 or later) Windows Download Windows 64bit (Vista or later) Windows Download Windows 32bit (Vista or later).

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you buy something we get a small commission at no extra cost to you(learn more)

Digital art software gets better and better each year.

The right software can help you paint faster and feel better about your artwork. Each program handles brush strokes and color blending differently, and the price tags vary from expensive to free.

Adobe Photoshop still reigns supreme as an all-round industry standard for digital artists. Yet there’s always new software coming out to compete against Adobe’s throne.

Choosing your art software is no longer about the biggest features, but rather finding an application that suits your specific needs as an artist.

Beginners who just want to practice are better off choosing a free program compared to professionals who want to learn software for an industry job. If your goal is to work for a game studio as a concept artist then you’ll probably have a different set of goals.

Painting Program For Mac Free

In this post we’ll take an in-depth look at 7 of the most popular programs for digital drawing & painting by comparing their features and seeing how they stack up.

But if you’re in a hurry here’s a quick overview to help you decide:

Professional Choice: Adobe Photoshop

Free Choice: Krita

Budget Choice: Clip Studio Paint

If you need a bit more info on these programs just keep reading.

Adobe Photoshop

Price: $9.99/mo Platforms: Mac, Windows

Adobe Photoshop is the most popular and widely used software for digital art.

It’s feature-heavy, regularly updated, and you can use it to create everything from concept thumbnails to comic book pages or even photobashed pieces.

Photoshop started as an image-editing program for photographers. Over time it slowly became a staple for many other industries, digital art included.

With this software you have a huge variety of painting tools, brushes, filters, plugins, and layer styles.

It’s an industry standard for all digital artists across the entertainment industry because it just works. If you want a career in video games, animation, feature films, or any general production studio, knowledge of Photoshop goes a long way.

The learning curve is pretty steep here. If you are a beginner you may feel overwhelmed by all the options and get lost in technical aspects of the program. But once you’ve learned the basics, your imagination is the limit!

You can do anything in whatever style you choose and edit photos to boot!

Being the most popular software for creatives artists, there’s a mass of Photoshop tutorials available online. Adobe even released a series of up-to-date free tutorials which will take you from beginner to expert level.

If you ever have a problem or question on anything, a quick Google search will get you a video answer or helpful forum post.

Concept artists like Photoshop’s custom brushes and often create their own. Detailed layer settings, regular updates, and a sleek user interface are the driving force behind Photoshop’s continued popularity.

You can rotate your canvas naturally to mimic the rotation of paper. And you can setup grids and rulers for complex scenes, or even bring in 3D objects to paint over. PSD files(Photoshop’s native file format) play well with other Adobe programs and this file type is an industry standard.

That means you can import PSDs into almost any other art software without a hitch. GIMP and Krita both accept PSD files along with many other programs.

This is why many artists combine Photoshop with other painting software. Depending on the workflow you’re going for you could do your concept and lineart in something like Clip Studio Paint, then bring it to Photoshop for coloring and final touch-ups.

Other digital art software doesn’t try to replace Photoshop but instead tries to improve on the interface for specific types of art(ex: comics, storyboards, environment paintings, etc).

Once you’ve signed up for a Creative Cloud membership you get a free, non-conditional seven-day trial version of Photoshop. This offer applies to Adobe’s other software as well. If you like Photoshop and want to buy it, there are four purchase plans to choose from.

The cheapest is the Photographers package which is $9.99(only available annually) and it includes Lightroom CC. If you want to buy a monthly plan you can get Photoshop for $29.99 a month.

If you want to go the extra mile and get the rest of Adobe’s software, the entire suite costs $74.99 monthly(or annual for $49.99 p/m).

Bonus Tip: Students 13 years and older get a 60% discount on the full Adobe suite plan!

People love Photoshop for its versatility and wealth of free knowledge online. Adobe has thrown millions of dollars into development so Photoshop isn’t going anywhere.

It’s a solid, professional choice for aspiring digital artists and concept artists.

Corel Painter

Price: $350 Platforms: Mac, Windows

Corel Painter is characterized by painterly brush strokes and a traditional artist’s feel to the interface.

Painter is for artists who love loose, messy brushwork and want to capture the beauty of traditional mediums on a digital canvas. It comes standard with 900 brushes covering every possible situation you could imagine.

As you might guess from the name, Corel Painter is focused on painting. But this should be great for artists who only want software to draw or paint digitally.

It has a 2.5D brush toolset that mimics real-world brushes giving you full control over the final “style” of your work.

Painter has been a serious alternative to Photoshop for several years and is the company always listens to user requests. They’ve been working hard to add new features every year and have added a bunch of artist-suggested tools into their latest release.

For example, some users complained of UI sensitivity and slow response times. Those issues were fixed with the 2019 version along with an entire UI design overhaul.

Paint Program Mac

Icons were redesigned to be more intuitive and the interface was changed to a darker theme.

Among all the new features with that version, the most celebrated was the pinned color wheel.

You can position the color wheel wherever you like on the screen giving an instant look at color options without swatches. This spectral feature means you can work in detail without the circular brush icon obscuring your view.

In Painter’s web series “Paint like Bob Ross” you can learn how to paint digital landscapes in 30 minutes using their brushes—a great introduction to conceptualizing landscapes for beginners.

The software is feature heavy and beginners might still feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of brush options and settings. But Corel is worth learning because it is another trusted industry staple among character designers, concept artists, and visual development artists.

Corel Painter has been around since 1992 and you can find an extensive library of free tutorials on their website. Or if you search on YouTube I’m sure you can find plenty of free tutorials there as well.

You won’t find as many resources compared to Photoshop. But Corel Painter is still a beast in the concept art world, or just the digital painting world in general, making it an awesome choice for hobbyists or newbies just picking up digital art for the first time.

As of this writing, a brand new copy of Corel Painter costs $350 making it an expensive once-off purchase. Although you can get a free 30-day trial to demo the software and see if it’s right for you.

Krita

Price: Free Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux

Krita is a free open source digital painting program designed for cartoonists, illustrators, concept artists, and pretty much all digital artists.

The software was initially developed as a general image editing competitor to Photoshop but focused their efforts on digital painting starting in 2009. The Krita community donates monthly to the software efforts helping it to stay free and funding development of new features

If you have a background in some other digital art software(Photoshop for example) then Krita’s tools will be a little familiar and a little not-so-familiar.

Whether you’re switching or just getting into Krita it’s worth the time to watch a few tutorials to find out how everything works.

Krita hasn’t released many official tutorial videos but they have created detailed documentation online. If it’s your first venture into digital art then start off learning about the basic UI and toolsets.

Use the pop-up pallet to select your brushes, erasers, and colors intuitively. All other tools are stored in the panels to the left and right. Krita supports PSD files so that you can switch between Photoshop and Krita with ease.

And there’s a ton of freebies online like free brush packs that mimic everything from charcoal to watercolors and so much more. The beauty of Krita is the free price tag and the immensely supportive community around this software.

Krita has been criticized by some professional artists for its lag, seemingly unintuitive design, and uneven brush softness. Although the criticism has merit, the program’s core features work well and you will learn them with practice.

Also worth noting this has to be the absolute best choice for anyone on a Linux machine. Photoshop does not support Linux outside of a virtual emulator but Krita can run natively in any Linux distro.

This is a huge +1 for Krita since it’s really the best digital painting alternative for our Linux & Unix friends.

If you don’t have the cash to burn on digital art programs Krita is the perfect choice.

Use the program while you save up some money to grab another program. Or just stick with Krita and use it free for life! Many professional artists like David Revoy create all of their work with Krita and their stuff looks amazing.

Best thing about Krita is that it’s simple for beginners to learn and it doesn’t confuse you with a ton features or fancy tools. Krita’s purpose is digital painting and that’s precisely what it does well.

Clip Studio Paint

Price: $49 Platforms: Mac, Windows

Clip Studio Paint is the most popular software for creating comics and manga artwork.

Clip Studio Paint was originally named Manga Studio but changed names in 2013. It originated in Japan as specialist software for manga, illustration, and animators.

The program has long been a worldwide affordable alternative to Photoshop for digital artists but got more recognition with the name change.

The most notable drawing difference between Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop is the brush tool. In Clip Studio the brush tool instantly corrects any minor wobble you make while drawing on a tablet, leaving you with smooth clean linework.

Clip Studio is optimized for comic book creation and has various tools to speed up the process.

A canvas layout tool makes paneling quick with perspective rulers and a library of predefined formats. The pen tool lets you to work in a versatile vector format which means your creations can be scalable without quality loss.

In the most recent release there’s a new library of 3D objects and posable models. This is useful for concept artists who like to use references to get poses down quickly.

You can drop in a 3D model, pose it using an intuitive joint system, change the camera angle, make the character fat or thin, and choose between genders. After you’ve drawn over it you can use that same model’s shading as a reference for lighting.

Then when you’re done just delete it. Easy-peasy.

With CSP your art will always have a crisp digital finish as the software doesn’t strive for a traditional look. Although it’s possible to give your brush strokes a blended texture using brushes, Clip Studio Paint is not designed to mimic traditional mediums.

The standard version of Clip Studio Paint also comes with some very basic animation features. You can quickly test character movement over 24 frames without the annoyance of switching programs. But this is not really the best software for animation so it works best in conjunction with other programs for that purpose.

Now Clip Studio Paint comes in two versions: PRO(standard) and EX(full-featured).

Unless you’re planning on putting all of your projects through Clip Studio Paint and creating various manga & comic books, you’ll probably be happy with the PRO version. The EX edition has only a few extra features that would benefit expert users.

Mac Painting App

EX lets you save manga & comic pages in a ‘book’ which acts like one editable file. You can then bulk save them for printing which shaves off a ton of time and organizational effort.

The animation feature also gets an upgrade with EX and you can create an unlimited number of frames(instead of the standard 24).

EX comes with filters for 3D assets too turning them black and white for easier integration into your scenes.

Generally speaking, the PRO version is the same and EX minus the above features. It’s unlikely you’ll need those features as a digital painter or concept artist. Only serious comic and manga artists would find the EX features useful.

Try out either version with a free 30-day trial of both PRO and EX versions. If you don’t like it then just move on. The free version does give plenty to toy with so you’ll know whether you like CSP or don’t.

And it’s worth mentioning that the PRO edition is an affordable option at only $49 flat fee, while EX comes at a premium of $219.

Although sometimes you can get CSP at a discounted rate from annual sales so keep checking their prices.

GIMP

Price: Free Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux

GIMP is another open source program built as a free Photoshop alternative.

Back when computer graphics were slowly becoming “a thing” it was up to software developers to create graphics for companies. With Photoshop costing a lot more back then, buying it was out of the budget for many companies.

GIMP was built to fill the need for a cheaper option to digital imaging editing software.

Unlike other free digital art software, GIMP was designed to be a full replacement for Photoshop. This means you can use it for digital painting but it’s really meant for graphic design, photo editing, text effects, and similar features.

Likewise this program has all the tools you need for digital art. If you are looking for Photoshop’s functionality without the price tag you’ll be happy to with GIMP’s default functionality.

If you know a little about software development you can also add to GIMP’s code by creating your own plugins for the system. But the default setup is more than enough for artists.

Many versions of GIMP have been released over the years, but their team of volunteers hasn’t been able to keep up with the sheer financial power of Adobe. The user interface is definitely unrefined and will be very confusing to beginners.

There are loads of GIMP tutorials created by their loyal users and there’s enough content to help you learn everything you need about the software.

Although GIMP doesn’t have a dedicated support team to answer your questions, many issues are well documented on various forums and you’ll be able to troubleshoot a solution with a few Google searches.

The painting tools are reasonable, although in my opinion Krita is a stronger option if you just need painting.

Granted you can find plenty of free GIMP brushes all made for digital drawing & painting.

But really this software is the best all-round alternative to Photoshop. If you see yourself doing a bit of design work, some painting, and some photo editing, try out GIMP and see what you think.

ArtRage

Price: $79 Platforms: Mac, Windows

ArtRage is a digital painting powerhouse that’s perfect for traditional artists moving digital and for existing professional artists.

Unlike other digital art programs, ArtRage has stepped away from the complicated user interface and ditched the blocky side panels. They want your focus on the canvas creating great work.

When you open the program you’ll find a semi-circular brush picker on the bottom left of the screen and a color picker on the bottom right. Both give you immediate access to the most important tools.

Small “pods” containing extra options hover just above the circles, minimizing extra clutter.

After you’ve picked your color and brush you can start drawing on the canvas. The UI automatically disappears(although this setting is optional) and without the UI you get a full screen canvas to work on without any distractions. Pretty cool!

If you’ve never used digital painting software before then ArtRage is fantastic. It’s beginner friendly and super affordable.

You can start off slow, familiarizing yourself with the various brushes, and slowly work your way up to painting full scenes and character designs.

If you are coming from Photoshop you’ll find the minimalist layout refreshing and easy to pick up. The brush presets are so good that you don’t need to waste time adjusting them much at all.

One of ArtRage’s most exciting features is called “real color blending”. It calculates realistic color mixing as you paint and it’s useful for digital painting in an oil or watercolor style.

If you want to try your hand at digital painting for the first time, this software will hold your hand and take you from hobbyist to professional if you put in the effort.

It doesn’t have all the gadgets and gizmos that some prominent art programs have, but it’s got all you need to make fun paintings(and a little extra).

ArtRage is budget software and friendly to those getting started. You can also use the demo version for an unlimited amount of time. The demo doesn’t let you save anything, which of course is a drag, but you can use that to familiarize yourself with the program.

If you decide you want the full version it costs $79 and you’ll receive all future updates included with your license.

If that sounds a bit expensive you could go for ArtRage Lite which is only $29.90. The lite version is great for beginners and includes all the painting features of the full version.

Think of this much like Krita but aimed for simplicity. It’s cheap enough that you could run ArtRage for life and it’s certainly refreshing when you come from a big bulky art program.

Paint Tool SAI

Price: $49 Platforms: Windows

Lastly on this list is Paint Tool SAI: a simple painting program that’s exceptionally popular among anime & manga artists.

Paint Tool SAI was first released in 2008 to a wave of popularity. It quickly spread among the art community who loved the clean brush strokes and unique interface.

SAI is a small, old program and has not been significantly updated over the years. It only runs on windows and has a limited set of features.

That being said, it’s aged remarkably well and is easy for beginners to pick up.

Many artists use SAI to achieve a digital watercolor effect where the blending modes can mimic watercolor, but the overall feel is smooth and sleek. Others use it primarily for lineart, or for creating a ton of anime.

You’ll find that Japanese artists almost exclusively use SAI for their artwork. It’s a very popular choice in Japan, likely because this software was originally developed by the Japanese Systemax Software.

SAI’s learning curve is minimal and if you’re coming from Photoshop you’ll pick it up almost instantly. It’s still very detailed though and great to use as a sketching program.

Use the pencil brush to get realistic sketches down on a textured canvas. Then switch over to brushes and color your line art to completion.

Now there are some minor limitations like that new projects are limited to 256 layers per canvas. It’s also known to slow down with larger file sizes and glitch when trying to preview .gifs in the explorer window.

They also have a weird system of brushes where you can import textures to merge with brush styles and create totally new brushes. I haven’t mastered this setup but you can find a ton of textures in this post with dozens of free brush assets for SAI users.

Painting Program For Mac Free

SAI is a Japanese program and is priced in JPY(Japanese Yen). It costs ¥5400 which roughly equates to $49.

Compared to other software on this list, SAI is a tad on the pricier side considering the last update was in 2016.

Small complaints aside, considering the price tag and the anime-centric fanbase I’d say SAI is an awesome choice for anime lovers the world over.

Graphics Painting Program For Mac

Get started using SAI by following some easy beginner tutorials on painting in the program. If you put in the time you’ll be a pro within a few weeks.

A fantastic program for anyone serious about anime-style art or any kind of digital painting. Biggest downside is you’ll have to be a Windows user.

Painting Program For Mac

Although if I had to cast a vote for the absolute best digital painting software, that title falls with Photoshop.

Here’s hoping even more digital art software comes out in the next 10 years and gives some stiff competition to Adobe’s reign.

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Commercial Bar Cleaning Janitorial Services for Pubs Clubs Lounges Nightclubs Omaha NE | MCC Cleaning Omaha

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Bar & nightclub cleaning services: MCC Cleaning Omaha provides janitorial commercial cleaning service to bars, pubs, clubs, nightclubs, lounges and dining facilities. Night clubs & bars can turn out to be a mess at the end of the night. No worries! Our cleaning services can restore the glamour of your club. Contact us! Cost? Free estimates.

 BAR CLEANING CLUB NIGHTCLUB JANITORIAL SERVICES OMAHA

Do you operate a bar or pub? If so it is a competitive environment that requires you to focus your energy on providing the best service in your bar or pub. Often times cleaning the bar or cleaning the pub can be an after thought. And bar and pub staff who often work for tips may not give their best effort in keeping the bar or pub clean. After all cleaning the bar floor, the bar bathroom or even cleaning the food prep areas does not result in a tip. This is why it makes sense to outsource bar cleaning services. By outsourcing bar cleaning you focus on your core competency and we focus on ours: Bar cleaning services near me:

We give you a commitment that when you approach us for a quote to clean your bar which is as low as possible without sacrificing quality. When we say the lowest quote for bar cleaning services, we don't mean the cheapest bar cleaning service, or even the most inexpensive bar clean service, though more often than not we will be the lowest cost bar cleaning services. What we mean is that you will get the highest quality bar cleaning service at the best price possible.

Bar Cleaning Omaha

Bars, pubs, dance clubs, entertainment centers, whatever you call it, its a place where people drink and make a mess. Your job is to provide the drinks, let us clean up your bar. We have the right equipment, trained staff and cleaning programs to keep your bar, pub or tavern looking its best and attracting new while keeping old customers. So go ahead and pass the peanuts, if you spill any we got you covered.

Night Club Cleaning Omaha

A nightclub requires a fast paced staff that is focused on treating clients and talent with the highest possible courtesy. The type of person who is good at one skill may not be great at others, so when the doors close and its cleanup time stop using your crew for double duty and paying too much for bad cleanup. Instead use MCC Cleaning Omaha to make your nightclub look its best with fast, knowledable cleaning professionals.

Dance Club Cleaning Omaha

We have flexible schedules that can deal with late hours and fast turn around requirements for large dance clubs and music halls. Give us a call for a free dance club cleaning quote.

Events Cleaning Omaha

Event + alcohol = mess. Why not use a professional event cleaning company to perform initial set up, during event porter and after event cleanup services for all types of events with cash and open bars. We have staff that can meet age and background requirements if necessary due to legal regulations or contract stipulations. Event Cleaning Services near me!

Restaurant Cleaning Services Omaha

Professional Cleaners of Restaurants

The first thing a customer in your restaurant notices is how clean your kitchen and dining room is, not your food or drinks. No matter how many times a customer visits your restaurant, cafe, bistro or diner, the facility is not clean, the experience will not be good. Your cleaning service can make or break the reputation of your restaurant, and still this aspect is often ignored. You could spend your time training restaurant employees on proper cleaning methods for all the cleaning surfaces in your establishment: food prep areas, floors, bathrooms and dining areas or you can hire a commercial cleaning company that are experts in cleaning services for food service facilities.

Your staff should not be expected to know how to clean other than spot cleaning. Leave the daily cleaning, weekly cleaning or monthly cleaning tasks to the experts in kitchen cleaning and restaurant cleaning. Don't risk health inspection failures because you do not have the correct kitchen cleaning equipment, or the proper floor cleaning tools or even the most effective restroom cleaning supplies for your bar's bathroom.

MCC Cleaning Omaha employees job to clean thoroughly, your job is to serve the best food and drink possible.

 RESTAURANT CLEANING SERVICES OMAHA

As a restaurant owner, you understand that you only make money when your restaurant is open. Which is why MCC Cleaning Omaha restaurant cleaning crews will work around your schedule, overnight, early morning, daytime, weekends, etc... so your restaurant, diner, cafe, bistro of fast food location may remain open during typical business hours. MCC Cleaning Omaha 's crews mop and thoroughly clean all restaurant work areas before any project is completed.

Commercial kitchen cleaning is performed in a way that satisfies fire and insurance officials. Contact us for a quote to clean your restaurant which will be as low as possible without sacrificing quality. By stating "lowest quote for restaurant cleaning services", we are not saying the cheapest bar restaurant service, or the most inexpensive outsourced restaurant cleaning service, though often we will be the lowest cost restaurant cleaning services. Specifically, we mean you will get the highest quality bar cleaning service at the best price possible.

 Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Omaha

Clean Exhaust Systems Reduce Restaurant Fire Hazard One of the primary defenses against fire hazards in any commercial kitchen is regular maintenance of the hood and exhaust system. A clean exhaust system is more efficient at removing heat and odors from your restaurant’s kitchen, keeping your kitchen crew cooler and more comfortable, promoting human performance to support your business.

 ·         Cleaning of Interior and exterior of kitchen hoods

·         Removal of grease throughout hood and exhaust systems

·         Removal and/or replacement of filters

·         Cleaning of all accessible areas of restaurant exhaust duct work

·         Installation of exhaust system access doors where necessary

·         Cleaning of exhaust fans

·         Remove, clean, and inspect exhaust fans for loose or worn belts

·         Secure electrical connections on exhaust fan

·         Check exhaust fan blades for excessive wear

 Food Processing Cleaning Services Omaha

If you operate a food processing facility such as a commercial bakery, commercial kitchen, cannery, fish processing, industrial rendering, meat packing plant, slaughterhouse, or vegetable packing plant you know that cleanliness is not only important for quality of your end product, but a variety of laws and regulation require strict cleanliness guidelines to be followed. This is why outsourcing the cleaning operations of your food production facility can be so beneficial. We have staff that can follow OSHA, FDA, USDA or any other regulatory safety protocols.

 Why Choose Our NightClub/Bar Cleaning Service in Omaha?

When the music is stops is when we begin.

After a night full of happy customers and wild times, your nightclub or bar can look like a mess but there’s no time to waste. You’re already planning for the next night.

Spilled drinks, messy floors, and more have destroyed the presentation of your nightclub. The energetic atmosphere and clean presentation of a nightclub is a major part of the attraction, directing people to your club.

MCC Cleaning Omaha Commercial Cleaning provides the maintenance and perseverance to restore the glamour and allure of your club. You will be provided with the highest quality of service with us.

 What We Areas Do We Clean?

Bar Areas

We sanitize your bar area with organic cleaning solutions.

Seating Areas

We use safe organic cleaning solutions, great for allergy relief.

Dance Floors

Superior cleaning services for hardwood, tile, and other flooring.

Dj Areas

Superior cleaning solutions to impress guests.

CDC Approved

We use CDC approved procedures and cleaning solutions.

Bathroom Cleaning

We ensure a safe and clean bathroom for your guests.

Why Choose Green Clean Educational Cleaning Services

When you sign up for our Bar/Nightclub Cleaning contract, you no longer need to worry about booking cleaners or staffing the cleaning crew. By outsourcing your daily, weekly or monthly cleaning, you free up valuable time and employees for other tasks better suited to their skills.

Experience and hire MCC Cleaning Omaha Commercial Cleaning Today.

 HOSPITALITY CLEANING SERVICES OMAHA

WELCOME CUSTOMERS INTO A CLEAN AND INVITING ATMOSPHERE

Maintaining a clean and polished image to guests and patrons is critical in the hospitality industry. At MCC Cleaning Omaha, we understand the unique and growing challenges you face and provide the expert support needed to keep your facility pristine. From gleaming hard-surface floors and well-maintained carpets to clean guest rooms, we serve thousands of hospitality facilities across the nation.

HOTELS

Cleanliness drives customer satisfaction in hotels and resorts. An immaculately cleaned and well-kept guest room increases the likelihood that customers will choose your hotel again and recommend it to others. The MCC Cleaning Omaha professionals have the training and experience to ensure your hotel or resort is properly cleaned to the highest of standards. We'll handle the cleaning in lobbies, guest rooms, employee break rooms, hallways, and more.

RESTAURANTS

It's vital that your restaurant remains clean and sanitary. Poor cleaning practices, especially in the kitchen, could result in health-code violations or illness in customers. Rely on the cleaning experts at MCC Cleaning Omaha to ensure that every area of your restaurant—the dining room, kitchen, and even restrooms—is correctly sanitized, disinfected and cleaned.

COUNTRY CLUBS

Preserve your country club's prestigious reputation with a properly cleaned and maintained facility. Our janitorial specialists clean to the highest of standards to ensure your complete satisfaction. Our comprehensive cleaning services include floor cleaning, carpet and upholstery cleaning, tile and grout cleaning and restoration, floor waxing and re-polishing, general janitorial services, building maintenance, final cleaning and much more.

 THE BENEFITS OF MCC CLEANING OMAHA:

·         Over 5 years of cleaning industry experience

·         Professionally trained janitorial specialists

·         Commitment to the highest quality of clean

·         Specialized expertise for industry-specific needs

·         Day and night cleaning options

·         Customized cleaning solutions

 HOW MUCH DO COMMERCIAL BAR CLEANING SERVICES COST?

The appearance of your bar or nightclub is important; messy floors, spilled drinks, and stains all impact the image of your business. You want your bar to look and feel inviting, to keep drawing customers in. MCC Cleaning Omaha Commercial bar cleaning services offer an easy way to keep up the cleanliness of your business and bring customers back every night.

Importance of a Clean Bar

The cleanliness of your bar affects more than just the impression it gives your customers, although that is also important, as people are likely to think all areas of the bar are as clean or dirty as the areas they see.

For one, if your bar has a kitchen, you need to worry about any cross contamination with the food. If surfaces are not properly wiped, floors aren't cleaned, and hoods aren't degreased, food can be contaminated with germs and bacteria. Unsanitary food preparation areas can also lead to losing points on health inspections, or even being shut down.

Benefits of Using a Cleaning Service in Omaha

There are a multitude of benefits that come with hiring a commercial bar cleaning service, such as:

Multiple services: Bar cleaning services generally offer a range of cleaning services to meet your needs. Bar cleaning, bathroom cleaning, deep cleaning, grease removal, and window washing are all offered by most professional bar cleaning companies. However, it is important to note that you and your staff should still perform some daily cleaning duties.

Professional results: A cleaning service has all the necessary equipment to provide sanitary floors and surfaces, as well as properly cleaned furniture and windows. Professional services are staffed by experienced technicians, so you always know you're getting quality work, while leaving yourself and your employees free to focus on the bar work.

Safety: Utilizing a professional service ensures that all equipment and chemicals are handled properly by people that have been trained how to use them. This means that there is a much lower risk of injury or illness from cleaning products used.

Factors that Influence Cost

Different cleaning companies use different criteria to set prices, such as the methods used to clean. Other cost influencing factors include:

·         Bar size: The square footage of your bar is one of the biggest cost influences. In general, you can expect to pay more the larger the bar is.

·         Frequency of cleaning: How often your bar or nightclub gets cleaned also affects your total cost. One-time cleanings are usually more expensive than a recurring service, which can be done nightly, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

·         Products and supplies: Typically, bar and nightclub owners find it easier to let the cleaning company provide the necessary products and supplies. Many prefer to choose companies that offer eco-friendly products and methods, but remember that green products tend to cost more.

·         Scope of work: The duties the cleaning crew performs directly impact your cost. Light cleaning comes at a lower cost than deep cleaning.

How Much Does a Commercial Bar Cleaning Service Cost?

The cost of commercial bar cleaning services depends on the scope of the work, size of the bar, materials used, and the company you hire. That being said, here is a general pricing guide to provide an idea of what you can expect to pay for a commercial bar cleaning service:

On average, you can expect to pay between $25 and $50 per hour for a commercial bar cleaning service.

Some companies offer a base price that averages between $0.10 and $0.40 per square foot, with an additional cost between $0.20 and $0.50 for complex or extra services.

Light cleaning services, such as cleaning restrooms, dusting, and vacuuming, have an average cost between $0.10 and $0.30 per square foot, or between $20 and $40 per hour.

Carpet cleaning has an average cost between $0.30 and $0.80 per square foot.

Stripping and waxing tile floors has an average cost between $0.20 and $0.50 per square foot.

A single visit each week has an average cost between $40 and $80.

Two visits each week has an average cost between $100 and $150.

Monthly packages from a commercial bar cleaning service have an average cost between $500 and $700.

Before You Choose a Cleaning Service

Price is an important factor when choosing a commercial cleaning service, but it is far from the only factor. When looking between companies, consider the following:

·         Budget: While a commercial cleaning service leaves you and your employees free to focus on work-related tasks, you still need to consider how much you can afford to spend. Look over your profits and losses to see if you have the necessary funds to hire a cleaner. Prices for cleaners vary based on building size and cleaning needs, so don't forget to think about that, as well.

·         Frequency: Before you decide on a service, you need to know how often you need or want your bar to be cleaned. Each bar is different, so your needs are not necessarily going to be the same as another. Maybe you only need cleaning services once a month, or maybe you need them twice a week.

·         Necessary services: You should also consider exactly what cleaning services you need at your bar. If your flooring is all hardwood or tile, you probably don't want to go with a company that primarily specializes in carpet. Considering the cleaning services you really need also tells you what rooms are most important for the company to handle. This kind of goes hand in hand with budget considerations, as it is important to think about what you really need from a company.

 How Much Does a Bar Cleaning Service Cost?

A clean place is requirement for people, especially those looking for entertainment or leisure. Considering the bar business, cleanliness is a major requirement since things get pretty messy when people get tipsy. However, they will still want to come back again to a clean and pleasant environment. In fact, customers are more likely to go to another bar if your bar is not up to their standards of cleanliness. In addition, uncleanliness can violate the health department rules, which may result in severe consequences. You may even be forced to close the bar for some transgressions.

Many counties require professional cleaners to have certain training Also, the cleaning materials used by these services should not contain harmful chemicals, or ones that trigger your customers' allergies in customers, or the bar will lose customers quickly. What do bar-cleaning services charge? We look at the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a cleaning help, as well as the price.

Benefits of Hiring Bar Cleaning Services

First off, cleaning by trained professionals ensures excellent results. Cleaning companies have the right equipment to sanitize bathrooms and pressure wash the floor, as well as clean windows and furniture. Cleaning also requires a significant time investment. Hiring a professional cleaner frees up bar staff to concentrate on other duties.

Cleaning providers offer a variety services. Most offer light cleaning in the bar, windows, and bathroom, as well as grease removal and deep cleaning. Hiring a bar cleaning company does not mean that your staff will not perform daily cleaning. On the contrary, professional bar cleaning services perform deep cleaning services, typically on a monthly or twice-monthly basis, according to operating laws.

There are a few drawbacks. Pricing varies by square footage, meaning a larger bar costs more to clean. Accreditation for cleaning that type of bar often adds to the expense. Often the bar will have to work around the times that the particular cleaning service is available, or be closed for a complete cleaning, which can be trying for customers. However, an easy solution to this problem is after-hours cleaning.

 Points to Consider Before Hiring Bar Cleaning Services

Services offered – Determine the types of services the cleaning company offers, and how those compare to your needs. Options include mop and wax floors, wash floor mats, clean dumpster areas, clean and sanitize bathrooms, and pressure wash appliances, floors, and walls. If you have a particular request, ask about it before signing a contract.

Outsourcing vs. in-house – Determine which cleaning tasks should be outsourced and which ones should be kept in-house. This also depends on services offered by the bar, such as snacks or food, which often includes its own cleaning guidelines. The trick is to come up with an efficient plan that gives you the most effective yet cheap combination.

Sample Prices of Bar Cleaning Services

The cost of professional cleaners depends on tasks you need performed, square footage, and materials used. Others charge by the hour, or with a flat rate. Some services provide their own cleaning materials, while others expect the client to provide these.

Expect to pay between $25 and $50 per hour.

Light cleaning services, including vacuuming, cleaning the restrooms, and dusting cost between $0.10 and $0.30 per square foot, or $20 to $40 an hour. However, the exact rate depends on the size of the bar; the larger the bar, the lower the rate.

Power cleaning floors costs between $0.25 and $0.50 per square foot.

Carpet cleaning costs between $0.30 and $0.80 per square foot.

Stripping and waxing tiled floors costs between $0.20 and $0.50 cents per square foot.

Some services offer a base price of $0.10 to $0.40 cents per foot and then add a price of $0.20 to $0.50 per foot for any extra or complex cleaning services.

A single weekly visit ranges between $40 and $80.

Two visits per week cost between $100 and $150.

Some services offer monthly packages at a price between $500 and $700.

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·         Building Maintenance Services

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 Downtown Omaha, Central Omaha, Southwest Omaha and Sarpy County Nebraska, including the communities of Bellevue, Blair, Bennington, Valley, Ashland, Carter Lake, Fort Calhoun, Gretna, LaVista, Millard, Omaha, Papillion, Plattsmouth, Ralston, Springfield Nebraska and Waterloo, NE, Lincoln Nebraska, Hickman NE, Milford NE, Seward NE, Waverly NE, Crete NE  and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Zip codes: 68007, 68010, 68022, 68102, 68104, 68105, 68106, 68107, 68108, 68110, 68111, 68112, 68114, 68116, 68117, 68118, 68122, 68124, 68127, 68130, 68131, 68132, 68134, 68135, 68137, 68142, 68144, 68147, 68152, 68154, 68157, 68164, 68178, 51501, 51502, 51503, 61503, 68501, 68502, 68503, 68504, 68505, 68506, 68507, 68508, 68509, 68510, 68512, 68514, 68516, 68520, 68521, 68522, 68523, 68524, 68526, 68527, 68528, 68529, 68531, 68542, 68544, 68583, 68588

[teachanarchy]

Seventy years later and Nazis still haven't figured out how to be funny.        

Memes and the alt-right go together like peanut butter and jelly that's been spread into the shape of a swastika. Internet memes are, by and large, the currency in which these young nationalists trade, eschewing the stuffy, articulated treatises of Mein Kampf in favor of more virality-friendly catchphrases and image macros to be proliferated around image boards and subreddits.

Additionally, the movement is in and of itself a semi-self-aware meme that seems to only exist within the safe, anonymous spaces of the internet. Just as memes tend to be cringey and ineffective when taken offline, one of the alt-right's most publicized IRL events, the "DeploraBall" was widely regarded as a colossal shit show due to the physical and ideological infighting.

Shitposting for keks is also trickier to dismiss when done out in the real world without the mask of anonymity. White supremacist and human punching bag Richard Spencer, the poster child of the alt-right, has claimed his "Heil Trump" chanting at a post-election rally was done in the spirit of "irony." This jives with Spencer's calls for "peaceful ethnic cleansing" at the 2013 American Renaissance conference but serves to highlight the notion that darker machinations often lay beneath the group's claims of simply wanting to troll SJWs.

We've put together a field guide of some phrases and memes white supremacists share with each other so that, if you happen across one in the wild, you'll be able tell whether your old college friend, Gary, is simply a fan of 11th century history or secretly wishes to eradicate all non-whites.

Pepe the Frog

If Richard Spencer is the human mascot of this group, Pepe the frog is its meme version. Much has already been said about the amphibian cartoon's ascension from fringe web comic character to neo-Nazi mascot, including by the Clinton campaign.

Despite the disingenuous incredulity offered by the alt-right (and garden variety Trump supporters) after the ADL added Pepe to its official list of hate symbols, there is no reason to believe that anyone using the character today is at all unaware of the Nazi sentiments attached to it and should therefore be regarded as complicit in spreading said sentiments with his or her usage of the cartoon. Plausible deniability divorced itself from Pepe usage a long time ago. The swastika was once an innocent religious symbol too. People have a tendency to ruin nice things.

Cuck/Cuckservative

Another one that's been covered to death so we needn't spend too much time on it. Trump supporters have long called those they disagree with "cucks," because wanting everyone to have access to healthcare is apparently akin to letting a stranger fuck your wife.

The white-supremacy twist on this oldie but goodie is the additional fear mongering of the cuckoldry being carried out by a person of color. Louis CK became 4chan's public enemy #1 target for race-based cuck meming in 2014 by daring to have stand-up material that broached the subject of white privilege.

Be careful about accurately judging intent and seriousness if you hear someone use "cuck" these days. As "normies" gained familiarity with "cuck" as an alt-right insult, the term began its toothless third stage of life as lefties playfully and sarcastically insult each other with it à la the "thanks, Obama" meme.

Deus Vult

Screencap via YouTube user Starbot Dubs

Crusader iconography has long been tied to Islamophobia, so white supremacists didn't have to tweak much when they lifted this Latin battle cry from Pope Urban II's first crusade. Translating to "God wills it," deus vult re-emerged, after nearly a millennium of hibernation, in a 2015 YouTube video of Christian Syrians bombing ISIS. Since then, alt-right message boards have glommed onto the words, using them as if they were a divine permission slip for wishing death upon Muslims. Vandals even tagged the phrase on a mosque in Scotland in December.

As with Pepe, the window is rapidly closing on claiming innocence when using the phrase.

Moon Man

Borrowing the crescent moon 80s McDonald's ad character, Mac Tonight, white supremacists co-opted this wholesome fast food mascot (ironically based off of black music icon, Ray Charles) as a face for text-to-speech rap song "parodies" (that aren't worth linking to) which explicitly describe myriad gruesome scenes of murdering black people, while dredging up every epithet you can think of. It's like if Stephen Hawking's computer and Weird Al had a really racist child that had an internet connection but no creative talent.

This is just a meme meant to get a rise out of you, of course. There's no true animus there, right?

(((Triple Parentheses)))

Perhaps you've noticed a number of your favorite Twitter accounts surrounded by triplicate parentheses. This is the result of a concerted solidarity effort to take back and render ineffective an alt-right tactic of marking—starring if you will—Jewish journalists.

Conceived of on neo-Nazi podcast The Daily Shoah, these parenthetical "echoes" were written around the names of Jewish journalists and public figures when mentioning them on Twitter. The idea was to aid anti-semitic Twitter search efforts. Twitter has since updated their search function to drop the parentheticals, thereby rendering this hateful branding tactic pointless. You can still see it, as used in the video title below, as a sort of racist vestigial organ.

"Global Special Interests"

All you need to know is that when Donald Trump uses this phrase, a contingent of his base hears "Jews." So now you know to be a bit concerned if cousin Wendy starts peppering that into the family newsletter come Christmas.

Operation Google

We've all encountered that one person who feels personally slighted by his (yes, his) inability to publicly use the n-word while black people have carte blanche. 4chan, that shitty friend writ large, pulled a code word scheme straight from the KKK playbook after Google launched a program meant to filter out such obscenities in searches. Cries of "CENSORSHIP!" rang out, and the crafty teenagers quickly formulated a code of replacing filtered racial slurs with tech company names (Jew = Skype) and Fight Club references (trans person = Durden). The spurious logic behind this scheme was that if enough of them started calling black people "Googles" online, the tech behemoth would eventually have to censor their own pages. That never happened, of course. Instead, a couple dumb Tweets like the one below cluttered up Twitter for a minute.

WE WUZ KINGS

The Black Egyptian Hypothesis is a widely disputed theory that the Egyptian pharaohs (and citizens they ruled) were more dark-skinned than how we picture them today. Despite this being a fringe theory, the alt-right has adopted it as another weapon in their arsenal for denigrating black folk.

Typical Kings/Kingz/Kangz memes revolve around low-effort posts wherein the poster mockingly asserts that, were it not for (implied non-existent) white oppression, black people would be royalty.

Dindu (Nuffin)

Look for this phrase primarily in comment sections of stories about slain African Americans. "Dindu nuffin" (often abbreviated as "dindu") is a bastardization of "didn't do nothing," in reference to the claims of innocence that parents, friends, and community members make about the victims of unlawful police shootings.

Even in cases not involving police or criminal acts, black people, simply referred to as "dindus," are still the targets of alt-right memes. The presumption of guilt every time a black person is injured or accused of a crime is the small price these white supremacists are willing to pay for the opportunity to mock grieving mothers.

Free Helicopter Rides

"Death flights" were a common form of extra-judicial execution during the Dirty War in Argentina and following the 1973 Chilean coup wherein dissidents were flown over the ocean in an airplane or helicopter and pushed to their death. From 1976 onward, thousands of political opponents to Argentina's Admiral Luis María Mendía and Chile's Augusto Pinochet were murdered in this manner.

This wanton disregard for human life is hilarious to many in the alt-right. Starting in mid-2015, certain boards began suggesting progressive political opponents be given "helicopter rides."

Die-hard fans of this murder meme can even purchase whimsical "Pinochet's Helicopter Tour" T-shirts (which we won't link to) that will fit even a 3XL-sized Übermensch.

[tommerke]

INDUCTION

by Tom Merke

Keith Lucas sipped his coffee and looked over at his wife over breakfast. “I finally made it. I’m going to be inducted today.” “I don’t want to hear about it again. Leaving your day-job is a terrible idea.” Diana said bitterly. “I’ll still work part-time. Do you want me to keep programming punch cards for textile machineries for the rest of my life?” Keith leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “This time I could use my expertise to make a difference and being formally accepted to this organization can make that happen.” Keith stood up from the table and walked into the living room. “Even as a temporary member I helped them tap into government databases, street camera feeds and internal communication.” Keith stopped and looked at the far side of the room. “Leaking all this information can expose what our government is doing and throw them over eventually. You’ll see that this team will be the saviour of us, citizens.” “So your plan is to become a criminal.” Diana said. “No, you don’t understand Dee!” He felt irritable now. “Everything in the papers make it look like people are living in peace and freedom. Yet everything from magazines to the MultiNet is censored and all negative news is filtered. We are fed with nationalistic propaganda to make us feel better but it doesn’t work.” Keith paced up and down the room and continued. “We want to know the truth about everything. People openly criticising the government keep disappearing. Where did they go? Do you want to live in a world like this?”   “You don’t need to raise your voice, Keith.” He took a deep breath and continued. “I’m not raising my voice. I just want you to understand that this group can reveal the truth.” Diana looked confused. “I don’t know what you’re up to I just want us to be safe.” “Look, it’s going to be alright and I’ll tell you everything later, okay? The group needs me and this is my chance to do something worthwhile for our future. For everyone’s future.” Keith was right. The government had stripped away citizens’ rights bit by bit. All media outlets were closely monitored and heavily edited. Phone calls and MultiNet traffic were being tracked by government officials. People raising concerns were silenced until a group of programmers formed ShadowGroup. Their operation was the first significant step against the government’s tactics. The team was working endlessly to hack into their networks to destroy them from the inside. Their aim was to uncover sensitive information to overthrow the government before the elections. However, the group needed more members desperately, yet they had to be cautious in recruiting people without exposing the organisation. Keith went through numerous background checks and programming tests before he was chosen to be a temporary ShadowGroup member. The induction which awaited him was a ceremony where he would be granted full access to the surveillance base and a layered MultiNet outlet which renders his work to be untraceable.   Keith put his mug down and walked back to the kitchen. He had a mix of enthusiasm and fear building up in him. “All I want to do is make my work count.” Keith kissed his wife, put on his tweed jacket, and left the house. Walking to the bus stop he was considering his options to avoid suspicion after the induction. I will work part-time in the textile factory and spend the rest of my time on ShadowGroup tasks, he thought. A spotless silver Galaxy 3000 ground car sparkled in the morning sun as it approached. With its pointy fenders and bubble dome, it seemed like a gentle beetle, ready to whoosh into the distance any moment. The autonomous system tracked Keith’s position and came to a stop next to him. “Get in Lucas, now.” Keith immediately recognized the deep voice of Roberts through the lifting roof, he was his referee for ShadowGroup. Keith opened the door and got in the back seat. Facing him on the opposite side sat his acquaintance and a stranger. “I didn’t expect this urgent meeting today and I hope you understand that I need to show up at work today to avoid suspicion.” said Keith as the vehicle closed its doors and took off. “Is there anything I can help with?” “Something’s happened.” Roberts said. “Your network scraper is on hold as the heat is on from the government. We know they are getting suspicious about something and we should be more cautious.” “They won’t get us. We are three steps ahead of them as my software gets more and more refined. Once we have enough data collected off their internal feed, we can publish it on numerous MultiNet sites. By the time they block one we’ll have four duplicates across the network. People will see the information, the lies, the political prisoners, the missing people. They will rise up and the government will be done forever.” Keith said with confidence. “You have any more ideas?” The stranger interrupted. “You seem to be knowledgeable.” “The gentleman here is Mr. Johnson.” Roberts said  while reaching for his pocket. Keith nodded while Mr. Johnson kept studying him from behind his thick rimmed glasses. “Are you a programmer too?” Keith said. “No, I’m not, but I have a good understanding of your progress so far.” Johnson said. Keith gazed out the window and grew uneasy as the car was riding in the outskirts of town, leaving the city skyscrapers behind. “You see Mr Lucas, I’m a ShadowGroup founder. Roberts, myself and a few other gentlemen started the whole thing.” said Johnson. “Does this urgent meeting means we have to go through something before the induction?” Keith said. “Mr. Lucas, the reason I’m here today is we know you have leaked information of our organization to the government.” “Me? What are you talking about?” Keith looked puzzled. “Roberts, grab him!” Johnson shouted in panic. Roberts pulled out his thermal pistol, slid beside Keith and buried the gun in Keith’s side. “What is happening?” Keith clenched his fist. “Don’t you dare move.” Roberts said with a voice full of aggression. “Should we get rid of him right now? There’s nothing to wait for!” he said nervously to Johnson. Keith’s heart was pounding as he sat rigidly and looked at Roberts who dialed a number on the car phone. “Wait. We got him, yes.” Johnson glanced at Keith. “No, everything went to plan. We should be at the base in thirty.” Keith looked out. The vehicle was on an abandoned road surrounded by wilderness. The engines were whirring as the car approached top speed. Keith’s heart was pounding so hard he thought it could burst any minute. He was shaking with fear. He wanted to call Diana to ask for help or at least to say goodbye. But there was nothing to be done, he was cornered. “I’ll tell you what’s going to happen.” Roberts said. “We’re approaching the ShadowGroup HQ where you will have a mind scan for our records, then get a complete erase of your memories. We cannot let spies jeopardize ShadowGroup. Keith attempted to break out of the numbness. “What do you mean spies?” “You know very well Lucas.” Johnson raised his voice. “A report from one of our sources saw you yesterday talking to government officers. You have passed on information about ShadowGroup. You are a government spy.” Keith grew ill as he tried to comprehend the absurd accusations he was hearing. “I am Keith Lucas. A programmer, a hacker. I put my life on the line to take down the government. I belong to ShadowGroup.” he said with conviction. “You may have received a quick memory wipe. But we know what you are.” said Roberts. ”A traitor.” Keith struggled to say anything out of anxiety. “No, it’s not right. I never met anyone from the government, let alone said anything. I’m against the government. We’re in the same boat!” Keith looked at Johnson who watched him without saying a word. “Let me prove it somehow. Run another background check Roberts! It will show you the truth.” Roberts tilted his chin up and his lean posture tightened as he spoke slowly and with purpose. “You wouldn’t remember what had happened because of your short term memory wipe. Our colleague from interior security however, has provided us with accurate information. You’re a threat to our organization and your contributions are not desired anymore. Who knows what data you’ve been drip feeding in the background. You are going to the base where your memory and brain functions will be reset.” “No, this is wrong!” Keith’s face went white. Outside he could see mountains with lush vegetation. The base was close now. He knew what was coming to him. They would make sure he would stay quiet for the rest of his life. Roberts held his gun and Johnson was ready to use force should Keith resist, he had no chance. “Here we go.” Roberts said as the car came to a stop. It was in the middle of a forest where an opening between the pine trees hid a tiny cabin. Keith suspected that a massive structure underneath awaited him. Two armed guards approached the vehicle. “Wait Roberts,” Keith said desperately. “I’m going to prove I’m innocent. Give me some time! Roberts if you wipe out my existence you’re no better what we are fighting against.” He said with damp eyes. The guards waited outside the car. Maybe Keith wasn’t rushed to his fate if they lived in another time. The government’s methods made everyone suspicious, and as for ShadowGroup, one single infiltrator could bring down everything. He was going to be neutralized because they did not want to look for evidence and the group was desperate and acting in haste. Keith clenched his jaw as he looked from the corner of his eye at Roberts. He tried to accept the fact that the fellow who recruited him many months ago is going to destroy his life based on suspicion and without any evidence. There was no point condemning Roberts but Keith needed to prove his innocence. Keith’s mind raced and he needed to act. How could he escape? In a second he would be in the underground building locked in a cell, waiting for a brain reset. Johnson opened the door and climbed out, and gestured towards the guards with his hand to signal that Keith was successfully in custody. Keith took a deep breath. The moment came. He jerked his head violently to the side breaking Roberts’ nose in the process. In the confusion Keith grabbed Robert’s thermal gun and held it to Robert’s temple. “Let me go or I’ll kill him!” Keith’s voice echoed through the clearing. Johnson and the guards looked dumbfounded. “Go, go!” Keith yelled as the autopilot closed the door and the car took off. Roberts threw up his arms. “Lucas, don’t shoot! Just let me go!” Keith looked back and caught a glimpse of three figures running into the cabin. “Take us to the the surveillance base.” He pushed the gun hard against his head. “Do it, now!” Roberts instructed the autopilot and articulated the coordinates clearly. Keith slid across the opposite seat and held the pistol at Roberts. With his other hand he used the car phone to call Diana. “Dee, are you there?” “Keith, where are you? Is everything okay?” Keith let out a huge breath as he heard Diana’s voice. “Listen, I don’t have much time. I’ve been framed and they may be after you right now.” “What is this--” “Please, listen to me, go somewhere safe, anywhere, just leave the house now!” Keith bit his lips. “Did anyone call you?” “No, but I still don’t--” “Good, don’t talk to anyone, just leave the house!” He hung up the phone and then the two examined each other silently. The autopilot announced that they will arrive to the destination shortly. Keith watched the endless grey fields through the window. Ash and piles of debris everywhere. The desolate ruins were thriving factories and residential buildings decades ago. Somewhere in the ruins stood ShadowGroup’s surveillance base where Keith hoped he could find something. If he could give them irrefutable proof-- The car came to a sudden halt at an abandoned hangar. "Come on, move!" Keith pushed the gun against Roberts's neck. Roberts climbed out first followed by Keith. Their footsteps sent a cloud of ash into the air. In the corner of the building stood a concrete structure. Stepping in Roberts entered a code on the wall keypad and a heavy, steel door opened, revealing a staircase to an underground area. “What have you got in mind Keith?” Roberts shook his head. ”Johnson and everybody from the HQ is already in our trail you fool!” They walked down the stairs and entered an enormous hall where dozens of people worked on computers. On the screens were street camera feeds and tables of data. In the back rose an endless row of server machines and the constant buzz of fans. The floor was covered with thick dust and piles of computer packaging. Roberts walked towards the desks, Keith followed close behind him. The technicians were dazed seeing a stranger pointing a gun at Roberts. "Do as he says and don't ask questions!" Roberts said nervously. “Shut up, Roberts!” Keith hissed through his teeth.   Keith stepped up to an operator while keeping his aim on Roberts. “I need you to bring up the full camera feed from yesterday in Colebrook street and track my activity.” The operator looked at Roberts, perspiration rolling down on his forehead. Roberts nodded. “The footage will be ready in a minute.” Keith tapped his feet rapidly as the technician searched for the storage tape. A nearby monitor flickered and a live feed from above ground showed Johnson and two guards outside the hangar. They were on the way down. As soon as Keith saw them entering the hall he put down his gun. “Before you do anything Johnson, look at the evidence here. The camera history. Look!” Keith waved frantically with his hands. Johnson aimed his gun at Keith. “Stop or I’ll shoot you!” “It’s here, just please give me a chance!” Keith’s voice choked. “You can follow my every move in the archive.” Johnson narrowed his eyes and lowered his weapon as the operator put up the footage on the large screens in the center. They were staring at them as the footage was fast forwarded showing multiple locations including Keith’s house. On one monitor Keith left home early morning. Another one showed him in a coffee shop and then him walking in the park in the afternoon. Other operators combed through data from nearby locations which was running on the smaller screens. Audio transcripts, still photos and names darted on the displays. “Nothing of interest.” Robert sighed and looked around. Keith smiled with relief. “So?” “You were right all along.” Roberts said. “I never talked to them. Your source just wanted to get me in trouble.” Keith said. The screens continued to follow Keith’s day as he was going through his weekend routine. From his walk he was heading home. “Keith, we made a mistake.” Roberts said. “Sorry that we put you through this. I can’t even think of what would have happened to you --” “I don’t know what to say.” Keith let out a huge sigh of relief. “Wait!” The operator pointed at the screen. Plaza Street. 17:14 PM. Sunday. Keith walked on the footpath when a black van stopped next to him and two officers pushed him in violently. The van disappeared. Robert’s turned his head away. “You betrayed us.” he muttered. “You told them everything and betrayed us.” Keith widened his eyes. He was shaking. “No, this can’t be true. I don’t remember this. I don’t understand. This must have been manipulated. ” Everything was spinning around, he was going to faint. “Was I wrong?” “But if I talked to them, then --” A rumble interrupted them. It grew into a loud roar. The security screens turned automatically to the above ground feed. Roberts looked at the screen. “They were tracking you all along.” He stared blankly as an army of police vehicles were rushing towards the bunker.

[suzanneshannon]

Workflow Considerations for Using an Image Management Service

There are all these sites out there that want to help you with your images. They do things like optimize your images and help you serve them performantly.

Here's the type of service I mean.

Cloudinary

ImageEngine

imgix

Akami Image Manager

KeyCDN Image Processing

CloudImage

ImageOptim API

Sirv

Netlify Image Transformation

That's a very good thing. By any metric, images are a major slice of the resources on websites, and we're notoriously bad at optimizing them and doing all the things we could to lower the performance hit from them. I'm sitting at a conference right now and Dave just bet everyone in the audience $100 that he could find an unoptimized image on their site. I wasn't about to take him up on it.

So you use some service to help you deliver images better. Smart. Many of them will make managing and optimizing images a lot easier. But I don't consider them a no-brainer. There is a lot to think about, like making choices that don't paint you into a corner.

I should be able to upload images from my own CMS.

I don't want to go to your site to upload my assets. I want to use the media management in my own CMS. So, the service should have an API at a minimum, and possible even officially maintained CMS plugins.

This site uses WordPress. I can drag and drop images into the media library and posts very easily. I can search my media library for images I've uploaded before. I like that, and I want to take advantage of it today, and as it evolves.

The images should be uploaded to my own server.

If it also has to be uploaded to the image service, that's fine. But it should go to my server first, then to the service. That way, I still maintain ownership of the source file.

Images within content should use functional, semantic markup in my CMS.

I'd prefer that the images within content are stored as totally functional HTML in my database:

<img src="/images/flower.jpg" alt="a blue flower">

It could be fancier than that, like using srcset (but probably not sizes as that will change as the design changes), or be contained within <picture> or <figure> elements... whatever you like that makes sense as semantic HTML. The most important thing being that the content in my database has fully functional HTML with a src on the image that points to a real image on my real server.

The implementation of the image service will involve filtering that HTML to do whatever it needs to do, like replace the URLs to generate fancier responsive image markup and whatnot.

Between having functional HTML and images on my server, that enables me to turn off the image service if I need to. Services have a habit of coming and going, or changing in ways that make them more or less palatable. I don't want to be locked-in; I want freedom. I want to be able turn off the service and have a perfectly functional site with perfectly functional images, and not be obstructed from moving to a different service — or no service at all.

Even if I didn't use the service in the past, I want all my images to benefit from it.

I just mentioned filtering the HTML for images in my database. That should happen for all the images on my site, even if they were uploaded and used before I started using the image service.

This probably means the services offers a URL-based "get" API to optimize images on-the-fly pulled from their canonical locations.

I shouldn't have to think about format or size.

I want to upload whatever I have. Probably some huge un-optimized screenshot I just took. If I think about it at all, I want to upload something much too big and much too high-quality so that I know I have a great original version available. The service will create optimized, sized, and formatted images as needed.

I also want to upload SVG and have it stay SVG (that's also optimized).

The images will ultimately be served on a CDN.

CDNs are vital for speed. Australians get images from servers hosted in Australia. Canadians get images from servers hosted in Canada. The servers are configured to be fast and cookie-less and all the fancy over-my-head things that make an asset CDN scream.

The images should serve in the right format.

If you serve images in WebP format to browsers that support it, you'll probably get as much or more performance out of that optimization than serving re-sized images with responsive images syntax. It's a big deal.

I want the service to know what the best possible format for any particular image for any particular browser and serve the image in that format. This is going to change over time, so I want the service to stay on top of this so I don't have to.

I know that involved formats like JPEG-XR and JPEG-2000 three years ago. Is that still the case? I have no idea. This is a core value proposition for the service.

It should optimize the images and handle quality.

This is perhaps the most obvious feature and the reason you reach for an image service in the first place. Images need optimization. There are perhaps dozens of image optimization tools/algorithms that aim to squeeze every last byte out of images. The image service probably uses those or even has its own fancy tech for it. Ideally, the default is to optimize an image the most it possibly can be without noticeably hurting the quality, but still allowing me to ratchet it down even more if I want to.

Don't shame me for using high-pixel density images.

A lot of image services have some sort of tester tool where you drop in a URL and it tells you how bad you're doing with images. Many of them test the size of the image on the rendered page and compare the dimensions of the original image. If the original image is larger, they tell you could have had savings by sizing it down. That's obnoxious to me. High-pixel density displays have been around for a long time and it's no crime to serve them.

It should help me serve the right size for the device it's on and the perfect responsive syntax if needed.

Not all images benefit from the same responsive breakpoints. Check out the site Responsive Image Breakpoints. It generates versions of the image that are best depending on the image itself. That's the kind of help I like to see from an image service. Take something hard and automate it for me.

I know I'll probably need to bring my own sizes attribute because that is very dependant on my own CSS and how the design of the site plays out. It's still important, and makes me wonder if an image service could step up and help me figure out what my optimal sizes attribute should be for certain images. Like loading my site at different sizes and seeing how large the image renders with my CSS and calculating it from there to use later.

Just me.

This is just my own list of requirements. I feel like it's fairly reflective of "normal" sites that have a bunch of images and want to do the right thing to serve them.

I didn't go into all the fancy features image services offer, like being able to tell you that an image contains a giraffe facing west and hasn't eaten since Thursday while offering to recolor its retinas. I know those things are vital to some companies. This is more about what seems to me the widest and most common use case of just hosting and delivering images in the best way current technology allows.

The post Workflow Considerations for Using an Image Management Service appeared first on CSS-Tricks.

Workflow Considerations for Using an Image Management Service published first on https://deskbysnafu.tumblr.com/

[terryblount]

Forza Horizon 4 – A Love Letter To Cars And Racing Games

It’s a hard question to answer these days: is there any good racing games? It’s not like there is of no abundance of racing games- there’s plenty around. But to the average gamer, racing games have somehow lost its appeal. Gone are the days of Gran Turismo being a hit and talked about for months as it influences petrolheads and normal gamers worldwide. The biggest hype around racing games in the mainstream this year is for kart racers.

Not that it’s a bad thing. But the point is: what we traditionally classify as racing games have lost its luster in the mainstream.

But with all that said, I’m glad we live in a world where Forza Horizon exists. The initially weird offshoot of the more serious Forza Motorsport series is now the crown-bearer for the best racing game out there with Forza Horizon 4- we said so last year. And it’s for good reason: It’s a lovely love letter to cars, and racing games in general.

For The Love Of Cars

No other game series right now are offering the breadth and depth of a car list compared to Forza Horizon 4. Sure, Gran Turismo used to do that, but their current car list in Gran Turismo Sport is far, far smaller than in their heydays.

Meanwhile, that torch has been handed to Forza with its large and ever-expanding car list. And an eclectic mix too. You have the supercars in the form of the McLaren Senna and the Porsche 911 GT2 RS on one side. Then on the other side are.. the Peel P50, the BMW Isetta and the Reliant Supervan- slow, tiny cars you would expect to see as pedestrian traffic, not something you can buy, tune-up and drive like the wind. But you can.

There’s something for everyone in Forza Horizon 4. Group B rally cars, offroad monstrosities, utes and vans, that Final Fantasy XV car, and with the DLC, even cars made of Lego bricks based on actual Lego sets.

The game’s livery editor is also pretty great. You can have a real racing car livery slapped on, or get a Mini have it rock Mr. Bean’s colours. But more importantly: itashas are so popular and expected there’s a dedicated tab to filter the liveries for anime, I kid you not. The Forza community are active and creative in this aspect.

Pick a car, any car, and for the most part, you can race it and expect close competition with your rival AIs. But if not, you can always go back to the garage and buy some upgrades and tune it up to speed. Unlike most games, Forza Horizon tips the scale towards sim rather than arcade.

Sure, it’s an arcadier Forza compared to Motorsport, but not many games let you add a bigger rim but it makes your car slower in general because that’s how it works in real life.

And if you’re a car nut, you’d love the ability to convert a car’s drivetrain config, or change an engine, or change its power config- like add in twin turbos to an otherwise naturally aspirated engine.

The Forzavista was a feature made with the ill-fated Kinect peripheral in mind, but it still is an amazing feature for car porn. You get to see these lavishly rendered cars up close in the first person, and fiddle with them to a certain extent.

Admiring a Konisegg’s trademark dihedral synchro-helix actuation doors opening up close and inspecting a V12 at the back of a Lamborghini up close after opening the trunk is something a Doug Demuro video would provide for us common people unworthy of owning these. But here you can do those yourselves.

There’s a lot to love if you love cars in Forza Horizon 4.

Real Racing Roots

But Forza Horizon 4 is not just sending an ode to cars, it also celebrates the great arcade racers of years past. This is particularly clear in the story missions provided by LaRacer. A streamer, she enlists your help to create her Top 10 Cars list from racing games.

The first thing you have to do in the missions is getting in a Ferrari Testarossa, like the one in Out Run. Yeah, that name was just casually dropped.

It’s surreal to see a game celebrating its past brethren, especially those own by other competing publishers. How the heck they got Sega to allow this, or is it fair use? While the missions are nothing to write home about mechanically, the story flourish sells it. LaRacer talks about how cool Out Run was with its various biomes you get to travel to. She shouts “Checkpoint!” in the event homaging Daytona USA. You drive a yellow Bel-Air as a reference to Crazy Taxi. Ridge Racer got a shout too.

She even laments that no one is making a game like Smuggler’s Run anymore. And wished out loud for a Project Gotham Racing reboot- a defunct series Microsoft had where it’s the main gimmick is you get points for driving in style. Which is now integral to Forza Horizon.

Of course, some of the homages are less direct. The nod for that one game that does cross-platform play in the ’80s, in particular.

But to drive home that the developers of Playground Games really love cars and racing games, it is the number 1 pick from the list. The last mission have you drive a Porsche 911 Turbo. From all the games.

Sure it sounds like a cop-out, we could have a BMW ME E46 for NFS Most Wanted or something for Burnout, but LaRacer explains it candidly why it deserves the spot.

“Cartoon games, sci-fi post-apocalyptic games, racing games, They had one thing in common. You’d find a 911.

“Or you know, something that looked a lot like one.”

This is, in reference to, EA’s exclusive license for the German marque has now lapsed. For over a decade, racing games have to settle with a RUF or a fictional car that sort of looks like the 911. And now the flood gates have opened, every decent racing game with real car license has a Porsche.

It’s a historical moment worth celebrating- it is, in fact, the car and marque we wanted in racing for oh-so-long. And the developers understand this, hence the tribute to the Porsche 911.

(Now, if only Toyota got the memo…)

The Joy Of Driving

But the most important element Forza Horizon 4 gets right is the driving. Thanks to this game, I am finally convinced that, outside of driving sims, racing games can also be just called driving games. The simple act of going from point A to point B, the very problem cars are created to solve, is very much prominent.

I can bet that making fast travel limited and require a small fee at the start was a calculated one. This isn’t a game about completing races and objectives in rapid succession. You are meant to cherish the downtime. You are meant to appreciate driving to whatever your next point of interest is.

It’s not about the destination. It’s about the journey.

Forza Horizon 4 delivers the fantasy any petrolhead can relate to if they’ve seen various car media- either official advert videos or an episode feature from Top Gear.

It’s the fantasy of taking a car, rev it up and drive it along a long stretch of road with a beautiful view on the sides. It doesn’t have to be wicked fast. You just want to hear the beautiful soundtrack from the wailing engine, the feel of tyres losing grip, the ambiance of the countryside and the rocking tunes you have on the radio. All while leisurely driving a car so expensive, or so rare (or both) in the comforts of your little virtual world. For a fraction of the price to do so in real life.

The location, some amalgamation of the UK including the town of Edinburgh, captures the atmosphere of the English countryside, complete with uneven road surfaces that can hold puddles after rainy days. The sweeping roads have character, not something to just glide over so the driving will keep you engaged.

Especially with the game’s handling physics, it demands you to understand how to brake before turning, but with the right build, you can take corners sideways with a tap of the handbrake and careful balance of steering. It’s a robust handling model that can cater to grip racing and drifting.

But soaking it all in is such an experience- so much that most of the story missions as mentioned before are based on just driving, albeit really fast.

Final Lap

Traditional racing games may have fallen out of favour in the big mainstream gaming crowd compared to the biggest AAA titles, but the niche is here to stay. Forza Horizon 4 is now the poster child for the typical racing games for good reason: It remembers to honour the real cars that are the star of the show.

And not only that, it blends all the elements of a good racing game, into a smooth cocktail of pure racing goodness. With its own twist thanks to the remarkable robust handling physics.

Forza Horizon 4 is a great game, and it will remind you how awesome cars are, and how great racing games can be in this modern age.

  The Backlog is a series where the Gamer Matters crew cover games past their release dates- either to make it eligible for Game Of The Year discussions or because they have strong opinions about it but only got around to play them later.

Forza Horizon 4 – A Love Letter To Cars And Racing Games published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[wasteoilsss]

WASTE OIL AT YOUR DISPOSAL

One gallon of used motor oil seems harmless enough. It's hard to be a mechanic without getting it on your hands, your tools, your clothes. Generally, there's no noticeable damage-at least none that a good scrubbing or laundry day won't remedy. So what's all the fuss about the dangers of used motor oil?

The fact is that just one gallon of waste oil can render a million gallons of fresh water undrinkable. In addition, if oil finds its way into a pond or lake, it forms a film on the surface that blocks sunlight and prevents oxygen from entering the water. The result is reduced animal and plant life, and maybe contaminated fish you may eventually eat.

The politically correct term for waste oil is now used oil. The official EPA definition for used oil is "any oil that has been refined from crude oil, or any synthetic oil, that has been used and as a result of such use is contaminated by physical or chemical impurities." It's generally the oil you drain out during LOF service or the transmission fluid you dump when replacing a transmission filter. But it also includes power steering fluid and gear oil-just about any oil a service station, repair shop or quick-lube shop might discard. When you deal with used oil, you automatically become a used-oil generator.

What Contaminates Oil?

As efficient as modern engines are, the heat they generate still has a deleterious effect on motor oil. Heat causes a breakdown of additives and other key properties of oil. This breakdown creates acids and other contaminants such as dirt, dust and even rust, which make their way into the crankcase, along with small amounts of water and antifreeze. Add to this exhaust gases that leak past piston rings and you have contaminated oil that contains quantities of cadmium, aluminum, lead, steel, iron and chromium, along with scary-sounding arsenic and benzopyrene-real nasty stuff that you wouldn't want in your drinking water or in the fish you eat.

While used motor oil is not generally considered hazardous waste, it must be disposed of properly. However, if it does get mixed with a hazardous material, it then may be considered hazardous waste. In that case, some serious and costly regulations about handling the stuff kick in.

There's no doubt that some unenlightened repair shop owners still dump their waste oil in the lot behind the shop or down the sewer, but the vast majority seem to be following safe disposal guidelines. Do-it-yourselfers, who as a group are difficult to regulate, are probably the biggest offenders. According to estimates from the EPA, 142 million gallons of used oil generated by DIYers are disposed of improperly, despite regulations that require service stations, repair shops, quick-lubes and retailers to accept used oil from anyone, even if they bought the oil elsewhere. Remember the damage we mentioned only one gallon of improperly disposed of used oil can do? Imagine the potential damage 142 million gallons can do when it's dumped indiscriminately.

Storing Used Oil

In the past, it was quite common for used-oil generators to stock up on the stuff, then sell it to people in rural counties who would in turn spray it on roads to control dust. But an understanding of the damage contaminated oil can do has led to federal regulations that pertain to the storage and disposal of used oil. No matter where it eventually ends up, you need to store used oil properly before it turns into a problem that could become very costly. There are also limits as to how much you can store legally.

It's important to know the rules of used-oil storage in order to prevent spills and contamination that could come back to haunt you long after the stuff has been disposed of. It's the job of government agencies at all levels to enforce the terms of the RCRA. Violations of those rules in the handling of used oil can result in heavy fines and hold up or void the sale of property when the buyer or the bank determines there may be potentially costly ground contamination. It's not unusual for contamination problems to take years to be resolved and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and cleanup costs before the violations are finally cleared up. In the meantime, potential buyers often lose interest and look elsewhere. A shop owner hoping to retire on the proceeds of the sale of his shop might be well into old age before all these problems are resolved.

Getting Rid of the Oil

Essentially, there are two things you can do with the used oil you generate. You can have it picked up by a recycling company or you can burn it on-site. Recyclers used to have to pay a shop a few cents per gallon for the used oil it picked up. Now, however, shops pay recyclers to pick up and legally dispose of their waste oil. It's safer to deal only with a major recycler whose reputation has been well-established, which will assure you that your used oil will be handled according to regulations.

But the EPA doesn't let you off the hook simply because you get rid of your used oil in a proper manner. It essentially remains your used oil, and you're responsible for how it's transported and recycled. If you run afoul of the regs on the state or federal level, the EPA can ask you to produce bills for the oil you bought. Once they know how much you bought, they look for how much you disposed of legally, where it went and how it got out of your shop.

Firms like Safety-Kleen and other legitimate recyclers keep records and provide you with a receipt for every gallon they take off your hands. People in the business like to describe your responsibility for used oil as "cradle to grave."

One of the nice things about sending your oil to a reputable recycler is that you know it's going to be put to good use. Recyclers generally distill or boil the used oil to drive out the water, then remove the lighter-end fuels. After that, the oil is put into a vacuum to rid it of heating-type fuels. Hydrogen is then passed through the oil to remove sulfur, nitrogen, chlorine and oxygenated compounds. The process also removes the salts, metals and tarlike substances that might have found their way into the oil during its life in an automobile engine.

Keep in mind that getting rid of these contaminants is why the oil was changed in the first place. So once they're removed, the oil is essentially the same as it was before it was used. The byproducts of the recycling process are used in the manufacture of asphalt and as industrial fuels. The bulk of the rerefined used oil winds up back lubricating the engines of trains, buses, trucks and passenger cars.

Obviously, properly disposing of used oil is the right thing to do, aside from the risk of heavy fines if you're caught in violation of the regulations. The EPA has determined that it takes only about one-third the amount of energy to rerefine used oil as it does to refine crude oil. It takes 42 gallons of crude oil to make 2 1/2 quarts of new oil. It takes only one gallon of used oil to make the same 2 1/2 quarts of like-new oil.

Used Oil for Heat

For shop owners in areas where winter means heating the shop, burning waste oil for heat is a good and economical idea. You still have to store the used oil safely until it's burned, but you avoid the cost of having it trucked away. Unfortunately, not every city approves the use of waste-oil heaters. So before you buy one, check with the local authorities and fire department to be sure they're approved.

Primitive waste-oil heaters of years ago often had to be tended to like an old coal stove. Filters clogged and grids had to be cleaned sometimes two or three times a day. But all that has changed. Today, waste-oil heaters are incredibly efficient and easy to use.

In recent years, several companies have refined the process of burning used oil for heat into almost an art form. They make everything from floor-mounted units that are no larger than the average mechanic's toolbox to ceiling-mounted units with heating ducts and vent piping. Models that put out from about 90,000 BTUs all the way up to 320,000 BTUs are available-all from what's essentially a free supply of fuel in the form of the used motor oil you'd otherwise discard. When you consider what it costs to have the oil removed by a recycler, the idea of burning used oil for heat becomes a very cost-effective endeavor and a downright damned good idea.

[slrlounge1]

Nikon Z6 Review – Does Sony Have Serious Competition?

If you’re a Nikon shooter, 2018 was a very exciting year. Even though the D850 was launched in the fall of 2017, most of us couldn’t get our hands on them until early 2018…followed by the launch of the Mirrorless Nikon Z6 & Z7 cameras.

As we mentioned in his Z7 review, the Z system is a massive leap forward for Nikon. The mount is fully electronic in its communication compared to the mechanical aperture control systems, and it has one of the largest diameter mount systems on the market (for SLR systems), allowing Nikon to expand in two directions with the large “exotic” 58mm f/0.95 and the compact 14-30mm f/4.

  [REWIND: The Nikon Z7 And Z6 | Who Will Like Them, And Who Will Not]

I’ll be fair and fully disclose that I fell in absolute love with this camera during the process of testing it out. I was looking for a new camera body and decided pretty quickly that it was the body for me. I have been mostly shooting live events and studio/lifestyle-based portraits for the last two years, so that’s what I focused on with my time with the camera. I did manage to sneak in a few landscape shots here and there. You can thank the rare snow-day in Las Vegas for that!

NIkon Z6, Nikkor 17-35mm – 1/800 sec, f/11, ISO 110

  For the review, I had the Z6 body with 24-70mm f/4 lens and the FTZ Adapter kit, and I tested all of my existing lenses on that adapter, including the following:

Sigma A 35mm f/1.4

Sigma 60-600 f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM

Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX DG HSM

Nikon 50mm f/1.4 G

Nikon 85mm f/1.4 G

Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8 IF-ED

All of the above lenses worked incredibly well, except for my old Sigma 70-200mm. It was hard to tell if it was my lens just being old and kinda broken (it has been pretty beaten up over the years) or if it wasn’t quite supported by the FTZ mount. Either way, that was basically the only lens I didn’t use throughout my testing.

[REWIND: Nikon Z7 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera Review]

Nikon Z6, Nikkor S 24-70mm F4 S, 1/160 Sec, at f/5.6, ISO 100

Technical Specifications For The Nikon Z6 ($1,996.95)

24.5MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor

EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine

UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out

273-Point Phase-Detect AF System

Built-In 5-Axis Vibration Reduction

0.80x 3.6m-Dot EVF with NIKKOR Optics

3.2″ 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD

3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder

12 fps Shooting; ISO 100-51200

Top-Panel Dot-Matrix OLED; XQD Card Slot

UHD 4K capture up to 30p

10-bit 4:2:2 N-Log output over HDMI

Up to 100Mbps H.264 8-bit internal video capture

SnapBridge Wi-Fi system with Bluetooth

FTZ Mount Adapter

Nikon Z6, FTZ Adapter, Sigma 35mm F/1.4 A, 1/1000 Sec at f/1.4, ISO 100

Nikon Z6 vs The Nikon Z7 – WHat’s The Difference?

Megapixels

First, we should talk about the elephant in the room. What’s the difference between the Nikon Z6 and the Z7? The simplest and most significant difference is simply the sensor size. The Z6 has 24 Megapixels whereas the Z7 has nearly double that at 45.7 Megapixels and no AA Filter for additional sharpness & detail rendering. So if you’re a pixel junkie, this may be the thing that makes you choose the 7 over the 6. For me, it wasn’t a big deal as I already have a larger sensored D800, so If i need the extra pixels, it’s an easy swap.

Nikon Z6, Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 1/25 sec at f/4.0, ISO 4000

ISO

Next, we have the ISO sensitivity. The lower MP count on the Z6 allows it to hit higher ISO settings. Starting from 100 going up to 51,200 with “extended” options ranging from ISO 50 to ISO 204,800!

The Z7 starts with a native ISO of 64 and goes up to 25,600 with “extended” options ranging from ISO 32 to ISO 102,400. So, if you’re shooting more low light based work, now it’s looking like the Z6 is more your target.

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This was a killer feature for me. I have been covering a lot of events in low and terrible lighting, and while the autofocus (we’ll talk about that later) can be a bit wonky on the Z6 in low light, its performance overall is absolutely amazing. While some other reviews talk about the banding seen in low light images, I wasn’t able to replicate this in any of my “real-world” testing. In fact, everything I pushed through seemed to outperform and exceed my expectations on the high ISO front.

Nikon Z6, Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 1/800 sec at f/4, ISO 8000

Nikon Z6, Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 1/800 sec at f/4, ISO 8000 at 100% Crop

  Considering I am coming from working with the D800, this is a MASSIVE improvement in high ISO range that was just not achievable for me previously. From my research, it is pretty much on par with the D850’s capabilities, which is again impressive in its own right since the Z6 is half the price.

Autofocus

Both systems features the new Hybrid Autofocus system with contrast & phase detection that covers 90% of the sensors surface. Now here’s where they get different. The Z6 has 273-phase detection areas where the Z7 has 493 points.

Both cameras have a variety of AF modes including face detection, subject tracking, and according to the roadmap, the firmware release scheduled for May will include support for eye-detection! I personally enjoyed the AF system and not having to focus and recompose my shot. I love my D800, but it does drive me crazy sometimes having to centerframe my shots to focus when I’m in a rush. This isn’t an issue at all on the Z6.

Nikon Z6, FTZ Adapter, Sigma 35mm f/1.4 A, 1/100 sec at f/1.4, ISO 400

4k Video

Both cameras can record 4k video, but the larger sensor on the Z7 means it does full pixel readout in DX mode (APS-C) and line-skipping in full frame mode. This means you get less sharpness and more noise at high ISOs with the latter.

The Z6 can deliver the highest quality in FX/Full frame mode.

Continuous Shooting

Normally, I’m all about the high megapixels, but here’s where the Z6 really shines. It can shoot up to 12fps in burst mode, whereas the larger sensor Z7 peaks at 9fps. The Z6 can capture up to about 32 lossless compressed RAW files at 12 or 14-bit before you start to hit the end of the buffer.

Nikon Z6, Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3, 1/200 sec at f/11, ISO 280

8K Time-Lapse

Both cameras have a built in time-lapse feature; the difference between them is the Z6 records a maximum 4k resolution, whereas the Z7 can record 8K time-lapse files just like its DSLR counterpart, the D850. You’ll have to use third-party software for this on your computer, but you can still do it.

Battery Life

The “official” ratings from Nikon state the Z6 and Z7 are pretty close at 310 and 330 shots respectively. Now this doesn’t seem like much considering the DSLR counterparts can easily get over 1000 frames on a battery charge. I can’t speak to the Z7 (as I’ve not tested it), but I can confirm I’ve gotten well over 600-700 shots on a single charge of the Z6 battery. While it’s not as great as the DSLR counterparts, it’s pretty well known that the EVF’s on Mirrorless cameras will drain batteries much faster than the DSLR versions.

A nice feature is on the new EN-EL 15b batteries where you can charge the cameras via USB-C (including while in use) and you can even still use the older EN-EL 15 & EN-EL 15a batteries. With those, however, you can’t charge via the USB.

Nikon Z6, Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 1/500 sec at f/4, ISO 50

Z6 vs Z7 Price

Finally, we have what everyone really wants to know, the price points. The Z6 (body only) is $1996.95 and the Z7 (body only) is $3,396.95. It’s a pretty steep jump from the Z6 to the Z7, and for me, since I didn’t need the extra Megapixels, the 6 was the perfect choice.

Nikon Z6, Nikkor 85mm F/1.4 G, 1/125 sec at f/1.4, ISO 400

NIKON Z6 Pros

Rich Colors that match previous generations of the Nikon brand and enhance them.

Ergonomic improvement over the D800 and older DSLRS (D500 & D850’s are similar in form to the Z series).

I found the grip to be a perfect size for my hand and probably the most comfortable camera I’ve held.

For a more detailed look at the ergonomics, check out this Nikon Z7 Review, since the bodies are practically identical.

Intuitive controls.

The system took away a lot of the normal buttons a Nikon user would be used to and placed them into a pretty-easy-to-navigate  menu (if you’re familiar with Nikon), which is quickly customizable and accessible from the touch screen system.

In-Body Stabilization.

I shot with this camera in pretty much every environment I could think of and I found—with still shots—the stabilization worked better than any other system I’ve been hands-on with.

Fast & responsive touch screen.

Being able to pinch, zoom, and pan on an image review was pretty incredible to me. You quite literally see what you get on the back of this system in incredibly rich and detailed color. This makes it easy to tell if you need to retake your shot for any reasons.

Lightweight system.

This! So much this! By far the lightest camera I’ve ever owned. Hiking and working with this strapped to my body was an admitted relief compared to dual-wielding DSLR’s for a long day at a wedding or event.

120p video includes sound and full sensor, giving you much more creative control in post.

Silent Shutter means less intrusive image taking during events and important moments.

USB charging AND the ability to use older batteries (without USB charging).

You can even plug a battery pack into this while using it to extend your day!

High ISO outperformed everything I had worked with in the past (except the D850), which blew my mind.

Autofocus.

The Autofocus on the Z6 was one of the fastest and most accurate I’ve ever worked with (except in those low/back-lit scenarios), made even better because you can use the touch screen display on the back to tap->focus->shoot!

Easy to use Intervalometer and Time-Lapse movie recording built in.

No need for a remote or external adapters for this one. You can program pretty much everything in camera now.

Touch Screen Monitor

Easily access nearly every single setting on your camera, including using the touch screen to focus and shoot your images.

Wireless Connectivity & Bluetooth

This is both a Pro and a Con, as in my opinion, the Nikon Snapbridge app has been improved, but it still needs a LOT of work to make it great. Currently, the process for connecting via wifi or bluetooth can be a bit frustrating and clunky, especially if you area already connected to wifi or in an area with a lot of wifi options. That being said, after getting the device connected wirelessly, I could control my camera entirely through the app, get a live view with a snappy response time (compared to Fuji at least), and as I shoot I can sync images directly to my phone for immediate editing or sharing on social media.

NIKON Z6 Cons

When using the FTZ adapter and tripod mounting, the adapter isn’t as “tall” as other mounts such as Metabones or Vello. This means that when you want to change lenses, there’s a good chance you’ll have to take the camera off the tripod and plate first, and then swap the lens, making it a slower process. It’s by no means a deal breaker, but I’m trying to be as objective as possible and explain everything I found to be an inconvenience.

Poor autofocus performance in low light or back-lit settings for both video and stills.

I’ve not experienced anything as bad as what the initial reviewers had stated during the launch, but I did have a lot of missed shots in the similar low light or back-lit settings as described above. While it’s frustrating, it’s still a LOT better than what I’ve had on my D800 and D810, so I’m quite happy still.

Specialized/New (EXPENSIVE) memory card.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it was a “con” that I had to invest in a new memory card to fully review this system, as well as order a specialized card reader.

Single memory card slot.

Like the previous bullet, this one isn’t a deal breaker, but it is worrisome. When shooting weddings and important projects, it’s always better off to be safe and shoot in excess than not have enough and/or actually have a corrupt/stolen/damaged memory card and lose everything.

If you’ve read any of my posts on backups or know me at all, you’ll know I’m pretty hardcore about backing up and ensuring I have duplicates of all my work in case of catastrophe. One thing I’d very much like to see improved upon in future generations for this line is an additional card slot, perhaps for an SD card.

Odd exposure and white balance behavior in mixed light settings with auto ISO, auto white balance, and silent shutter enabled.

This is an insanely unique scenario, but it’s apparently common in the mirrorless world. When shooting with all of those auto-settings enabled along with the silent shutter in an environment with mixed lighting (i.e., tungsten and daylight), you’ll notice some very significant shifts in white balance from image to image, even with the same setting. Simply disabling the silent shutter or any of the other settings seems to eliminate this problem, but be aware that it’s there.

Rolling shutter and warp in video when stabilization is enabled.

Effectively, the stabilization feature is a tad aggressive when used in video. A simple pan motion or walking may cause the footage to be basically unusable.

I have a LOT of video showing this strange behavior; however, it’s all under NDA with client work, meaning, I can’t share it. That said, if you look up a few other reviews (including that from the ambassadors who were at the launch event), you’ll see what I mean.

Of everything that I encountered on this camera that could be considered a “con,” this is the only one that was honestly a breaker for me. Granted, you can simply disable the stabilization on the video and never have that problem, but for a feature so adamantly advertised, I had much greater expectations for it than what was delivered.

Function buttons are both located on the front of the body, making them feel a bit awkward to use.

As mentioned in the last pro above, the wireless app is kinda great to have, but a bit of a pain to get setup and use on the regular.

Sensor is unprotected when you swap lenses.

As noted in our Nikon Z7 review, one thing that threw me off when I first opened the camera up was seeing the sensor exposed to the universe and all its dust! In future iterations, I’d love to see the ability to close the shutter when the camera is turned off to help protect the sensor from the elements. Maybe this will be addressed in a future firmware update, but for now, just remember to really pay attention to your surroundings when you have to change your lenses out.

Nikon Z6, Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 1/160 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Nikon Z6 Review Conclusion

So, what’s my final thought? Well, I already mentioned above that I fell in love with this camera and actually ordered one for myself. So you can gather even with its “cons,” I still highly recommend it for pretty much every avenue of photography (unless you need a much higher megapixel setup, then I’d recommend you go with the Z7 or the D850). The Nikon Z6 body excels for portraiture in an outdoor and studio setting, and is also pretty amazing as an event/wedding/nightlife camera body as well. Even with its occasionally random autofocus, the camera absolutely shines in low light settings.

Nikon really took their time breaking into the mirrorless world. Because of this, they were able to hit the market with a pretty stellar product that meets or beats the competition, and often on a better price point.

If you have a selection of Nikon lenses already in your bags, the Z6 with the FTZ adapter is an absolutely perfect choice to expand your gear collection. If you’ve never used Nikon before or are new to the photography market, this is also a fantastic starting point for you. Jumping into a full frame sensor system, let alone mirrorless, at the price point of $1,996.95, you just can’t go wrong.

As with everything camera-related though, I always recommend trying before you buy. Be sure to hit up your local camera store or rental companies like Borrowlenses & Lensrentals to give it a spin and see for yourself.

What are your thoughts? Have you tested the Nikon Z6 and Z7 bodies yet? Did you buy one already? Let us know in the comments below.

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