Month: January 2015

The one that was never made!  I drew this one out, including details on the robe for a unknown monkey themed house at Hogwarts, but for some strange reason this one, as far as I know, was never made into a badge, and therefore never given to anyone… If I’m wrong, please let me know.

While finishing up the process I made a badge for some old friends (they will come up later) and afterwards I ended up getting some emails from people asking for badges.  I replied with “Thank you… glad you like my work… badges are only for a select group… if I have any spare time I’ll see what I can do.” Basically, “Sorry, but No.”  SO I actually did do the badges- and used the excuse of these were warm ups.  Just like anything you warm up before you get to serious drawing, little doodles that you toss.  I took a few of those to a finished state, and this was one of them.

I don’t know much about MINIon #0727,  the email I received was of a personal nature helping me to figure out what to draw, but I don’t feel right sharing it. You might be able to guess at some of it through the clues in the badge. I was able to see their MINI at a gas station in Nevada.  I never actually saw them, but I recognized the badge.  I don’t feel right coming up to someone and introducing myself “Hey! I drew that!”

I tried to exemplify a MINI convertible owner with this one… in fact I think this was the first one I had drawn with a full on smile (which then led to other people asking why their MINIon wasn’t smiling).  As I’ve said many people said “just draw whatever!” which puts me into a bit of a bind, what if they don’t like it?  If the request is hyper-detailed it becomes work, but when you are trying to capture someone in a drawing of a monkey, so many things could go wrong.  So I decided that I rarely see MINIon #0714 without a smile, I would make the skin tone a little more tan, and when you drive a convertible you better have sunglasses.

MINIon #0714 (I still think they chose that number so they would be one higher than #0713) was part of the group we met in England at MINI United, and since then has been an active part of the MINIons.  Always willing to lend a helping hand Sue actually drove with MINIon #0714 for part of MINI Takes The States 2014 after I had to head home for the start of school.

When I decided to do this one I actually knew what I was doing.  You see MINIon #0317 and MINIon #0713 are married.  So, I figured I would just reverse the design.  I did try it a couple of different ways including reversing the entire design, but felt that was a bit much.  I also had to change the number so it read 0713 instead of 7130. Playing in Photoshop which is how I do these.  You see ( I really should check if I’ve said this before) I hand draw and ink each MINIon and then scan that into Photoshop to color and add to a template I have for the badge. So somewhere around my house are the actual drawings for each and every one of these.

I met MINIon #0713 at MINI United in 2009 and since then we run into each other (figuratively) at MINIs on the Dragon, and Mickey & MINI when I can get there. From what I understand he is nothing like MINIon #0028. See MINIon #0317 for further details.

I keep saying that there was one design that sent out the message that I will draw some really cool and unique for you, even if you don’t ask.  If I remember correctly, this was that design.  Before I drew this one if I had a special MINIon it was something they held in their had, or something like that, this was the first one I went beyond on… causing many hours of cursing and asking myself “why?” and stranger and stranger requests started to come in.  The funny part those people I really had gotten to know over the years, didn’t ask, and were happy with what they received. Sadly I can trace it all back to my attempt to channel Mike Mignola, Hellboy in monkey form.

MINIon #0666 is a bit of a hellion. 🙂  Actually, he is one of the nicest and caring people I know.  I’d say that even if he didn’t wield the Hand of Doom.  Creative and just plain fun, he’s a bit of a clown.  Just avoid listening to him sing karaoke… trust me.

It seemed that I was possessed when creating this post… I’m sorry the image did not show up and decided to post it again for those folks on Facebook and Twitter… Social Media is a product of the devil.

I keep saying that there was one design that sent out the message that I will draw some really cool and unique for you, even if you don’t ask.  If I remember correctly, this was that design.  Before I drew this one if I had a special MINIon it was something they held in their had, or something like that, this was the first one I went beyond on… causing many hours of cursing and asking myself “why?” and stranger and stranger requests started to come in.  The funny part those people I really had gotten to know over the years, didn’t ask, and were happy with what they received. Sadly I can trace it all back to my attempt to channel Mike Mignola, Hellboy in monkey form.

MINIon #0666 is a bit of a hellion. 🙂  Actually, he is one of the nicest and caring people I know.  I’d say that even if he didn’t wield the Hand of Doom.  Creative and just plain fun, he’s a bit of a clown.  Just avoid listening to him sing karaoke… trust me.

As you travel in the MINI community you end up meeting so many wonderful people (reoccurring theme- sorry) Every person is so friendly and happy, except for those who aren’t, and I avoid them like the plague.  In the case of this design I had already fallen down the rabbit hole and started working on more unique designs for people.  When asked all this MINIon wanted was a scarf.  Thank you for making my work easy.

Do you know how hard it is to find a Hawaiian shirt that looks good on a monkey?  Actually not that hard, monkeys look good in almost anything. It’s easy to come up with a design when you have a personality to attach it to.

Here’s how I remember it (this actually happens all the time- although my memory is faulty) our group was driving along on MTTS and we ended up getting separated.  While many people imagine MINI Takes The States like any club drive because of the distances covered it isn’t a conga line of MINIs.  It starts that way, everyone leaves in a line or two (sometimes escorted to the city limits by the police) and then everyone goes at their own pace.  Some people take different routes, but in most cases people break off into groups and plan things like gas stops, lunch, and photo ops, together.  Radios are a big help. This is how our group started- some days we’d lose someone, one of those days it was me, when I made it back we had added a few more to our group.  MINIon #0330 was one of those, with a warm welcome and an infectious smile, MINIon #0330 always makes it a sunny day.

There are times when things slip your mind (I heard it will happen more and more often as I get older- I thought it was just ADHD).  That said, I have met so many wonderful people over the years, that sometimes I might leave someone out, accidentally.   In 2012 a MINIon was running around with “Ryan’s MINI”  I would go into the story completely, but could never do it justice, just go to Ryan’s MINI Adventure a read about it.

So a MINIon is running around with Ryan’s MINI and I realize that I haven’t done a MINIon badge for Ryan’s MINI.  I’ve taken Ryan’s MINI on an adventure or two (I learned I can’t run around taking pictures of Cecil and Ryan’s MINI, it just doesn’t work out as well as I had hoped).  Then I realized that MINIon #0003 had already been spoken for… stress, pressure, trying to make everyone happy and the world to work the way I want it to.  MINIons are so nice, the number 0303 was fine, everything worked out, and here it is.