Month: January 2015

The Interwebs can be a scary place…  it’s filled with weird people.  Including MINIon #0317.  As for design-  This was for a John Cooper Works GP so it follows my rules for a GP.

As for MINIon #0317 it all started in 2009 in Oxford.  Actually, before that online (see, weird people inhabit the Interwebs).  We were taking a tour of the MINI factory while I started this comic/blog, and… You have to understand that MINI United in 2009 was the Eurpoean party celebrating the 50th anniversary of the MINI people from all over the world attended since it was held in England and most of the foreigners took this opportunity to visit the Mothership- MINI Oxford.  So the factory was basically a Tower of Babel so many different languages, so many different accents, and then out of nowhere I hear a distinctly American accent!  Listening in, trying to figure out where in the US this small group of people came from.  Finally I introduced myself and discovered that we had been talking for months before online, figuring out, car rentals, accommodations, and all those silly questions that happen when you travel abroad.  So along with MINIons #0028, #0713, #0714 we hung out at the event and then kept in touch afterwards, meeting when we can, but always making sure we get together for MTTS.

So how does this work?  I started this out as a way to plan MINI Takes The States in 2012.  A simple little group to help us plan and organize… I think there were maybe eight of us, a dozen tops. as we met people on our various journeys they were added.  As people were added in 2011 and 2012 before MTTS I sent out a quick message to everyone asking for their number.  In some cases I’d have a quick chat with new people to get a feeling as to what they would like… in most cases this worked perfectly, other times not so much.

MINIon #0241 was one of those where the process went “sproing!” So after chatting I had designed a nice hockey playing MINIon with missing teeth it was great!  Then I heard them on the radio, and I knew I had done something wrong.  You see we each have our own call signs on the radio – “Blue Leader,” “Red 5,” “Mad Monkey,” “Janet,” “Thumbs,” you get the idea.  So I’m driving and I hear “Landshark” reporting in.  I do a double take, reliving all those Saturday Night Live sketches I grew up with, and realize I had made a mistake.  When I bailed out in Lubbock, I got home and the first thing I did was redraw #0241.

This was one of those MINIons that was actually pretty easy to capture (after a few attempts).  When I first drew MINIon #0224 I made the illustration hobbit size.  After looking at it, and discussing it with the actual MINIon I resized the image because it just didn’t look right.  There are few MINIons that I go back and do some research on, most are just whatever pops into my head.  This one, I went back and forth between websites to get the hobbit clothing and gear just right.  The first version was also missing Sting, so I added that in (and glowing layers).

What happens in Vegas… I first met MINIon #0224 at AMVIV (A MINI Vacation in Vegas).  Sue, Cecil & I had flown out for the event and had a rental car, so instead of going on any of the drives we hung around the hotel a enjoyed the car show.  MINIon #0224 had their MINI in the show and we started to chat.  After that we met again at various MINI events including the Dragon, and numerous MTTS. That’s what happens with MINI ownership- you start with a car and you end up with a new family. While one does not simply motor into Mordor,  MINIon #0224 has probably driven enough miles to go there and back again.

Some days I would wake up and have an idea for a MINIon- it really didn’t matter if anyone liked it, or wanted it… I wanted to create it.  In high school I was introduced to the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and have read many of his stories including the exploits of an opium using violinist who solved crimes. I even owned a deerstalker once.  So I worked on this MINIon as an homage to Holmes, the first consulting detective.

If you ever were to watch me draw you’d notice a couple of things- first, I’m quick.  I tend to get a drawing out rather quickly.  Second, you’ll see me look perplexingly at my hands when I’m drawing hands… I want to make sure the right hand is on the right arm.  I’ve made this mistake too many times, and still make it.  Most people wouldn’t notice, but I cringe when I see stuff like that in my drawings.  So if MINIon #221B is holding a magnifying glass, be sure that I held something in my hand to make sure the fingers are in the right place.

As for MINIon #221B this is one of those MINIons I never had the chance to meet in person, but I’m looking forward to seeing them in 2016.

I keep saying its all about the numbers… sometimes I need to ask for help, because the MINIon in question has given me a favorite number, something that means something to them, and no one else. I listened to a Radiolab broadcast dealing with favorite numbers once… it was very interesting since it started off with a mathematician confused over how anyone could have a favorite number- numbers are just numbers… except when they aren’t.

In the Mini Cooper Community the number 177 is almost as important as the number 37.  So when this MINIon said they wanted #0177 I knew exactly what I wanted to draw- and old school rally driver to tie back to the 1967 Monte Carlo win.

I really need to stop trying to talk about each MINIon, because I’m going to mess up and hurt someone’s feelings (if I haven’t already).  MINIon #0177 is one of those MINIons who is always helping out to the point of spending a day in Salt Lake City, waiting on our MINI to get some repair work, even when she could have rejoined the group, we did at least get a double double animal style and played around with an F56 🙂

OK so when I first came up with this idea all I was going to do was draw a series of generic MINIons (clones of Cecil with fezzes) something simple, easy, and would take very little time.  Change the number and everyone’s happy.  A few rules, MINIons don’t smile, they always wear a fez.  changes would be slight, fur color, skin color, but nothing else.  Then I got, bored and started breaking my rules.

MINIon #0156 was very accommodating (like I said, every MINIon is just happy to be a MINIon- except #4238).  When asked about adding any thing special “nope.”  Are you sure?  “Yes” so he stands out from all the other MINIons by being one of the few MINIons that is just that, a MINIon.

 I’m not sure if 0147 has anything to do with the Space Corp Directive: “Crew members are expressly forbidden from leaving their vessel except on production of a permit. Permits can only be issued by the Chief Navigation Officer, who is expressly forbidden from issuing them except on production of a permit.” but I doubt it.  When I first went to MINIs on the Dragon I had the chance to become good friends with MINIon #0147 we talked about everything and when it came time to create a MINIon badge I knew I had to do something tied to “Red Dwarf” since that was the name of this MINIon’s first MINI.  If you have not had the chance to watch Red Dwarf, it is classic British comedic Science Fiction, I highly recommend it.

I feel like I am constantly repeating myself when talking about MINIons, maybe its just the kind of people I hand out with at MINI events, maybe it has something to do with the personality of people who buy MINIs and become part of the community.  MINIons are all upbeat (except for MINIon #4238), and positive.  They are kind people willing to lend a hand whenever needed.  I owe so much to MINIon #0147 who has helped me in so many ways.  I just wish we lived closer so we could see each other more than once a year.

Update from MINIon #0147: “Level 147 appears to have been the nerve centre of the vessel. It contained the Central Drive Room, the navigational control centre of the ship, where Kristine Kochanski used to work as well as the other top officers. The Central Drive Room also contains the Navicomp, the ship’s navigational computer, and several computer monitors which Holly used to project his/her image and communicate with the crew. The Captain Frank Hollister’s office was also on Floor 147, next to the Central Drive Room. The stasis booth in which Dave Lister was frozen in suspended animation for three million years was also on Level 147. “

I keep going back to the significance of numbers… In various communities different numbers have different meanings.  If you are a car enthusiast, 129=318/11. I know the math doesn’t actually work out but this isn’t math class so let me explain.  US 129 between North Carolina and Tennessee (the Tail of the Dragon) is a stretch of road that is on the bucket list for most motorcyclists and car people.  318 turns in 11 miles.  For me, it is exhausting and after doing it I need to take a break. During the first weekend in May MINI owners descend on this area and drive, and drive, and drive, drive, drive, drive. They also socialize, but their are drives all over the area on some beautiful roads to some great destinations.

You can find MINIon #129 around this road, helping people out… teaching them how to buzz around the corners and not cross the double yellow lines.  While just a worker bee, MINIon #0129’s mission it get people to understand the joy of MINI ownership, the MINI Community, and safe driving on the Tail of the Dragon.  Thanks to his positive attitude The MINI community is a better place, with happier people.

While I continue to work on these in preparation of MINI Takes The States 2016 I come up with new ideas and new badges.  Today is one of those.  I kept trying to come up with a way to do this MINIon and finally time ran away from me and I had to leave this idea on the table.  It’s funny, it wasn’t necessarily the design, but more the number.  I couldn’t find a good number to attach to this design.  finally I recently settled on 0107- although Firefly had only one season the number denotes o1- first season, 07- episode 7.  The episode was Jaynestown which focused on the “Hero of Canton.”

MINIon #0107 will never be seen without his rather cunning hat. #0107 tends to prefer the more direct approach to problem solving that isn’t for everyone.  While they can be rather gruff they have a soft side that no one is allowed to see or comment upon.

There are numbers, and there are numbers. As I have said before when I first started this project I asked people to come up with their own number, some people gave me multiple numbers. I just drew what came to mind, or after discussion what the person requested. This one seemed like a natural keeping with a family friendly, all ages outlook, but yes, the adolescent boy in me giggled a bit.

Like Jimmy Buffet said about one of his songs “It’s a love song, from a slightly different point of view.”  MINIon #0069 has that different view of the world, and it always seems to be positive (I think its caused by the blood rushing to his head).