Nebula 1

Feeling a little better - still not 100% but getting there. Here's another quick little space scene. I wanted to make it a little brighter than the first one and played around with the lighting and textures on the dark clouds and asteroids.

Galaxy

Nora asked me to draw a galaxy for her, so being the good and caring daddy that I am,  I started looking into how to do it with Procreate (the art program I've been using on my shiny new iPad Pro). And oh boy, did I hit the jackpot. I found 16 free, downloadable space art brushes that allow me to easily draw a variety of star fields, nebulae, bright stars, etc. So, with just a little playing around, I was able to make this for her. I'm very happy with this first attempt and I'm looking forward to really seeing what I can do with this in the future.

(Click for full size - can you find the astronaut?)

Stargazing

And the drawing for my younger daughter, who always wants to go stargazing (usually right around the time when I tell her to start getting ready for bed).

Day 4 - Opposites Attract

The first three colors on this palette immediately suggested an underwater theme, but what to do with the red and yellow...?

Evolving Skills?

It's February 12, and you know what that means? That's right! Once again it's Darwin Day! For the last two years, I've drawn the same picture of Charles Darwin, hoping to see how (or if) my style or technique has improved or changed. Here's a link to the 2013 picture, and here's the one from last year. I don't think today's version is much better, but at least it took me far less time to draw!

This Looks Familiar

I found this picture online tonight. Although I have no idea who this kid is, I know a kindred spirit when I see one!

Hey little kid
I know just how you feel
I've been there myself
And I've seen it for real

I, too, have a suit
(A bit tight at the seams)
But I still put it on
When I'm dreaming big dreams

About rockets and planets
And stars that just fell
The Canada Arm
And the OMS pods as well

And though I'm now old
Heed these words that I say
If we follow our dreams
Then we'll get there someday

RoboWorm

So they modeled a little worm’s brain

Every neuron and synapse the same

Then they hooked up the lot

To a little robot

Made of Legos! Now ain’t that insane?!

(This is all true! Click here to read the article and see a video of the roboworm in action!!)

Mammoths

Today I read an article about the biological and ethical issues some scientists are facing as they try to clone wooly mammoths. I don't know - I thought it was pretty easy!

Gung Wu

Though it may not be cool for a guy

I think I’m in love - you’ll see why

Her name is Gung-wu

I think you’ll love her, too

So click here and give it a try!

Go Philae Go

Tomorrow if all goes as planned

A spaceship called Philae will land

On a comet - what fun!

Cause it’s never been done

Although sadly the mission’s unmanned

(If you're interested, you can click here for a site with a lot of good information about the mission!)

Be Like Laika

On this date back in 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2. Onboard was a little dog the scientists had grabbed off the street a few days earlier - and that's how Laika became the first living thing in orbit! Here's a super inspirational poem to commemorate her daring achievement!

On this day, the old USSR

Changed a dog from the street to a star

So be just like Laika

When the right chances strike-a

And perhaps even you could go far

Gimme A Hand

Drawtober, Day 17 - "Knowing the risk, he drank down the toxic potion. Everything began to change..."

This is a quick one. I had to drive across town tonight to pick up my mom from the airport. She just got back from two weeks in Croatia, so welcome back, Mom!

The Big Bang

Drawtober, Day 4 - Sunday Comics: Re-imagine your favorite comic strip in your own style.

As they say in their instructions, it's not actually Sunday yet, but since today is 24 Hour Comic day, they thought it was appropriate.

Volcano

So apparently there's another volcano erupting in Iceland. I'm assuming no one reading this is going to get to see it in person, so here's my attempt at providing the next best thing.

Good Luck Rosetta

In March, 2004, the European Space Agency launched a probe called Rosetta to rendezvous with a comet. Tomorrow, after more than 10 years, it will arrive. What's really exciting about this mission is that it's designed to fly right alongside the comet as it approaches the sun and becomes increasingly active, instead of just doing a quick flyby. Additionally, in November of this year it will release a small lander to actually touch down on the surface of the comet. Here's wishing them the best of luck.

Rocket Science Ice Cream

Today while in old Nappanee

Found a place that you really must see

They take sweet, flavored goo

Liquid Nitrogen, too

And made ice cream as good as can be

(It's called Rocket Science Ice Cream - click here for more info)

DNA Extraction

I spent a good part of the day at camp today showing the students how to easily extract DNA from strawberries. Here's a summary of the main steps:

Some strawberries inside a bag

Then mush ‘em till they turn to slag

Once pulverized you’re gonna add

Detergent, though it might smell bad

A pinch to tenderize some meat

Some salt to make the whole thing neat

And then you’re gonna let it sit

Before you do the final bit

You’ll filter out the pulp refuse

To leave a red and pretty juice

Then pour in ice cold alcohol

The liquids will not mix at all

But in between the red and clear

You’ll see a slimy mess appear

And that, my friend, is DNA

Collect it and you’re on your way!

A Steep Slope

More doodling around with pen and ink...

A+

Today I watched a live streaming webcast of an interesting NASA test project. It's called the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (or LDSD). It's basically testing a new way of slowing down really large payloads to land on Mars. To simulate this, they launched the device (which looks like a large doughnut with a rocket engine sticking out of the middle) to 100,000 feet using a really big balloon. Once it reached altitude after a couple of hours, the device was supposed to drop off the balloon, light the engine, accelerate to Mach 4, inflate to make a bigger heat shield and deploy an immense 110-foot diameter parachute. Everything went pretty much according to plan except the parachute didn't unfurl completely.

What I found most interesting about the test, though, was something one of the commentators said afterwards. He said that in a test like this, a complete success is considered an "A", but a problem like the one they had with the parachute was an "A+", because it gave them a chance to learn something new. I'll definitely be using this example with my future classes.

Sally Ride

Today is, of course, Memorial Day, but it also happens to be the birthday of Dr. Sally Ride - the first American woman in space who used her fame to encourage students to pursue careers in math and science. Here's a  little poem for the occasion:

Today we remember the heroes who died

While protecting our freedoms and dreams

But we also commemorate Miss Sally Ride

Who showed life can be more than it seems

So as you remember their great sacrifice

You can soar like a bird with new wings

If you heed the example of Dr. Ride’s life

And go achieve wonderful things!