Several years ago I was having a picnic with my family in Yellowstone... delicious peanut butter and honey sandwiches... and probably some Pringles... or maybe Cheetos. The menu of the picnic wasn't meant to be my point here, but I'm posting this during my lunch break instead of eating, so I suppose this food-based hang-up is to be expected.So anyway, while we were eating... sweet, wonderful Cheetos... I looked up and saw a badger about twenty feet away running toward us. Seconds later, all of us were standing on the table as the badger circled below, hunting for fallen bits of food. Just as we began to wonder how we would ever get back to our car, a couple of Asian kids from the next table over came to our rescue... waving slices of bread over their empty heads as they sprinted over to feed the hungry badger. Apparently a bunch of people standing on a table wasn't enough indication to those kids that badgers are dangerous. On the other hand, panicked screaming proved to be quite universal, and the kids quickly retreated... where they stood with their parents on their picnic table.
If you can't tell the difference between a chipmunk and a badger I've drawn... hey - welcome aboard. But if you see one in the wild and don't know the difference, try offering it a slice of bread. If it eats the bread... chipmunk. If it eats your hand... badger. If it eats Cheetos... man, I'm starving.
17 comments:
hahahahah You blog is so entertaining! Love how you unwrap a story. Hope to one day to work along side you. Most inspirational!
Cheetos rock!
I love your maniacal badger, as well.
Is this just the American Chipmunk and Badger we are talking about? Or the European Badgers and Chipmunks that you are also familiar with?
Why don't you answer my emails?
I think this is my single favorite story of yours so far Shane. While they are all entertaining and split a rib funny, I love the image of you guys standing on top of a picnic table screaming at these kids to duck and cover in the Universal Language... Panic.
Your Badger is delightful in a terrifying sort of way. The fact that they are one of my favorite animals in the animal kingdom, besides sharks, boa constrictors and wolves (do you see a pattern there?), may be another reason this is my favorite story and illustration. Regardless of my obsessions, this is really great Shane!
Do you pencil, scan, then digitally colorize? Or do you draw straight digitally? I love your style. I was just curious how you get your finish product. Funny story too.
Thanks for the kind words, y'all.
To answer some questions:
I responded to all my emails... check the address again, sir. I'll call you tonight and we'll figure it out.
And Toby... I draw with pencil, then sometimes I clean up the drawing with a pen (like this badger), and sometimes I don't clean my sketch at all (like the shark). Then I mess with it in Photoshop for a while for the coloring, frequently stealing backgrounds from old Disney films and blurring the crap out of them. Anything I can do as a shortcut... that's what I do. That's the secret to my style. I'm glad you like it.
Once again, thank you all. Everyone who comes to my blog is cool, but those of you who are always leaving comments... very much the coolest.
Crows like Cheetos. Once in Jackson I saw a crow with a cheeto in his mouth. I like how cheeto is the singular of Cheetos.
Awesome story and character. Althought he looks a little too happy to be a badger. I had one try to bite my car tire once. He looked really mean.
So how did you escape?! I imagine something like throwing sandwiches one way and then running the other way. That was good of you to warn the kids of their impending doom. I might've just stood there and watched, wondering, "Hu. I wonder how this'll turn out." By the way, I knew that your picture was a badger right away. You can't fool me!
Yes, definitely a badger...I was wondering what you were smoking with the title, but after your story it made sense (at least as much sense as anything that comes out of you can). I agree with Seth, you should have waited to see what would have happened with the asian kids, maybe one was related to Jacki Chan and would have put on quite a show for you...for free, until you had to take your clothes to the cleaners to get the kids blood out. "Badgers? We don't need no stinkin' badgers!"
Dude, you're frickin hilarious. I love your rants just as much as i love your art. You manage to pull some great expression out of everyday characters. Great posing too.
And Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Disneyland. I can't say enough. I love it. Look forward to seeing more stuff, maybe some boards if you can spare a square. Cheers, Andrew
I have also been chased by a badger. More than once. You caught that crazy gleam in their eyes very well.
WOW. What a blog. Man, great x 10!
So yeah, lovin' those gestures down a bit too. Nice stuff.
Yeah, I was there (I'm his bro-in-law). Being quite familiar with the Discovery Channel's "The Meanest Animal On Earth" special, I was immediately throwing children onto the table.
Here's an interesting addition to the story: The badger caught a glimpse of some roadkill in the street by us, and headed away from us and towards it. At the same time Shane's sister, unaware, was crossing the street towards us. She would've been right between the badger and it's food (not a good idea) if it wasn't for the crazy people on the table yelling at her to "RUN AWAY!!".
Just a regular vacation with Shane.
haha, funny story, and cool character!
I found your blog because of your comments to Joe Fowler (http://ipeedalittle.blogspot.com/2006/04/illustration-friday-match.html)
on his IF posting and followed the link here. You made me laugh out and made my day with your funny comment to him--just picturing the scene you described. Your writing is as good as your drawing. I loved the badger vs chipmunk story. When I asked my ex-husband what animal he would be if he were an animal, he chose badger. If only I'd known then...
Whew! Man, I'm starting to get tired, this is a lot of work...
But you're worth it Shaners!
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