 I was looking for a long time to make my comics available as rare digital art. And at the end of November I came across Makers Place, a platform based on San Francisco which is the easiest way to create and sell unique digital creations using blockchain technology.
Some of my friends on Steem blockchain are there too (@donnadavisart, @joechiappetta for example). When I opened my account there, it worked in a very simple way (I actually did everything from my phone):
If you want to check out my store, go here: https://makersplace.com/store/vidaspinkevicius Ryoma Ito from Makers Place was very helpful in my first few weeks there. At one time I couldn't login to the website from my laptop and I thought I forgot my password. So I sent her an email and she investigated and said that I was trying to login to the wrong domain name. I double-checked and sure enough my mistake was to use .co ending instead of .com. I wouldn't know the difference if not for Ryoma's help. So it appears if an artist gets stuck for some reason, help is just an email away. I'm new in this rare digital art space so don't know what to expect yet. But it's a thrilling feeling to know that within 5 or 10 years something like that will be a very normal way to sell and collect art. I'm one of the pioneers and you can be too! Join Makers Place here: https://makersplace.com You can use my invite code: mkp-4c35 If you’d like to learn more, here is their blog post that shares the details of the launch and their mission to empower creators like you: https://medium.com/makersplace/how-makersplace-is-actually-empowering-creators-with-blockchain-75dd47037d4e Vidas Pinkevicius https://amazon.com/author/vidaspinkevicius https://makersplace.com/store/vidaspinkevicius https://www.patreon.com/pinkyandspiky
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 When just ten days were left before Christmas
The Pinky and Spiky gang began To decorate the house. Pinky being in good Christmas spirits Decided to get some holly and put it Around the staircase. But Spiky also wanted to make the use of holly So that he could later say that he Decorated the house too. But here was the problem - He didn't have any holly And was at a loss. But seeing her focused on work Spiky sneaked in from behind And had an idea. He grabbed some holly with his little paws. But holly had spikes just like him And hedgehog felt pain. Not wanting to be seen with his mischief He bravely fought the urgency to scream And tiptoed away. He went to the bedroom on the second floor Looked around and saw in the corner A pillow fitter. Our cute little hedgehog started to pack The holly into the pillow and with each movement It hurt very much. And he said to himself in his mind, "If I won't scream for two more minutes, I become a saint." But then he felt someone hovering in the air - It was Betsy who sensed his mischief And flew over to check. Betsy asked what was he doing and Spiky replied, "A pillow full of holly will make Pinky a saint!" But to his surprise Betsy said, "She is one already for living with you!" And Spiky got mad. "So what!" screamed our hedgehog, "My two minutes are up And now I'm a saint too!" Vidas Pinkevicius https://amazon.com/author/vidaspinkevicius https://makersplace.com/store/vidaspinkevicius https://www.patreon.com/pinkyandspiky  One day when Pinky and Spiky were gone to work
Cornelius and Dietrich decided to bake A Christmas cake for them. Betsy and Victor were sent to the lake To catch some juicy fish for dinner So they couldn't help. And having no experience in cooking Our purple cardinal and a mouse Didn't know where to start. Dietrich said, "we must first watch the movie" But Cornelius replied, "no, let's play The pipe organ instead." Since none of them wanted to give in, They both settled for a card game "Just one match", they said. But Cornelius lost the first match And being the passionate type he wanted to get even So they played again. Then Dietrich lost and he wanted To have revenge on Cornelius and obviously They again played the match. And so the hours passed and the two little friends Were so immersed in the game that they Forgot their Christmas cake. Suddenly in the midst of their battle They heard the gate open and Spiky's car Pull up by the door. "Quick, let's make something before they come in!" Screamed Dietrich and both of them jumped To the back yard. Panicked Cornelius grabbed a shovel And scooped some sand and Dietrich thought He lost his mind. Our poor little bird jumped back into the house And straight to the kitchen he went So mouse followed him. Now Pinky and Spiky entered the house Quite hungry from working all day And Spiky yelled, "we're home!" Strange sounds were heard from the kitchen So piglet and hedgehog tiptoed quietly And here's what they saw: Cornelius and Dietrich all smiled up Were standing next to the stove and they said, "This cake is for you!" Spiky without letting out a sound Wanted to start eating it right away But Pinky said, "No!" She crossed her hands, looked sharply And asked, "why does your cake looks Like a castle on the beach?" https://makersplace.com/store/vidaspinkevicius Let Me Draw Pinky And Spiky Comics For You Check out my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/pinkyandspiky  Who doesn't want Christmas presents?
Who thinks they can close their eyes Before the mystery of opening the box? Not Spiky, because he is a hedgehog Whose blood pressure normalizes When he gets the attention of Santa... That's why he was so pleased When Cornelius and Dietrich, Betsy and Victor Wrapped all the gifts for everybody. But then the idea struck That he should also wrap Wonderful Christmas presents. He thought long and hard What present would he Most love to give for the gang. For Pinky he wanted to give Extra pair of tires for her black Imprezza So that she could drive him safely to church. For Cornelius he wanted to give A pair of winter boots so that he Could walk to the store in the snow and get him worm chips. For Dietrich he wanted to give A bottle of non-alcohol wine made of baked apples In the hope of getting a glass for himself. For Betsy he wanted to give A rubber band gun So that he could borrow it from her and shoot some bears in the rear. For Victor he wanted to give A romance novel written in cursive So that he could borrow it from him and read it to Pinky. As he thought of wrapping the gifts, First he took the tires for Imprezza And put them in a box. Then he went to look for wrapping paper. He knew it must be some place in the attic Where Victor weaves all his cobwebs. In a dark corner there he saw A roll of yellow wrapping paper With some purple ribbon that needed curling. Spiky grabbed them both and went down To the room where his Christmas box was And started to curl the ribbon. He eagerly worked with his hands Through entire length of the ribbon Which began to curl and curl like some wild rattle-snake. Spiky didn't stop there and worked with his feet Through entire length of the ribbon Which now looked like a happy Chinese dragon. While trying to create order out of chaos Spiky huffed and puffed and sweated so much That his heart rate rose to the heights of running a race. He turned and turned and the ribbon Curled and curled until Spiky Couldn't move his feet nor his paws. Even though a little nervous was Spiky, He had an IQ of 120 and his advanced intellect Gave him idea and he told to himself: "Now that tire wrapping is out of the question I won't leave Pinky upset during Christmas. That's why I myself will be the present to her." This comic is available as a Rare Digital Art at my store on Makers Space: https://makersplace.com/store/vidaspinkevicius Let Me Draw Pinky And Spiky Comics For You Check out my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/pinkyandspiky  It's left just thirteen days until Christmas,
So Pinky and Spiky family started to think What to put on the Christmas table. Dietrich opened a fridge and said, "We only have one potato left And half of the carrot to boil the stew. Betsy went down to the cellar and found That there were a few pots of honey Along with the sweet apple juice. "That's good", said Pinky, "But not enough To fill the tummy of Spiky unless We go for a fun Christmas shopping. So Spiky dusted off his plastic card, Checked the expiration date And was ready to go to the store. Along came the whole gang Who wanted to help him pick The right Christmas goods. The store seemed so large and bright, The jingles sounded so merrily around To encourage everyone to buy generously. Victor found the flower to cook A fluffy Christmas cake That everyone loves so much. Betsy grabbed some eggs To put in the flower and mix Until it is ready to form a cake. Cornelius brought some fish preserves From the upper cupboards That taste so well on the Christmas Eve. Dietrich found some fresh virgin oil That goes with the salads And is healthy for everyone's plumbing. Pinky looked hard for everything else That they needed including some Fruits, veggies, macaroni and cheese. Spiky was worried a little when he saw The full shopping cart and thought If his plastic card would have enough Steem. The time came for them to stand in the line And pay for the goods that the gang So eagerly picked for their Christmas feast. Dietrich and Cornelius put oil and fish preserves On the counter and Spiky obediently stood in the line While surfing his phone. As Pinky approached with the cart And wanted to put other goods next to Spiky She saw how mouse and the bird are whispering: "Let him pay for fish preserves and oil" And Betsy mischievously added, "And we'll sneak out with Christmas items without paying!" Pinky has never heard of such thing, Got confused and asked: "I'm not sure if we're allowed." Betsy, Dietrich and Cornelius All reassured that it's OK, "It's the new Christmas tradition to get everything for free." But Victor who usually lacks some better qualities And is grumpy for lack of flies in this season, Decided to step in and save the dignity of the family. "Spiky, look what your pets are doing. They try to convince everyone That stealing is OK at Christmas." When Spiky saw this, he smiled And said to the little ones: "It's OK, no need to sneak out like thieves." "We can gladly pay with my Steem plastic card. I checked Coinmarketcap and the value of Steem Went to the moon! This comic is available as a Rare Digital Art at my store on Makers Space: https://makersplace.com/store/vidaspinkevicius Let Me Draw Pinky And Spiky Comics For You Check out my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/pinkyandspiky  On one snowy December morning Pinky, Spiky and the gang ate heavy breakfast because they had leftovers from the party the night before. After everyone was so full that they couldn't possibly eat more Victor asked, "What shall we do today?" Pinky wanted to have a quiet relaxation time, Betsy wanted to go look for a boyfriend and Cornelius wanted to go skiing in the hills across the forest.
Everyone took a vote and since the majority didn't want to go look for Betsy's boyfriend or just sit quietly in the house solving Sudoku puzzles being not as good with numbers as Pinky, they decided to go skiing. Victor went to the cellar and found old skis for everyone but Betsy. She wasn't inclined to join them. But since no one was volunteering to babysit her, the gang decided to go outside together. Dietrich went to the cellar and took skiing sticks to go with their skis. Pinky made a thermos of hot tea for everyone in case they would get cold. And Spiky... he just sang motivational songs. When they were ready to go outside, they put some grease on the skis and tried to ski. It wasn't as easy as they hoped. Everyone but Cornelius was struggling. Since he had his wings, his skiing skills seemed quite virtuoso. While they skied to across the forest, Cornelius did all kinds of figures and pirouettes like an Olympic athlete. Spiky was having a hard time pumping after eating so much. But secretly he hoped that this activity would help him lose some weight. (So that he could eat more...) When they reached the hills, the gang was a bit cold so Pinky offered them hot tea from the thermos... Dietrich made a fuss that the tea is too hot and Victor was very anxious to get to the hill. Only now he remembered that he took 8 skiing sticks and no skis from home for himself... He was quite upset because spiders aren't wired to naturally be optimistic. They see the bottle half empty even when the bottle hasn't been opened yet... So anyway, since the closest lift was about kilometer away, they all went slowly up the hill. Pinky fell down several times on her nose since piglets aren't natural skiers. Spiky also fell once but since he had sharp spikes, he didn't roll downwards but stuck in the snow. Little by little they all reached the top of the hill and looked down. The world seemed very small beneath their feet and Pinky was worried how they all are going to ski safely from such heights... Betsy and Victor went a little bit downwards to observe the skiers approaching from the top. Pinky gave them the bag with the thermos to keep safely. Cornelius whistled a high-pitched signal (B flat of the 5th octave) and everyone started to ski downwards. As they moved, Dietrich realized he left the sticks at the top of the hill but what can you do... Pinky was trembling like a maple leaf in November and Spiky was barely keeping his balance. Dietrich skied on his fours and felt quiet stable but not fast enough. Only Cornelius was enjoying the trip downward as much as he could. He almost did a pirouette in the air once or twice and Dietrich wasn't very pleased at this sight... Betsy seeing this changed her mind about skiing. She also wished she could join them and forgot about her non-existing boyfriend. Victor was jealous of everybody who had skis so he wildly moved his sticks in the air. Because what comes up must come down (like bitcoin), somehow even Pinky found the bottom of the hill more or less safely. Of course Cornelius was the fastest one but who cares... They waited for Betsy and Victor to join the gang and took a vote what to do next. Everyone voted for hot tea... This comic is available as a Rare Digital Art at my store on Makers Space: https://makersplace.com/store/vidaspinkevicius Let Me Draw Pinky And Spiky Comics For You Check out my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/pinkyandspiky  This comic is a continuation of my wife's @laputis drawing from yesterday. It was "Elves" theme for Artstorm contest and she drew how Cornelius, Dietrich, Betsy and Victor are packing the presents for Pinky and Spiky. Cheep child labor!
So I decided to continue this theme and drew a comic about how they have finished packing the presents. Pinky is the most polite and congratulates the gang saying, "Good job guys! Now we're ready for Christmas." Spiky asks which present is for him. Obviously he wants the biggest one... But Victor says, "You have to pay us!". Cornelius says, "Give us some crypto!" and Dietrich adds, "No poinsettias this time..." (Obviously they were paid in poinsettias LAST YEAR!) I hope this silliness will put a smile on your face! This comic is available as a Rare Digital Art at my store on Makers Space: https://makersplace.com/store/vidaspinkevicius  I few days ago I was invited to give a presentation about my Pinky and Spiky comics at Vilnius University Evening of Languages. My talk was about language, comics and humor.
When I came into the hall before the event, I saw my friend Ignas who is a choirmaster for University choir "Gaudeamus". I asked what is he doing here and he said he is going to sing with the students a specially composed anthem and later "Dies Irae". This is Gregorian chant sequence specifically sung at All Saints Day. He only found out about it the day before so he seemed a little nervous and I asked if he wants me to help him sing it. He wasn't sure if we will sing in tune and in time without any rehearsals. The only thing he wanted me to help him figure out how the starting note sounds because when he's nervous he tends to sing higher, like we all do sometimes... It was supposed to be F. So he kept asking me how does the F sound. :) He actually sang very beautifully when it came his turn to do "Dies Irae." Only not from F but from Ab. which is a minor third higher. After the event I thought it would be nice to create a comic about it so I wrote him what is his favorite animal. I didn't hear his reply until yesterday and he wrote that it's a dog. He actually send me a little sticker. I used this sticker as a model for this comic. Spiky asks the dog, "Do you need some help singing? I can sing with you!" And the dog starts to sing, "Dies irae, dies illa!" to which Spiky replies, "Oh ,that was a minor 3rd too high!" When I sent this comic to my friend Ignas he asked me what's the name of the dog. I thought it could be somewhat connected with his last name, Garla so I wrote, "Garly." He seemed pleased. It's short and has the sound R in it that any dog would love... I hope this silliness will put a smile on your face! Let Me Draw Pinky And Spiky Comics For You Check out my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/pinkyandspiky  I knew that Pinky won't appreciate real barbecue yesterday. Even though the theme for Artstorm contest was "Barbecue" I couldn't just draw pork ribs being roasted in the fire. Pinky would freak out, of course. So I made an alternative barbecue with red beats and I'll tell you how I got the idea.
A couple of weeks ago @laputis and I went to celebrate her aunt's birthday and among the wonderful meals with chicken, salads of various sorts and sweets they had red beat chips which they made in front of our eyes. It's actually very simple to make, taste delicious and is a healthy snack. First, you cut red beats in small circles and put them on the cooking plate on top of the special paper so that they wouldn't burn. Then you add a little bit of salt on every circle and add good olive oil. That's all! Then you need to put this plate into the oven and let it roast. After they are crunchy, you can eat them hot or cold. Either way their taste is amazing! So having this red beet chips experience I drew a big pot and a fire underneath it. On top of the pot I drew many red beet chunks. Then on either side of the fire I drew Pinky and Spiky sitting comfortably in their armchairs. On the poles Dietrich and Cornelius are cooking red beets and Betsy with Victor are resting on Pinky and Spiky's heads. Pinky commands, "Guys, add more salt!" and Spiky yells, "I want those red beet chips!" Poor Dietrich who is working hard replies, "You could at least sing us a song!" and Cornelius adds, "A motivational song!" I hope this silliness will put a smile in your face! Let Me Draw Pinky And Spiky Comics For You Check out my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/pinkyandspiky  I honestly didn't know what to draw yesterday for Artstorm contest. The theme was "Cold Drinks" but all the options seemed too obvious. Unless I don't have a choice, I don't want to go the easy way. I don't want to simply draw colas or cocktails. I need to create a little story. A weird story would be even better.
So without much thought I drew a frame, my name and a date and started drawing Pinky's hooves. Then a glass in these hooves. Then a large tongue sticking in this glass. Then Pinky's beautiful nose. Then two greedy eyes looking to the right. Then when I wanted to draw her ears, there wasn't much space left in the top so the ears had to be bent. Maybe that's even better - Pinky is so focused on drinking. Then I drew her hands and the rest of the body. I did the same for Spiky on the right. First - the paws, then - the glass, tongue, nose, eyes greedily looking at Pinky and spikes. Even when the two of the characters were drawn I still had no idea what they would say. Unlike other times, they just wouldn't start talking! But since both of them drank greedily, it seemed appropriate for Pinky to say, "Who has better manners?" Now obviously Spiky would normally say, "Me!" but suddenly I noticed an empty space besides Pinky. What member of the gang could fit there? That's where I drew Betsy. So Spiky's answer was kind of unexpected when he said, "Betsy!" Where is the focus in this comic? I think it's in their mouths... |
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