Character & Design Bings

Excerpt from Jelly's Notebook: Fan of Earth

A plasma-print of this design is plastered to the wall of the F.O.E. Café (the one in the center of town by the clock tower). We hold our weekly F.O.E. (Fan of Earth, if you haven’t guessed) meetings there. We mostly talk about Earth and what it might be like. Some, like my friend Blueberry, don’t believe that the “Real Earth” exists at all, that it’s just some kind of gimmick to sell music and clothes of fictitious eras. I DO believe in the Real Earth, not just because my father believed, but because he opened the portal between our two worlds. That’s why (if you’re reading this on Earth) you can read these words on Earth.

And if you’re reading these words on Earth, you must exist right? So, just in case you don’t know. We’re big fans of yours here in Cratersville, and I know you’ll be big fans of ours someday too.

- Jellybean Reds, age 17

 

Excerpt from Jelly's Notebook: You're My Magic!

Blueberry was surprised to get this card from me. You see I'm the one who's totally caught up in the magic while Blueberry tolerates its existence much like one tolerates visits to the dentist (sorry dentists ☺). But the card isn't about magic. It's about the inspiration that causes magic to flourish. Without the encouragement and inspiration Blueberry gives to me, my magic would be sad indeed. In fact, I doubt I could pull a mechanical rabbit out of my hat—let alone a real one.

- Jellybean Reds, age 17

 

 

 

Message from the Mascot: Pssst!

Hi-Hi. Let me introduce myself while Tessla is outside feeding the birds. I’m Sunshine—Official Mascot of the Character Factory. Yes, I know this is Bingtopia, but I’m still an important Character around here-here and I’m not going to be pushed to the back of the refrigerator like the mystery casserole that Tessla’s Aunt Edna brought over the other night-night.

So, here’s my plan.

I’m going to start uploading pictures of the spray-paint designs I do around town-town (don’t tell Tessla I do this) on the gallery pages here at Bingtopia (don’t tell Tessla I’m doing this either). This way while Tessla is busy ignoring The Character Factory website-site, I can still get all the attention I deserve.

Oh, here comes Tessla! I’d better be going, but keep your eyes open for my designs. They’ll be showing up soon-soon!

- Sunshine—Official Mascot—The Character Factory®

 

Musing from The Character Factory®: For the Birds

There are times I’d rather be a veterinarian sticking my hand up an exotic animal’s nether regions than being an artist, even if the worst thing I typically face during a day is getting ink on my fingertips. I could bemoan the endless deadlines and the occasional paper-cut, but, truth be told, everyone deals with those.

So, what vexes me so about being an artist? It’s the birds. No, not the feathered friends themselves, but the clueless fiends who, upon seeing the beret atop my head, immediately peg me an as artist, whereupon they inquire, almost by rote, if I ‘do birds,’ which, to my sensibilities is akin to asking a research geneticist if they do appendices.

Do I do birds?

Well, I’ve flipped a few birds in my time. I’ve also been known to feed the birds in the park. But no, I haven’t done a bird, though I have created some really neat bird characters, most of which are chickens. I like chickens. Chickens make me smile.

I usually don’t explain any of this to the eager inquirer. Anyone who asks if I do birds, bees or flowers for that matter would, more than likely, not appreciate my quirky characters, funky designs or wacky sense of humor. Thus, I tend to just smile and say ‘no, I haven’t done any birds lately, though I do have an extensive portfolio of sheep…’

- Tessla Queen - friend of birds everywhere and occasional lover of sheep.

Excerpt from Jelly's Notebook: Shooting Stars

I have this charm—a shooting star. Bejewelled and brilliant, its coma is a sparkling concoction of tiny diamonds, while its tail is a rainbow confection of other shiny gems. This charm is magic encapsulated—an alchemy charm that allows me to become what I alone cannot.

I wear this charm on a necklace. It reminds me of my father. On special nights, we used to meet atop the roof of his majestic theatre. There, after all the crowds had gone, we would perform the most wondrous magic of all—we would dream.

Where was the universe going? What would my life be like? What had my father dreamed when he was my age? How different was real life than the one he had planned? On that rooftop, amidst the stars, my father and I shared our hopes, our visions, our fears.

He taught me to dance on black and white tiles speckled with confetti (this because I feared I'd never be good enough to dance with the guys at school). He taught me to believe (though I didn't know where my life was going) amidst crystal rainbows and celluloid clouds.

As the constellations shifted, our communing would draw to a close. We would climb atop the ornate parapet and admire our sleepy little town preparing, pendants in hand, for the ritual.

Using my father's magic, we freed our souls becoming in a shimmering instant, stardust and speed, sublimeness and grace. Two shooting stars who knew no bounds. Two shooting stars whose feet would not touch down until the dawn constellations appeared.

- Jellybean Reds, age 17

Note from The Character Factory®: Stumped Artist- Not!

One of the ways I catch glimpses of Jellybean’s world is through the frequent, yet still mysterious, appearance of her notebook on my art table. I never know when her notebook will show up. Neither do I know exactly when it will vanish. Thus, when it appears I make sure to peruse it thoroughly, looking for inspiration. Not that I’m bereft of ideas mind you. I’m definitely not a stumped artist. More like an overworked artist. After all, when I’m not working on my world (yes Sunshine, I know I’ve been ignoring you), I’m responsible, as the official envoy to Cratersville, for showcasing Jellybean’s world as well. Thus, when I say that I’m looking for inspiration, it might be better to say that what I’m really looking for is revelation. And perhaps, as I think about it, maybe that’s what being a Creator is all about.

- Tessla Queen, Creator of many hats

 

Excerpt from Jelly's Notebook: Mad Jelly

I actually did this series of sketches of myself when I was twelve. I guess you can consider them my first Bings*.

*Bing: a caricature where the arms and legs of a character are attached directly to the head. Not to be confused with a Skidoodle where the arms and legs are longer.

Yes, I tend to pout a lot. Some people in town say I’m spoiled. I wouldn’t argue with their opinion (I can be quite a handful at times) neither would I totally agree. A better choice of words might be to say I’m privileged and because of this I do, on occasion, act special. No, I don’t go around with my nose in the air. It’s more like I push the envelope on certain issues. You see, my ancestors founded Cratersville and because of this I know a lot of things about its inner workings that the other townspeople don’t. And before you ask, no, I haven’t figured out how to control the weather just yet, though I must admit that I am trying.

- Jellybean Reds, age 17

Jam n' Butter: B.O.P.

“Wow! Look at that pie!”

“Yeah, look at it!”

“Let’s eat!”

“Don’t you think we should introduce ourselves first?”

“Oh yeah. Hi, I’m Peanut Butter and I’m a boy.”

“And I’m Grape Jam and I’m the girl.”

“But, everyone just calls us Jam n’ Butter because we’re two bodies sharing one soul.”

“That’s why we finish each other's sentences.”

“And why we both like the same things.”

“Like food for example.”

“Especially like food. We’re eating for two after all.”

“Yeah, and as soon as we finish this skit, we two are going to devour that Bucket of Pie over there.”

“So when Tessla wonders where the picture with the Yummy Smiletrack went just tell her that the Food Mavens were here. And that she’d better put us on the invite list or next time we’ll eat the whole site!”

- Jam n' Butter, Soul Hobos