Dog Toy Painting Series

I've started a series of still lives featuring my tiny six pound dog Carol's toys. This is Carol's tiny Octopus toy. I'm gonna be out of town this weekend so I painted this one after work during the week.

This Weeks New Yorker Caption Contest

Here is my entry in this weeks New Yorker Caption Contest. Each week they provide the image and you provide the caption.

"I bought a case of SPF 100 but, I find hiding in the case itself works best."






Here's the leftovers...


This will keep that bully from kicking sand in my face.

I love this portable tanning booth.

This was the most powerful sun block available.

Want to play in my sand bomb shelter?

Who says you can’t find cheap beachfront property.




Here's this weeks nominees...



"Oh, yeah, we go way back."
Submitted by Patricia Radosevich-Coia
Reno, Nev.

"He says he is known by many names."
Submitted by George Nikas
Avondale Estates, Ga.

"Sir, the competition is here to discuss the merger."
Submitted by Tom Alburn
Wrightsville, Pa.



I entered...

"No, I’m pretty sure he’s not expecting me."

Dog Toy Painting Series

I've started a series of still lives featuring my tiny six pound dog Carol's toys. I put this toy in Carol's bed, as I'm getting a little bored with always having the same backgrounds. This is a toy we got in a gift bag at an awards show in 2006, it supposed to be a fancy spoiled dog with a pink boa, very much like Carol herself.

This Weeks New Yorker Caption Contest

Here is my entry in this weeks New Yorker Caption Contest. Each week they provide the image and you provide the caption.


"The Delta frat guys did it again!"






Here are the leftovers...

I represent some very important clients, Batman, Spiderman, King Kong…

Okay, send up the layoffs one at a time.

I’ve been transferred to the very exclusive delusional division.

Tell them we received their offer and are prepared to counter offer with, “ Don’t come any closer or we’ll jump.”



Here are this weeks nominees.




“You think Alcatraz can hold me?”
Submitted by Joshua Rosales
Rosemead, Calif.

"Go ahead, waterboard me."
Submitted by Lester Craft, Jr.
Basalt, Colo.

“Well, the menu did say ‘Choose your own lobster.’”
Submitted by Donna Palmer
Chattanooga, Tenn.

I entered...

"I hereby sentence you to three more weeks paid vacation!"

Dog Toy Painting Series

I've started a series of still lives featuring my tiny six pound dog Carol's toys. This is Carol's scary Dracula toy. I bought the frame this week, and painting the picture for the frame. I got the idea from my friend Steve Purcell who does that a lot.

Tracy Article

Jeremy Carroll of the Royal Oak Review came to the Michigan Cast and Crew Screening of our film Tracy and wrote a really nice article. If you click on the image below it should blow up to a readable size or you can read it online by clicking here.

Dan's Journal Entry

Arrrr, You Hiring?

Today I saw the guy that sells papers by the BART entrance wearing a George Washington costume and funny white wig to draw attention to himself and his papers. Then behind him I saw another guy dressed like a silly pirate also holding up a paper.

But then I realized that guy wasn't wearing a costume, he was just a homeless man with an eye patch and a paper that said, " Lost 31 year job as a paper vendor - no benefits - Please help - thank you".

It was less funny.

This Weeks New Yorker Caption Contest

Here is my entry in this weeks New Yorker Caption Contest. Each week they provide the image and you provide the caption.


"No, I’m pretty sure he’s not expecting me."







Here's the extras...


You happy working here or are you looking for something a little different?

Sorry I’m late, but traffic is terrible between here and L.A.

I don't have an appointment because I'm kind of a dick.


Here are this weeks nominees...




"The instructions should have mentioned that you need a body of water.”
Submitted by Peter Bleyleben
Chestnut Hill, Mass.

"That’s smart, Eddie. The first place cops look is in the trunk.”
Submitted by David Wilkner
Pawtucket, R.I.

"What do you mean you don't remember? Either he sleeps with the fishes or he don't."
Submitted by Tim Wibert
Okemos, Mich.

I entered...

If we’ve lost this guy the boss is gonna have us kill us!

Dog Toy Painting Series

I've started a series of still lives featuring my tiny six pound dog Carol's toys. I'm not exactly sure what this animal is suppose to be, I think it's a bear, or a wolf or something.

This week I tried painting on a small piece of wood instead of canvas, and I liked it! I'd definitely try this again.

Tracy's First Review

Our film Tracy got it's first review this week from Nicole Rupersburg of the detroiter.com.

"Tracy is a uniquely clever, refreshingly original, slyly sarcastic mockumentary that carefully cajoles sympathy for these hapless, wacky, unabashedly geeky characters while still getting some good laughs out of their eccentricities."

You can read the full review by clicking here, and scrolling down to our film.

Dog Toy Painting Series/Dan Found Caricature

No dog painting this week, as I'm in Michigan for a Tracy cast and crew screening this morning in Royal Oak. But I do have a new found caricature of me that was discovered by a guy who works with my brother. I'm the guy on the left (I think).



If you find a good one, send it my way!


Congratulations and thanks so much to everyone in Michigan who worked on Tracy, oh and Happy Fourth of July!

Dan's Journal Entry

Sexy Baby

My friend Alex and I were in deep conversation walking to lunch when we passed by a mom with her kids, pushing a stroller with a pile of shopping bags wrapped around the handle. One of the bags was from Abercrombie and Fitch and had the usual soft core Robert Mapplethorpe-esque photo of a shirtless man, cut off at the head with a twelve pack of abs plummeting into his barely visible jeans.

Alex and I both laughed politely when we noticed that the baby in the stroller’s head matched up almost perfectly with the headless hunk on the bag, creating a strange child-like muscle man. The young mom turned and looked at me confused. I said, “ Oh, that’s cute how the babies head lines up with the bag…”

The mom looked at me as I pointed toward her baby and, not understanding what the hell I was talking about, glared at both of us like we were sex offenders.

Tracy Composers New Album on Itunes

Alex Mandel wrote and preformed the beautiful and eclectic score for our film Tracy. His new band The Echo Falls just released their new album on itunes. Alex is a great musician and song writer, so if you liked the movie's score I think you'll really like this album, even if you haven't seen the film yet be sure to give the Echo Falls a try!