Pawon Sketches

Sketches about our Pawon Trip with Mahanagari. Please apologize for any inaccuracy of sites and scenes :)
The maps at the end of the drawings are the ones handed out by Mahanagari for all group members. They were successfully ruined, due to being kept in my backpack during the endless rain along our trek. Fresh digital version of the map can be viewed at http://mahanagari.multiply.com/photos/album/31

I also brought along that Amanat Gua Pawon book (also a bit wrecked from the trip), which is highly recommended as a pleasant read for whoever wants to know more about the site.

Journal version: http://esduren.multiply.com/journal/item/238/Pawon_Trip
Links to photo albums of this Pawon Trip by other group members: http://mahanagari.multiply.com/journal/item/48

Bayi Mia-Adi

Kemaren pagi saya mampir ke Gedung Elizabet di mana Mia dan bayi berada. Waktu itu Mia sedang iseng dan bayi sedang tidur, dibedong, lucu banget!
Bahkan dalam ekspresi tidur itu dia ngelawak melulu: gigit2 bibir bawah pake gusi atas, angkat2 alis, dan nyengir2in idung.
Sekali lagi, selamat ya Adi dan Mia! Dan selamat mengalami petualangan selanjutnya dengan anggota keluarga baru yang mungil ini!

Gambar ini dibuat sambil memandangi si bayi yg sedang tergolek nyenyak di sisi ibunya. 

P.S. Foto-foto si mungil ada di Multiply-nya Adi

Pawon Trip

This entry is taken from a part of an email addressed to my family, hence the focus on Dhanu, for he's the one I'm reporting about. Thanks to Mahanagari for arranging the Pawon Trip, and to our valuable resources during the trip: Dr. Budi, Opa Felix & Ute, Snapling, etc. Photos courtesy of Mahanagari; more can be viewed at Foto2 Trip Mahanagari di Bukit dan Gua Pawon
I'm still working on the sketches of our journey, but I expect to upload them quite soon!

...
Dhanu still likes to talk, although he is supposed to be the one who's most tired. The day before (Saturday 23rd), I took him to a hiking trip to Pawon Hill and Pawon Cave, which are located in Padalarang (about half-an-hour ride from Bandung). We went together with a group of friends (there were 21 of us in total), in a small bus. Our meeting venue was the famed Geology Museum nearby Gedung Sate, where we watched a movie about how Bandung area was formed geologically, accompanied by an explanation from Dr. Budi – a geologist who explored the Pawon area himself as his PhD research, and also teaches at ITB.
We had lunch at the museum before departing to Pawon area, so we arrived at the location at about 2pm. Too bad it started drizzling, but nobody seemed to mind. We first gathered at a side of the mountain, where we could see both the mountain parts that are still intact, green and lush at the left side – and the mountain parts that have been excavated (mined for its limestone), bare and white at the right side. Our bus parked at the foot of Pawon Hill and it was time for us to start hiking. The drizzle didn't stop – the rain got heavier instead. Despite all the mud and wetness, Dhanu enjoyed everything. He even liked it when all his shoes and legs were covered with mud.

We started going uphill; the path was quite steep and slippery, but we could hold on to rocks and stones around us. Local farmers plant palawija, or a variation of rice that grows on dry land, so we could see green sprouts among the white, towering stones (which have given the name Stone Garden for the area). When we finally reached the top, we could find fossils of coral reefs and small sea creatures that used to roam the area on the scattered stones. The spot we stood on was under the sea!
A bit lower from the hilltop lays a tomb. It is said to be empty, but is still considered a sacred place. The rain went on, making the path more slippery, yet our spirit was not dimmed. We continued walking downhill – or perhaps it's more appropriate to call it sliding downhill – because what we mostly did was treading carefully from one stone to another, or trying to look for a dry ground that was sturdy enough to support us. However, our effort was almost useless, for our shoes were already caked with mud! Dhanu had no difficulties, no fear. He happily sped through the path. I wasn't worry for him, because a group of young rock climbers – who train at that hill regularly and know the path very well – watched over us during the whole trip. These boys were really helpful and made us feel secure.
At the foot of the hill, we were given two choices: continue sliding down the hill to reach the cave, or going back to the bus and riding it to the cave. I, and a fellow traveler who also brought her young son, chose the later, along with a couple of other friends who were too tired and tense to slide downhill.

The bus parked quite far from the cave, so we had to walk for about 10 minutes to reach the mouth of the cave, still accompanied by the falling rain. After taking a few pictures, we started entering the cave. The rock-climber boys have placed ropes that helped us climb the path into the cave. Dhanu could do it very well. He only stopped at the main entrance of the cave because he heard loud screeching noises. When he found out that the noises belong to thousands of bats that live in the cave, he turned his back and started climbing down. He didn't want to deal with a cave full of bats. So he waited outside the cave, along with a couple of group members.

I proceeded into the cave with the rest of the group. This cave is not the kind that looks like an ant colony: lots of wholes and tunnels in the belly of a mountain. This one is very much open: lots of rooms with big 'roofs' and 'windows', looking to the scenery below and allowing plenty of fresh air. The bats gathered in the main room, we could see many of them circling the high ceiling. They were loud and smelly, indeed.
One of the cave rooms is where Dr. Budi and his team found a fossil of a human being, now known as the Pawon Man, aged about 10.000 years old (Bandung area was formed about 16.000 years ago). The original skeletons have been removed to the Archeology Museum and a replica is placed at the location. Research relevant to Pawon Man and his environment is not quite completed yet, but the mining of limestone at that area is exceeding the speed of the researchers, so it has become great concern.

We exited the cave at sundown, the same time the bats went out for their feeding. Imagine thousands of tiny wings flapping above your head, all screaming high-pitched noise, pouring into the night sky.
When I reached the small hut outside the cave where Dhanu was supposed to be, he was nowhere to be seen. It turned out that he already started walking to the bus, along with other group members who exited the cave earlier. The rain has finally stopped and the sky turned bright at night, leaving the mud drying on our shoes and legs. The evening wind cooled our sweat-ridden face and body. But, tired as we were, we had an extraordinary experience! And what's best is that Dhanu actually likes this kind of adventure, where he could be confident and feel good about himself!

We arrived at home at about 8pm, Dhanu couldn't stop telling Sybrand about his trip, the Stone Garden, the cave and the bats. He couldn't go on for too long, though, because he fell asleep soon after he's bathed and put to bed. 
...

Tesaurus Bahasa Indonesia

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Reference
Author:	Eko Endarmoko

Ketika sering menulis dalam Bahasa Inggris, dengan mudah saya bisa memakai thesaurus pada dashboard-nya MacBook. Atau tinggal meraih dua kamus Thesaurus koleksi kami di lemari buku.
Namun, kala harus juga banyak menulis dalam Bahasa Indonesia, saya seringkali 'mati gaya' kalau harus mencari padanan kata, atau mendapatkan istilah yang tepat. Jadi jelaslah bahwa saya senang sekali akhirnya Bahasa Indonesia punya thesaurus-nya sendiri!

Sampul tebalnya lumayan membuat buku ini berat dibawa-bawa, memang, tapi setidaknya akan bertahan lebih lama ketimbang sampul tipis. Terutama bila buku ini sering dipergunakan, dibuka-buka berulang-kali. Cerukan untuk setiap bab huruf di sisi 'luar' buku (yang mirip seperti cerukan tiap-tiap pasal pada alkitab) sangat membantu pencarian kata. Kamus ini lumayan ramah pada penggunanya :)
Sangat direkomendasikan bagi para pecinta dan pengguna aktif Bahasa Indonesia!

Judul: Tesaurus Bahasa Indonesia
ISBN: 979-22-2447-5
Penulis: Eko Endarmoko
Penerbit: Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Tanggal terbit: Desember - 2006
Jumlah Halaman: 736
Jenis Cover: Hard Cover
Dimensi(LxP): 150x230mm
Kategori: Kamus Umum

SMS sampah

There's a first time for everything, termasuk momentum menerima SMS nyasar yg isinya mendekati pathetic. Saya baru ngebuka SMS ini ketika saya sedang berada di dalam bis yg mengantar saya dan rombongan pulang ke Bandung setelah bertualang dalam hujan, lumpur, gunung dan gua Pawon di Padalarang (ini cerita berikutnya aja, ya!). Tentunya saat itu saya sedang lelah dan agak lapar, tapi keadaan itu - ditambah gelapnya malam dan guncangan bis - bukanlah satu-satunya alasan mengapa saya kesulitan membaca pesan SMS itu. Silakan coba uraikan sendiri:

Hay ad gi ngpn nh.eh ia blh ga q mu ndngrn suara km.al y q kngn bgt nh.mlm mngu k'lar ga by okta
Sender: +6285224135889
Message centre: +6281100000
Sent: 23-Feb-2008 17:28:20

Tentu saja pesan itu tidak usah dihiraukan, jadi nggak saya bales. Cuma direkam di sini saja sebagai milestone dalam pengalaman punya henpon genggam. Hayo, siapa yg udah banyak pengalaman ama SMS aneh-aneh?

One Frantic Afternoon

"Ke henpon saya aja, Bu"

Aplikasi WNI utk Dhanu dan Lindri dimasukkan tgl 1 Oktober 2007 yang lalu di Departemen Hukum dan HAM Jawa Barat. Resminya, pemrosesan aplikasi berlangsung selama 3 bulan, dengan hasil diturunkannya SK Menteri yg menyatakan bahwa anak2 ini syah WNI. Ayo kita hitung 3 bulan itu: Oktober, November, Desember. Januari 2008 mestinya sudah selesai, bukan? Dan pertengahan Februari seperti ini, mestinya SK sudah turun, kan, kalau memang kemaren2 itu terpotong liburan2 akhir/awal tahun dsb?

Sudah beberapa hari ini saya mencoba telpon ke DepHukHAM, tapi 'orang yang mengurus' sedang tidak di tempat. Siapakah orang itu? Ternyata sama dengan orang yang melayani ketika saya mengajukan aplikasi tersebut, Pak B. Akhirnya kemaren siang saya berhasil 'menangkap' ybs. ketika saya telpon nomer kantor itu untuk ke sekian kalinya.
T: Pak, saya mau menanyakan status pemrosesan aplikasi dwi-WN anak2 saya. Apakah sudah siap?
B: Siapa nama anak2nya?
T: (menyebut nama lengkap anak2)
B: Sebentar.. (terdengar gesekan2 kertas)
B: Ooh.. Ibu yang dosen Unpad itu ya?
T: ITB
B: Eh iya maap ITB, hehe. Wah, belum nih. Belum ada kabar dari pusat (Jakarta).
T: Ya sudah, lain kali saya cek lagi.
B: Bu, lain kali kalau telpon ke henpon saya aja, Bu, ke nomer Esia saya. Udah punya, kan?
T: Euh.. tapi ini kan urusan kantor..
B: Nggak apa-apa, Bu. Ke Esia aja, ya.
T: 'Makasih.. (sambil nutup telpon)

OK, ini jelas udah nggak enak, kan. Masa urusan kantor dibawa2 ke henpon pribadi, apa etis? Nanti dia minta bayarin pulsa lagi, spt kasus saya di Pengadilan Negri dulu. Enaknya gimana nih? Datengin aja, gitu?

Re-United : Re-Told in SPARX #2

An old story of mine, Re-United, is published in SPARX Vol.1 No.2, which should be available in newspaper/magazine kiosks this week. Re-United was published earlier in an anthology that commemorates the Jogja earthquake disaster, in a denser form (only one page). Here, the story is extended into eight pages - but still holding the same content. I redrew the whole story; elaborating each panel into a bigger frame.

A brief profile of mine, as a quest artist, is featured in the magazine. Some mistakes occur in the details, but never mind - they aren't that crucial. A portrait accompanied the profile, too, and (if I'm not mistaken) the credit goes to Ermita, who took that picture during her last visit to Bandung (January 2008 - here is her album).

Related links:
- My review of SPARX #1
- A sneak preview to SPARX #2

SPARX the Compedium

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Comics & Graphic Novels
Author:	sparxlings

Ketika ada posting di milis tentang terbitnya SPARX, saya sedang sibuk2nya menyembuhkan diri di RS Borromeus. Tentu saja saya penasaran untuk mendapatkan majalah cergam ini. Mengingat waktu dan mobilitas yg sangat terbatas, saya hampir pesimis bisa membelinya tanpa harus pergi ke toko2 buku besar. Tapi rasa pesimis itu ternyata tidak perlu, sebab – suatu hari ketika sedang kontrol di Borromeus – mata saya tertumbuk ke sebuah majalah berjudul SPARX yg terselip di antara berbagai majalah dan tabloid, di kios2 koran emperan! Ternyata nggak perlu jauh2 ke toko buku! (Belakangan saya jadi memperhatikan kios2 sejenis di emper2 supermarket dan pasar, memang gampang menemukan SPARX di tempat2 itu).

OK, karena setelah (dinyatakan) sembuh saya langsung keluar kota selama beberapa hari, SPARX yg sudah saya beli baru terbaca beberapa hari belakangan ini. Formatnya ramah (sedikit lebih besar dari A5, mudah dibawa2, dimasukkan tas, dibaca sambil ngopi bahkan makan), kualitas kertas untuk sampul dan isinya bagus. Mari kita lihat isinya..

Ada lima cerita berbeda di album perdana ini, masing2 bersambung ke edisi berikutnya. Kisah pertama mudah dinikmati karena kualitas gambarnya yang baik. Bukan garis2 outline mati yg terlihat, tapi juga tapak sketsanya: garis2 halus arsiran yang menghidupkan seluruh adegan. Proporsi bentuk, sudut pandang dan pacing-nya enak diikuti, sehingga ceritanya menjadi jelas. Nah, ceritanya sendiri, meskipun berintikan kekuatan super, bukanlah jenis yang sekedar menampilkan adegan laga. Ada humor di sana, juga ambisi, yang semuanya masih dapat diterima logika. Sebuah kisah yang patut ditunggu, mudah2an kualitasnya dapat konsisten.
Cerita kedua ber-setting waktu masa depan dan lokasi ruang angkasa. Ya, ini termasuk fiksi sains. Ada blocking warna2 kelabu sebagai bayangan bentuk pada outline hitam, tapi somehow gambarnya masih terlihat datar. Inti ceritanya adalah kaum pekerja, yang masa itu beremigrasi bukan lagi dari pulau ke pulau, tapi dari galaksi ke galaksi. Akan bisa lebih menarik bila jalan ceritanya mengalur dengan lebih mulus.
Kisah ketiga berupa prosa yang diselingi ilustrasi. Keberadaan prosa dalam sebuah kompilasi cergam itu sendiri bukanlah masalah. Tapi saya tidak sanggup membacanya lebih dari halaman pertama. Banyak ketidak-cocokan dengan selera saya, baik soal gaya bahasa maupun isi cerita. Setelah skimming sedikit, sepertinya cerita ini ditujukan pada orang2 yang terbiasa bermain computer games, yang melibatkan tokoh2 dengan banyak nama, dengan ‘senjata’ dan domain masing2, dan syarat demi syarat utk dapat melaju ke tahap berikut. Namun ilustrasinya sangat memikat. Semacam sketsa yang hampir selesai, lumayan matang, sudah dengan kejelasan dimensi di sana-sini. Garis2nya spontan dan berkarakter.

Setelah ini terdapat kisah lain dengan gaya gambar yang berbeda. Setting ceritanya juga di lokasi dan waktu yang tidak terjangkau oleh kita sekarang, dengan inti cerita persaingan antar mafia dan geng2 yang lebih kecil utk bisa survive di dunia yg sudah hancur tsb. Tampilannya menarik, dengan efek seperti cat basah, blur, dengan perhitungan bayangan yang cukup baik. Meskipun demikian, sebenarnya bisa menjadi lebih baik lagi, misalkan bila hurufnya dibedakan antara narasi dan percakapan, dan dipilih jenis huruf yang tidak monoton dan full caps. Latar belakang pun akan jadi lebih hidup bila diolah lagi.
Cerita terakhir menampilkan adegan ringkas yang berakhir dengan duel. Sarat laga, namun garis besar cerita belum dapat terasa. Tidak ada yg istimewa pada kualitas gambarnya. Kekurangan terlihat pada detail yang sedikit mengganggu: lokasi Western Europe, pada bulan Oktober. Tidak ada keterangan waktu, tapi melihat atribut lain pada cergam ini, sepertinya berlangsung dalam abad ini. Tokoh utama mengenakan rompi wind breaker, karena Oktober memang musim gugur di mana biasanya banyak angin, tapi tokoh lain dan para figuran ada yang hanya mengenakan T-shirt. Mudah-mudahan selanjutnya bisa lebih konsisten pada detail sehingga memperlancar jalannya cerita.

Secara keseluruhan, isi cergam dalam SPARX masih mengarah ke dunia fiktif dan penuh khayal. Sebuah aliran yang tentu punya penggemar sendiri. Dalam edisi pertama ini, SPARX – yang memuat cergam bersambung dengan judul2 berbahasa asing – belum dapat mengakomodasi pembaca cergam yang lebih menyukai kisah2 yg lebih lokal dan membumi. Walaupun demikian, keberadaan SPARX dapat kita sambut baik sebagai peramai dunia cergam Indonesia. Mudah2an isinya makin beragam dan dapat memacu munculnya majalah2 cergam lain di Indonesia.

3,5 bintang untuk edisi perdana SPARX
Kunjungi SPARX di http://sparxcomic.multiply.com/ untuk melihat cuplikan berbagai artworks

p.s. Telah terbit: SPARX Vol 1 No 2

Tita
http://esduren.multiply.com/reviews/item/51

Duran Duran | Jakarta | 8 April 2008

Duran Duran to Play Jakarta

February 15th, 2008

Duran Duran has confirmed a performance at the Balai Sidang Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 8, 2008.

SEATED AND GENERAL ADMISSION STANDING SHOW
Seats are 105 USD
GA are 79 USD

PUBLIC ONSALE DATE: Feb 29, 2008

Ape Concerts

Stay tuned to Duran Duran Music for information on advance ticket and Ticket Package sales.

***********************************************************************

Haduhaduhaduhaduh...

Graphic journal, travel log, memoir

Beberapa contoh karya manca negara yang bertemakan pengalaman pribadi. Tentu saja masih banyak lagi nama dan karya selain yang tersebut di bawah ini, tapi rasa2nya contoh2 ini cukup mewakili.

Gambar2 di bawah ini saya ambil dari banyak sumber, baik koleksi pribadi (di-scan) maupun dari berbagai situs. Seri slide terakhir (tidak ditampilkan di album ini) adalah hasil scan dari buku2 Streetwise dan AutobioGraphix, yang bisa dilihat di album terdahulu.

Ngobrol-ngobrol Graphic Diary

Ini adalah bahan yang saya presentasikan di acara Ngobrol-ngobrol Graphic Diary di Tobucil kemaren sore (Kamis 14 Feb). Materinya kurang lebih saya ambil dari presentasi waktu pameran Curhat Tita di SPACE59, dengan sedikit modifikasi.
Waktu di Tobucil itu, yang dateng terpaksa melihat gambar2 ini di layar MacBook, sebab memang nggak pakai proyektor dan juga tidak ada bidang datar di dinding yang bisa berfungsi sebagai layar. Mudah2an lewat album ini bisa terlihat lebih jelas.

OK, presentasi yg ini memang lebih ke diri saya sendiri, sekilas ttg petualangan ngomik yg biasa2 aja. Di presentasi yg lain, saya tampilkan contoh2 graphic diary dalam berbagai bentuk. Tunggu ya, upload abis ini..

Oh, ini toh yang namanya Es Bojong!

Hari Rabu kemaren ini saya dan beberapa teman ada pekerjaan di Tasikmalaya, pergi-pulang dalam sehari dari Bandung. Tentu saja pekerjaan bukan satu-satunya motivasi yang membuat kami berangkat ke sana, tapi ada motivasi yang lebih menggoda: petualangan makan siang!

Perhentian pertama kami adalah Soto Sapi Haji Didi. Soto pesanan kami datang sudah dengan nasi tercampur di dasar mangkuk. Taburan irisan daun bawang dan bawang goreng timbul-tenggelam, menyemarakkan permukaan soto yang sudah penuh dengan kilauan kuah kaldu dan potongan daging sapi (dan jeroan, bagi yang memesan "komplit"). Di meja terdapat berbagai macam kerupuk dan kedelai goreng, untuk menemani soto. Memang enak! Dagingnya serasa lumer di mulut! Sayang kuahnya sepertinya kurang panas, meskipun rasa keseluruhannya mantap. Rp8000/porsi. Letaknya di sebuah perempatan di (kalo nggak salah) Jl. Otista, deket banget sama SMA 1 Tasik dan RS terbesar di kota itu (lupa namanya euy).

Sasaran berikutnya adalah Baso Solo Mas Mul. Berhubung kami sudah makan nasi, di kios baso ini kami memesan baso kuah saja. Satu porsinya berisi satu butir baso urat (kira2 sebesar bola tenis) dan tiga butir baso biasa (sedikit lebih kecil dari bola ping pong). Si bola tenis itu, yang tadinya saya duga alot, ternyata lembuuut sekali. Sedikit kekurangan pada kuahnya adalah agak hambar untuk selera saya; perlu ditambahkan sedikit garam (tersedia di meja). Tapi kelebihannya adalah pada suhunya ketika disajikan: panas sekali! Puas rasanya. Rp5000/porsi. Yang ini kios rada nyelip di daerah Pasar Wetan(?), sejajar sama toko tas Alpina (masih ada lho di situ) dan toko2 lain.

Tibalah saat yang paling ditunggu-tunggu: Es Bojong! Begitu memasuki daerah Bojong, Tasikmalaya, memang terlihat banyak kios dan gerobak Es Bojong memajang diri di sela-sela komplek permukiman. Apalagi di siang cerah seperti waktu itu. Tapi teman yang merekomendasikan pencuci mulut ini berkeras mencari tempat langganannya, meskipun sepertinya mobil melaju ke daerah yang makin terpencil, dikelilingi sawah-sawah. Lega rasanya ketika kami akhirnya menemukan tanda kecil tergantung di depan sebuah rumah, bertuliskan Es Sirop Bojong Ibu Momoh. Tempatnya adalah semacam garasi beratap terpal dan plastik bagor di samping sebuah rumah, dengan meja dan bangku panjang. Dapurnya terletak di ujung belakang garasi. Sepertinya ini adalah tempat temporer, sementara tempat Es Bojong yang sesungguhnya sedang direnovasi (terletak sekitar 20 meter dari lokasi yang ini). 

Selama ini saya hanya bisa mendengar kehebohan Es Bojong dari teman-teman yang sering pergi bertugas ke Tasikmalaya, yang membuat penasaran. Sekarang bisa saya buktikan sendiri pamornya. Es Bojong ini dihidangkan dalam gelas tinggi bertekstur vertikal, persis seperti yang digunakan warung-warung untuk menghidangkan teh tawar. Serpihan es batu menggunung melebihi tinggi gelas, didasari oleh genangan berwarna putih susu: santan! Lalu berturut-turut di bawahnya: alpukat, satu butir durian(!), kelapa muda, ketan hitam (peuyeum?), cincau hitam, nangka, dan sirup tjampolay merah.

Tantangan pertama tentu pada cara mengaduknya, mengingat penuhnya gelas. Tapi akhirnya sukses. Campuran santan membuat minuman ini jadi gurih, sementara alpukat dan durian yang teraduk menambah kadar kekentalannya. Sehingga kita bisa mensyukuri adanya cincau, nangka, kelapa muda, dan serpihan es batu, yang menetralkan minuman magtig ini dengan tekstur mereka yang ringan dan crunchy.

Setelah semua cairan habis terminum dan semua irisan kecil isi habis termakan, tibalah saatnya mengulum sebiji durian. Jatuhnya biji durian yang telah 'bersih' ke dasar gelas Es Bojong menandakan kemenangan petualangan makan siang itu!     
Meskipun mungkin akan lebih enak bila serangan rasa manis dari sirup tjampolay tidak segencar itu, Es Bojong ini terbukti sudah kehebohannya. Ha, lumayan, ada tambahan sasaran bila lain kali bertugas ke Tasik lagi - juga untuk mencoba andalan2 lain, seperti nasi tutug oncom, sate maranggi, bubur galunggung, lotek.. (silakan diteruskan dengan usulan2 lain). Segelas dihargai Rp9000. Letaknya di Jl. Ampera no. 207, Panglayungan, Tasikmalaya (yg ini alamatnya dicatet dengan cermat! Hahaha!)  

Ngobrol2 soal Graphic Diary

Hari Kamis sore, tgl 14 Feb nanti, saya dapat giliran mengisi acaranya KCB Manyala di Tobucil. Isinya nanti direncanakan ngobrol2 saja soal graphic diary. Saya akan pakai sebagian bahan presentasi yang pernah saya tampilkan ketika pameran Curhat Tita di Space59 (Bandung) untuk menceritakan motivasi dan proses dibuatnya buku harian bergambar saya.

Selain itu, saya juga akan memperlihatkan karya-karya dengan tema serupa, yang sudah diterbitkan di negara lain. Mulai dari yang berupa buku kumpulan sketsa, catatan (gambar) harian, hingga memoir. Sejauh ini saya sudah mengumpulkan karya2 Lat, Flo, Maaike Hartjes, Eddie Campbell, Peter Pontiac, Alison Bechdel, Will Eisner, Julie Doucet, Miriam Katin, Chris Ware, Craig Thompson, dan Marjane Satrapi. Mungkin juga akan saya tambahkan cuplikan2 strip pendek yang masih bersifat catatan harian dan memoir dari para cergamis beken seperti Stan Sakai, Sergio Aragonés, Frank Miller, Jack Kirby, dsb. Terlalu banyak ya, untuk acara dua jam-an? Hehe..

Anyway, siapa pun yang tertarik, silakan datang dan ikut ngobrol bersama di:
Tobucil, Jl. Aceh 56, Bandung (katanya hampir di seberang HERO/ Toko Susis Badranaya? saya sendiri belum pernah ke sana), hari Kamis, tgl 14 Feb 08, mulai pk. 15.00

Sampai ketemu di sana yaa..

Graphic Diary

Start:	Feb 14, '08 4:00p
Location:	Bandung

Membuat Graphic Diary

Di TOBUCIL, Jl. Aceh 56, Bandung
Ngobrol2 dengan Tita Larasati dan Komunitas Manyala

SPARX the Compendium

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Comics & Graphic Novels
Author:	sparxlings

Ketika ada posting di milis tentang terbitnya SPARX, saya sedang sibuk2nya menyembuhkan diri di RS Borromeus. Tentu saja saya penasaran untuk mendapatkan majalah cergam ini. Mengingat waktu dan mobilitas yg sangat terbatas, saya hampir pesimis bisa membelinya tanpa harus pergi ke toko2 buku besar. Tapi rasa pesimis itu ternyata tidak perlu, sebab – suatu hari ketika sedang kontrol di Borromeus – mata saya tertumbuk ke sebuah majalah berjudul SPARX yg terselip di antara berbagai majalah dan tabloid, di kios2 koran emperan! Ternyata nggak perlu jauh2 ke toko buku! (Belakangan saya jadi memperhatikan kios2 sejenis di emper2 supermarket dan pasar, memang gampang menemukan SPARX di tempat2 itu).

OK, karena setelah (dinyatakan) sembuh saya langsung keluar kota selama beberapa hari, SPARX yg sudah saya beli baru terbaca beberapa hari belakangan ini. Formatnya ramah (sedikit lebih besar dari A5, mudah dibawa2, dimasukkan tas, dibaca sambil ngopi bahkan makan), kualitas kertas untuk sampul dan isinya bagus. Mari kita lihat isinya..

Ada lima cerita berbeda di album perdana ini, masing2 bersambung ke edisi berikutnya. Kisah pertama mudah dinikmati karena kualitas gambarnya yang baik. Bukan garis2 outline mati yg terlihat, tapi juga tapak sketsanya: garis2 halus arsiran yang menghidupkan seluruh adegan. Proporsi bentuk, sudut pandang dan pacing-nya enak diikuti, sehingga ceritanya menjadi jelas. Nah, ceritanya sendiri, meskipun berintikan kekuatan super, bukanlah jenis yang sekedar menampilkan adegan laga. Ada humor di sana, juga ambisi, yang semuanya masih dapat diterima logika. Sebuah kisah yang patut ditunggu, mudah2an kualitasnya dapat konsisten.
Cerita kedua ber-setting waktu masa depan dan lokasi ruang angkasa. Ya, ini termasuk fiksi sains. Ada blocking warna2 kelabu sebagai bayangan bentuk pada outline hitam, tapi somehow gambarnya masih terlihat datar. Inti ceritanya adalah kaum pekerja, yang masa itu beremigrasi bukan lagi dari pulau ke pulau, tapi dari galaksi ke galaksi. Akan bisa lebih menarik bila jalan ceritanya mengalur dengan lebih mulus.
Kisah ketiga berupa prosa yang diselingi ilustrasi. Keberadaan prosa dalam sebuah kompilasi cergam itu sendiri bukanlah masalah. Tapi saya tidak sanggup membacanya lebih dari halaman pertama. Banyak ketidak-cocokan dengan selera saya, baik soal gaya bahasa maupun isi cerita. Setelah skimming sedikit, sepertinya cerita ini ditujukan pada orang2 yang terbiasa bermain computer games, yang melibatkan tokoh2 dengan banyak nama, dengan ‘senjata’ dan domain masing2, dan syarat demi syarat utk dapat melaju ke tahap berikut. Namun ilustrasinya sangat memikat. Semacam sketsa yang hampir selesai, lumayan matang, sudah dengan kejelasan dimensi di sana-sini. Garis2nya spontan dan berkarakter.

Setelah ini terdapat kisah lain dengan gaya gambar yang berbeda. Setting ceritanya juga di lokasi dan waktu yang tidak terjangkau oleh kita sekarang, dengan inti cerita persaingan antar mafia dan geng2 yang lebih kecil utk bisa survive di dunia yg sudah hancur tsb. Tampilannya menarik, dengan efek seperti cat basah, blur, dengan perhitungan bayangan yang cukup baik. Meskipun demikian, sebenarnya bisa menjadi lebih baik lagi, misalkan bila hurufnya dibedakan antara narasi dan percakapan, dan dipilih jenis huruf yang tidak monoton dan full caps. Latar belakang pun akan jadi lebih hidup bila diolah lagi.
Cerita terakhir menampilkan adegan ringkas yang berakhir dengan duel. Sarat laga, namun garis besar cerita belum dapat terasa. Tidak ada yg istimewa pada kualitas gambarnya. Kekurangan terlihat pada detail yang sedikit mengganggu: lokasi Western Europe, pada bulan Oktober. Tidak ada keterangan waktu, tapi melihat atribut lain pada cergam ini, sepertinya berlangsung dalam abad ini. Tokoh utama mengenakan rompi wind breaker, karena Oktober memang musim gugur di mana biasanya banyak angin, tapi tokoh lain dan para figuran ada yang hanya mengenakan T-shirt. Mudah-mudahan selanjutnya bisa lebih konsisten pada detail sehingga memperlancar jalannya cerita.

Secara keseluruhan, isi cergam dalam SPARX masih mengarah ke dunia fiktif dan penuh khayal. Sebuah aliran yang tentu punya penggemar sendiri. Dalam edisi pertama ini, SPARX – yang memuat cergam bersambung dengan judul2 berbahasa asing – belum dapat mengakomodasi pembaca cergam yang lebih menyukai kisah2 yg lebih lokal dan membumi. Walaupun demikian, keberadaan SPARX dapat kita sambut baik sebagai peramai dunia cergam Indonesia. Mudah2an isinya makin beragam dan dapat memacu munculnya majalah2 cergam lain di Indonesia.

3,5 bintang untuk edisi perdana SPARX
Kunjungi SPARX di http://sparxcomic.multiply.com/ untuk melihat cuplikan berbagai artworks

Bagi yang tertarik utk mengenal SPARX lebih jauh, terutama yang berada di Bandung, silakan datang ke acara berikut:

BEDAH CERGAM
Bersama Sparx dan Klab Cergam STDI

Sabtu, 9 Februari 2008
Jam 14.00-selesai
di Kampus STDI
Jl. Wastu Kencana 52 Bandung

Acara :
Mengupas habis tentang cergam Sparx bersama klab cergam STDI bandung, mulai dari cerita sampai artwork2nya.
Bocoran (preview) tentang Sparx The Compendium Edisi 2

Entering the Year of the Rat

Happy New Year to all who celebrate and wish you long-lasting health and prosperity! I was born in the Year of the Rat, and the chance to be in 'my year' comes only every 12 years. So let's make a bit of a fuss out of it..

The Rat
Being born a Rat is nothing to be ashamed of (I'm NOT! I like nibbling!). In China, the Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person. It is deemed an honor to be born in the Year of the Rat and it is considered a privilege to be associated with a Rat. Rats know exactly where to find solutions (Google!) and can take care of themselves and others without problems. They use their instinctive sense of observation to help others in times of need and are among the most fit of all the Animal signs to survive most any situation (like a cocroach with its head off?).

Years of the Rat
First in the cycle (The first, huh. My other sign is also the first in the cycle: Capricorn! How about that?), Rat Years begin the sequence and recur every twelfth year. The Chinese New Year does not fall on a specific date, so it is essential to check the calendar to find the exact date on which each Rat year actually begins.

The Sign of the Rat
Being born under this sign determines many talents, as well as other characteristics that may not be so commendable (but of course). Rats are very lively and need a lot of mental and physical stimulation. They can be calm and perceptive, but sometimes their brains can cause a mental restlessness, tempting them to take on too much, only to discover they are unable to meet their commitments (and Rats find it difficult to refuse an offer and say NO to requests). Rats are blessed with one of the best intellects going. Add to their intelligence a curiosity and a bright imagination, and they seem as sharp as a needle.

The sign of the Rat is the first sign in the cycle giving Rat people exude great leadership qualities and are good at taking the lead (quietly). They don't mind a lot of responsibility and they demonstrate a strong presence that other people respect. For those with the Rat nature, status and monetary satisfaction are the greatest motivation (materialistic rats!).

Neil Rat by Lisa Snellings

RAT FACTS:
People born in the Year of the Rat share certain characteristics. The Rat sign is an abbreviated way of characterizing that individual's personality. Following are features associated with the sign of the Rat. First in order, Chinese name-SHU (care to Chinese-name me, anyone?), sign of charm (invisible)
Hour-11pm-12:59am (we're nocturnal nibblers alright) Month-December (hey, my birth month!)
Western Counterpart-Sagittarius

CHARACTERISTICS
Smart, Magnetic, Well-liked, Affable, Quick-witted, Surreptitious, Selfish, Protective, Calculating (just all characters you can see in lab mice)

IN YOUR ELEMENT
The characteristics of the Rat Sign are tempered by one of the five Chinese elements of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth overlaying a 5-year cycle of characteristics on the original 12-year cycle. (Mine is WATER, so let's just take that part, as follows:)
THE WATER RAT 1912 AND 1972
Being guided by the Water element means these Rats have a knack for influencing people. With their strong intellectual powers and great insight, they are also great puzzle solvers (FYI, I still haven't solved that three-dimensional wooden puzzle after all these months). They are quick to understand others and are incredibly practical people. Rats apply their talents to their everyday lives, making them obliging, generous and compassionate to other people. Generally, they are liked and respected by everyone. Like all Rats, however, they can be determined to seek their own gain, and will not mind using these talents to achieve it - though generally without losing anyone's respect in doing so.

RAT HEALTH
The affect of the sign of the Rat is energetic, and demonstrates enough endurance to fight most any sickness. Yet, all Rats tend to be tense, full of nervous energy, petulant and prone to stress. Rats also harbor a bit of aggression; yet, they are usually able to control it. Yoga would benefit Rats by calming their aggressive natures and helping them manage stress (read that?! yoga!).

AT HOME WITH THE RAT
Rats make good homemakers who are always willing to do household chores (except ironing). Rats are not usually interested in keeping up with the times, and it doesn't matter to them whether or not their furnishings are in style (you got it right). What does matter is that their home is a refuge expressing warmth, comfort and vogue. Light blue is their color of choice for home decor (therefore Tintin posters are oftenly chosen to decorate walls). Because this is a sign of acquisition, the Rat person's house is presumably bursting with various knick-knacks collected over the years (Tell me about it! The term 'rat pack' doesn't exist for nothing!). Most Rats are cheerful, domesticated (and house-broken) individuals who find happiness at home with their family (and [comic] books collection and Internet).

THE RAT ON THE JOB
The Chinese say others should always listen to the advice of the Rat. Because of their intellect and observatory powers, Rat people possess prudence and perception. They can anticipate problems, and are always able to see the big picture. They can hone in on issues at hand and make measurable judgments. These skills, combined with their sense of aspiration also make them clever operators. Status, money, title, and recognition are important to the (some) Rat. They have keen senses of observation that allow them to foresee upcoming business opportunities as well as potential occupational problems. The Rat makes a better boss than an employee and, although motivated, they can be pinned down by routines. Rats work better in flexible situations where they can be freely creative. (no complain here :D)

MONEY AND THE RAT
Cunning and thrifty, Rats have a knack with money and are apt to save for rainy days. When capable, the Rat is a great money saver, and in strapped times he knows how to make something out of nothing or how to turn make things advantageous for himself. Although few Rats suffer financially, the Chinese have a proverb: They who pile up grain hoards have much to lose. (in organizations, since my elementary school years up to today, I've been elected mostly as a treasurer, or someone in charge for money, and I never wonder why)

RAT CAREERS
Those born in the Year of the Rat also share the same kinds of goals and objectives in life. The occupations best suited for the Rat are listed below:
RATS MAKE EXCELLENT:
Writers, Broadcasters (not for me, I talk too fast), Actors (seriously? I could never stop laughing during a mere school play practice), Advisors, Counselors, Lawyers (and memorizing all those bills and years? no thank you), Politicians (I can do the poker face, but can't stand the game), Designers, Engineers, Managers, Directors, Administrators, Entrepreneurs, Musicians, Stand-up Comedians (I opt to be the audience for this one), Researchers, Historians (meh..), Race Car Drivers (do I have to get a license for this?)

CONGENIAL BUSINESS PARTNERS
Whether Rats are compatible with their business partners depends on whether their signs are harmonious or antagonistic to those of their partners. Considering the congruity of their own characters and the characters of their business colleagues can also be very useful.

Rats Ruled By	Benefit From	Are Antagonistic to
Metal	Earth Dragons	Fire Sheep
Water	Metal Rabbits	Earth Horses
Wood	Water Monkeys	Metal Snakes
Fire	Wood Oxen	Water Rats
Earth	Fire Pigs	Wood Roosters

(I've never been aware of any Metal Rabbit around me, but I know an Earth Horse: my sister. So, no family business for us, huh, sis?)

LIKES AND DISLIKES
Since Rats are born under the same Animal sign, they often share likes and dislikes. Following are similar likes and dislikes of the Rats personality:
Rats Like:
Color Preference: Light-Blue (and olive green and wine red)
Gems and Stones: Diamond, Amethyst, Garnet
Suitable Gifts: car accessories (but first get me a car), art books (too many of these already.. alternate to comic books, please. it's also art), gym memberships (and cool gym pants), geographical maps (with valid tickets to get to places I see at the maps)
Hobbies and Pastimes: Interior design (don't make me laugh), playing basketball (although never being good at it), crafts (regardless the messy results), painting (a bit more patience would help to perform this hobby)
Rats' Dislike:
Doing without things they want (savoury snacks! haha!), strict time keeping (who can keep time when it involves traffic jam and unpredictable kids?!), any routines (I want different breakfast every day!), being at the end of the line (lemme go first to get everything over with!)

THE RAT VACATION
Travel delights the Rat personality and ignites his curiosity. Sunbathing is not the ideal way for a Rat to spend his vacation (you got it right). Rats are adventurers (and consequently need sturdy, cool backpacks). They want to explore, examine, visit and party during their time off. They want to try new foods, find new sights and experience the culture of the area they are visiting. And, of course, if they can come home with an exotic souvenir (i.e. bills written in local tongue, train tickets and chocolate bar wrappers) to add to their collection their vacation will have been an instant success.

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES
Generally friendly and sociable, the Rat is one of the extroverts of the Animal Zodiac. Often, the Rat is lively and genial, and has a special gift for easing the minds of others. It is not surprising that Rats have a lot of friends. They are great speakers and intriguing conversationalists, and can generally find something to say on just about any topic or subject (talkative!). Of course, there is always that renowned Rat lure that allows them to charm the pants off of people! To the people they love, Rats can be amazingly charitable, popular and supportive, and will go out of their way to be certain their loved ones are content. On the other hand, if the Rat does not like someone, he is considered fair game and can be used to achieve any and all of the Rat's desires. At the end of the day, though, the Rat is a loyal friend (seriously, this aspect has caused me some problems, bordering to protectiveness towards good friends) and will be there for his companions through thick and thin.

Compatible Friends: Dragons (my son) and Monkeys (my mother)
Mortal Enemy: Horses (my sister)

RAT PARENTS AND CHILDREN
Rat parents are dedicated to their children (who isn't?!). They encompass their little ones with love and attention and enjoy watching their offspring grow and experience the world. When their children are small they brood a great deal over them. Rats become concerned if their babies don't develop as quickly as other children. They anguish over whether or not they are raising their youngsters correctly (as long as it's proportional). With the mental capacity to pick things up easily, Rats tend to get agitated with people who are not quite as quick-witted as they are. No wonder this trait could lead to conflict between Rat parents and their children should any of their children be late bloomers or harbor learning disabilities (hope not). Overall, Rats are indulgent parents who don't like denying their youngsters of things they want, and the children soon learn how to wrap their parents around their little fingers (we'll see about THAT).

PARTNERS IN LOVE
Rat * Ox (my husband)
Very sexually enticing, yet likely to fail at marriage. (pffft!)
 
EAST MEETS WEST
(I'm a Capricorn, so here it is:)
CAPRICORN RAT
Industrial and tenacious, Capricorn Rats are profoundly enterprising and make substantial progress in their occupations. These people expect their dedication to be rewarded. They may not be that sentimental, but they are loyal and honest (shall I just be a dog?).


Source: some silly site that "help couples get together" 
Image source: various Internet sites. have fun identifying these favourite famous rats of mine!