2010 Schedule Wallpaper - I Think We Can! I Think We Can! - Game 10 Purdue
Update: User philbuster asked me if the title of this week's wallpaper was a reference to Greg Robinson's last press conference as head coach at Syracuse. The reference was purely accidental. I had completely forgotten about that press conference, but take a look at the video clip starting at about the 0:50 mark; funny coincidence. Or is it? (It is.)
According to the official Purdue Athletics web site, "Over the years, Purdue teams had been called grangers, pumpkin-shuckers, railsplitters, cornfield sailors, blacksmiths, foundry hands and, finally, boilermakers. That last one stuck." I'm more than just a little broken up that history stole from me the opportunity to design a "pumpkin-shuckers" wallpaper. Sigh. Instead, a replica of a Victorian-era locomotive became the official mascot of the Boilermakers in 1930 "to exemplify the engineering and agrarian heritage of Purdue." Because nothing says "intimidation" like agrarian symbolism.
For the last two seasons Michigan fans have seen "easy wins" against Purdue devolve into soul-crushing defeats. As I anticipate next weekend's contest, I see in my mind's eye a damsel draped in maize, tied to train tracks, terror in her eyes. A whistle echoes from the depths of a tunnel. The tracks rumble. A small light flashes in the darkness. The damsel turns away and closes her eyes. Where is her hero? Has she no defender? No, like our 2010 team, she is defenseless. What will emerge from the tunnel? Will it be a full-size freight train that rips her into a thousand pieces, or a miniature model train that bounces harmlessly off her rope-bound body?
The image below is a preview only. You can get this week's widescreen, 4:3, iPad and mobile wallpapers at The Art. The Art. The Art!.
How it was Made
I used screen capture software to record the creation of this week's wallpaper artwork and sped up the footage to condense 4 hours of design time into just over 4 minutes of video. If you like watching paint dry, or if you want to see the Photoshop equivalent of Bob Ross ruining a perfectly good painting with a giant foreground tree, then this video is for you.
All of the 2010 Schedule Wallpapers
Season Wallpaper - Denard Robinson Action Figure
Game 1 Connecticut Wallpaper - Husky Puppy Piddles in Fear
Game 2 Notre Dame Wallpaper - Touchdown Jesus Says "No Good"
Game 3 Massachusetts Wallpaper - The $550,000 Cupcake
Game 4 Bowling Green Wallpaper - Wolverine vs. Falcon
Game 5 Indiana Wallpaper - Good at Basketball
Game 6 Michigan State Wallpaper - Sibling Rivalry
Game 7 Iowa Wallpaper - Maize is Blue
Game 8 Penn State Wallpaper - The Eyes Have It
Game 8 Penn State Wallpaper - JoePa Halloween Costume
Game 9 Illinois Wallpaper - We Be Illin'
November 8th, 2010 at 9:19 AM ^
Amazing!
November 8th, 2010 at 9:21 AM ^
Love it. I think the miniature train was a great element to add.
November 8th, 2010 at 9:21 AM ^
in the background and it is perfect. I am impressed and I have learned someting on a Monday morning. Thank you for that. The knowledge, insight, imagination and ingenuity of the MGoBloggers is endless. (No sarcasm).
November 8th, 2010 at 9:31 AM ^
I suggest the Michigan Replay theme.
November 8th, 2010 at 9:21 AM ^
I've spent a many years working with Photoshop but the work you spit out is simply amazing. Thanks for the video... I enjoyed watching "the paint dry." You clearly didn't do this half way.
November 8th, 2010 at 9:24 AM ^
Another great wallpaper and an amazing look at how these are put together. The video clip is pretty cool and gives us a sense of how much effort actually goes into these things. I think I speak for us all when I say that your effort is much appreciated..
November 8th, 2010 at 9:31 AM ^
This one may be my favorite yet, just beating out the Iowa one. Excellent work.
Also, make a pumpkin-shuckers one anyways! The Termite King demands it!
November 8th, 2010 at 12:02 PM ^
Your little fist-pumping baby brightened up my Monday morning.
November 9th, 2010 at 5:18 PM ^
is a Little Danny Hope as the engineer on the train, and Zach Reckman tied to the tracks and this would be complete. Love the work. It is amazing.
November 8th, 2010 at 9:54 AM ^
Man, I don't know anything about Photoshop, but that was awesome to watch. Thanks and great work.
November 8th, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^
keep it up!
November 8th, 2010 at 10:23 AM ^
The train... it's so wee! Keep up the solid work!
November 8th, 2010 at 10:45 AM ^
Thank you for posting and thanks for the Vid! It's good to see it all come together.
November 8th, 2010 at 11:00 AM ^
Just amazing. Good job as usual.
November 8th, 2010 at 11:26 AM ^
what was that circle tool you kept using?
November 8th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
The tool that looks like a circle is the brush tool, and it grows and shrinks as I change the radius of the brush (using keystrokes). Usually when you see that tool in that video I'm painting over a layer mask to show or hide parts of that layer. Some good examples of this include the section where I'm adjusting the green color of the folliage on the right side of the screen and later on when I'm applying the atmospheric smoke/mist.
November 8th, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^
It's great to see such high quality work.
Also, very cool to watch the process.
November 8th, 2010 at 1:05 PM ^
Thank you for all your effort. I stare at a screen at work all day. These wallpapers have made the whole season that much more enjoyable. Brian and people like you, really make this blog what it is , The Best !
November 8th, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^
Is this a reference to GERG's last Syracuse presser?
November 8th, 2010 at 3:41 PM ^
The reference was purely accidental. I had completely forgotten about that press conference but thanks for the reminder...makes this week's title evern more appropriate. Here's video of the press conference and book reading: http://bit.ly/dxwJZH
November 8th, 2010 at 6:57 PM ^
Perhaps subconsciously.
November 8th, 2010 at 3:22 PM ^
Uh wow.
November 8th, 2010 at 3:27 PM ^
Every week you roll out with an even better wallpaper. Amazing thank you for all your hard work.
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