Tag: imagination

Genshin Impact fan art exhibit at Comic-Con!

Even those who’ve never played the video game Genshin Impact will probably enjoy a great, free exhibit now showing during San Diego Comic-Con 2024. You can find it in the gallery across L Street from the Omni Hotel.

Teyvat Fashion Show Genshin Impact Fan Art Convention is the full name of the exhibition, and should you walk through the door you’ll be wowed at the really great anime-style artwork. There’s art from the video game and lots and lots of fan art. The submitted fan art is so good it appears to have been created professionally! While there’s an emphasis on fashion, the art depicts many aspects of the game.

In addition to all the art, there’s Genshin Impact merch, many photo ops, and a cool video backdrop with a treadmill that allows you to take a video of yourself walking slowly through the fantasy world of Teyvat! How cool is that?

The exhibit opens at 9:30 am each day through Sunday. I was told that some of the first fans through the door get free swag!

These photos are a tiny sample of what you’ll encounter…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Harry Potter cosplay returns to Comic-Con!

Are you a fan of Harry Potter and the Wizarding World “Potterverse” characters, as they were portrayed in the popular movies? Enjoy these cool cosplay photos taken today in San Diego outside Comic-Con 2024.

Comic-Con’s fun Harry Potter cosplay group has returned!

I spotted the witches and wizards on MLK Promenade, not far from Children’s Park. They would afterward walk through the Comic-Con crowds, casting their magic wherever they turned.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Crazy creative fun outside Comic-Con 2024!

It might seem like chaos. It is certainly a bit crazy. It’s what happens when thousands of creative, fun-loving people gather together all at once and have a big party. That’s what it’s like in downtown San Diego outside the convention center during San Diego Comic-Con!

There is cosplay–costume play–everywhere you turn. There are new movies, television shows, video games and more to explore with fun activations. There are new discoveries around every corner. There’s just a big crush of humanity, and everyone is smiling and having a good time. Adults can be a kid again and not worry what others think. Kids can dream and see the possibilities of human creativity.

I took loads of photos today. I’ve got lots of blog posts coming up, so stay tuned! But first let me share a bunch of semi-random shots taken today (Thursday) that give you a taste of the wonderfulness of Comic-Con 2024.

I promised to mention the smiling group that’s in the the next photo. They were out and about promoting Quirkies, which offers all sorts of cool merch. Thank you for the refrigerator magnets!

If you see this Rick and Morty truck, walk up to the passenger window and you’ll probably get a cool pin!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Pirates, cosplay, and San Diego Comic-Con fun!

The crazy good times at Comic-Con 2024 in San Diego have begun!

I took one final walk late this afternoon, a couple hours before the San Diego Convention Center would open its doors for Preview Night. And what did my camera capture?

Fun people! Creative activities! Cool sights in every conceivable direction!

And Comic-Con hasn’t even begun in earnest! I can’t wait for tomorrow!

Reporter for IGN prepares to go on camera in San Diego’s Gaslamp during Comic-Con 2024.

IT’SUGAR candy store in the Gaslamp has exclusive tokidoki merch for sale.

Crowds are growing in the Gaslamp near the San Diego Convention Center on the afternoon of Comic-Con Preview Night.

Dragon Tamer cosplay!

Batman nemesis Penguin has brought his Gotham Ice truck to San Diego. Uh, oh!

Banners on Harbor Drive indicate Heroes At Work.

Have a question about Comic-Con? Ask this friendly guy!

Here comes Tinker Bell!

Do you dare enter the Adult Swim Pirate Parrrty offsite? You have to pass through this gigantic skull!

It’s a pirate parrrty! And one heck of a big nose ring!

These pirates seem awfully civilized. What are they really up to?

These guys can spell A.V.A. FEST. They get a passing grade.

Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed cosplay! Very cool!

Fans are already exploring the Dragon Ball offsite.

Here’s the end of the line for Dragon Ball exclusives, I believe.

Hot Wheels is back again with their cool truck!

However, the Sharpie truck is stuck in Harbor Drive traffic.

Looking for a restroom? Watch for this sign!

Part of the Bathroom Battlestation under construction. Looks like he needs a laxative.

Cool artwork by a local artist along MLK Promenade.

I’m now back to Fifth Avenue looking at the Omni Hotel’s big FOX Animation Domination building wrap.

My goodness! These Borderlands Psychos seem to be everywhere!

I’ve seen this caricature artist in Balboa Park.

Gambit cosplay!

Batgirl cosplay!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

More creativity, outdoor fun before Comic-Con!

What the heck is that green thing? It’s part of another fun, surprising offsite being created outside the San Diego Convention Center before Comic-Con 2024!

What I love about walking around before Comic-Con is the mushrooming creativity. Sure, the offsite activations, building and trolley wraps, and carnival rides are all about marketing movies, television shows, video games and whatnot–but it is creativity that brings delight to the buying public. Art and storytelling are an essential part of it all.

So it’s now Sunday afternoon before Comic-Con 2024. Several days to go before the pop culture convention officially opens. I’ve already posted lots of photos the past few days. But more stuff keeps materializing!

Local artist Shirish Villaseñor has begun painting the windows of the Starbucks at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. It’s a SpongeBob SquarePants theme celebrating the cartoon’s 25th anniversary! (She has some big community mural projects coming up in San Diego which I hope to cover in the next couple months.)

The smile of a friendly artist!

The FX offsite and building wrap are getting ready. Like most Comic-Con offsites, it opens on Thursday.

Hulu’s Animayhem has returned in 2024. They’ll have a huge offsite behind the convention center.

I’m pretty sure you can’t slide inside this huge green pipe.

Some sort of fun factory.

A big swing ride at the A.V.A. FEST. Woo-hoo!

That cool Star Trek wrap is now 100% complete on the Marriott Marquis.

Crates have arrived for the Dragon Ball offsite. It’s going to be awesome as usual!

A big Dragon Ball wrap is being placed on part of the Marriott Marquis.

The second side of a trolley wrap design that I hadn’t been able to photograph earlier. The Boys.

The big, fun Marvel Contest of Champions Ferris wheel under construction along MLK Promenade.

More spooky Immortal Universe graphics placed on the Hilton Gaslamp.

A wider look.

My goodness! Wrapping the large Hard Rock Hotel all around with SpongeBob graphics takes many days of work.

The Lodge by Paramount+ is starting to look like a lodge.

The transforming power of human creativity.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Timeless: an iconic lowrider in San Diego!

Ready to have your mind blown? Take a look at these photographs!

This lowrider is named Timeless. It was on display today in San Diego during the Day at the Bay 2024 car show.

I saw dozens of amazing cars as I walked about the show, but I had to stop in my tracks when I spotted Timeless. It’s beyond incredible!

According to one sign, Timeless is an original lowrider first built in the 1970s whose multiple modifications and endless paint jobs have kept it relevant for more than 40 years. This work of art, with a local and national reputation, is said to be the most iconic lowrider in San Diego. It was built from a 1964 Riviera.

Timeless is a fantastic dream come true.

Look at the crazy interior! How would you like to take a ride in this?

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Cool murals near El Zarape in Normal Heights.

Yesterday I walked in Normal Heights. As I passed the intersection of 32nd Street and Adams Avenue, I discovered these two cool murals on either side of El Zarape Mexican Cantina.

The first one is very colorful. It contains hearts, flowers, and Day of the Dead imagery, and exclaims Viva San Diego. It was painted by Michelle Ruby, aka MrBBaby. Check out the above photograph.

The second mural appeared in the little parking nook east of El Zarape, where a pair of spray painted murals on two walls change every few years. I believe the artists are Shark and Hasler. (The unique artwork on the opposite wall is also by them.)

Unfortunately, when I happened to walk by, this new mural was semi-concealed by a large pickup truck. I took the following photos…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Lemon Grove Art and Photo Contest!

Do you live in Lemon Grove? Do you love to create original art or take photographs? The Lemon Grove Art & Photo Contest is now accepting entries at the Lemon Grove Library!

I learned today that the free contest has just opened. So you’re hearing about it early. The public is invited to submit entries to the library by mid-August. The theme of the contest is What does Lemon Grove mean to you?

Entered works of art and photographs will be displayed inside San Diego County’s Lemon Grove Branch Library through August 31, 2024, and winners will receive a valuable gift card! I was told there will likely be multiple winners!

Whether you’re young or old, why not go for it? You can learn more and get your entry forms at the library’s front desk, where friendly staff members will be glad to help you. Do you know families that lives in Lemon Grove? Pass the word!

(By the way, the beautiful graphic on the above flyer is from a mural that was painted recently by the library’s entrance. I’ll be posting photos of this colorful new mural next!)

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

12 Short Stories inspired by Balboa Park.

Gigantic bubbles form like magic in the Plaza de Balboa.

A pleasant day in Balboa Park, sitting, walking, daydreaming. Sudden inspiration.

That’s how certain stories were born in my mind before taking life on paper.

As a writer of short fiction, I occasionally share some of these stories. If you’re a reader, you might enjoy clicking the following links:

The Highest Seat was inspired by my friend Mitchell who plays didgeridoo in Balboa Park. He once worked in the planetarium at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

A Heart That Would Not End is a short story also inspired by Mitchell and his didgeridoo.

A Song for Old Warriors came directly from a Memorial Day ceremony that I observed outside The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park.

A Wise Man was inspired while attending a December Nights concert at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Here We Go is based in part on families riding the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad.

A Crown Above All came to me as I sat on a bench watching people near the Bea Evenson Fountain.

A Dog’s Tail also came to me as I sat on a bench in the park.

A Short Bloom flowered in my mind during a Cherry Blossom Festival at the Japanese Friendship Garden.

The Child and the Koi came to me while peering into the Japanese Friendship Garden’s koi pond.

Waterfall Tears is a third short story whose setting was inspired by the beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden.

A Small Fountain in Green Park is loosely based on Balboa Park and other similar places I’ve known.

One Magic Bubble rose in my mind on a breezy day in Balboa Park as I watched a street performer with his looping string and bucket of soapy water.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Fantasy world inside Doug Snider’s studio!

Those who enjoy a visit to Balboa Park in San Diego really should wander over to Spanish Village Art Center. Every artist studio is filled with magic. It’s hard to choose, but perhaps my personal favorite studio is number 15, the home of Doug Snider.

Doug Snider is an accomplished ceramics artist whose public art can be seen around the world and could be enjoyed in your own home. His colorful creations are utterly fantastic–there are weird amphibious and reptilian creatures, and exotic masks and eyeballs and tentacles and beaks that fill the walls and shelves of his studio in every direction. A sunny outdoor working area in the rear of the studio is home to even more creativity, including a big, happy, chameleon-like bench that would be perfect in your backyard!

Have you’ve seen his public art benches in Coronado’s Tidelands Park and National City’s Pepper Park? If not, you can view photographs of those four wacky, fun benches here and here!

When I visited Studio 15 the other day, another studio artist was hard at work. I asked if I could take photos. She said yes!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.