Christian in 1080p

Click for HQ

EDIT: it's been fixed and is now true 1080p. Just click the picture to see it in Picasa, where there is a magnify icon on the top right of the image. Clicking on that will get you the big size.

Blogger's being bitchy and not letting me upload anything bigger that 1600x900. However this does maintain the aspect ratio, and when stretched to fill your 1080p screen, it still maintains the quality.

But his soul was mad, being alone in the wilderness...

(click pics for full resolution)

The first is an iPhone background; the second is a desktop background.

He hated all this, and somehow he couldn't get away

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

This background features Christian's second on-Island appearance to Jack. Of course now we know that wasn't really Christian, but the Man in Black. And despite everything that has happened to the survivors since they met, he still insists that all he has ever done was try to help. This was revealed to Jack via Flocke in last week's "The Last Recruit."

On a different note...I hate to say it, but this mini hiatus from LOST has really been good to me. As you know, I've been staggering backgrounds recently because there was no new episode this week. Yesterday I sat at Starbucks and made this one, and it was quite relaxing (LOL, I'm a nerd). Normally I make one everyday; sometimes even three or four a day so I can spread them throughout the week. These days I make them when the mood hits me.

When designing these backgrounds, it's not always about looking forward. Most times it's about looking back. Wonderful thing about LOST is, we spend a lot of time revisiting past events. Maybe they seem mundane the first time around, but one way or another, every moment contributes something to the greater picture.

Anyway, you can stop crying now, there's a new episode next week. Did you hear that promo? Yikes.

I never stopped looking for you

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These are non-tiling Twitter backgrounds; set your background color to white. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

One new background in two colors: vibrant and faded (with the background characters made extra blurry...coz this moment is all about Sun and Jin, after all.)

When I title these posts I usually pick a quote from the episode. I didn't go with it this time, but there was a line in that episode that honestly choked me up more than their reunion, and it was this one: "It's over...and we're all going to be okay." Which leads me to ask: are we going to be okay when this is over? When word got out that filming had wrapped a few days ago, it's like the Internet broke. Full-on, no holds barred, sobbing from LOSTies everywhere...okay, maybe not sobbing, but you get the picture.

Now normally, this would be where I say "Happy LOST Tuesday", but there is no new LOST episode tonight, so I guess it's just...Happy Tuesday. There will be a re-run of "Ab Aeterno" tonight though, so since you probably already have your Tuesday nights reserved for LOST, you may want to tune in.

Claire. On the Dock. With a Rifle.

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

Aaand, I'm back...for now anyway. Thanks for stopping by. As I said earlier, I'm staggering Twitter backgrounds until the next episode. Fringephiles, you probably recognize the title there ("Olivia. In the Lab. With the Revolver.") Get the iPhone background version of this here.

Farewell old friend

UPDATE: Jorge Garcia confirms filming wrap on LOST this morning via status update on Geronimo Jack's Beard's Facebook page. Hours later, we get a tweet from Damon Lindelof, confirming the wrap time and complete symmetry of this historic moment of television.

A couple weeks ago I said I may be taking a little break between Twitter backgrounds; just a few days here and there. Well, I'm taking LOST's lead and doing it now. As you know, there will be no new episode of LOST this week (a re-run of "Ab Aeterno" will show), so I won't have a bunch of new material to work with anyway. I'm also nearing the end of spring semester, and have a few projects that I need to finish up. I will still be tweeting, and there will still be new backgrounds over the next two weeks, just not everyday like usual.

In the meantime, if you're new to the site, I've put links to the most popular backgrounds in the sidebar. You can visit my Tumblr blog, Flash Sideways, for fun LOST finds (which updates everyday), and follow me on Twitter (which also updates daily) for the latest in LOST news. These links are in the sidebar as well.

I'll be back to update with a new Twitter background in a few days, so until then, Namaste and good day to you!

LOST 60's-style posters by Hexgonall

Click on the pic below to see more:

Last month I posted Hexagonall's Saul Bass-style LOST opening sequence. Here are some posters with images taken for that now uber-popular video.

Source: Geek Art

Of all the cars in Los Angeles

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

You already know I'm a huge sucker for Sawyer and Kate (well if you didn't, you do now). Well "The Last Recruit" gave us this delicious moment on Tuesday, and I was re-watching it to get a quote for the background. I gotta tell you, I only needed to see five seconds of it, but for the life of me I can't help but watch the whole thing over and over. Rewind, re-watch. Rinse and repeat. Classic Sawyer and Kate banter, with Freckles calling BS on everyone's favorite grifter, just like old times. Only this time, he's a detective, but hey, I'll take it. And yes, I'm pretty sure you were hitting on her. Way to sidestep that one, Mr. Ford. But the fact that you mention that "it would never work" means you were considering it.

(Ooh, just clicked on the link to make sure it works, and guess what? I watched it again.)

Finally

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to white. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

After 29 episodes and three years apart (or thirty, if you're picky) Sun and Jin were finally reunited on the beach of Hydra Island in Tuesday's episode, "The Last Recruit." These are two characters who are undeniably better together than they are on their own.

Two players

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

Ah, Jack and Locke. Cosmic soul-mates to this day, even when one has been taken over by death. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the real relationship on this show. Not the quadrangle, not the countless other pairings. It's a relationship that has always been wrought with intensity and strife. This is where LOST's soul has always lived, and by the looks of it, that's where it will stay.

Huge shout-out to @samprietti for the concept of this background! I like this because in the actual scene, both characters are bathed in darkness, which blurs edges and translates really well in a Twitter background. You get that really nice fade on Locke's face that, when paired with a black background, blends perfectly. 'Twas not without a little tweaking, though, since crisp screencaps are hard to find, especially in night scenes.

Now there's no new episode next week, which may or may not be a good thing. Gives us all time to get back to our real lives, I suppose. :) Personally, I feel the longer we can put off the finale (within reason), the better. 'Ab Aeterno' will be re-running next Tuesday, so we won't go completely without. Namaste, peeps!

Is the grizzly reaper mowing?

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to white. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

Happy LOST Tuesday! Tonight's episode is entitled "The Last Recruit." Seems like the crew is back together, let's see where this leads. Preview this background live here:

6 More iPhone backgrounds (Numbers Edition)

Same deal as yesterday. Here are six more iPhone backgrounds featuring the numbers. You can get them by clicking on the icon below, it will take you to the album.

iPhone - Numbers

17 LOST-themed iPhone backgrounds

Blogger's being weird and not letting me upload pics here at full quality, so I put them in a Picasa public album, which you can access below by clicking on the icon:

iPhone

There are 17 iPhone backgrounds in that album; you'll recognize them as designs from this blog, just resized and reoriented to fit your screen. I may do another album with the Numbers Series, and then any future Twitter backgrounds that seem appropriate will be accompanied by an iPhone background. If there is any other design on this blog that you would like converted to an iPhone background that was not included here, simply request it in the comments or on Twitter, and I'll make it.

Personally, I don't have an iPhone, but I figured, oh why the hell not? How do I test them, you ask? It's a ridiculously easy system I made for myself in Photoshop consisting of two layers of an actual size photo of an iPhone that I sandwich the background between. So at the very least, I can tell you that the Hurley/Mr. Clucks background is my fave, with Numbers a close second. Ah, me and my imaginary iPhone :)

Yes, the danger must be growing

Special note: Happy Birthday to LOST's L. Scott Caldwell, Henry Ian Cusick, and William Mapother!

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit@SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

The two below are also non-tiling, but for these, set your background to white.

Ladies (and gents), feast your eyes on soaking wet Sawyer. That is all.

I was trying to show you something

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit@SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

A little late on this, but this is the last of the "Happily Ever After" backgrounds. I got a lot of mileage out of that episode. :)

You don't look like a Rosalita...

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to white. (To see this background live, visit@SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

Hurley and Libby fans, Tuesday night was you moment. Here's "the date they never had." You'll notice that the beach fades into a grainy black and white version to the right of the screen, symbolizing the merging of the two worlds (or some bullshit like that). I just thought these two were all sorts of adorable.

Not much else to say except I probably won't be tweeting much today, as I will be away from my computer. It's a pleasant day, I've got the day off, and I'm going to the zoo :) A swell time will be had by all. Namaste.

Are the fires of hell a-glowing?

(click pic for full resolution) + my take on what prompts consciousness of both timelines below

This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit@SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

There's no earthly way of knowing which direction we are going. There's no knowing where we're rowing, or which way the river's flowing. Is it raining? Is it snowing? Is a hurricane a-blowing? Not a speck of light is showing, so the danger must be growing. Are the fires of hell a-glowing? Is the grisly reaper mowing? Yes! The danger must be growing. For the rowers keep on rowing and they're certainly not showing any signs that they are slowing!

--Willy Wonka

Here's Flocke looking very regal and macabre. I swear, sometimes we get promo pics that seem like they were just made for Twitter, which I gotta tell you, makes my work a hell of a lot easier. I barely did anything to this, just added texture and atmosphere. And that quote up there? From the promo for next week's episode (yeesh, it may be too creepy for a kids' movie if you can apply it to LOST).

So what did you think of last night's episode, "Everybody Loves Hugo"? Let's talk about those flashes of dual consciousness. They're really going full steam ahead with this love thing. My take? It may not be love at all. Love is just a catalyst, a helpful nudge, but it takes death to really open your eyes.

The two worlds seem to be more apparent to those who died on the Island. With the exception of Desmond (who, let's face it, is always an exception), all the characters who have had "memories" of the original timeline are dead in it. Charlie, Daniel, and now Libby. We even saw Juliet vacillate between the timelines just before she died. This would explain why Jack/Kate/Sawyer, Locke and Helen, and Sayid and Nadia haven't felt the feelings, haven't had the memories.

Perhaps there's a heightened sense of reality that can only be achieved by vacating one timeline, and it may be especially poignant in those moments between life and death.

LOST comic illustrations by Grickle

Click on the pic above to see Grickle's photostream on Flickr. Some are funny, some are just depictions of scenes from the show, and some are a mash-up of Star Wars and LOST (I mean really, what could be more fitting?)

Source: Grickle of Flickr

Let's lay these bones to rest. Build it all over and start again.

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to white. To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.

Happy LOST Tuesday, folks! In preparation for tonight's episode, "Everybody Loves Hugo," here's a new background for your Twitter profile. The week between the last episode and this one seemed particularly long, at least for me, so I'm especially excited for tonight.

As always, enjoy the show, and have a cluckety cluck cluck day!

Craig Ward Limited Edition Print

Click on the pic above for more information.

Here’s a sneak peek of a limited edition print by Craig Ward that will be available on the night of the finale (May 23rd) It’s first come, first served, so click through to email if you’re interested. There are only 108 prints available.

Sources: Design Work Life , The Words Are Pictures

I've seen the truth

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These are non-tiling Twitter backgrounds; set your background color to black. To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.

The same background in two different colors because once again, I couldn't decide. Charlie and Desmond are featured in this background. That's six days of Desmond in one week, I believe. My way of making up for having never done any Desmond backgrounds before "Happily Ever After."

Tour de stade

(click pic for full resolution)

This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.

Finally found those other promo pics for Des and Pen. This background features the stadium in which the two lovebirds meet for the first time in the alternate timeline. This also marks the fifth background this week featuring Desmond, but hell, I don't hear anyone complaining ;) One more tomorrow, then I'll give someone else a turn. Namaste!

(click on the screenshot below to preview it live)

The Persistence of Memory

(click pic for full resolution)

This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to white. To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.

You know, for the life of me, I can't find high-res promotional pics (or even medium quality ones) of Des and Pen at the stadium from "Happily Eve After." I know they're out there, I've seen thumbnails on ABC Medianet, but I've never seen them in galleries or even in recap articles. Anyway, I used this screencap instead. It's from the scene in the episode when the consciousness of Desmond's sideways-self suddenly becomes flooded with images of his life with Penelope.

I spoke earlier about love, and how it's the only life force with the ability to transcend the constrains of the universes we've been presented. Desmond and Penny are living proof, and apparently so are Daniel and Charlotte, and Charlie and Claire. That does make you wonder though, if love is the only thing that can bridge the gap. In "Sundown", we saw Sayid reunite with his multi-universe love, Nadia. Their meeting, ever so tragic and strained, didn't seem to bring up any 'memories' from the original timeline. The same can be said for Locke and Helen, and Jack/Kate/Sawyer (although we don't know that for sure yet). So if love isn't the only thing that triggers it, then what else does? I sure as hell have no idea, so stay tuned, folks, and good day to you all. (There are only seven hours of LOST left)

What if this wasn't supposed to be our life?

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This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. See a live preview by clicking on this pic:

Daniel (oh Daniel!) and Desmond, as it seems, are each other's constants in every timeline. Or whatever. Something like that, right? One thing's for sure, though. No matter what the circumstance, one way or another we all become the people we are supposed to be. It may not be a small world, but it is a planned world whether we realize it or not.

On a different, yet relevant, note, I may or may not be skipping a few days worth of Twitter backgrounds (depends on whether I have the time, or when the mood hits me). Things are getting stressful in my little corner of the world, but I will try. Thanks for stopping by, and as always, good day to you.

God loves you as He loved Jacob

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These backgrounds are enormous (1600x1200), and while they aren't technically tiling, please go ahead and check the 'tile background' box. You won't notice it if you're on a laptop, but for someone viewing your page with a big monitor, it will tile well.

These backgrounds come in three colors: Black Rock brown, 70's panelling, and Smoke (grayscale). All feature that famous phrase from Dharma's Room 23, and the blue butterfly from "Ab Aeterno". Now, why a butterfly? Could be a few reasons: a shout-out to Wonderland, a shout out to "The Moth", the Geronimo Jackson album cover perhaps (it includes the Native American symbol of a butterly, representing everlasting life)? Butterflies symbolize rebirth, and are seen as the personification of the human soul. All reasons are valid.

This is how the first one (Black Rock brown, my personal fave) looks like when applied. Click on the pic below to see it on Twitter: