The Climb

Climbing - Topic for Illustration Friday

The above illustration features my good friend Jay Thompson. Somehow, I convinced him to climb into a tree and model in some very difficult positions for an previous illustration. The payment was probably in Riesen dark chocolate chews and Pappa Johns bread sticks... I'm feeling ashamed and amused by this cheapness. Mostly amused.

It was my original intention to re-work and improve some of my older illustrations. But I had this great out-take shot of Jay hanging wearied from the tree branch, and decided to work with it instead. I don't know why I love this idea of a dude in a nice clean suit climbing a tree. I wonder how long he's been hanging there. Will he try for the top? And, assuming he hasn't just given up, once he finally reaches his goal what will he do? What's waiting for him up there? A good view? Is he a peeping tom? Does he plan to jump? Was this a dare? Is there gold in them thar branches? I don't know, but I like to think about it.

Though I'm usually not depressed, I'm not feeling particularly optimistic today. I spent a lot of time sending out e-mails, looking at job postings, and trying to find a cheap apartment in LA somewhere. *Special note to my mid-west friends: I do mean "cheap" in Californian terms. There is story after story on NPR about California's economic troubles. and oh. Oh nice. It might be fun to mention that just now I heard a news story about the peanut-butter recall while eating a peanut-butter toast snack. I'm doomed!

Also, I'm really missing my car today.



It was towed away back in August... and while my bike is hands down the best decision I've ever made-ever; I just miss driving alone singing along to tapes and the radio. (yeah, tapes!) Not having a car has been a non-issue till these past few weeks as Jesse and I have been looking into new jobs and a new apartment. Chances are that as soon as these things are found, the heartache I feel for my old blue Chevy will die. But right now I cant help but reminisce. I cant believe I got so attached to a car that months latter I still mourn it, it seems silly. Please tell me about your weird, materialistic attachments. Make me feel normal!

Pale

Pale - Topic for Illustration Friday

Hummingbirds are mother nature's color sampler tools. Would I lie to you?

I finished this illustration on the Jan 21st, 2009. Not a bad birthday for an illustration! Obama's first official day in office was the one and only thing the world was talking about yesterday. It seems only right I send my congrats as well, and dedicate this piece to the day. I imagine Big O is feeling pretty overwhelmed tonight, what with all the briefings and meetings piling up. I wonder if he's gotten to the fun stuff yet... like that part about the massive government cover-up concerning UFO phenomena. I wonder still, will he keep his promise to make government more open and accountable to us? I'll give him a few days to let it all sink in of course. I'm sure he's learning secrets so extensive they will forever change his perspective on the universe. I expect my Interstellar Telleporter delivered within 5 - 7 business days with signature confirmation, Mister President.

I'd also like to dedicate this to my boy, Jesse. Jes just got his masters studying Experimental Animation at the California Institute of the Arts, and his brand-new beautiful website can be seen here. Check it out and tell your friends. You know, all those friends you have working in animation studios. Yeah, those ones. He just got an animation gig at Duck Studios for a few weeks, and the 21st turned out to be his draining first day as well. Only thing is Obama gets Air Force One while Jesse gets a 2 hour train/ bus commute. I bring this up mostly to drive home the point that Obama needs to give us all teleporters.

Here he is with fellow animation wizards, Daniel Ash and Dillion Markey, on their last day and CalArts.

Proud Mary

I don't pretend to know why Tina does the things that she does. I'm just here to document it.

A few months back my good friend Truly wrote on her own blog that she was having visions of Tina Turner terrorizing vintage illustrated Chinese villagers. I thought that was the funniest thing and laughed out loud. In fact, months later, I'm still laughing out loud whenever I think of it and things have started getting uncomfortable in public places. So this had to be done, cause it's too funny not to be done. Truly, my quirky minded friend, this is for you.

I also posted this on Illustration Friday. For those who might not be familiar, IF is a website that presents a weekly illustration challenge for anyone who wants to participate. Every Friday a new topic is chosen, and it is left up to you to interpret in your own fashion. Once you're done you can post and link to your masterpiece of illustration genius on the site, or just spend a few joy-filled hours browsing the other posted work. This weeks topic was Contained. (NOT Tina Turner as you may have guessed. ha!) Some people cant be contained, others you can just stuff into jars and save for later. Yeah it's silly and a bit irreverent, but it's the first image that popped into my head when I read "contained."

In other news, I got to see this Cowboy chasing a cow statue while visiting my family in Texas.

It was neat.

PRISM Submissions & Voter Hysterics

I have made, and am currently working on, some new illustrations for PRISM international! The mag wont be out for awhile, but here is a little taste:


This will be featured in their 2009 Spring issue. I wanted to post this early and let everybody know that PRISM is currently looking for fiction, nonfiction and poetry submissions for this issue. It has a visual arts theme and here is some extra info about it from their fiction editor, Michelle Miller:

Dearest PRISM friends, foes and contributors,
We are putting together our Spring 2009 theme issue, exploring the relationship between literature and visual art. We have already received some really exciting illustrations, graphic stories and poems, but we want even more.

Because you're brilliant, we're hoping that you'll send us some fiction, nonfiction or poetry with a strong visual element, whether your piece deals with art directly or leaves us with a strong and delicious mental image.

Please consider sending something our way. Submission guidelines can be found on our website at www.prismmagazine.ca

And stay tuned for information about our 2009 fiction contest, and our very first ever full-scale poetry contest, coming this week.

Michelle Miller
fiction editor.

So get your writing on, and while youre at it: Get your vote on!

That's right! Today is Nov 4th- finally time to get out the vote. I did it bright and early today, and didn't even have to wait in line. It's a beautiful brisk day here in CA, my mood is high and my veins are pumping a combination of adrenaline and java. After punching it for Barack ,and giving a big fat NO-hole to Prop 8, Jesse and I hiked over to Starbucks for some free voter-coffee. (Maybe later we'll get voter-ice cream from Ben and Jerry's.)

It's nice to feel excited about an election, and I hope we can keep the momentum. No matter who wins, there will be change. I don't think any of our candidates (and guess what: there are more then 2... who knew?) will lead us down the road to ruin... just repeat that 10 times and take deep breaths. But "darned it" I will plug for Obama all the way! So will Dean. Dean is my cat. She loves Obama... don't let the wink fool you. She's just being ironic.



P.S. I've also gave my web page a facelift. Please let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions!

UTNE Reader

I have created a new illustration for an article in the latest issue of the UTNE Reader!


(UTNE Cover, Sept - Oct 2008 issue)


(Page 87)

The illustration is for a short piece by Denise Herrera called The Purloined Library. It's a sweet story in which she recalls the best thing she's ever stolen: a fifth grade social studies book, and a dictionary.

For this illustration I worked with UTNE's Art Director, Stephanie Glaros, who was very fun to collaborate with and had clear and helpful ideas about which aspects of the story to focus on. She mainly asked that I illustrate the memory side of the story, and the urgency of the little girls act of stealing. Now, I hate showing my sketches to people... I find it a little embarrassing... but I'm trying to get over this phobia because it's just silly. Anyways, I'm going to post the preliminary sketches I sent in for this project so you can see how this illustration got started. Please don't judge them too harshly, they are such young and tender souls.







You can see these aren't straight up thumbnails... I really don't do well with stick figures. I think taking the sketches a step further, such as drawing a fairly realized face, helps me get excited about it. Once I pick a couple that I like, I scan them into Photoshop and add some color, a piece of a photograph or maybe a texture if I have it on hand. But the most important part of my process doesn't involve paper, pencils, photographs or even Photoshop. Oh no.



Well... maybe paper.

I hope someone finds this helpful or even remotely interesting. Special thanks to UTNE and Stephanie Glaros for the opportunity! I'm really sorry that this "thank you" comes moments after making a poop joke. : )

Final thought: What's the best thing you've ever stolen? If it's a good story maybe I will illustrate it. Extra credit if your story involves ninjas and explosives.

San Diego Comicon 2008

Blueberry Pancakes & Waffles

The Joker (Heath Ledger) and the 4th incarnation of the Doctor (Tom Baker- Doctor Who) wow... geek much? Let me explain:

Last week Jesse and I took the 2hr 45min trip from Santa Clarita to San Diego to attend Geek Fest 2008, A.K.A. the San Diego Comic-Con. We got free professional passes as Illustrator and Animator that covered the whole weekend including preview night courtesy the Chiodo Brothers. We only went for two nights; hotel expenses suck. Jesse asked this passing Sleestak if he could pull some crossbow action on our hotel manager thereby frightening him into letting us stay another night... but he just hissed uncontrollably.



Thursday morning we got up early because we wanted to catch a panel for a sneak peak of a new drama on NBC called Kings. Truthfully, the show sounds cool and all... but really, the only reason we went to the panel was to see Ian McShane (Deadwood) and his wrinkles. But there was was major traffic on the 405 and he didn't make it. My gushing tears prevented me from seeing the preview of the show... so no reviews here. Despite that disappointment, I did enjoy a mediocre-super-slow-served breakfast at a tiny whole in the wall breakfast cafe, decorated with pictures of the Nina, Pinta and the Santa Maria. (I'm as confused as you.) This was the spot were we had our first Joker sighting:



Question: Who drinks Pepsi at 7am? Answer: Psychopaths.

So you can see a bit of the inspiration for the illustration. Anyways, after seeing this guy Jesse and I decided it was our mission, our duty even, to chronicle all the Jokers we would see at the comicon. We expected the number to reach into the thousands. We placed our bets. Maybe my digital camera would break under the pressures of documenting the shear numbers, such horror! You could say it was mildly crushing to only catch seven... maybe we should have kept our expectations in check. It would have been 8 if Jesse hadn't neglected to point out the Nurse Joker he spotted. He surely would have been the jewel of my collection. I'm not bitter! Here's a few of my favorite sightings:


Joker buying cute nick-nacks.


Joker and Shaun. Who's that lady in front? She clearly hates me.


Nice vest! Probably the best one. Wouldn't break character either... I had to get out of there fast before he punched my face.


Putting aside their differences while waiting in line to get an exclusive look at the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. Or are they just fans of Keanu Reeves? I hope Jennifer Connelly tho.

As time went on we came to realize that our goal should have been to document the Doctor Who look-a-likes. This would have been more challenging and the final count more exciting. A highlight of the day (and I'm serious here) was sitting in on the Doctor Who and Torchwood panels, and there was no shortage of Doctors hanging around:



But if you are going to be a Doctor, you have to pick one with a bit or flash and pa-zaz. My choice would be Tom Baker's Doctor, the 4th Doctor. Here's one complete with ridiculously long scarf, bag full-o-jelly babies, sonic screwdriver, and never ending trench coat pockets. I have to say though, Jelly Babies aren't nearly as delicious as they appear on TV.



Something exciting and completely unexpected came from accompanying Shaun to a panel called "Dark Horse Horror." Shaun was actually at the convention on business, sitting in on panels and writing about them for CBR. Go here to read his articles and learn about all the great stuff you missed! The guest at this particular panel was Bernie Wrightson, and if you are not familiar with him you must check out his intricate and incredible pen and ink illustrations for Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. What's more, there will be a 25th anniversary edition of the novel with Bernie's illustrations coming out around Halloween!

Last thing we saw was a documentary called "Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown," which was a very interesting chronicle of H.P. Lovecraft's life and work that included interviews with Guillermo Del Toro and Neil Gaimen. After that bit of creep inducing dark-weirdness we wandered out of the convention center and into San Diego's Gaslamp quarter searching for coffee to keep us awake and alive for the long drive home. There was a sign proclaiming "Coffee Shop" the seemed promising, and we believed it. But whose idea was is to name a restaurant "Mary Jane's Coffee Shop" and simultaneously decide that owning a coffee pot would be a gross mistake? I bet it was God, he really hates my guts. It ended up being for the best tho, because just down the street was Ghiradelli's Ice Cream and Chocolate shop. This is where all the cool people hang out, and if you don't believe me just ask Scott McCloud:



Here he is, being assaulted by my camera, with my friend Sam Hale and Jesse peeping in from behind ruining the focus of the shot. (thanks dude.) He was buying ice cream for his wife and daughters, I got a white chocolate mocha, and all was right with the world. And there it is- how I got inspired to make a Joker / Doctor Who illustration: Geeks and Sweets.

What do you think the Joker, Doctor Who and Hellboy would have for breakfast?

New Postcards Out!

I have a set of new promotional postcards! They have been addressed and stamped and sent along their way. Well, maybe it wasn't that easy... I did have to endure the dour post office man as he sniffled, clearly unamused by my inability to pick the correct amount for postage to an over seas address. "Screw this guy!" I thought, and promptly took my business elsewhere:



I'd also like to take this moment to show some love for my new mode of transport: the Electra Amsterdam Classic 3 speed daemon.



I call her Savage Tea. (I think only Truly will recognize the origins of this name- being the only other person I know trying to make it through the crawling epic novel I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume. It takes a bit of work!) When I went to the bike shop I brought a picture with me to illustrate the type of bicycle I was dreaming of.



Turns out the human race isn't as far advanced as I thought. No sea travel for me but that's okay; At least I have two folding wire baskets that make grocery trips a breeze. But the dream lives on.



I'm starting to appreciate the city of Santa Clarita more all thanks to the Tea. There are numerous shaded and well kept bike/walking paths running through parks, past lovely public pools, over and under all the major roads and behind houses in the burbs. You can tell the city thought hard about the set up. Thanks city!



My favorite thing to do now is ride and take action shots of Jesse on his bike. I know this is dangerous, and yes I still need to purchase a helmet... but you cant stop me, I am an agent of chaos. nyah!



briiing briiiing! Jesse says hello!