tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13859229289289230532024-03-13T21:21:58.026-07:00Monkey Pencil's SketchbookScotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-8161210802395578512012-05-31T01:00:00.001-07:002012-05-31T01:02:30.704-07:00Looking Back and Laughing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sorry for the short hiatus these last couple weeks. It's been a fairly busy time, with being a single dad this week and fighting the lines last week to get my National ID here. The government requires every resident in the UAE to get a national ID by May 31st or else you pay a fine everyday after that. True to character, I waited until the last minute and had to wait in line for what felt like 2 days to perform 10 minutes worth of work. Anyway, back to the blog....<br />
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I've decided to change things up with the blog and no longer provide you with sleeping material. I am not going to waste your time with long drawn out explanations of things. I am going to give a brief explanation of the project and post it. Done and Done. So here is the project this week....<br />
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If you remember last year, I submitted concept art for Smiley and Grim to a contest. Needless to say, it didn't work out. So for the halibut ("hell of it" who aren't familiar with my lingo) I decided to re-do that project using the knowledge and skills I acquired since then. Boy was I rough around the edges back then. It's amazing how much one can improve by drawing regularly!! I can't wait to be able to look back on this new one and laugh at how poor this is! Here it is 1.0 vs. 2.0<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KGZUkPVOQVg/T8cjZT7NyKI/AAAAAAAAAE0/m6uUSXe5CHc/s1600/S&G2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KGZUkPVOQVg/T8cjZT7NyKI/AAAAAAAAAE0/m6uUSXe5CHc/s400/S&G2.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiley and Grim 2011 or 1.0</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GAhhn4VJFpk/T8cg77z7iSI/AAAAAAAAAEk/H46dAXNmf18/s1600/Smiley+and+Grim.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GAhhn4VJFpk/T8cg77z7iSI/AAAAAAAAAEk/H46dAXNmf18/s400/Smiley+and+Grim.jpg" title="Smiley and Grim" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiley and Grim 2012 or 2.0</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01083578535317732069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-890084221824259252012-04-30T09:50:00.001-07:002012-05-31T03:32:15.898-07:00Page 1 and The Art of Storytelling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So for the past 5 years, a friend of mine and I came up with the idea to start a graphic novel, and for the past 4 years or so, life has gotten in the way of actually doing anything tangible toward that end. However, this move to Dubai has afforded me the opportunity to actually put in a real effort and for the last 4 months, I've completely invested myself into learning about how comics are made. The hardest part to grasp is also the most essential: how to tell a story visually.<br />
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Perhaps one of the greatest comic storytellers of all-time was Jack Kirby. Stan Lee was recently quoted in an interview, "Jack Kirby, the great thing about him was, every panel was dramatic. He
wasn’t the greatest artist in the world — I mean, he wasn’t da Vinci —
but he could make panels look so interesting that you couldn’t wait to
turn the page and see the next one." Unlike the wooden characters in comics of that time, no page was wasted with Kirby, every panel was overflowing with energy and drama. It's safe to say that, comics (and perhaps action movies) are what they are today, because of Kirby. Take a look at the below fight sequence to understand what I mean:<br />
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Even by today's standards, this sequence is impeccable. The action floes from one panel to the next. The reader is drawn in and captivated by the action on the page. Let me remind you that no one was doing anything like this at the time! For readers, it must have been mind blowing. As an artist, I am still in awe of this ability. I share this because I have recently completed the first of our graphic
novel and I can tell you from experience that visual storytelling is hard
goddamn work! So when you go out and enjoy the Avengers movie this weekend, take a moment to thank Jack Kirby and all of his awesomeness! <br />
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Before I show you page one, let me give you some background on this graphic novel entitled <u>Smiley and Grim</u>. My friend who write the script describes the comic as this:<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This
is Pulp Fiction meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. On a daily basis the
average person can run afoul of angels, leprechauns, elementals, the
avatars of gods, demons, vampires, and the rest of the lot. Smiley and
Grim get paid absurd amounts of money to deal with these and everything
in between. They live and work by a code - a strange, mysterious code -
which serves to make them the best there is in a world where good is
relative to everything</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Smiley
and Grim may very well be the linchpin holding together a world where
the gods live in luxury penthouses and floating mansions, serving as the
storm that sweeps down whenever the atmosphere between godly factions
become strained or deific pressures get out of hand. As respected as
they are feared, they tread lines of reality even the greatest powers
cannot always see clearly."</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now for page 1:</span></span></i><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9LFyIC3Tx4Q/T56-d8NfK3I/AAAAAAAAADw/skNtUw0FXE8/s1600/Pg-1+Share.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9LFyIC3Tx4Q/T56-d8NfK3I/AAAAAAAAADw/skNtUw0FXE8/s400/Pg-1+Share.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Script for Page 1</span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span></span></i><br />
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8094436681710521" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Page 1 – Two demons arrive at the Arena to meet a friend, who is not so pleased to see one of them.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Panel
1- Exterior -A Warehouse District. We are on the roof of a building.
Across the street is a pair of limos parked on the street on either side
of the entrance to an alleyway. The alleyway divides a factory on the
left from a warehouse on the right. in the distance we see the towers of
a city. The alleyway itself is full of limos and cars. There are two
men walking up the alleyway wearing suits.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2-
Inside the alleyway, the two men are approaching the entrance to one of
the warehouses. Another man, smaller, stands beside the guard at the
entrance. The guard wears black pants and a black tank top, he is
covered in tattoos, thick black mutton-chop sideburns and some wild
black hair.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3-The
two men have reached the entrance, the smaller man is there to greet
them. The two men are demons, Tergemot (a lizard demon, mostly human
features with scale patterns around his eyes) and Linus (a pain demon).
The smaller man is Esaia an efreet, a fire spirit, and the guard is a
Maori-warrior spirit. Linus is really coked up, and should be looking
haggard. This is the person Smiley and Grim are looking for.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ESAIA- Tergemot, NICE to see you. Linus, I’d ask you how you are doing but I doubt I have the TIME. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4- The guard pulls open the large, thick, graffiti-ed door to allow them in.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ESAIA - Why don’t you come inside and buy us a drink.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5-The
three men step through a curtain into a lounge. This is the anterior
space to a large arena. The place is filled with all kinds of people and
beings: fish-people, a pair of devi (Hindu goddesses), some
insect-spirit guys from South America with dragon-fly wings, etc. They
are all very well-to-do, the cream of nouveau riche society as it were.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ESAIA- So you being here means something, yes? Besides just absolute fucking stupidity?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LINUS- My being here is hopefully to forget why you think I shouldn’t.</span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">MY PROCESS:</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part of my self education these last 4 months has been learning how to draw digitally on a Wacom board using Manga Studio EX4 (amazing program BTW). The only time I use paper is when I'm doing brainstorming work for page layouts and character concepts. Anyway, creating this page was a ton of fun...hard work but a ton of fun. </span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">HARDEST PART: The hardest panel to draw was the first one. I absolutely abhor doing landscape art...more specifically, urban landscapes! It's a necessary evil that every comic artist must become proficient at doing. IT'S SO TEDIOUS!!! </span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">MOST ENJOYABLE: I had the most fun on panels 2 and 5 because I felt I could use my full imagination in creating the characters. </span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7919890166135509" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That's it for this week. I'll be back next week with character sketches of Smiley and Grim and maybe some other concept art.</span></span></i><br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01083578535317732069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-85315107292819786912012-04-23T08:22:00.001-07:002012-04-23T08:22:51.677-07:00The simplest question is often the most unexpected.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This past weekend I attended the first ever Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC). For those of us who were under the delusion that comics cater strictly to American and Japanese audiences, this was an opportunity to see that, like everything else, there is a greater world out there. Turns out that no matter what you are interested in, you can find someone in this world who shares your interest. For instance, who would have thought that the 80's pop group, Wham would have a following here? I know, I know...I also never thought they had a following to begin with but apparently one man on the train is a big enough fan to have Careless Whisper as his ringtone. It's best not to ask why he chose that song or even why I knew the name it, but it serves as a funny reminder that we are never alone in this world.<br />
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Anyway, this convention served as one of those reminders for me. Here I thought that there was no market or interest in Dubai/the UAE in comics and yet 10,000 people purchased tickets for the weekend festivities. From the Cosplayers to Arab versions of Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons, the conference wove a rich tapestry of geekery. While many were there to buy comics, play Magic and Warhammer, I was there on a different mission. My goal was to show some of my work to some comic book artists and get some feedback and advice. I was sort of hoping to find out if I have been wasting my time and well, it turns out I wasn't wasting it at all.<br />
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I arrived early on the first day and got to meet a couple of great artists who work for Marvel. Both gave me some great advice, but one asked me a question I wasn't prepared for...What do you want to do in comics? Ink? Pencil? Color? Such a simple basic question, yet I was completely flummoxed. What the hell DO I want to do? I've sort of done everything on my own for so long that the thought of doing an actual job in comics, kind of scares me. There are all sorts of internal debates that I have with myself about this. Do I want to give up owning what I create? (look up Jerry Siegel, Alan Moore, and Jack Kirby if you don't know what I mean) Am I fast enough to bang out pages by deadlines? Most importantly, am I good enough? The latter was what I hoped to find out. What I discovered talking with the artists at MEFCC was that, I have accomplished in developing the one hardest qualities to have, a cool style. Hearing that my art had it's own cool style made me feel fantastic. See, anyone can learn how to draw by copying other artists, but if they don't develop their own way of doing things, they are simply not successful in the industry. What made Jack Kirby, Jim Lee, Walt Simonson, Alex Ross, etc. successful was that they had their own recognizable style. Not that I cold possibly hope to be in the same ballpark as them but it feels good to know that my style is my own.<br />
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Of course hearing that I have style was the good news. The "bad" news (not really though since I was there to learn)...I was told that I need to work on making my anatomy work more natural and lifelike, my coloring is weak and needs to be improved, and most importantly, I need to work on using line weights correctly in my inking. This was the one are that I wanted to learn about more than anything since I started inking my work. It's perhaps the most basic lesson, and yet has completely escaped me. Basically, wherever light hits an area, your line should be lightest/thinnest and heaviest where there is shadow. Below is one of my drawings that shows this mistake:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wjN4DFkIT8E/T5UQxpH4XDI/AAAAAAAAADk/XAqheR4YjF8/s1600/Grim+mistakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wjN4DFkIT8E/T5UQxpH4XDI/AAAAAAAAADk/XAqheR4YjF8/s400/Grim+mistakes.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a character sketch of Grim that I did for a comic I am working on with a friend of mine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The light source is supposed to be coming in from the upper right side; however, the line weight on that shoulder is exactly the same as the other side. Anyway I did some drawing/inking with that lesson in mind and created this picture yesterday:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iCDIN7yR2ig/T5UY0c2hH9I/AAAAAAAAAD0/yIlx9EVFJXk/s1600/Grim-Werewolf+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iCDIN7yR2ig/T5UY0c2hH9I/AAAAAAAAAD0/yIlx9EVFJXk/s400/Grim-Werewolf+sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is another character sketch of Grim transformed into a werewolf.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This I feel is a marked improvement over the previous one. The light source is directly above and the line weight reflects it.<br />
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Anyway, that's all for this week. Next week I'll explain more about this comic that I am working on and perhaps even share the first the page along with some of the character designs.</div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-58645551643640988932012-04-19T08:41:00.000-07:002012-04-19T08:41:15.571-07:00Convergence in Chaos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BpXzp2Ac9MY/T4-oU3sYYRI/AAAAAAAAADY/oXKC346PFWk/s1600/convergence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BpXzp2Ac9MY/T4-oU3sYYRI/AAAAAAAAADY/oXKC346PFWk/s640/convergence.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Convergence by Jackson Pollock, 1952</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Wow, has it really over a year since my last post? I think that this qualifies as a fresh start and not a continuation of the previous blog. This is going to be a long post so be ready. Let's see...what has happened in the past year? Not much really...My darling wife received a great opportunity to work in Dubai so I quit my job, packed up the family, and moved to the Middle East. Other than that, life has been pretty slow. This generally happens every five years or so. My wife finds a great opportunity to advance her career and I come along for the ride. Whatever I am doing career-wise, I choose to stop and follow my wife on her path to success. I'm man enough to admit that I'm lazy and generally apathetic about
career advancement, so I have no shame in following my high flier of a
wife. <br />
<br />
I've become a seasoned pro at starting over and finding my own way in a new environment. However, what's different about this move is that for the first time, there is no pressure for me to find a job. My amazing wife has moved up to the big leagues and given me the opportunity to do whatever the hell I want. I have to say, it's been 4 months and it's incredibly overwhelming to have time and freedom at my disposal. Actually overwhelming isn't nearly an adequate enough descriptor...IT'S TERRIFYING! My God! I am 37 years old, I have a 3 (soon to be 4) year old daughter, and I am seriously considering starting my professional life over as if I am 18 again?? I must be insane! I no longer have the luxury of not giving a shit about what people think about me. Everyday, I ask myself, what will my daughter think about me when she grows up? Will I be an inspirational example of how never to give up? Or will I be another tragic example of wasted talent and poor decision making? In the months building up to this move I racked my brain trying to figure out what to do with myself. What avenue could I possibly explore?? Would I go back to school? Perhaps, try to make a go of it in art?<br />
<br />
The only thing I knew for certain was that at least for a short period of time I was going to be Mr. Mom with my daughter until we found a suitable day care/school for her. The time I have spent with her has been interesting to say the least. It has been rewarding, and at times insanely frustrating and exhausting. Who would have thought a person so little could drive a grown man to such emotional highs and lows? I have no idea how stay at home moms and single mothers do it! Thank God we got in her in a school part-time a few weeks after we arrived...I actually started to want to go back to work! On the days that my daughter was in school, I decided that I would not waste a single moment watching TV or playing games, etc. Instead I would spend them drawing. So for the last two months, I have been spending nearly 6 to 8 hours a day drawing...I think I have actually developed a mild case of carpel tunnel in the process, but the pain has been worth it. I have felt more personally fulfilled in those hours spent than I have in all of the years I spent in the working world. This is going to sound incredibly insane, but the joy I have felt has sort of brought me into a depressing period in my life. Let me explain...<br />
<br />
As I sat here at my desk, thinking about what to write, I started to think about my life and my choices that have made into the person I am at this very moment. I suddenly realized that my life is like a Jackson Pollock painting (see above). You look at one of his paintings, and you ask yourself, "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??" "THIS IS ART??" "A MONKEY WITH A BRUSH COULD HAVE MADE THIS!"<br />
<br />
It's completely chaotic and a goddamn mess; however, what you don't realize is that Pollock's paintings generally started with him either drawing a figure or a word on the canvas then he let his emotion take over. They say that if you stare at some of his paintings long enough you will eventually see the original figure or word. What you see initially in that painting is a culmination of layers and layers of decisions and emotions that have buried its essential self. Isn't that what many of our lives are like? I truly believe that we are all born with something unique, call it talent or purpose. The decisions we make on a daily basis determine if our seed grows or dies. This realization sort of depressed me. I looked at my life and it was completely unrecognizable. My talent has been buried by years and years of foolish decisions. I could have felt this joy in creating art for the past 18 years, what the hell was I thinking. I am now at the point where after staring at the painting long enough, I finally see my original purpose. However, the challenge now is to make sense of the chaos. <br />
<br />
So where will I be going with this blog in the future? Well I figure, starting Monday, I will start sharing some of my work and talking about what I hope to do with it. This is a big weekend for me since I'll be showing some of my work to professional artists to see where I stand.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01083578535317732069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-47442314490378883492011-01-26T07:54:00.000-08:002011-01-26T07:54:15.298-08:00For your consideration, Mr. Lee and Mr. McFarlane<div style="text-align: left;">A few years ago when I had one of my dalliances with art, a friend of mine, who is a very talented writer, and I hashed out some ideas for a graphic novel. I even did a couple character sketches for him. But like most things I worked on back then, it sort of fizzled out. However, that was the past. Now there is a new and improved me (Me 2.0) who wants to follow through on projects and actually finish something.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT7-xsRjFOI/AAAAAAAAADE/wIPI-hl4QmM/s1600/Grim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="145" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT7-xsRjFOI/AAAAAAAAADE/wIPI-hl4QmM/s200/Grim.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the original character sketch<br />
I did for one of the characters, Grim</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of weeks ago, I wrote to him and said I was hungry for a project...FEED ME! I asked him if he would be willing to work with me again on the graphic novel we came up with. That night he sent me a script. I am probably driving him crazy as of late because I send him concept art almost everyday. It sounds crazy but I think I am now addicted to drawing. When I am not drawing, I think about drawing. Everything I see, I think about how it would look on paper. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">While working on some character designs, I came across this art contest <a href="http://www.talenthouse.com/stan-lee-foundation-create-a-superhero?THSessionId=qhj9pee32n1c7smc05u8kvk3n7">ad</a> sponsored by the immortal Stan Lee and Todd McFarlane (creator of Spawn), which they would like to see submissions for new superheroes. The winner gets to a trip to San Diego Comic-Con to meet Stan Lee and accept an award and more importantly, the winner also gets to take a trip to Todd McFarlane's studio in Arizona to sit with him and talk art and learn a few things. Another cool prize is that a limited run of action figures will be made of the winning character. How freakin' sweet is that???</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Needless to say I was just a little excited about this and immediately began working on some new character pages. I will say that coming up with a design worthy to submit has been a challenge. However, its has been an extremely rewarding experience. I can't believe how quickly and creatively I am working. What normally would take me days to complete, I can design, draw, and ink (both pen and brush) a full 11x17 page in about 5 hours.I have been through several iterations of the character layouts the past few days and am having trouble figuring out which layouts works best. So I need your help dear reader(s). <b>Please take a look at the 3 drawings below of the main characters of our novel, Smiley and Grim, and vote which one is best as well as give me any constructive feedback.</b> Just put the number you like along with your feedback in the comments for this blog entry. I want to get this right because I am not only a perfectionist but I really want to win this contest...It's an amazing opportunity. Thanks!!</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT-QG9rnfII/AAAAAAAAADM/be5Jw6JobEU/s1600/grim3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT-QG9rnfII/AAAAAAAAADM/be5Jw6JobEU/s320/grim3.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiley and Grim #1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT-R49rft_I/AAAAAAAAADc/4Sq0eQ5t9PY/s1600/grim2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT-R49rft_I/AAAAAAAAADc/4Sq0eQ5t9PY/s320/grim2.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiley and Grim #2 </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT-Q39etgmI/AAAAAAAAADY/iaSREUkjfyY/s1600/grim1b%2526w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT-Q39etgmI/AAAAAAAAADY/iaSREUkjfyY/s320/grim1b%2526w.jpg" width="240" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiley and Grim #3</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TT-QG9rnfII/AAAAAAAAADM/be5Jw6JobEU/s1600/grim3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-16378698545336895352011-01-07T08:09:00.000-08:002011-01-07T08:09:30.684-08:00A Jack of All Trades or a Master of One?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXaVM21H_I/AAAAAAAAACs/GTJ2C3zSJ8Y/s1600/Batman+and+Nightwing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>I know it's been a long time since my last post but I have still been working on my sketching every day. I've learned a lot these past few weeks, the most important of all is that I still have a long way to go. For Christmas, my lovely wife spoiled me and bought me a book of art by my favorite comic book artist, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Icons-Comics-Wildstorm-Art-Jim/dp/1845765192">Jim Lee</a>. Not only did she buy this book for me but she found a way to contact him and asked him to personalize the book for me. Lo and behold the below picture is what is drawn on the inside cover of my book along with his note. Needless to say I was as giddy and a school girl on Christmas day. It was definitely the best gift I've ever been given and I can't even begin to say how cool it was that Jim Lee took the time out of his schedule to do this and mail it to us. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSZ4_WemqkI/AAAAAAAAAC8/CkZgg5OQpbw/s1600/Jim+Lee+signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSZ4_WemqkI/AAAAAAAAAC8/CkZgg5OQpbw/s320/Jim+Lee+signature.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once I had this book in my hands, I was immediately inspired to draw so I decided practices on some of Jim Lee's art for DC Comics holy trinity of characters: Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman. The first sketch I worked on was Wonder Woman. This was a lot of fun since I rarely draw female characters and and I learned a new technique using a whiteout pen. The pen is used when adding highlights to areas that are all black...simple concept and ingenious!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXa0mrNhEI/AAAAAAAAAC0/QWsLt_0rv5I/s1600/Wonderwoman.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXa0mrNhEI/AAAAAAAAAC0/QWsLt_0rv5I/s320/Wonderwoman.jpg" width="227" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXaiyDkzRI/AAAAAAAAACw/i10IyvF_tJ4/s1600/Superman.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXaiyDkzRI/AAAAAAAAACw/i10IyvF_tJ4/s320/Superman.jpg" width="227" /></a>The second sketch I did was of Superman. This pic really got me to start paying attention to light sources in my work. I am also improving on my figures insofar as it relates to poses and muscles. Still struggling a little with faces and expressions but I know that will come with time.</div><br />
The final drawing I worked on was of Batman (obviously, Jim Lee's original is on the right and mine is below on the left). This one really made me appreciate how difficult it is to be a comic book artist and it opened my eyes as to how much I have yet to learn. I need improvement in creating more drama in my figures...notice the difference in the extended leg of Nightwing in his and my drawing. Also, my Batman is running a bit more upright while his is leaning more forward adding a greater sense of motion and urgency to the picture. The area that is the most difficult to replicate is the background. The amount of detail that he spends on the background is incredible and it's the one thing that is often overlooked in comic books. The background is what makes the scene complete.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXaVM21H_I/AAAAAAAAACs/GTJ2C3zSJ8Y/s1600/Batman+and+Nightwing.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXaVM21H_I/AAAAAAAAACs/GTJ2C3zSJ8Y/s320/Batman+and+Nightwing.jpg" width="227" /></a>The thing that blows my mind is how observant you need to be to be able to properly draw backgrounds. You need to pay attention to everything...broken glass, crushed soda cans, buildings, cars, etc. More importantly, you need to be able to <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSaFAZ4VSDI/AAAAAAAAADA/_WntPJinYhY/s1600/JIM_LEE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSaFAZ4VSDI/AAAAAAAAADA/_WntPJinYhY/s320/JIM_LEE.jpg" width="212" /></a>draw them accurately. Therefore, a comic book artist needs to be a Jack of All Trades...they need to be an architect, car designer, fashion designer, even a florist to make their art believable. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> It's a little overwhelming to think about that but it has truly opened my eyes to a new way of seeing the world. I am finally starting to get what Da Vinci was talking about when he said <i>Saper Vadere</i>, "To know how to see." I am starting to look at everything like a crime scene...paying attention to every little detail. You never know when you will need to draw an archway or a Prius with a dented quarter panel. Until next week folks...SAPER VEDERE!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSaFAZ4VSDI/AAAAAAAAADA/_WntPJinYhY/s1600/JIM_LEE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXaVM21H_I/AAAAAAAAACs/GTJ2C3zSJ8Y/s1600/Batman+and+Nightwing.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXaVM21H_I/AAAAAAAAACs/GTJ2C3zSJ8Y/s1600/Batman+and+Nightwing.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSaFAZ4VSDI/AAAAAAAAADA/_WntPJinYhY/s1600/JIM_LEE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSXaVM21H_I/AAAAAAAAACs/GTJ2C3zSJ8Y/s1600/Batman+and+Nightwing.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TSaFAZ4VSDI/AAAAAAAAADA/_WntPJinYhY/s1600/JIM_LEE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-8802327896956503242010-12-09T07:56:00.000-08:002010-12-09T07:56:28.945-08:00Zen and the Art of Christmas Card MakingAfter last week's marathon project and subsequent post, I spent the next day and a half staring blankly at my sketchbook wondering what project I can possibly do this week. The last few weeks have been like this. This blog pressures me to constantly one up my previous week's work. I feel that if I don't do something new I'll let down my readers..all 8 of you! Anyway, there I sat. Staring blankly at my <i>tabula rasa</i> (Thanks, Dave!) wondering what I could do. I asked my wife for an idea. She says, why not do a family portrait? A good idea. I could further challenge myself by drawing the thing I hate most...NO, NOT MY FAMILY!...FACES! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TQBAfHImC9I/AAAAAAAAACI/1Osu9AeQxZA/s1600/Xmas+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>I was inspired. I began to give it some thought and I decided that a neat idea might be to draw our annual Christmas card. Usually, Rachel sets up some sort of still life of snowmen and Santas and puts Sophia in 3 outfits and struggles to take a picture of an active toddler who feels that taking her picture is tantamount to pouring acid in her diaper. So I decided to spare Rachel and Sophia the fun of this and try something different. So here is the Baldwin Christmas card this year:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TQBAfHImC9I/AAAAAAAAACI/1Osu9AeQxZA/s1600/Xmas+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TQBAfHImC9I/AAAAAAAAACI/1Osu9AeQxZA/s320/Xmas+Card.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best part was that we didn't have to fight to keep Sophia still!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This project was a ton of fun. It was a struggle but I learned a lot about my abilities and I even rediscovered an old Zen concept that I had forgotten about: <i>The Beginner's Mind</i><br />
<br />
"In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” <b>– Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki</b><br />
<br />
I remember reading Master Suzuki's book <u>Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind</u> when I was in college. It was one of those books where the concepts makes sense but you never truly grasp them until the right situation comes around that brings it home. Master Suzuki's quote on the <i>Beginner's Mind</i> is fairly self explanatory but to explain further it is considered a state of ultimate freshness. Try to remember the first time you learned to ride a bike or learned to swim. If you can't remember that far back, try to remember the first time you fell in love. Everything is new in the beginning, it's uncharted territory where you have no expectations, except to experience something new.<br />
<br />
My blog has been that way for me. I have been rediscovering art, regressing back to my old lessons and hearing my old teachers correcting my layout and techniques. However, I never regressed as far back as I did when I was struggling to properly draw Rachel's face for this project. I could capture the upper part of the face (her eyes, hair, and glasses) but I just couldn't get the nose and mouth to come out right. I sat there for an hour, drawing and re-drawing her mouth and I eventually became so frustrated I started drawing pseudo smiley faces with her hair and glasses like a 5 year old. Surprisingly these simple renderings captured her essence better than any of the detailed drawings I tried earlier. In the 2 minutes that followed this realization I was able to draw myself and my daughter. <br />
<br />
It was at that moment that <i>Beginner's Mind</i> made sense. I stopped focusing and struggling on the minute details of the face and simply had fun with it. I felt like I was learning a completely new way of looking at things. I have moments like this when I would play with Sophia and draw her quick sketches on her magna-doodle. For her, my pictures never need to be precise...actually I never have time to be precise since she spouts off a different idea every 5 seconds. It's those moments where I feel like an art God...I can draw her anything and she feels such utter joy with the results.<br />
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This leads me to next week's project. I am thinking of trying my hand at a comic strip for the blog. I could use a good idea, so if any of you are willing, send me your ideas/stories that would make a great comic strip and I'll see what I can do.<br />
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Until next week!Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-42204112692249552622010-12-02T07:54:00.000-08:002010-12-02T07:54:25.135-08:00Follow the Long and Exhausting Yellow Brick RoadI know I'm a week late on my post. I fell victim to holiday procrastination. I was still drawing everyday but I never got around to writing anything. Since I missed last week's post, I am treating (or subjecting) you to two projects.<br />
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Don't tell my wife but while I was home for Thanksgiving, I fell in love! Actually, she knows...she paid for her. Get your minds out of the gutter!! I'm talking about a new toy I picked up while Christmas shopping for my daughter. We went to Commercial Art Supply to look for an easel for my little one, a budding artist at the age of 2. A quick aside...My daughter really surprised me today, she actually drew me a picture of the moon and it was recognizable. It blew me away! For those of us parents, we see the art our kids produce and at that age and generally it looks like something a blind ape would make with poo on a wall. Even though I have no idea what her creations are, I find it heartbreaking to get rid of them. I have boxes of her art in the closet and in my attic.<br />
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Anyway, back to the story. While we were shopping I decided to look around for a decent art pen. I was getting ready to purchase a standard studio pen (sort of like a fine tip Sharpie) when I decided at the last minute to ask one of the store reps about what they recommend to use for illustration. He asks me, "Have you ever tried a fountain pen?" I said, "No, not since 8th grade art class...and I hated it!" He suggested I give it another try. So he takes me to this counter with a glass case, kind of like what you would see in a jewelry store. He pulls out an assortment of pens and told me to give one a try. The lines these pens created were fantastic. The pen were light and comfortable. The heavens opened up, birds sang, and a unicorn came out from around the corner and told me that I was destined to own this pen. I was in love. Then I saw the price tag...$30!!! FOR ONE PEN??? I felt like asking him if this pen requires gold ink. So I look over at my wife, who I might add looked absolutely gorgeous and radiant (wink, wink), and gave her my most pathetic look. She said, "Go ahead and get it." Have I mentioned how much I love her??<br />
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</a></div>This leads me to my latest project. Marvel comics recently released a comic version of the Wizard of Oz. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TPXEGHV80-I/AAAAAAAAAB8/6vn8bV3wilM/s1600/OZ2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TPXEGHV80-I/AAAAAAAAAB8/6vn8bV3wilM/s200/OZ2.jpg" width="135" /></a><br />
I decided to purchase this book because I liked the art and I was inspired to create something for my daughter's room. Basically I wanted to replace Dorothy with my daughter and draw her and the other characters on the yellow brick road. I did a bunch of sketches to figure out how to draw these characters. I can definitely tell I am improving because when I look at the art of others, I am immediately breaking it down to simple shapes and quickly recreating them. The characters were surprisingly easy to draw. Once I mastered the look and style of the characters I decided to create my own layout and do a smaller draft version (below). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TPXItFt_qII/AAAAAAAAACA/UxEHgIPsg60/s1600/Wizard+of+OZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TPXItFt_qII/AAAAAAAAACA/UxEHgIPsg60/s320/Wizard+of+OZ.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pen and Ink draft </td></tr>
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I have to say that I am really happy with how this turned out. I love the lines that my new pen makes. This was so much fun I spent another 9 HOURS yesterday recreating this on a 20x30 illustration board using water color pencils and ink (below). In retrospect, I kind of like the ink version better but it was more fun to do the big project.<br />
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I haven't done a marathon session like that since I was in college...actually, I don't think I have every did that when I was in my prime. I actually felt like my brain ran a marathon. It was an insane feeling... I kept telling myself to stop because I'd done enough already, but every time I looked at the picture, I kept adding and adding. Afterward, I couldn't focus on anything. I tried to read and couldn't get past one page. I don't know how professionals do this all day, everyday. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TPbiqgjm2bI/AAAAAAAAACE/MXRTb7HAKtA/s1600/IMG_7150.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TPbiqgjm2bI/AAAAAAAAACE/MXRTb7HAKtA/s400/IMG_7150.JPG" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final 20x30 Illustration Board Water Color Pencil </td></tr>
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Anyway, I'm spent. I need a day or so to decompress and think about my next project. See you all next week!Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-26078032200756366172010-11-18T08:29:00.000-08:002010-11-18T08:36:56.809-08:00My Love of Pu<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSKqUylWEI/AAAAAAAAABk/LZTClSxPIT4/s1600/Angel_by_Michelangelo_-_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSKqUylWEI/AAAAAAAAABk/LZTClSxPIT4/s320/Angel_by_Michelangelo_-_1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel (1494) by Michelangelo Basilica of Saint Dominic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There is a famous quote by Michelangelo regarding his sculpture, <i>Angel</i>. When asked how he was able to create this work, he said, "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." The ability to see the potential in the uncarved block is one of the reasons that I've always loved sculpture.<br />
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I never used to sculpt when I was younger but in recent years I have developed quite an interest in it. The subtractive nature of sculpture has always appealed to my mind. There is something special about staring at a block and shaping it in order to bring about the hidden potential. Being a father has really brought this idea to a deeper level. There are times when I am with my daughter, that I look at her and wonder what she will grow up to be. I realize that everything I do and don't do with this little girl will ultimately help shape her into her future self. The thought absolutely terrifies me.<br />
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As horrifying as this thought is, it reminds of a piece of Taoist philosophy that I had completely forgotten about. The concept of Pu or the uncarved block. It is a reference to pure potential. There is no right or wrong, good or bad; there just is. It is the human mind before it has been tainted by the world...it's most primordial state. Pu is my favorite part of sculpture. The very beginning, when there is no form, just the block waiting to be carved. I will stare at a block for days before I make a decision about what to carve. Once I do decide what to carve I begin to address the block like a philosophic problem. I examine the block's nature: What type of wood is it? What tools do I have or need? Which way does the grain of the wood flow? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSjxHRO5TI/AAAAAAAAABo/jReaC86N8KA/s1600/IMG_6996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSjxHRO5TI/AAAAAAAAABo/jReaC86N8KA/s320/IMG_6996.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncarved Mahogany Block</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSlDDqBChI/AAAAAAAAABs/nVKWTTXHRrM/s1600/father_and_child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSlDDqBChI/AAAAAAAAABs/nVKWTTXHRrM/s200/father_and_child.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now how unoriginal do I feel?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This week's project is far from complete...in fact it has barely begun. I have this old block of mahogany that I was given by my wife's uncle (put it this way, he was given the block by his teacher when he was a teenager and he found the block when it was salvaged from the bottom of the east river). I stared at this block for weeks and I finally was able to see a form. My original thought was to sculpt a Buddha sitting in lotus position. However after reading stories to my daughter, I decided to sculpt a father and child piece for my daughter. I could see myself sitting cross legged with my daughter in my lap while we read her bedtime stories.<br />
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This is where it gets strange. I searched the web to see how other have tackled this subject and low and behold do I find a sculpture that looks almost exactly to how I envisioned this.Well this makes the sculpture a little easier. I can use this as a primer for me to base my work. There are a few things I am going to change on my sculpture. For example, I won't have to worry about the weight issues that are inherent with stone like the primer does, so I can make the legs not look like the father has cankles. So I began carving. After two 30 minute sessions this is all that I was able to get:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSow-4N-VI/AAAAAAAAABw/g9WaV7i7Ips/s1600/IMG_6998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSow-4N-VI/AAAAAAAAABw/g9WaV7i7Ips/s320/IMG_6998.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I have to say that I Mahogany is a pain in the ass to work with. The wood is so hard that it dulls my tools and I have to re-sharpen them every 30 minutes...it is a tedious and frustrating wood to work with but the end result is gorgeous. Below is a mahogany sculpture that I found:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSrzjHCN_I/AAAAAAAAAB0/5DEC1PkW8hk/s1600/the_space_between_us.044.fm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TOSrzjHCN_I/AAAAAAAAAB0/5DEC1PkW8hk/s1600/the_space_between_us.044.fm.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Space Between Us- John Evans</td></tr>
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I will do another post next month updating you all on the progress of this project...providing I haven't stabbed my hands or cut off a finger. I'll be back next Thursday with another project. Until then, have a good week!Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-43547215206223239692010-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:002010-11-11T07:00:28.604-08:00Pandora's Box O' CrapI always hated drawing self-portraits, actually I hated drawing portraits in general. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how closely I paid attention to the details, my drawings never looked like the subject. Whenever I had an art project in school, I would do everything I could to avoid drawing faces.<br />
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This week's project reminded me why I avoided drawing faces and why I stopped drawing...WHAT A PAIN IN THE ASS!! As frustrating as this drawing was, I learned a lot of things that many of us take for granted; the most important of which is how unique we all are. I know it sounds rather obvious ...we hear it everyday in commercials, on billboards, and from family members, etc. However, when you draw a portrait, you truly see how the sum of our unique features identify us as who we are. If just one of those features is off just slightly, it ruins the portrait and changes the piece entirely. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNteD6QgWhI/AAAAAAAAABY/6bUNbR5p2Zo/s1600/snoopy_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNteD6QgWhI/AAAAAAAAABY/6bUNbR5p2Zo/s200/snoopy_01.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Charles Schulz drawing</td></tr>
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A good exercise to illustrate my point is to draw a picture of Snoopy. It seems like a rather simple exercise, there are so few lines and it's rather simplistic looking. However, don't be fooled, if the nose is off slightly, or the ears are too long, or the eye is set too far back, it won't look right. Sure, you'll be able to identify the character as Snoopy, but it will look like a poorly drawn Snoopy. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNtiS_URxyI/AAAAAAAAABc/aN3UNEEu4LE/s1600/BatmanRobin5cvrsm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNtiS_URxyI/AAAAAAAAABc/aN3UNEEu4LE/s400/BatmanRobin5cvrsm.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Batman and Robin #5 Cover art by Jim Lee</td></tr>
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</div>This week I used a picture by my favorite comic book artist, Jim Lee. In a lot of ways, copying this drawing was a lot like drawing Snoopy. I threw out several versions of the below image, my wife yelled at me for this and in retrospect, I wish I saved those pieces of crap because they illustrate my point perfectly. The classic mistake that every young artist (including yours truly) makes is that they use the standard proportion <a href="http://www.artyfactory.com/portraits/drawing_techniques/proportions_of_a_head_1.htm">rules</a> of the face and don't deviate from it.<br />
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I learned that what makes the Batman character unique is not so much the proportions of the face but his mask. The facial features aren't necessarily in proportion and if the ears, nose, or eyes off, it looks wrong. The mask exaggerates not only the facial features it covers, it also highlights what's not covered: the chin and mouth. Surprisingly, these two items gave me the most trouble. What I learned was that the chin is not your standard everyday chin...it's the classic comic book heroic chin. It makes Batman, Batman. Without that chin, he looks like some poor schlep dressed up as Batman for Halloween.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNv5jL9ENwI/AAAAAAAAABg/eGRpXioEB14/s1600/Project+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNv5jL9ENwI/AAAAAAAAABg/eGRpXioEB14/s320/Project+2.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My version of Jim Lee's drawing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here is my interpretation of the Jim Lee drawing (Please excuse the crappy job done by my scanner...it doesn't pick up all of the shading thus making it look rather stark). It took me three tries to get the face correct but overall, I feel that I have made significant progress from last week. There are still things I need to work on...drawing hands, foreshortening, comic style shading, etc. The one thing I did differently than last week was I loosened up. I trusted my instincts and looked at the original drawing less than the previous week. Slowly but surely I am starting to become more confident in my abilities<br />
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This drawing was in a way a Pandora's Box...it unleashed several artistic challenges that exposed some pretty substantial weaknesses. UGH! Humbling? Yes. Of course this blog is meant to be humbling so I shouldn't at all be surprised. However, I will not do what I did when I was younger. I will not avoid this; in fact, I see this as a challenge and will keep at it until I get it right.Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-91028978051175625382010-11-04T08:34:00.000-07:002010-11-04T11:16:52.559-07:00How do you make it to Carnegie Hall?Growing up I loved comic book art, I never really read them...I would just copy the art. So if you were to ask me which which Iron Man comic introduced Tony Stark's alcoholism, I would stare at you like you had 3 heads. Comic book art always seemed alive to me, more so than any other genre. Comics could break physical laws, exaggerate body proportions, and by doing so were able to capture movement without getting bogged down in extraneous details The result was always exciting art. I always felt that an invaluable exercise that will help you improve artistically is to copy other artists. Whether it's proportion, muscular development, perspective, etc.; there are lessons to be learned in every piece artwork.<br />
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This brings me to this weeks project. I found a great scene (below) in an Utlimate Annuals book, drawn by an extremely gifted artist, Mark Brooks. What appeals to me about this, it the movement and linear tension...OK I made up the phrase "linear tension" but I could not think of a better way to describe the tension of the lines used to convey anger, fury, as well as surprise. Also, by making the villain (Rhino) abnormally large, you get the feeling that the hero (Spider-Man), who is drawn as wispy yet muscular, is in for quite a fight. No words are necessary here. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNKvrEXQLbI/AAAAAAAAABQ/byJa2vg73B4/s1600/Original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNKvrEXQLbI/AAAAAAAAABQ/byJa2vg73B4/s320/Original.jpg" width="197" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is my take on the above:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNLCUHMscKI/AAAAAAAAABU/B8SyR_mKK-k/s1600/Week+1+Project.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8O_xwtE_ur4/TNLCUHMscKI/AAAAAAAAABU/B8SyR_mKK-k/s400/Week+1+Project.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So what did I learn re-creating this?? First, it's really goddamn hard copying a comic book artist's work! It's even harder when you haven't been drawn in a long time. It's been a few days since I've looked at this but now that I am able to compare the two, I see all sorts of mistakes that I've made. Besides the obvious reference points being off (like the left arm of Rhino and the perspective of the head), I see that I completely lack the overall style and fun it must have been to create the original. I was so worried about copying the image perfectly that I completely forgot to have fun and relax. To understand what I am talking about, watch this 2 minute <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xp_tY4KNhI">video</a> of one of the greatest comic book artists of all-time, Jim Lee. He creates something in 8 minutes that's better than anything I could accomplish in a month. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Granted, he does this for a living and draws everyday, but the video points to something for us to learn. Through enough practice and comfort with your medium you can create anything and have fun doing it. I remember how it felt to have fun creating and I want to feel it again. I want to be at that level where I can draw and create without having to copy another artist. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm sure there are days when even the greatest artist is sick of what they do, but what makes them great is that they do it anyway despite how they feel. I look back and lament on what I gave up. I took my talent for granted and chose not to practice and now I see how far I've fallen off. I feel like I am learning to walk again. It's frustrating and humbling, but in the end I look forward to being able to create and have fun. There's only one way to get there though....PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1385922928928923053.post-69233108918022242212010-11-03T07:17:00.000-07:002010-11-03T07:17:07.372-07:00Choose Your Tool, Monkey!Let me begin this blog by telling you a story:<br />
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When I was in graduate school I worked as a sous chef/cook for just over a year. Everyday, depending on how well I did my job, I would learn something new either about life or food from the chef. It was one day in particular that sort of put things in perspective for me. I decided to ask the chef about getting a Thursday night off. Now I should make it clear that getting time off as kitchen staff really does not exist since it's generally thought that there is no other place you would rather be than in the kitchen. I knew that I was going to catch hell for even thinking of asking him for this but my choice was either an angry boss or an angry wife (for those of you who know my wife knows that this was an easy decision). So I approached the chef like Oliver Twist asking for more food and explained that I needed this day off. Expecting the worst, he looked at me and said, "No problem...it's not like you'll be missed. I can get a monkey with a spoon to do your job!" He was kidding with me, of course, but with every joke there is always a grain of truth. So for the remainder of my time at the restaurant I was referred to as "Monkey Spoon."<br />
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This funny little interaction really made me think...When all is said and done, aren't we all monkeys with some sort of tool that defines us? The question I have, which leads me to this blog is: What is the tool that defines me?<br />
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Growing up, my tool was always the pencil. Art was my refuge from all of the teenage angst and family drama in my life. When I went away to college, art became work. Being 20 and foolish, I hated having to conform to styles and deadlines, so I began to ask myself: Am I doing this because everyone expects it of me or do I do it because I love it? I decided that I did it because it was expected of me and chose to give up art. As the years progressed, I tried my hand at various tools: books, keyboards, ties. None of them really ever felt right. My wife kept telling me the whole time that I have this gift for art, why not go back to it. I had brief dalliances with art through the years, but I never committed to honing my gift. <br />
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So here I am today, doing the very things I said I would never do: 1. Write a blog, and 2. Share my art with those interested. I've always had issues with showing my art, mainly because I never thought it was that good enough, especially when you compared it to those who do it for a living. However, I am sort of at a crossroads in my life where I am now a father to an amazing 2 year old girl/little monkey. I'm starting to look back on my life and ask what have I really accomplished that she could be proud of. I don't want her to make the same mistakes I made. I want her to actually nurture whatever gifts/tools she has been blessed with and develop them to their fullest potential.<br />
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So for my wife and my daughter, I have decided that this monkey chooses to use the pencil that he was given at birth and draw with it to the nub! I make this solemn oath over the sacred banana of our ancestors: I will spend at least 30 minutes everyday doing something artistic (more than likely drawing but I may throw in a sculpture here and there). I will then post the result of my week's work along with an account of my process and struggle to complete it. This is going to be a long and painful process for me to get to a level where I can be satisfied. I hope you'll find this fun and interesting. I welcome any critique, advice, or comments you may have.<br />
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Come back tomorrow for the first project post!Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16375904589667923577noreply@blogger.com1