| The Return of Friday Sketchblog (Saturday Evening Edition) |
[Jun. 27th, 2009|10:25 pm] |
Originally published at James Ratcliffe. You can comment here or there. You know what rocks? Drawing things you’re a fan of. You know what else rocks? Combining genres of fiction with styles that one normally doesn’t associate with them.
So for my return to the regular sketchy-updating thing, I present to you Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “John Carter of Mars” as chibis.
For those of you not familiar with the books, John Carter was an Earthman who found himself on a Mars (called Barsoom by the locals) populated by violent swashbuckling aliens, hot chicks, and fantastic savage beasts. Of course he becomes supreme badass Warlord of Mars over the course of the first several books, and then has badass children. I read the books as an adolescent and have loved them ever since. I grew up with Michael Whelan’s cover art as my primary imaginative source for images rather than the Frazetta drawings, though I love Mark Shultz’s Barsoom illustrations as well, now that I’m more familiar with his work. Come to think of it, I love everything Shultz does.
But I digress!!!
From left to right, the characters are: Woola, faithful alien hound of John Carter, John Carter himself, his Martian Princess/Wife Dejah Thoris, and his closest friend, Tars Tarkas.
( cut to protect your friends page from the awesome ) |
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| harrumph |
[Mar. 7th, 2009|02:02 am] |
Well, I still have no clue why my Wordpress site isn't cross-posting to my LJ.
But here is some Friday sketching for you all:
Happy weekend everyone! Tomorrow I get to go up to Chicago and see some friends! It shall be awesome. I am missing people as I may have whined once or twice. |
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| Friday! My god it's full of stars... |
[Feb. 27th, 2009|11:30 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | lent, sketchblog | ] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
| [ | Oh, God, I feel so |
| |  hungry | ] |
| [ | soothing sounds |
| | "running up that hill" - placebo | ] |
So for Lent I gave up soda. But for me, Lent is more about trying to become the person I want to be. Not just kicking to the curb aspects of myself I'm not happy with, but focusing more on things I want to be doing. Like drawing superheroes.
So aside from not drinking soda, I resolved to draw a superhero sketch per day (except on Sundays). I choose NOT to post my sketch from Wednesday, because, well... it sucked.
I won't always ink and color stuff, but here's My favorite Green Lantern for Thursday, and for Friday, I drew my favorite blue Marvel people.
( clicks get you pics ) |
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| So yeah |
[Feb. 26th, 2009|12:53 pm] |
I spent most of yesterday fussing and grumbling while getting my parents' computer to work properly, then getting the wireless network to work properly. After a few hours of grumbling and swearing I finally realized that none of the computers were talking because everyone's anti-virus was thoroughly convinced that everyone else's computer on the network was going to be carrying some trojan email worm virus thing and under no circumstances should the computers be allowed to share anything ever.
I miss working with Macs sometimes. There's some satisfaction to be had when things finally begin working as they should, but unfortunately mine was tainted by the "I should have thought of this hours ago." I think my beliefs in the suckiness of Windows blinded me to the real perpetrator in this case. I should have known better, I've seen far too many crime shows recently where you KNOW the bad guy isn't going to end up being the satanic skinhead because it's too obvious. [Note: NETFLIX, get Season 2, Disc 2 of Bones here NOW! We're sitting on S2 D3 and don't want to watch them out of order!!! Arrrg!! (explanation: we got S2 D2 on Monday, but the disc was effed up and we had to send it back.)]
All right. I started this morning feeling about as moody and full of giving-up-ness as I think I can, but I've talked myself out of it. Steph helped. She was telling me all about circadian rhythms and what they affect, and so now I wonder if keeping a regular schedule would help me focus and feel better about any number of things. Sure, keeping a regular schedule is one of those "duh" things that EVERYONE knows, but it's always the 1st thing out the window when things get busy, it seems.
And yes, there will be bonus art tomorrow as penance for missing last week. More on that to come later.
To get this off my chest, I really miss people. I miss talking to people. My verbal skills have actually degraded lately because I use speech so much less than I used to. I miss having studiomates. I miss having someone else to inspire me. I've been feeling full of fail at self-motivation, and it's taken time to take the anger at failing and channeling it into productivity. Now I know I have HUGE stuff going for me. I have industry pros who have repeatedly stated their willingness to e-critique my art and give me feedback. I have my own studio space to work in, and though I'm in a bad spot financially, it really could be so much worse. And I do have friends back in Portland who I know like me and are rooting for me. I am very blessed, and I couldn't be more grateful. But that doesn't mean I can't be lonely sometimes. Meh. It won't last forever. The bad times never do. But like a nicotine craving when you're trying to quit, when you're in the middle of it, it sure feels like it's taking forever.
All right, enough blather. On with the show. |
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| getting old is getting old. |
[Feb. 14th, 2009|07:31 pm] |
| [ | Oh, God, I feel so |
| |  aggravated | ] |
So my nephews Nathan and Andrew turned 5 today (well, technically yesterday, but the big party was today).
I managed to injure my knee by getting up out of a loveseat while tickling my nephews.
...
It's just sad, really. And painful. |
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| Meh. |
[Feb. 14th, 2009|11:42 am] |
Was anyone else severely disappointed in "Dollhouse"? I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I don't think that was it. I wonder if a 2-hour premiere might have allowed Joss to build things up a bit more? Anyway, let's take a look at the cast... former cop with a soft spot for his charge and well grounded in 'doing what's right', FBI-type agent with rebellious streak determined to 'get to the bottom of things the dollhouse' super-powered girls, "The company" oh, and the head of the company who seems mostly evil but awwwww, she's not so bad after all when it comes down to saving the little kid! Arrg arrg arg. Sorry, but all of them seem kind of Mary-Jane to me. I'll give it a few more weeks and see how things develop. |
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| Friday at last |
[Feb. 13th, 2009|05:39 pm] |
This week was meh. I had an almost hectic first half of my week as I job hunted some more and did actual paying work for people. It was nice. Around Wednesday I started feeling sick, though I never actually came down with anything. I got sleep and vitamin C and all that good stuff, but I think I was in more of a mentally "ehhhhh" place and it was impacting my physical self. That shit always makes me mad. I mean, sure, there's weeks where I miss Portland and people and all that. I don't think it's wrong to miss places and people you love. But I draw the line at letting it make me unproductive. Or I try to draw the line there once I realize that it's happening. But it's been very easy to just hit the alarm and roll back over and go back to sleep, get up around noon, etc.
Next week I'll try and do better. I exercised not at all this week, which I'm sure didn't help. I'm closing in on finishing another Comfort Guide, which will go on sale at Stumptown and at Emerald Con (God help me, but I'll make it to at least ONE of those if I have to sell plasma to pay for the airfare)
But I did scribble a small sketch for today. I apologize for the crappy scan, I'm having scanner issues. I've found myself thinking of these guys all week for whatever odd reason. I maintain that Pangolins are the coolest mammals alive in the world today. Bipedal? Check. Fearsome claws? Check. Scale armor? Check. Longest tongue of any mammal? Check. Can curl into defensive ball? Check. Emits acidic cloud to drive off predators? Check. Unbearably cute as babies? Check.
Happy weekend to all. Take care of yourselves, and take care of each other. |
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| If I only had a brain... |
[Feb. 12th, 2009|11:10 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | art, birthdays | ] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | studio | ] |
| [ | Oh, God, I feel so |
| |  creative | ] |
| [ | soothing sounds |
| | "Noctuary" - Bonobo | ] |
I never think of good ideas until it's too late, it seems. I always think of the perfect costume idea 2 days before Halloween, or the perfect gift a week after someone's birthday. You get the idea.
So today I got the thought that it would be cool to draw something commemorating the bicentennial of Lincoln's birthday... at about 5:30. So with about an hour left of honest Abe's 200th birthday in EST, I give you:
( Behold the power of President Lincoln ) |
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| "The Prey" Music Meme |
[Feb. 10th, 2009|01:29 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | meme | ] |
| [ | Oh, God, I feel so |
| |  working | ] |
1. Put Your iTunes on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write down the name of the song no matter how silly it sounds
4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.
( results under the cut ) |
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| Tea and Freddie |
[Feb. 4th, 2009|12:19 pm] |
Well, still no solid leads on the job front. What kinda hurt was seeing one job I'd interviewed for re-post the employment ad after they turned me down and said they'd selected another candidate. Maybe they realized they needed 2 part-time tellers at this bank? Who knows. It has also been told to me that banks do check your credit score as part of the application process. Weak.
It's got me down, I'll say that. But I'll find something eventually. I don't have to worry about being kicked onto the street, which is more than a lot of people can say.
In other news, I moved my studio to my sister's house at her invitation. They have a home office room that never gets used, and let me set my stuff up there. So far it's been really helpful. My sister lives about 6 minutes away from my parents, which will be a nice bike ride if the weather ever warms up. But it also means I have a place to myself and I'm not trying to get work done in the same 20 x 12 space that Steph and I sleep, watch TV, study, confine the cats to, etc. Also, having my studio somewhere else helps keep me from feeling that I should always be sitting at my table in my room working. Even though there are 3 small children running around in my sister's house, they're not running around in my room, and can be tuned out with varying degrees of success. So well and good there.
But this morning I was feeling all down, the radio was playing nothing but the downer hits of yesterday, today and oh-just-go-take-a-bath-with-your-toaster... I was in a funk. Not even stopping to get my once-a-week Starbucks chai helped.
But then I was reminded of from whence came my salvation, and my spirits were lifted, and lo, did I begin to draw and was happy. I set my iTunes library to shuffle and hit play, and I KID YOU NOT the first thing to come on was Queen's ONE FREAKIN' VISION. I mean, out of 9,346 tracks, what are the odds? Ok, I guess the odds are kind of obvious... BUT STILL. It was awesome.
Laters. |
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| It's Friday again! |
[Jan. 30th, 2009|12:53 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | sketchblog | ] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | flitting about | ] |
| [ | Oh, God, I feel so |
| | busy | ] |
| [ | soothing sounds |
| | "Its Showtime" - Electric Six | ] |
I feel kinda bad that I haven't posted since last Friday. It's been a week. Some ups, some downs, yadda yadda. I'm done with January. Let's move on to February.
So here's the last sketch of January of 2009! I give you... Spaaaaaace Chiiiimp!!
The cartoon police tell me that any chimp cartoon must involve a banana.
Again, happy weekend, everyone one out there! Spanam say relax. |
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| Friday art |
[Jan. 23rd, 2009|10:09 pm] |
I'm going to color this, but I'm running low on time, so here's a close-up of the inks.
( click for thingy ) |
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| darn you, Brit. Why am I such a sheep? |
[Jan. 23rd, 2009|04:49 pm] |
Still inking Friday's "sketch". In the meantime, I got a meme for you:
The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.
This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
- What I create will be just for you.
- It'll be done this year.
- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.
The catch? Oh, the catch is that you HAVE to repost. We can all make SOMETHING! |
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| stranger in a strange land |
[Jan. 23rd, 2009|11:30 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | politics, thots | ] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | left | ] |
| [ | Oh, God, I feel so |
| | annoyed | ] |
| [ | soothing sounds |
| | "A Message" - Coldplay | ] |
I realize I'm preaching to the choir, The room Steph and I live in is a blue area in a very red house. Unsurprisingly it's CNN in here and FOX news out there. Normally I smile and hold my tongue, but occasionally things just slip out when I walk by pictures on FOX of President Obama signing his directive to end trials at Guantanemo and, oh, MAKE TORTURE ILLEGAL with a big caption under it that reads "TERROR VICTORY?" in giant letters. That kind of stupid shit makes me sick. I guess it's a victory for crime that we don't allow out policemen to beat confessions out of suspects, or let our jails hold people without trial, or allow our courts to try 15-year-olds as adults. Arrrg...
Of course I'm accused of having a warped perspective from living in Portland, and not for the first time by my family. That hurts a little bit, even if it's true. Different opinion, certainly. But warped implies that I've somehow deviated from the paths of truth and righteousness because I lived in Hippieville, USA.
I don't want to be confrontational or argumentative with the people who are currently housing me, that's not good manners. OTOH, I likewise should not have to stay quiet while everyone else gets to wax eloquent about the "liberal agenda" like we're all closet atheists and socialists. Truthfully, I've made similar remarks and broad generalizations of my own regarding the Cheney agenda. I'm not saying that's right either. Still, I know my dad prays for Obama because he's our President, and I know my parents are hopeful about his presidency, and have had good things to say about him and Michelle. So it could be worse.
But as far as this morning goes, after a brief argument with my Nana, we agreed that watching FOX makes me angry, and watching CNN makes her angry, and we can leave it at that.
p.s. The sketch is coming. Today. Chillax. |
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| Full of hope and sugar |
[Jan. 20th, 2009|09:42 pm] |
I think I need Obama to be inaugurated every morning so I can start my day inspired to go out and do mighty things.
This morning I woke up, did some stuff, picked Steph up from school and got back just in time to see the last few performers before the actual inauguration. I'm sure others will say things more poetically and describe their feelings more eloquently, but I was both inspired and moved. Fuck the pundits who belittle his speech for it's lack of memorable tag lines and supposed ineloquence. (I know that's not really a word) America has had both and I think we're tired of it. Tell us we need to make hard decisions, tell us to work for something larger than ourselves, tell us you'll be there alongside us to help, but not to wipe our asses for us. I think that's what we wanted and needed to hear more than we needed the next "Nothing to fear but fear itself" style catchphrase.
Afterward we took a break from watching the parade and zipped on out to Krispy Kreme and got our free inauguration day donuts.
Then I got home and found I had 5 pages to flat by tomorrow. Yes I can!
Anyway, here's Steph and I all bundled up, but warm in our hearts and our freedom donuts:
And God bless us, each and every one... |
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spanambula's journal
tired
amused
disappointed
blah
determined