Couldn't sleep,

This is why.

Some one must have slipped me a Riddlin. I was up all night drawing this. Frankly, I'm super happy with it.

I think this is where I crash.

G'nite folks.

So Sick of Digital! Gahhh!!!

Ok, so I was working on something similar in Painter. I think I might have cracked. It's currently abandoned, until I get either uncracked or unsick of it. I then did something drastic.

I whipped out the Borden & Riley #234 Paris Bleed Proof Paper for Pens.
This stuff is great. Anyway, much doodling-scratching- and Crayola marker action later. I bring you this.
It's so real to me, pencil and pen on paper. Magic marker, even the Crayola's were so responsive. They were just "There", in a way that the tinting brush never was for me. It just makes me want to pull out a super large sheet of Strathmore Museum Board. It's so good, I gave it all Caps.

In other news, my Brother got his LDS Mission call today. He's going to Morristown, New Jersey. Here's me hoping that he has a good "Two year vacation." This is funny, just because I went to the New York, New York North Mission about 14 years ago. Time flies I guess.

Blue Winter, or if you want to be happy for the rest of your life...

I'm sick to death of all this winter. Here's a sketch.
It's becoming very obvious to me that I can't live here in Idaho. I'm going to freeze to death, and the lack of sunlight is drilling into my very self. My blogging has, as you can see, suffered. I'm still working on art, I've not completely been swallowed up in this white pit of cold. I almost hit it off with a girl over the holidays. Perhaps I'm still stinging over that. More likely, it's a cruel combination of the short days, cold nights of an Idaho winter; and this recent repetition of the most loathed theme of my life.

I've also discovered, to my horror, that everyone in the town of Rexburg knows of a woman who would be perfect for me to date. While I'm up for any amount of fun that can be had; the stipulations, expectations, and lists of flaws that accompany these offers are more than a little sickening. I feel the culture is somewhat to blame. Young women with interests in long term relationships are sent off to a meat market, where they are sorted rapidly into The married, and The single. The problem comes, in the grain that falls through this battery of filters is far to fine for the gauge of my mesh. Or I through theirs.

This is where my brother tells me I've been listening to too much Denis Miller.

If I were to simplify, the issue is simple. I didn't date ugly girls when I was 20, why should I now that I'm 30? That's putting it bluntly, but the fact remains that I wanted to be able to paint my wife and not have it curdle the canvas. I suppose that it’s not a new desire that I alone possess. But it’s not one that I’m going to abandon just because I’m not 22 anymore. Here fortune favors me, because the first and second round of young divorcees are showing up. Many of them, it seems, are wiser and more discerning than they were in their relative youth. I can’t tell if this is a good thing or not.

So, to sum up. No one reads blogs anymore. I can't put a wall of text this size on face book, because of the character limit. And, those who would disagree with anything I said here won't read far enough down to get to the pointy parts.

Although... and this gives me hope. I'm still drawing smiles on the faces of the girls I sketch. I've had my good and bad, to be sure. But I do believe that there are better days ahead. I'm more amused by my catch 22 I've found myself in, than crushed by despair. The portfolio marches on, I'm doing a small amount of commercial artwork. I've taken more small steps than I've given myself credit for. And yes, winter is beginning to end here.

I hope you do appreciate these posts. I read back on this and it seems to me more like a rant than anything constructive. I value the opportunity to give you all a glimpse into the inner workings of my mind, however twisted. If you do take one thing home from this, please: Give the Blind dates a rest!

Should I draw comics?

Going to Tuson. Can't sleep, so I drew.

Yeah yeah, I'm an insomniac. I'm sure there's a good reason for it. It has something to do with everyone being asleep and me having time to sit and do without having to worry about other people. Or maybe it has to do with left over habits from when I used to deliver pizza. Around this time Friday or Saturday night, when we would get out of the store, a few of us used to go hit the all night seven eleven. We'd shoot the breeze and pour nacho cheese down bags of corn chips. To be fair, I feel like I've pushed it too far if I get to see the sun rise.

In the news:
I've been told by a friend who showed my art to a friend of hers; that it reminds him of Ashley Wood. Happy dance, there. I love his stuff. I love my stuff too, I love a lot of art.

This is topical and involves the art in this post; I was drawing this in my room (so much for the peace at night while I draw theory...) and my Brother walks in and asks me to put some words in it. *Zap with the stylus and they're in right? Anyway, so then I'm redoing the face to match the text... long story short, I'm thinking about doing a comic. Now, the comics I love have always had deep stories and moving themes. Think watchmen or dark knight returns and all that. And I'm sure I'm going to blow a neuron or two figuring this thing out. But then, I think back to what I pulled on 24 hour comic day the other year. I think I can do it. Or rather, I know I can. It's a good feeling.

Which brings me to the Mall on Main Street action. It's going well, come in and check it out. Seeing new things in Rexburg is wonderful, and the people who work with and at the place are great.

I'm so excited to flee this sub zero weather...

And now I've got comic ideas to think about on the road. Seems like my star is working it's way back to an accent.

Caricature artist

I've been doing caricatures at the Mall on Main Street in Rexburg Idaho. It's been a lot of fun. Take these too kids, they were a blast to draw. Anyway, if you're in the neighborhood, drop on by.

What's really important;

I've come to the conclusion that my last post was dumb. That being said, I can't subscribe to an idea that requires me to sleep on my posts and think about them before I post.

The other day I was stuck in a series of blogs about how to create a "must read blog". After thinking it through for a few days. I've decided that they're full of crap.

Numbers in the header, a question at the end of the post, a paragraph breakup like a less effective standardized writing test?

Bah.

I'm just going to post some sketches.

Comment at will folks. I'm sick of getting feedback on facebook.

3 Reasons I think I'm turning into Ashley Wood

I find that as I move further into the digital painting realm, that I'm picking up influences.
I'm very happy with this. I mean, it's always better to be moving forward. If the alternative is crying to myself as I check out
Adam Hughes Deviant Art page, I'll move forward.

Anyway, in no specific order; my reasons I think I'm turning into Ashley Wood:

1. I'm drawing lots of latex cat suits.
Now, if I was a proper blogger I'd be pulling images of his into this. As I'm not, and I'm assuming that you have a passing knowledge of Mr. Wood's body of work. You'll actually be asking me why I'm not drawing more robots. But I'm a huge fan of how he treats the female form, and Yeah... Shiny girls are fun to draw.

2. I'm using all kinds of crazy textures.
This is something that I've noticed in Ashley's work, and other successful digital artists as well. Of course it's something that I can improve on, but the seeds have been planted.

3. My silhouettes stand out.
One of the things that strikes me most in the art I like, is a strong silhouette. Mr. Wood's work demonstrates this in spades.

Now, of course I'm pursuing my own illustrative style and body of work. But I'm doing my best to take in strong examples and mature as an illustrator. Just as easily I could have brought up differences in my work. But I like the idea of being inclusive.
Also, as I've noted. I find a shared sense of subject matter with the man.

Is there another artist that I'm starting to remind you of?
I'd love to hear about it.