Influences...the work of actual talent!

Well, I figured this time, instead of posting another sketch or something, I'd let you all in on some of the works of folk who I've come to admire and who have inspired me in my artistic aspirations.

First and foremost, a man who has been an inspiration in the comic book industry, a pioneer of weird in the paneled worlds of news pulp and ink through the late '70's to the current, and an artist and writer who has thoroughly influenced me by embodying the pure, distilled essence of what makes comics fun. His name is Bob Burden. This man is responsible for an off the wall hero by the name of Flaming Carrot as well as the blue collar hero team, The Mysterymen. He's managed to capture the spirit of comics, especially the black and white ones I read as a kid while a lot of people were just content with Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man. I had the pleasure of meeting him, though I regret to say that I have more to talk about and ask of him now then I had in those few brief moments when he was gracious enough to sketch me Flaming Carrot and sign my Mysteryment graphic novel. This guy's a class act, in a class many aspire to inhabit and many ignore the point of.

Next there is the creator of one of my favorite comics titled Madman, Mike Allred. Influenced by pop art, glam rock, classic comics Allred spins out works of stunning beauty, with talented wife and colorist Laura Allred. Together they've provided me with an incredible reservoir of entertainment and inspiration. Not to mention, they are incredibly nice people, based on what I've heard, seen, and experienced, as well as from the little indirect communication I've had with Mr. Allred himself. I'd recommend checking them out, if you're new to comics, or not, and you're wanting to get in on THE good stuff.

Also, in that same comic vein, there is the master of horror imagery, himself, Bernie Wrightson. Not only is he the co-creator of Swamp Thing and a masterful illustrator, he is also a very nice gentleman. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Motor City Comic Con in Novi, MI in 2008, and he was very kind in signing an issue of Swamp Thing I had brought, even though I was too nervous to say anything to him (sheesh). Great artist!


Then there is Adam Phillips, animator extraordinaire and creator of the fantastic Brackenwood series, a Flash animation masterpiece. I stumbled upon in thanks to Dungeons and Dragons actually. Mr. Phillips did some of the promo animation for the release of the games new 4th Edition. Here's a shot of his character Bitey of Brackenwood.

 There is also fantasy artist Justin Sweet, whose dreamy, gorgeous compositions throw my imagination into overdrive and are so incredible to behold I almost want to cry (sad how much I take good artwork to heart, no?).

While there are many who inspire me, in actuality, I'll conclude with the last of the great inspirations, Bill Watterson. This is the man who made my childhood with his work on one of the most incredible newspaper comic strips ever, Calvin and Hobbes. I defined much of my early perceptions of comics, art, writing, thought, and humor on this strip. It means a lot.

In the new year, a post to keep momentum...

There was a time when I could walk through a forest of my imagination, amongst the trees of my ideas. I could sit against one, embraced by its enchantment and cooled by its shade. I could tend to all my trees.

Now I find myself forgetting many parts of that forest, for they have grown unkempt and wild, unfamiliar to their tender. I have lost connection with a great many ideas I once fondly groomed. I have abandoned the growth.

My hopes for this new year are that a renewed dedication to my forsaken crafts and dreams will connect me once again, with familiarity, to that forest of mine. I'll walk the paths and address those that I've left. I'll have ideas again!

The die is cast tonight...finally writing a sort of outline for my first project.

I have decided to finally spend some time crafting the skeleton of the graphic story I have in mind. This will be my first official attempt at sitting down and working from outline to script to concept sketch to sketch to something more finished. When this is complete I hope to have a sixty, or so, paged graphic novel detailing the first ever "Non Ultio est Oblitus" story. This is the final title I have decided on, and will be considered the working title until it goes to print in the far, undetermined future.

In the meantime I shall leave you with this, a little something cute for my wife, and hope that you'll check back for the progress as it is detailed here. Thanks for checking in.

Thoughts...Experimenting With Symbology

Just fooling around this morning and I found myself sketching an Asian monk of sorts. I wondered as to who this fellow might be and thoughts turned toward Buddha. Now, I am not a Buddhist, but I do have an interest in the mythologies and philosophies of the many civilizations and cultures of the world.

I figured I'd think of a few symbols to incorporate that would add to the overall Buddhist feel. I incorporated the Great Wheel, which is repeated several times over the fellows robe. In regards to the robe, I went for a sort of "Void except the wheel," look. I then thought of Buddha's eyes, watching this monk and the monk gazing back.

It was an experiment, it was an exercise. I'll try to keep up to date with daily exercises or perhaps finished work. Thanks for tuning in.

Bachelor life of days past...gone forever!

My filing status now reads: Married!

On September 5, of this year, my fiance/girlfriend/best friend of over two years, and I, tied the knot. It was, cliches aside, the best day of my life thus far!

Now let's see if I can divine any interesting stories from all of this.

Oh, yes, and once again, a sketch of sorts.

Latin titles are not pretentious...or are they?

I find this question to be the key to whether or not my new idea will have a foothold in the land of pending projects or if it'll just camp in the brainstorm queue until the drawing table is ready. The title I've been batting around was suggested by my grandfather actually. One day, while sitting in his truck parked alongside the road outside a hardware store, I unloaded the idea upon him and my uncle. They seemed mildly interested, and as I told them of my need for a title my grandfather told me of a name which had always impressed him.

He told me a story of a time when he was a boat carpenter at a marina on the east coast of Florida. He was working on a project and a boat passed through with the title, "Non Oblitus." His curiosity got the best of him and he felt compelled to ask the shop manager what kind of title that was. The shop manager mused that it might be some Caribbean saying, and he thought it meant something like "Lest we forget." My grandfather apparently never forgot the title and, after I had explained the idea and the reasoning behind the story, he thought such a title might be fitting.

After that day I spent some time researching and found that it was in fact, as the spelling indicates, Latin. The meaning was about the same as my grandfather's previous boss guessed, and after some thought in regards to the application to my overall idea, I decided to seriously consider attaching it to the project.

What project, you ask? Well, we'll get there, faithful reader. Please keep checking back, and maybe, someday very soon, I'll be able to unveil this exhaustingly well thought out idea. Until then, here's another drawing of mine to add to the collection. Enjoy!

A grand plan...or how the ideas came falling out

I would like to keep up a regular series of submissions to this page, if possible. I'll try and have some new bit of doodling up every chance I get along with some random writings.

My hope is to work my way up from idea scribbling to an actual work structure where I produce finished pieces, or at least drafts. This blog is intended to provide exposure as well as an outlet, all the while giving me a chance to spill out ideas and bits of my creative progress.

This is the record of how I, hopefully, will climb out of aspiration into professionalism. Yes, kids, that's correct! Another pretentious blog about a personal process. Yay!

Work week over...time to work!

I try, in my every day life, to fit as much "Artistic Development" time in as I possibly can. It's tough, let me tell ya.

I generally find that my best bet is to watch people, view perspectives, and study as much artwork as I can see in a given amount of free time. There's a lot to take in, and, true, there are much more formal and educative ways to go about developing these things, but I'm stubborn.

I'll conclude this little jot with a drawing. Why not? That's what this is for, right? Let the games begin!

The Beginning...hopefully of a long, fruitful journey

Well, I'm taking this step in a direction that, for me, lends some credibility to my aspirations. For a while now I've hoped to get off the ground with my jalopy-like talent in the field of illustration. Maybe one day I'll give birth to a comic or graphic work that some might enjoy. We'll see. Until then keep checking up on me here.

Let's all wish the foundling Arrow-Eye Studios some luck!