Whoops!...

I forgot to add this one to the previous post. At heart, I'm still a "cartoony" guy. And even though I can do "realistic" to semi-realistic, the cartoony still appeals more. Here's one of some cartoon Super Chix...
I was in the church Hanukkah/Christmas dinner theatre again. We had done this particular drama three years ago, but modified it somewhat for this year. Five years ago, I painted this back drop of a Bethlehem "sheep scene," and it held up rather well...
The hallway to the fellowship hall was to be a Bethlehem street complete with shops, and to enter, you had to go through the "city's gate." Here's the hallway while we were working on it. When it was done and lit with blue for night, it was quite effective...
I was the "evil innkeeper" who refused Mary and Joseph any hospitality for there was "no room in the inn." In actuality, I dismiss the "official" version given by the "church," "Church", or "CHURCH," as a whole. But I did this play with the purpose of helping me to learn more Hebrew blessings, and give good church folk some introduction to the "Jewish-ness" that is lacking in understanding the life of Jesus. So there were mezuzot at the doors, tzitziot on the four-corners of the garments, inclusion of the Hanukkah menorah, dreidels for the kids, candles, Kiddish, kosher food(as much as Gentiles can do), and an appreciation of what the Maccabees did, and its importance to Jewish culture not only of that time, but today as well. Here I am with the music director both trying to stay cool, collected and continent before the performance...
Here's a scene where I show I wasn't paying attention during Torah lessons as I am shamed by my wife to find a spot for a homeless widow
And finally, I'm really getting the riot act read to me by my wife(and she is my wife in real life, too), as someone stupid enough to have turned away Messiah's family prior to his birth, sending them to the stable...
In truth, it didn't happen that way 2 centuries ago. If one really reads the text in Matthew's and Luke's Gospels without the goo, sugar plums, and tinsel, a different account takes place. Also, most Gospel versions miss-translate the word, "kataluna" as "inn," when it means "guest room." No one really listens, though. Too many "nativity" scenes already in storage for next year.

Some stuff...

I really DO need to blog more...sketch more, too. But here's a warm-up of a "wurdalak"...
And I got the inks done on the pieces for Brian Miller's book. Here's how the Fantasy Princesses ended up...
...and the "Tommi Trek/mummies" piece...
...and "Sherlock Hound," which is very open, and should be quite a good piece for colorists to work on...
I should have some more to blog about this week, and get some drawing done.

Wanting to make it a century...

This particular sketch is the first one I did in one of my new sketchbooks. For some reason, it just kind of came to my head. Nothing spectacular, but it was fun...

2008 saw some cultural icons pass away--Bettie Page, Vampira, etc. One in particular was Forrest J. Ackerman...The magazine he edited, Famous Monsters of Filmland, is one of my fondest memories from childhood. He gave us a new vantage point on the Hollywood monsters of the past and insight on those on the horizon. And we got to know, vicariously, those men behind the make-up. Here's a pic of Lugosi, Ackerman, and his wife, Wendayne...

I got involved with the Mo-Kan Comics Festival as it was known in the mid-80's, and in 1986 was in charge of guests...
We were thrilled he was coming, and here are copies of some of the ads we ran in the Comics Buyers' Guide...


He would only travel with his wife. And we were also wanting to get him on tv. At that time, we had our own "ghostess with the mostest" on our local "Creature Feature," "Crematia Mortem!" Forry and Wendy were whisked from the airport by me and a couple of others mid week so as to get him on the show. He brought the Dracula ring and cape, and a few other props from his collection. Here he is hamming it up on the set...

He's been a regular at Comic-Con International, and in 2008 was one of their guests of honor. Here he is with Elvira...I hadn't realized how gaunt and fragile he'd become. He once told me he wanted to make it to his 100th birthday. He got close, as I think he was 94 when he passed.

Always the punster, he had several monikers he went by in his FM days--Dr. Acula, the Frankenscience Monster, Sgt. Ack-Ack, the poor man's Vincent Price, Uncle Forry, and 4E, to name a few, claiming his residence, the "Ackermansion," was located in "Horrorwood, Karloffornia." Supposedly he coined the phrase, "Sci-Fi." He was a lot of fun...

Still working on the "Mark Mangino" drawing, and doing some clutter-reduction. Be Good!

Revisions...

It's always a good rule of thumb that if you get the same kind of criticism from at least 2 separate sources, that said criticisms/observations/critiques, etc., should be taken seriously. So while I may have been happy with how the "Princesses" piece I was working on looked, it was pointed out that maybe the faces were a bit too angular and needed to be softened, particularly if the "umpf" of the piece was to be, somewhat, Disney-esque. Here's how that piece looks now after I did some tweaking...

My wife and I spoke openly about the dog's passing tonight. She didn't want to tell me that she missed the "welcome home" he used to give her when she returned from work in the evenings. Thought it would upset me. And I did miss him a lot today. But we may get out this weekend and do some more looking. Go to the pound, maybe. In the meantime, the cat continues to be "clingy." I think he's lonesome and doesn't understand what happened. So he seemed to be needing a lot of attention this evening. Here he is, by the way...His name is "Shadow," and even though he may not have the softest coat, best personality or disposition...he's ours.

Tomorrow...a remembrance of Forrest J. Ackerman, and maybe a look at the "Mark Mangino" drawing I started.

Startin' Over...

Some things I got for Christmas this year were sketchbooks. So I've tried to warm up by doing a complete "sketch"--ala fill a page with fairly "complete" things instead of noodled ideas, and it's been rather enjoyable. I have some I haven't uploaded from the beginning of the year, but this one from last night came off rather well. "60 Minutes" ran a segment this past Sunday evening on the Texas Tech football program and their coach, Mike Leach. He appeals to me, even though he coaches a Texas school, because he just doesn't fit the "molds" of what a successful college/pro coaches should be. He's a bit of a slob and disheveled, and is like nothing I've seen on a sideline. So I drew a caricature of him...Maybe next I should try Mark Mangino from KU. My wife says he must eat his players, as big as he is.

This past weekend I made a effort to get out of the house and the funk I still feel at my dog's passing. Said I wanted to go to a pet store and hold a puppy. So we ventured out Saturday. I told her up front that I had no intentions of purchasing a pup. When we got to the store it was difficult for me. And there was a Corgi puppy sleeping on her back, which was something Bosco used to do. When we got to have some time with her, she did all the puppy things like chewing and peeing on the floor. She was a cutey, but there just wasn't any "spark." I'm sure she'll find a good home, but it just isn't time for me yet. And it's never a good idea to get a pet just to have one.

I guess we were just fortunate the past 2 decades to have had good dogs for pets. Family members, actually. They both had good and gentle personalities, and were never inclined to even consider biting anyone. My daughter champions the Pug Rescue, and that breed is the one of choice for her and her husband. My mother favors Jack Russell Terriers, and my sister-in-law's family likes Golden Retrievers. As it stands with me now, it isn't about a particular breed. It's about a companion,...a friend.

To close today, here's an updated version of a "Tommi Trek" piece for Brian Miller's book, complete with action and mummies.

Be Good!

PS--and make sure you check out my "guest strip" at http://www.pigtalesonline.com

ending 2008, beginning 2009...

I'm still working on illustrations for Brian Miller's book. Here's how "Sherlock Hound" is coming along, but you'll need to click on the image to see the whole thing...It's still needing some tightening, but I should be able to get it inked up over this weekend. Make it look 'animated."

Along the way, one of my kids from Worlds of Fun contacted me, wanting some art for a project. A color version will be up at Monte May's P.I.G. Tales site soon, but here's what the black 'n' white looks like, and it's another one that you'll need to click on the image to see the whole thing...

Here's a refined version of a Disney-esque "princesses" piece. I wouldn't mind figuring out some way to do more with them, some comics project...

Lastly, after seeing Twilight(and snickering through out it), I wondered if something "vampiric" would be interesting. Maybe a "Vampire Princess?" It's strange that I had another girl in mind for her inspiration when I began sketching, one I worked with this past summer. But she ended up looking a lot like a girl I dated in college! Oy Vey! Could be a fun project, too...

Time to do more drawing.