A New Header...

It's time for a new header. Tomorrow is the start of a new year and some new resolutions. More about that tomorrow. One more night to live in sin.

Hanging with the Family...

 Some drawings I did while up at my parents' house for the last couple days. My brother had his birthday on the 29th too. My brother, my wife, and I played "Wheel of Fortune" on the Wii. Tons of fun.

Influence Map

Creating this Influence Map was time consuming, but caused me to reconsider where I thought my influences come from. I was surprised by what I learned about myself as I did this. I encourage others to go through this process too.

1. Humberto Ramos has been my biggest influence over the years. I always seem to come back to him when I'm trying to find my drawing style. DV8 was the first exposure I had to him. I read Crimson, Revelations, and others after that.

2. The Blogging Community has been huge. It's what got me back into drawing. Sam Spina (Spina Doodles), Matt Graupman (Spinadoo Comics), Jim Mahfood (Food One), and Urban Sketchers are just a few of the blogs I follow and check every single day.

3. James Kochalka (American Elf) has taught me that craft is the enemy. Just draw about everyday moments, don't be afraid, and enjoy the process.

4. Kaare Andrews I stumbled upon by accident. I only ever read a few of his comics when he was illustrating Gen13. His facial expressions and body language amazed me though. I drew and redrew his artwork all throughout college.

5. J. Scott Campbell was one of the first artists that got me into comics at the beginning of high school. I loved Gen 13 and have enjoyed seeing his artwork and style change over the years.

6. Joe Madureira seemed like such a different way of drawing when I first saw his work in X-men. Haven't seen much of his stuff lately. 

7. Norman Rockwell influences everybody doesn't he?

8. Wetworks #2, drawn by Whilce Portacio, is the comic that got me obsessed with comics. I saw that cover and had to look inside. I never really tried to emulate Whilce's style. I definitely liked it, but it was the story and art that really got me interested. This is the book that made me want to draw.

Doing this Influence Map made me realize that many of my favorite artists are from the mid nineties. Only a few, notably Ramos, are still drawing tons today. Jeez. I'm out of touch, I guess. 

It also made me realize that I'm still interested in storytelling, but not with comic books. Memoirs, visual journals, sketchbook diaries, blogging, whatever you want to call it, are what interest me now. 

My wife also pointed out that I must have been influenced by boobs. Still am, too.

Infected...

Maybe now I will post more often too. Maybe.

Messin' around...

Just a couple doodles from the weekend.

Not much snow today, but lots of wind. Best to just stay inside.

First post of December...

One post for November...

It's been a while. I've got no excuses. Here are a couple things I did this past week. Since I have finished my last sketchbook I've finally started the one my wife made me for our one year anniversary.

My finished Moleskine...

Open publication - Free publishing - More visual

Hey! This is pretty slick, ain't it. Took forever to create, but the next one will be easier. There are still two pages messed up. I'll fix those later when I have my patience back.

Thanks to my wife for the MJ sticker on front!!!

Head Games...

Foreigner is one of my wife's favorite bands. She told me she has the double disk and I can borrow it whenever I want...

I also did a few more flowers for my wife. They're part of a dozen I started a long time ago and have been neglecting.

Running...

I ran a little less than 7 miles today, trying to get in shape for the Monster Dash 1/2 marathon I'll run in Chicago on Oct. 31st. I've been a runner for years. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but it's always been the best way for me to relax from the stresses of life.

Casino Bingo...

Some days there is nothing to draw about. Other days it's hard to decide between all the choices. At first I thought it would be: Panel one: I watched The Road, Panel two: I was depressed, Panel three: I played bingo, Panel four: I was happy. What I ended up drawing doesn't even talk about the Russian lady who sat next to us and helped my wife and I figure out what we were suppose to do. Or all the crazy fat people there and what a sad place a casino really is. Next time we go, my wife and I will take turns playing and I'll draw all the people there when I'm not playing.

Self-Control...

I've got to get my scanner set up better. These images look like crap.

Dinner...

TLT...

Check out the recipe here.

Apple Cider...

Mail...

Cookies...bad idea...

Today's inspiration: The Cute Manifesto, by James Kochalka.

I crapped my pants today...

Etsy is a wonderful thing. Way back in the middle of July I opened up my own shop. I posted 10 very different works at varying prices and prepared to make my millions. Didn't quite happen that way. Nothing moved. I didn't tell my family, except my wife, or my Blogging family. I didn't want any charity buys. I wanted to sell to someone I didn't know. About a month ago I pretty much gave up. At least stopped checking it three times a day to see if anything sold.

I came home today and low and behold, my first buyer. I have never sold my artwork before. Just given it away and hoped people liked it. It is an amazing feeling. I am reenergized. Reinvigorated. Renewed.

If you're out there Charles, thanks.

Icing...

Sunday...

How long have I been doing this blog thing? Over a year and a half? How often have you seen me draw my parents? NONE! Because it SCARES me! Couldn't really tell you why, but decided it was high time to buckle down and just do it. Who am I kidding? I know why it scares me. Because I don't want to mess them up. Draw them wrong. My dad sent me a link to a podcast (see below) with an interview by Lynda Barry. She's written a couple books that I've only glanced at, What It Is, being one of them. Her main message in the interview is that we should all just create. Draw for fun without worrying about what it looks like. We are all capable of creating in our own way and that is what's important. It helped give me the courage I needed to tackle drawing my parents, people who I don't want to draw "wrong."

So, there you go mom and dad. Love you guys. Thanks for all your support!

Today's inspiration comes from a Lynda Barry podcast.

Love and commitment...

I do.

I'm making a commitment. For the next month all my visual journals will be drawn using the style below (Except for the weekends, which will be my time to play artistically.). Enough of this drawing different every time. My aim, at this minute, is to draw quickly and get a memory down. This is a quick style that allows me to convey what I need to. I'm going to try it...

Later that day...

Doesn't mean I won't keep playing around with other styles though. Here's a possibility?


Today's Inspiration comes from: Scalped, Volume 1: Indian Country, by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera

Homecoming...

My wife is a photography teacher at a high school. She had to take photographs of their Homecoming activities. I came along for the free food (She bought me a ticket.). It was great food and I had a Sprecher Cream Soda with it!

My latest inspiration: American Elf, Volume 1: The Collected Sketckbook Diaries of James Kochalka, by James Kochalka.

Five years and counting...

School Work: Ain't Got None

Tea for the sick...

Drink & Draw...

Another Drink and Draw night. We cut it short tonight and left around 11PM. It was a long full week of school and we were tired.

Here's a picture of what she was working so hard on. It fit under the theme, "Old School." I think it turned out great!


When my wife saw the drawing I did of her the other day she said I drew her like that guy from Family Guy with the giant bottom jaw, James Bottomtooth. I suppose I did.

My latest inspiration: Chew, draw by Rob Guillory.

A Slump Dump...

I've kind of still been drawing. Just been really lazy about posting. I could use the excuse of school starting up and being crazy busy, but that would all be a lie. Just been lazy and drawing crappy stuff I don't really want to put up. I'm done pouting though and ready to try this again.

Venison Jerky. First try at it.

Here's the real stuff precooking. Frankly it's pretty gross looking. Smells even worse than it looks.

A week later.

Those cats offer hours of laughs and entertainment. Emma went up to the DVD player at least three times as I opened the DVD door with the remote control and jumped every single time. She was very wary of the door as I continued to do open and close it.

Yes, that's suppose to be my wife and I. I didn't think much of it when she answered the Chipotle worker. After she walked away she goes, "Oh my God. I felt like I went like, 'Huhh?'" and made this really crazy face. I was trying to draw the second face she made. How she felt she answered the girl.

It's been a while...

I will continue to tease my wife for her wimpy burps because I know good ones are in there.

I actually drew this a couple days ago, but just got around to posting it today.

More cats driving robots. Don't know why. Sorry for the junky scan, but the paper was too stiff to get it to sit completely on the glass. Tried playing around with the masking fluid to create a shiny metallic look, but it just ended looking not right. Live and learn.

The Balloon...

Every once in a while I draw something I like. It could be because it happened effortlessly. It might just be a way I want to draw all the time, but can't for some reason. Sometimes everything just falls into place and fits where you want it to. All these things happened today.

I like this one.

Cats and Car things...

Yeah, that's a cat driving a car...thing. No, I don't have any else better to do with my time.