Days Long Past, No. 9

Here is another background. I'm sticking to the alternating with the people sketches for now. And sorry for the lapse in posts, with the Nerd Garage Sale and Thanksgiving, November was just too busy!

Oxford American Magazine

Here's something that should be hitting news stands any day now. I have a full page illustration in this months Oxford American Magazine, a literary publication that focuses on the South and Southern writers. My art accompanies Roy Blount Jr.'s monthly column (If his name sounds familiar he is a regular on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me on NPR). You can see the piece in web form and read his column here.

Five Fab Fez Fellows

I found the photo that I based this drawing on while doing fez research for Sketch Klubb online. I'm trying to talk the group into getting an official fez...we'll see.

Happy Hallowe'en!

The Monster Show, a compendium of awesome monster drawings, was at Domy Books last Saturday night and was a rousing success! The art was all well received to a packed house and fun was had by all. Here are the three pieces I contributed and a shot of them on the wall. For more press and photos go to Domy's Flickr.

The Packard Plant, Detroit Michigan

I decided that I needed to alternate the vintage snapshot interpretation with a little landscape and still life work, here's the first. I got this from a photo book on abandoned places, can't remember the name off hand.

#788: Secret Compartments Max and His Amazing Stovepipe Hat Full of Eggs and Junk

This is my submission to the 700 Hobos Project. John Hodgman wrote a book named The Areas of My Expertise which included a comprehensive list of notable historical hobo names, numbering 700. A website was created to have 700 cartoonists volunteer to draw one hobo each as a public service or for no particular reason. Russell brought this site to our attention at Sketch Klubb as a potential project, and when this hobo had Stovepipe in his name I could not resist. It might also look a little like me too. Go check them out at e-hobo.com, there are still some names left!

It's never too late to quit?

Believe it or not this is for work, but since Hallowe'en is fast approaching I thought it was appropriate. Boo.

Novella Style

The client for this job wanted a Mexican Novella style look to get a health screening message out to Hispanic males in their early 50's. It was a perfect opportunity to work in the high contrast style I've been cultivating.

Metal Sketchbook

This is my entry into the "Metal" themed Sketch Klubb pass around book. I have to admit I don't really know anything about metal, so I tied it into a couple of other entries.

Days Long Past, No. 7

I think the hardest thing about these is picking just the right photo. This one was a little harder, not as much contrast to work with. I thought the photographers shadow was kind of cool though.

Days Long Past, No. 6

From this weekends Sketch Klubb. This couple is not family and once again there is no writing on the photo back. I'm thinking of putting all these together in a little book after I have a few more I like.

Days Long Past, No. 5

Latest in this series. I'm really trying to push myself to explore positive and negative space. This photo has no caption, I probably bought it at some antique store.

On My Desk

My wife found this cool blog called "On My Desk", where artists, illustrators and creative people of all varieties show their workspaces. If you want to see my space, or any of the other dozens of examples, go check it out!

My 15 Minutes

The August issue of 002 Magazine has a short article on me and how I worked on the movie "A Scanner Darkly". If you can't pick up a copy of the issue you can check it out online at this link.

MANIFESTO!

I finished this image for DJ Jeffrey Mac last night. He and a few fellow DJ's needed an image for a new program they put together. Happy to oblige!

Days Long Past, No. 4

Here is the latest in the "interpreting an old photo" series. This is a family photo also, but no one in my family seems to know who it is. I was trying to loose more of the edges in this one.

Mods Vs. Rockers

This Thursday July 13 at Diverse Works Art Space is the 5th annual Luck Of The Draw. Over 200 pieces of art will be auctioned off as a funraiser for the gallery. Not too long ago I watched Quadrophenia and had this image in my mind, a la Timm, and this was a good way to get it out. All the art for the show has to be 8.5 x 11 or smaller. I hope it finds a good home!

Substance D Stickers

In the P. K. Dick's book A Scanner Darkly the world is being taken over by the drug Substance D, described only as a red capsule. One of the possible side effects of this drug when taken in massive doses is that the users brain is gradually split into two distinct, combative entities (which happens to Bob Arctor). During the animation production there was a contest to design the Animation Crew official t-shirt, and this sticker is based on my winning design. On my version I added the black skull, with the top being split in half (and my version was subsequently added to the animation of the capsules in the movie!) If you would like to buy one (or more) of these swell stickers for 50 cents each plus postage just email me for details. The sticker is about 2.75" x 4" on vinyl, perfect for plastering the neighborhood!

Days Long Past, No. 3

I bought the photo that this sketch is based on at an antique store in Pacifica, CA. The caption on the back reads "On the deck of the S.S. President, Oct. 1939". I love it when these old photos have captions!

A Scanner Darkly, I can't wait!

OK folks it's almost here! The movie has been getting a lot of great reviews lately, from three out of four stars in Rolling Stone to Two Thumbs Up! However well it does at the box office it's destined to be a cult hit, so if I had to work on only one movie in my life I'm fortunate that it was this one.

Also (as I have posted before), many of the animators traded sketch books during the production, and it looks like that work is going to be published! As soon as I have more details I'll let you know.

Sketch Klubb Self Portrait

Houston artist and current Diverse Works Summer Residency artist Eric Pearce asked his fellow Sketch Klubb cronies to contribute a self portrait for a silkscreening workshop. The students are printing all the portraits in a book that they will be selling at the opening. This one is based on my avatar photo, with a little "Kirby Crackle" thrown in for good measure.

Dirty Robot Disco-Inked!

I finally got around to inking the Dirty Robot Disco sketch this week for DJ Jeffrey Mac. It should be popping up on his advertising any day now, and maybe a t-shirt is in order?!?

Days Long Past, No. 2

Latest entry in my sketchbook, this image based on a Library of Congress photo from 1938.

Scanner Darkly Sketchbook

One of the top two things about working on A Scanner Darkly would have to be the sketchbook swap. Most of us bought a book, gave it a theme, and turned it loose on the other animators. Even with the movie "in the can" we are still working on them. This is one I finished today for Katherine Yingling, an illustrator from Dallas.

Portrait Illustration Maker

Make your face! It's fun and educational!

here

Days Long Past, No. I

One of my sketchbooks is devoted to interpretations of the many old photos I have collected. I have a box full of family photos that my mom was going to get rid of many years ago because they could not be identified (some of which I have since recognized as my grandmother). The rest I have been buying for years at antique stores and such. Here is a recent entry.

Full Stop

This past winter in Houston the Diverse Works Gallery displayed Tom Burckhardt's "Full Stop", an artists studio made entirely of cardboard and black paint. Only 10 ft high x 18 ft wide x 18 ft deep, the installation is filled with art historical references such as Jackson Pollock's shoes, Jasper Johns's Savarin can and Edward Hopper's potbellied stove. The idea is that despite having all the right materials: tools, art supplies, art books and postcards of past masters work at hand, the artist is having a block--staring at a blank canvass. The attention to detail and that it's made entirely of cardboard is amazing. And the fact that you could walk in it was a real plus. Here are a few photos of the work, and one with myself just for scale. The only date still listed on the tour is the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art in Ridgefield, CT from March 26 through July, 2006.

Mullet Man

This guy was created for a project for the Aurora Picture Show here in Houston. The project changed direction and this fellow was never used, so I thought I would give him immortality on the web instead. I found the reference photo when I Googled "mullett" and up came this mugshot (you know I never did get a model's release).

sKETCH kLUBB Show at Domy

I mentioned the Domy show in a previous thread, well here are a few shots of the opening and the piece that I hung that night. Pitt Brush Pen on cardboard, of my grandparents on my fathers side. They were in their 40's when they had my dad, so my grandfather was a WWI drill sergeant, and my grandmother was a flapper (hair in bob and a string of pearls). They were only in their 20's in the photos I used as reference, wow!

It was a smashing success!

A Scanner Darkly

As you may or may not know, I spent most of 2005 in Austin Texas working on Richard Linklaters "A Scanner Darkly", based on the novel of the same name by Phillip K. Dick. The funny thing is my wife, Miss Anne, posted on her blog how the new trailer was out and the guys over at the Winona Ryder News Channel must have Googled it. Anyway, the resulting connection produced a short Q & A that can be read here. The above self portrait was for the Scanner Darkly Artist web site that will launch on April 10. I'll post the link at the right when it's up.

Baseman QEE

There's a great new store here in Houston called Domy. The only place in town that sells "urban vinyl" toys, zines, alternative press comics, limited edition artist multiples, crazy DVD's that Netflix will not have, limited edition t-shirts, and all sorts of awesome art books. This last Saturday was the grand opening and in the gallery area were works by Houston artists that participate in sKETCH kLUBB (of which I'm a member) plus others. I'll post some photos of the opening later. I'll also picked up a Baseman Qee that I didn't have, and my wife picked up a Jordan Crane comic. The web site is still under development, but if you are in Houston you have to go check out the store.

www.domystore.com

Dirty Robot Disco

A friend of mine is a local DJ and one of the clubs he plays at every Friday has the Dirty Robot Disco. Here is a pencil sketch that I worked up for him to promote it. I'll post the inked later.

Check out his DJ site here
www.jefferymac.com