Fun Home

If you don't know about Alison Bechdel's book, you should really check it out. It's one of the best graphic novels ever. Maybe you won't get as much of a kick out of this picture of the Ortiz Funeral Home I took in Brooklyn:

Twyla Tharp on the Subject of Motivation and Creativity

I've been reading her book and it is absolutely incredible. It's straightforward, yet general enough to apply to everyone, very orderly yet with surprises. And it lingers. Some of it won't leave my head. I really can't praise this book enough and I'm only 1/2 way through it!

Donald Duck Cover

This was much quicker than the Bugs cover and I didn't use a brush to ink it, so it looks a little wonky... The original is HERE at John K's site.

Try your own, it will really teach you a lot (especially since I'm working on MY cover today... yikes!)

Heart - Crazy on you

When people talk about the transformative power of rock, I never believe them. I roll my eyes or listen to coke-induced tales wild nights, hot and crazy days, blah blah blah...


But when I see this, I really feel it and it is transformative because for seven minutes; I believe. The intro is magic, and when she hits the riff you've been waiting for with the look of a black belt about to shatter your trachea, you know the Wilson sisters were once Gods who made us believe we all could be.

I know that capitalism has destroyed this. I want you to know this too.

Bugs Bunny Reconstruction Inks

And here's the ink!
The original has such a great layout. The staging follows the "Z pattern,"
you read the title, then your eye travels down the broom and Bugs and then right to Porky and Elmer. The original is HERE!


Try one for yourself! It's like scales... for cartoonists!

Bugs Bunny Reconstruction Pencils

So if you're a total John K nerdophile like me, you know he consistently has posts about classic character construction; the basics. Lately he's had a bunch of posts on staging and followed those with a few classic comic book covers with solid, beautiful and not really complex compositions.

I tried to do one, and thought I would show the pencils. You really have to begin with the basic balls, tubes and jellybeans and build them from the ground up. I also need to practice my brush skills. Although they were a little wiggly and a little too heavy, especially with Elmer, I think it's definitely something I wouldn't have been able to a year ago.

First I have the pencils (with a smidge of ink... I started and then realized I should scan this for posterity!