Alternative Comics, Commissions, Headaches and Fine Art

Commissioned Portrait in progress

 funky jazz saxophonist Gary Bartz

Another grey and dismal Monday morning in Toronto. One second it's sunny and + 15 and the next the wind is howling through a rainy 4 degrees. I haven't been online since Friday so this morning's report shall simply be examined through a chronological account of the past two day and a brief presumptuous analysis of things to come (this afternoon).

Saturday morning Julii and I went out for an early coffee in Kensington Market, followed by a northern excursion to the used book store on Bloor Street. We both got copies of paperback Poe short works and poems, as our fine hardcover and illustrated edition is getting worn as a result of my recurring addiction. Julii also picked up a collection of Windsor McCay illustrations and a how to write comics script book by Dennis O'Neal. She is currently working in wardrobe on a television pilot but has been getting a bit of story boarding work and wanted to do some research. Familiar with Dennis's work I had no choice but to encourage the purchase certain of the resource's validity. After a big breakfast I hit the Gary Bartz portrait and scribbled away most of the afternoon hours. I posted the progress above, note the saxophone has not been worked on since the last posting. You can get a good sense of how much detail I added to image by comparing the line work of the sax with that of the figure. So far I've put about 6 hours into the piece and plan to finish it today.

On Saturday Night I head out to Front and Parliament to attend a weekly musical jam session with friends. Good Times! The sessions are random improvised noisy and bizarre, but every now and again it actually sounds like music. I will post some audio if I ever have time to edit it.

 

exploding heads ink drawing

 

Sunday I fell victim to the pressure systems of our Torontonian Spring. The air was heavy and windy and drizzling and I awoke with a terrible head ache. Likely enhanced by the late night music session, the schizophrenic weather patterns suffocated me. I've experienced these sorts of pains sporadically throughout the early spring seasons since I was fifteen. It happens when the weather changes quickly. This past weekend

instantly morphed from +15 sunny and calm to 0 windy and wet. I spent the entire day in bed asleep or watching "Tales from the Cryptkeeper Cartoons". On the bright side, this crippling experience always dissipates within a week despite any further pressure systems and is usually a premonition of winter's end.

This morning I got a few emails which will dictate the coming weeks events. The first is another commissioned project. I have been hired to design a toy for to be produced in a limited edition series. I can't give any more details as of yet because I am having difficulty opening the email attachment with all the info on it. So therein lies my afternoon. The second letter of importance was in regards to the purchase of some fine artworks over at Extempore Studios. I had some customers in last week who took home a nice big painting, and a friend of the aforementioned patron contacted me today to purchase a similar piece. Having seen the canvas artwork recently hung, the acquaintances decided to purchase one for themselves. So some more money keeps the comics alive. Funny how the grass is always greener, I am certain there are designers out there who would love to have the toy gig, and painters who wish they had regular customers for their artwork, and yet to me it's like a part time gig to finance the comics and animation projects. But who am I to complain the grass is pretty green on this side too, or at least it's black and white.

4 x 6 foot HEY APATHY! acrylics on canvas artwork