On comics, soko.
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: comics, brush play, Brushes, Spiderman
Date: 21 September 2009 19:43:40
Somehow, accidentally, I’ve forgotten to take the foot off the gas and relax. Tonight I find myself surrounded by work, as normal. Depending on the fancy that takes me, and the difference in deadlines between beasts, I could be working on two course engagement tasks for the teacher training, two schemes of work for my relevant course (both done but both needing polishing), one comic manual for a piece of medical equipment, the Big Book Draw stuff (some images yet to be received, more emails to be sent, equipment to be sourced etc), one series of posters etc for a charitable trust, Dr Sylver 3, the book project that’ll follow Sylver, a youth artwork thing, two kids books and two graphic novels.
Oops. I really TRULY need to learn to say no. Each new project just seems so interesting...
Aaanyhow, as is my wont I needed to escape all of that for an hour and set myself an image I wanted to create. True to form I’ve now been working on it a little more than an hour over the past couple of days but it’s been a piece of beautiful therapy for me and possibly a little more descriptive of my situation than I’d consciously intended. A week or so ago I swapped to decaf coffee having had the level of my caffeinated refueling spelt out to me.
It didn’t strike me at the time but a period of SERIOUS headaches and a smidge of overt grumpiness followed that decision. I do feel a little better at the moment but, for a day or so it was touch and go.
Aaaanyhow, theraputic image attached. TBH It’s always been a dream of mine to be let loose on a Marvel or DC character, not something I anticipate ever happening but a dream nonetheless. From Marvel I think Spidey is my favourite although visually I’ve also had a thing for Cloak and Dagger in the past. Team wise maybe New Mutants were my favourite? Maybe Excalibre? Don’t know, difficult to say. DC wise I’ll always be a fan of the Bat although it does very much depend on who’s doing the writing and art. Team wise? I guess Giffen’s Justice League hit me at a particular time and I’ll always look back on them fondly.
Truth to tell I guess 2000 ad will always hold the top slot in my affections. Ian Gibson is possibly the man who inspired me to pick up a pencil more than any other, his artwork being a thing of fun, weight, gravity and beauty, all in one go, but there were so many fascinating artists on display the weekly pick up of the comic was always an anticipated joy: Bolland, Bisley, Gibson, Kennedy, McMahon, O’Neill and many, MANY others all made me want to see my work on a comic book page for all to share in and some artists who bored me at the time have come to sow their worth: Ron Smith for example who I hated at the time but now love. The ABC warriors, Strontium Dog, Dredd, Robo Hunter, The VC’s, Rogue and others all shaped the way I viewed artwork. One day maybe I’ll get a crack at one of the stories that shaped my youth, maybe, although I guess I doubt it. Nothing I’ve worked on would put me on the same radar but hey, that’s what dreams are for eh? My ultimate job, maybe, would be a crack at Green Lantern. He’s always been a character with a rich slice of possibility and I keep hearing EXCELLENT things about the current Blackest Night story arc which I want to get the trades for sometime soon.
That said, and almost totally contradicting all I’ve just said, if I had to pick a desert island comic it would be the collected Cerebus, a tome so deep and rich and full and artistically wonderful on every possible level you could read it for a decade and still discover more. I know I’ve mentioned it before (and it’s by no means an easy read, very dark and adult in places and the central character is written to be a selfish, hard hearted earth-pig) but I stick by my assertion that it is one of the more important works of fiction that this world has delivered.
Anyhow: Spidey attached, both created in Brushes on the iPod, as if you didn't know that already. I kind of know the story that would follow from such an image (as would anyone, it’s fairly self-explanatory) but for the moment the pic will do. Was fun to work into off and on. But, for now it’s back to work :(
