LokiLoki

Left to right, titles so far, "Itch", "Sightings", "What Body?".

Wed. I bought a new digital camera to shoot my larger work. I'm not sure if it will do the job yet, but it looks promising. My friend Steve had mentioned he was sending some stuff in to Spectrum due Fri. AACK. I wanted to enter some things for that as well. I thought I'd try submitting some of my "Lowbrow" art (or whatever the latest term for it is). So I spent Sun. thru Thurs. trying to finish this painting in time to take a picture of it to send to Spectrum. I made the UPS office with plenty of time to spare yesterday. The camera took a good enough picture I guess. I just need to find some sort of fine focus or something.

To the fantastic and wonderful judges at Spectrum: My world revolves around all of you! Aside from the fact I don't know any of you except from afar. Mark Chiarello, I said hello to you in the halls of DC comics when I was doing Animal Man for Vertigo. Dawn Murin, I never worked with you at Wizards of the Coast, but I'm sure you deserve to be Grand Poobah of the company! Brandon Ragnar, I don't know anything about you, but would gladly stop by to do some dishes or take out your trash some day! Marc Gabbana, dishes. Dan Dos Santos, you rock of course! I see you all the time at art openings at the Society of Illustrators. And Adam Rex, I don't know anything about except your bio says you have a children's book called "Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich". That's a funny title and I dig it! Since I "randomly" just pulled all these FANTASTIC creative types out of the ether that I admire and didn't just read the judges bio sheet that came with the entry form, I look forward to sharing a drink with you at the Spectrum opening (THAT I'M IN!)... I'm pretty good at back rubs too! HINT HINT!

Caffeinated donuts

Labels: spectrum

Bank Tech News. Last name is Gibson. I don't know anything else about him.

Mon day was a full day in a couple ways. Steve came by to work in my studio. He's about 6 ft tall and might weigh 140 with cement shoes. I didn't want to say "soaking wet" because that'd be a cliche' and cliche's are boring. So Steve came in wearing his cement shoes and I put us to work moving flat files and printers and computers and then drinking a lot of espresso.

I got a little work done and then went to see Molly perform in Amber Ray's production of "Let's Misbehave" a tribute to Cole Porter. It was at Galopogos Art Space in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Amber dressed all the girls up and sang a few songs. Molly was sent out in her little flapper get up and a cute feather headdress to pick up tips. Her bucket was full in no time at all.

Currently working on a submission for Spectrum, an illo for Bank Tech News, and figuring out my new digital camera to take pictures of art!

Labels: amber ray, Galapogos

This was a b&w for Westword in Colorado. They asked for Jimi Hendrix as an old man playing his guitar with a dark back ground. It's a pencil drawing with photoshop special effects. Bling bling!

I took no photos at the Big Apple Con this weekend. I had been was fighting off a cold since Wed. and Fri was when the germs had made their most aggressive assault. I had a headache off and on all day.That was also suppose to be the first day of the show at the Pennsylvania Hotel. I was in no shape to be around a crowd, plus I didn't want to spread the plague around. TEX had called about 10:30am and had just awoke. (so had I!) and said he'd be able to make it in by 1:30 IF he hustled. I've known him long enough that it meant he'd be lucky to make it in on Sat.!

I made it in by 1:30 Sat. My table was taken. So I took TEX's. He showed up around 3pm and took someone else's. It was lightly attended even though there was no cover this time. As soon as I sat down I met Shawn, who had asked for a painting about two weeks earlier. I handed him the art. I gave him much more work than a convention painting usually has in it since I did it at my leisure at home. He seemed happy with it.

I blinked once and there, stepping out of the murky mists of Big Apple, two gentleman standing in front of me saying they had a few cards for me to sign. The cards were from "Vampire The Eternal Struggle" deck I did almost 10 years ago. I thought I only did about 6 or 10 cards for that project. Apparently the images also applied to other cards and next thing I know, I've signed what might have been close to 100 cards. the one guy, Nick, gave me a 3 ring folder with even more of my cards for me and also wants to buy 2 of the illustrations. My coffee got cold, but it was nice to meet people that would spend all their extra money on art if they could. I know I appreciate it!

Labels: big apple con, hendrix

Wonder Woman gouache study tune up for this weekend's Big apple Con.

Thinking about stories. I have a character that manages to get hit by planes or blimps while taking a tour in a cave. His cat is actually an alien sent to observe human life and report back to his superiors on the home planet. He has various friends with personalities that don't quite fit in with societal norms... No, this is for real! It's all true. Well, maybe I haven't been in a cave.. er, this guy whose life is the loose basis for the character and his world, hasn't been in a cave. And he isn't a coffee hound... or lives in Bushwick or does freelance illustration, or has long hair, or wears a gas mask while ordering a cheese burger in a crowded diner causing mass panic and the police, fire dept. citizen's brigade, national guard, army, navy, marines, air force, the mayor the zoo keeper, a nutritionist and his mom to be called in to deal with the situation.

I have to do a study of the latest character in my building. I've seen him around here and there over the past year. Today, he held the door for me as I checked my mail. I finally asked him what his name was today. He smiled and awkwardly said, "Folks just call me Cowboy." I immediately heard in my head at large amplification... duh. He was a light skinned black guy with dreadlocks half way to his waist. Maybe 30 years old, give or take 5. I'm horrible at guessing ages. He was dressed in black leather. Black leather cowboy garb. Black leather cowboy hat, black leather vest, coat, chaps, duster and boots. At a glance, he looks like a cowboy. So duh.

Martin Luther King Jr. day. On the calendar, I think it says it's his birthday. I potentially put my foot in my mouth being goofy as I came in to the Wycoff Starr coffee shop Monday. I started wondering what you are suppose to say in greeting on MLK Jr. day. New Years is "Happy New..." and X-mas is "Merry X..."I liked the way the words rolled with "Merry Martin...". I greet Adam, the barrister, with a boisterous "Merry Martin Luther king Jr. Day!" Adam had a slight almost imperceptible nervous pause as it was shattered by the only person of color in the little shop laughing her ass off. I ran in to her again Wed. It was 20 degrees F in NYC, or REALLY FREAKING COLD! The day before I had wrestled with the wedge of cardboard that held the door open to close it for Adam while he poured the coffee. On Wed, as a joke, I loudly ask Adam if he wants me to prop the door open for him as I smile to show I'm kidding. The young black lady was there and started laughing at me again. She was working on a lap top. I'll probably ask her what her name is by June or July. She doesn't dress like a cowboy, so I guess her name could be anything!

I should have posted this a few days ago after I saw Jason's blog. He had a little girl named Ava Dawn arrive Jan 3rd? I'm going from my horrible memory. It's nice to hear friends continuing on and up! Jason does incredible caricatures with fantastic exaggerations. He's
going to be on the top of the heap for a long time. Jason being one of the 3 people who actually read my rambling blog, congratulations man!

Labels: Jason Seiler

A little more glaze to finish this up from the previous post of it. So far the title is "Mek Beast". I sent in the final entry a few days later than planned, so who knows if they'll still accept it.

I've got a table at the next Big Apple Con next weekend (Jan 19Th). I already picked up a little commission. The guy wants a scene with his cockatoo in with a barbarian guy (Ka-Zar) and a saber tooth tiger (Zabu). I checked out the gallery where he keeps his other commissions on display. There are some really funny images! Ted McKeever's was one of my favorites. Not the strongest Batman, but the bird part was really fun. The guy, Shawn, who wants the image, gave me one of my other friend's drawings (by Ray Lago) on line as reference for his bird. I prefer photos and fortunately he had some of those in the gallery as well.

Labels: ka-zar, la luz de jesus, ray lago

My Jan. 1st. I talked about the problems in Turkey with Molly until 3am. She traveled through Turkey when she was 18 or 19 by herself. She really got to understand a little bit about what is going on with the various groups that hate each other.

After breakfast, I went back to my studio and attempted to paint a little art. Cooked some chicken for dinner and then went to see Jen Is Famous' comedy show at Pete's Candy Store in (Williamsburgh) Brooklyn. She was filming it for something. I had a front row seat, and it was probably the best set I've seen her do!

Molly was also at the comedy show, from there we walked over to Verb Cafe'. They kicked us out after 20 minutes because they were closing early. I went back to studio again. Molly had a TV interview at 5 in the morning, so I wasn't going back to her place! On the way home, I came across Fog Horn Leg Horn in a bag on the street in front of my door. As far as I know I still live in a big metropolitan area of around 6 million people. Where do you get a live chicken to kill and discard in front of my building here in Bushwick? Maybe it was a transient chicken that lost it's way?

And the other shot is me bored while waiting for a train at 11pm. I like the sign in the bg. Perhaps this will be my new press photo?

Labels: chicken