SO there sports
fans, Al here with the latest:
It’s been a dog’s
life my friends but rest assured, I’ve been working on many
different things and real life got in the way of creativity. And for
that I am sorry. Website changes, moving, new 9-5 jobs to deal with
have been throwing me a lot of things to deal with but I am getting
better about dealing with it.
That and a new
computer on top of that.
SHOWS:
Now this year has
been sorely missing many shows to be a part of because of everything
else being so chaotic but I am planning on getting into the BIG 500
this year. There has been a lot speculation that might not be another
due to the ever changing landscape of Portland’s art scene.
But I am not worried
about that.
Even if there wasn’t
another show l would still be turning out work for other places that
I have been showing work for the last several years.
So there is that.
COMMISSIONS:
This is also
something that has been lacking in my world of late but now I have a
piece that is nearly completed for a client at my new work place. And
of course it is of a nautical nature. A tugboat. Now unlike my other
ocean going adventures (like Richard Parker) this is a real tugboat
so there is a certain amount realism that needs to be depicted in
this image.
But I will have to
say that it is looking very good and very close to completion. And
that makes me very happy.
RICHARD PARKER and
his GRAND ADVENTURE.
Of course there will
always be Richard Parker. And it continues to grow into a very long
and laborious project with fantastic end to the story. The funny
thing was friends of mine who were asking about the story and how it
was progressing and eventual end gave me some insights into how I was
going to end the book.
Lets just use the
Hollywood pitch “Jules Vern meets Jacob’s Ladder (the movie)”.
And there you go.
There have been a
number of new images that have been generated for Parker as in a
total of 9 new images and 4 that are being contemplated over. Each
new 9”x12” scratchboard continues to become so more complex than
the last that I might have to re-render some of the older images to
keep everything up to speed visually.
I do know that could
be a death knell of a project but I think that when I am done with
the work and most if not all the work is completed and scanned in
(perhaps with a few tweaks) but when it’s done you’ll understand
the effort of putting this together in my part time.
And I know the
images that keep posting are always all over the board but it is
actually there to keep me interested in what I am creating and it
keeps it fresh for me at the same time so I don’t become complacent
with my own work.
I mean seriously for
the longest time Parker had no face just a helmet.
ANGER BEAST OR THE
LAST MONSTER ON EARTH!:
To off set the work
with Parker and keep a practiced hand at traditional penciling and
inking in comic book vein I’ve settled on the public domain
character of Robot Monster to work on. And doing so keeps the art
fun to produce.
But the hardest
thing to keep in mind is making this book and it’s story fun for me
to work on. In way I think I can understand how other more famous
creators can get bored with their own work and wrote themselves into
a corner. At least I have felt that this has happened to a couple
good story arcs like Xenozoic Tales, American Flagg!, Dreadstar.
And with that I am
out here.
