PSIKIK

Cards...Magic...lack of sleep....

2012-01-29T10:02:00.000-08:00

It is Sunday,
I decided to revisit an old hobby. Magic the gathering. It was 12:01 am on a Saturday morning. A seal deck event. 3 Dark Ascention, 3 Innistrad.

I was loving the cards I found in my booster packs. I hated trying to piece together a winning deck. It was a challenge and I was slaughtered. The new cards now have double sides and a twist in rules. I enjoyed getting trounced and finally.... The last match I won best out of three. 2-1 win... awful yet sweet. He (my opponent) should have won. He destroyed me /my deck the first round killing me 20 straight points and I left him unscathed... some how I nickel-ed and timed him to death in the preceding two rounds in the fifth and last turn bout of the evening.

Would I do that again???

Yes.

I wished a few old friends joined me but they seem preoccupied with life. For me it was a sweet escape to another time which brought me a certain amount of reflection and joy. Joy for the moment of playing and joy for the the things I currently have. All in all, a great experience.

http://www.mythgames.ca/
Was an amazing host. If you need a store to open and run a game at, this is the place to go to. If you want to be part of a group of awesome people... That is the store to be at. Maybe another per-release party is in order!

Thanks all that joined.

New Banner....

2012-01-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

It was time... The big ugly one was more used to scare people away. Guess what-it did the opposite and attracted even more people to the blog. That said, it was time for a change. It seems that the longer I go with all the turmoil and change in life I find myself grasping at things that were/are simple, and bring me joy.

That means I am in a perpetual state of adolescence.

I admit it. Since I can no longer attain a job that will pay me enough to act like an adult. You know things like owning a car, carry a mortgage and spend foolishly on drink and beverages, I find myself reverting to long walks, cartoons and video games and yes, even comics and board games that allow me to spend time with my family.

I think being in a position of low wealth makes you humble, but more importantly, it keeps you closer to the important things in your life... For me that is family. As much as I would love to own a car/ or meet weekly with friends... Money governs much of those activities. Cash flow being choked off really hampers ones ability to be social. As such, you all must understand that I'm not ignoring all the people I love. I just need to get my self in a place where I can join the rest of the world. That means I need a job and a cash flow that allows me enjoy greater pleasures... such as having a good meal with friends or simply a car.

With that said, I have been a stay at home Dad for three years only finding part time jobs with companies that are failing, or closing their doors.

If your a company owner that wants an artist or designer I can help you. I'm not cheap, but I can be there when you need me. You just need to hire me at a rate that I can afford to work for you at.

-Enough rants
-Enjoy what I have in place.
A new banner, a new year!

expect less and get more...

2012-01-26T12:09:00.000-08:00

this could be my new mantra this year.
So without further a due...

-enjoy

kobolds....

2012-01-24T07:07:00.000-08:00

I'm not really sure what a kobold needs to look like.
I've done some research and discovered there are three types.

The first and traditional type is a pug faced big eared monkey kind with the thick broad arms of a gorilla. They are short in stature and have prehensile toes and fingers. Are swift of foot and tend to be hunched like an ape. They have thick leathery skin and dark fur in the tones of brown and blacks.

The second is more reptilian in look. The head of a dragon or gator that sits atop of a spindly little neck that is more like an ostrich neck in pose. They have long slack tails and a similar avaunt guard disposition. They have little body hair and more scales then should be normal on the thick leathery hide. they have longish toes which look like their longish fingers too. A pretty goofy looking creature IMO.

The third version is more thickly scaled and like the first version is swift of foot. They have thick medium tails which are stiff to off set the quick movements and direction changes. The body is scaled and ranges in color. Like the second cousin they have a lizard/gator/dragon type of head. I envision a raptor or dinosaur like look.

Since all three versions are pretty hard to nail down, any creator could take liberties with such a creature. Well have some hard thought out doodling. I went with the third version and it seemed the most natural looking. Less fantasy and a being that might actually exist.

I think that I've been doing so much future tech stuff that this piece really was a nice break from modern to the more fantasy world. I would love to see what happens next in this captured moment. Now back to the real world. This is to be a busy week for me. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Anthology project...

2012-01-17T11:28:00.000-08:00

So I decided I would do a collection of short stories for people who participated in the Line is Drawn competition. With the dead line looming I thought I would put out a heads up note for those who read my blog.

It should be available in the second week of February. So far it is a small collection of short stories.

There is some excitement about having random people come together to do something like this. People left to their own creative devices and have them deliver things that are pretty amazing in there own right. I'm impressed by the effort put forward so far. I can't wait to see the finished covers an additional stories.

Did I mention it will be free!
Yes everyone is volunteering time, talent and effort to see this project through to completion. That is the most amazing part. People are so generous. If I don't post any time soon you know what is eating up my time.

I hope your having a great new year!

3 dead kings ...

2012-01-08T20:00:00.001-08:00

This is the title of my newest audio blog.
A short tale that looked at some of the dark things in life. Some of the things that are darker in stories as well. I wanted this to explore several what if elements and it is starting to take a life of it's own. Though I'm fascinated by the whole tale and how it could evolve, I sure could make it more dynamic.

Instead I see my self quickly wrapping it up instead. I found that I was becoming far to invested in the characters of the story. That investment means that I would not be willing to compromise the story or the characters.

Unless I could find an artistic collaborator I think it would be better to let the tale slowly fade as quickly as it started. Still the entire concept is so strong that I believe that the merit it deserves should be share on the world wide web. In short I instantly get the copy right gratification of the material and others who choose to borrow Ideas are forced to offer homage, or payment for borrowing material from me.

At this point, I'm just happy to share the tale.
We will have to see what else comes of it.

http://3deadkings.blogspot.com/

http://3deadkings.blogspot.com/

here is the link.
-Enjoy.

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T20:22:00.000-08:00

Time for some changes and movement in a new direction...

Best holiday ever....

2011-12-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

I think this is turning out to be the best holiday ever!

Lots of creative stuff, like a small anthology I'm putting together, a collaboration which has very neat characters and idea's flying around them... Can't wait to see more happen on that front, and I had a chance to gather all the parents and in-laws... One of the best parts of the holidays. To top it all off I have a job interview!

Life feels pretty good right now.
I hope everyone has a great holiday too.
Oh I would love to share more but really, it might sound like bragging. So I'll keep this post it to the important stuff, like spending time with the close family as mentioned above. It just nice knowing you have loved ones that care. That makes the season the only reason to celebrate... At least for me. I truly don't need all the extra crap. But just being invited to hang out is a pretty special thing. As economics become more difficult that fact that people invite to a dinner is pretty huge and special.

Thank you everyone for making my holiday that much better. Just knowing you all makes it better. Your generosity, and genuine affection makes this season a real thrill.

Merry Christmas!!!

Plugging away...

2011-12-21T10:13:00.000-08:00

Here is a character for a new project... Still not really sound as far as integrating a character into a story. But it is something that I want to see evolve. That being said a collaborator has jumped on board. I need to see what we come up with if anything.

future south american devil type...

2011-12-14T17:34:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be interesting to devise a look for a future looking devil. Funny really, the irony of people creating there own demons and yet I just did that very thing.

-enjoy

The line is Drawn...

2011-12-10T21:53:00.000-08:00

I decided to contact the person I thought who should win the line is drawn.
After all I think that is a pretty classy thing to do. I hope it happens for them, I will say though that it is not a competition if everyone backs down and the person wins by acclimation.

No a competition is in place to push people to the higher level. There is some pretty amazing stuff happening though... I hope to see one more week in action.

The Line is drawn...

2011-12-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

I wanted to do a sketch a week for this little competition... Just to warm up and get ideas flowing. Here is the link to the work others have been doing....http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/category/the-line-it-is-drawn/

Wow!

I mean a few are full color and just amazing in detail. I almost wonder how they did it. I for one thing if people can deliver that much detail and color the work every week they should be selected. Unfortunately I suspect that they are not with family... That is to say they are young, UN-married with no children. The rest of us simply put in a great effort. There is one artist that should get one position for sure by my thoughts, though I do not want to influence the voting. I think I would make a good alternate though. I've seen awesome work but a second place person will be a challenge to pick. A first place is a slam dunk. Some one is in for sure unless they completely stink at the deadlines or ruin the style they have presented.... Time will tell how this all works out.

Over all- everyone put in a huge effort and this was pretty great to watch and be a part of. I loved every week seeing what people put forth. Lets not forget the great idea's from the fans too! The suggestions were simply awesome.

unlikely team ups...

2011-12-03T12:55:00.000-08:00

I thought I would do an image a week just to further my complicated life. It turns out to be far easier then an image every single day and still difficult to manage. At any rate I thought I would try out for the position of TLID. They are looking for regular talent and the skill and talent is out of this world too. I thought that I would be destroyed. Yet I managed to get a not one but two pieces in on time and they are all strong enough to hold their own. Mind you other people get the big props simply because they are doing full body shots and I'm just doing these vignette type of illustrations just to make the deadlines.... I wish I could do more but hey, wait and see what happens. I could win a position as an alternate. That would be good. Less pressure to deliver too.

process

2011-11-27T19:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a short animation (gif)of a planned landscape.
First is the sketch... Then I thought I would do a painting of the Background and mix a little media with the computer and inked art over top so you get the blacked out modified sketch.

Then I paint off scene... paste a scan of the painting down, then I ink and pencil and tweak the foreground trees. Then I jump into computer chttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifolors on the foreground and merge everything into a nice final piece.

There is much more thought and color experimentation in the whole process though this is the quick revision animation of how I work.... It takes much longer then the few seconds seen here.

I hope the Gif animation works... it's late enough as it is... Argh!

Here is the link to the animation if it fails to work in blogger

-enjoy!

rambo of the X-men... Huh!?!?!?!?!?!

2011-11-25T20:41:00.001-08:00

I thought it would be funny too.

-enjoy

Childern and Spoonerisms

2011-11-25T12:44:00.000-08:00

My youngest made us all chuckle when we offered up some ice cream.
Well the conversation went like this....

"Hey, do you want some deep fried ice cream?"

Response:
"Oh gross! I don't want deep fried Vikings!"

Just thought I'd share.

-Enjoy!

playing with style and color

2011-11-18T20:30:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for interesting ideas in art and how to approach them in a way that best tells the visual story. Here are a few illustrations done with ink, ink wash, pencil and black pencil crayon. I loved how these turned out. Also I added a cross over card - Yes! A mummy helping Santa delver goodies to the children... Might not be what you wanted for Christmas but it would be better then a severed head from this guy!

- Enjoy.

Real artists

2011-11-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

Most people would agree that real art comes from children. They have a very neutral view of things and tend to depict the world around them in the most honest of ways. Every so often though, the children get the craziest ideas and that come through in their art too.

No matter what they create though it is pretty compelling. One thing children tend to lack universally is the sophistication or rather maturity to make their art look finished. Some times that means a little guide could jump in to help them out. In my case my little ones always want to do what Dad is doing. By combining forces with my children I created these two paintings....

-enjoy

New Ebook...

2011-11-11T08:40:00.000-08:00

Oh yes! I finally finished a short illustrated tale that is available over here...
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/my-kraken-mckraken/12093230
The Book is called My Kraken McKraken. It is about a giant squid and only costs $2. Original art and a great starter reading book for children looking to read fancy hand writing. Truly a must have. My boys thought it was really great to look at.

Life Trend....

2011-11-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

I've had calls, I've had Interviews and I've had rejections.
The only thing I haven't had was a BEER!

Its a good thing I have all these useless digital skills of graphic design, art, illustrations and digital media as well as Web SEO and various software skills. Heck If I spent any more money on useless skills and upgrading, I could be unemployed for the rest of my life! Not a bad prospect. I wonder if the Mustard Seed has a few extra beds this winter. I can't offer much in the way of skills but my body heat and heavy breathing would at least add to the natural heating of the cold tiled floor.

Now back to my Beer. Here's to life!

Illustrated Audio Tale...

2011-11-04T09:03:00.000-07:00

The first episode is up...
http://3deadkings.blogspot.com/
Since this is a one person production, it is not likely to change in quality much. All art and voice work is done by me and is copyrighted in its entirety by Richard Grzela 2011.

3 Dead Kings Begins in November

2011-10-23T11:45:00.000-07:00

A new audio story blog I created and produced begins in November.
http://3deadkings.blogspot.com/
It offers an interesting twist on a creepy tale.

Where Have I been?

2011-10-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well I've been looking for work!
My journey took me to the USA in the hopes of finding where all the Americans put their cash. I found it too. The economic crisis is over. I found your cash. Now you can afford to hire me. Unless I keep some of this for my self.

By the way we hit a record 41degrees centigrade when I went on a treasure hunt. I have to say that it was the craziest journey I have ever been on too. Here is the photo to prove I was successful.

Illustrated Audio Project....Could be you!

2011-10-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in web casts and audio programming?
want to be part of a project?
Want you voice on the web?
Want to contribute art or ideas?

Think it over, give me a shout.
I'm putting together a script for another webcast. A great opportunity for all to contribute. So far ten episodes have been scripted. All I need is a fellow voice or artist to throw their talents into the mix. A low-high-tech creation by yours truly.
Simply comment or email if your interested in doing art or a character voice.

It is a horror themed tale. Looks pretty darn good on paper so far too.
here is the link to the past project... FightOn

Risen

2011-09-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

I have to say that this is one I can truly laugh about now. I was there just a few days ago.

I lied to my self....

2011-09-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Some times I think things are finally on track, so I make plans to move forward and then something annoying happens that bends me in the wrong manner and I completely flip my lid and want to hurt something. I have to remember that my last part time job was labor work, so I'm a bit stronger then the average desk jockey who might have 30 extra pounds around their waist... So I tell my self things are working out, move forward, but the plans fall apart and I get bent out of shape... Like I said.

I get flustered and instead of breaking every thing I just smash a few things and go on a art binging and produce like crazy... Here is what happened when I was right bent out of shape....

- Enjoy

P.s. There is so much more but these are the only ones that seemed to get any true form. The rest were very ... lets just say energized.

Here!!!!!

2011-09-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

Like I said - Don't believe the hype... You'll love it or hate it.
Let the work - work for you.

If you love it - Share it!

- Enjoy!

P.S. I don't speak Russian - So don't spam me. You can't expect people to allow a post if they don't understand your language. Try English so I can reject you good and proper.

don't believe the hype!

2011-09-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

If you read an authors blog, or the artists and they tell you how awesome the book is... Remember how much work they put into it. Ultimately it depends on just what you like to read that determines the success... Most people grab my stuff for the art.

Yet not many others will buy the book. Once they give it a try they like the visuals and more... most books are like this.

Try some thing new.

post - no post

2011-09-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

It has been some time since I posted last. Fear not!
I have been doodling and I might even share a few of them soon. What has been eating up time is planning a new comic idea...well not new for me just trying to make the process a bit more simplified for participants. I have one fellow partner who is handling some of the project while I do most of the heavy lifting. IF things go well between us, then we may expand the idea into a more inclusive thing.

Right now it is fun just sharing ideas and getting something going. The project is small but will take at least a few more weeks of work to get a product out for viewing.

Stay tuned for more. I think it is pretty exciting. More to come will really make it sing. Maybe I can con a few artists to pitch in some more to the project as well. We will have to wait and see.

Style Exploration

2011-09-05T08:20:00.001-07:00

I was asked to come up with a gritty visual for an illustrative tale.
This is what I have so far. It is pretty much a rough version of my regular style. I'm not quite sure of all the details as more material has to come my way. Until then, you get to wonder as much as I am what exactly is going to be final look of the work.

-Enjoy

Myth-a-Con

2011-09-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

This is a rushed post...
Myth-a-COn is an awesome game convention.
Over 200 players converged on the small site to play a huge number of games. The gamers were further treated to a fully catered feast for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
ranging in price from $4-10 the food ranged the gamut of a hot dog to a full feast Turkey dinner with all the fixings!

You get a huge amount of choice in both game and food. If your going to a convention to play a game or want to try something new - the fans and players are great to approach.

At the end of every session - Everyone shook hands and moved on to the next game. They are an impressive group. The staff were friendly and amazing too. Everyone was warmly welcomed.
Be sure to book Myth-a-con for your next game convention stop. You will not be disappointed!
-enjoy

WIP- ZombieLoveBunny

2011-09-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

I was at Myth-a-Con! Some one wanted to see what I would do for a Zombie version of the Love bunny... Here is your zombie Love Bunny. HaHaHa

Kicks and Giggles.

-Enjoy.

finished pages for a short project...

2011-09-01T08:31:00.001-07:00

Comic Pages... I hope to do more in the future.

- Enjoy

Hands Comic

2011-08-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

Created in two days, I picked a topic that I knew absolutely nothing about, this is a wonderful piece that kind of gets you thinking about our selves and is completely free...
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B-eEO_c5LsEOYzQyM2ZjYWMtZTlkMy00ZWE2LThkOTctOTNiNTM2OTNjYTM4&hl=en_US

The real challenge was keeping the writing at a grade 7 level as a minimum. Unfortunately I promised myself I would destroy the original when completed. I did that. Now guess what... I found a few typos and I can not go back.... Darn it all. At least it explains why I would give this away for free.

-Enjoy.

on a whim...

2011-08-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

We spend a day in the bad lands.
Just up and took a weekend day and trekked through the heat and humidity of the famous horse shoe canyon. Took in the Dinosaur museum and then finished the day in the out door water park by the worlds biggest T-Rex.

Why would we do this?????????????????????????

Why not. Life can not be lived in the boredom of a bunch of bills and worries. Throw caution in the wind and live a little. Life is only what you make it. You might as well accumulate more debt in the process. Ha!

Fred and Barneys is a small family restaurant there - serving Chinese food. The waitress was very wonderful to our children. I suggest you give it a try when your in Drumheller, Alberta next visit.

-Enjoy

Funny Things

2011-08-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Here is another quick drawing... Well not really that quick, just a WIP.
Guns are once again featured here. See a theme?
What has happened is a reflection of what my young ones are doing.... They of course are doodling swords. So I end up doodling guns. Go figure.

Here is the latest gun toting guy.

The idea here is he is as awesome with the gun as Billy the kid, but the gun itself is far more then it appears. It is an enchanted weapon. It is extra large. It is basically a hand cannon.Some people suggest he is compensating for something. But to say that is to walk away with an extra whole in ones head.

BTW - The Gun is named "Incumbent".

Pretty funny. The gun idea is loosely based on the first nations natives (Indians)version of the talking stick. Except the guy with the gun get to hold office. It is pretty hard to disagree with the guy pointing a gun in your face.

-Enjoy.

Super Heroes Must Die

2011-08-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

Well this is a real site. I did a fan piece for it. What can I say. I kind of agree.

No more Astronauts...

2011-08-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

It has taken some time for this to sink in. I mean what are you going to do with all the over educated unemployed nerds of the world????
One person suggested that they start a hockey team for the NHL. With all the head shots happening, those unemployed astronauts are likely going to be down to the normal I.Q. of everyone else by the end of the first season.
You could also have them turn into comic book artist. At least they would have a place to hang out with fellow geeks. That was my suggestion.

I always expected Japan to rule the world with robotics. They might just get their chance in the next 5 years too. Space will be dominated by their tech. Americans clearly have taken a step backwards. Perhaps they finally admit that humans simply can not live in space for long periods of time. Not that the average person needed to be told that.

Radiation, no air, not pressure, no sun, no food.... They better focus on teleporation and robotic drones. That we we can just beam to other places - star gate/ teleportation style.

WWE - THE ROCK IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-08-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight the Rock makes his Wrestling Come back!

SAY WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unless your inviting me to watch Wrestling - Don't call me, I'm Busy!

The French

2011-08-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

What can I say, no one can quite insult a person like the french. Okay Shakespeare comes close, but the french have it down to an art form. My Dad often reminds me of this when he break out into his rants.

Incidentally I've been going over the work of French painters and decided to try and replicate the art form on a digital style. I then took some of the lessons learned bought it to a more illustrative style and the results are all visually interesting to me. What do you think?

- Enjoy!

What I'm reading!

2011-08-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

I decided to go to a book store recently. Yes you know the place like a library but you get to purchase books. I know it is a possibility that the same content is free on the web, though I did not want to search out 100 web sites when every thing might be neatly collected into one volume.

I found a great bargain book.
"The Big Questions - Mathematics" by Tony Crilly.

Just a great read. The book gets to the core of several ideas with out the long winded details and actual calculations. There is enough information to work the theories out your self or simply read the book to get a grasp of concepts old and new and how things are currently viewed through the eyes of math and our world.

If your a Math major, you will hate it for the lack of details. If your an average person like myself, it really is a great source of food for thought and makes you consider alternative ways of thinking about the world around you. I found it to be a refreshing take on life and the science that surrounds us that we may not have really thought about... like phones and travel!http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I also put together another PDF / e-magazine for those of you who like the Palladium books game system. It can be found at the following link...
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B-eEO_c5LsEOODdiODhiNzUtNjk4NS00OGIxLTlmNWItOTE0ZTkwMzgwMGVl&hl=en_US
It is created by fans from fan material. Collected nicely for free distribution to other gamers of this declining game system. It is pretty slick despite the many idiosyncratic aspect of the game mechanics it is the most comprehensive and detailed of any I've ever played as a player.

Workout strategies

2011-08-09T07:36:00.000-07:00

Workout strategies are hard to come by. You really have to just do it.
Time being a limited thing I have turned to body sculpting, and body building techniques.

I know what your thinking...No I don't look like a steroid goon.

Female body builders use their body and resistance, where men use weights to really tear muscle up. I've chosen to go with standard weight training and incorporate some of the techniques the women are using. I have to say it really works. The results are starting to show. I can see abs under all my fat!

Okay, I'm chubby, but the sculpting of the body can be achieved with daily repetition and no more then 10 reps per body part. Honestly - because I only do 10 reps per day it has taken 12 months to see results. Still so few reps and still just sticking with the limited time I have has proven that these pro-women really do know what they are talking about. Also, the heavier lifts that the guys use keeps your body looking in hunky form... Well in my chase it is more chunky.

I'm getting there. - LOL

time for images

2011-08-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

I love doing this stuff. I thought I would change gears in the near future and tackle more political and editorial stuff. Focus on characters in our world.
For now this should do. I just need to get more ideas out.

-enjoy.

fan Piece

2011-08-05T11:27:00.001-07:00

I did this piece while trying to stay true to OtherWorld Comic creators work. Yes it is visually different from my regular stuff because I'm trying to replicate the work of another and still keep the flare of visuals.

Hope you like it.

-enjoy

So what I've been upto...Part Deux

2011-08-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

E-mags... yup I've join forces with a few e-mag publishers... Well sort of, I beg them to take me and my work. A whole bunch of folks have told me a suck lately. Who am I to argue with the paying customers. So what I did was grab my nut sack and took a run for the wall... I begged a few folks for another shot and they gave it to me... When it (my Work) appears in e-print I'll post it here. The first is for October, the second in January...We'll see if they love me... or not.

P.S. They (The publishers) don't speak English well so even if they slag me, I'll be able to pretend not to understand and take it as a compliment by saying..."Yhea you too buddy! Thanks!"

-Enjoy!

Some old and some never seen before...

2011-08-02T19:35:00.001-07:00

These were drummed up and I thought I would share them... Memory being what it might be, or rather tech failing me again... I wanted to make sure folks had a chance to see my coloring and art from days gone by and of course see what I've been up to... Archiving of course.

-enjoy!

project end!

2011-07-25T20:41:00.001-07:00

here is an ending banner.
-enjoy

pilot project

2011-07-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

It seems far more difficult these days to get the simplest things done...I wonder how the university researchers do it. They simply ask and things just happen. Not so easy for the rest of the world.

pilot project...

2011-07-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

I'm currently looking for writers and artist to put together short 4 page stories for publication. 4 Page tales will be worked on and seen at...www.4pagetales.blog

So far two writers and two artist are involved in this project. Basic information can be found in the first post of the site.

Davy Jones ...

2011-07-14T08:13:00.001-07:00

This water color was produced for a children's book. I did the image on a 12x14 sheet to get the scale. Unfortunately the project was pulled... So I have this framed piece in my home office as a reminder that even your hard work can be tossed aside for reasons not often shared.

Still, It is good to let the world know that I still use traditional media to do the things I do.

-Enjoy

Illustration FX

2011-07-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do something a bit different here... An image in a sketch book that just seems to leap off the page. I liked how it came out. I think what I might do is a generic sketch book page in B&W and then do color images on top of that. For now this is what I'm Playing around with for fun.

-Enjoy.

Work out -- body change

2011-07-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

I've committed my self to a very light work out style to fit into my life style. Now a year into my efforts I should share the work out.

It is simple...
Do something every day.
Do 10 to 20 reps of something every day.

Thanks is it. It is working. Even when I'm tired I simply can still do ten reps of something. It is pretty amazing. Though I have not lost much in the way of weight. My body shape has changed dramatically. Mostly in the upper body and a slimming of the lower abdominal s too.

What is more humorous is that my children are now saying things like, Dad Superman is stronger then you, or The Hulk can lift way more than you. Hard to argue that though I generally do my work outs between 11:00pm and 1:00am when the little ones are asleep...I'm not sure where they get their ideas from.

I still think I'm pretty average though. Working behind a desk for 7+ hours a day leave little time for other things. This seems to be working for me though.

Mostly calisthenics (Ladies call it Peladies or some such thing) though I do use smaller/light free weights at least twice a week to change up the intensity.

Being stronger allows for more options too. You can do more and want to do more. You need the mental toughness to really push yourself through the really weary days. The mental toughness is what I'm working on. As a parent your mind is often fatigued due to the constant push and pull on your time too. This is a challenge to over come. Being in the mind frame to improve fitness helps take on more and tackle more. I wish I could offer more in the way of getting more sleep between work outs and busy days though I have not solved that challenge yet.

Not my art but funny!

2011-07-05T23:47:00.000-07:00

This made me laugh because it is so hard t deny. Now with a long slow recovery - You hardly can call the recession recovery that... When is the real salvation going to come through once and for all!

Finished Skull Porfolio

2011-06-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

Like I said this one was getting pretty extreme, so instead of using a fabric interior finish, I simply glued down black construction paper. To make it more functional I recycled duo-tang clips so that pages don't fly around. Though I could have simply used an elastic band system to hold things in, I added small holes to give more options and keep the costs way down.

A more price extensive version would have been to use wood and cloth. More durable too! I only wanted a display piece for this one. Just get the idea across and creep a few folks out. I did finish this with a clear coat, which is why your seeing a sheen that was not really there in the previous photos. The previous photos were taken when the paint was still wet.

-Enjoy!

Custom Covers - Cool!

2011-06-27T21:07:00.000-07:00

These are custom covers I've created over the last few weeks. They are relief sculptures one being on a duo-tang for my sons book report which scored a whooping 98%. I'm sure the cover helped. The second with the SKULL!!!!!!!!!! A fun project for a darker theme. It is a custom made portfolio built for 8.5x11 size paper... It is retro fitted with recycled Duo-tang clips though they can be removed for other clips too!

Just fun art for arts sake though I have had requests to do more I have to say that these are going to cost $300-$2,700 dollars for me to create each. Pretty cheap for a functional piece though they are meant for display purposes or stage props then actual every day use. The two seen here are $300 for the bearded man which is Not for sale as it belongs to my son. The second (with the Skull) is currently still under construction. But is looking like $500-$700 depending on how long the second process of interior finishing takes.

For those interested in seeing the real deal, feel free to swing by my place or order your own by request.

- Enjoy

New Illustration...

2011-06-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

This was a crazy adventure... Mob Boss - Leprechaun .... You have to be lucky, not to get killed, not to get hurt, not to get robbed... I figured the perfect fusion would be an Irish Mob Boss meld into this final...

2 weeks of filling out suits and body types and I figured not only is he lucky, he is very comfortable, lets fatten him up. Then I wanted the Italian features of a round or blocked head with a distinguished beard that took the Irish to a new level. The suit is a bit shiny to reflect the sharp glowing style of the mob. I little bling in the ear, nose and hand. Then I made the Shelagh (Snake beating stick) a silver color to top it off.

I did try bowler hats but it was to New York and hid the good features, I tried a south American style hats too... No it did not do the guy justice. I had a full suit version but that was to stiff for an easy going Irishman. You might notice the small homage to the Archie Comics, the hatching on the side of the head. I wanted to do a bit more with the color though this is pretty darn close to what I wanted... Feel free to comment.

- Enjoy and thanks for all your support folks.

Messing around with some ideas.

2011-06-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

Jeeper... Not a word - but spoonerism is. I love that word. It might just be my number one of all time... That leads me to the next illustration I'm knocking around. Something a little mob like with a twist... Oh I can't wait to nail the concept and put it together for viewing goodness.

Myth-A-Con

2011-06-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

Yes I'll be there!
I've arranged to be the GM for the Palladium game settinghttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif. If you have never played Rifts, this is your chance to get a taste. I'll be bringing loads of little extras should the game be pushed forward. More information can be found at the following sites....
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
http://warhorn.net/mythacon2/

You can find more here as well....

http://www.mythacon.ca/

If you want to try the Pen and Pencil gaming, bring your dice and a good pencil! Don't forget to register soon! Ask for it by name and maybe we'll get prime seating and placement.

Better post...

2011-06-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

Here is the published piece slightly larger, based on the short story Meridian by Tony Peak... read it here....

Some times I wish bad news was like lightning... only one in 14 million... The reality is only good news seems to come like lightning.

Brutal........

2011-06-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

This illustration is perfect for my mood.... Yes, Hung by questions and with a rocket hitting my head....Yes an expletive fits well here.
I need to post something more positive. I'll do that next.

Testing

2011-06-04T13:51:00.001-07:00

I just finished a very intense test... I hope I'm considered though it was a tough challenge to juggle all the aspects of the test. I hope I was accurate enough to be given another look over.

I also noticed I was the only male in the room...I'm not complaining though it would have been nice to not feel like the bait in the room.

It would be a cool experience if I was considered for another step forward.

A bit of published work...

2011-06-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

I had to do a ton of research and squeeze this work under the deadline. The story is great and coming up with a visual interpretation was a challenge. I think I nailed it. If there was more time I would have explored the steam lamps a bit more as they seemed like a really awesome concept to the story and the world as a whole. I was impressed with my rendition as I tried to capture the effect of a lighthouse in fog where light radiates only a short distance from the steam vapors. The characters are also pretty complex in their look. If this was to be a feature film a few hundred drawings or paintings would have been made for each character. let alone the number I pushed out in 20+ hours in this piece... here is the post I received... Enjoy!

As part of our effort to bring the community of writers and readers closer together, we will begin sending out a newsletter to keep everyone informed of updates and changes to the website, new publications, and contributor successes. Today I would like to announce that NewMyths' 15th quarterly issue is ready for you to view featuring wonderful original artwork from Richard Grzela based on the short story Meridian by Tony Peak, read it here....

Early posts for the FightOn tales...

2011-05-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is an early post due to volunteer efforts. We are hoping to raise $100,000+ dollars for the community to improve the lives and services for all our neighbors who we live with. You can listen here...

http://fighton.podbean.com/

or

http://fighton.podomatic.com/

Art Record for brush and ink!

2011-05-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

I found this title on-line and had to look into it more...
Qi Bashi's work sold fohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifr a record $65 million at Guardian Auctions in Beijing.

So after a bunch of research and reading I figured I could offer my piece which is smaller by about 1/10th and if I had to part with it I could do so for a meager $750,000 U.S.D.

Now If you are willing to frame it and show it in a public place I would go as low as $600,000 U.S.D.

I've included a couple of photos and Also a few detail shots.
If you like mine please feel free to contact me with a comment on my blog.

I Hope you love it.

The $65 million dollar art version has the asian kanji all over it and I have no clue what it says... Though my art has far less writing it would be equally impressive in a room.

Push up esperiment...and art....

2011-05-25T16:55:00.001-07:00

So I decided to step away from the weights and do calisthenics...push ups to be exact... different positions and motions and discovered a huge improvement in overall body strength in the process. In just a week I discovered more stability through out my body. I feel a bit more solid and my body doesn't quit in 5-10 seconds... maybe I'm getting better, stronger slowly.

I've also had a chance to recover in between work out experiments and review my previous post. I discovered that the series is interesting in that a person waiting tables could have these thoughts or requests in just about any two hour shift. It also occurred to me that the illustrations meaning really seems to change when the simple icon is changed and the the subject matter instantly is juggled to suit that need.

I might do another series... I'm pretty pleased with the first set below.

Exploring Icons...

2011-05-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

When I took on this project I wanted it to be intellectually involved. I simply wanted it to be thought provoking in how to integrate simple Icons into visual imagery that would tell a story. Two things needed to happen for this to work. First I needed subject matter that went beyond simple icons to send a point across. I immediately thought of graffiti as a source of subject--public places that integrated with society would be a perfect area of study. Unfortunately it has been done by many more artist then is acceptable with a message that was not often clear or wanted. I decided to key in on people as a subject matter to explore simple icons.
Who or rather what type of person would likely have a multitude of expressions or situations to deal with in a very normal way. A brain storming session brought to mind a doctor, police, taxi driver and possibly the hotel services people. I finally settled on the food services industry for my person to blend in with icons. Turns out it was a perfect choice. People in food services encounter all types of people from all walks of life. These people have all kinds of needs. So a food service person would need to keep a pleasant and neutral manner in all situations. So here you have my illustrations based on a food service person handling multiple imagines customer inquires with a simple icon response!

After a two week thought and sketch process--This really turned out great.

Raised by wolf...

2011-05-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

I came up with the idea of a character raised by an arctic wolf...similar to the raised by pack of wolves story...the main difference being the child must endure arctic cold and in the process becomes attuned to the harsh natural environment and develops certain physical changes. Here is an illustration based on the physical change the child undergoes while being raised by the arctic wolf....

also wanted to try some thing with simple icons... maybe there is a bigger story here. I just can't seem to get it all out so that it makes sense... Is it real or all illusions.... is life real or illusions... is the illusion the reality? Need to play with the concepts more.

Enjoy!

Illustration...Brain dump

2011-05-21T11:08:00.001-07:00

Just need to get the idea's out... nothing more will come of these I'm sure.

An old friend and workmate

2011-05-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

I ran to an old friend and still lifeguard Alex!
Yes he was shocked to see me too. A pool no less. As challenging as the situations at work was in the past we shared many fantastic great memories as well. It was a pleasure running into the guy again. He looks amazing - 13 years later he still looks like he could take on a whole army.

It's was great, really great to see Alex again holding the torch. We seriously nee to make time to just chat and hang out one day.

CHUTE

2011-05-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

A new blog I'm going to be playing with...We all need imaginary friends right!
http://chutebyrichardgrzela.blogspot.com/

300 work out.... What?!

2011-05-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Since the movies release there have been hundreds of variations to the work out created. I attempted the dead lift with weights and I have to say I thought I was in pretty good shape.

I increased the weight to 40 pounds per dumbbell and tried to do the fifty lifts in the time frame.... I failed miserably. I can't brag here... I remember as a kid doing the twelve minute run and the taste of blood and burning lungs--all those memories flooded back and humbled me.

It did inspire me to do a character sketch though. The character was developed from my physical discomfort... Yes inspiration comes from the strangest of places. I hope to use this character for a new client soon. Maybe they'll love it enough to let me do repeat business work for them.

Noodling and doodling...

2011-05-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

Strange ideas floating about my brain. Time to get them down on paper, or digital threads soon.

Why I don't do many conventions...

2011-05-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

I received an email asking Why! Why do I not do many conventions...
There are two reasons. First is time. Time is in limited quantity. The second is a lack of invitation. Travel is pricey, and to show up to a convention and not be invited is pretty presumptuous. Especially since I'm not a man stream major league player.

I know some folks but I'm not a resoundingly popular character. If your looking to have me at these things you need to ask the convention organizers to looking to having me there. They are the ones trying to make a buck. They want head liners not the little support guy. At best I'm a side kick. No one likes a side kick unless your "Robin" and decide to turn into "Night Wing"... then maybe.

Just finished two illustrations in 2.5 days...

2011-05-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

Very tired and very busy... Ah man! I need more sleep and food, yes, food. I have not been eating well to meet my deadlines on a couple projects. I sure hope these piece have met the expectations of the people who wanted them... I have pound these out and researching a few other piece to see if I can deliver on the needs. Quite a challenging few weeks.

I hope to have images up as soon as the Okays are given.

have a great rest of the week.

Trying Harder- Here's Proof

2011-05-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

This is my homage to the creators of Proof... John "Proof" Prufock... Not the most interesting visually but the idea of working on fellow creator's work often brings nasty comments... Well I did it anyway because people need something to talk about.

I did not go overboard on the colors though I sure could have. Feel free to rip into it and mock at will. The important thing here is that I'm posting far more then ever and I think my skills are improving vastly as I polish off the cobwebs.... Also check out the fight on sites... My idea of audio Twitter clips....

http://fighton.podbean.com/ or http://fighton.podomatic.com/

Having fun - one hour

2011-04-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

Felt a need to play on some character idea's.... Very much in contrast yet thought provoking... You almost want to know more.

Weights...Oh My!

2011-04-29T11:21:00.001-07:00

So I tried to hit the weights... Yup I'm out of shape.
I used to max out my bench at 220 pounds when I was around 170 pounds. These days I weight around 180 to 200 depending on the holiday season at the time. I could not even get the 220 pounds thing off the bench. So sad, so flabby - LOL!

I did find that my over all strength is better though. I curl more and triceps are stronger too, back is stronger then I remember, but bench and squats are very poor as to what I use to do. I use to squat 220 as a free weight and had no problem hitting fifteen reps for three sets... I just tried doing 130 pounds and I was shaking like a leaf in a tornado.... I'm weak!

I'm not sure why I'm sharing this stuff but it might put into perspective the challenges of age and time on the body. The biggest change since that time and now are children, and bills that come with them. I would sum it up as responsibility.

When your single you have a ton of time to go for walks and climb and chase girls and work out and walk around the mall for hours at a time. Now you have to sit at a job and try to keep a roof over everyone's head... Not fun.

It does explain the change in over all fitness though. No one has the ability or the time to stay active for 24 hours. Energy levels are just not there, time is just not there. Most people only sleep 5 hours a day as it is. I'm lucky though, I hit 6 to 8 fairly regularly now that I don't work nights. When on night shifts I was sleeping only 3-4 hours a day... that almost killed me.

Lack of sleep causes random phantom pains and cramping in parts of the body I never knew could cramp... Not good... not at all. So get your sleep! Enjoy your down time any way you can. I recommend a good walk at least one kilometer twice a week. That has helped me a bunch.

What else do you do with your free time...

2011-04-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

Scanned late and posted early - That's a good thing right?!

Past to present - Awards

2011-04-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

Folks who know me or rather, have known me for a long time understand that I have a passion for Art, Fitness and Wrestling. I'm no body builder by any means. These days my sit ups are limited to the length of time I spend in a chair sitting and watching TV. Though I did stumbled on a few of my old wrestling medals. It made me wonder if I should consider getting into that field of work. Fitness... Hmmn.

I volunteered as a wrestling coach for the summer a few years back, the Rebels wrestling team here in Calgary with one wrestler who won provincials. As much as I would like to take credit for that medal I know that wrestler earned it on their own. I won't drop names but The coach, the school and the hard work are proof that anything can happen to any one. I only played a minor role in the learning process to that one particular champion.

Now I'm left with the thought of chasing the fitness career... Then I remembered it is an hourly gig and I know there is no way I can do three hours of aerobics. Fitness coaching and weights I can help people with, but there is no way I'm bouncing around for 3 hours for a few bucks that they pay these days.

It was nice to see the medals again, they can stay in the box!
I need to look for other things to occupy my money earning time.

I spent the last two days looking for a muse...

2011-04-19T08:16:00.001-07:00

I found several here....
http://femalefitnessfigurebodybuilders.blogspot.com/

Men seem to have a much easier time of keeping weight off. These women are visually impressive not only for looks but the work ethic they have to maintain the bodies they have. Wow!

Seriously - WOW!

If ever you need inspiration to get off the couch this would be it.
On a funny note...
My buddy said, "Its a good thing they have strong arms. I need a good woman who can carry my beer and run it over to me in a full sprint. Yup, I'd date her!" he said.

Made me chuckle.

one step closer to more life experiences.

2011-04-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to some more travel. Can't wait for the the stars to align again.

Nice--dodged a bullet...

2011-04-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Nothing short of a miracle a billing error was found where the fault was on the corporations side and they offer apologies, and they found it all on their own - I did not have to point out their process ineffectiveness.... I think hell froze over.

I should have told them to hire me to audit their system to prevent future issues.

Life is good again.

Break...

2011-04-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

Between my fictional tale web cast - FightOn - and the story writing and illustrations - I'm spinning my wheels here!

Not much is panning out. No matter how hard I push no one seem interested in my work right now. Since the school break is over I need to focus on the priorities of my children so I'm taking a break from posting for a week or so. After I upload my "FightOn" I'll be taking a week to just try and get idea's in line and search for a paying job. I might be able to flip a burger or two for a while... not sure what kind of message that sends to my young ones but at least it will cover some bills.

Life just sucks sometimes... I wonder what it would be like if I applied for the CEO job that the corporations family owners handed to their eldest son... Must be nice to be handed a few million shares and being told, "Here's your chance, don't blow it, the family is counting on you." Never mind the family being worth between 7 to 9 billion... depending on the markets.

I can tell you it is easier to make it and harder to keep it. Once you have the bulls-eye on your back, many more people try to bring you down.... Easy come, easy go as they say.

-enjoy your day.

blizzard...

2011-04-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

Dig, dig, dig, you have to dig it to be it. ya dig!

I've been busy...

2011-03-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

To many ideas and too little time. I hope I get some love from all my efforts. I love doing this stuff... I mean what else are you going to do while sitting on the toilet, Read? Not.

I kid!

I did this for Nate!

2011-03-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

This piece was done for the web comic Atland which I hope he uses someday or posts on his blog... I have been a fan of his work for some time and it really nails the fantasy theme too.

Another great scene...HoodooVAlley..

2011-03-31T21:20:00.001-07:00

I was driven by old westerns to make a valley filled with hoodoos. Horse Shoe canyon here in Alberta has a few of these things to check out too. Pretty neat erosion effects to add to your reference material.

Goblin SHort spear... And the goblin

2011-03-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

This is for a project I hope takes off... Though a sneak peek might be a good thing here.

Arg - Sleep!

2011-03-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

Yes I noticed that my posts are a bit - error filled... SO what! Being a parent and balancing multiple parts of your life to try and make the world a better place takes up time, and energy and yes I usually post at strange hours.

Most would argue that I have no excuses for poor grammar and spelling and so on... Hey, no one forces you to read the posts. Though your welcomed to. Heck even comment if you want.

This blog is an exercise of venting more then entertaining or going for a professional slant in any sense. This blog is simply a small contribution to the web that will likely stay on forgotten when I am long gone.

Oh no, there I go again with the death theme... I still haunts me though far less then when the first emotions were storming after the event.

Why Fate?

2011-03-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

So a few people have asked why I chose the fate or fates. This project I 'm contributing to is part of a collection of art based on classical literature. The fates have been depicted through out ancient and classical literature for as long as the writing language has been around. Everyone believes to this day that fate plays a roll in their lives and seem to refuse to take responsibility for their own destination.

I certainly think fate plays a roll in life. I mean who goes out an plans to find a bag of money or to be in a near fatal accident?

These are things left more to chance than by choice. That question proves that not all things are controllable.

The Fates

2011-03-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

I have put this together for a book that will be appearing at the Comic show here in Calgary. This is a selection from juries for the final book so there is a chance that piece I'm submitting is not selected. I'm placing a low res version here to support Calgary Comic artists at any rate. The final book will have awesome talent. Some I know personally.

Enjoy my small contribution to the others that will rock!

Feast plan - Find the best Dive, diner or drive in....

2011-03-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure about other folks, I know I sure would like to find the diamond of a dive that has the best damn food.
Pizza ....and value hands down goes to Papa Johns.
Asian ....is undetermined.
Vietnamese Subs .... A hot spot is in down town Calgary in china town mall. A little gem that has it down pat.
Best desserts.... Tough though I love the offerings at Boston Pizza.
Falafal or Swarmas .... Undetermined.
Donairs .... Undetermined, though a place downtown use to hit it home before closing.
Best Bubble Tea ... Undetermined.

The list goes on though I wish there was a place that had the best offerings.

Understanding Gay Women - You can't!

2011-03-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

I just don't understand the whole lesbian/gay thing. These women clearly have the same thing in common with men, so why do they not hang out with men or more to the point date men... It's possible that they have though, I'm not sure. I just don't understand the whole gay thing. It just makes sense that if you have the same likes and desires as the opposite gender you are trying to avoid just to be with your own gender... would it not make sense to hang out with the gender you have the most in common with. I mean Men love women, Women who love women should hang out with men-No?

Maybe the competition issue gets in the way.
It is probability the same for gay men. Women love men, why don't more gay men hang out with women?

I still do not get it! Maybe I'm just to straight.

Theater poster pitch

2011-03-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

Theater, yes that is what motivated this piece. A group of young actors are redoing the wizard of Oz with a hip hop twist on the tale. I loved the concept and submitted my concept art for a promo poster. Unfortunately they did not use any poster submitted. So sad. From what I understand the show did not take off. Well that just goes to show you even in L.A. the big shows do not always work out.

-Enjoy!

DarkSun - Comic

2011-03-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed seeing the promo art for the dark sun comic. It is a spin off of the D&D game of the same name DARKSUN is a trademarked name too! This illustration is drawn from the darksun world.

-Enjoy

My color

2011-03-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Here is my color over the illustration of N. Johnson.
This is in no way a finger poking exercise. It is important to share Ideas and concepts and loves for the creative medium. I said I would do this color in the future. It has been along time and the rivalry we had has vanished and we have moved in our own direction. Though we still share a strong drive for visual impact. I want this to be seen as a learning version - I know there are people that could digitally paint the heck out of this too. I wanted to preserve the balance of the cartoon and comic and animation feel his work has and show it in a way that says hey, I think something else is about to happen here, look at the moody sky and the blue flames.

Now that I look at this piece, I almost want to break the page up and put the God / angel figure on the other side and possibly flip the top have of the image to do so. I think if you really want to divide the image, add more contrast then that woulds have been the way to go. I still like how the colors add a bit more depth though. It is all in the creative license.

Enjoy!

Color

2011-03-21T09:13:00.001-07:00

I don't like to post by other creators unless it has a reason. Today I post art by nick Johnson who illustrated and drew this pic for a band. He is also a young creative who I challenged and had a friendly rivalry with. At some point I said I would redo the colors on the piece so I leave you with his work first. It is a really good composition.

illustrations bound

2011-03-12T19:04:00.001-08:00

Its been crazy! The bird head came from reading the graphic novel Proof. Riley Rossomo (Forgive the miss spelling)the artist chose a buzzards head for the piece of a fire bird. He has so much energy in his illustrations. In the industry a ton of people want tight lines and clean images, he gives you energy and action. There is so much kinetics force in his still images that some are just hard to look at after a while. It's like his whole book is on a major cafe latte kick. The most mundane scenes really seems to pop with his style of illustration. I love it. Needless to say he inspired me to re-read his stuff simply based on visual power. I had to draw the buzzards head.

The professor character is a spin off of professor X of the x-men books. another re-imagined version where he would be more of an educator and practicing psychologist rather then a mutant teacher and mentor. The version I created really pokes at the idea of a psychologist giving stern advice to a mutant student who is not grasping the real world from a human perspective... Yes the professor speaks to me more then usual these days.

Another morbid idea I needed to get out.

2011-03-04T22:32:00.001-08:00

Geez - this stuff really is a reflection of life.... Will it ever end?
The mind functions on it's own. I wish I had more control over what the tiny neurons farted out.

Preoccupation....

2011-03-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

I needed to get this off my mind.... I hope I'm done with it for a while.