Focus. Stay on Target.

Hey there Sports Fans, Al here with the latest:

What is a creative issue that prevents work from being done?

Fear is usually the first one that comes to mind. Real or imagined can cripple the creative spark within all of us.

Misdirection is another. This one is tricky because real life doesn't always run parallel with the creative flow. In fact, sometimes I have found myself falling into this problem because you don't want something to end other times you fall for ... wait for it...

lack of enthusiasm for a project.

I think that this happens all the time to creative people. Probably the best well-known person is Geroge R.R. Martin and the "Game of Thrones" books. It has been shown that he has been busy writing other stories and scripts for tv and buying a ton of stuff that most nerdy collectors would kill for. But he can't bring himself to finish the books. But down deep in the heart of the creative when you are bored of working on a project. Like you would be working at a restaurant in the dish pit and you are doing the same job over and over again your body just goes through the motions and your mind shuts down. It's like that returning to any art project.

HOWEVER, there are times when a renewed vigor comes in like a long-awaited tide to cover the rough edges that you had so many issues with, and then you are left with a self-question "why did I stop doing this?"

What has this to do with anything? Well, funny you should ask the metaphorical question. In my case when I was cranking out a bunch of Richard Parker stuff before the Pandemic lockdown I had a major hard-on for getting my Robot Monster story completed and written and drawn. At the time I wanted to prove to myself that I still could make a regular comic book that I would be into as a kid. And when the lockdown happened I had remarked to my girlfriend at the time, "Well at least now I can finish Robot Monster."

But what of Parker? He rolled out to sea like the morning tide. But with so many things in life like the lockdown, the civil unrest, the break-up from a long relationship, a move, a wildfire threat, rehired, move again, "Last Monster on Earth!" finished and sent off to my editor, and the recent election Parker rolled back in.

And as I had mentioned before - FOCUS.

A large explosion of creativity burst forth - where do I need to fill in the visual gaps to make sense to the reader? If I were picking this up for the first time would it make sense? I will admit that sometimes the burden to see things through is tough because you do sit down at an art table day after day using the same techniques to flesh out a character or general idea. But focus to sit down just to start is a good beginning. And unlike those dishes being stacked there is an end to the story.

Focus.

Moving into the Future

Hey there Sports Fans! Al here with the latest:

I’m not talking about time travel - yet! I’m still working on that. Probably something closer to Donnie Darko.

And I’m not talking about the time change either.

So, people are ramping up spikes - or at least that my opinion anyway from what I am hearing BUT WHAT does that have to do with art?

Honestly, absolutely nothing. Just wanted to say it.

But really, I am going to focus and try to get the remainder of Richard Parker. There I think that I have 5 panels I have left to work on to finish off the book, the story, and everything.  And then it's a change-up in the focus of the book and the upcoming show. Hard work first, get the creative part locked down and hi res scanned. 

Collate them into a Large PDF format. 

Send out a couple of dummy copies to a few people to look over and see if there are any gaps that I am missing in the story and then it's off to the races to find someone who wants to take this monster on OR crowdfund this beast and take it across the ocean (both of them). And then see what happens. 

If anything. I have hope because I know that my scratchboard work is very good and yes, I just patted myself on the back but it was worth it. If I can in a small show sell a chunk of my art both original and prints then a collection of the work on one topic should do well. 

So that is happening. 

And then there delving into the podcasting deal that I brought up this week. That is not just talk, it is something that had been on my mind just like it was when I started thinking about getting into electrical work and a license because there weren't a lot of guys who were doing it or had been trained as part of their job service. 

But because I love comic books and mediums of the past. I am not so much into the modern stuff that is coming out. I think Doom was about the most interesting that I have been reading. Though my favorite villain that I have yet to see really done justice is Kang the Conqueror. A time-traveling world despot. I think that is what the world needs right now to unite. One secular focus. My God, what we could do if we all came together. A podcast I think could be really fun. I can't think of another topic that other than talking about trek. There I said it. "It always comes back to trek."

…and on top of that…

There are also the short stories that I have been working off and on again. my version of the future in a story concept called Star Trek Nomad. I have been working out the plot for the story and talking them out loud and soon to work it into a draft of some kind either it being a comic or a novelization. The point of the matter is that the current trek that is out there sucks. I just don’t like murder trek. There isn’t any theoretical science to explore or the morals that intelligent beings have with one another. Even the concept of time travel is messed up. And there are so many things you could explore by asking questions. Again Star Trek is about exploration both of the adventure outside and the struggle to be better inside. This all stems from a response that I had to one of those YouTubers named Robert Meyer Burnett https://youtu.be/_-ckM1fMrKw . At 27min. 15sec in Is a letter that I sent in that started this off. His response to my letter gave me the jumping point to write a story. And that story is still evolving.

On the Air....?

Hey there Sports Fans, Al here with the latest:

Podcasting?

Say what?

That is an endeavor that I am looking into these days. After looking and more likely listening to over the last five months that I was out of work I began to feel disconnected. But as sat I heard a number of people, of everyday commentators who were watching and seeing how the cultural landscape was changing. They felt the same as I did about what was changing.

And it was not for the better.

Pop-Culture has been under attack from many outside forces and internal as well. Now you may have noticed over the years that I had been working towards getting into the comic-book industry for years with not a lot of success. But I still love the medium and still write and draw comic after comic. But money always seems to play the key factor if you are successful. In short, I was not. As a close friend of mine said (to paraphrase) "How much do you make off a comic-book? And then how much do make a single image?" It's apples to oranges my friends and not a single image not selling or being shown = no cash flow.

Along with the free time I had if I wasn't fearful of Wildfires sweeping in and purify the land of all my work and living, the harmful effects of smog town USA, or the massive civil unrest that lurks just beneath the surface ready to explode all magnified by a worldwide pandemic. I had no job and some time on my hands. But the idea of social commentary struck me as "That topic is funny as hell!" Social life has thrown a helluva a curve and not much social interaction going at work or outside of the fear factor of meeting that walking vector point I need to express. Why is this happening? WHY are people being stupid in their writing?

I know myself to be sarcastic and even sardonic at times depending on the topic being spoken about. My ex used to say to me "Why do you laugh at everything?" My response was "Because everything is funny." If I didn't laugh at the hairless chimps I would have already gone mad and be left out on the streets like so many homeless that I have walk past to get to work.

The polarization of modern society is stupid. Using a social platform to cancel people with impunity is stupid. Subverting expectations is stupid. Racism is stupid. Sexism is stupid. Mass media is stupid. Basically, the world in of itself is stupid.

AND how would end all of these social topics on the air? A tag line. Again I refer back to my ex and what she would say to me “Whatever the topic, whatever scene dear listener, it always comes back to trek.” And that does really cover it.

Time and Place

Time and Place

Hey, there sports fans, Al here with the latest:

Well as it turns out, yet another move of a physical means has once again transpired and this kid, this lone artist has once again transported himself to a new/old home. I feel like a member of a Star Ship that has transported down to the surface a planet that I was stationed on and have come back on a new mission. I feel that way every time I step out the door of the house onto the porch and look around. I have moved back into the same old neighborhood, the same ol’ house and friendly roommate, and the same old bedroom that I once had where so many of my ideas burst forth. And with moving into this very familiar area I am visited upon by old habits.

Habits rolling in like wearing a well-worn pair of shoes but with one major change, the looming pandemic. It has left its thumbprint over everything familiar. Old places that I used to roost at, bars where I used to draw are no longer a situation that I can do.

That deal is over.

It's cutting into my business as far as commission go. How does this all relate to art you may say? A great deal, actually as I stopped in at a local bar. As I was chumming around with a few people over a pint the curator of one of my first shows happened to be in and we started talking. Prints might be the way to go along with magnet hangers to hold them up as opposed to frames for the original scratchboard pieces. There was even talk about the small nameplates that are posted with each image with a caveat of “original available” for sale. This could be a new way of looking at selling work. Not everybody has the disposable income that they once had. Shows really how fragile we all are in a situation that shuts down the world.

There is hope that artwork will continue. In an old familiar area, surrounded by old friends who have supported me for a long time. And after all, this has happened new works keep getting created. Once done, they’ll be ready for sale. That is the best one could hope for.

BUT there is one thing during the year that has come around which is one of those dates that I wait for- INKTOBER!

Now of course the beginning of this if memory serves I got involved with it in 2015. Most of the time it has been an interesting event to be a part of. Seeing what I take as a literal word and turn it into something visual. Of course, someone I know had to point out that there was an infringement issue on the use of “inktober” as a brand to another artist that created something very similar to a lot of the same ideas of what creates for the artists. This also comes up when so many people have been polarized by current events in the world. I looked into this a bit and found that the problems exist. What I came back with after reading the article was this: Every artist, every musician gets “ripped off every day”. Is this right? Hell no it isn’t, but people have been doing for years. And it ain’t gonna stop either. Will I stop using the prompts? Maybe. We’ll see. I do know that there are people who during October do post a new image once a day but aren’t using any pre-determined prompts to help an artist generate new imagery. SO there you have it a new move, change, and a place to breathe a little easier.

Late Blog for 9/13/2020

Is this it?

Are these last days?

Are they nigh?

Nay, I say.

I am staying as positive as I can that even though to most these days are looking bleak and Grey like the smoke that hangs like a sparely lit specter of doom overhead. And you have say “NOPE! That’s not gonna happen.”

With so many people complaining about this and that I have to wonder if the world and Mother Nature decided that the stupid kids in control of the world need to be spanked. With all the social issues that we have She in her infinite wisdom said “That’s it!”

Now really what does this odd amount of insight have to do with an artistic blog?

Well, I’m glad that you asked. It actually has everything to do with this blog and this artist.

Think about it. I’m an artist living in America in the State of Oregon and which also happens to be one of the centers of major civil unrest – the City of Portland.

Before St. Patrick’s Day earlier this year, everything was going well art was moving forward, stories were being written down, I was living comfortably with my girlfriend. I was getting paid well, bills were under control, new licenses for advancement were being learned, and earned- overall financial plans were being planned for the future.

BUT then a dreaded Novel Virus Named COVID-19 burst out of the Middle Kingdom and decided to put the breaks on everything that made the world go round. Entertainment was the first to spiral out of control and everyone in their “so-called” right minds were canceling each other at the drop of a pin. Politics – always a dead-end when looking for an answer to anything. And the police stepped over the line and the nation exploded with more civil unrest than I think the 1960s did when I was l born.

A breakup happened, a physical moving a living situation within a pandemic and civil unrest going on at the same time. No job. And like Chicken Little is the sky falling now? I keep hearing about asteroids flying by.

“WOW!” was the only thing that I could even think of like this all happen as I slide into the second half of my life. I’m 53 now and mind, you this on the downward slope.

Well as a sole individual illustrator of the comic medium I started thinking how would one cope with all the chaotic turmoil going on around locally as well as worldly? Make a story that chronicles the dealing of a comic artist and his dealings with the antics of the world in a humorous way. It would be an over the top character.

In fact, that’s what story would be called “Over the Top”. And it’s subtitle- A comic book creators survival guide to the modern-day apocalypse.

Now does this have anything to do with Richard Parker? No, not really but that is continuing as well.

Unfortunately, depending on how the wildfires are going south of the Middle Kingdom I may not have the physical artwork but I would have scanned copies on an external hard drive that I could access. At least I would have that.

But now how I would I market that?

Anyway, you can read that my mind is in a unique place right now as I wait for the rain to fall.

This kid is out of here and having to plan the next move.