Framing

This sketch of Gravagna is, as far as I can recall, the first oil painting I've taken the effort to have framed. Certainly the first of my own paintings that I've hung in my home. Every time I look at it I am struck by what a difference a nice frame makes for a picture.

And to that end, Anna framed the little picture I did of Angelica as Santa Lucia:



Here's a picture I finished this week of St. Christopher. I guess this one goes out to my Nephew Christopher!




And to wrap up this post, my internet friend Eric Orchard, who is a very talented illustrator in his own right, has started a New Retro Futuristic Blog where he has somehow managed to snag an interview with... Mike Mignola?!? Wh..? How did he do that?

Ink Slinger

This picture was sketched from a photograph of Angelica on the morning she woke us up as Santa Lucia for a beautiful midwinter breakfast.

In other work news I've been slinging ink like a madman and getting buried in comics pages as I try to get this crazy graphic novel all in order. There are worse things to be buried in (trust me). One funny thing about working intensely on comics is that every so often I realize that I’m making sound effects while I draw. I think this might actually be pretty common among illustrators and other artists, especially when working on more exciting projects. But common or not, I still look up occasionally -embarrassed even though there’s no one in the room to notice my “howling wind” noise or my “bellowing troll” noise.

And while we’re on the subject of comics: there’s a fun interview with me up on the Parable Site right now. This interview actually started a year ago, and then picked up last week. The interview makes no mention of my “bellowing troll” noise.

Homeschool Holidays

Over the weekend I discovered the artwork of Rima Staines, a talented illustrator who’s blog takes “art and adventure” to a whole new level. She lives in a Gypsy Caravan.

Life on the road... Anna and I recently managed to take our own troop of performing mice on a Homeschool Holiday (or “field trip” in the vernacular) to the Smithsonian museums in DC. The highlights were definitely the Butterfly Exhibit at the Natural History Museum (free on Tuesday!) and the Pompeii Exhibit at the National Gallery. Now the edges of my world have sprawled out into the realms of the Pink Fairy Armadillos. Just days ago I would have insisted that you were making those things up.

Finally, I just read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and it was really, really great. Now sketches.

One of the above mentioned performing mice:



My own hand (in a fanciful sleeve):

Ho Trovato un Scoiattolo en la Strada

Yes, I found a squirrel in the road today.

Angelica and I periodically draw the animals that we find. We've drawn birds and mice and old bones and, recently, the hermit crab. Today we had the chance to draw a recently killed squirrel. I went out for a walk and as I was coming home there was a dead squirrel in the road. He wasn't there on my way out, and he was still ...flexible. So I brought him home.

We sat outside and made drawings of him. Unfortunately I can never post angelica's life drawings because she always meticulously cuts them out and ferrets them away somewhere. So I'll just post mine for now:



(Only the front half. The cold got to me and I fizzled out on the back.)

This last week I've been reading a book called The Forger's Spell which, if you are into art, history, or a good caper, I highly recommend. The book recounts the story of Han van Meegren, a forger who made millions selling Hitler and high ranking Nazis fake Vermeer paintings.

Lastly, something from the vault -A ninja turtle!:

Happy Birthday Julia

A year ago today I was wishing I had called the midwife earlier.

I've been fooling with a little story for Julia -here's a picture I made for her:




The story is about a sleepy sunday afternoon when Julia goes out into the yard by herself and meets the Other People.

A Picture is Worth...

Thinkin' about Gravagna. Thinking about when the kids would dress up the chickens.