Today’s sketch doesn’t really come from any ‘deep thoughts’ or a jam thread happening on any art forums or anything like that. I was just thumbing through one of the TELLOS trades this morning and I kind of got fixated on how I drew RIKK back then. It’s odd– even though I had a book on foxes that a studio intern gave me (hi, Tessa….!) to reference– and I DID use it (though it doesn’t really show), the way I drew RIKK at that time was to make him look more like a dog than a fox. I think one of the things I did back when Todd and I were first working on TELLOS was that though I love to draw animals, I was trying to draw my impression of what the animal characters I was drawing were more than what they actually looked like. That’s, I think, a conceit that I’ve since moved beyond. At one point, I felt that an artist should be able to work mostly from his/her memory and…. I guess, heart…. instead of working from an informed place of having reference from which to springboard. At times I set aside the golden rule I heard so many years ago that one should ‘learn the rules before going on to break them’. I think I’ve done much better in that regard in the subsequent years of my career. Life is, after all, a constant learning experience.

Well, tomorrow– the seventh day of the seventh month of the 2007th year– is supposed to be an incredibly lucky day. I hope that each and every one of us has something lucky happen to us. Have a great weekend, all.

This is Entry 397.

Mike

Well, today’s the in which our country celebrates the Declaration of Independence of our new nation from British rule in 1776. It’s a day of fireworks, cookouts, swimming, family and friends. Me… I’m sitting here at home drawing with a LAW AND ORDER TV marathon playing on TNT in the background. I’m trying to wrap up some cover work for a couple of independent (hey… that kind of ties in to the holiday, huh…?) comics I promised to do before plunging headlong into my next project that will keep me chained to the drawing table for most of the rest of the year. I don’t know how many of you will actually be checking in here on the old site today since most folks have the day off…. but I thought for any of you who DO stop by… I’d post another sketch of the ‘girl by the sea’. For those folks who might not be around a computer today, then there’ll be something for them to see tomorrow.

OK… I’m keeping it brief today. For those of you who are taking part in the Independence Day festivities, have a great time.

This is Entry 396 (T-MINUS 3 TO 400).

Mike

It’s been a while since I took part in one of the sketch jam threads over on DRAWINGBOARD.ORG. They’ve started one recently that features characters with the title ‘DOCTOR’ in their names. This prompted me to work up a sketch of a character I’ve wanted to draw for some time… but never had the spark of inspiration to give me that kick in the pants I some times need. As a kid, I was aware of DR. FATE… but I was never that big a fan of the character. Not, that is, until I saw issue of FIRST ISSUE SPECIAL on the stands featuring Walt Simonson’s DR.FATE story. I don’t have to tell anyone familiar with Simonson’s work just how brilliant a creator he is… he’s been breaking ground and thrilling fans for decades in the comics industry. Simonson made FATE just so damned cool in FIS #9… it was eye opening. I’ve never seen the character handled as wonderfully since. Walt’s work on that one comic left an indelible impression on my imagination that carries through to this day. When I think of DR. FATE, I think of Simonson’s version. If you don’t have a copy of this comic, you can find it on eBay pretty easily, I’d bet… it would be well worth adding to your collection. The amazing thing about Walt Simonson’s work is that it’s timeless. You can pick any period of his work– and it’s just as fresh and thrilling today as it was when it was originally published. He’s truly unique in that respect.

Sorry the post’s so late today… I had a chiropractor’s appointment this morning, and that threw me off.

This is Entry 395.

Mike