If you recall, my motley crew of loyal followers *snarf* I have been asked to create the art for an upcoming release by the band Chasing Norman. They provided me with a sketch of what they wanted and I produced a digital translation, submitting it to them sometime last week. Here is that first proof, just to refresh your memory:
Well, I am pleased to announce that the first round of edits came a few days ago. I have made the changes and resubmitted the art for round #2. I am anxious to hear back from them, as this project is a LOT of fun. The new art is below. Note that the changes from the band did not include adding the name, or even working on a design for the name. That is just me fooling around, though I can't say I dislike it. Anyways, enjoy, and could the last one here get the lights on their way out?
Today I am proud to share with you a look forward in time. Nothing, of course, is set in stone. So, it should be understood that what I am about to share with you is a view of one possible future. Depending upon the decisions that we humans make, and the actions we take, the actual future may be quite different. Still, it is wise to be vigilant. To become complacent is to welcome the following scenario. I am calling it 'Option #001'...
There is this spot I know about that often yields interesting 'canvases'. It is a sort of 'King Solomon's Mine' in my world; a magical land with a portal to a dimension of creativity. Well, its really just a dumpster behind a restoration company, but its so fun to poke my head in there on occasion and discover what has been deemed trash that day.
The unearthed treasure in this case, of course, is the window which had seemingly reached the end of it's life. I imagine it had accepted its own fate. Perhaps it had even been heading steadily into the warm, welcoming light when I jerked it back from the brink. Not so fast, flaky. It isn't your time yet. You have been given a reprieve.
Later, when it came down to deciding how to use the window, I really did not have to think too long. Almost immediately the chicken popped into my head. Somehow it felt obvious. It must be an association between the peeling paint and an image of old farmhouses.
The flames were next to come to mind. You will notice they are rendered to look fake when compared to the chicken itself. It is as if they are cut from wood and stuck to the chicken's body. I have seen the use of 'fake on realistic' in the past and always like the effect. I guess I saw the chance and went for it.
As for the UFOs and the uniformed worshipers, what can I say? The giant, flaming chicken was so absurd, I felt compelled to balance it with something more realistic... more commonplace.
Leonardo Da Vinci would approve. I am sure he and his crew of interior decorators wore respirators whenever they filmed a new episode of 'Flip This Cathedral'.
I painted this when I first got hired on over at the film studio/ Military–industrial complex. Having wormed my way into the job with no portfolio and a skillfully written introductory email, I figured it was just a matter of time before it dawned on anyone to question my qualifications. Nothing says 'talent' like a poorly conceived knock-off of a well-known masterpiece, befouled by a hackneyed gag. Am I right?
The one 'clever' twist, if any, is that the mask was actually painted on a seperate piece of wood. It does a fair job of resembling the brand provided to the prop artists in the mold shop.
I had considered painting the straps, but the image worked as is. The folks above me got a chuckle and, just like that, I was considered worthy of the position. I stayed at the job until it became clear that they had no intention of providing the workers with A.) a decent wage, and B.) healthcare. Heck, I can be uninsured working for myself. What did I need them for?
I have a son. He is 15 for at least a few more months. He is a great guy. He keeps better grades than I did, which is wonderful. He also spends a great deal of time focused on music. In fact, he is in a kickass band called Chasing Norman.
He and his bandmates all attend the School of Rock in North County and there is little question that they are dedicated. Most bands can not keep it going due to simple personality conflicts. At fifteen years old (average age of members), there is a symbiosis between them that is often not seen with much older musicians. It is just plain difficult to get 4 people together for a common goal, without egos and personalities mucking up the works. I am proud of all of them for making it work.
In any case, the band has been working on an album to be released sometime this year... soon, I believe. They have honored me by asking that I produce the cover art. The design is based off of a sketch by one of the guitarists.
All I had to do from there was translate it in my own way. That meant tracking down clipart and manipulating it in Photoshop and Illustrator. The result is below.
I should note, the request of the band is that the final art be painted/ drawn. I don't have to tell you how much work that would require. Its safe to say more than one day. I look forward to getting the go ahead so I can dive into the project. Its going to be fun.
Finally, you didn't think I would let you get out of here without a taste of Chasing Norman, right?
A decade ago or so I received a videotape from a friend of a friend, who himself had a friend, Phil Gullett, who was working as an animator in Chicago. This period was a somber one for American animation companies because their demise was emanate; The writing was on the wall, and it was written in Korean.
Mr. Gullett, if my memory can be trusted, was primarily a background artist. Working at StarToons (1995-2001, Chicago, Ill.) he had a hand in many projects, including various episodes of such high-profile projects as 'The Animaniacs' and 'Histeria'. But the crowning glory of his career may have been revealed to me that fateful day when I first viewed the videotape.
Co-created with co-worker Dave Pryor, the single pilot episode was titled 'Rye Noon' and starred a character named Tuna Sammich. The story I got was it had been shopped around to various networks, but none could find a place in their line-up for a talking sandwich. Stingy bastards.
For almost a decade afterwards, I lamented the fact that this brilliant cartoon would never get the credit it deserved from cartoon-watchers worldwide.
Finally, with the birth of YouTube , I would regularly search for the upload of Rye Noon, but always came up empty. Frustrated, I decided to seek out the creators and ask them why on earth would they allow Tuna Sammich to go unseen and unappreciated. In time, I made contact with Dave Pryor. He told me that the cartoon was the property of Jon McClenahan, the owner of StarToons. It seemed unlikely that the sammich would ever see the light of day.
....
....
....until January 26th of this year, that is!! I found it last week. I don't know who posted it. I don't care. Before I send you off to see the wonder that is Tuna Sammich, I want to promote the current blogs of Dave Pryor ( http://davepryor72.blogspot.com/ ) and Phil Gullett ( http://phil-are-go.blogspot.com/ ). I am a semi-regular respondant on Phil's blog, which is often hilarious and published every weekday.
And now, Tuna Sammich in 'Rye Noon' ....
I believe Phil was the voice behind the sammich, and that he was in the band, blueWank, that plays during the closing credits. Just to be clear, I am about 90% sure of the facts as I presented them. But were I to be 100% incorrect, it would not change the fact that Tuna Sammich is available for all to see. THAT is a fact.
THIS JUST IN...
Upon further inspection, another animation creation from Phil Gullett has been unearthed! It must be your lucky day!...
Impressive. And then, of course, there are the countless artists who have painted pictures of Mr. Belly over the years. Well, forget all of them. What is important is who has painted him most recently. I believe that would be me.
I have been away so long, there is a layer of dust on my blog an inch thick. What is that smell?... Oh. Oh, god! I forgot I had left the pork on the counter to thaw! Well, I won't be eating that. *blech*
It feels good to be back. I trust the multitudes have not abandoned me...?
*crickets chirping*
Ahhh. nice.
So, there was a point at the beginning of December when I could have justified my absence by explaining how I had been in Japan for 3 weeks. Unfortunately, I spent the rest of that month hibernating with a blanket over the window, unaware of whether it was day or night the few times I was awake.
January marked my wife's return from Japan, and my return to the realm of the living. I was amazingly productive in the first month of 2012, creating 3 new works d'art and starting 2 others. All this while continuing my day job. What a person I am.
Japan left it's mark on me, again. There is a lot to take in for any visitor to the land of the rising sun. Moreso when you are 'philadvertistic', as I am. Yes, philadvertistic... a lover of advertising design. Go ahead and look it up. Its probably somewhere near the back of the dictionary. Or I made it up. In any case, I was influenced by what I saw and the piece I share today is a good example.
Woodblock printing has a rich history in Japan. You have likely seen the most famous example of this art style many times: "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" (神奈川沖浪裏)
According to Wikipedia, it was created in the 1820s by an the artist known as Hokusai, though he had changed his name to Iitsu. He was 60-something at the time. If you will indulge me a moment, I want to share this quote I copied from Wikipedia. It shows how amazingly humble this great artist was.
"From around the age of six, I had the habit of sketching from life. I became an artist, and from fifty on began producing works that won some reputation, but nothing I did before the age of seventy was worthy of attention. At seventy-three, I began to grasp the structures of birds and beasts, insects and fish, and of the way plants grow. If I go on trying, I will surely understand them still better by the time I am eighty-six, so that by ninety I will have penetrated to their essential nature. At one hundred, I may well have a positively divine understanding of them, while at one hundred and thirty, forty, or more I will have reached the stage where every dot and every stroke I paint will be alive. May Heaven, that grants long life, give me the chance to prove that this is no lie."
His Kanagawa wave painting has been borrowed from a million times, and I have no shame in presenting to you the latest such theft:
I am calling this 'Totari Oosamu' (totally awesome.) It seems to fit well with the small collection of paintings I have made so far. The photo is not great, and I appologize for that. It is, of course, acrylic on a fiberboard panel. The frame is made from cedar. I utilized a dado blade to cut the notches for the pieces to interlock.
As for the message in the upper left, it translates as:
An idea came to me: I should buy a puppy.
These words, too, are a reference to an artist of a different kind. A comedic artist known as Brian Regan. I will close today's post with the bit which inspired my words.
