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Archive for ‘March, 2010’
14 results.
Well, Folks, this is it! The end of issue eleven, as well as the end of the forthcoming second trade paperback. That’s whole lot of comic. On one hand I feel bittersweet about this ending, and on the other hand I am very excited about the next epic chapter in our tale. We’re not taking a break between books, so Issue 12 page 1 comes up next Monday!
Scott
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Hello Everyone!
I haven’t written a new blog in a while, so I figured it is time for some long, candid thoughts. If you don’t care for such mental meanderings, that’s fine, just skip this post.
There’s been a particularly nasty head cold going around in central Indiana, and Benita and I traded it back and forth twice, so that each of us was sick twice. We developed coughs, and that meant lots of cough syrup, much of it with Codeine. We slept a lot. Now we are largely past this little bought of illness, and getting back to our normal lives. The only positive thing I take away from this experience is that it is reasonably comfortable to lie on my back and draw in my sketchbook. (I would not have thought this to be the case, really.)
I purchased Riven Phoenix’s course, “The Structure of Man.” I strongly believe that drawing the human form well calls for a life-time commitment to learn the skills and anatomy necessary. I go to life drawing studios at the Indianapolis Art Center weekly, and this has helped tremendously, but I’ve long felt that I’ve hit a plateau. So, I ordered this course, which has 45 hours of video training on it. It is my sincere intent to use the knowledge held within to polish of some the weak points in my drawing ability.
We set up a store for Benita on www.basicallybenita.com, and we have three t-shirts for sale there. I did the penciling, and Benita did the coloring and lettering on these. I’m really proud of all this, because it took a lot of effort to figure out how to effectively set up this storefront. It took three plugins working in concert, and I actually paid for the premium version of one of them. (I mention this because we have all gotten so used to getting software for free online. There are even free versions of many high-end programs out there!) Anyway, as I was saying, there will soon be a new, replacement Johnny Saturn store, and we plan to sell (among other things): comics, trade paperbacks, t-shirts, posters, prints, PDF or CBR downloads, and much more. Really, this is just over the top exciting for us.
Scott.
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Hi, Folks!
These last few weeks have been, shall we say, “non-standard” around here. I’d like to think that we are back in the saddle and gearing up for some big stuff. (Ah, the joy of mixed metaphors!)
At the moment, plans to put “Johnny Saturn” out for the Kindle have been halted. It seemed like a great idea, but a full “Johnny Saturn” page on the Kindle screen is just illegible. It is my hope that this can be figured out, but at the moment this push has stalled out.
I’m working on putting a new transcription plugin on the site, John Coswell’s “What Did They Say” plugin. This has all the potential of being really fun for reader and creator, and helping out our traffic. Unfortunately, I’ve run into problems with it, and I can’t get it to work right. I’ve got a post on John’s forum asking for help, so perhaps he can get us up and running.
I have a huge artistic goal for the rest of this year, and it’s not the standard “draw better” or “study anatomy” type of goal. Essentially, I want to be able to draw at my top level no matter what my mood or energy level is like. The way it currently stands is that I draw pages in silence at my art table in my art nook. If I’m sick, or someone stresses me out, or I’m really tired, then I no longer draw with inspiration, but get by on learned skills and memory.
Perhaps I should explain. When we learn a skill like art or music, we practice a great deal to learn patterns and processes and build muscle memory. When we start drawing, then we purposely forget all those rules and set out on inspiration. You don’t really forget all the rules, of course—they are still there and hard at work in your subconscious.
A comparison might be a master guitarist—he learned all those chords and scales and modes and so on, but when he bends his mind to playing he thinks of none of that. The technical aspects drop out of conscious thought, and there is a direct conduit between the musician and the music.
Well, musicians always play, no matter what’s going on. The generally don’t skip concerts because they are in the wrong mood, or suddenly switch to playing only rhythm guitar because playing lead guitar feels clumsy. Well, that’s how I want to be with my art. The show must go on.
Scott.
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Hi, Everyone! I made several updates to Monday and Thursday’s comics. On Monday, the tall man is putting a pillow behind his head rather than sticking a music tube in his ear. On Thursday, Gauge is handing the EMT a clipboard, and I added in the “Action 4 News” logo. Benita and I will try to stay more on the ball in the future! I know I’ve learned a lesson about clarity here.
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Hi, Folks!
Check this out:
Last night I watched “It Might Get Loud,” and as a longtime guitar nut I was enthralled. Likewise, fans of Led Zeppelin, U2, and the White Stripes will also really enjoy this.
The part of the movie where the three guitarists sat in a faux living room and compared notes and played some music together was the highlight of the movie for me. You’ve got guitarists from three different generations and styles, but really that’s no problem for them. They all knew each others’ music, for example, and they compared song-writing tips. In essence, it felt like a million old jam sessions, just some guys having fun.
The personalities picked were great, of course. You’ve got Jimmy Page, who comes across as a sweet-natured, quick-to-smile, grandfatherly type. Then, there’s the Edge, who is eminently amicable, and more talkative than I’ve ever heard him. Then, there’s Jack White, the edgiest of the three, a brilliant musician with a volatile edge. This was all fun for me, because I’ve bought my share of Led Zeppelin, U2, and White Stripes albums.
Part of me expected Jimmy Page to be more like his 70’s persona, dark (and into the dark arts), sinister, and brilliant. Well, he’s still brilliant, but here he was relaxed, affable, and engaged in the process. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile this much.
The Edge was just what I expected: Super serious about music, yet calm, peaceful, and relaxed enough to have some fun. We usually don’t get to hear him talk this much, but then most of his interviews have been with Bono around. (This is not a criticism of Bono—he’s got a big personality, so he takes up more room in most conversations.) I was also pleasantly surprised at how skilled the Edge was when playing slide.
There is a scene of Jack White playing with the Raconteurs, and he’s playing his guitar so hard that he’s cut his hand or fingers. Before long, there is blood smeared over much of the guitar’s face, but that doesn’t stop White from playing. This says something about passion and art that should ring true for all of us. This reminds me of Stevie Ray Vaughn, who played so hard with such big strings that he sometimes shredded his fingers—he often sealed up the injuries with superglue or bandages so he could keep playing.
The three musicians gathered without a chance to meet and compare notes. Additionally, there was no backing band, and they are three guitarists from different schools of playing. First, you’ve got the incredible blues and blues-rock stylings of Jimmy Page, with a hint of Celtic music thrown in for good form. Then, you’ve got a rock minimalist, the Edge, who gives a great deal of attention to his sound. With Jack White, it’s a ragged blues/rock/punk mixture. In short, they had no problem playing together—they all spoke guitar.
Part of the charm of this documentary is that it is really about the guitar itself, not a technical exploration, but a visceral celebration of the instruments feel, smell, and look. If you play guitar long enough, you know there are a very definite different smells to nickel-wound strings, of varnish, or exposed wood, of each instrument’s quirks.
As a bit of a guitar player myself, I give “It Might Get Loud” and A.
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