Old Blog?

February 28, 2006

Once again I have neglected the blog for a very long time.  Since the last entry
I went to Mid-Ohio Con during Thanksgiving weekend here in Columbus and hung out with
friends, Mike Carroll, Max Ink and Michael Neno, and my daughter, Megan.  I spread
the word about SPACE with SPACE bags and an ad in the program book.  I spent most
of the two days sketching in my sketch book band talking to anybody who dropped by . Some of the sketching may wind up as projects down the road.
Had a great relaxing Christmas back in Pennsylvania (compared to last year when Me
and Kathy were involved in an automobile accident.)  I didn't do any comics related
things just hung out with family.
I'm up to page 11 of Bunny Blues / Leaves #4.  It looks like that's on track for
SPACE.  Megan is working on a book titled "Paper Flowers" which she got
a good head start on during the Christmas break.  She hasn't done much since she's
been back at school.  They keep them hopping at CCAD where she's a sophomore in fashion
design.  If I finish page 11 this weekend I'll catch up with her.  Her spring break
is coming up and she'll fly right by me again.  You can see  samples of each over
on the SPACE Premier Comics Page.
The other project I talked about last time, "Purple Sky" has been put
on the backburner for now.  It seems too ambitious so I decided to start a easier
screen print project.  I've been working on producing a mini-sized screen printed
version of my block print book "Why I'm Not Musical".  I only have about
3 copies of the original 50 print run left and thought it would work well in screen
print.  The text on the first screen I produced did not work so I'll be re-shooting
it soon.  Since I've decided to work on a few screen print books plus the tee-shirts
I decided to install a slop sink in the basement so I don't  drip paint all
though the house.  Well, I'm almost there after 5 trips to the hardware store. 
Usually it only takes 3.  I'm just down to stopping one leak and it's done.
SPACE is moving along with about 100 tables sold.  We have sent flyers out to about
120 comic shops in Ohio.  Unfortunately we got about 13 returned.  Things do not
look good for the direct sales comic market.  I ship flyers out every year and every
year there are about 10 percent returns.
I have also contributed a 3 page strip titled" Survival" to Steve Noppenberger's
Potlatch Anthology.  It was originally meant to appear in Oh,Comics! #16 which is
still on hiatus for the foreseeable future.  The cover of Potlatch #4 is also up
on the Premier Comics page.
Next time: SPACE Panic!
 

November 14, 2005

Here's a glimpse at some of the things in the works.

The next project that should be completed is Bunny Blues/ Leaves #4.  I've been  putting off working on this for a long time because I decided I didn't like one of my original ideas which threw the whole story off.  I have it resolved now so it should be smooth sailing to the end.  I expect the end to be at issue #6.  I have a complete script for issue 4 and two pages completed.  Left is a panel from page two. Hopefully this issue will be ready to premiere at SPACE.

A long term project coming up is Purple Sky.  It's loosely based on an experience I had in art class in 3rd grade.  (Very loosely).  My plans are for the entire project to be screen printed in 4 colors.  It looks like 16 pages.  I expect to gang print four pages on a sheet which means a total of 16 screens. I am re-thinking that right now.  I have been taking my time and experimenting.  (See Noe for an example.) Below is a composite I did on the computer to see if I could simulate crayon in a scan.

Here's the line work for page one which is all the drawing that's finished so far.  I'll be drawing pages for this in between pages for BB/L#4 and any other smaller experiments which crop up.  I was hoping to also have this ready for SPACE next spring but I think that's a little too ambitious.   Next: ?

November 7, 2005

Once again I have procrastinated.  Below are pictures from the Snap! Comics Art Festival and my trip to the Detroit area I took over the weekend of October 28.  Mike Carroll, Kel Crum and I headed up to the Detroit area on  October 28th in the afternoon and arrived at Green Brain Comics well after dark due to my taking a early exit and then not knowing exactly which direction we were headed.  So we added another hour to the trip.  We checked in to the Best Value Hotel across from GB in time to be about an hour late for the party.  The party was great unfortunately none of my pictures came out.  But it was good to see old friends, eat free food provided by GB and check out the great comic shop.

On Saturday morning we were supposed to meet a group of exhibitors at Big Boy but we got there early and only saw Eric Adams.	Later at Snap! the obligatory table set up shot.
Pam Bliss and Kel Crum at there tables with Rich Watson at Pam's table.	I shared a table with Mike Carroll and our neighbor was Paul Sizer.
On the other side around the corner Eric Adams.	Green Brain Comics early Sunday morning before brunch.  We met up with Matt Feazell, Sean Bieri, and Jennifer (from England. Sorry I didn't get her last name), and had a great brunch at a deli where they had a JD playing electronic dance music.  Instead of a tip we drew him a jam comic.
After brunch we went to Detroit Dizneyland. Unfortunately I was having more camera problems so this is the only good shot I have.	Then we went to The Heidleburg Project.
The installation covers over a city block.	It appears to cover a lot of subjects the most predominant at the time of my visit was "war".
Kel in front of a tree full of crucified stuffed animals.	Before I took off for Detroit I had to carve the family jack-o-lantern.  They all complain that I always do the same classic  face but nobody else is willing to do it.

Next time: My current projects.  Maybe if I tell everybody about them it will put a fire under me to get moving.

October 16, 2005

I knew I wouldn't sit down and write this thing very often.

Kathy and I went to catch the "Ye Bookes of Cerebus" gallery talk and exhibition on Saturday October 2 at the Regina Quick Center at St. Bonaventure University in Olean NY.  We also headed up to Niagara Falls the following Sunday because it was only about another 100 miles away and we were never there before.  So below are pictures of the trip.  And once again I get out of writing too much.

A flyer personalized for the blog by Dave Sim.

On Sunday morning we drove up to Niagara Falls in Ontario.  Here's a shot of the Horseshoe falls from above.	Here's one from the deck of the Maid of the Mist.
A shot of the American Falls	The Maid of the Mist from above.
That night we had two visitors on the side of our hotel.	They climbed up 4 stories  to our balcony with us standing there.  We just went back inside and let them.

Next time either pictures from Snap! or my current projects which ever I get to first.

September 27, 2005

I don't see what the big attraction is with these blog things but if it brings people to the site.. here it is.

Just returned from SPX Sunday and since I hate writing here's some pictures.

Sock Jam performed Friday night.  Later auctioned off for the CBLDF

Bowl Jam produced Friday night September 23, 2005 at SPX

Next time:

The Bookes of Cerebus: TheComic Art of Dave Sim and Gerhard

St. Bonaventure University  Regina Quick Center for the Arts   Olean NY