MUSIC IN THE PARK

11" x 17"
#2B pencil, Kuretake Fude brush and Faber-Castell brushes in Canson sketchbook

F TRAIN TO WEST 4TH STREET 3:00AM

11" x 17"
Kuretake Fude brush, Dr. Ph Martin Bombay black India ink, Faber Castell brushes and Kuretake White ink 30 in Canson sketchbook

PORTRAIT OF ROBERT CENEDELLA

8 1/2" x 11"
#2B pencil, Kuretake Fude brush, Pentel brush pen, Faber-Castell brushes and white China marker in Canson sketchbook

Happy Birthday to a great artist and teacher.  I learn a lot from studying this man's work.  You can check out his story in the documentary "Art Bastard" (Amazon)

HOLLYWOOD DARTBOARD

18" x 24"
Uniball vision fine black pen, Faber-Castell big brushes drawn in Canson sketchbook then photocopied and glued onto watercolor paper.

CHANNELING PHILIP GUSTON

8 1/2" x 11"
#2B pencil, Pentel brush pen, Kuretake Fude brush, Faber-Castell brushes and white China marker in Canson sketchbook
When I was in High school our class visited the Marlboro Gallery for Guston's show in 1970. I thought is was great. Huge cartoon like paintings filled the space. I'd never seen anything like it and was completely blown away. Imagine my surprise when the "art establishment" universally criticized this exhibition. The "swells" and academics were offended that he dared to paint his own way! I learned then that sometimes when you don't follow the crowd they will try to make you stand in the corner.

BASQUIAT AND VAN GOGH MODERN ART MARTYRS

11" x 17"
2B pencil, Kuretake Fude Brush, Pentel pen, Faber - Castell brushes and Kuretake white ink in Canson sketchbook

MUHAMMED ALI INTERVIEW

 11" x 17"
#2B Pencil, Kuretaki Fude brush, Faber - Castell brushes and White China marker in Canson sketchbook
In the late 1970's Ali continued to make money in prizefighting but he was slowing down physically. It was obvious that the unthinkable was happening to him as it does to all mortals. But wasn't he immortal?
One day a particularly rude journalist started in on him with questions about getting old and slow. Ali remained gracious and tried to politely dance his way around the journalist's unbearable smugness. Then the journalist said "Ali, you appear to have slurred speech."
Ali answered "People 'been whupping me upside the head for twenty five years. How 'bout I punch you in the head once and see how you talkin'."

STRANGE CATS

11" x 17"
Pentel Brush pen, Kuretake Fude brush, Kuretake white ink and toothbrush in Canson sketchbook

SKINNY PETE, COMBO AND BADGER

11" x 17"
#2B pencil, Kuretake Fude brush, Kuretake white ink and Faber Castell brushes in Canson sketchbook

STUDY OF FRANK MILLER'S RONIN

 8 1/2" x 11"
#2B pencil, Pentel brush pen and Faber-Castell brushes in Canson sketchbook

JIMI HENDRIX

18"x 24"
#2B pencil, Dr. Ph Martin Bombay black India ink and Raphael 8404 #3 brush on Strathmore Bristol board

SUBWAY RIDE

11" x 17"
Kuretake Fude brush, Faber-Castell brushes and China marker in Canson sketchbook

DREAM JOURNAL EARTH

11" x 14"
#2B pencil, Winsor Newton Series 7 #3 brush, Dr Ph Martin Bombay black India ink and Faber Castell brushes in Pro Art sketchbook
In this dream I was taking part in a meeting with three other beings. I'm explaining why comic art and the sequential art form are wonderful ways to tell a story. These beings are looking at my like I know what I'm talking about so then I feel like I know what I'm talking about. Pretty soon I'm laying it down like it's the gospel!
One of them asks me where I'm from and I said I was from Earth, "How interesting," the being said but clearly he had no idea where Earth was. "Virgo Supercluster?" The being still had no idea. "Milky Way Galaxy?". Still no clue.
I realized I had no identity, no pose. Nobody to impress. Then I woke up.

STUDY OF STEVE DITKO DR. STRANGE

11" x 17"  #2B pencil, Winsor Newton Series 7 #3 brush and Dr. Ph Martin Bombay black India ink in Canson sketchbook

PHOWA

14" x 11" #2B pencil, Winsor Newton Series 7 #3 brush, Faber Castell brushes, Dr Ph Martin Bombay black India ink and white ink in Pro Art sketchbook
A man sitting in an airport began having chest pains and was in great distress. Suddenly he collapsed and died. A monk happened to be passing by and quickly took the man's hand while whispering in his ear. Quickly the man revived but then slumped again. This simple monk was qualified master in the practice of phowa, or transference of consciousness at the time of death. According to practitioners his quick action eased the man's mind and transferred it to a Buddha realm or toward a good rebirth.

RORSCHACH BODHISATTVA

14" x 11" Pentel brush pen and Kuretake Fude brush in Pro Art sketchbook

KINGPIN

 11"x 8"  #2B Pencil, Pentel brush pen and Faber-Castell brushes in Canson sketchbook

McDONALD THEATRE EUGENE, OREGON

14" x 11" 
#2B pencil, Winsor Newton Series 7 #3 brush, Faber Castell brushes, Dr Ph Martin Bombay black India ink and white ink in Pro Art sketchbook

WHO AM I?

11" x 14"    2B pencil, Winsor Newton Series 7 #3 brush and Dr Ph Martin Bombay black India ink in Pro Art sketchbook

Trying to learn to use the brush and ink by varying strokes and pressure.  The comic panel concept is from Steve Ditko but I changed the figure of the man and the brush strokes.

CONFESS

18" x 24"  Pastel on paper