Doodles- Apr

So here’s the latest batch from drawing. The usual warm ups- these were 5 min on newsprint.

 

This was 10—

 

These were 20, on brown paper with Copic markers and white chalk.

 

And a last 20 but this time on a gray paper- that’s fancy.

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Google-Doodle knows my weak spot

If you read this blog, then you saw the recent Winsor McCay Google Doodle, but if you read it regularly, then you know I love me some Bob Ross. That said, Google Doodle went for the throat this morning with a tribute for the late/great Bob Ross who was born on this day back in 1942. We still miss you Bob, hope you’re enjoying those happy trees up there in the fluffy clouds.

 

Thanks to G-Mon for passing this along- he’s got my back- and apparently my shin considering the bruise he left on it in Krav class! Ye-OUCH!

Winsor McCay Tribute on Google-

Simply amazing.

For those who don’t know (and you should- so shame on you if you don’t) Winsor McCay is one of the most important names in the history of the American comic strip, and the field of animation. He’s best known for his cartoon short “Gertie”…

…and for his comic strip, “Little Nemo in Slumberland”.

Little Nemo may not be “PC” by our current standards, yet few can deny it is the most beautiful strip ever. It was published at a time when reproduction methods could never recreate the brilliance of McCay’s art work, but even thru the off registration of colors, and faded inks, one can still see the genius.

Nowadays there aren’t as many people who know his name, or how amazing his art was, but Google has dedicated their current “Doodle” to honor the 107th anniversary of the “Little Nemo” comic strip. Even without the animation it would be impressive, but I’m glad they took the time to put it together. To truly experience it, you need to go to Google.com and pull on the bell-ringer strip to the right. I’ve pieced together the entire sequence so you can at least get a sense of how it appears.

If you read this after they’ve pulled the “Doodle”, you can see the animation on youtube— here.

Eventually, I’m sure you’ll find it in the Doodle archive, which is fun to visit from time to time.

Last Flight of Arzak

Jean Giraud (1938-2012) passed away this weekend, he was better known to comic fans around the world as Moebius. I found his work during a huge wave of reprinted European comics that hit the market in the mid-eighties. Others in the US were familiar with his work before that in the pages of Heavy Metal magazine, originally flying in Europe under the French banner Métal Hurlant. Although I will remember him more for his highly detailed sci-fi landscapes, and his character Arzak, all of which seem to be a wild combination of 60s psychedelic, the TARDIS, and the organic flow of Art Nouveau…

There are as many fans who will remember him for his old west stories, like “Lieutenant Blueberry”…

It always amazed me how his style would so easily accommodate both the mechanical insanity of the future, and the subtle, gritty nature of the great plains.

At first I wrote him off as one of those great European artists, who could do fabulous renderings of people built like you or I in (admittedly) more elaborate environments, but certainly he couldn’t draw over the top, excitement required for American comics- I was young, and I was wrong.

Marvel Comics commissioned him to do posters with several of their characters and that collaboration included a two issue mini-series of the Silver Surfer, written by the legendary Stan Lee and drawn by him. To quote a dear friend, “It warped my mind!”.

Many of you will not know who he is, but like my recent post on Ralph McQuarrie (also lost to the world recently) you know his work. He designed costumes and sets for numerous films, and was often consulted at the earliest stages for preproduction sketches to help sell the ideas to studios.

The above is work from the original Alien film, but he also did work for Tron, Masters of the Universe, the Abyss, Fifth Element, and more. One can say those are films he worked on, but others, many others, he inspired.

Moebius was a unique vision, which many have tried to copy, but he soared above them, as he does now— forever.

Sad weekend-

Two artistic greats passed away this week, and their influence can not be ignored. Both were inspirations to countless others, and shall be for generations to come— I don’t doubt. My childhood can be summed up by heroes and sic-fi movies, and with that I bid farewell to…

Sheldon Moldoff

The man who drew Batman longer than any other, more than Bob Kane the creator, or Dick Sprang. His work defined the character for more than a decade and his work can still be felt in the character today.

 

And Ralph McQuarrie

If it wasn’t for him, Star Wars might not be the phenomena that it became. His preproduction art helped to sell the idea to studios, and defined the look of the film. It wasn’t the only work he was known for, but it would be a lie to say it won’t be the one he’s remembered for.

Rest well gentlemen- you’ve earned it.