Sneaking in some last posts before the end of the year. Art forgery is one of my favorite subjects. I've read quite a few books on it and have watched a lot of documentaries. Makes me giggle. Almost stopped this at my usual one page but decided to finally branch out and be a bit more inclusive. I think, in general, I've been lazy, trying to fit every thought into one page. Something I should think about when doing future entries.

I am indeed home sick. I've missed two out of the last four holiday seasons for being sick. At least this time I managed to get just through before succumbing. Stupid colds.

Was re-watching a documentary last night, "Cartoon College" about the school in Vermont that has a two year MFA program. It's a good film and makes me want to draw, though it also makes me think of all the people I know in the biz and my large pile of generally unread comics. With Silas coming up, I really need to spend some time in the coming year to get up a new website and to try and get out to some cons to GET people to read them. Also have to look into getting things printed as people want to have stuff to buy. A personal goal, perhaps. Anyway, felt I had to get something done, even if I have zero energy. I think, more than other pages, with this one you can tell that I drew it first and am just filling in the words. I did draw this when I was sick earlier but there really wasn't room for all of what's going through my head. I ought to take these comics more seriously, even if I only do six a year. There's also a growing feeling that I can't use these for repositories of my depression and doubts as people reading them have taken me to task about that. So it might be that I do some pages for this and not post them as I feel the comic should be a place where I can say what I want and not worry about what others are thinking about it. If that's compromised, the whole point of the comic has no point. And hell, I've been doing it for nearly six years now. I actually look forward to changing the style and the color.

Was watching a documentary about Lucian Freud this morning and it had a quote in it which, for me wraps up Tamino into one, neat paragraph: “The promise of happiness is felt in the act of creation but disappears towards the completion of the work. For it is then that the painter realizes that it is only a picture he is painting. Until then, he had almost dared to hope that the picture might spring to life.” If there were a new version of the comic, I think I'd include this in the back. Glad to finally have something that works so well to describe what the hell I was feeling while making it.

Finished, colored version of this. Will likely make a t-shirt of it because why not?

A couple of quickies from the last two days. Worked six in a row, so wasn't drawing anything. That sucks. So the rabbit-thing sorta poked me and I made a couple with him. Trying to make him happier in the face of what could potentially be horrors undreamed of. The second of these might make a t-shirt design. I got the coyote one in the mail yesterday and he looks keen. I don't really mind that I'm the only one that wears my shirts; they ARE expensive, but the wear really well.

I recently ordered a hoodie as a gift for someone from Society6, another printing outfit like RedBubble and I have to say, the material was REALLY thin and the printing wasn't nearly what I was used to with RB. I wish stuff was cheaper, and for all I know, these businesses aren't making much off stuff either. Dunno, but I was surprised at the difference in quality.

A quick sketch as that's all I have energy or time for this last week. Work has been five days straight with one more to go. Then I get four off, but all of them have social engagements. Honestly, I would LOVE to totally disengage from the holidays though I likely never will. One thing about being tired is that I don't have the energy to be tight or wound up, so these sketches have a kind of looseness I wish I had all the time. Quick studies of the rabbit-thing.

Had the need to draw and ink something today so I did this. Felt good, really. There's something soothing about the brush and nice, curvy lines. Used Super Vectorizer and Affinity Designer, never touched AI. Thanks to Vince, managed to figure out one of my little problems. Went together quite quickly. No reason the rabbit-thing can't be happy sometimes. One of these days, I have to give him a name.

Still haven't had much time to draw. It's mostly work and occasional writing. That being said, there are some sketches I've made, breaking in a new pad. Looks like this one will be as eccentric as the last one which is fine by me. Sometimes I just like to draw for the sake of drawing. Stuff isn't very deep but it's enjoyable to do. One of these is a Biography that I didn't finish. Don't remember what I was thinking other than I was home sick. Just as well. I think that comic's getting stale. It needs something more. Barely updated it this year.