Finished this tonight. Didn't do a whole lot to it as I decided I liked its loose feeling. I should do more as there's something pleasing about flowers. Maybe that's why I took so many photos of them this year. This was just a little nothing, just for fun.

 It's been more than a minute since I made anything. Part of that time was spent in Boston celebrating the Million Year Picnic's 50th anniversary. I got to see Vince's, "The Picnic" in my favorite theater, The Brattle which was awesome. I had dinner with my old boss and the Picnics current owner, Tony so we could catch up. And then I got to spend extra time in Boston as I was one of those affected by the massive computer glitch. After that, I worked a full weekend which drained me dry. This I started before I left, or was it after I got back, I can't remember. The black eyed susans in our back yard came up in bunches this year as did a lot of wild flowers. I have lots of photos. A friend recently remarked on the iris painting I did a few years ago, not realizing that it was done by me. He offhandedly said he wanted a flower painting, too. So this will for him. I need to work on the background more but the depth is working pretty much how I wanted. A simple thing, really, decorative. That's ok. We'll see how it goes.

 Got this done tonight. Some of the work was behind the scenes; I rewrote the verse. This was written over seven years ago and it no longer felt right. Wasn't easy but I think it works and it works better than the original. Sometimes it is hard working on a 'script' that was done so long ago. I don't always remember the entire intent. I have to trust to the work. Seeing and reading this whole thing when it's done will be a revelation I'm sure. And there will be editing, oh yes, precious, there will.

 Got some time to work on this tonight. Had an idea for Silas that wouldn't totally obscure the background but which would also bring him right up to the camera and make him front and center. The mural is still visible, the best detail is as well. The text will overlay Silas' t-shirt and hoodie. I need to do some more graffiti for the right hand side but all in all, I'm pretty happy with the way things are turning out. Did some extra windows, changed a few colors around. Track is almost done.

 Finally got a chance to work on the next and possibly last page of this track. Initially, I was planning on doing either some direct vectorizing of a reference photo or doing a lot of tracing as it's a complex background. Then I decided to just draw it freehand, letting things be wonky. As I went along, I added less and less detail, trying to think of things more as shapes, as paint strokes and less as lines and details. Thing came together a lot more quickly. I do admit to some very rough tracing of the fire escape as it was just too damned complex. Just had enough time to get all the layers transferred, vectorized and an initial color pass done. Then I slapped on the full Tamino painting and adjusted it for perspective. There is no way I could have done this half as well in the 'old days' of pencil and t-square (though I did use a t-square a little on the sketch). I just hope I've left enough room for all the other graffiti that has to go in here, Silas and his text. Well, we'll see. Somehow, I'll manage.

 

And done. Not a lot of changes, just some color shifts. Martin Landau has a very interesting face. There's a little more line work in this than I'd like but his face kind of requires it. I think I captures the worried face of Commander Koenig pretty well.

 Haven't had a chance to work on anything as I've just been too damned busy. Actually used a sick day today because I've been so tired. As such, played about with this. I have a version that's not slanted, but I like the feeling of tension it brings to the piece. Will sit on this a little while longer to see how I finally feel.

 Thursdays are always busy. A 'day off,' which is anything but. I have to do the grocery shopping, the podcast, the laundry, sometimes mow the lawn. Then, I might get time to work on some art. I know the last stanza of the current track on the comic is going to take some extra work, so I decided to take a short break and do a quickie portrait. I got fairly far along on this Commander Koenig until I sensed a need to stop and come back fresh. I can already see some things that aren't working but a lot of it does. This is all freehand, no grid or anything, which is why it's a little off. The nose is too long for one thing but it still looks like him. There's currently too many lines on the face and not enough interest in the eyes. What I do like is how the background is working. So, more work later, when I have time.