Worked on the small things that bugged me. Calling this done. I'm happy with it. Has a kind of Hopper-esque feeling to it. Something different? New? Hell of a lot quicker than the other landscapes I've done. I kind of miss the messiness of the other ones I did recently. Might be more exploration to be done here. I hope.

 Did another couple versions of this. I ended up using the people from that other photo and my own photo. I dumped a ton of detail, trying to get it down as far as I could. It passed one test; when I asked my best friend, Max, if he knew where this was, he answered correctly immediately. This is all about color and shape. I like some of the messiness of the top version. The lower version had me do something I never do; use a base color other than white. Both feel like early evening on a cloudy day, cold to me, which is what I wanted. Going to sleep on it.

 Another one of these. It's SO hard to keep these things loose and abstract while giving an idea of the place. This is Cardullo's, one of the oldest businesses still running in Harvard Square. The hard part is that this was done from something that's not my photo, which I don't like to do. But the photos I've taken don't have the original sign, the one I remember all too well. So might have to do something about that. We'll see. Right now, it's too damned sunny. Just playing about and wondering if I should move to paint.

 Tried to do some abstract stuff tonight, both based on the same image or reference for that image. The top came from a pencil re-draw of me I used in the painting I based on the Caibotte image. I kept things loose, tried to have a sense of 'paint,' originally went for primary colors but changed my mind later on. The second image is my directly referencing the same image from last year but doing everything on one layer, trying to keep a real painterly approach and as abstract as possible. I like both but that bottom one is making me think I might pick up actual paint again sooner than later. There are things paint can do that digital can't. Either way, I like both of these for different reasons though I know almost no one else will.

 Utterly reworked the image from yesterday. Redrew the sketch, redid the paint layers twice until I got something I liked. I wanted the weird lighting one gets on the subway and I wanted the look into nothing we all often get when sitting there. I think it shows up in the "Three Horsemen" as well, just in a different way. All this is just an exercise so I can do SOMEthing. Should be doing the comic. Didn't wanna. Well, I'll pay for that later.

 And then there's this, done afterwards. This is from one of the photographs I used as reference for "Three Horsemen." I liked his face and thought to do a closeup in a different style. Still working on it though it has some elements I like.

 Nothing to see here. Just messing about with yet another self portrait because I had time and wanted to make SOMEthing.

 Another one of these from tonight. Because I could. I'll double check on it tomorrow if I get the chance.

 And a quick finished version before I go out grocery shopping and then podcasting.

Still haven't had a lot of time to draw or make anything. Last night, I had a little time and the will just not the inspiration. This always means one of two things; self portraits or Rembrandt. The middle two sketches I did last night, the bottom one from the day before. I did the 'finished' version above last night, too. So, at least I made something. 

 Work has become really, really horrid. They're asking for more of my time even though I'm part time. It's sucking pretty much all my creative energy out of me. I utterly wish I could stop. I honestly hate that place. Not the people I help, the behind the scenes stuff. Regardless, I got a page out, which I honestly didn't think I would. Spotlight on Smatt. Each mouse will get his own page. Then they'll be back together. I decided. Today.

 Here are the two sketches I did tonight. The Alex Horne I finished. I did a 'finished' version of the lower one, based on the overly complex self portrait I did of me in Harvard Square but I didn't like it so didn't keep it. I did like both sketches.

 I've had no artistic energy lately, again, because of work. They're giving me less time off and I'm just too tired most days to make anything. I did manage this portrait of Alex Horne tonight. Trying to loosen up more with my drawing. Also trying to keep out of the realm of caricature. I like how this came out. Should scan the drawing and post that, too. But at least there's this.

 Yesterday, I turned 61. And I did as little as possible because I needed the rest. I did crank out a voice over gig though it turns out they sent me the wrong script which I didn't learn about until after I recorded it. So now I'm waiting to hear back from them to see if what I did was usable or if I have to redo it. Today, which I also had off, I managed to get this done from start to finish before lunch. This particular track has been VERY easy which leads me to believe that I'm going to be screwed for the next one and I haven't even looked ahead to see what it is. I think it's Digby offering up his take on the murals, but I can't remember. I know Act 3 is getting close to done. Still, I need to keep up momentum on this project. I will say, the mice are some real favorites. They're such little shits but they're fun to draw.

 Had a little time after work and after dinner with friends to finish this page. Two pages within a week is blindingly fast for me. I really plan to try and dedicate more time to this long running project this year. I've been working on it for ten years, which is a damned long time. I'm still happy with the work, just not the time table.

Had a kind of busy day today but managed to get most of the next page done on the comic. Really just a couple of adjustments and the text to go. These figures are my favorites of the recent bunch. They were a lot of fun to draw and came out well, I think.

 The one thing I'll say about this track of "The City Silent," when I sit down to do a page, I can generally get it all done from start to finish in only a few hours. This is very much a stage show part of the comic and backgrounds wouldn't add a thing. They're meant to be 'on stage,' 'in the spotlight,' and definitely showing off. They're rotten little mice but they're fun to draw.

 This is a very private piece, one I really can't post anywhere else. I started this one over 25 years ago. I made a sketch, transferred it to masonite and then was afraid that I wasn't good enough to paint it without ruining the drawing. So there it sat, in the closet. I did a digital version of it, I think, a few years ago and not only can't remember if I posted it, but don't remember what I called it and can't find it. This comes from the first year my husband and I started living together. It's an extremely rare moment of vulnerability from him. I felt terrible as we were having something of an argument in the shower and he adopted this pose and I couldn't help but think of his condition as something to paint. To his credit, awhile after this happened, I told him what I'd been thinking and he was good enough to pose for some Polaroids so I could make the drawing. That was so long ago now that I don't think he'd really want to revisit either the moment or my having finished it. So, it exists here. "One Moment" is what I'm calling it now.

 Something that's been poking about in my head was to take a detailed drawing and really pare down the final result using as little as possible for color and actual detail to see if I could still make it work as a portrait. This was my first attempt. Might try to push it even further, if I get the chance.

 Ended up redrawing Smatt for this and then getting all the little bastard mice together so they could scream that word together. I've often thought of them as the Beastie Boys and it occurred to me, putting this page together that 'cannonball' and 'sabotage' have the same scanning and syllables. Totally did not think about that 10 years ago when I wrote the track. But there you go.

 Not a lot drawn in the last couple days. Working on the next page of the comic. Trying to get the facial expression down as well as the energy and in your face-ness of Smatt. There will be only one word on this page and it needs to be 'sold.' This is just a start. Don't think I'm there yet.

 This is Kevin, my longest running RPG character. I don't know why, but I pretty much never draw my RPG characters. Maybe I like them living in my head better than making them concrete. Yes, there's a bit of likeness from me in him, not that there's meant to be but with no reference, things tend to just end up looking like me. He's very important to me. Max, his world's creator, has said that he knows he can't kill him because he knows it would be devastating. Kevin once had his own LiveJournal. And his stories go back around 40 years. He feels very real to me. This isn't a perfect representation but for now, it'll do.

 City Silent page 262. This has been a good week. For some reason, I wasn't scheduled monday through thursday. I am not going to complain about that. At all. I've needed it. I'm not pushing things, trying to rest up from the damned holidays but I'm still getting some things done. Monday, I went to the record store, which is a 45 minute drive (everything is). Besides getting a couple records, I found a place to maybe get my receiver fixed. Had podcast night. Tuesday, went to the grocery store to get stuff to cook my husband something for dinner, something I almost never do. And I worked on the comic. Today, finished page 261, watched this week's movie for the other podcast and did this page. Sure, it's simple but so what? Also listened to a few records which always puts me in a better mood. Dear gods, I wish life could just be like this. 

 First page of the new year, #261. Been way too slow with this comic. Even though I got 54 pages done last year, that's not enough. I hope to go more quickly this year. Also, if it wasn't obvious, the mice are basically The Beastie Boys. That's who I hear when I see them and draw them. Just without the humor.

 Haven't had time to draw anything in awhile. But I have decided that I want to try and do more with less reference this year. I think it's been making things too stiff and I haven't had a chance to experiment really all that much. So, last night, I managed this in the half hour I had. The brush I used is doing most of the work, which I don't like, though I do think the messy color is interesting.