"Local Folks"

Sometimes I wonder and I worry about the well running dry. Even on an abstract, global human consciousness level, I figure at some point it's all been said or done by now, the jokes are all used up, and I'm up/out here scraping the bottom of funny barrel.
Like trying to drive on frozen tires at forty-below, the brain thumps along until the edges get rounded off and picks up a little speed, creatively cruising along, and >wham< you hit a moose. Okay, more like you just simply see someone doing something or some silly situation somewhere and the water starts to flow, the well is replenished and the ideas just keep coming. "Where do you get your ideas?" - it's not a question of getting them anywhere or from some thing, it's more like they're given to you everywhere, by everything.
It's not a matter of knowing where to look, but how to look.

"An avalanche begins with a snowflake." - Joseph Compton

The Underbelly of Art

Or perhaps, more accurately, the underside of the leaf in this case.

Today's class was yet another jam-packed two and a half hours of non-stop fun: gave out the next assignment in advance of next week's two field trips to the UAF Museum of the North. Those'll be for the purpose of getting reference sketches for said assignment, and along with the handout we reviewed previous student's samples of spot illustrations.
Then it was on to an hour-long lecture: the official grand-slam introductory show & tell to Pen & Ink, which will rule their lives for the next month of the semester. Also included was a very quick demonstration on materials and technique using this year's Thanksgiving panel for the Nuggets feature that I just so happened to have ready.

A reoccurring theme in the presentation was (and will be throughout all next week) emphasizing exactly how to do reference sketching, i.e. taking "visual notes." By default most students by now seem to slip back into thinking that a piece of artwork just magically materializes before them 100% "as-is." Instead, I take the long way: methodical thumbnailing and roughs, light pencils before gradually building up more definitive marks far in advance of any actual ink being laid down. I think this approach helps to develop confidence and pre-planning which results in a much better finished product and eliminates many mistakes that a beginner would make. Some students are intimidated by pen & ink, it being a comparatively unforgiving medium to work with, others discover a creative catalyst. And as always, a reminder to begin ramping up the output - move into production mode!

Not coincidentally, down another couple students again this week: from a total of nineteen to now fourteen, just under the theoretical studio class size limit. Some have taken me at my word and reevaluated their course load after seriously underestimating the amount of time one should devote to this class in order to pass, let alone earn a high grade. The ratio of three hours of outside, independent effort for every one hour spent in the classroom translates into only thirteen hours or so per week, which doesn't seem like much at first but factored into a full-time class load + maybe a part-time job + what the hell, maybe even a life on the side = it piles up pretty quick. I'd add to this equation the simple observation many pieces that are turned in don't even come close to reflecting that many hours of invested energy.

"You don't get into the mood to create--it's discipline." - Twyla Tharp

Thus after a one-on-one critique (surprise format only decided on the day before) where I pulled students into another empty room to look at their piece, grade it on the spot, plus hand back any reworks together with the last assignment - we could quickly figure out what their standing was for a midterm grade. Five A's, four B's, three C's and a couple of D's - overall an above-average class ... so far. Quite a few teeter on the edge of attendance issues affecting their grade: one more and the axe begins to chop. Seeing as how this is only October, and Fairbanks just finally received snow, and sooner than later the subzero darkness will begin to affect day-today activities, it bodes ill for those who have already exhausted their emergency backup of "shit happens" days.
Speaking of shit happening, I was very glad to have an errant, now officially former student drop in after the class to clean out their drawer and touch base with me. There is a little pep talk I sometimes feel is right with particular students who bow out gracefully - and I feel they are owed the simple respect of a reminder that in no way should they take a withdrawl or even failure in this class as, well, a failure. By that I mean sometimes one just has to accept that perhaps this wasn't the right time for this class, or even in my own bittersweet experience, the right semester or the right year. Three steps forward/two steps back is okay enough in my book - at least you are maintaining trajectory towards an eventual goal. I'm grateful to have one last shot at reiterating the distinction between failing and being a failure, and for many folks, to strongly encourage them to keep at it, strange as it may seem to be coming from the same guy who strongly suggested they drop out (these mixed messages are one reason I don't have kids of my own).

"Art is not about thinking something up. It is the opposite -- getting something down." - Julia Cameron

And most definitely failing an art class has nothing to do whatsoever with determining the ultimate success of any artist. Let alone the fact that a significant percentage of accomplished artists have never ever even taken a class in their entire life. However, that said, there may be certain patterns that will play into an individuals career, such as basic skills, discipline, working habits and so on, which are powerfully predictive of the future.
All that and still one is left with a disappointment which isn't necessarily reflective of any failing on my part, in other words you learn to not take it personally, but it's the shittiest part of the job: I don't think (or I sincerely hope) there isn't anyone who calls themselves a teacher who enjoys failing people, just like there aren't many people who like to fail. A part of my job is to make it so that nobody has to fail, and just as there are many different ways to draw there are many different ways to teach it - mine isn't the only way nor necessarily the best for everybody. And I'm quite often learning just as much as the rest of the class, the lessons come just as often, long as you stay teachable.

"Those who work only when the Muse strikes them make little progress." - William V. Dunning

Pen & Ink & Health Care

“ 'Tis healthy to be sick sometimes.” - Henry David Thoreau

Yeah, so maybe a bit trite & clichéd with this one, but I haven't done any health care related issue panels as of yet. Most artists aren't (though here's a notable exception), and it points up probably one of the reasons I'm so damn glad I cartoon, so I can say something, and this had to be said.

Not only is Alaska the land of opportunity for folks to charge four-eight hundred dollars a month rent to live in an Appalachian-style one-room crackhouse cabin without running water, this is also the Last Frontier as far as fucking over people with outrageous medical costs. Earlier this year I had to get a tooth yanked; since I'm uninsured it ran me $1,200 out of pocket and many monthly payments, and that was after doing some emergency bartering using artwork with another dentist to find out exactly what was wrong. It's fairly common practice for people to fly out of state to get their dental work done - you still come out ahead financially.



Meanwhile, during yesterday's intro to pen & ink class, I showed quite a wide range of examples to students from a diverse field of artists. This encompassed not only incredibly ornate, detailed works by contemporary professionals and historical giants, but also much less intimidating pieces by unassuming and overlooked talents. The possibilities are what I push: it's relatively easy to hold up an example that literally illustrates the absolute best, but as this is a beginning drawing class, it's important to keep it real and not bludgeon aspiring efforts with near-impossible standards. To these ends I'll show the works of Winsor McCay next to Shel Silverstein; Frank Miller next to Garth Williams; Robert Crumb next to Edward Koren; and Maurice Sendak next to Jules Feiffer.

One of the top inspirations for me way back in highschool, and what really turned me on to art to begin with (along with Frazetta, Vallejo, Roger Dean, the Brothers Hildebrandt & Richard Corben) was a book published by Dragon's Dream (1979) called "The Studio." It featured profiles and portfolios from four rising rock-star caliber illustrators who were at the time cohabitating the same studio space in lower Manhattan in 1975. The artists, Jeffrey Jones, Michael Kaluta, Berni Wrightson and Barry Windsor-Smith, each had distinctive styles, totally different techniques and work habits, yet the synergistic effect of sharing this loft was a creative experiment that yielded some outstanding results.

So what the hell does any of that have to do with health care?

Well, besides the new editorial panel shown above, while brushing up on pen & ink for this semester's presentation I got lost all over again in the work of Barry Windsor-Smith (including some sample pages I include in the class handout packet). This in turn led me to a link on the Comics Reporter regarding a recent posting on the artist's own blog about his very personal experience with the contrast between the maligned British system and the fate of the uninsured right here in America. Enough to make you sick: something like that ever happens to me you can probably cross off another artist ... sometimes it takes a testimony like that to bring it all back home.

"Ordinary people think that talent must be always on its own level and that it arises every morning like the sun, rested and refreshed, ready to draw from the same storehouse, always open, always full, always abundant, new treasures that it will heap up on those of the day before; such people are unaware that, as in the case of all mortal things, talent has its increase and decrease, and that independently of the career it takes, like everything that breathes... it undergoes all the accidents of health, of sickness, and of the dispositions of the soul, its gaiety or its sadness. As with our perishable flesh. talent is obliged constantly to keep guard over itself, to combat, and to keep perpetually on the alert amid the obstacles that witness the exercise of its singular power.” - Eugene Delacroix

Personal Still-Life

"While I recognize the necessity for a basis of observed reality - true art lies in a reality that is felt." - Odilon Redon

One of the nicer, covert ways to make beginning drawing assignments more relevant to students and hopefully invest them with more personal content is with this particular approach. I mean, it's an opportunity to collect an assemblage of items that best represent you and your interests, what you consider to be the most important and valuable objects in your possession (and no money or drugs showed up with this semester's batch).

Ostensibly, what's turned in is a symbolic illustration containing everything, plus it's another piece that should demonstrate all the accumulated lessons and principles taught to date. And if that's not enough, there's a bonus introduction of a new medium (water-based/wash) to experiment on simultaneously. Overall I was very pleased with the works, most everyone succeeded and there was a few significant improvements. And we also enjoyed the little rundown each student gave about the piece and what the objects meant to them and why they included them in their compositions - some insightful stories were shared. A meta-lesson in that one never really knows exactly what the story is or what's truly going on with any given artwork: input and commentary from the creator often adds a lot of interpretive depth. Of course, there are those who can and do draw any old thing and their craftsmanship alone carries the entire piece; others who have less skill can utilize other means by which to make a statement.

And then there's always a few who couldn't care less either way, about looking at or making art. A couple of whom have made the good call to drop the class before week's end and the dreaded Faculty Initiated Withdrawl ("this is for your own good"). Tomorrow's class is the third critique of a major piece, and I'm planning on yanking the rug out again by not doing it the way we've had them so far - instead of hung on the wall for discussion it'll be one-on-one in another room. This can be stressful, even scary, for both parties: it rolls the dice as some students might prefer the privacy or relative anonymity of group critiques and might be uncomfortable being singled out from the herd. Either way it's a good opportunity to make sure I can personally address any concerns and answer questions either of us may have, and discuss their mid-term grades. The flip side of this is removing the pretentious, clinical objectivity that can sometimes develop between the instructor/student relationship, and can impede understanding. I've experienced my fair share of teachers who were just not really there, who hide behind the academic buffer zone so they don't have to honestly interact face-to-face with students as real people. The balancing act between individualized attention versus keeping everybody in the whole class moving along together and all on the same page is yet another daily challenge. Sometimes I joke about being an "art coach" but really that's what it feels like; part cheerleader, part drill instructor/disciplinarian, and a tiny bit of selfish and psychotic parent screaming from the bleachers who calls the stupid referee all kinds of nasty names.
Go team, yay 'Nooks etc.

“Art is the only thing you cannot punch a button for. You must do it the old-fashioned way. Stay up and really burn the midnight oil. There are no compromises.” - Leonytne Price

"The Alaskan Cartoonist"

Nomatter how much you dress up a Polack and try to hide'm, he'll still stick out like a sore thumb. Or in this case, I'd never pass as Inupiat. Hell, I can't even draw a halfways decent seal-skin kayak, much less stay afloat in one.

Actually, in all seriousness, I have to love the irony of getting caught ignoring my own cautionary advice to students. This panel was based on a really rough sketch (seen posted below) abandoned while visiting the Anchorage Museum of Art this fall. It was one of the educational dioramas using these creepy looking mannequins for Native Alaskans, this one depicting a whale hunt. The gesture of the pose what the only redeeming aspect, and the fact that I totally failed to duly note crucial details, like stitching patterns, snuck back up and bit me on the ass when it came time to try and recreate the scene. Google Image Search can only take you so far, and I'm always harping in the classroom on the importance of taking really good visual notes for reference sketches, as working from a photograph is essentially useless. In particular, with something like this, nothing short of the actual object will do. Unless, of course, you are a slacker cartoonist, and can get away with just about everything.

And despite all the reading, writing and thinking about gags (the "research"), it's either professionally gratifying or psychologically worrisome to just have completely, utterly random ideas fall from the sky and splatter onto the page right in front of you.
I just love coming up with absolutely ridiculous situations that in turn beg even more silly questions: just what exactly is it we are hunting here?

"Frivolity is a stern taskmaster." - Bill Griffith

Halloween/Palin Ghoul

A little early this year, but sometimes you just can't keep the living dead down. Timely what with The Quitter's endorsement of Conservative candidate Hoffman and her obsessive resurrection fetish with invoking Reagan. Pretty pleased with the look of feral greed while picking over the bones of another rogue hero...

Also posted here is the original line art version done in Sharpie and vectored before finishing in Photoshop. Remains to be seen if my submission will get a nibble or not, but in the meantime, thought I'd throw it up on the intertubes before getting back to the drawing board. Some freelance gigs and back-burner projects are being unearthed from the mulch-pile in the studio and in my head. But hey, given the choice between what I should be doing versus what obviously needs to be done here...

This panel actually draws from an unpublished one (that's been decaying slowly in the morgue) done earlier this year over her impotent nomination of Alaska Attorney General W.A.R. which was fortunately stymied by public outcry. Went ahead and included honorary tombstones for both the AIP and the GOP, as it seems she's hellbent on graverobbing from both parties.


*Update 9/25: The awesome Alaskan blog Mudflats used the panel with a hilarious, CRAPtastic take on the Rogue Quitter: a perfect example of marrying image + text by using a drawing in an illustrative sense.

"Unimoose"

No idea whatsoever...

"Think off-center." - George Carlin

Picking & Pruning

"Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." - Henry David Thoreau

Today's class was the first of our field trips around campus, to West Ridge, home of the Natural Science departments at UAF. Every semester I take students up to a couple greenhouses: one at the Agriculture & Forestry Experimental Station and the other at the Institute of Arctic Biology. The purpose of the trip was to gather reference sketches for the next critique piece, the Organic Composition, going on the assumption most college freshmen don't have plants growing in their dorm rooms (with the possible exception of miscellaneous molds). It's also an nice break from the sterile atmosphere of the drawing studio, and an opportunity to transplant recently acquired skills out into a lush, fertile environment. Living specimens are the ultimate forms to explore contour line and compositional arrangements with, especially after all the practice we've had so far. Take time to stop & draw the flowers.

"It takes a while to grasp that not all failures are self-imposed, the result of ignorance, carelessness or inexperience. It takes a while to grasp that a garden isn't a testing ground for character and to stop asking, what did I do wrong? Maybe nothing." - Eleanor Perényi

On a grimmer note, this was also a death-knell for attendance-related issues for some errant students; despite repeated advance warnings about the field trip, pointed reminders to not be late, or if missing a class to email me promptly so as to not miss out on crucial details, there's always someone who will have missed the last class and show up to an empty room. Faculty-initiated withdrawls are just around the corner, and I usually present the forms without anything filled in yet to the students first, as the last card on the table before the point of no return and the academic albatross of an "F" gets hung around their transcript's neck.
This is probably the most agonizing aspect of teaching for me and many others: it has absolutely nothing to do with drawing ability, and everything to do with being a successful student. I know this lesson all too well, having flunked my own share of classes: it's a humbling experience for art divas to go through. Sure enough, each and every semester, there are folks with comparatively poorer rendering skills that will receive much higher grades than the gifted & talented. Discipline, determination and devotion will consistently outperform the greatest of ideas and any late masterpiece.

"The fair-weather gardener, who will do nothing except when the wind and weather and everything else are favorable, is never master of his craft."- Henry Ellacombe

"Predator Control" + "Canine Classism"

The print version is actually sans caption, the theory being it should be obvious enough, especially what with all the constant baying about killing wolves. Turns out after following up the submission the editor totally missed the three little pigs aspect; sadly yet another victim of a deprived childhood. Not much you can do when the viewer just doesn't get it, and that unfortunately goes double for cartoonists if it's an editor.
The Alaska Department of Fish & Game's mandate means anything can be justified as long as it's "consistent with the sustained yield principle." As a result, hunting in Alaska is aesthetically now about as managed as shooting animals at a game farm (okay well a really, really big one). Completing the homey cabin are portraits of the Quitter *wink wink* and the Commisioner.


Flipping the view around from outside-looking-in to inside-looking-out, here we have a snide commentary on another perennial debate in this community. Camps of homeless people are routinely flushed out so as to not offend the sensitivities of residents, and a very vocal segment of society relishes lording over the disadvantaged from their privileged perspective. Thus the pampered poodles are parroting patronizing platitudes that justify their lofty station in life.
A secondary irony here in that many non-Alaskans recoil in horror at the sight of mushing teams outside at temperatures of minus forty, when in fact the breed has long adapted to these conditions. Of course there is the controversial contingent which isn't happy about even having them tied up.

At the suggestion of the editor, the print version now has a sign stuck in the ground that says "Indigent Kennels." I was ambivalent about the inclusion, since my instinct is to never be condescending to the viewer, but that sometimes conflicts with the assumption that the average reader is basically clueless and one must hold their hand while gently leading them over to an issue before whacking them over the head with your point. We briefly discussed other options, such as a street sign for "2 Street," but that veered into racially insensitive stereotyping. As opposed to the sensitive kind.

"A joke is a very serious thing." - Winston Churchill

*Update 9/26: here's a bonus screen-grab from the front page of the Alaska Report blog (which reminds me to start brushing up on Don Young caricatures). And also seen is a link to the Mudflats article sporting another of my panels, which along with the News-Miner + Ester Republic, makes this recent batch of editorials a brief exercise in media saturation:

The Worst Gag of the Year

... and by that, I mean the best. As in so bad-it's-good?

Seriously, I get downright proud when I come up with something this dumb: it occurred to me yesterday while wandering around the new Woodway shop while my girlfriend was buying a stove.

At least everybody wearing Carhartts laughed.

"In comic strips, the person on the left always speaks first." - George Carlin

Line It Out

"Definition of a College professor: someone who talks in other people’s sleep." - W. H. Auden

Today's class was the official kickstart into line, in anticipation of the upcoming pen & ink portion of the semester. Again, I like to use the doors out in the Great Hall as a novel introduction to contour line, plus reinforcement of foreshortening and overlapping elements. The custodial staff must love me, and it probably weirds out people who visit the building.

En-route to the doors we also got in a little bonus pit-stop at the gallery, where the first ever Bachelor of Arts student show had just opened up. This was hopefully an inspirational exhibit for my aspiring talents to see, and some impressive works were on display. It included some drawings by a few previous students of my own, which needless to say made my morning. Especially after a heavy schedule over the past few weeks indoctrinating both teachers, interns and high school students on the relevancy and revelations of art - here was a perfect case-in-point/cause & effect display that IT WORKS. It's always important to remember after years of jaded experience what a thrill (and big ball of stress) having one's works up on the wall in a real gallery can be, and the two-part harmony of doing good works and showing them well. So well-earned congratulations especially to Sam Lawson, Liz King and Tiffany Stappler.


Afterwards I resurrected an old, quick exercise in blind contour drawing (demo piece above), which is excellent for training hand-to-eye coordination so that the pencil becomes a reflexive extension of the hand, and by extension again ones vision. Probably isn't more of a frustrating thing to do, but it serves to really bring home the point of how important ceaseless practice is. The seamless flow of action demonstrated by an experienced artist while sketching is instructional to observe: the analogy of an archer who doesn't worry about watching the arrow but instead focusing on the target and letting years of accumulated rehearsal take over (see the brain/muscle memory theory in this gesture drawing post).

But man did I ever hate drawing blind contour, and what a sublime pleasure it is to pass on the fine tradition to another generation of aspiring talent! Actually, given the volume of laughter in the class while doing this it's a refreshing little break in the routine.
And speaking of routine; in the background of these snapshots up on the screen can be seen the examples of Critique #3 that was assigned today as well. Also visible is another patented white-trash special impromptu still-life which brought out the inner juvenile delinquent in me. Did the job, which was something that contained a lot of material for contours and negative space. Throw in a little linear perspective, add a touch of value, toss well with composition for 45 minutes ... ta-daa.

After most in-class exercises I have the students spin their easels around 180 so we can do a quick review.

"Have no fear of perfection ... you'll never reach it." - Salvador Dali

Alaska State Literacy Association Conference

This weekend Fairbanks hosted the 2009 Golden Heart Reading Council and the Alaska State Literacy Association for their big annual statewide conference. The main shindigs happened between a downtown hotel and a nearby high school. From Sunday afternoon through the evening was an author's event at the hotel, where many publishers, authors and educators could network, or "mingle." The headlining presenter for the conference, author Janet Wong, gave a short speech, a special award was given to local Alaskan author Debbie Miller, door prizes were given out, and dinner was served.

My publisher had us a table where I got to sit and doodle in between mooching as much food & drink as possible. Noted science fiction author David Marusek briefly gave my books a veneer of literary respectability by actually signing them (pictured here on the left), which of course immediately jacked up the perceived value of the edition by at least $5. And my own personal fan-boy moment happened when finally meeting the most awesome and legendary Shannon Cartwright, who had several tables of her works along with many prints of her art on display. Other notable luminaries in attendance were Deb Vanesse, Dermot Cole, Cherie Stihler, Ron Smith and others.

The following Monday was an in-service day: professional development for certified staff in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. This conference offered a huge number of workshops, one of which I was invited to conduct:

Comics in the Classroom - Jamie Smith Overview of the “Sequential Arts” – a brief introduction and history of the different popular genres (gag cartoons, strips, editorial cartoons, comics, graphic novels etc.), materials and technique demonstrations, and participation in selected sample exercises for classroom use (ex: collaborative projects with scriptwriting, penciling, inking, making ‘zines, cartoon “jams”, idea/joke generation). Resource packet handout + samples of student work will be available.

This was an hour-and-a-half afternoon workshop offered during one of several sessions throughout the day, and attendees had to choose from around forty other workshops happening at the same time. The theme of the conference was "Landscapes of Literacy," and perusing the other presenter's blurbs it seemed to be focused on something like "theoretical and practical frameworks for curriculum-based instructional strategies and educational resources." Once again, I was championing comics as a spiffy way to coalesce reading, writing, drawing and technology skills together in one package. Personally I'm always a bit bemused at the irony, given my spotty educational history, and feel like I'm coming at it all from way outta left field: since I'm admittedly not much of an academic, more like a hybrid that straddles the line between working and teaching. But I can't ever pass up a chance to peddle the wares, especially with such an audience.

"The recent interest in comics as a literacy tool comes as graphic novels have cemented their status as sophisticated works of literature, and as teachers nationwide are struggling to boost reading scores. Proponents of comics in the classroom say that they can lure struggling readers who may be intimidated by pages crammed with text. They also say that comics, with their visual cues and panel-by-panel sequencing, are uniquely situated to reinforce key elements of literacy, like story structure and tone." - Superman Finds New Fans Among Reading Instructors 12/26/07

Comics present an “alternative pathway to literacy,” as summed up in the above blurb from New York Times reporter Elissa Gootman. The challenge for gigs like this is tailoring it to be simultaneously palatable to educators (i.e. simple and manageable enough for classroom usage), and still retain enough interest for students that they have fun doing it. You get millions of hits on a Google search for the phrase "teaching comics," and along with specialized institutions devoting more and more classes to learning to draw comics, there is a corresponding groundswell of interest in teaching comics in the classroom. Sometimes it's a last-ditch effort to inspire students dovetailed with the popularity of the medium - whatever works, and as witnessed after the Harry Potter phenomenon, opportunities should be seized whenever possible. I never miss a chance to plug the ongoing efforts of the National Association of Comic Art Educators, which is an organization dedicated to promoting all this and more: a must-read is James Sturm's "A Case for Comics" which I always include in a handout as a succient breakdown of exactly how and why comics are such an effective and powerful educational tool.
 
I showed up at the classroom armed with a couple dozen sets of handouts: packets of resources and sample lessons & exercises. As usual, I stressed the flexibility that can accommodate individuals and/or groups with collaborative projects, and how all sorts of subject matters can be incorporated such as history and science. Then I blitzed through something like 250+ images showing off the wide range of different styles and content that are available in contemporary, alternative comics. Most folks have heard the term "graphic novel" but still tend to stereotype comics as a strictly superhero genre, or at the most, manga. Which on its own is fine, but there is so much more diversity out there; autobiographical, biographical memoirs, graphic journalism, experimental, etc.

However, after talking for an hour and a half, I totally botched the workshop aspect by once again running out of time to do actual hands-on activities, which was a major disappointment to some attendees. I just get carried away while showing off the amazing amount of stuff that's out there. Even so, after apologizing it seemed most folks were saturated with enough ideas to explore on their own afterwards, and hopefully got inspired by the show & tell. Next time it'll just have to be split into two back-to-back sessions... 

It was a tricky call to gauge participant's level of interest as the conference was billed more along the lines of "literacy" versus the arts, and so I weighted the show & tell a bit (too much) on the theory instead of the practise. There were a few attendees who I knew had some direct experience in comics, both creating and teaching, like the ever-amazing Robin Feinman, who had the pleasure of having one of her own minicomics handed to her as a sample. And I also handed out a specific project that had been emailed to me only the day before by another former student, artist & educator Jeannie Armstrong, who has been introducing a "Sequential Art Project" in her own classes with much success. Thanks again to both you guys, along with all the people who hung out and a big thanks to the Alaska State Literacy Association!

This post'll win me a Pulitzer Prize

"Well, it's a humor strip, so my first responsibility has always been to entertain the reader... But if, in addition, I can help move readers to thought and judgment about issues that concern me, so much the better." - Garry Trudeau

The official title is "Republicans," which isn't necessarily the case, what with the constant din of politics these days. But as far as obstructionist tactics and snarling, Pavlovian rhetoric, definitely gotta throw the GOP a well-earned bone. Sadly, bipartisanship is a foregone conclusion, and this administration's cleanup duty will take some time and effort , especially when dealing with feral, rabid animals. Personally I like this panel best of all that's been done so far this year, especially as far as coalescing concepts into a regionally specific image. And drawing it didn't take anywhere near as long as I'd originally thought, seeing as how all the dogs are, eh, white. The little Alaskan-y touches; flat-roofed kennels and the trademark drunken forest go with the vernacular of mushing territory.
Still wish I'd kept in the one who was lifting his leg on Obama's leg though...
This is the second illustration I've done that's graced the front cover of the Ester Republic which just hit the stands (website here, and also the publisher's blog here); well worth a subscription (hint, hint), if only to get my unedited editorials to collect for your outhouse library.


And within the very same issue, here's some editorial bifurcation that oughta inflict cognitive dissonance. The irony's gonna kill me: this spin on Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize might seem a little harsh, but I'm sure it pales in comparison to the suffering being inflicted right now upon innocent people while still waging war.
Yeah, I'm impatient. Yep, it's my own damned opinion that'll be summarily rejected as coming from a purity troll. Actually, there's another, more subtle interpretation, one that I favor over the shallow surface treatment that this image portrays, one that's even more twisted than the average viewer's imagination.
Seeing as how this image is "old," there's an occupational hazard of softening on your own stance - bad enough the topics are usually dated and timed with a current event that'll quickly lose context once faded from communal memory, worse still if a few days pass and you rethink it after reviewing. There have been some panels I actually slightly regret with the benefit of hindsight, and given the second chance I'd would pass on full, open display of my own damn opinion. How fortunate to have the seasoning experience of making a complete ass out of myself anyways with in the other world of single-panel gags, so guess that makes me a professional. You get over it.

Anyways, I think it would have been far more effective and made an incredible statement to gracefully decline the honor: that act alone would have afforded an unprecedented platform from which to really say something. Nevermind actually doing something, as lofty symbolism of words without deeds is utterly lost on most people. Just being better than Bush isn't enough, just like winning the election wasn't enough. Plus there's the pathological narcissism inherent in many who aspire to political leadership (fortunately no definitive case studies on arrogant, egotistical cartoonists) so the whole false humility thing doesn't wash either. Much.

There's a damn good reason I don't belong to either the Democrat or Republican parties (or for that matter, have many friends), and it looks as if the honeymoon is over for ratcheting up the rhetoric. My cynicism over the endless capitulation and spinelessness of Democrats in the past has tarnished any outlook I personally have on politics, which is a perspective that trumps blind party allegiance. What's amazing is how effortlessly either "side" slips into knee-jerk reactionary caricatures of themselves, and is absolutely incapable of being objective much less having a sense of humor or irony.

Now, I would love to be proven wrong...

"Satire is focused bitterness." - Leo Rosten

Rip-off Artist Redux

"The basic story line is about art leaving the realm of the artist, when the artist loses control of the work." - Jeff Koons

Noli Novak, the creator of painstakingly detailed stipple drawings that have run in the Wall Street Journal for over twenty years, is charging artist Jose Maria Cano with shamelessly ripping off her images for use in his critically acclaimed wax on canvas works. She's not seeking monetary compensation, just all credit where credit's due. Novak is part of an official group that produces the stippled drawings know collectively as Hedcuts:

"Kevin Sprouls, the first artist at The Journal, introduced these distinctive illustrations to The Wall Street Journal in 1979. Today, there are 5 full time artist and a number of free-lance illustrators." - WSJ

Came across this story posted on the Daily Cartoonist blog, and on TechDirt as well, and it seems to inflame opinion to both extremes. It's a very interesting collision between many confusing issues in copyright and the artsy-fartsy world: "Fair use" versus derivative versus transformative versus appropriation versus plagiarism.
The legality is a separate issue from the ethics; as a work-for-hire employee of the Wall Street Journal, Novak assumably doesn't have any control or claim to her work. Additionally, it seems from perusing the comment thread on the "original" artist's blog, the outrage petered out after many repeated queries as to where the source material that she uses to in turn create her drawings came from, as in based on a photograph.
Regardless of the laborious craftsmanship that goes into the creation of Cano's pieces, it's been done before, and better, and it's still conceptually unimaginative and aesthetically tired. In my opinion, as far as unique and creative images go, I would actually rate both about the same.
It's a constant puzzle to me, this overlap between ideas of originality and the gray area where inspiration crosses the line and becomes imitative or at the worst, moral theft. This is a quandary I explore in my own classes with the themes of transformative appropriation, which gives us a chance to debate what's "right" as opposed to what's technically legal. And as I've mentioned before here, there's always the humbling admission that influences and the occasional unconscious homage will sneak into one's works.
Good fodder for discussion in the classroom and in the studio, although it's more likely the final say will be had in the courtroom by lawyers instead of artists.

"Most art is just surface noise." - Darby Bannard

Burgess Fundraiser

One of my favorite cartoonists in Alaska has been dealing with cancer the past several years. Nathan Burgess is the artist for "Good in Theory," and has been battling it out in Seattle. Having to live down there is worth a fundraiser all by itself, but in all seriousness:

"Life can change in an instant.

Just ask the Burgess family from Fairbanks. Last year, high school student Nathan Burgess complained about a sore knee. When the pain persisted, he saw a doctor and the diagnosis terrified everyone — cancer.

[...] Nathan spent much of last year in Seattle, undergoing treatment. When he lost his hair, his Dad, Andy Burgess, shaved his head in solidarity.

Lin Gale, his mom, didn’t go quite that far. But she has had to leave her job to be with her son full time in Seattle.

Prognosis was good, but when Nathan went in for a check-up in March, doctors discovered the cancer had returned.

He has since had two surgeries and is once again doing well.

The emotional toll on family and friends has been tremendous. We have all kept track of Nathan’s progress through a remarkable Web site called www.caringbridge.org. I love when the “ding” of a new message carries good news. - Kris Capps

Today, from 10am to 4pm, at the Ken Kunkel Community Center, the Goldstream Valley Lions Club (donations may be made directly to that organization in Nathan's name) is hosting a "Book & Bake Sale" to help out. Along with tables groaning with awesome home-baked goodies and stacks of books, I have a table of miscellaneous ephemera: posters, framed prints, original pen & ink + wash drawings, minicomics, books and tshirts up for grabs. Did I mention zucchini bread and fresh tomatoes?

A damn worthwhile good cause, as sometimes it's hard finding something to laugh at in this world, and this dude's work brings a smile to my face, even if I'm not hip enough to get some of it. And when I say he's one of my favorite and best cartoonists, it's on account of his work ethic and output under conditions that put the majority of other artists to shame. I think about that often, especially when I'm not in the mood to drag my ass over to the drawing table, or listen to a whiny student that didn't have time to finish their piece.

Work Work Work

"We're making progress. It is hard work" - President George W. Bush

Shown here on this posting are a couple in-class exercises experimenting with wash (overlaying a re-emphasis on both arrangement of compositional elements plus contour line), and a selection of some of the outstanding critique pieces. Some truly exceptional efforts, and a wide range of views from around the campus and community - literally windows into other people's lives, which is one of the meta-points to the whole assignment, a sense of place. That and a damn good charcoal drawing.

I oscillate between giving students the reign (free-range creativity) versus micro-managing. On the one hand some folks need much more support and hands-on guidance, others resist if not outright resent any efforts to influence or control their work. In my own artistic life, I have a foot in each world: freelance and the personal, plus considerable overlap in between the two realms of expression. There's always loopholes in every assignment that can accommodate both the student who needs concise, specific parameters, and the student who needs an outlet to wander off the beaten path, exploring their own interpretations.


There's a former student of mine that I bumped into last week in the art department halls. She said "I hate art." After blowing it off with bittersweet empathy and cynicism, many hours later it still chafed away in my thoughts. Given that this was from an extraordinarily accomplished art major (and a conscientious student), statements like that might give one pause to reconsider, and reflect; what the hell is the point again? What are you doing? Turns out it was just a cyclic stressing over critiques for multiple studio art classes piling up on top of each other. That's a lot of work to be juggling at one time, and is also one of the reasons behind every so often getting a wee bit of a reinvigorated work ethic myself just seeing what an art student goes through all the time. Like picking up contact creativity, it'll rub off on ya.

"Yes, we're getting the job done. It's hard work." - President George W. Bush

There are the rare days when I feel like hiding from the world, and would really rather stay in the cabin hunched over a new sheet of Bristol board, lost in ink. There are times I hide in the office, a quiet re-coiling after making copies, setting up the demonstration materials, assembling the still life, reviewing the syllabus and schedule, prepping lecture notes, so on and so forth. Sometimes the speed bump of an offhand comment like from that former student opens a brief window where all the assumptions that are suppose to keep the autopilot humming along suddenly stall out, quit working.
Being both a working artist and also a teacher is a weird duality that means understanding the particular demands inherent in producing a piece of art, and maintaining the expectations that others will overcome them as well. Project much?


At times I will forget to take into account the fundamentally reflexive and long-accustomed habit of ignoring how I feel, and regardless of my motivation or mood, just do the damn job. That bare-knuckle approach works well whether it's tackling a new topic in some panel or design, or putting on a game face and summoning the fortitude to wade into yet another critique. This is basic, a given that comes with the territory, and with experience becomes second nature, one that I need to remember myself and to remind in others.
Fortunately making and looking at art never gets old, even during those times that I've temporarily forgotten the fact I love doing both. Doing and teaching art share the same potential for pleasure (aside from the constant, inevitable disappointments), both will always lure me into putting everything else aside for the moment - a moment which can stretch out for hours - and focus on the task at hand. There's always going to be something else to do, something that should get done first instead. That's a constant, it never ends, and more often than not the dividing line of success: perseverance in prioritizing. You get, or have to take, the time for creativity, to wonder at creation - something a lot of folks either never get to experience for themselves much less see or take the time to appreciate.

Don't think I've mentioned yet that for every assignment and critique there's an accompanying handout with specific details on what's expected for each piece done in this Beginning Drawing class. Also included is a showcased piece from a previous student, and there's an short show & tell of selected examples from other classes, which after viewing preparatory thumbnails in sketchbooks I'll quite often keep some students after class to go over with for those that might not be getting exactly what we're after. There's some debate amongst art teachers as to whether or not this technique is effective - in some cases it could either preempt a student's own creative interpretation or even fill them with helplessness in light of how good other student's work looks (though I do show a full spread from good to bad to ugly so we can compare + contrast what's working & why, or why not). Neither has really happened in my experience, it's good to both set the bar high and to clearly lay out the parameters. Works for me, and them.

" ...no doubt about it, it’s tough. It’s hard work. It’s incredibly hard.” - President George W. Bush