noburbs

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Daredevil

2011-12-30T19:31:00.000-08:00

OK, this is a bit crazy. Saluki's parachutists . . . I just wanted to see it for myself.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Surf Watch

2011-12-29T19:05:00.000-08:00

Maybe somewhere a Saluki would patiently wait on the beach like the one in the scene I've created here. I think that the same scene a fraction of a second later would have the dog replaced with a cloud of sand and maybe the toe of the rear left foot just leaving the frame.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Body Surfing

2011-12-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

Shay is pouncing on her favorite flingy toy that had landed in the water. This sequence shows her enthusiasm and how when combined with a sheen of water produces magical effects.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - The Patterned Coat

2011-12-27T18:57:00.000-08:00

Animal patterns can be attractive on most species.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Contemplation

2011-12-26T18:14:00.000-08:00

Mutual contemplation is the source of inspiration for the month of May. I love turtles and appreciate their confidence when they observe the world from the safety of the water, little heads just barely breaking the surface of the water. The Saluki can consider the pursuit, but the water borne turtle is not her prey.

Leave that Turtle Alone!

2011-12-23T18:36:00.000-08:00

This section of the poster really disturbs me. I guess that the sharp claws and beak are supposed to make the turtle menacing, but it looks like it wants to get away from Mister Underpants.

This bowling ball shaped octopus isn't safe from the knife either.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - Flying over the Sands

2011-12-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

Shay rocketing across the sands. Simple as that.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - The Model

2011-12-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

The Model

Anyone who owns a Saluki will know this pose. There is a wonderful greyhound (and by extension sighthound) art appreciation from the Metropolitan Museum of art here. This pose is commented on.

This is the art for the month of March in my Saluki Calendar for 2012 for sale here (US shipping) and here for international shipping (shipping charges will be billed separately)

Saluki Calendar 2012 - The Retired Champ

2011-12-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

The Retired Coursing Champ. The trophy attests to her abilities, the destroyed fluffy toy to her instinct, the abandoned dog bed to her loftiness and the ignored squirrel to her peace of mind.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - A Formal Portrait

2011-12-19T17:54:00.000-08:00

I started with a vintage photo of a boy who was posed with another breed of dog. I felt the pride that the boy showed with his dog would be easily suited towards a Saluki. I loved his hair and the suit, very mod.

Saluki Calendar 2012 - The Cover

2011-12-18T17:35:00.000-08:00

Wyatte (above) and Shay (in orange) are the cover models. I love this picture of Wyatte, she is clearing a rise in the ice-plant, leaving a tiny explosion of sand.

You can purchase the calendar here for shipping in the US and here for international shipping (shipping charges will be billed separately)

Vintage Win Photo

2011-12-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

The Holy Hare God

2011-11-16T21:45:00.001-08:00

The Holy Hare God has been guarded by the Temple Saluki Pack, specially bred for generations to perform the sacred rites and ponder the mysteries of their fearsome sect.

Oh, and this is the image that is going to be the month of October in my 2012 Saluki Calendar.

Going with the Animal Prints

2011-10-22T23:18:00.000-07:00

2011-10-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

I dug through Susan's collection of ASA Newsletters, specifically ones from the early 70's and came up with these 3 figures. they weren't part of the same win pictures, but I think that each is interesting. The dog is going to have a bindle coat, like tiger stripes. The clothes of the judges and winner will feature prints too.

Music to draw by: Aerosmith, AC/DC, PJ Harvey, Om (lots'a Om)

Break Time

2011-10-09T17:53:00.000-07:00

It's coming together. A little more work here and there, on the painting of the dog.

Music to draw by: Om, Modest Mouse

Wyatte Comes Through!

2011-10-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was ready with my camera phone when Wyatte gave me the pose I've been waiting for! See Downtime below. Good girl!

The Thief of Bagdad

2011-09-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

My inspiration for the Hare Idol (see below) is this scene from The Thief of Bagdad (1940). Sabu climbs up the inside of the great statue, fights a giant spider and steals the all seeing ruby eye.

Although there are so many wonderful figures that are made to receive peoples sincerest spiritual devotion, I prefer this amped up, stylized, motif mad version.

It's a terrifically fun movie too.

Downtime

2011-09-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

I'm waiting for the right pose from one of our girls (Wyatte, that's you) to help me finish the lounging artist's model on the right. One of these days Wyatte will twist around on her back and throw her legs in the air and I'll be right there with a camera.

The Idol

2011-09-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

The Hare God is watched over by the Temple Salukis.

Saluki Skydivers

2011-09-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

I'm probably alone in wanting to see Salukis skydiving.

A beautiful bitch on the ground, more hounds floating to Earth.

The parachute trailing off behind, a huge burst of color and pattern.

It could be like D-Day with thousands and thousands of hounds filling the skies, ice cream cones, deflated mushrooms toppling over on the sands.

Weeping Superboy

2011-09-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

A pretty regular feature in the late 60's Superboy comics was the crying Superboy.

Flipping though these old issues, not reading them, just looking at the art I was struck by this recurring show of weakness.

Divorced from the gimmicky plots, these images suggested filled stories filled with the teen angst, hormonal hysterics of a wonderfully sensitive protagonist.

His skin can deflect bullets, but insult, heartbreak, longing pierce it easily.

I prefer this Superboy.

So full of feeling.

2011-09-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

Saluki Calendar 2012

I've been struggling with this drawing for a week now. This is the third time I've drawn it! In the other versions, the diner with her hounds were depicted larger with no one else in view. Putting the other diners into the composition makes things a little more dynamic.

2011-08-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Page 4

2011-08-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

Ghostly Color

Music to Draw By: Fleetwood Mac, LCD Soundsytem, The Decemberists

2011-07-31T21:41:00.000-07:00

Sucker

You ever find yourself hating characters in a story so much that you can't wait for them to get wasted?

The sooner they are all dead, the sooner the story will be over, the sooner you will be free.

2011-07-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

Super Strange Adventure Detective Agency

Now that I look at the underwater scene that I drew, I guess the Sea Devils inspiration was minimal at best. This panel depicts Eliot's imagined take down of an undersea counterfeiting operation.

Music to Draw by: Dylan, X, Roxy Music, Can, Ray Charles . . . .

2011-07-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

Sea Devils

Page 4 will feature some adventure fantasy motifs and one panel is inspired by these wonderful Sea Devils covers, some of the best by Russ Heath (the bottom two). For much of the book's run the covers included gray tones! The shading really must have made the book pop on the spinning racks of the day.

2011-07-24T21:50:00.000-07:00

Page 3

2011-07-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

Just the Color Please!

I really don't want create a painted comic book. However looking at just the color layer, I can't see to help using color for modeling. Oh well!

Music to draw by: X, Lucinda Williams, LCD Soundsystem & Albert King

2011-07-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

It Can't Be All Bad!

This morning I finally got all of the panels in order. Then I "inked" the sketches, left to right, top to bottom. Two hours killed and now off to my day job.

Music to draw by: Herbie Hancock and Ebo Taylor

2011-07-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

It Takes Time

I really thought that I had this page nailed. I thought that I would have it posted in a couple of days. It takes time to see the problems. A few days go by and I give it a critical read. It's flat, repetitive. I can fix it, but it takes time.

2011-07-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Pelican Wing

The Pelicans are coming through our part of the California Coast. They are stunning when they glide in a line just above the surf. This photo is of the upturned wing of a dead Pelican. A sad scene, but beautiful.

2011-07-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

My Brother's Chickens

You could never get down if you had these birds around. If I got stuck on a page or a drawing, I'd probably be inspired to create a fantastic headdress!

2011-07-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

Stuck in the Middle of What the Ehf Comes Next

Sometimes a page arises visually through little sketches that come together seamlessly. Some pages, like page 3, turn out to be a back and forth between what I can sketch, the rhythms, subject and flow of the dialog, what fits on the page and finally, what is the little kicker in the last panel that makes you want to read the next page. Mr. Jon Macy pointed out this comic book necessity of page composition a long time ago. I've never forgotten it.

2011-07-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Page 2

2011-07-11T10:07:00.001-07:00

The Right Amount of Rad

I've been sketching out a few poses for Eliot as he really gets into his air guitar. What is the right amount of rad anyway? Fist pumping the air, hips grinding into the body of the guitar, hanging hunks of hair swaying with the pulsating distortion . . . .

Music to draw by: Keith Jarrett, The Who (new bootleg from 1970), various artists from an African Funk compilation.

2011-07-09T17:12:00.000-07:00

Spent the afternoon lettering page 2, using Illustrator, working out the kinks, solving the problems that vexed me on page 1.

Music to draw by: The Bonzo Dog Band and a collection of Nigerian funk from the 70's

2011-07-06T10:21:00.000-07:00

I decided to go with color as a way of acknowledging the gurgling last breaths of the B&W indie comic book and my commitment to using the internet to make my story available. Color makes for more work, but I'm getting into it. Maybe too into it from a time management point of view.

Music to draw by: Sufjan Stevens

2011-07-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

I spend lots of time going through flickr albums looking for 70's clothes, home decor, hair styles. There are a couple of movies from that a great for pilfering. These stills are taken from "Over the Edge" from 1979. Matt Dillon's first movie. He steels the show and his clothes are too much. I'll save his half shirts and unzipped vest over bare skin for later in the book. The last still has some nice atmosphere.

2011-07-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Sebaceous Funkmeister, Jon Macy, and I spent the afternoon drawing. We even drew yesterday and I've made great progress on page 2. Vevay spent the entire time sleeping next to Jon, lulled into dreamland by the sound of his pencil marking the page.

Music to draw by: Koko Taylor, Little Walter, The Besnard Lakes and Love.

2011-06-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

Finally page 1!

My plan is to publish the entire book, page after page on my web-site. Someday in the future (where we will all wear rocket shoes) I will publish it in book form.

2010-10-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

It's HERE!

The calendar is in my hot little hands and

I am eager to share it with the world.

Click here to see all of the art.

Of course I'm selling it and you can get yours right here.

2010-09-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

We went to a lure course over the weekend and

I snapped lots of pictures of Salukis other than ours.

Here is one. Her cream color is inspiring a soft pallet.

2010-09-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

I posted a rougher version of this composition.

Now we have color! The top of the rock looks

like the Matterhorn.

2010-09-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

I have this photo of Wyatte with the

most beautiful flowing ear fringe.

My goal is to simplify it and use a limited

but attractive color pallet.

2010-09-02T22:35:00.000-07:00

Partial painting of Shay.

2010-09-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a composition of three dogs leaping from a small cliff. This is a line tracing that will hopefully tell me whether or not to pursue it as a digital painting. Too late, I've already started.

2010-08-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

I fret over color alot, but I'm pleased with the combination in this sketch.

2010-08-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

The Saluki Savior is inspired by the devotional tattoos that I've been seeing on inmates. I think it would be a great sentiment gracing the chest of a truly scary dude.

2010-08-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

Another Saluki tattoo idea, prison style.

2010-08-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

A characiture of a Saluki with no definite spot in the calendar. Sometimes I just draw without purpose and hope that something of value sneaks in.

2010-08-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

I'm looking at lot of painters for inspiration. I hope to channel them into my work, but I really end up confirming my own abilities and limitations.

2010-08-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

Saluki tattoos, everybody's going to want one.

2010-08-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

Some sketches of Shay. I used the reference photo on the postcard that announced the 2011 Saluki calendar. At this time, I don't plan on including any photographs in the finished calendar.

2010-08-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

I'm trying for something dream-like.

2010-08-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have this wonderful picture of Tux taken while he was lure coursing. He spotted me lying low trying to get a good shot, and came to a sudden stop. The intense look in his eyes is my goal for this painting.

2010-08-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is the photo of Shay that I'm using for the cover. We've been experimenting with Susan fake throwing Shay's favorite frisbee toy this way and that way just to get her to leap and twist about. There are more pictures of these wonderful "poses" on my Saluki tumblr site:

topofthefoodchain.tumblr.com

2010-08-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Another drawing for the cover. I used Illustrator for the line work and Photoshop for a quick stab at color.

2010-08-16T20:29:00.001-07:00

I'm starting to work in earnest on my Saluki Calendar for 2011. Normally I'm pretty secretive about my work, sketches, bum ideas that go nowhere and all of that. However, inspired by friends and desiring to cast off my hermit habits I'm going to post lots of stuff that will show the calendar in progress.

I guess I won't worry too openly about being able to pull it off. I'll just press ahead to the finish.

To start, here is an idea for the cover.

2010-04-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not posting anything in order.

Just reacquainting myself with old scenes.

2010-04-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

That isn't a dog in the box.

2010-04-12T22:30:00.000-07:00

I found this picture somewhere on the web. It reminds me of my own youth and it is a perfectly illustrates the viewpoint I want for my book.

2010-04-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

I recently took all of the pages that I have been creating for the final graphic novel of noburbs and was blown away to find the page count numbering over 300. I'm pleased and intimidated at the same time. 300 pages and I'm still not finished with my page layouts. They I will need to go back over the entire book and start editing, elaborating and finishing the art.

I hope I don't die before the book is finished!

2009-02-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

Earlier in the story, Eliot got drunk, danced wildly until he threw-up on the shoes of a really big teenager.

He is locked into an animal pen.

This page picks up Eliot's story after a long section focusing on Rudy.

2008-11-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

2008-09-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

2008-07-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

2008-06-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

2008-05-30T10:28:00.001-07:00

2008-05-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

This page follows the one from the previous post. It seems like all

I've been working on is silent comics, lots of pantomime. It is a real

pleasure to start filling some word balloons, especially from

these crazy girls.

2008-05-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

After making themselves comfortable in the clearing,

the girls decide to compose a letter to an object of desire.

2008-05-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

Jon suggested that she suck on a strand of hair.

2008-04-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

The sudden appearance of two mysterious girls

saves Rudy from a certain beating.

He is to be their Little Mushroom.

2008-04-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

The girl is asleep.

The boyfriend is offering her.

Rudy is spellbound.

It is so beautiful. It is so far away,

but it is moving closer and his hand

at the end of his lengthening arm

moves further from his body,

closer to the object.

2008-04-11T10:19:00.001-07:00

2008-04-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

Rudy's attention is not his to give. It is taken forcefully from him.

2008-03-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

Eliot's terror builds and builds.

No one can hear him.

No one wants to know he is there.

2008-03-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

The mass

rages and tumbles

towards Eliot

2008-03-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

Always at every party

someone gets on

someone else's nerves.

That's what has happened

here. Accidental bodily

contact is dealt with

intentional bodily contact.

2008-03-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Drunk, but he doesn't know it.

Eliot is stunned

for a moment

by the revelry

in front of him.

2008-03-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

Unglued

2008-03-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

This character's name is Eliot.

These days I spell it with one L.

In older issues I used two L's.

In later issues I'll sneak in an extra T.

Don't let your readership get too comfortable.

2008-03-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

The fire,
the beer,
the drugs,
the mayhem.

Burn!

2008-03-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

Eliot gets into the spirit of things. He joins the teenagers who are tearing apart the old shack for kindling. With a roaring charge, he parts the kids who stand hypnotized by the fire and flings a hunk of wood into the fire.

2008-03-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a sketch of that establishes for the first time the party that Eliot has joined. The shack is being torn apart to fuel the fire. The music coming from the tape deck inspires a frenzy of dancing. Eliot is kept from falling into the fire by a teenager.

2008-01-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

2007-11-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

2007-09-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

2007-09-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

2007-08-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

This poster was made for Crossroads Band in Seattle. After creating a dull poster made up of studied portraits of the members, I was encouraged to stretch a bit further and this is the result. The word bubbles contain the musical influences on the band.

Crossroads info at:
Crossroads Band

Also for Seattle blues news:
Jet City Blues

2007-08-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

Rudy takes the lit cigarette from the teenager.

The teen has tucked his shirt into the waistband of his cut-offs.

Eliot watches in horror as Rudy inhales, holds the smoke and exhales. He didn't cough. He's smoked before.

Now he sees that he is the only child here. Children don't smoke. They don't follow teenagers deep into the woods to party.

2007-08-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

Back from Seattle.

Listening to Sonny Rollins.

In the studio.

2007-08-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

The teenagers are arriving at the hillside park. The only way up the hill is through the hole in the fence. They bring beer, drugs.

2006-06-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

The concrete and bone statue that greets visitors to Thunder Mountain.

A few photographs cannot capture the enormity of vision of this place, and the decay it is suffering draws over it another layer of mystery. You focus your eye on a tableaux, then your eye drifts to a face pearing out from a wall of stone and cement. You are strange, mysterious and in decline.

The official web-site for Thunder Mountain Monument .