Zub Tales

It’s new comic day… not just any new comic day…

Mnemovore day!

Go forth to your local comic shop and pick up Mnemovore #1 from Vertigo. Dooooooo it.

If you like it, tell your store to put subsequent issues aside. Nothing makes a retailer want to order more copies than having buyers reserve a series.

Congrats Ray. I hope this is the start of even bigger and better things.

I have a marked habit of doing a lot of cleaning when I’m really stressed. It’s an odd habit because it takes time away from other tasks, but also puts my mind a bit more at ease.

I think it’s the concept of completing little things around me. Tackling the little skirmishes that can be “beaten” all at once, unlike the big wars that life throws at us. It’s a small sense of accomplishment when I’m having trouble dealing with major problems. Even if there’s some emotional issue, ambiguous strain or insurmountable problem I’m dealing with, I can win the fight against laundry, dusty carpets and dirty dishes. It’s an odd defensive measure to help bolster me against larger issues. I know a lot of people who let their hygene and environment devolve to reflect their mood when they have major issues. When I finish these cleaning sprees there’s an odd contrast between my immaculate home and my messed up little brain. It’s kind of hard to describe.

My apartment is currently almost spotless. Wish me luck.

Personal stress. Work stress. Lots on my plate and I’m struggling to keep it all moving forward with some semblance of smoothness.

Today’s Animation History lecture was part recap/review and part “Ask me whatever you want about the animation industry and I’ll do my best to answer.” I always felt that Sheridan never prepared students for portfolio building, interviews and what was actually happening in the industry and I’ve been trying to make sure these students are better armed as they head through the program here at Seneca.

The questions were honest, revealing and as I answered them I ended up solidifying some ideas in my head that I’ve thought a bit about but never clarified for myself. Near the end, the students finally stumped me. Witty little answers or nuggets of wisdom fell away and I was left up at the front of the class feeling like I was naked at a family gathering or something. It knocked the wind out me and I had to just answer it honestly.

Student: “How do you juggle work stress and a crazy schedule with your free time?”

Jim: “I… I… I don’t.”

(General nervous laughter from the students)

Jim: “Seriously. My aspirations have cost me friends. It’s cost me four relationships. It’s overwhelmed time with my family and time for myself. It’s taken over my schedule, my creativity and my life. It’s something I’m still trying to figure out. Be inspired, be driven but don’t let that wreck everything else around you. Do as I say, not as I do.”

We got beyond that discussion and moved on to other topics. When the class wrapped up the students seemed genuinely happy to get answers to all sorts of questions they had about what their future could hold, good and bad. I was glad I could cut through the crap and give them some real world advice they would remember.

What I said was so true… I AM still trying to figure this all out. All of it. It made me a bit melancholy and reflective, so I figured I should record it while it was fresh. I’m going to have to think on these things tonight. Clear more headspace and get a handle on what I’m doing.

Ironically, I missed Life Drawing again because I was dealing with other things. I have to go next week. I want to hit an evening session as well to make up for lost drawing time. Not sure how possible that will be.

There are several websites that report on movies with a desire to inform Christian viewers whether a movie is appropriate or not for their religious sensibilities. I’m sure it’s quite useful, but occasionally their cold and precise rundown of inappropriate elements can come across as comedy gold. I don’t know any hardcore Christian who’d consider Sin City appropriate movie fare, but in case you did… please keep in mind the following:

All in just 2 hours 6 minutes.

Sin City was visceral, engaging and oh so bloody violent. It’s a near perfect translation of the comic book. If you’ve never read the original stories, expect to be shocked, blasphemed and amazed. It could ignite a whole new slew of mature-eyes-only comic books or start religious witch hunts over how impure the comic book industry is. Any way you look at it though, it’s an eye opener. Well worth the price of theater admission and home video when it comes down the pipe.

Unlike the crazed White Wolfians who partook of Burger King’s new and terrifying Enormous Omelette Sandwich this morning, we loaded up with some good groceries. When we got home I made a bagel sandwich to die for:

– Herb and cheese bagel
– Roast turkey
– Salami
– Boston Lettuce
– Cucumber
– Tomato
– Old Cheddar
– Mustard
– Mayo

So good! Herby, meaty, crunchy goodness! Sandwich!

Long, long day… at school early for Life Drawing, long lectures, traffic on the way home, appointments and now more artwork to be done before I can crash.

Life drawing itself was a mixed bag. The model and lighting was really good, but I couldn’t seem to capture them the way I wanted to. In many ways my first few gesture drawings were stronger than the long poses. The initial excitement of the drawings gave way to tired body and brain. The 5 minute pose below isn’t polished enough and the tones in particular seem really uneven.

I kept one of my warm-up gesture pages, which was unexpected. The model stood with arms out stretched and then crouched with arms bent above his head. I drew both poses on the same sheet, using the first as a quick proportion checker for the second that gave me time to add some shadows to the torso. The two of them together looked oddly appealing and almost animated to me so I didn’t trash it. You can see both poses there if you look carefully, though the outstretched “crucifixion” kind of pose is quite wispy.

Ray’s setting himself up to be the next Grant Morrison with trippy quoatable interview lines like this:

“Warnings against role-playing games, heavy metal music, and hot goth sex abound, encoded throughout. After you read the comic, put it on your record player and spin it backwards to see if you can spot them!”

Good stuff.

Today’s a day of menial business. Craploads of work e-mails to respond to, cleaning around the partment, dishes and laundry to do… I started at 9 am and am still wading through this stuff so I can get some illustrations done this afternoon and relax tonight.

The bookshelves we built over the weekend have gotten the majority of the crap out of boxes. I realize again how much stuff I have, so retarded. Once the books get sorted the place will actually look and feel more like a home.

Okay, enough distractions online… back to the fray.

I finally had some deep sleep last night. Getting caught up from some restless nights as of late. I’m going to try and balance today between the two poles of productive and restful.

I didn’t get a chance to scan the life drawing until this morning… here’s the two best of the session: