Gasp!

Finished 2 more pages over the weekend...

Prelude to a Monster Invasion?

Still trucking on this graphic novel thing. Here's a couple panels from page 9 of chapter 2. Again trying to make headway and maintain momentum. I got stuck on a panel and had to white a bunch of crap out and pull out a Bill Watterson book to see how quick and effortlessly and texturey he draws foliage for another panel. I thought the panel was a goner but I saved it thankfully.

Full Steam Ahead

I'm continuing to work on my graphic novel. I've made it one of my goals to finish for 2009. I'm learning something, in years past, I would fudge and fidgit with my art until it was "just so." I rarely do that any more with my personal stuff. Instead, I've been asking the question, "How much can I get done in this short period of time and still be pleased with the results?"

As I have been doing the Gospel of Mark illustrations, I've been just as much conscious of what I'm NOT drawing than what I AM drawing. Doug Tennapel is a master at this.

Anyhoo, I've knocked out 7 pages in 2 weeks on the second chapter of this book. Full steam ahead...

...but who do you say that I am?

Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, "Who do the people say I am?"

"Some say 'John the Baptizer,'" they said. "Others say 'Elijah.' Still others say 'one of the prophets.'"

He then asked, "And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?"

Peter gave the answer: "You are the Christ, the Messiah."

Jesus warned them to keep it quiet, not to breathe a word of it to anyone. He then began explaining things to them: "It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the elders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and after three days rise up alive." He said this simply and clearly so they couldn't miss it.

Mark 8:27-32, The Message

1 Year Later

About a year or so ago...maybe more, I stopped working on this story I was 26 pages or so into. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't make it move forward. For some reason, something has clicked and I'm back in the saddle with it again.

The creative process is weird that way...at least my creative process, which seems to be finicky, organic, and fair weathered at times. It seems to say at times:

"This far and no farther."

"This much and no more until after this thing way over here."

"I must sleep and incubate this before you may move on."

"Consider this a corpse until further notice."

It's all about inspiration though, and if that inspiration/drive isn't there, the art isn't there, nor is the will to complete it.

Do You See Anything?

They arrived at Bethsaida. Some people brought a sightless man and begged Jesus to give him a healing touch. Taking him by the hand, he led him out of the village. He put spit in the man's eyes, laid hands on him, and asked, "Do you see anything?"
He looked up. "I see men. They look like walking trees." So Jesus laid hands on his eyes again. The man looked hard and realized that he had recovered perfect sight, saw everything in bright, twenty-twenty focus. Jesus sent him straight home, telling him, "Don't enter the village."
Mark 8:22-26, The Message

If You are Willing...

While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, "Everybody's looking for you."

Jesus said, "Let's go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I've come." He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons.

A leper came to him, begging on his knees, "If you want to, you can cleanse me."
Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy.

Mark 1:40-44, The Message

Samurai