avocare

This year's Comic-Con in San Diego was like the ancient bazaar of Constantinople teleported to the third moon of Zarbtron. There were charlatans and geniuses in abundance, hawking their wares from platforms that ranged from a cardboard box on the sidewalk to a glittering Hollywood extravaganza on the stage of the huge convention hall.  (Of course the platform was no predictor of quality, so you had to check out everything.) Comic-Con provides a true kaleidoscope of popular culture.  Where else could you find Neal Adams competing with Sergio Aragones-- his artistic opposite-- in a "quick draw" competition?  Where else would author Neil Gaiman discuss the merits of Jack Kirby's different inkers? One of my favorites: 20th Century Fox, promoting the new blu-ray edition of The Predator, used 3D copiers to scan the heads of the first 500 customers and create an action figure of the Predator holding up the customer's severed head . The loud, pounding base line from ampli

 More at Land Sketch

 "Wildness can be the picture's better part, its physical delight."  -- Gordon Parks  In the 1960s, American illustration entered a wild, expressive phase.  Many illustrators employed vigorous, slashing strokes to convey the new mood (and speed) of the country.   Bob Peak These pictures had an energy and virility that still stands out, fifty years later.  Bob Peak was one prominent example of that style, but there were dozens of less well known illustrators who helped to visualize the mood of the '60s. For example, the talented Harvey Schmidt worked in a similarly robust, vigorous style:   Another talented illustrator, Jim Jonson, made expressive, high velocity illustrations of figures stretched to the max: Here, Neil Boyle applies this same energetic line to inanimate objects:   The Society of Illustrators annuals from the '60s contain a great deal of art in this dynamic spirit; lots of slashing lines and lightning bolt scribbles back and forth.  In later decade

New Audio interview at Massive Fantastic! Check it out at: http://massivefantastic.com/?p=3530

I hope to see you at San Diego Comic-con this year. I have 2 presentations at the Schoolism booth (booth# 2042): Finding the simple solution to complex scenes, Friday, July 19, 1:55pm - 2:55pm . Photoshop Demo: building a scene with color and light, Saturday, July 20, 1:55pm - 2:55pm See you there!