One of the things I enjoy most in life is spending time with my 7 year old son drawing. We draw everywhere and anywhere. For him, it's an extension of this fantasy world in stories that he creates with my wife and I, where each of us acts out different characters. Sometimes we do it with action figures, other times with character cards (Pokemon), with drawings we create, or just walking around telling stories out loud.
I love the story telling, but what I really enjoy most is when we create these characters on paper. One thing I've always done with him is to show him characters in different states of emotion, sometimes putting them in comic strips. The simple way is through the eyes and mouth. A drawing teacher I once had, who taught Manga cartooning illustrated this clearly to me, and I passed it to my son.
One day, he was telling stories with this Ugly Doll, named Chuckanucka, and through the story the character went through several emotions. He started showing them by doing the lines we use over the eyes using his fingers. I thought that was pretty cool.
My six year old son did the light motion. I snapped with the iPhone.
I'm taking a class on the art of creating comic books. I'm focussing on Manga and will be creating an ashcan, a small self-printed comic book. What's interesting to me is that reading comics seems to be affecting the way I visualize and compose layouts.
The visual language of comic pages, much more than the creation of single scene compositions in fine art drawing and painting, are having much more of an effect on the way I see and feel objects in flat space. Strange. Yes, I've read Scott McCloud's books, but reading those books as an intellectual exercise are nothing like playing with layouts of your own comics.
Still struggling with a synopsis for the book I will create. The drawing above is of a recent brush with a rodent in a garbage can. Ah, the joys of city living. The size is a bit exaggerated, obviously. For years, I'd have these ideas about a character I'd like to write a novel for and am thinking of using him as my Manga character. More to come on that.
Unbelievable Asciimation of Star Wars Episode IV. Watch it via telnet:
or web:
Well, season 3 is done. I was happy to see Jeffrey, Michael and Uli make it to the finale. My favorite this year was Jeffrey, which is not a surprise because I loved Santino's design last year -- they both have that free, rebellious, I don't give a sh*t, but I have something to prove attitude and it shows in how they push the boundaries of clothing design.
I recall Santino saying in an interview, "fashion is arbitrary". By it's definition, the clothing industry is about trends and the arbitrariness of "taste" or style, and it shows some times in the judges choices. Think back to last year's finale and Chloe's show. This season had a much more satisfying outcome than season 2. I hated Chloe's drapery and upholstery look of last year and they lost credibility with me after that.
Jeffrey took the prize in season 3. I was in his corner this season, but I really also loved Uli's stuff at the finale. Maybe it's my love of tropical weather. Or could be hearing my wife's reactions to her dress on a previous show. I keep forgetting real people have to want to wear these things. :) Here's some photo montages of their shows at Fashion Week in Bryant Park:
Jeffrey's collection:
I loved Jeffrey's collection with the exception of the short blue evening dress and the black and white robe. The progression of the red polka dot pieces in the beginning and the conclusion of the green and white striped pieces at the end were rockin'. I could see wearing that stuff if I wanted to look good and different when I was out.
Uli's collection:
At the finale, I wanted Uli to win. She kicked ass with that collection and her music was terrific. There was something light and airy about it all -- like after the darkness of Jeffrey, her stuff suffused that tent with a happier vibe. Her design was not only cohesive to me, but it looked fantasticly flattering on the models. Every model looked so cute, comfortable and sexy. If I were a woman, I'd want those clothes in my back.
I can think of these two in terms of how they might do commercially on their own, i.e. continuing to sell their own designs rather than working for someone else. To take a more accessible market, I'd make the analogy between their high fashion collections and the low-end chain stores. Jeffrey could be Urban Outfitters and Uli would be the Gap or Banana Republic. They each serve a market well. Urban Outfitters is, well... more urban and style conscious in a rebellious, hipster kind of way. Banana is comfort and style in an elegant sort of way. They're two different markets, but each narrowly serves the desires of different types of people well. Actually, they may also serve the same people shopping with different types of occassions or moods in mind.
I guess what I'm saying is that they both have strong talents that have markets to serve, and I'd love to see them both succeed. Anyway, you can find more of Jeffrey Sebelia's work on Cosa Nostra, and Uli doesn't have a site of her own unfortunately. Great season.
We're not talking freetagging here. This is graffiti. Except on Draw Here you're using mouse pointers to leave your mark on web pages instead of inking up walls or scratch tagging sgraffito.
Who knows what we'll see here. Some of it could be art or maybe just egotistic chicken scratch like mine above :).