Auralynn

It's been a long while since I last blogged.

2010 sucked.

Almost nothing good came out of it. And I say almost nothing because a few good friendships came into my life as one went bad. I got my first gallery showing, and I am back working with Conan and the writers.

Now with the year about to end I hit another good turn, this one artistic.

I had a teacher who always told me I should make it a point to draw from a model and less from photos. Over the years I've made good on that advice, going to different workshops back in New York and here in Los Angeles.  Though in LA this part of my career has started to take on a life of its own.

I first noticed a major change in my work in August. I went to a workshop called "Gone With the Wind". Jennifer Fabos Patton of the Gallery Girls was one of the models. I felt I did some incredible work at that session.

After a few other workshops that went great, I started playing with the idea of working with a model one on one. Today, I finally took the leap.

Artist/ Model, Auralynn Nguyen was the subject for my very first private session! I did a total of 7 images with her and I am happy with how it all turned out. It's safe to say I will be planning many more of these sessions and if possible try to get some of these drawings into gallery shows.

2010. It started as a shitty year which slowly has been turning around. I think 2011 is going to be great.

New Dot Artworks

I am so happy with myself. I recently finished 2 pieces of art, one of which I started back in May of this year (2010). The girl sitting on the stool is special to me since I created it from a sketch I had done at a Dr. Sketchy session a few months back.

I feel that a lot of the drawings I have been doing at these different locations could be turned into interesting finish artworks. I just have to stay on this and keep turning them out. Before the year is over I'd like to try and complete maybe 5 more images.

Also, earlier this week I went to the Late Night Drawing Salon, the theme was "Sexy Country Bumpkins" Jennifer and Mary were the models. Drawing these two attractive ladies was fun.

Now, I am just letting my hand rest for a couple of days. I drew so much that aside from hurting, it was swollen slightly, not good.

Sexy Librarians

Tonight's Dr. Sketchy session theme was Sexy Librarians. And as always the models were incredibly attractive! There was a first timer, her name was "Cherry". Had a great time and drew some interesting images some of which I share with you here.

In a couple of weeks is the big event...

DRAGON CON!

I am so looking forward to it. The charity portraits I will be doing, the Jello Wrestling party, the Saturday morning parade, judging a Stargate costume event, finding new toys and taking a ton of pictures.

I've said it before, if you've never been to a convention before or think they are all the same, come to Atlanta one year. I guarantee nothing you're seen or been to will prepare you for this event.

"Nothing"!

Jello Wrestling at Dragon Con

Jello Wrestling at Dragon Con

I just finished the artwork for the annual Jell-O Wrestling party at Dragon Con in Atlanta. For those of you who might be out there that weekend you are welcome to attend, it's open to everyone!

2010 San Diego Comic Con, Milo Manara and Haunted Hotels

I've finally pulled my thoughts together to write about this year SDCC. It was great!

But when has it never been so.

There was the usually variety of vendors but there were less items from Japan. A lot of it was DC comic action figures going for anywhere from $10 to $12 each. Bargains to be had if you were willing to walk the entire room. I did manage to pick up a nice "New Gods Mr Miracle" and a "Batman Selina Kyle" modeled after the animated series.

The studios weren't there in force as in past years. Aside from the Warner Bros tower, there wasn't any huge displays worth oohing over. Lots of monitors showing trailers and previews.

I attended a few of panels for the first time. On Thursday, I went to "Robotech: The First Quarter Century". Friday I attended "Spotlight on Chris Claremont". I originally went because Milo Manara was going to be a part of the panel though he ended up not being in it. It was still good. I especially loved watching and hearing Chris' wife coach him with answers from her seat in the audience. What's that song... "Happy Loving Couples Make It Look So Easy"...

The highlight for me was on Saturday when I finally got to meet and hear Milo Manara! I've been collecting his art books and comics for years. I think this was the first time in my life that I can say I was a fanboy at a convention. I sat right up front, watching him and listening to his interpreter. Took some pictures with him too!

Mentioning panels, I heard there was a stabbing with a pen at a panel over seats. Doesn't surprise me. As I mentioned, this was my first year attending panels and I have to say the seating is horrible in these rooms. When was the last time anyone actually looked at the size of the average person. Especially convention attendees. More often than not, one person needs a seat and a half to be comfortable but yet they are forcing people to sit one chair per person right next to each other and in some cases someone may not had bathed.

I actually took a picture with a girl who commented how clean I smelled and we laughed about it but she was serious. She said I wouldn't believe the body odors on some of the people who asked her to take a picture.

I seriously think the convention folks have to look and address the seating issue before these kind of attacks become the norm. And I know you can't make someone take a bath but still say it in the list of convention guide lines.

Another interesting development that is occurring not so much at the convention but in the neighborhood is at night. Women are coming out dressed in some incredibly sleazy outfits. I thought Halloween was crazy but what I saw on the streets in the gaslight area made Halloween seem tame. A cop even gave a girl a ticket for her lack of clothing. Personally, I love sexy, but there's a time and place for it, example, "The Adult Expo". This is comic con and there's children everywhere.

I didn't know this in advance, the hotel which I stayed in was haunted!

I stayed at the Horton Grand Hotel. I did noticed the look. It immediately reminded me of the hotel in The Shinning". The paintings and old photos on the wall add to a very strange look. At night though is when the place really comes to life. Quiet halls and areas where there's no lighting. You immediately get the feeling like you shouldn't go down into those areas.

There was one at the bottom of a stairs which stupid me decided to play a joke on someone and walked down into. Nothing happened but now that I know a little more about the place, it's not likely I'd ever do that again.

Over all, it's a great hotel, perfect for an event like this. And I plan on staying there again.

So now I've had my appetizer, I am ready for the main course...

DRAGON CON!

Peter Fernandez

It's weird. This past week, actually a couple of days ago I had a dream or feeling that I was going to lose a friendship at San Diego's Comic Con. You know that feeling almost like spider-sense. I couldn't figure who or why so I started thinking about what I was planning to do out there and with whom. And what behaviors would create problems.

Some crazy thoughts came into my head. None of which really made me feel too worried, lately they almost seem normal, which is scary. For the last few months just about all my thoughts usually boarder on stress and nightmares. The only real happiness has been going to all these drawings sessions, there I could lose myself in a happy place.

Where am I going with this, well a week ago I meet a couple of people who reminded me what it is like to make new friends. I started believing. Believing in what, I don't know, but it made me feel good. And that feeling carried into this week even stronger. It also helped that I finally finished updating my website. But then those feelings came.

So I got the news this morning. A friend, Peter Fernandez died a couple of days ago. He was someone I met a few years ago at the New York Anime Festival. I was one of the people who presented him with a Life Time Achievement Award in Animation and over the years we'd see each other at conventions either in New York or LA. He even helped me out with some video I shot at a New York Anime event. A great guy. I was looking forward to seeing him next week.

He was the last person on my mind in terms of losing a friendship and this was a harsh way to lose someone at that. But he's gone and I will miss him.

Now the questions for me are, is it over and what do I do with all those "crazy" thoughts that have been floating around in my head? I don't hope or wish for any more deaths.

I really just want to have fun next week minus any drama.

A Great Sharpener

If you went to art school like me you probably had the drawing class in which you were taught to sharpen a pencil using a blade. With over 30 plus years of using this technique, I've gotten pretty good at it though occasionally the lead might break in which case I have to sharpen more.

Recently, someone at a drawing class introduced me to a pencil sharpener that I have found to be amazing! It's called Dahle. I think it's a German product. I've had it now about 3 weeks and I now spend a lot of my free time around my apartment looking for any pencil that needs sharpening.



This thing is great better than an electric sharpener. I've yet to sharpen anything that has broken during the sharpening process. It makes a perfect point every time. And looking at the filings I see more of the pencil casing that the lead core. That means less waste is happening.

It's the small things in life that bring such joy!

This week at my Tuesday drawing class I was on fire. We had two models and I felt like I was in the zone with my drawings that evening. I don't know, maybe the perfectly sharpened pencils had something to do with it. I thought they turned out really well, worth showing here.

It's a good thing I have these drawing groups/ classes to go to. They're what keeping me sane out here.

Dr. Sketchy at Fred Segal

What do you get when you put together hot models, fashions, and artists all in the same room... Incredible art!

On Thursday March 18, 2010. The originator of Dr. Sketchy, artist Molly Crabapple premiered a line of t-shirts she created. It took place at a store called Fred Segal in west hollywood. The Dr. Sketchy LA group was there too. They were invited to capture the evening event in drawings. There had to be at least 50 or more artists roaming throughout the store drawing any one of six models posing in Molly's fashions.

Because the room was in constant motion and no pose was held for very long, I felt like a reporter capturing moments at the event with my crayola pencils instead of a camera. The drawings were fast and many.

I had an incredible time at the event and I think produced some fun artworks. I also got to meet Molly!

Dr. Sketchy LA is great. If you live in the Los Angeles area it's worth attending at least once even if you're not an artist.













The above sounds like a freakin' advertisement. But I did have a great time.

As for the rest of my days...

I am trying to hang on to sanity as best as I can. A lot of those weird feelings that occurred during the move out here to LA are starting to creep in again minus the anger. I don't really feel mad at anything or anyone but more frustrated at my current situation. And what's worst is that I feel there is a solution right in front of me but for some reason I just can't grasp it.

But I guess this is where faith comes in. Cause I have faith that within a year's time, everything will have worked itself out, and I will be doing what I need to make me happy.