Friday, September 24, 2010

Summer 2010 Wrap-up

Some art, some photos, all good.

Even though I got "restructured" in July, this summer hasn't been bad. We've got a good amount of savings and the freelance jobs are trickling in (including one big potential job that will bring in at least a mortgage payment). Lots of resumes out, and a couple of bites, so we'll see...

Anyhow. The highlight of the summer, as always, was hanging out with the Step-Mother-in-Law's family at their camp on Brant Lake, NY. I've mentioned before that they are the coolest, friendliest and most accommodating folks I've ever met, so if you add that to a trip to a lake in the Adirondaks, you can see why it's the highlight.

There was lots of waterskiing (not by me, I'm awful at it) and the Step-Brother-in-Law (SBiL) bought a keg of Rock Art Brewery's Ridge Runner and much beer was had by all. I'd like to show you some of the skiing photos I took, but they're of folks who aren't me, so I want to keep them private, sorry.

The Step-Mom-in-Law (SMiL) took me out for a sailing lesson and man, was it ever-so-slightly scary. The winds were... variable. They'd come over the mountains around the lake and muck about for a bit blowing hard in one direction, then another and then they'd stop for a few minutes before going again. Veteran sailor that sh is, SMiL was laughing and calm the entire time. I was trying hard to figure things out. More than once I dumped the sail when it felt like we were going to go over. We weren't, of course, and because SMiL is a good (and former professional) teacher, she only laughed a little bit. Here's the little Dolphin in the morning waiting for the wind:



Another highlight was SBiL's dogs, Kermit (brother) and Thumper (sister). Being Lab/Border Collie mix dogs, they're full of energy, but Thumper never slowed down the entire time. She was like a six-year-old kid, either full speed or stop. Whether it was a frisbee or a tennis ball thrown in the lake or simply flipping panfulls of water into the air, she would always tire out the humans first.

OMG WATER!




TENNIS BALL!


Kermit was more sedate, trying to reconcile his Labrador Retriever instincts with the reality of ducks.


On the art front, I'm finishing up a new Obscure Tale. This tale is slightly different and features characters that may lead to their own title. I'll be posting a cover soon, but other than that it's a surprise!

I was sick most of this week. I get this cold/flu/allergy type thing whenever the seasons change from winter to spring and summer to fall. It's weird and annoying, but it goes away. I was not in the frame of mind to work on the new OT, so I did some sketches of my favorite (and most ill-used) Marvel character Rahne Sinclair/ Wolfsbane. I plan on taking one of these two sketches and fleshing it out into a fake cover. I've found m work has been a bit static lately (why didn't you tell me?) and thought I'd get more dynamic. So, I grabbed a Stikfas figure and my Burne Hogarth book and went to work. Thoughts? Sweet Enemy prefers #1 as a better use of the page, but I find that the pose in #2 looks more realistic and less balletic.

#1


#2



I also gave a "comic book basics" workshop/demo at my local art supply store which seemed to go well. I learned a lot while trying to figure out what to teach.

I think that's all for now. There were some other things, a trip to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome with my dad, a fun visit with my niece, and a 'guys weekend' at Brant Lake, but I don't want to bore you.

pax.

Listening to while posting. Nothing, actually. I'll leave you with Brant Lake at 7 AM:

7 comments:

ladybug said...

That sounds like a full plate even with not working..so much. Love the stories from the Vay-cay, often a much-needed recharge to the batteries (creative and otherwise) in the one of the vacation deprived countries in the world IMHO. Like the new work, and I actually like #2 a little better but both are good. Hope you are feeling better!

Arjan said...

very cool dog pics!
Sounds like you had a good summer!

Those drawings remind me in a vague way of a webcomic I used to read (Shifters).

I also had a cold (still have) this week..it's been keeping my thinking unclear..which sucks when you've got a deadline. But it's better than yesterday.

Don Snabulus said...

Tough one. I actually like the picture and facial expressions better in #1, but #2 covers the page better I think for a comic cover.

Sounds like you got a few good adventures in this summer. Brews, bikes, and boats baby.

Always enjoy the work.

Arkonbey said...

@LB: The batteries are recharged, now I just need something to do with them ;)

@Arjan: Are Dutch colds better or worse than American ones?

@Snab: Interesting. I got the opposite opinion elsewhere. They thought that #2 was more like interior art.

Arjan said...

don't know..I'm still suffering a bit, not as bad as last week, but it's still a bit hard to concentrate which sucks when you need to read tons of stuff.

Arjan said...

don't know..I'm still suffering a bit, not as bad as last week, but it's still a bit hard to concentrate which sucks when you need to read tons of stuff.

Pandabonium said...

We sometimes get conditions like that on lake Hinuma - makes for a fun challenge, unless you are trying to learn in which case it is mostly confusing.

Nice pics of boat, lake and doggies. Sounds like a lot of fun and looks beautiful.

Wolfsbane - #2. Run bunny run.