An Illustrated Life

Slow, Steady and clearly not blogging.

2011-02-21T11:21:00.000-08:00

I check my last blog post, which was done at the beginning of the new year. In that time I have been slowly and steadily working on things in all areas of my life. I've done a lot of cleaning and organizing, changed a couple of things and finally got around to doing some things I've meant too for possibly years.

That being said, this has not been an easy winter. The weather has sucked and made it difficult to get things done. As we all know for awhile it felt like there was a snowstorm every week. There was a brief period there of little activity, but as I write this, I look outside and see another fresh coating of snow. The weather lulled us into a false sense of security.

Pronto comics is going well. More and more people are getting involved and we are consistently expanding. It is a good feeling, a feeling of accomplishment. My own projects though still remain on the back burner. I have realized something about myself though, that no matter what the situation of my life may be, I can't seem to do just one thing.

I look at the jobs that I work, and right now can't think of not being involved in these things, as I find them important to my life and enjoy them. In essence I am a work-a-holic and i am not sure if this good or bad.

A new year, a new, I don't know.

2011-01-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

I don't really like to make resolutions, mostly because I am outstanding already (hears crickets). That was a joke folks.

However there is something about the idea of a new year, newness in general that makes a person want to take some kind of action. Psychologically, I guess it is a convenient transition point. A clear date in which the past is the past and there is the possibility for a clean slate. Truth be told of course, that could be any day, but socially we pick the beginning of January.

It is to this end that I find myself, reorganizing, cleaning and clearing out old things. A shedding of the past, if you will. It creates almost a visceral feeling, like a lifting of weight.

It is a motif in literature and mythology that the hero's physical surroundings is a manifestation of his mental condition. I believe this to be true in life as well. A chaotic and cluttered workspace or living space is the product of a mind in a similar state.

So as I've been cleaning I feel the mental cobwebs clearing out and ideas are coming to my mind. Ideas for Pronto Comics, my website, my schedule, new illustrations, and several other ideas. Hopefully i will be able to get all of them done this year.

Recovered

2010-12-13T10:25:00.000-08:00

My schedule finally caught up with me, as I got knocked on my ass by a case of the flu. It came on suddenly and I didn't think much of it, just a head cold. So when I was asked to cover at NCC, knowing I had to be at Dowling by 3 as well, I said sure. I've done a long day like that many times now. By the end of the day though, I was pretty shot.

When I finally got to bed I had chills, body aches and shivers, but I still got up and opened the gym at 5:30. now one of the few up shots of working at a gym is the array of people that you meet, that includes doctors and nurses. I described by symptoms to a nurse and she told me it was the flu. As soon as I could I promptly got myself right back into bed, and stayed there the remainder of the day.

However, not to be a complete slacker I brought the lap top to bed and did some Pronto work, emailing and some other computer stuff. Also I've been able to get to do some inking, which has been fun. This group of stories have been more on the technical side, which reminds me of my patent days and makes me grateful for that training.

For the most part though if I wasn't at work I took it easy, and slept as much as I could. Today, I finally feel back to normal.

Thankful

2010-11-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

I had a good Thanksgiving and I hope you did too.

I spent a good part of it firing the wood kiln at Adelphi. The firing went very well. The combo of dry wood and thickened walls turned the kiln into an efficient jet engine. We achieved high temperatures quickly and used much less wood then we thought we would.

The real exciting part will be Sunday, when we unload the kiln and actually see the results. Considering the success of the firing process, we are hoping that the work will be equally amazing.

Aside from that Pronto Comics is now a publisher on Drivethru.com. It is a comic site that allows creators to sell the comics via pdf files. Its my hope that many of the creators will use this tool and start making some money off their creations and build an audience. Whenever I think of publishing or looking for publishers, m y mind immediately goes back to a graphic novel symposium I attended about 3 years ago. An editor at a publishing company made it very adamant that what they look for is...SALES!

Basically editors and companies want sure things and are not in the business of taking risks. Thus they want to know that there is an audience for the product they are putting out. To that end, I felt it is important for the creators to get their product out there to be sold.

Wood Fire

2010-11-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

This week Adelphi will be doing a wood firing, something I have been looking forward too for some time. I've been quietly making a discreet amount of work at Dowling in order to get ready for it. Not a huge amount of stuff, but enough that it will be worth doing.

One thing that I am curious about is this Jack Troy porcelain I got to work a little with. Recently at Dowling we had a guest artist who works with porcelain and she needed some pre-made bowls to demonstrate her carving technique. So I made some bowls/cups that didn't get used and figured since it was a wood fire porcelain, to see how it does in the wood fire.

Also since I had a lot of scrap porcelain and couldn't throw it into the recycle slop, I decided to make a slip out of it. I added extra silica and wood wash to it as well. I glaze fired it first to see if there would be any effect, but nothing. So lets see what the wood fire will do.

Anyway I am exciting and looking forward to it.

Holy Sh*T 200th Post

2010-11-17T09:21:00.000-08:00

Well I would like to thank God...

Yeah, OK, anyway back to reality.

So I was hoping that this month would be a little calmer then last, and so far its been a fifty/fifty mix. The first week of November was quiet and I was able to get a couple things I wanted to do done. Last week however, not so much. There were some unscheduled changes, unexpected sub-dates as well as some other surprise events that popped up. This week however, has been calm and I've been able to get a good amount done so far.

There has been a lot of emailing and discussing on the Pronto front. Also a good amount of editing has been going on as well. A lot of pitches and scripts have been read, some really good ideas out there. One really big thing, is that I've made some serious headway in cleaning my office/studio. Boring as this may sound, it really is very important. As anyone out there has ever had to write a paper and needed to clean their dorm room first knows, there is something cleansing about working in an organized space.

Mythologicaly/metaphorically speaking they say that your physical environment represents your mental environment. I believe this to be true. While everything was going on and things we so busy, I was just jumping from one thing to the next, not much time to focus my thoughts. I had to just keep moving, and the space around me reflected that. Now, I have a little more time to think, plan and organize my mind has cleared up significantly, which is good cause the holiday season is coming and that a roller coaster in of itself.

Busiest...Month...Ever

2010-10-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed I haven't been writing much, (ok who am I kidding, no one reads this thing) there is a reason for that...I've been so goddamn busy I don't know if I am coming or going.

The last post I made I believe was the day after the Comic Con. Of which the bilk of the 1st half of the month was devoted, in addition to the meet and greet meeting that Pronto had several days after. All in all it was a successful turnout. With many people interested in what Pronto was doing and had to offer them.

The week after that was devoted to preparing for a showcase at The Ballroom, which went well.

Now this week, I have been subbing at NCC, on top of working my regular hours and when said and done will have worked 68 hours this week.

The upshot, I should make a nice penny.

The down, I am tired as hell and haven't gotten much Pronto/my work done.

Its all a trade off, but hey I'll be getting a paycheck. So I'm going to call it a win and go home.

Quiet time

2010-10-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

So the past month has been a bit of a world wind. If you are one of the no people who reads this thing, you might have noticed the lack of posting. I suppose there were several issues for the insanity: Getting back to work (adjusting my schedule), doing a lot of subbing at NCC during the day and most of all preparing for the big NY ComicCon, which just happened.

Pronto has been preparing for this for several months, printing up fliers, postcards, t-shirts, and most of all comics. I took 3 days off from my other jobs, but it wasn't a breeze in the park. It was hard work for 3 days, a lot of standing, talking, shaking hands and meeting people. In the course of the con, I went to numerous panels, planted post cards repeatedly in rooms and on tables, took a lot of cards and contact information and put comics in the hands of a lot of people. I was even able to do 3 podcast interviews for Pronto. So it was a lot of work, which hopefully, will pay off.

Other things that I have been doing are researching, working at all my other jobs and making some pottery. A couple of months ago I decided to go to the library and look up books on inking, freelance illustration, and marketing. I felt I needed to get more serious about my career and how I approach it. Also I wanted to learn more about inking and the craft that goes with it. I took out several books on comics and noir style of art, as well as general pen and ink illustration. Finally, I've been trying to take out one hour of every shift at Dowling to work on the wheel. I want to focus on making some production pottery to eventually sell online. I did some research into websites that sell crafts and artwork.

So as always I have my multiple irons in the fire...

Back to normail-ish

2010-09-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

And so Labor Day has come and gone and summer is unofficially, officially over. This week begins my new work schedule. Today I'll be heading to Dowling to start replenishing glazes and slips and I am sure numerous other things.

Last Thursday we had a Pronto meeting at Pearl Studios, which was successful. A lot was accomplished and we should be coming into the convention season with guns blazing.

For my own work I've begun to update and rework my website, as well as researching marketing again. I am finding that if I make a detailed list everyday of what I need to accomplish it makes it easier for me to stay mentally organized and not get overwhelmed.

One of the reasons, I think, I was not as successful over the summer at accomplishing my goals, was that I wrote large ambiguous goals, like "work on website." Now that is a goal I've wanted to get to all summer long, but thinking about what it entails would often cause "paralysis by analysis." However, by writing down that goal and then writing down everything else that needs to be done:n updating my resume, adding/removing art, looking over the copy helps me realize what needs to done and allows me to focus and attack the project.

It's back to school time

2010-09-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Yep that's right. I went back to my job at Dowling the other day, and it felt like no time has passed and there was no summer. In its own way, slightly bizarre. I am looking forward to being back in the studio though. I really enjoy my job at Dowling, making clay and glazes, loading and firing kilns and helping the students.

Also there is always the upside of being able to make art there as well. I hope to make some work this year as well. I have plans to work on my throwing, make some new busts and sculptures. It should be fun.

On the Pronto front, I have a meeting tomorrow and I finished another overdue page. That means I only have one more to do. Then there will be new pages to do and new projects, which I am looking forward too.

Caught up...a bit

2010-08-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

So I caught up a bit since getting back last week. Now I am preparing to go back to work at Dowling, which I am looking forward too.

Right now I am working on my long neglected page for the Pronto Spectacular. I've penciled it and done some inking, and currently coloring it. I hope to have it done by the end of the day. There is always plenty of Pronto work. I've been emailing like crazy, adjusting files and still have several scripts to read.

However, with all this work, I need to figure out a way not to loose what it is that I want to do. Recently I sat down and wrote down all the tings I would like to do. Also I've spent more time making quick lists of the tasks that need to get done on a daily basis. It reminds of something I read in a cookbook, to make lists to keep yourself organized and if you do it enough you begin to think in lists. Mentally able to check things off quickly and succinctly.

The thing to do now is to organize my mind and realize what goals need to to be achieved in what order. Instead of trying to do everything and getting mad at myself for not getting enough done.

Back to work time

2010-08-18T12:22:00.001-07:00

So for the last couple of days I was out of town. While away though, and thanks to the wonders of modern technology I was able to stay on top of my email.

So now I have a lot of emailing, and catching up to do. I have a couple of final pages to work on before I get a whole new set of pages to ink by new artists. I am really looking forward to that.

Also NCC is done until the fall, so I am hoping to use this time to get a lot of things done off of my list. .

First and foremost though I need to do some cleaning and straightening out both on the domestic and professional front.

So I will be busy today.

Wrapping it up

2010-08-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

So I finished another inking project, which always feels good. Now its time to finish off the last, long overdue project, the Pronto Spectacular! As of now I have 3 pages I need to work on. 2 need to be inked and 1 that I am pencilling myself.

I also have a final due date for them August 19th. Which is good because it makes me have to focus on them.

Aside from that, I've spent most of the day emailing and working on the Internet. Being the Editor-in-Chief is hell on the inbox, let me tell you.

I've also been very bust subbing this summer, to the point that I've been getting paid from NCC on practically a regular basis...that's always awesome.

What amazes me though is the speed in which this summer has flown by. Before I know it I am already in mid-August and soon, very soon, I will be back to work at Dowling. Who knows though, with the limited time left and the finishing of these project will i get the time to work towards my allusive goals, that have attained almost mythic, Holy Grail-like status.

We shall see...

final stages

2010-08-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

I am coming to the end of inking...sort of. I am almost done with these last three pages of this story I am working on. As always I am approaching this systematically. Right now I am taking care of all the little details and anything requiring a straight edge of ellipse guide.

After that I will do all the figures. I like to use quill and brush when working on the figure, it allows for my varied line weights. Where as for inanimate objects, building and backgrounds I am more apt to use mechanical pens. I got this advice from an inker I met last year at Comic Con, Nelson DeCastro.

Overall these are the easier pages I have been saving for the end. That way my brain is a little less taxed.

When these are done there are two more pages that I need to ink for another project, the Pronto Spectacular and then there is the very long overdue page I owe for the Spectacular that I am pencilling.

On top of this it is time again for another Pronto Monthly Business meeting. So I will be spending a majority of my time tomorrow in the city. I am sure I will be busy, as there is always something that needs to be addressed or my attention is sought on some issue.

It amazes me how fast the summer has gone, and how little I have gotten done on my list. The time seems to have just passed me by. I have been just as busy, but seemingly have just as little to show for it.

Who knows...

...and the inking continues

2010-07-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

So as the title suggests I am still inking. My plan of attack is/was simple, take on the toughest pages first. Why is this my plan of attack, I have no idea. However, I am happy to get the toughest stuff done first.

These pages are in need of my full attention and a slow approach. They are filled with numerous details and two of them are splash pages.

Aside from that, all the other craziness of my life...continues.

Mid Inking

2010-07-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

So I have finished one project and now I am working on another. I about midway into inking the second project in my back log. It is going well, for the most part. I did some limited pencil corrections and immediately began inking the borders and working on backgrounds.

Hopefully, this project will flow easily. I am already enjoying it more, mostly because the e-i-c and editor jobs have been quiet for a couple of days. Speaking of which, because of the recent quiet I've been sending out several emails checking up on things. Granted this might come back to bite me, but I like to know what is going on. All in all though, my main focus now is finishing up these projects and getting them off my to do list.

In other news I've been doing a lot of subbing at NCC this week. That is always good and this week will be Pronto's first social meeting, which I am looking forward too.

Coloring, inkning and moving on

2010-07-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

So I have completed one Pronto project. 6 pages inked and colored for the next upcoming space anthology. Now that those projects are done, I can move on to finishing up the other space story I have to ink. Which I am looking forward too.

After that, I have 3 pages for another Pronto project. 2 to ink and one very overdue page that need to be drawn, inked and colored.

Aside from that I am subbing regularly, which is always good in term of money. Also I am working a goo schedule at the gym. However, as I just realized the combination of the 2 jobs will be keeping me quite busy until the following Saturday. Its going to be like the regular semester all over again. So much for having downtime in the summer I suppose.

Its becoming more and more aware to me that I am a work-a-holic. How and why I came to this who knows. I suppose it is a mix of how I was raised and the field I've chosen. It is no secret that my dad always loved his work, and I know I've inherited that same passion. On top of that being in the arts field and out of work/looking for work for so long, I have a very hard time turning down any opportunity to make money. It just goes against my DNA.

As always I am in my constant serach for balance and to reach the big picture ideal. Working freelance as an illustrator/inker, part time tech assistant, writing, and selling my own pottery, sculpture, decorative paintings and merchandise out of my own studio. There is also a personal dream of adding food to the equation. (It always pops up when I watch No Reservations.) I suppose I suffer from having to many interests and passions.

Busy Week

2010-07-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

This week just seems filled with things to do both personally and professionaly. Now, I am sure you are asking yourself, "How is that any different then what you've been telling us for over the past year?" Well...um...I really don't know.

I guess its just that it feels "good" busy. I picked up a little extra work at the gym and I am subbing twice this week at NCC, which means some nice paychecks.

Also though, I am still slow to get things checked off of my personal list of projects, I've been getting things done Pronto wise. I've been coloring those long overdue pages and will be moving on soon to inking the other overdue pages. Then I can finally finish off a couple of other pages on another book. As editor of War, things are starting to come together a little more. 1 story has been accomplished and is currently on prontocomics.com. Finally as E-I-C I am starting a list of things that Pronto badly needs. So that's what I mean by good busy, that I feel like I am getting things done.

The goal now for the rest of the summer it to get my illustration/comics house in order for the month of July. Then in August to tackle my fine art life. In total I hope to return to Dowling more organized and disciplined then when I left, and with a little luck, a bit wiser.

Progress

2010-06-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Its slow going, but I do feel like I am getting somethings done. A lot of things have been squared away on the domestic front, which is good. Yard work has been finished, things have been cleaned and the pool has been opened. I only have one more thing I need to accomplish around the house and then the summer will be set.

On the professional organizational front I've typed out and posted my summer list. On it are the weeks of the summer left, my current work schedule, projects I want to finish and the best times to work on things. I hope to get the list done by the end of the summer and plan to do the first half in July and the second half in August. I want it up where I will see it to keep me on point and working.

Finally my mind is coming up with a coloring strategy for some of the pages I have for the space comic. I now have a vision in my mind of the limited palette I want to use for the background and popping out the characters with the colors described by the writer of the characters uniforms.

Last but not least, there is Pronto business, which is a learning experience in of itself. War is coming along slowly and often feels like pulling teeth. I am ready to put forth the new creative guidelines as well, which I've previewed to several key members. There are other things that are being worked out as well.

So as always I am keeping busy.

Checking off the list

2010-06-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

So I've been plugging away at a bunch of different things. Right now that consists of getting a bunch of long neglected house projects done. Granted this isn't technically professional, but it is allowing me to clean the cobwebs of mind.

I know it is really just a grand form of cleaning my room before a term paper, but I feel it is quite necessary. I've spent so much time in work mode, just treading water, that it is nice to do something else and take in some oxygen. Also, with all this nice weather, if I don't get it done now, when will I?

Aside from that I am getting a little work done as well, slowly plugging away at it as it were. Also my work schedule seems to have solidified for the summer which is good and a huge relief.

So hopefully by the end of the week/month everything will be squared away and I will be able to devote the rest of the summer to my professional goals again.

Settling in

2010-06-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

I've been settling into my new relaxed routine nicely. Catching up on projects, cleaning up and working around the house.

Its quite cleansing.

I've started to work on some comics again, as well as spending time organizing myself physically as well as mentally. By my count there are 11 weeks in the summer, counting this one. I have a list of projects and goals, and I've broken down my time and weekly schedule. The last thing I need to do is organize the tasks, duties, and projects into the days and weeks I have this summer.

Where I've been

2010-06-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

Well the short answer is simple, very busy.

The last month was like a blur. Dowling ended and as is the way of any school year ending, it was a mad dash to the finish. Constant firing, cleaning and general answering of questions. I was doing the same when I subbed at NCC as well.

On top of that I was covering a bit more at my other job, since my boss went on his honeymoon.

Finally I've been working on a personal, non art project, which has been taking up my time.

However, with the summer here I am looking forward to getting some long neglected projects accomplished, illustrations, writing, comics and so on. Also I've been cleaning and organizing my life to where I want it to be again. Finally, I've been appointed as the Editor in Chief of Pronto, so this will be a new list of responsibilities.

So to sum up, I'll have a little less work, but will probably be just as busy.

An anniversary

2010-05-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow will mark the first anniversary of pronto comics. To which I am quite amazed. In a year a lot has happened and most importantly for me, I have been part of 3 books and began building my own inking portfolio. So in that regard I do feel successful in that goal.

Dowling is going well, but also wrapping up. There will be no summer session, which leaves me with mixed emotions. On one hand that will free me up by the end of the month, on the other, that means a dramatic decrease in income sooner then I anticipated. It will also leave with a bit of a quandary, to look or not to look for summer work.

While I've been working at Dowling a lot of things went on the back burner. My illustration goals being top of the list. All the while I was hoping to spend the summer working on the projects that have I wanted to get to, but hadn't had the time to work on. That being said, money is money. I will still be working at the gym and hopefully will be getting some sub work at NCC, but NCC takes at least a month for me to get paid. So that is its own issue...

Finally it will be time to pick up my brushes and inks again. I will be working on another story for Pronto's upcoming Space Anthology, as well as working on a CAG anthology called Iconic 2. So I am excited about this.

The slow wrap up

2010-04-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

So with every week I am getting closer to the end of the semester at Dowling. Unlike other colleges Dowling is a pretty steady and calm studio, not a lot craziness. When the semester ends, hopefully I will be working through June during a summer session. Overall though, things should be a little quieter for me in the near future. I am looking forward to this.

Lately, as I am sure that the 3 people who read this blog know, I have been feeling very stagnant. I've been finding it difficult to get my goals done and to find the energy to work on the projects I want to do. Right now I can't even find the motivation to clean up my work space or get a Times Round Up done.

I am wondering if this is what the slow burn out looks like, or rather feels like to live through. I do know a change of pace is definitely needed on my part. I am looking forward to the summer with an excitement I haven't had since I was in grade school.

On other positive fronts though, the war anthology is coming along slowly, very slowly, but there is still progress being made. I have come to the conclusion that the deadline is blown and we will not be ready for the Philly conference. Such is life though, there is not much more that I can do other then to keep pushing people and try to create the best possible book that Pronto has put out yet.

In other comic news, I have finally been approached by CAG to work on their second Iconic project. I have been talking to the editor and he should have some pages for me to work on soon. Having seen the artists work, I am excited to ink these pages. It would be a style of pencils that I haven't worked on yet and would be far different then any one's style that we have in Pronto.

Finally, I am still having success in drawing on a regular basis. I've been making consistent efforts to do little sketches from life, caricatures and working from pictures in my sketch book. So at least on this front I feel pleased with myself.

Back to a normal rythm

2010-04-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

So this week is a return to what could be considered my "normal" work schedule. Whatever normal means for me that is. Anyway I am hoping that with going back to normal hours, I'll have a little more energy and a little more free time to get my own things done. Not too long ago I took a long look at my schedule and goals that I want to accomplish and adjusted it for the actual reality of my life as opposed to what I think would be ideal. Now that life swhould be a bit calmer, I hope to put this into effect.

On the upside though, I have been finding a little more time to draw/sketch. I haven't been working on any illustrations like I want to, but I have found the time to do some sketching either in my sketch book from photos or quick gesture drawings from life on index cards. The index cards are a trick I picked up from an SVA professor, and seems to work well.

Also, though the war anthology isn't running as smoothly as I would like, there is some slow consistent progress being had. The amount of personal juggling, organizing and just general people skills that are required is fascinating, but good practice.

In terms of other personal projects, working on the dinner set is coming along well. I finished the cups and most of the goblets. The bowls have been thrown and trimmed and now need to be fired. Next I need to move onto plates. Once this is done then I can actually move onto some sculpture, hopefully over the summer.

Lastly, I just got an email from the NY CAG coordinator. It looks like I will still be inking pages for their anthology ICONIC 2. So I am looking forward to that as well.

Hustlin, hustlin

2010-04-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

Its been an interesting week. To make up for being off on Good Friday and Holy Saturday I worked extra hours last week and will work extra hours this week. Also I covered some extra hours at NCC as well.

The big occurrence though was this weekend, when I went to the Mocca Festival. I went with the Pronto Crew and supported our previous and current anthology. I feel it was a good start, in terms of our first convention. But there can always be room for improvement, and in our case much room. This will come with experience though.

The war anthology is constantly on my mind. It is a never ending juggle of who is in, who is out, who can make their deadlines and who is flaking out. After this posting, I will probably spend some more time emailing people for status updates and trying to put together an idea of how this anthology will work.

On the up shot, I've found myself drawing a bit more. So that is something I am happy about.

War obsessed and catching up

2010-04-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

So there are several things going on in the next couple of weeks. First, because Dowling was closed on Saturday and Sunday for Easter, I have decided to make up those 12 hours over this week and next. This way i will still get the same size check.

The next big thing that seems to be consuming a lot of my time is the War Anthology. I anticipated that it would take up much of my time, but anticipating and living are two different things all together.

One thing that I was able to do is take stock of my current schedule and revising the things I want to get done to realistically accomodate it.

However, as I said above the War Anthology is all consuming. So we will see what happens.

Adjusted schedule

2010-03-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

I am making slow progress on the Pronto page I've been working on. The real difficulty now is finding time. I remember while taking an illustrations class at SVA, a discussion about the difficulty of being and illustrating and working full time. It eats up your time and when you do have time to work on a project your usually tired and don't want to work. This week though is particularly weird though with the many adjustments to my schedule because of the holiday week.

I can certainly relate to this now. That being said, I feel if I look carefully at my schedule and try to adjust accordingly I will more efficient.

That being said, I feel I and my team of writers have been making excellent progress on the war anthology. So where I feel lacking in one area, in other I feel positive. I guess it all balances out.

Working on a page

2010-03-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

So the upcoming week will be interesting. The week is always different when a holiday is in the week. Dowling will be closed on Friday and Saturday, so I won't be working there, but I will make up the hours next week.

There will be several other things this week that will come up, which change the normal routine.

The big thing that I need to work on is to finish penciling a page for the Pronto Spectacular and then eventually inking and coloring it as well. Ideally I would like to get this done this week, hopefully before the end of it.

I also have decided to re-work my daily/weekly priorities list. Cause I look at it, with my schedule, the demands that I've put on myself are just no as realistic as I thought. So I need to change my time frame of my goals. Perhaps if I can relax about what I want to get done, I will be able to get more done in the long run, and not feel at creatively blocked/frustrated.

Crossed some things off the list

2010-03-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

I've gotten some things done on the list I made last week. That always feels good. However, some personal things as well as illustration stuff is still not coming to the forefront the way I would like.

In a sort of strange ironic circumstance I haven't been able to work on my own illustrations because I've been working on comics. I've been doing sketches for a page in the Pronto Spectacular project. I actually need to have the finished pencils done by tomorrow. A deadline I am not sure if I will make fully, luckily I am moving along and a good enough speed that if I am late, it won't be by much.

Also I am now editing a new Pronto anthology on war. So this is cutting into my time as well. Its strange my goals are getting in the way of my goals....

Anyway I am beginning to wonder if I need to rethink my idea of productivity. If I am indeed just shoveling shit against the tide, when I should in fact be riding the current a bit more. Would it be the end of the world if i only self promote and most of my Internet work on Wednesdays, when I have the most time to do so?

I suppose it wouldn't.

Perhaps instead I should focus on my old strategy of "one project at a time, every project a success." Those projects would be (for myself) new illustrations/drawings, updating my website and putting out a new mailing. If i focus on each of those project one at a time, in that order I might get more done, then trying to do all three at once.

As far as Pronto goes the project are finishing up my page, editing the war anthology, inking. That is in order of due date, roughly.

Everything else in my life, I'll handle when there is free time, or I can make free time to do so, I suppose.

Another thing though, is that i have resigned myself to the fact that if I am not juggling a million things at once, while going at full speed, I don't know what the hell to do with myself.

overwhelmed

2010-03-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

Over the last week or so I've been feeling overwhelmed with things to do and the subsequent feeling of failure at not getting enough done. In some ways it feels like my head is filled with too many things at once. The last couple of nights its been hard to get to sleep with thoughts racing around my mind.

So last night I spent a couple of minutes sitting alone in a quiet room with the lights off clearing my head. Then I started writing down everything I needed to do, from the biggest professional project to the most common place task. I filled up a page in one of my legal pads.

However I find things are easier when they are put down on paper and made into a list. It makes it conquerable. Now I feel like I can chip away at this list and actually get things done without feeling overwhelmed, well almost not overwhelmed.

As usual though it would be helpful to have 4 more hours in the day.

Trickling progress

2010-03-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

Not sure of what to write today. Chipping away at things little by little. I was sitting downstairs last night in my work space and looking over a list of daily tasks. I put it up to remind me to do certain things every day. In the beginning of the year I was pretty good at getting these "exercises" done every day or almost every day.

As of late not so much.

I suppose to some degree, due to my human failings, I will always strive for an ideal that is unattainable. I will probably never quite get things to the level or a well oiled humming mahcine that I want it to be. It will always be a Sisyphean effort in some regard.

That being said, I believe I should strive for it. One of the best ways to start is to go back to working on my daily, weekly and long term tasks. Particularly while the times are as close to quiet as they can be.

Quiet again/

2010-03-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

So hopefully now my life will begin to resemble some small form of calm and normalcy. Who knows if it will though. All I know is this week I am working normal hours and have no special projects pending. So hopefully it will be an easier week.

Last week I got a lot done, whether I wanted to or not. I did my usual work, plus extra hours, put out some blogs and a Times Round Up which became featured content on Redgage, met with the Pronto Comics crew, worked on some bowls and cups for a friend, put out a much overdue food blog and got to meet a visiting artist at Dowling which was quite inspirational.

I feel a little proud that I made it through the week and got so much done. Hopefully I didn't screw anything up too much in the craziness.

Now that there is some kind of calm for the foreseeable future I want to try and take advantage of it. A pronto collaborator has a project he wants me to work on, so I hope to start on that this week. I want to get back to writing articles for helium, I need to start looking through my mailing list and getting ready for a mailing and maybe, just maybe, start cracking on my long back burnered personal illustration projects.

We'll see what I can get done.

A lot going on, on all fronts

2010-03-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

I have often told people that I need 4 more hours a day. I need a 28 hour day. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day. But things seem to be going well professionally, for now.

This week I am catching up on my hours at Dowling, since I lost out last Friday due to the snow day. I am also catching extra hours at the gym since the boos will be away for a long weekend.

On the comics front, the inking and coloring is finished and the pages are being lettered. The overall anthology project is going well and we will have a big meeting this Thursday to discuss future projects and to implement some of the advice we received last Friday from the DC Comics editor Mike Siglain.

Personally the meeting was a good kick in the ass in terms of motivation as well, giving me some realizations. For over a year I haven't been collecting comics due to monetary restraints. He gave me some advice and told me to collect again. Explaining to me that how could he or any editor believe I was really passionate in comics if I wasn't collecting and that I need to be able to hold a conversation about what is current in comics as well as in inking.

It was much needed and welcomed advice. I think the group as whole has done well to listen and reflect on the advice he gave last Friday.

Also once this week is done, I plan on throwing myself back into pursuing my illustration career and promotion. I will begin working on my mailing list again and get cracking on some new illustrations. As well as implementing the advice I received from Mike Siglain. The big thing though is to not, strange as it may sound, let life get in the way of the goals I have for my life.

So anyway, hi ho hi ho back to work I go...

Finished projects

2010-02-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

So I have finished my work on the new anthology, as far as I know anyway. These last set of pages are now inked and colored. I put a lot of love and effort into them and tried to make them look as good as I possibly could.

With this project put to bed, I now have to think of what is next. To some degree I want to get back to more writing. I haven't published an article with helium in some time. Also there is a long list of illustration ideas that need to be looked into. There is also the matter for doing a promotional mailing which has been put off for too long.

Today specifically, I want to get to my NY Times round up, as well as maybe a food blog post. I have a bunch of content that I could put up, and I want to get to it before I forget anything.

Anyway there is always more to do.

Inking Progress

2010-02-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

So despite the snow, I was able to get several things done as well as shoveling the driveway. I was able to finish inking this set of pages. Now I can make some copies and do some color studies. Color studies are almost, if not more, important then ink studies. I feel the color has some many more options, and thus opportunities, to screw up. Much more then ink could provide.

Tonight, I have work at Dowling. I have a good list of things that need doing in the studio, which i will get cracking on as soon as I walk in the door.

Busy, busy busy...need a couple of more hours in the day.

Another snow day?

2010-02-16T12:32:00.000-08:00

Despite the snow today, I still got up and got to work before the sun. Though if you look outside, you really can't tell that the sun came out. AS Louis Black has said, 'It just gets greyer and greyer and then one day you wake up and its the greyest day you've ever seen, and then the next day its even greyer!"

Aside from the though the snow isn't as heavy as last week, so I actually hope to get somethings done today. Most of the inking is done on these next pages, and while I've been inking I've been thinking of how to color it. My plan, as with the inking, is to keep and even enhance the abstract style of the penciler. To push the loose simple style, so everything seems to work fluidly. Hopefully this will work well with the story and overall.

Once these pages are done I can focus on the list of illustrations ideas, that I made some times ago. Also I need to focus on setting up another mailing/promotion round.

Also on the horizon is some non-pronto inking. I am going to be working on an anthology book for CAG, The Comic Book Artists Group. They are a good group of writers and artists trying to promote and help up and coming creators.

So luckily things are getting checked off the list, albeit slowly.

Working on the weekend

2010-02-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

As the title suggests I worked this weekend, though this is not news, I work every weekend. I worked all day on Sunday, and while doing so I got some inking done and then proceeded to continue inking later at home.

Things are moving along well with the pages and I hope to have them done by the middle of the week. Then I can send them to the penciler and he will add the text.

Aside from that though the weekend was pretty standard. Things are going well, not great, not terrible, but well.

Snow day

2010-02-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

So today is a day off due to the snow. Dowling waited to the last minute to close, but close they did.

So what to do today...

Shovel will be high on the list I am guessing.

Also because of the weather I won't be catching the same amount of extra work I thought I would be getting at the gym.

Oh well, the best laid plans of mice and men often go agile.

Still there is always something to do, and I have plenty of projects both professional and personal to work on.

Day off tomorrow?

2010-02-09T12:17:00.001-08:00

Now with the never ending news coverage of this storm coming our way tomorrow there is the possibility of me having a day off. Supposedly the storm should start tonight at 11 or midnight and keep going until 6pm. I start work at 5:30, so there is a possibility that the college will close and I won't have work.

As nice it would be to have a day off, it will also cost me in terms of not working. If I don't work I don't get paid and thus is the quandary of my life as I have designed it, thus far.

If I do have the day off tomorrow, it will balance out as I was on schedule to working around 50 hours this week, catching extra shifts at the gym. So instead of 50 hours it might be more then 45, which is still over full time and more money in the next round of paychecks, so that is always nice.

the one thing that I plan on doing with the extra free time, as well as extra work time is to wrap up my inking projects. I have read the story of this second group of pages and studied the pages and made my game plan. Tonight I plan on doing some ink tests and then some color tests, to create the necessary road map. I am pretty confidant that by the end of the week/next Monday I should have this project completed.

So things are moving along at a good pace. I still need to work on my balancing act of work/art/writing/promoting. Sometimes it seems like I have it just right, but then I start working on this inking projects and things get skewed, and I want to be able to work on special projects and still have things running along smoothly. I suppose it is the perfectionist in me.

Clearing the way and a light at the end of the tunnel

2010-02-08T08:22:00.000-08:00

Last week I didn't really make any postings on this blog. I just didn't have the time. I was finally putting to bed the 1st set of pages that I was inking for the new Pronto Comics Anthology which should be coming out in March/April.

Now that that 1st set of pages has been completed I can move onto the second set form another artist. These pages I will not only ink, but also color them as well. It should be a fun process though, as this penciler has a completely different style from the last and will allow me more freedom in how I treat the pages.

When these pages are finished things should be pretty free for me again. I should be able to move onto my own projects and get back to a regular writing schedule as well.

Something else that is now over is my practice and preparations for a non-art related event that happened on Friday. I enjoyed preparing for this event, but it did take up a lot of my time and to devote myself to it I had to put somethings on the back burner. Now that my schedule is a bit freer everything should be just that little bit easier to accomplish.

Busy weekend

2010-02-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

This was another busy weekend. I worked my regular two jobs as well as working on projects.

On Saturday I had work at Dowling and there was much to be done: organizing the studio, cleaning and mixing glazes. I was busy all day.

Later that night I went home and worked on the pages for the new anthology. Right now I am focusing on the backgrounds. One panel was an entire establishing shot, possibly one of the most complicates panels in all the pages I have. It took me quite sometime, but the panel looks good, as does the rest of the page.

Sunday I opened the gym and then came home at noon. After eating, I went to work on a laundry list of things that needed doing. First was cleaning my studio area, sometimes too much stuff piles up and it needs to be addressed. Then I organized my files into multiple categories such as alcohol, food, finance and so on. Once things we finally in their place, I started working on a long overdue food blog. I then moved onto the weekly Times roundup. The day finished up with me working on a sketch for a logo design for a company that contacted me last week.

All in all it was quite busy, unfortunately I wish I got more time on the inking.

Hopefully today I will get more time to work on them.

my inking strategy

2010-01-28T12:03:00.000-08:00

Now that I am in the thick of inking of I am trying a new strategy. Not that there was anything wrong with just inking one page at a time, but perhaps there is a way that could be faster and more psychologically satisfying. So instead I am treating all the pages as one. Focusing in on sections of inking as opposed to panel to panel. So right now I am just filling in the blackest blacks, then I'll work on backgrounds, move on to the figures and finish up with corrections and fine tuning. Whether or not this will work, I am not sure, but it is worth giving it a try.

Once these pages are done, I have another set of pages not only to ink, but also to color. These are vastly different in style from the pages I am working on now. Once those are done, I want to keep the creative work going. I listed my ideas for illustrations so now I'll be more focused in the future.

I've been given some encouragement to draw more from a Pronto colleague actually. Over the weekend, as I mentioned before, I worked on a logo design. I didn't get the gig, but I got several encouraging words from my friend asking why I don't make more illustrations. so with that positivity I want to keep things moving along, and hopefully I will.

Inking time

2010-01-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

So I am in full force inking mode. Working on my first set of pages, so I can move onto my second set next week. Since all the tests are done I have a good road map as to what I want to do and accomplish. The only obstacle is finding time. Time is always an obstacle it seems.

Aside from that there is not much to write about today. I made a submission to a gallery yesterday as a PR writer. I will be waiting to hear back from them. If I get it it would be a nice new feather in my cap, so I am crossing my fingers.

Other then that things are humming along well. I am slowly making progress in the right areas and I just need to keep plugging away.

got some stuff done

2010-01-25T08:44:00.000-08:00

Things are lining up slowly, but surely. I didn't get a huge amount of things done this weekend, but I did get some stuff done.

The big thing was that I got the boards for me to ink on Friday. So i was finally able to start doing pencil corrections on them, which are all done. Now I can finally start inking, and that is a huge relief.

Also on Friday I got an email from a friend and colleague about some one looking for a logo design. I am pretty proud that I was able to get and idea out and on paper over the weekend, an sent it to him last night.

Aside from this I also got a good amount done at Dowling making several glazes, a fresh batch of clay, firing a kiln and numerous other things that needed to be done.

Finally I was also able to get several errands that were mounting accomplished. I finally bought some accessories that I needed for my car, which will help me transport my art supplies, welding equipment, and metal. I also bought new paints, and was able to order a necessary book for putting together my mailing list.

So it was a productive weekend which I hope to to extend into this week.

What to do, what to do

2010-01-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

There is something that happens to me, and in talking to others, I know its a common occurrence, in moments of calm or free time I forget what I wanted to do. Today is such a day. I have most of the day off, not starting work until tonight at 6.

I know there are things that I wanted to do. There are illustrations that I want to get started, pencil corrections I can begin to make, articles and rants to type up, financials to look at and errand to run.

It is a bizarre things because clearly I know the things that I want to do, it is really more of not being able to remember how to get it done. In certain ways writing this blog is very helpful. As I am sure I have said in the past, it helps me focus my thoughts and concentrate on what needs to be done.

So the real trick is getting started. Many things have been squared away and organized, there is still more that can be of course. One could relate this to the student that has to clean their room before writing a term paper, I guess. However, I am going to try a technique I've used in the past, and that is to simply put what i need to do right in front on me, forcing myself to deal with it.

We'll see how that goes...

Seeing some progress

2010-01-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

I was able to finish my tests yesterday. More importantly I was finally able to send them off the the penciler as well with some notes on the pages. Now that they are done, I will wait for the penciler to get back to me.

With this mini-down period, and I mean mini, I am hoping to get a little visual reference work done for my own illustration ideas. Also there are things I want to write and publish online. Also I have to do a booze review tonight and submit it to sex herald's new booze editor.

Tomorrow and this weekend I'll be working at Dowling and doing some of my own work I hope.

Inking and ceramics

2010-01-13T09:19:00.001-08:00

Well with the house just a little neater, I am able to get a little more done. Last night I did get a chance to work on my ink tests and I am now working on the final one. Once this is complete I can actually start on the boards. Thanks to the ink tests, the boards should go by very quickly, which is the point of the tests.

In a nice little confidence booster, someone contacted me about doing some illustrations. Unfortunately though the turn around that they wanted it done by was too short. There would have been no way that I could have gotten it done with my current schedule. Though it is nice to be asked, as dumb as it sounds. It is just too bad they didn't have more time, or that to ask sooner rather then when they needed it ASAP. it has been my experience that many underestimate the art process and just don't understand that it takes time.

Tonight I have work at Dowling. There is a lot to do. Unloading kilns, mixing up glaze samples and a couple of other things as well. Plenty to keep me busy for the 4 hours that I am there.

Also I need to find some time to do a booze review for sex herald, as well as some other typing and writing. Hopefully i will able to get it done tomorrow.

As always there is just not enough time in the day.

Less productive day

2010-01-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

Went to work this morning and then came home and took a nap. Aside from that I have been rather less productive then usual today. I have a couple of tings to do around the house, but I am hoping that later this evening I will be able to do a bit more.

The last couple of days though have been good. I've been able to work on my inking tests, and I just have 1 more to do. Also I've gotten some writing done and been able to put out my Sunday Times round ups on a regular basis. The only thing that i need to do which I have been neglecting is putting out a food blog.

Artistically there are other things that I have been on the back burner, but I feel confidant that I will be getting to them soon.

Right now the big thing for me it too, quite literally, set my house in order. I am not compulsive about needing to keep my area clean, or having to clean before getting to work, but there is something to be said for keeping a clean area. This though goes beyond just tidying up, long overdue projects need to get done.

Tomorrow, I have work at Dowling and i will see what else I will do.

Writing, drawing and clay making

2010-01-06T09:33:00.001-08:00

So I have several things that need to get done today. I am a little late on my reviews for sexherald.com. the Christmas season kept me a bit busy and I didn't have time to write them up. So I plan on part of the day being devoted to writing.

I have also been working on my ink studies for the new anthology. I am hoping to finish them in the next day or two and then I can start working on the actual boards. With the questions answered and the plan made, the actual inking will be much easier.

Finally tonight I start back at Dowling. As is usual, my supervisor sent me an email letting me know what needs to be done. Top on the list is making some new clay. While we were away the clay hardened beyond use. So we are trying to soften it back up and I have new clay to make. It was a good thing that before I left I broke down and prepared a lot of clay to be recycled.

So as is a typical day for me, it will be a busy one.

Back to...everything

2010-01-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

Well the 2 week break that was the holiday season has come to and end. though it didn't feel like much of break, since I stil worked, albeit only at one job. This week marks going back to my regular, or as close to regular, schedule. I'll be working at the gym and back to Dowling tomorrow for the winter interim class.

With the new year comes an assessment with the old. I can't say it was the greatest year I've ever lived, but it definitely had some good points. It was the first year where I made major strides in my professional goals. Now this year, hopefully, I will be able to build upon them.

To do this I've created new daily and weekly tasks that need to be done, to keep me on track. Also I am lucky that Christmas has afforded me some new/old tools that will help me. This years goals though, mostly revolve around illustration and sculpture. I hope to get some actual freelance jobs this year, put out more comic book content with Pronto and finally get more sculpture shows.

This year I plan on being more consistent with my mailings and promotions. I also hope to create a fourth website for my sculpture portfolio. Finally this year I want to get fishysuicide.com running at the level it should be. Its going to be a long year, but hopefully it will be even more productive then last year.

Maintaining the equilibriam

2009-12-28T09:32:00.000-08:00

So the holidays are here and with it comes the typical craziness. Last week and this week I had off from Dowling. But as I have been told, nature abhors a vacuum and my time has been quickly filled.

This week I will be working more at the gym, to cover for the boss being away. Also there is plenty of Pronto comics work to be done, as well as new illustrations I want to make. One gift that I got for Christmas this year was a new light box. This will help me out a lot in my illustration career.

As I have learned over time, illustration isn't about art for art sake, it is about art for deadline sake. Being able to make the best image, the fastest and delivering high quality under deadline. In the time which I returned the previous light box to my former freelance boss and now, my ability to turn out illustrations has slowed down.

Granted this is also due to a very busy schedule and my involvement with Pronto, but not having a light box does slow things down as well. So this week, I am sure, will fly by as quickly as all the weeks previously and next week I will be back to work at Dowling.

Its beginning to look a lot....

2009-12-21T09:28:00.001-08:00

So is everyone dug out? One hell of a storm huh? I, like everyone, else spent Sunday shoveling snow. The day before that I opened the gym and fielded questions about whether or not we would be open on Sunday.

What parts of my weekend were not devoted to white powder I spent either dealing with Christmas things or just organizing my area and general cleaning. It is not one of the more glamorous aspects of being and artist, but it is necessary.

One of the benefits of this though, is that it feels like my mind got cleared out a bit more, which allows me to focus on more productive activities, such as the several new idea's I want to work on for illustrations, a couple of new blog/rants I want to write and of course the ink samples i am working on. The inking by the way I think is looking quite good and I need to finish up the last couple of test, scan them and send them the to penciler.

Slightly productive

2009-12-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

Though my schedule sometimes seems to get in the way of me doing what I want to do, a great paradox, I was able to find time last night to put out more content and start on another alcohol review. last night I was able to do a late NY Times round up blog, type up two new articles for helium and did some research and notes on a bottle of white wine.

Since it is Wednesday, I will be writing up the Pronto Comics blog and enjoying some times to do other things. Tonight I have one of my last shifts at Dowling, for the fall semester. The shift looks like it will consist mostly of cleaning the studio and getting it ready for the winter interim session.

Also on inking front, I have (mostly) finished one ink study for the new anthology and will be starting a second page study soon. Once the studies are done, I'll move onto the actual inking of the pages.

Another day, another...

2009-12-14T11:15:00.001-08:00

There is not much for me to write about today. The schedule is pretty normal. I have projects to work on. One good thing is that it looks like my first foray into coloring comics might happen. It is pretty likely that I will be helping out on a friends new book as an inker/colorist.

Aside from that there isn't much news to discuss. I am getting ready for the holidays and running around even more like a mad mean then usual it seems.

All I can say is that I will be looking forward to a little but of down time, in the near future. Might give me a chance to work on some, long postponed projects.

Meeting today

2009-12-10T07:25:00.001-08:00

As is my Thursday routine, I got up and opened the gym today. What is unusual is that I won't take my post opening 4 hour nap. I have a meeting today in the city with the new editor and chief of sexherald.com the online adult magazine that I do alcohol reviews for.

Last week I got a call from them explaining that there is a new editor and the she would like to meet the writers, so I scheduled this meeting for today at 3pm. I am not sure what she will want to talk about, I am guessing it is mostly a meet and greet and just a general "get to know you" casual meeting. Either way it should be interesting.

Also last night I was able to get some inking done for the sample I am putting together. Now I just need to set some time aside to color it, then it can be submitted. I am hoping to be able to do it tonight, since I told the guy I would have the sample done today.

Aside from that there are other personal commitments that lay before me today which need my attention. As usual it will be busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Running around today

2009-12-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

Wednesday has become the closest day that I have to off. Well that is not entirely true, Tuesday morning to Wednesday evening I have off, I believe I calculated it to about 32 hours or so. Yesterday after I got off work I took my new car to get inspected and then went home to take my post-opening nap. When I got up I ran an errand or two and then went to Adelphi to see what was going on over there.

When I got home I published another Sunday Leftover blog on redgage and then a new food blog. I got some time to do a little inking on a sample page. So it was a roughly productive day.

Speaking of productivity I've learned more about myself in how to be productive. It requires a lot of discipline, which for some might be a no brainer, but can be easier said then done. The thing that I have learned is that I need to ignore or put aside all the distractions that the Internet can provide. Which is difficult because it is pretty hard to not watch TV, or go on certain sites that are pointless, in terms of completing a task.

Now I have been able to do this when trying to complete most things. I feel I have been able to keep track of my personal responsibilities and content. The only area in which I feel I am linking is in inking. I still need to find time and work on these new pages, but I will get it done.

Today I have some more errands to run and then I am going to Dowling to work from 6 to 10.

We've got inking to do

2009-12-07T08:48:00.001-08:00

Well it looks like I will be developing a nice inking portfolio, all with in a year for the last comic con. I won't go so far as to say that I am impressed with myself, but I would say that I am happy that I am working toward my over all goal. After my last Pronto Comics meeting it look like I will be inking at least 3 stories for the next anthology. There are also possibilities that I will be working on the Space anthology as well and even on some possible solo projects.

Needless to say, I am living part of my dream, making comics. The next part of course is to get paid to make comics, but hey, gotta crawl before you can walk.

On another upside I am able to update my website again, so I have added new articles and a new video to it. I even started working on fishy suicide again.

There is a slight downside though. I was so busy this weekend that I still haven't made a food blog post, done my Sunday times round up and I need to get a booze review out.

So as always, though some areas of my life are moving along in developing, some others are still rocky and need smoothing out. However, I feel confidant that I am slowly moving out of the building phase and into the maintaining/growing phase.

Gotta do some inking

2009-12-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

So my schedule is pretty much back to normal, which I like. As much as I like holidays, I hate playing catch up. Anyway I now have a newy car, completely registered with NY state. Getting this car up and running though has taken up a lot of my time, and since I only get so much, I haven't had the time I would like to spend on inking new work.

Anyway, tonight I've got a Pronto Comics meeting, so i'll show the penciller the ink tests that I've done and we'll discuss ideas then.

On an up shot, I've been more productive on the internet front. I've been able to update all my sites. I added new video and articles to my illustrations site, added new facts to Ed White Facts and even started working on fishy suicide as well. All in all I am pretty pleased with it. Now I just need to get myself in order in terms of info for Pronto Comics. I only have a couple of things that I want to update and then i can focus again on inking and keeping a regular schedule.

Early mornings, mid days, late nights

2009-12-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Last week was Thanksgiving and though I enjoyed my holiday very much, the rest of the week wasn't as relaxing as I thought It would be. I still spent a significant amount of time working and due to finding a new car, I didn't have the time to do a lot of things that I wanted to get to.

But such is life.

The good news this week is that I have found a car and I am now in the process of registering it, getting insurance and so on. The bad news is that this also takes up a good amount of time.

Aside from this, my regular schedule is back and I will be working at Dowling tonight. Luckily it won't be like yesterday, starting at 5:30 am and ending at 11 pm (with a break in between). Other then my paying work schedule, I have plenty of inking coming my way. I am currently doing a lot of ink studies for the first page of a new anthology story. So busy is still my middle name.

Pre-Thanksgiving Rush

2009-11-25T07:03:00.000-08:00

Today will be busy, I just know it. I have work from noon to 4. Then after that I have to run errands, most of which are for tomorrows holiday. Later there will be other obligations and cooking. This doesn't sound like much in type, but believe me I'll be running around.

As I have said to several friends though, I am looking forward to tomorrow, simple because it is a day off. A change of pace from my regular routine. Because of the holiday I also choose to take off from Dowling this week. so I am only working 20 hours this week instead of 40. I know, I am a slacker. The upside is that I have Saturday off. All of it. I plan to do so much cleaning and organizing that it will hit a ridiculous level.

Now tomorrow and Saturday are my only days off though. Friday I am working again and Sunday as well. Which is fine, I will use that time to try and get ore personal projects done as always. Also Sunday there are plans to split wood at Adelphi, which is always fun.

So as always there is no rest for the wicked and I am a real evil man.

Inking comics and mixing glazes

2009-11-23T09:30:00.000-08:00

Well if I remember the last time I posted was on Thursday. So what has happened since then:

Thursday night I went into the city for a Pronto Comics meeting. It was a good meeting and a lot of issues and ideas were discussed. We might be having some new artists come into the fold which is good. A new anthology is starting to come along. It is titles "Kicked" and will be about sidekicks. Other writers also have their own ideas for solo projects, so that is good too. Finally it looks like I'll be doing some inking as well, which is really nice. I already have a page to ink with probably 4 to 5 more coming from the same artist, with who knows how much more coming from other artists.

Friday and Saturday I worked at Dowling. I got a lot done, made some glazes, fired some kilns did some cleaning. Overall quite productive. I won't be at Dowling this week due to the holiday.

Sunday I opened the gym and read the newspaper. When I got home my father and I ran errands, which included cleaning out my car. Friday night the car blew a hose and seized, so now I don't have one. We are trying to figure out what the game plan is going to be, as to transportation. Anyway everything was looking good up until 8:30 Friday night, now I've got a new problem to solve.

Working the Internet

2009-11-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

So I opened the gym yesterday and then cam home and took a nap. When I got up I did my usual Internet work and then went to Adelphi and actually did a little bit of welding. Basically I welded 3 bases for future sculpture I hope to work on next week. When I finally got home, I got down to business on Pronto Comics promotions.

What I did was finally wrap up everything by syncing up the twitter account to myspace and Wordpress. Also I created a Wordpress blog which will be updated every Wednesday. So now the network is in place. There will be further tweaking, researching and expanding on my part of course, but for the overall frame work is completed. Now I just have to get the other members using it to make it a viable form of promotion.

Now for the rest of the day I will continue to work on the Internet. However this will be mostly for myself. I have my own things I need to do for Pronto that relate to inking. Also I have to look into my website and try to update it, which seems to be a problem. So that warrants a call to powweb.

Finally I have work at Dowling tonight at 6. I am quite pleased with how this new schedule works out. As I said, it is providing me with more useful free time, which is most important to me.

32 hours off

2009-11-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a productive day. I felt I got several things done. First I went to work which is always a plus, while there I got a number of tasks accomplished for the place and then I had time to work on my own stuff.

I did another NY Times blog which I titled Sunday Left Overs, it consisted of stories I didn't get to read and discuss on Sunday. I also came up with a new slew of Ed White Facts and typed those up as well. Also I finished another article for Helium, submitted it and posted it on facebook and redgage. On top of that I was also able to get my regular amount of self promotion done.

Today I opened the gym then came home and posted to craigslist like I use to do, and now getting back into the habit of doing. Now I am doing my daily Internet tasks and then I plan on doing some Pronto comics work at some point today. Also I want to go to Adelphi and do some welding, something I have been trying to do for months.

My work schedule has changed a bit I am now going to open the gym 3 times a week, Tues, Thurs and Sunday and I won't be there on Wed afternoons, which gives me a little more productive free time. I like this schedule and hope to keep it. It looks like things might finally be settling into place and my productivity can get ramped up.

New Jersey and early mornings

2009-11-16T09:48:00.000-08:00

The works schedule never stops, but it does get interesting. Friday I went to dowling earlier then usual as I had somewhere to be earlier that night. We went over test tiles, fixed a wheel, did some math calculations for glazing and finished taking inventory of the chemical closet.

The following Saturday I took a trip to New Jersey to Ceramics Supply. They had a great open house event featuring the potter Val Cushing. I had an opportunity to observe him and some of his process' in making pots and other forms. It was a good learning experience. Also it was a good chance to get some new supplies, including some brushes that i can use for inking comics.

Sunday I opened the gym and read the paper. While doing so I decided to do something new and write up my opinion on articles that I found interesting. I then typed this up last night, and posted it on redgage.com. I plan on doing this every Sunday and making in a feature of fishysuicide.com when I get the site up and running.

Today I am working at the gym and then going to the Ballroom. Tomorrow I am opening and then have a whole 32 hours off until I go to Dowling on Wednesday. As usual the week should be busy.

Early mornings and Pronto comics

2009-11-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

So I've been running on all cylinders, or at least it feels like it, this week. Yesterday I opened the gym at 5:30. In all honesty it is not as bad as I thought it would be, and I've actually come to prefer it to closing. By opening I get to have the rest of the day to myself and work on whatever I want to later on, after I take a long nap of course.

Yesterday I spent a bulk of my time working on another website for Pronto Comics. As it stands right now we have a facebook fan page, twitter account, you tube channel and myspace page, along with our own developing website. Now I have added a coroflot account to our arsenal. I have used coroflot for years, they are a pretty straight forward easy to use, free portfolio site. They allow you to load up, a seemingly endless amount of work. So I figured this was a good site to be on for our artists.

Today, I am working at the gym and then at Dowling. My usual double shift. Tomorrow I am opening again, which I think might become the norm, and then later that night I am subbing at NCC. Friday is Dowling all day and on Saturday I will be going to New Jersey for a ceramics workshop with my Dowling Supervisor. Then it is Sunday and the process starts all over again. As it stands right now I am on track to work 46 hours this week.

God I am looking forward to Thanksgiving.

Weekend work

2009-11-09T09:43:00.000-08:00

As most people know I work the weekends.

Typically it is my 2 paying jobs, which I did go to this weekend. While at dowling on Saturday I mixed up some new sample glazes, started taking inventory of chemicals and did a couple of other tasks around the studio.

As for the gym, I did what I usually do there.

A lot of the work I did this weekend though was Pronto Comics related. Last night I started fleshing out our presence on some social networking sites, namely Youtube and MySpace. For both I filled the profiles, but for youtube I threw together and edited a new pronto comics commercial, advertising the anthology. For myspace I started adding new friends and went into more details in the profile. The work itself isn't hard so much as it is time consuming.

Today I have work at the gym. While there I have plenty of things to do, so I should be busy for awhile.

Personal work

2009-11-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Today is a day off. In some ways it is both my Friday and Sunday. Tomorrow the cycle will start all over again. So for today I have plenty to keep me busy. There is pronto Comics promotions work to be done, as well as my own self promotion and projects.

I have one more article to type up, and a couple of new rants that I have in mind. After everything is types up I want to add the articles to my illustration site and start adding the rants to my fishysuicide site. I have been thinking about the webcomics site, and I have new plans for it. It took awhile but I finally have an idea for reformatting it. Hopefully, I will be able to reformat the site by the December/the end of the year.

How much of this that I will actually get done today, who knows? Often it feels on my days off that all I do is spend it playing catch up on my own stuff. Probably because all I do is spend it playing catch up.

Busy ofcourse

2009-11-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

So if it is Wednesday I must be blogging. As usual I am busy, at this point I really can't remember the last time I either wasn't busy with outside work, or busy with my own stuff. Now it seems like I am doing both.

Dowling seems to be going well. The job is getting more familiar, as is the studio and the regular students. One of the up shots of working there is that I can make art work. Which I have been taking advantage. Since working there I have made around 4 or 5 pieces, which is cool.

The gym is going well, I have been able to make use of the down time, which I like.

In terms of my own work, I've finally been able to do a bulk of the typing I've wanted to do, so I finally feel like I am getting that out of the way. I still need to make more headway in the illustration department. The balancing act is not an easy one, let me tell you. Though with each week I feel a little closer to being able to manage everything just a little better.

Day off

2009-10-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

So today is a day off for me, or as close to a day off that I can come too. As usual I worked over the weekend. Friday and Saturday I worked at Dowling. Sunday I opened and closed the gym and yesterday I opened the gym. Currently I am looking at a nice stretch of time off. I don't have to go back to work until 1pm on Wednesday.

Today there are a couple of personal business tasks to do. I was just catching up on all the Pronto Comics events that have happened recently. Checking out the website, my new email address and just seeing what people want to do. Also I have my regular promotion work to do, and I brainstorming in my head how I can expand promoting Pronto Comics on the Internet.

As always there is my infamous typing that I never get done, that I should try to do. I have plenty of articles and rants written up, now it is just an issue of submitting them. As always there is also the issue of fishysuicide.com. I want to retool it, but constantly seem like I have no time too. I know eventually though I will get to it, just like I am learning to fine time to go back to general self promotion.

One thing I need to focus in is creating my content while working at the gym. That being the beauty of the job, the freedom. Then focusing on promotion, just for a little while, when I am at home.

Aside from that, today, I have a couple of errands to run and places to go, and that is my day.

Yesterday and today

2009-10-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I worked at the gym. While there I was able to write up a booze review for sexherald.com, do a little sketching for some political cartoon ideas and started writing a rant. I finally got some overall ideas of how I want to revamp my other website, fishysuicide.com. Rather then just make it a webcomic starring Herbert the Fish, I thought that I could just make it a general platform for my opinions and ideas.

So I hope by the end of the month, if not by the end of next month, to start putting up a political cartoon once a week, links to blog rants on redgage.com, and one shot stills of Herbert. Also down the road I will use it as a beginning platform for my Worst Night Ever series, that i have had on the back burner for some time now.

After the gym I went to Dowling. While there I mixed up a glaze, added a glaze from the kiln room to the main studio and started measuring up another glaze. Overall a busy 4 hours shift.

As for today I'll be running some errands and helping my dad with a personal project. Maybe, just maybe I'll find the time to do some other personal work, like typing up and submitting a bunch of articles I've been writing.

double duty

2009-10-21T08:44:00.001-07:00

Today is Wednesday, which means I work my two jobs today. First I'll work at the gym, then I'll work at Dowling. Needless to say it is a full day. While at the gym I have some personal work to do and a booze review to write up.

At Dowling I have a veritable laundry list of tasks to complete, the bulk of which should have be done on Saturday, but I didn't get a chance to do, due to a gas leak that shut down the campus and cancelled the classes.

So basically today I will being playing catch up.

Where I've been

2009-10-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

Its been some time since I made a blog post. A long story made short I am adjusting to my new schedule. It is the old dynamic, the work you need to do keeps you from doing the work you want to do.

OK so now for the long story made long and just a general catching up.

I started working at Dowling in the ceramics studio on Sept 25th. I work 20 hours a week on Wednesday night, Friday afternoon into the evening and all day Saturday. I've been slowly getting used to the studio and acclimating to where everything is and how things are done. Typically I spend my time mixing up glazes, slips, loading and unloading kilns and making up clay. Also I help my supervisor with any special projects around the studio. For instance last Friday, we reorganized the chemical closet. Overall, I am liking the job and getting more and more comfortable with it each week.

On top of this I am still working at the gym. Since Ireland I have been opening one day a week, typically Tuesdays. Also I have been working 8 hours on Sunday, opening and closing. Needless to say this means I have little time on the weekends. Typically I average around 18 to 20 hours a week there.

I am also still subbing at NCC. Last week I worked 2 nights in a row. I also subbed earlier this semester in September. Eventually, I would hope that I could get all 3 jobs working together harmoniously. Ideally working 15 hours at the gym, 20 hours at Dowling and 5 to 6 hours on a regular night at Nassau.

However I am always open to other options and ideas in terms of work. As always I am not relying on just one thing, and even though I have 3 paying jobs at the moment, I still have a couple of other things on the back burner that I am keeping my eye on.

Of those things there is of course Pronto comics. We just put out or 1st anthology book and we have plans for new projects. The writers are coming up and retooling ideas for there own side projects, and there are new ideas for another anthology. Plus we have new talent that wants to get involved, a website, facebook page, twitter and plans to get a table at the big 2010 Con a year from now.

Also there is potential to become and instructor at the ballroom studio I've been dancing at for over a year and a half. I began doing teacher training, almost around the same time as everything else started in my life. This is something I have been enjoying very much, and if the opportunity arises I would definitely like to devote time as a ballroom instructor. It has quickly grown from a hobby, to a passion and now an obsession. As I have told others, it is typically what I am thinking about when I am somewhere else and what I concentrate on while I am there.

Finally there is my own content. With all this work, I have found little time to work on my own stuff. Before I went away to Ireland I didn't have as much paying work, but I did have plenty of time and drive to work on, or at least promote, my own work. Now, not so much. Clearly I haven't made any blog posts (professional or food), I haven't had a chance to post on craigslist or to check it, same goes for nyfa. Also promoting myself on facebook and myspace has fallen by the weigh side. I know what I have to do, I need to re organize my schedule at home. I have to adjust to the work schedule and work around it. Also now it is time to re-evaluate my goals and objectives and how I want to achieve them.

The good news is, that the major obstacle of money, has (for the most part) been handled. I have enough work options that I should be good for the time being. Now it really comes down to personal discipline and recognizing what habits I have that are good and which ones, though are not bad, waste my time and need to be curtailed until the home work is done.

Day off

2009-10-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

I worked my two jobs yesterday, both being 4 hours shifts a piece. The gym was simple, I did my usual work, some brainstorming, organizing and even wrote an article and started a second. Overall it was a good productive shift.

I then started my second shift at Dowling. It was my second day and first time solo. Overall I would say it was a good shift. I mixed a glaze, loaded some kilns and met some of the studio regulars. Its a nice studio with a good laid back feel.

Today I am doing my usual self promotion/Internet work, then doing somethings around the house. Later I'll be going into the city for a Pronto Comics meeting. We need to discuss future projects, meet some new creators, and talk about the general business issues of creating this company. Several seem to be having reservations about getting involved in a business. I hope it will be an interesting and productive meeting.

Double shift

2009-09-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day where I will work my two jobs in one day. I'll be at the gym from 1 to 5 and then at Dowling from 6 to 10. It should be an interesting experience. I know tonight that I have a glaze to mix and a kiln to load.

As far as the gym goes, I will assume the usual duties will apply. If I have enough ambition I hope to write a couple of articles and maybe even some rants, but who knows.

Another thing to do is go over again what goals and tasks still need to be done. I find brainstorming and reviewing these things is helpful to keep me on target.

Early Morning

2009-09-29T10:40:00.000-07:00

I got up and opened the gym this morning. For those that might not be aware, we open at 5:30, so I got up around 4:30. while there I continued what I was working on the night before. I also closed the gym last night as well. I have been working on mathematically breaking down the glazes at Dowling to different percentages.

By doing this I am creating a guide for myself in the future, and working around having to do math on the fly. The rest of the day will be devoted to working on the house and various other tasks.

Tomorrow, I will work at the gym and then at Dowling. It will be my first shift alone in the studio. The idea is both exciting and slightly nerve wracking, luckily it is early in the semester so there shouldn't be that many there.

Back after a couple of weeks

2009-09-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

As the title suggests this is my first blog post after vacation. Though I got back over a week ago, it took about a week to catch up and get back up to speed on what happened while I was away.

It is shocking how much one misses with just one week off.

Most of last week was spent sending emails, trying to get over jet lag, working and getting my new job started.

Last week really began my new position in the gym as Assistant Manager. I picked up a couple of extra shifts, one being the first time I opened the gym at 5:30 am. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, mostly because I was able to ride the wave of jet lag and still go to sleep early.

Also I spent a lot of time preparing for my new job at Dowling in the ceramics studio. The job is exactly what I have been looking for. It is 20 hours a week with an ok rate of pay. It allows me to still keep my presence at the gym, possibly sub at NCC, and still gives me free time to pursue my own goals as an artist, illustrator and comic book inker. I'll be working Wednesday nights, Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Over all a good schedule, it does hamper me taking part in any future weekend activities for the time being, but it is the trade off.

On the comic book front, there will be an upcoming meeting this Thursday. We will be deciding the future of Pronto, what will happen with the anthology and other matter. I am looking forward to new talent being introduced as well. Also the idea for new stories and projects being put forth. A lot of things have to be ironed out and that is what this meeting should be for.

On a final note, I sent out another mailing last week. I am looking forward to getting mailings out on a more frequent basis. Hopefully every 3 months. Now that the Dowling job is in place it feels like a major part of the puzzle has been added. I hope that it will allow me to be freed up monetarily wise, and I can put more money into my business. Now is the time to really sit down and sort out what I want to do and how to got about it. I can really begin to create a system/machine to run my life a bit more smoothly. At least I hope that I will be able too anyhow.

Accomplished somethings

2009-09-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday turned out to be a fairly productive day. As you know, if you read the blog, I had an interview yesterday and then went to work. While at work I wrote another article. when I got home I typed up and submitted 2 articles, yesterday's and the day before that, to helium.

Appreciating art without artists or history

Humor: Trying new foods

Also I finally got a chance to work on the cover, beyond a sketch point. I drew it up, did some fast inkng to it and applied the first light watery coat of paint. If you have seen my work, then you might know the next thing I will do I build up the color and paint. I should be able to do that today, either way though it is imperative that I finish the cover before I go to Ireland.

Today I have errands to run and people to see, as well as a couple of other tasks to do before I leave .

working on working

2009-09-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I worked and wrote out another article. The main objective for me was to prepare to applications for freelance writing positions at online magazines. Also I spent last night preparing for an interview today. God willing and with a little bit of luck (and prayers), I'll get the job. I am wary though, because it is exactly what I am looking for and the pessimistic Irishman in me refuses to get his hopes up.

As for today I'll be working at the gym. Hopefully I will get some time to work on another articles as well as the cover. Unfortunately, the cover keeps having to get pushed back. This is problematic as I only have so much time to work on it.

Laboring on Labor day

2009-09-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

I spent the bulk of this labor day weekend both working as well as having fun. Friday and Sunday I worked at the gym. I did a little sketching and rethinking of the cover submission that I want to do.

Yesterday I finally got a chance to type up several articles that I had sitting around. They can be found on helium:

http://www.helium.com/items/1579597-marvel-comics-character-profile-wolverine

http://www.helium.com/items/1579611-what-is-great-art

http://www.helium.com/items/1579745-human-condition-individual-society-people-humanity-philosophy-evil-good

As far today I've already done a reference search to help me draw up my cover submission. I want to start working on that later tonight, most likely at work. Also I am doing research for another alcohol review. I want to get that written up in the next couple of days. Finally, after submitting those articles I took the time to do some title hunting and have plenty of new titles to write about.

Writing is definitely something I want to get working on again. I haven't forgotten my goal to make $100 a month as a writer. Doesn't sound like much, but when added up over the course of the year it is a good chunk of change and it would allow me just a little more financial leeway. Also I need to start creating concepts for t-shirt submissions. I have completely neglected 2 websites that I was interested in, threadless and modern-t. Finally, there is the mailing to be done. The only thing I need is stamps. i hope to send out the mailing when I get back from my trip.

Working on a cover

2009-09-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

I spent yesterday working around the house ans subsequently didn't get to work on the cover like I wanted to, but I have some free time today so I should be able to work on it.

Also today I want to head to the library and look up some books on inking comics. I want to become the best inker I can, so that requires I draw/work in ink almost every day and to study inking as well.

I am working later tonight so I will spend the shift working on the cover. I want to get it done as soon as possible and submitted hopefully next week.

work and a meeting

2009-09-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Tuesday I ran around doing errands and general domestic stuff.

Yesterday I went to work and while there I worked on my idea for the cover of the upcoming anthology. I have done a lot of sketching and brainstorming, but i was able to solidify a final idea and put together a fast sketch.

This was helpful for last nights Pronto meeting. I was able to show it to some and get a couple of notes on it. I hope to have the whole project done withing a week.

Last nights meeting wasn't exactly what I was hoping it would be. For the most part it was another status of the anthology meeting. Not as many writers were there and we didn't get a chance to start thinking about future projects. So that meeting will be pushed back to October. To get the topic rolling though, I sent out an email when I got back last night. I hope that by doing so the writers will start thinking about what they want to do next and be ready to make pitches for the next meeting. If we are really lucky some teams and projects might even get started by the time of the next meeting.

Today will be another domestic day, but hopefully tonight I will be able to muster the concentration to do some work.

Cover

2009-09-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

The most recent thing that I have been working on is a cover for the anthology. Several of the writers have thrown out ideas, but I started working on my own idea before them. I've done several sketches and will be bringing the cover together hopefully today.

This is not to say that I don't like some of the other idea that have been put forth. I want to try and come up with some sketches based on some of the other ideas. Tomorrow is the next Pronto Comics meeting, so I am eager to see where we are in terms of the anthology, as well as what ideas people have for upcoming projects.

Another good thing that has happened is that I will be working on CAG's next installment of their Iconic title. This is something that I am definitely looking forward too. The current goal, in terms of comics, is too get my name out on as many published books as possible. So any project is welcome.

Delays, delays, delays

2009-08-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

I've been working the last couple of days, but for some reason I have seemed delayed in plans to write. I suppose you could call it writers block. My job allows me plenty of time to write, but sometimes all I can do it just sit and think. Words don't seem to flow so easily, not sure why.

Also I have been wanting to get to typing up what I have written, but life seems to be keeping me away from the computer and thus unable to type.

As for other things, I got a call yesterday from the PR department of the hospital i had some sculptures at over the summer. Because of the oncoming hurricane they wanted the pieces taken down today. They had to come down anyway since the show had run its course, so it was not unexpected.

Finally I am thinking of creating a cover for the upcoming anthology. It will be put to popular vote, but would be a nice feather in my cap if I could come up with something.

Typing

2009-08-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

So I did a bit of writing the other day. I worked on an article that I had left unfinished. Came up with some new Ed White facts, researched Johnnie Walker Green for a pending review and just generally organized what I want to do in the future.

Most of this was done while I was at work. When I got home I updated my website adding the recent pages I completed for the anthology. Added the new facts to the site and promoted them on the web.

I have a lot of typing I need to do today. I have to finish my review and I have 3 articles I want to type up and submit to helium. Helium is a site that i have to get back into, and really start working again. It is possible for me to make some money to supplement my income through it. the only thing stopping me is my schedule and drive. Both are things that I can overcome and start putting out more content.

Preparaing for a paper

2009-08-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

So for the most part I spent yesterday cleaning my office/studio area. It didn't seem like much, but strangely took up a good part of the day. I put away files, threw things out and did just general organizing. All that cleaning reminded me of what some students would do before having to write a paper.

After that I started editing food images and began working on another food blog.

Today I working from 4 to 10. Hopefully I will be able to motivate myself to start writing and to brainstorm on new projects. Also I find it always help to take a couple of minutes and organize myself in terms of upcoming tasks that need to be done.

What to do now?

2009-08-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

Last week I finished 5 more pages for the anthology book. I spent a good amount of time working on it to make sure I got it in so it can be sent as part of a sample to some editors out in San Diego. As some may know a majority of the people I am working with met each other during 2 comic book experience classes. They were run by several editors and artists that work in the comic book industry. Part of the plan of the anthology was to take sample pages out to San Diego to have their teachers look them over and (hopefully) give it some good reviews.

The person who is going out there is leaving is September. So that is why the deadline of the 21st-22nd of August was set.

With these last pages done though, I find myself for the first time since May, with no immediately pending projects. There is the possibility that I might ink some more pages for the anthology but nothing is definite. One thing that is coming soon is that i want to submit some sample pages to CAG, so I can hopefully be a part of their sequel "Iconic" book. Also I know Achilles has some new "Out in Space" stories which I hope to be a part of in the future as well. of course there are the future Pronto projects as well. Our next meeting on Sept 3rd will revolve around that.

But that leaves the question of what to do with myself until then. This week I will be covering some extra shifts at work, which is always good. In terms of my own business though it is a slightly open question. There are things I know I want to get back too, that have been put on the back burner for awhile, which I think I mentioned before. I need to get back to writing for Helium, I haven't done a food blog in a couple of weeks as well, so that needs to be put together soon too. Also I need to buy some stamps and finally put out that second mailing I have been wanting to do all summer.

So as always there is more stuff to do, it is just a question of organizing myself and getting it done.

Pencil Corrections

2009-08-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

The bulk of yesterday was spent making pencil corrections on the 5 pages for the anthology. I had thought that I finished all of them a couple of weeks ago, but having left the pages alone for a little while, I saw them with fresh eyes. This made me realize what else needed work.

On top of that I mapped out my inking strategy for them as well. As I said in yesterday's post I studied a lot of manga art to see how those are inked. This work is a little manga infused so I felt that by studying the style it could help and enhance the pencils.

Today will be spent putting my plan into action and actually inking the pages. now that i have a plan of attach this should be relatively easy. At least in terms of knowing what to do, the execution will probably be time consuming at best. Thank God I have nothing but time today.

2 day break

2009-08-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

I spent the last 2 days just relaxing, sort of like a mini vacation. Unfortunately it never seems to be able to last. I have the deadline looming for the final 5 pages, which means that I need to move my ass on them. Luckily I did all the pencil corrections already, so the only thing that needs work right now is the actual inking.

Since these are manga inspired drawings I am looking to some other examples to create the best plan of attack that I can. I am not a big manga fan, so some references will be helpful. The original plan of attack was to go heavy on the black, but after looking at some manga examples I noticed that ink wash is used as well. Ink wash worked well on the last set of pencils, so it might work well for these too.

I plan on working on these today while at the gym and then later tonight. Tomorrow will also be devoted to them as well. I know I have to drop them off on Friday and if I remember right I work on Friday night so I better get these done quick.

What I've been doing and where I've been?

2009-08-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

It has been some time since I have posted blog and as most know it has been an eventful/busy summer. Not necessarily a financially prosperous one, but definitely a busy one. The pinnacle of the busyness seemed to have hit over the last two weeks.

At the end of July I was covering 2 shifts for the last 2 weeks at NCC. On top of that I was finishing up my SVA class and working on 5 pages of the upcoming anthology. I handed in the first set of pages which many believe came out excellently on the 6th. It was at our monthly Pronto Comics meeting, which as always, was very productive. We discussed ideas for the future, the logo and the upcoming deadline for finished stories on the anthology. The second set I will finish this week as the due date is the 22nd. There is already the idea of another anthology, and hopefully other products and content. The next meeting will Sept 3rd and I hope it will be a brainstorming session for ideas and projects.

On the 8th I went into Brooklyn for a CAG meeting/BBQ. I enjoy these meetings for the same reasons I enjoy the Pronto meetings. It allows me to discuss goals and idea with people who share the same drive and desires. The CAG group has an upcoming project called Iconic 2, a sequel to another book. I plan on submitting for that, which needs to be in on Sept 3rd. Ultimately right now my major goal in comics is too get into as many printed projects as I can.

This past week though had to be the craziest week of the summer. It started as usual with me going to work on Sunday, then I went to Home Depot to pick up materials for the project I worked on this past week. Back in June I was contacted by the manager of the local TGI Friday's to create a piece of art for their annual Bartender Olympics to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation. The budget was $300 for materials and whatever being left over, my fee. I worked on the project from 1pm on Monday till 3:30 pm on Thursday, including install. It came out well and they were happy with the result, but I am never going to work on a job of the magnitude for so little money ever again. The picture is up on Facebook and I am planning on adding it and the sketches to my website.

With the completion of the TGI Friday's project the majority of my art responsibilities are done. Aside from finishing the next 5 anthology pages this week, nothing else is booked at the moment and for the first time in a while I see free time. So the question for me is, "What to do now?" I have ideas and goals bouncing in my head. There is of course Pronto comics, as well as CAG. So between these 2 groups I should have things to keep me busy in terms of comics. There are other idea's that I want to pursue as well. I want to draw more in ink and keep going with my journal, so I am looking to start going to some Dr. Sketchy's events as well as some opinion cartoons. Also I've ignored working on some T-shirt designs a for websites. Something that I was gung-ho about in the beginning of the year, but fell to the weigh side. So I would like to get involved in that again. Finally there is my writing. I haven't written any helium articles in some time, and I want to devote myself to that as well.

So as the summer wraps up many things have been accomplished. I worked on 1 comic, will have 10 pages in another anthology, made new friends and contacts, worked a lot at the gym and NCC, created my first installation piece and there are a lot of good possibilities in the future.

A mixed bag

2009-08-04T09:10:00.001-07:00

I spent yesterday doing a mix of things. At the beginning of the day I did a lot of online work, my typical self promotion, wrote out the blog and updated my website heavily.

After that I turned my eye to more domestic affairs.

Then I went back to work cleaning my studio area, writing out a new food blog and finishing the updating of the website.

Later I worked on inking some pages.

Today I will continue my usual work, working on inking and later this afternoon working at NCC.

Extra Shifts

2009-08-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

If memory serves me correctly, my last post was last Wednesday. Since that time I have been quite busy. For the most part I was picking up a lot of extra shifts at several places last week.

So to recap:

Wednesday night I worked.

Thursday I went into the city to meet with someone interested in creating a comic book. As it turns out this person was a pastry chef. He has several ideas for comics and had interviewed 2 pencilers. He seemed very interested when I told him that I specialize in inking. The meeting lasted about 20 minutes and I found it to be very good. It is an opportunity that I hope comes to fruition. Later that day I covered a shift at NCC and then finally came home.

Friday I started off the day helping out a friend in the early morning. He was moving to a new apartment and I and another friend gave him a hand. Later I came home and showered because it was very much needed and then went to work. Originally I was on the schedule to work from 1 to 5, but due to a coworkers lack of follow through it turned into 1 to 9. I don't mind working 8 hours, in fact I am happy to because I always need the money, but I just like to know that I am going to.

Saturday I worked again as well as on Sunday.

Finally last night I finished my animation. It is something that I have been wanting to finish since the spring and now it is finally completed and here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5byAwpXk9QE

So that is what I have been up to, busy busy busy.

Missed a couple of days on the blog

2009-07-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

I was busy the past couple of days and wasn't able to post.

On Monday I covered a shift at NCC. Nothing of particular note happened. Summer session are pretty quiet. Though I did feel old when one student remarked that she first heard "I Shot the Sheriff" on American Idol.

Yesterday, I worked on pages for the anthology. I am finally coming to the end of the tunnel in terms of pencil correction on these pages. I did an ink study and the writer/penciler liked it, so I know that I will be inking these pages in a gritty, noir style. Similar to Frank Miller or other styles.

Cleaning house

2009-07-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today I am focusing on the hosue a bit. There are several domestic tasks that need to be done around the house and i want to take care of them.

I finished the review yesterday and emailed it off to my editor.

Hopefully after doing some work around the house I will be able to get back to inking and working on other art projects.

Internet, writing, inking oh and work

2009-07-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

Well as the title of today's post shows I have things to do, but then again these days when do I not. I don't think I have ever written a blog that said, "well I got nothing to do today." Anyway I am trying to go through all the websites, as well as my own, and updating my status and information.

I also have a booze review. So I need to do some research into a product, taste it and then write up. Also I got in a sample article to write for a job opportunity, so that needs to be written and submitted by tomorrow.

While working yesterday I wrote up a Helium article, something I haven't had the time to do in a while. Over the next several weeks, basically the rest of the summer, I want to do as much writing as I can. I need to really work that site as much, if not more then I use too.

Also yesterday I received more pages to ink which will be a challenge. I won't start working on them though until I finish, or at least get to a certain point, with the pages i am currently working on.

Overall, I plan on working on these projects both at home and while at work later tonight.

Working today

2009-07-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I kept working on the first set of 5 pages for the anthology, finishing a small ink study.

After that I took the pages to my inking class at SVA. This class has come at the perfect time for me, because it is giving many more options and ideas that I wouldn't have had. Since these pages can be quite problematic, it is nice to have another set of eyes with more experience. The teacher also agreed that this project will be my assignment, other then the original idea of me penciling and then inking my own story.

Today I have work and so far that is about it. So I will try to do some more work correcting the drawings and hopefully get to some long procrastinated writing as well.

And the inking continues...

2009-07-21T09:42:00.001-07:00

In some ways this is turning out to be a good summer. Specifically in the working towards my goal as an inker. Suddenly I went from working on patents and doing one inking test, to finishing a comic and currently working on 5 pages for another book that will be self published with 5 more coming. This is will be very good for my portfolio, since I will have 2 works in print with a range of artists. So in that respect this summer is exciting.

Yesterday I ran errands, did some much needed tasks around the house and worked on some ink studies for the current 5 pages I have for this anthology. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten a chance to pencil any pages for my story for my class. Hopefully I will get some time today to put a page or two together for tonight.

My idea for the 5 pages I am working with now is to go very comic noir with them. The idea being to minimize the pencils as much as I can, but also to serve the story as best as possible as well. Luckily, it is a fairly gritty story, so the look should work with it.

Today's plan is simple, to work on some inks and then go to inking class. The same plan I have had on Tuesday for close to a month.

Weekend come and gone

2009-07-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

It was a good weekend, which is always nice to say.

Friday I caught up on some Internet work and priced out materials for the up coming TGI Fridays installation.

Saturday I worked from 12 to 6 and then attended an artist reception in Bellport. It was a lovely evening and I got some nice positive feedback on the work I installed.

Sunday I went to Yankee Stadium with my dad. He got the tickets for his birthday. It was a very good time and I discussed the stadium amenities in my food blog: http://www.journeythroughfood.wordpress.com.

There is plenty to be done today. I have several errand that I need to do. I have 5 pages for the upcoming anthology to start working on. I spent a good bulk of Saturday look at them and devising an inking strategy on how to make the most out of the pages. Also I received and email yesterday telling me that I should get 5 more pages from another artist. So this is an excellent opportunity for me to build my inking portfolio further.

On top of that I need to get moving on penciling my own pages for a little story I have written for my inking class. I might have mentioned this before, but in strange irony I have been so busy inking a comic that I haven't had time to work on my Inking Comics class.

Long term goals for the week are to finish the animation (I know I know, I always say I am going to work on it) and to update my site with a lot of new imagery, articles and general changes that I need to make.

Caught up... a bit

2009-07-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

So I spent the bulk of yesterday in front of a computer. Whether it was my mom's laptop or my own downstairs. I spent that time doing my usual Internet work, i.e posting on craigslist, writing this blog and my general self promotion tasks. On top of that I wrote out several emails to the Pronto Comics group, other pencilers, other collaborators, a talent recruiter and some other people.

Also I finally finished addressing all the envelopes for my next mailing. the only thing i need to do now is get the stamps and finish editing my animation. Actually that was the only goal I wasn't able to achieve yesterday. It seems to be the most allusive one, for reasons I don't understand.

I have no particular plans for today. There are several things that can be done, none of which need to be finished for tomorrow. I guess I will just see how the day goes.

Internet work

2009-07-16T10:10:00.001-07:00

I spent yesterday at work, putting the final touches on the inks. Later I went into the city for a Comic Con meet up at the Dave and Busters in Times Square. It was a good experience. Achilles liked the inks a lot and felt they were good enough that he could get away with doing a first printing in black and white.

We had another general meeting talking about where the anthology was, as well as discussing plans for Pronto comics. Also we met another penciler with good quality work and invited him to join in with the group. Several other things were discussed, all of which encouraged my hopes that we get Pronto Comics up and running and moving like a smooth machine as fast ass possible.

Now that the large inking job is done, I can focus on the anthology inking. Currently, I have one whole story to work on and I am expecting other pages to be coming soon.

Today i plan to be doing a lot of emailing, organizing and general computer/Internet work. Also I want to finish editing an animation that has been sitting around for several months. It is time to get back on the self promotion track full steam.