"Quit tapping on the glass!"

Something magical happened last week. I wished someone a happy birthday on facebook (someone I don't know personally, but is friends with Gonzo)- and his response was "What did you draw me?" It takes me back a few steps when someone I don't personally know, knows that I draw. Even when it's someone I know through work that asks "what have you been drawing lately?". I don't know why...but it freaks me out (in a good way- sometimes I forget I have a website, a blog and a fan page...and that Gonzo likes to talk about me drawing). So I asked this person what he would like me to draw for him and his response was "a chimp holding an AR-15". I have never drawn a gun before. And I don't condone giving chimps guns (although there are days, when I visit the zoo, that I wonder what a monkey/chimp/orangutan is really thinking when people tap on the glass of their enclosures...I used to know a certain silver back gorilla at the Ft. Worth zoo who HATED children banging on his enclosure.), but this seemed like a relatively quirky thing to draw, so I said "why not" and threw caution to the wind. I had been roughing him out for a few days, and finally just dove head first into it yesterday while at work. Took about 3 hours. While I was drawing him I just kept going "oh this looks like crap!""Why did I draw that line?""Geez, he's probably going to just throw it away, this is such a mess"...I don't know why, but this line of thought goes thru my head for just about every drawing...and then I scan it...and low and behold I'm like a little kid. "Holy crap! I drew that??? Geez! That's awesome!" It's just something about seeing it on a computer screen vs. right in front of me on paper...it's weird. And you know what- it happened with this drawing too. I still have a few issues with the chimp, but the gun looks pretty sweet for a first time drawing a gun...In my opnion. Anyway. I'm drawing. The End.

remember me?

I feel it's time for an update- but I have no pictures to share- so I'm sorry in advance. You remember the drawing I was talking about in the last post (2 months ago...), I haven't touched it since I wrote that. He's sitting on a couch in between pages of a sketchbook. I've doodled some, and done a whole lot of thinking "I should really draw something" and then not picking up a pencil. It's like writers block only with art...artist-block? Which is painful no matter what it's called. I got so frustrated and paniced that I haven't drawn anything to completion, that I went so far as to contact a long lost "friend"* and ask for them to send me a photo of a drawing I did for them 10 years ago and never took a picture of- in hopes of the magical "thing" that makes me draw would be awakened...after sending a rambling email, then cursing myself the minute I sent it for sounding like a crazy person asking for "magical images of long lost creative art"- a friend posted a photo on Facebook of her daughter. A really adorable photo, which I stole** (in this case it's really not like stealing, it's saving an image to be used to make great things- to be sent to the parents FREE of charge- no stealing, I borrowed. an image. online. Not stealing. at least not in this case) I started drawing it...last Thursday. It's small scale- 8 x 10"...and then I had to run an errand. It felt really good to draw. I'll get back to it- someday. You know what felt even better while I was drawing it though? The fact that it's a surprise and no one knows that I'm drawing it (you don't even really know the exact image I'm talking about- so even you, dear reader, have no idea...more of the surprise factor there). I think I like drawing "surprises" more than taking orders for custom drawings. Sure free surprises don't help pay any bills, but if it doesn't make me happy then why do it? I like the free surprises and I'm sure a lot of people enjoy that I like making free surprises. **To those people who think I'm giving you permission to steal/save images from the web and do whatever with- I'm not saying that. You should always ask permission before using an image you find on the web (or even in print for that matter)- you should make every effort possible to contact the owner of the image before using it (or at least give credit to the source). If you never receive permission- you should move on to something different. That's just my 2 cents. In my case- this is a friend, who I know won't mind that I'm using her photo- especially since she's getting a drawing because of it. *And to my "friend" from 10 years ago- if you ever read this- I'm so sorry for the rambling-crazy-sounding message. You make me nervous. Plus there's really no good way to say "I lost my mojo for drawing! Help me help myself by taking a photo of that thing I drew for you forever ago"...I guess if I didn't sound crazy you might not have believed it was me asking for it. I will continue to live with this art-block and hope that it goes away soon, because I miss posting pictures for all to see- and I've been told I have "secret followers"! Which makes me giddy. But also sad, because you are having to read blocks of text instead of seeing images. I'll work on it, promise (I'll work on it even for those that follow so boldly- all 9 of you- I love you 9, but I also will secretly love my secret followers too- don't worry I blog stalk people all the time without publicly following them..hehehe).