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* Studio vs. Life Drawing: Musing, part 3*
DRAWING IN, DRAWING OUT
An artist isn’t in a sterile-lab with a microscope—we are part of what we see: our feelings, our unique, wonky and weird perceptions are part of the scenery, the action. You know what I mean. Many of you are artists, some very talented, so of course you know.
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Tarrytown, New York, in earlier times:
Early Tarrytown, New York some 20 miles up from Manhattan
I love that drawing of the gentleman in panel 2!
If I may gush for a moment:
This is my favourite webcomic. Maybe just my favourite comic to date, but I’ll reserve that spot for when it’s finished. I love the consistency of your style. Its softness is so inviting to set you in the mood for a lush, slow-moving tale. Excellent. Beautiful. I can’t sing enough praises!
Thank you!
What an absolute treat…stylish, witty, wonderful!
dj
Poor Lafayette. He’s so very Cyrano, at least when it comes to that remarkable honker of his.
I’ll echo Felipo’s comment, but from a slightly different point of view. I like the discussion that goes along with each installment — though, in addition, I have a real admiration for anyone who can handle the subtleties of charcoal in the way that you do. Usually all I’ve ever ended up with is black fingers and a smeared, muddy page…
Of course, it’s pretty hard to draw something this detailed from memory. You kind of have to be looking at it. Unless, of course, you are this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVqRT_kCOLI
Mark, I’ve been fascinated to learn that a good many artists take inspiration not just from other visual artists, but from those in other arenas as well – M. C. Escher was influenced by J. S. Bach, I understand, because of the twists and complexity of Bach’s music. I was wondering if you also find similar inspiration in other art forms?
Anne: some of the coming entries in this companion blog should answer your question… But it makes me think there are times of ingress and times of egress for me. Periods of huge consumption of all kinds of foods—books, music, movies. But then there’s a particular passage in a project, especially at the start of it when I need to shed the influences that have impressed themselves on me. Or maybe not shed, but digest. Some people’s vision is strong, and I need to escape their shadow to be open and responsive to what’s coming from inside.
Thank you for your answer, Mark! IMHO it seems to show through, in delicious and entrancing ways.
I don’t think anyone else is surfacing in your work at all, and that is emphatically not what I mean to imply. Just want to clarify that! But some of the most unique and evocative artists in history have been inspired by other media, and that led me to wonder if that might be true for you.
I keep wanting to pipe down and just enjoy the trip, but I find myself reacting like a little kid, pointing at this shadow and that line, shouting “Oooh, what’s that! Look at this bit!” and it’s aboslute magic when you add the other art references to explore as well.
All right, let me turn off the gush machine. Thanks again, Mark!
I love that drawing of the gentleman in panel 2!
Panel two is absolutely gorgeous. I love the frilliness of it. The man and the lady fit together perfectly. I only just noticed they were different sizes, but it doesn’t matter at all – adds to the impression of the panel as a statement rather than just a snapshot. Plus, it’s gorgeous. Have I said that?