A Certain Romance

Jamie Rich has just revealed on his blog a kind of time capsule of some old things we'd sketched together, my drawings, his words... way back from 2001:

While digging through an old back-up disc today, I found a long-forgotten project that never quite happened. The basic gist of it is, back in 2001, Christine Norrie was posting sketches to her website. If I recall, it was on a daily basis. Somewhere along the way, one of us had the notion that I would answer these sketches with sketches of my own. The process was simple: I would look at her drawings and write whatever came to mind. Short, to the point, just whatever they inspired.

He's posted as much of the art as he could find, which is a pretty great thing since I don't have an record of that work is, including his original poetry from the exercise. It's amusing and somewhat embarrassing to see one's humble beginnings. Often, you're either struck by the amateur ignorance (I could do so much better now!), but at least admire the courage it takes to put your full heart on paper (I could never do better as then!).

Jamie's also added as a funny supplement, some of the original doodles I'd mail him when I turned in (often very late) my artwork for the Hopeless Savages series. A running joke of Jamie depicted as a dog. I do recall that I'd tease him about being a hound because if I recall, he often seems to be mixed up with the ladies! Ah, my friend, some things just don't change.

Hop over to Confessions 1 2 3 to reminisce what could have been!

D.A.N.C.E.

Brilliant video, brilliant week here in New York City! The sun has been out in full force and I've got tan lines all ready to show for it. I'd spent a sunny Sunday in Staten Island's Snug Harbor gardens, a Monday sidewalk cafe lunch on Houston Street with my sister, then the rest of the week is a bit of a blur, I'm sure due to being drunk on sunshine.

I'd started my comic pencils, I think the first time in a year that I'm working in full 11x17. It started off slowly, but I'm getting the knack again and am full speed ahead. One of my most favorite things in drawing stories is getting to choose what the characters are going to wear. Unlike the hipsters in today's video, I've opted to place our heroes in chic lodge-wear. Our superstar is wearing a John Varvatos-inspired coat and, I've got the sidekick in high-heeled boots!

(The girl on the left is wearing snowboots inspired by Puma's El Roo and Texture boot, the chick on the right has on my leather vintage boots I got from Flying A last fall.)

One, I know I feel pretty powerful when wearing kickass heels, and honestly, the argument that it's 'not realistic' just goes out the window when you're talking action/adventure fiction. Plus, if you're a super-heroine that can't manage heels, maybe it's time to hang up the cape. Wouldn't wearing a stacked wedge or stilettos be one of those Danger Room trials? Spikes on shoes can be a real weapon! For fighting villains and romancin' dudes...

Anyway, happy Dance Party Friday and happier weekend filled with golden rays!

COURVOISIER sketch

Kitchen scene.

A scene in which several characters have an exchange over a period of a few pages. In order to make the environment as correct as possible, I sketched a little model on the back of my script and used it as a very hand reference tool.

This comic takes place in an average suburban home and I've used my memories of St. George Staten Island for it. Specifically, a stone cottage a friend of mine remodeled from 70s scary to gorgeous all stainless steel professional appliances and stone radiant-heat floor. And, of course, no type of home is complete without a nice cushy doggie bed in the corner...

Puma G1FT-BOT ads just hit!

LNW/Andrew Zuckerman hired me to work on the creation of the PUMA G1FT-BOT-2007. I only did the initial sketches for the design and about 20+ concept mock-ups before it went to a digital artist who did the final version.

Looking at many robot images, our goal was to have the 'bot be humanistic in its expressions, without being too "tech" looking or overly sexy. My early Puma G1FT-BOT concept sketches were pretty whimsical and mid-century modern, but we had some issues and interesting conversation over the political direction of how robots interact with humans in a lifestyle setting.

London's Calling!

On Monday, I turned in a 13-frame sequence and the director emailed back asking for two additional frames. Had to be quick because he was in Dublin about to fly back to NYC to bring this storyboard to production on Tuesday. Battling a nasty cold and lack of sleep, I don't think I even pencilled this first... we just do the job, we do the job.

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Now playing: The Clash - The Magnificent Seven
via FoxyTunes

Ring! Ring! It's 7:00 A.M.!
Move y'self to go again
Cold water in the face
Brings you back to this awful place
Knuckle merchants and you bankers, too
Must get up an' learn those rules
Weather man and the crazy chief
One says sun and one says sleet
A.M., the F.M. the P.M. too
Churning out that boogaloo
Gets you up and gets you out
But how long can you keep it up?
Gimme Honda, Gimme Sony
So cheap and real phony
Hong Kong dollars and Indian cents
English pounds and Eskimo pence

You lot! What?
Don't stop! Give it all you got!
You lot! What?
Don't stop! Yeah!

Immodesty Blaize

Immodesty Blaize, originally uploaded by christinenorrie.

My sister's hired me for some freelance work... I was given some pretty great photos to work with and painted up this sketch Saturday night.

Thursday's Child

The Halloween Decorations went up... and might be coming down.

My kid just started a small tumbling class at a gymnastics center just
a few blocks down the street. She enjoys it very much.

Her leotard has silver and blue stars all over it and
she calls it her "Wonder Woman Suit".

It's a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Damn Yankees

Though I am a Cardinals fan by nature, I am also a Yankees fan (second-generation, on my father's side). We got very good tickets in July and spent a hot afternoon watching the Bronx Bombers give it away to Tampa. Despite the loss, it was a terrific way to spend a summer day drinking an icy coke, eating a hot sausage, sketching, and listening to my daughter chant, "Let's go, Yankees, let's go!"

Fashion Week Fashion

Tribeca Grand/Church Lounge -- September 2007 (click images to view larger)

Fashion Week hit a few weeks ago and I went to one event with Maia and Cat, bringing my sketchbook along. I've been terrifically committed to daily life-drawing and I wasn't going to let a dark lounge, free Patron drinks, or dancing get in the way! I only wish we had some of the photos that were snapped or a recording of French DJs Gildas & Masaya (Kitsune)'s remix of Bowie's "Let's Dance". Unbelievably good!

The B-Side

The B-Side, originally uploaded by spookoo.

My sister and I went out this past Saturday night and I doodled our entire adventure out. Including a hilarious thirty minutes at Village Yokocho where we communicated via notes/drawings in my sketchbook because we were seated at a table right behind an ex-friend we didn't want to hear us talking.

We also had a really swell time just drinking beer and dropping dollars onto the jukebox at The B-Side. You can tell that I'm pretty tipsy since I wrote down two song titles twice... in any case, can you guess the artist/band that goes with the song? No googling!

rainy

rainy, originally uploaded by spookoo.

Drinky

Drinky, originally uploaded by spookoo.

Okay, this is basically me... except I returned those shoes 'cos I felt too guilty (horribly beautiful, horribly expensive wedges from Barney's Co-Op).

And, I don't have that hairstyle either. I just wish I could have it for a night and then go back to my long locks. It would be much easier for cleaning the bathroom because I shed worse than anything.

BUT! I do own that dress, clutch, and I admit that I tend towards the bubbly.

She goes back to the Sea...

She goes back to the Sea..., originally uploaded by spookoo.

I'm not one to go in for digital art. Personally, it just feels like a strange disconnect in my work... I like to feel that sexy drag of pencil or ink onto paper.

However, I just received Alias SketchBook Pro and played with it for a few minutes and was astonished by how nice and fun it was. I'd been having a series of ideas run through my mind recently and it took no time to quickly doodle one.

I'm not giving up my pens and brushes just yet, but I'll definitely add this little app to my arsenal.