Another mystery note from info@commarts.com. The message read:
This message is intended for Q Cassetti at Luckystone Partners.
Congratulations! One (or more) of your entries has been selected by the 2008 jury to appear in Illustration Annual 49, the July 2008 issue of Communication Arts.
YAYYYYYYY! And, to think its of our little girl, Shady Grove!
I love how decorative boots are (with spurs too) and so I am fiddling around with the Memento Mori tools and approach which I have gotten positive feedback to continue to develop. Who knows what will come out of this little foray into western related stuff, but I am sure something.
Just back from a butterfly draw after being poked a few times in search for a vein. At least there wasn't editorial on veins etc. Good news, I do not have TB...so the Hartfordians can breathe a sigh of relief.
Must go now as I need to be in Ithaca soon. Team Water, the plumbing kings, told me just a half an hour ago that we will be without water. So there are gigantic pots, and pans, and bottles and kettles all filled up around the kitchen. And, a big red bucket in the bathroom. How fun is that?
Nice and warm here. Saw tops of the daffodil greens poking up through the dirt. I am thinking of lots of grassseed and fun this weekend. The snowdrops are up and I have seen a crocus or two. Lots of dead wood needing to be corralled...and a basic clean up prior t I am feeling a bit more myself--cough dying down, energy level higher which will mean back to the House of Health next week for beginning the treadmill fun.
Am slugging away on a format for a quarterly calendar publication. Designing, redoing, fitting images and logos, redoing the type, fitting the photos, redoing the type, and so on. Images are a bit bland/and not contrasty enough, so need to push E. to give em all more juice as everything reading 50% grey in the highlights doesnt go anywhere. Also, this document review process is heavy lifting--lots of work at one shot, and then dying out. Another truckload with ticklish issues that each deserve a phone call, and then a wasteland. I guess I will get used to it...but it is pretty much drop everything, do it and then back to the old work right now. I spent the better part of yesterday trying to get stuff other than reviewing.
Meeting tomorrow with an architect and the Baker client about the illustration for their waiting room. I hope that will be smooth and something I can engage in. There is not a lot of money in this...and I really do not want the pain level to take it to another place emotionally. More later>>
So, what does that random group of numbers mean? I got a note saying that this blog was reviewed by blogged.com and was ranked as an "8"in the Entertainment category. The ranking is based on"Editor reviews are provided by professional editors who evaluate a blog based on the following criteria: Frequency of Updates, Relevance of Content, Site Design, and Writing Style."
What does that get us? me?
Probably Niente, nada, nothing. But we'll take any kudos coming over the wall.
Its nice that we can extend this look for the Chicken Chokers for another year. I think we will be messing with the backgrounds for this year--with Amazing Things being being the kick off. I got an email from the folks at the Ispot about an article they are doing online and requested a jpg of the Chokers Poster in the Society of Illustrators Show (#50) to post online with the piece. That was really nice.
Spoke to Carol Elizabeth Jones. We may take her artwork back for another looksee. No pressure as yet. She, poor, poor, thing--has to re-record all of her vocals as the original recording was unsatisfactory--She is putting a brave face on it. But, as we all know, the second time around, you have a better handle on where things are going--but you lose the inspired/ free thing that happens with the first try.
Back from my physical. Have a subdermal tracer for TB (for Hartford) and they will be taking blood to see if there are antibodies for Mumps,Measles or Rubella. If not, then I will have to get a shot for Hartford too. Really, we might as well be going to India or some other place than Connecticut considering the medical hoops they are insistent we have. But, worth it....just seems a bit over the top. Hello blood tests and all sorts of other screening. But hey, good to get it done.
There are doors being cut through 150 year old lathe and plaster upstairs...lots of banging and dust. This should open up the various bathrooms to other rooms and give us the laundry upstairs versus in the kitchen. By freeing up the laundry, we can then move to the back (old kitchen area) for the new kitchen and morph the old kitchen/ and historically, the servants dining room, to a back entry hall versus what we have now that is an explosion with laundry, kids backpacks, thousands of shoes and the kitchen stuff...not to put too fine a point on it. So, by beginning to move the parts, we free up new areas to get to the endpoint.
Spent the better part of Sunday working on a waterfall image for a teeshirt for the Cayuga Triathlon. I was working from reference I took earlier this year--and the water had a lacy/frothy quality that manifested itself in an almost hairy looking waterfall...more like the back of a teenaged girl and not the iconic waterfall. R. remembered an old, antique (1865) photo we had of the same image at the lake. So we rescued that, and as it was an image taken with the lens totally open, the water did not have the lacy thing, but really felt vertical etc. So, R. saved the day as the refernence took it to another place. I have finished the image and am waiting to hear from the Raceteam as I think we have in in hand.
New poster for the Chicken Chokers (they are playing at Amazing Things--the Amazing Firehouse in June).
Possibly a new winelabel in the near offing. More as it becomes known. Also, working on a document approval process for Quest which is hard but interesting as it is totally not creative. As I was talking to my client, she encouraged me to see their new "guerrilla" campaign for colon cancer>> which is interesting as they link to a guy (in the mummenschantz mode) being a healthy colon (youtube footage) and the point up the reasons to get the screening as colon cancer is treatable if caught early. But why swish with a brush when you can get the full monty like I am going to get.
K is off to France in 10 days. Very exciting and just around the corner. Track training is good...A is very impressed with how K is no powderpuff with her training (would she be anything else?). Lots of hard sleepers.
Most go as the morning is gettting away from me.
New York Public Library has a great picture reference room. Now that we are all electronic, they have a nice digital library online>>. Library of Congress has images they are trialing on Flickr worth checking out for more reference.
James Davis writes a wonderful blog on his favorite things--vintage cowboy and cowgirl boots. A real luscious slice and good starting point on the tracking down of wonderful and fun reference. Brew a cup of tea and jump in:
Man In the Crowd's Vintage Cowboy Boots and Such: Helping Keep the Flame Alive>>
I believe with great conviction that Barack Obama should be the next President. I have been paying close attention to him since the Democratic convention in 2004. I feel that he is more a statesman than a politician. He was against the war when it was an unpopular position (and Hillary was for the war at that time), Obama is for energy and environmental conservation. He is for healthcare reform. Check him out for yourself: barackobama.com. Proceeds from this print go to produce prints for a larger statewide poster campaign.” Shepard Fairey
It's interesting to me that just in the matter of style, the Obama camp is sending out entirely different messages than that of the Clinton group. When I say style, I don't mean rhetoric or talking points, I mean the look and feel of the respective candidates--the visual messages that are being sent out to establish the viability and the memorable aspects of the individual candidates. In consultant speak, which I find highly tedious, its branding. To my thinking, it's personality. Now, some of this image building may be grassroots--but as it is additive, is it built on a foundation established by the respective candididate's spin meisters? Or is it just a vibe individuals have picked up on, responded to and because the candidate independent of spin, projects an image that is easy to understand and package. To that point, we have Jim O'Brien working on images of the candidates (as seen earlier this week) and we have Shepard Fairey (Obey Giant) creating a poster for Obama.
Shepard Fairey, who you all have heard me rave about, is an entrepeneurial illustrator/graphic designer with many feathers in his cap from his commercial work (best known in the worlds of skateboards and movies "Walk the LIne" poster), his urban art and installations to his fine art print business and his Obey line of clothing. He has recently opened a gallery and is now marketing this Obama poster under a new dba known as "Subliminal Projects". I had assumed that he had been contracted by the Obama camp to create this poster (sold as an offset poster, different than his signature screenprints, $30. a pop, 24"x 36")--but there is no mention on his site. I googled the same--to no result. It is perfect Shepard Fairey without the textures and layers of imagery that often takes his simple likenesses to another place (the Peace women for example). However, if you take this out of the Shepard Fairey context and look at it in the wide swathe of image building amongst the candidates--there really hasn't been a representation of a candidate on a poster for decades. We just don't need to do it with the internet, news media, television, youtube. .. You get the idea. We are barraged by this stuff. To think, though, that this illustration of Obama wouldnt seem special, but it is because it is a new media--for most--and the interpretation of this likeness into a simple, memorable signature for the candidate is striking. The type is simple and elegant...and the most impresive thing is that his name isn't even on the piece. The word HOPE is emblazoned simply at the bottom of the page, picking up the obama O with the striped horizon as the clue insofar as who this person is. Fairey is assuming you know who this is. And to that, he appeals to those of us in the know--that the message is Hope and this is the person who will bring it. Now, I am pretty bored with all this democratic stuff...and feel that the candidates are a whiskers difference so style is the thing that may make the difference here.
There is a parody of the Obama poster floating around--for Hillary. That camp needs to get moving on this..or maybe its too late. The pictures of the Hope posters in PA--lining a room, hanging off chairs, people holding them up have taking this illustration to another place. It has now integrated with the imagery of the candidate. A bit flat footed that the Clinton folks didn't immediately respond. This sort of thinking, old traditions made new--a fresh approach from a messaging and delivery standpoint, will hold Obama in good stead. As illustrators, we should all get off our haunches and engage. There are strong pictures to be made, to get out there and to fuse to the bigger picture (world issues, local issues, personal issues) and we can make a difference. Shepard Fairey has.
Note: The Clinton Camp's response was to get Marc Jacobs to do a teeshirt>>
My response is that maybe, just maybe, each camp needs a visual strategist in the future. Hands down, the Clintons missed the boat. I mean, I am a girl and I wouldnt wear a damned shirt with a lady with pearls with her mouth open as a billboard or as fashion. How dumb. And men?
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
Anne Bradstreet (1612 - 1672),
'Meditations Divine and Moral,' 1655
Jim O'Brien is doing some beautiful work for his thesis: likenesses of the candidates which he is screenprinting. I was taken with how wonderful they are--His theis blog gets into the detail--and was thrilled to see them up close and personal last week in Fort Worth. If you would like to own one, he has posted them to etsy, to illogator,or ebayHis Hillary is in the works and looks promising. Also, Jim's Obama buttons (I only saw 2) are a real find. Be the only one on your block to show your support with such style (and great illustration,too!).
Well, after that cheery post from yesterday and a sharp prod from my homegirl client to get my self horizontal-- I did...until now ( 7 p.m.). It was shake,rattle and roll..but now visions of illustrations (not feverish nightmares of odd people juxtaposed in scenes they would never be in) singing in my head. I just need to shake this blistering headache and I will be right as rain. Now, coca cola looks delicious. I cannot say the same for last night. So, def back in the saddle tomorrow. Make a note to get a flu shot this coming fall. This is not a welcome pause.
A and K are training like crazy for track and field-- working on their "core". A is very excited and chatty (!) that it's spring, that its light out late and that he has a good chance to succeed with Track. He is overall a happy boy which is great to see as he doesn't show his hand very often and makes us worry a tiny bit.
I am musing over Texas illustrations, where the grass seeding needs to happen soon, what to have Chet, the lawnmower man accomplish with his proposed "spring cleanup", and content for my "dream project" at HAS.
The "dream project" is the first week at Hartford with Dennis Nolan and Bunny Carter (from San Jose State, and author extrodinaire---her book on the Red Rose Girls is an interesting slice of illustration history for many reasons and the way she tells the story is engrossing and believable so its a joy to read). Essentially, its a project you really want to do. As my world of Death is out of the picture right now, I proposed to Murray and Doug that I work on imagery that might be applicable to the world of Old Time music (you know, Chokers, Carol Elizabeth Jones etc)--and work from ( thanks to M's thinking) the content and roots (Americana, lyrics etc). Its hands off (no drawing allowed) but research and reference is okay. I would like to work both hand drawn and using the reductive approach and keep the color secondary--really striving for big, bold images. Its cool as I could work in square and tatami sizes ( 1x2). I like this approach as Americana is a big area...fused or not fused with music is cool--and it allows me to do a bit of a deep dive to see what's there. I just cannot make any marks or sketches. But, Texas pix may keep me from that.
Have to go and poke dinner.
tomorrow.
Now I am shaking like a leaf--and when I look in the mirror, a white, chalky face looks back at me. I am hoping short day as I am really quite done in/
Hopefully, more later.
We had a nice easter dinner with the senior Cassettis and their interesting friends, Jim and Barbara. Even the youngers liked the conversation. Plus, Jim has a great deal of experience in asian culture and I am hoping that he can point up some cool stories (Hindu) that could be a platform for the Hartford children's book with Betsy and Ted Lewin.
R had surgery (outpatient) on his head this morning. Alex is shaking like a leaf with a fever (I just had to go be bossy with him in the bathroom--"do this, drink that, eat this, lie still, wear this" "are you feeling this way, are you feeling that way, are you cold, are you hot, are you going to throw up?" "Drink this. eat this". I am a real shrew. Spaghetti for everyone tonight. We all need to be comforted.
The new construction is progressing quickly (2 bathrooms, a closet and a laundry room carved out of a 1/2 of K's room (20' w x 10' space))--The pvc is in place, the framing in place, R is pencilling in closets and doorways to be cut out of the lathe and 150 year old plaster. Sad--but necessary to make this house functional (read, saleable). In the huge space, there is only one bathroom upstairs, and one down.. and given the entire space under the roof (including the apartment wings) is 8M sq ft. It looks like an error in the lack of amenities that most people expect in buildings of this scale. So the new bathrooms and the powder room we are putting under the stairs are significant changes that will be noted (somehow 2 new furnaces, storm windows and doors, cleaned chimneys (read 8), and a new roof isn't even noticed. That gets you to square one/ ground zero. These are the things of note. K is thrilled to have her own space for bathing...and it will take the load off the one bathroom we have that never seems to get dry. Ah luxury!
Must go to boil the water (and tear the sheets?)
I am so dumb. Truly. Prior to going to Texas, I didn't give it a minute's thought about how the culture might be, what the customs and approaches were like and I was caught surprised. Truly surprised. From the crusaders flag, enormous (or perhaps just the description, Texas sized), red and white with a story tall letters spelling out JESUS to the shopping center sized churches to softball ads promoting community (seemed as it they were going to talk about special programming at the YMCA) with the close of the ad promoting thus and so Baptist Church--I wasn't in "Kansas" anymore (or maybe I was?). While I was getting my big gulp of caffeine, there was a table of ardent looking people settling in to have a nice big breakfast, when they joined hands, bowed their heads and had a chat with the Big Guy. They don't do that here. And, prior to the Rodeo, there was a schmaltzy "God Bless America" presentation with flags and galloping horses with everyone standing (as if it was the pledge of allegiance) in respect. Then, on to the rodeo prayer. Heads down--AMEN. whoa. Then there were the crosses. Crosses with Milagros (love that) but then on cowgirl hats, pocketbooks, big honking pendants around the necks, emblazoned in silver foil applications across tight tees, on spangly belts. Now, I cannot say if that is specifically religious as Madonna brought the cross back to being something cool and not overtly "my first communion"--but somehow with this set--fashion is pretty much middle of the road (not Madonna) so there might be some symbolism there. I was afraid someone would find out that I was not "golly,gee gosh" and that hell and damnation awaited my beyond the door. But you all know that. No news there.
I have asparagus, gloriously thin asparagus to steam and cheese to arrange as there are Easter festivities to join. The table is set with my giant folkloric bunnies (blue and white), my two steuben bunnies designed by R, and more jelly beans than you can count. The snow is receeding. The lake is rising. I feel hopeful that things might soon (at least in a month) begin to green up. How lovely would that be? Easter is a good day to think about renewal, change and the cycle of life and living. I have much to look forward with my work, my life with the nearest and dearest, and the hope that our 600 daffodils will crowd our tabletops and vases for a fragrant progression into Spring.
Happy day to you all.
I know, I know...I should not be so judgemental. I know there is room in the world for everything but I pick Remington. For me, forget Russell. I love Remington for his use of color--the broad brush strokes that create these vibrant colors in the backgrounds like PINK or Orange to go with the figures that radiate blue. I love how graphic his lights and shadows are--no midtones in the rendering of fabric...just color broken into two fields using thick paint to build up a texture to take care of the lost midtones. I love the gesture of his paint--the expression of the subject--sometimes charging down the plain on unleashed horses--controlled bedlam. Sometimes a rider and horse at peace--waiting for the next chapter to begin. The figures feel natural within their frames--with the environmental stuff making up simple blocked out shapes on the canvas to create the atmospherics. There is a wonderful energy to the figures--where they breathe in their space. Russell's figures are not relaxed, but posed within the picture frame--iin a stiff and sometimes contrived way that seems uncomfortable and cold. His subjects do not invite you in--to live in their space but allow you to peer into the frame to see their world, but not to live it.Somehow, Remington can, by putting his viewer at ease, allow the viewer to go deeper, to feel more with the subject--slathered with his remarkable brushwork, energetic color and design. Some of the backgrounds are patterned in a way I wanted to consider the field pattern an entirely other painting within the painting.
All images and details are from the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.
Gary Myrick honed his skills working at Six Flags drawing portraits day in and day out. He transitioned to becoming a courtroom artist on contract with a local tv station. He would set up shop in the courtroom and try to create a story through his images--thinking about sequencing and how the news uses images to frame up the newsbite. He would work with the video crews on how to shoot, light and frame the images as he had this in his background as well--taking the delivery into consideration in the selection of colors, backgrounds etc. He worked in Texas but also had opportunities to do national jobs. He was involved in the Paula Jones case as well as that of the Branch Davidians. It was insightful to hear him talk about the first hand news as he experienced it and the reporting on the radio and how often they did not match. He was intrigued by this work, loved it --as he used his skills as an artist to be a journalist to tell the stories visually and engage the new audience in a way beyond the audio. My sadness in hearing him speak was that essentially, the courtroom artist role has changed now that photography is allowed and he has not taken his skills to morph into more pure journalism, writing and reflecting on his observations (of which there are many and are colorful), or transitioning his abilities into story boarding, graphic novels or something else. He has stopped this work and will do it if asked...but certainly without the regularity of the past. He is an interesting artist--and part of a visual tradition of reportage--I have to believe there still is a place for visual interpretation of events--it's just that it may be a stretch for Gary to go there--to explore a new avenue, a new use for his pointed wit and observational skills.
The image of the big red head was of a defendant in a trial that Gary got in trouble for by referring to her as the "1957 Cadillac". Perfection.
In Here at DFW early (5:00 a.m.) after a shared ride with two classmates from HAS to the airport. Everyone was early, so we pushed off a little early as I guess we all are twitchy to make our connections to send us back to the country (New Hampshire, Ithaca and north of Burlington, VT). This is a beautiful airport with clear signage, a link service and plenty of coffee shops (not open to my chagrin), They have this wonderful vending machine of stuff you really want from ipods, Bose headsets, battery chargers, ancillary computer batteries, personal dvd players. It is a true splurge machine. Only downside is if you don’t have the itunes thing going on your computer, the only good of buying an ipod at the airport is that you flaked on a birthday, and a new nano or shuffle would fit the bill. Did I mention that I wish there was coffee?
It was a late night yesterday with our visit to the Fort Worth Stockyard Rodeo. It felt less like something produced, but more like the truck racing or my favorite, the demolition derby we have in Tburg. Admission was $20 a head and we were admitted to a hundred year old building (which they proudly announced many times last night), with nice woodwork and a sprung ceiling, the ring with combed dirt—all in darkness. The only light was on a tractor with a device similar to what we use to smooth out the baseball fields at our home games. But there it was, all in it’s glory, the brilliant blue tractor, the zamboni of the rodeo world. We found our orange seats and were told by Murray, that we were free to wander. I am kind of kicking myself with the choice of camera. The toy, point and shoot, that really works in the available light environment needed to have a much, much faster shutter speed to get the right pictures—but my plan was to work with other stuff for the project other than a close-in rodeo depiction. The light levels even when they pumped them up, were abysmal. And so we waited until just about 8 for the antics to begin.
First off, all the cowboys and girls seem very young, very lanky, --essentially a co-ed sport like cross-country running. I expected to see A and his compadres just around the corner as these cowboys were hanging out in the same way. The horses were wonderful. I had forgotten the wonder of the working horse—and how these noble beasts who had sculpted bodies with bumps and valleys describing bulging muscles much like Barry Bonds. I loved how they backed up, siddled and really were in tune with their riders—attesting to the strength and skill of the riders (all of it being so cool in the saddle—no juking, no nervousness, as natural as walking-- it was all so subtlely in the legs) and the sensitivity of the animals dancing with their riders—leaning into the sport of either speed (with the flopping barrel racing gals) or pulling back with the calf/ cow roping. I just have to face it, I love horses—(not enough to own one, but certainly to admire them). There were some real honeys there—palaminos and this paint with a white braided mane (with the perfect neck and proportions) I could have cried. Compared to the massive horses K rides (which I adore too…so much so that for a birthday, Amanda and a friend rode the biggest horses at the Cornerhaven Farm over to the Camp House to wish me an equine birthday!), these small, smart horses are toylike, but amazing iin their true partnershp with their riders. As you could gather, I loved the horse event just for the opportunity to watch these excellent riders working with their horses.
The bull riding was more about the prep. The cowboy (who Jim O’Brien properly pointed out now wear hockey helmets) is lowered or gently engaged on the beast with his buddies above him—helping, holding, supporting—to get him ready for the moment. Once the gate is opened, often it is within seconds that the cowboy has been dumped and the thrill is to watch him try and not get either gored or trodden on by this energetic bull who, to be honest, just wants to get out of there. And then, the mother thing happens and I want to crawl under my seat for the Roman empire moment of watching this person who WANTS to be there, get battered by a bull. My great, great grandfather, John Appleton (a member of one of the two civil war “Glory” regiments from Boston, Harvard graduate who was assigned to watch over Jeff Davis as he was a “gentleman; settled in Greenbriar County WVa after the war was over and ran a hotel/spring until he met his maker by being gored by a bull). What horrors. And people love it and laugh. It could be your kid, husband or brother. I don’t get it…but I am a northern wimp. So, what do I know? Maybe a tolerant thing to say might be “pursue your bliss”. However, how is it that someone decides that this (bull riding) is the extreme sport they must engage in? Or is it a point of pride for a family? Or are they all greek and they have been bull dancers in their families? What is the motivation? What is success? Where’s the fun?
The rodeo clowns were okay…but I loved their makeup…kabuki like. There might be a picture in that.
There were two kid events which were very cute and very funny. Gerry (with a G) Hampton turned to me and proclaimed it the best of the whole rodeo, describing it as “an easter egg hunt gone wild”—He nailed it. First one was for kids 12 and under. They pumped up the music (bizarrely, the tune “YMCA” by the Village People, which I am always stunned that this is “fun music for families”—but who am I?) and all the kids came into the ring and formed a line with half the kids facing one way, and half the other). At the proper moment—a little calf is let into the ring and the kids start running for the beast. They ran and ran, trying to get a ribbon off the back to be the winner. All these little people, tiny cowboy hats, boots and bandanas scrambling for the little cow, the being who had my sympathies in this exchange. The crowd loved it. Then a little later, a smaller set of kids ( I think it was 6 or 7 and younger)—same line-up only running after a mother sheep and her fleecy white baby lamb. The sheep almost won this one except they kept the gates closed (not fair in my book). Again. More hysteria from the crowd with the camera flashes popping like Christmas lights.
The rodeo was local culture. It was pretty much hokey pokey, but this is what I am used to and like. No polish, all edges. Families and bakesales—everyone there for the fun of being there. It would be cool to see a really “professional” rodeo—a more NASCAR event (as the advertisers are car, tractor, boots, and agricultural equipment)—but as we were in Cowtown, it seemed like the right thing to do.
It was bittersweet saying goodbye to my hosts, Doug Anderson and my new colleagues at Hartford. I am heartened by their spirit, intelligence and unbelievable talent/abilities and am looking forward to my two weeks in July with the edge that I have a peek under the tent insofar as the people, expectations and a new slant at my work. It is welcome work and I feel that I have a place within this group and can contribute. I will only get as much from the program as I put in—so work lies ahead.
I just got to Philadelphia. Slept the whole way—I hope not with my mouth open…but it was one of those blackout sleeps that you really cannot comport yourself the way you would like. Coffee has been drunk. And I am sitting on a radiator as the quest for a place to plug in manifested itself in my perching on a radiator with my bags all around me like a street person. I missed a bit on Gary Myrick so I will give you a brief next.
Basically, Jack Unruh preached the value of pursuit your bliss. Amen! Find what you like to do, find things that give you passion, find a life you enjoy and fuse them together. And he does. His signs for his garage sales (which sound like they are worth the trip as he has art too!)--are a "find the artist"/identify the artist poster that the winners get a $200 credit to the sale. Jack loves what he does, and it shows. My key take aways were related to his design--he uses silhouettes and detail in a very discriminating way--letting the places he cranks up the focus to take the punishment for the rest of the picture--allowing for white space; he uses handwriting and handlettering to be part of his design (I should stop shrinking from that...I do have that in my quiver and have kept it there); He designs his borders and backgrounds to tell part of the story--but it seems they are considered as separate elements (in some cases) shifting the perspective, size relationships and placement to suit the design; and to consider the relationships of things (use scale, placement and added elements to help tell the story); enhance the story (or add to the story). Sometimes he just literally tells the story and zips it up with his color/detail focus or sometimes he puts his Jack Unruh spin on it.
As with all of the illustrators of this week, Jack is an absolute peach and home run. However, in his case and that of Ray-Mel Cornelius, there are solid take aways/ things I have been intrigued by that I want to start working with relative to my work. And for that, I am grateful to have been given the chance to come by the gracious Tinklemans for inviting me to come to Fort Worth as a preview of the fun to come.