Don't Let's Start

This is an oldie but a goodie, probably from around 1998 or '99. Again, I love the old black & white photos. I don't remember who this is, but I have a book on Humphrey Bogart, and a book on Frederic March, so maybe it came from one of those. Usually, I take bits and pieces from various sources and combine them to make my own little scene. A hand here, a face there, a background from somewhere else. That's why I call my site "Mockingbird Ink." Mockingbirds do the same thing with their songs. Anyway, it was done in ballpoint pen with a Payne's Gray acrylic wash, with some acrylic touches. I did a mock-up once of this as a cover for a They Might Be Giants single called "Don't Let's Start." It would've made a great cover! I think maybe recycled paper case, with this on the cover. Yes?

Brought To You By the Letter "M"

Here's another sketchbook page, of one of my favorites, Jim Henson. I wrote to him before he died, and he sent back an autographed photo, and a signed form letter. It was awesome! I have it hanging in the hallway. I always thought it would be cool to work at the Creature Shop. I love the Muppets. I love Fraggle Rock. I love The Dark Crystal. Jim Henson was the best!

Happy Mailman

Here's my happy mailman! It's one piece in an attempt to develop some portfolio pieces geared more toward children. You'll notice the little boston terrier, also featured in the "Esther, the Fat, Tattooed Mermaid" piece, who is my littlest dog, Adie, who adores me immensely, and makes an excellent model (as well as an excellent footwarmer).

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

I have this sketchbook, a small moleskine with cream-colored pages, and I keep sketch notes in there of things I want to remember: the 7 wonders of the world, the "rules" of being Amish, color sketches of the various breeds of cow, you name it. I made it for myself, just to compile all the little notes and doodles I had in sketchbooks over the years, and to remember things that interested me. There are a couple of people that have shown an interest in publishing it, but the project's gone nowhere because of copyright. Most everything in the book is a reference from somewhere else, and often it's noted in the sketchbook, but not fully annotated, since it was just...you know, for ME. So there's a brick wall. I would hate to have it published, and have it be a success, and then get sued for plaigarism. Anyway, this is Mr. Rogers, and his little cat, too. Pay no attention to the Japanese couple behind his back. They're involved in the floating art of "shunga." And we all know what THAT means...

Twizzlers Are Better Anyway

I have this program that runs around and finds scholarship money and contests for me. One such contest was sponsored by Red Vines, and was a contest to design a new special edition package. They gave the specifications: the size, the logo, and that everything had to be done by hand--original artwork only--and only one color...which I interpreted as white, black, and one color. I guess I was wrong, because the posted winners were done in PENCIL. Thing was, it was also supposed to be relevant to their company. When I read the company history, it had something to do with cowboys, hence the goofy guy. I think the winner was a pencil drawing of kids playing in grass or something. Anyway, long story short, I didn't win. ...AGAIN. I never win. It's fun.

The Iron Will of Colonel Nicholson

I have a book of photo stills called "Movies of the 50's;" one of those old discount-section-of-Borders books. I LOVE drawing from old black & white photos. If anything, just for the practice. Since I use ballpoint pen, it's always just a chance to play around with light and shading. This dude is Alec Guinness from "The Bridge on the River Kwai." I don't know him. But it sort of reminds me of that Tom Hanks movie where he was stranded on an island with all of his postal supplies and his volleyball named "Wilson."
UPDATE: I've recently been "served." I don't make connections. Sometimes my brain synapses don't jive, and my ducks don't line up like they're supposed to. I've been humbly made aware of the fact that Alec Guinness is, of course, Obi-Wan. What can I say? This is why I suck at "6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon." I wondered why his face seemed so familiar.

Bookmarks of the Gods

This is a series I thought would be awesome for educational bookmarks. I thought it'd be cool if there was info about the person on the back and if their heads stuck up above the closed book. I could see a whole series of authors, artists, even actors...too bad I don't have the wherewithal to make THAT happen.

Esther, the Fat Tattooed Mermaid, & her Talking Dog, Poo.

I love this one. I spent forever trying to pay close attention to detail, as I have a tendency to rush, just to get the main image out before my head stops seeing it. This one's a bit of a heartbreaker, though. I sent it in again, to Communication Arts, hoping that it might be good enough to publish, and once again, it didn't get in. They charge $25 per entry. Each year, I try to enter four. This year, I sent this one, thinking it was one of my best. It's sad when one of your best doesn't get picked as one of THEIR best. But I love it anyway! (sniff!)

I'm Gonna Get the Papers...Get the Papers.

I love mob movies. I don't remember where this came from. I used it in a shirt on my mockingbird ink website, as a shirt for an pest extermination service. I thought that was kinda funny. Reminded me of Maurey's Wigs, from Goodfellas.

NachOOOOOO!!!

"Chancho. When you are a man, sometimes you wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun."

I know people weren't impressed, but I loved "Nacho Libre!" Jack Black has a tendency to take things over the top, where his personality takes over the whole show, but this character was so different than I imagined. He did a good job of toning it down, while still being able to run around in blue tights.

Greased Lightning

Here's another ballpoint-pen and dying sharpie drawing. This one's of Travolta as Danny in "Grease." While posting, I got confused and thought of the Fonz. Mom said he was one of my first crushes. I used to sit in front of the telly with my giant glasses, head cradled in my hand, and sigh longingly. It must've been the leather jacket and the highwaters. Considering my next crush was Donnie Osmond, I'd say my tastes were quite varied.

Hooray for 3-D!

Welcome to the wonderful world of 3-d glasses! Again, my favorite Payne's Gray, with some red & blue for contrast. I sent this into a call for entries to Communication Arts and never heard back from anyone. Oh, well. ...I like it.

The Girl That Draws

This is me, as a kid. My mom let me pick out my own glasses. I don't know if it was the style in the 80's or what, but they always look about 10 sizes too big. My favorite outfit at the time was, of all things, a Ronald McDonald A-line dress. I don't even know how we acquired it (or--god forbid--ever PURCHASED it), but it was a fashion necessity at every social event for me as a child.

I even had matching red tights.

Bad Words

This is my childhood friend, Michelle. If you are offended by naughty words, you shouldn't look at her shirt. Two important things she taught me was how to draw animals using circles and lines, and what bad words meant. We were a bit confused by the whole thing. One day, she came running up to me in school, saying her dad had sat her down and told her what all the bad words meant. In the background is the word "rhythm." We had a spelling bee, and her parents said they'd give her $100 if she won. She didn't. I didn't either. I lost on the word "rhythm," and I still have trouble with it to this day.

Some Lady's Face

Is it Veronica Lake? Is it Katherine Hepburn? I forget. I just know I was having fun streching her face out. Also, she's done in acrylics in one of my very favorite colors: Payne's Gray. It can go from blue to black and back again without a passport.

Crab Man

I don't know why I like this little crab man. He looks so....crabby! I have a thing for putting odd-looking heads on weird animals' bodies. But not something pretty, like a bunny or a horse, but, say...a stinky old crab. I've turned him into stickers to seal envelopes with.

Ladies & Gentlemen...Billy Preston!

I'll admit, I don't know who Billy Preston is. I was doing some drawings to dress up a letter I was writing to my friend Erin. This time, I went with a theme: the Afro. I included the Rainbow Man, along with a few others I don't remember. Erin's the only one I write real letters to, anymore. She used to decorate her letters with collages & stickers. I like to draw in ballpoint first, and go over them with watercolors.

Help Me, Obi-Wan!

This, of course, is Princess Leia. At least, my version of her. I work with ballpoint pen, mostly. There's something permanent about it that I love. And, for the first time, a dying Sharpie was of use in filling in her buns. There was just enough that if I turned it the right way, it actually allowed for some shading. I did a couple of these little drawings while I could.