This one didn't come out the way I wanted it to. It's supposed to be a strong cast shadow obscuring a face as it peers out from behind the protective crook of a tree.

Again from my recent storyboard experiment (my own stuff, though it owes a debt to Ellis Goodson). The three images posted here over the last few days give the (erroneous) impression of a story far more mysterious than what I've really managed to concoct....But a good image for kicking off the month that brings us Halloween.

p.s. I only used two colors for this, a red pencil and a purple pencil (Polychromos by Faber-Castel), and maybe a little desaturation slider in Pho'Sho' (Photoshop) (I think)? I love it when you can get a lot of color out of a limited palette. I do a lot of rubbing with my thumb to mix the colors better, and then erase a little, then add a little more pencil, then rub again, etc.

I call it "surprisey."

Grazie, Paolo. He had great taste in cars....

Sunday morning special. I'm hard at work on a new storyboard sequence of my own devising, so my brush pens have been idle. This'll have to tide you over for a day or two.

You see, Miles Davis was selfish, cheating, lying, drug-addicted, entitled, woman-abusing and unhesitatingly cruel. But he was a musical genius who created great beauty and on balance gave much more than he took. He was ruthlessly committed to music, and within that framework he behaved very morally, kicking a heroin habit when it threatened his career and creativity, always judging his fellow musicians fairly, resisting the easy appeal of nostalgia or repeating himself, instead challenging himself and others to constantly move forward. It was always about the music. The man didn't even masturbate.

Chet Baker on the other hand festers with all the vices of Miles Davis, but without the moral center or redeeming devotion to his art. He values his art primarily as a tool for getting his way. Musical ability becomes interchangeable with celebrity. He liked playing music--sure, who wouldn't if they could?--but his commitment was shallow, and purely utilitarian--"How can it get me to my next score?" The art he achieved was minor and passing and without much intention.

Chet Baker's narcissism drove his life, whereas Miles' narcissism drove his commitment to music.

So my question is, do we have a financial system that's a Miles Davis system, or a Chet Baker system?

Sadly, we do not have a Louis Armstrong system....

I love a big head.

Here's that belle soeur I was talking about yesterday. She needs some meat on those bones.

Re: the Wall St. Bailout: the question is, do we have a Miles Davis sort of financial market, or a Chet Baker sort of financial market?

Do you see what I'm driving at?

Hey! Today's our sixth wedding anniversary. Yay us.

These Hippos were the result of a challenge laid down by my 8 year old belle soeur. "Whaddya want me to draw?" I asked.

"A hippo...."

"Hippo? Hippos are hard."

"--A hippo--in a tuxedo!"

"OK."

"No--no--a hippo in her underwear!"

"I'll do 'em both."

Happy anniversary, darling!