Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Experimentation of expression... Mixing media to achieve a dream

Original Art - Click image to view full size
In trying to find what I am going to do with myself heading into my 44th year of life, I find myself experimenting with different art mediums and mixing them.

Growing up I was always a fan of comics. I loved the art and in many cases the stories. But at some point, the narrow-minded influences of my life pressured me in to relinquishing my passion for the world of comics because it was immature and shameful for a grown man to still have comics.

You can take the comics from the man, but you can't take the love of comics from him. I never stopping loving them. I love the stories. I love the artwork. I love the fantasy comics provided. But I was made to walk away. Until a short while ago.

My wife learned of my love of comics a few years ago and my life was slowly opened back up to that wonderful world.

And while my passion for comics is alive and well, my taste in art and stories has evolved into needing something a little more complex. I was always drawn to more troubled characters in stories that were darker and much more adult themed. That has evolved into my taste in art. But the comics of my childhood were anything but that. Comics approved by the Comic Book Code, don't meet my needs any longer.

Luckily, comics have evolved the content they delivery. With series and stories like The Walking Dead, 51 Serif St., Chew, The Strain and The Wake, I am finding stories and artwork that align with my entertainment needs.

As many of you know, I also write. What you may not know is that I have about six stories (books) in my head that I have not gotten down on paper or only have partially down.

I am doing some testing now to figure out if I can mix my photography, drawing and painting and my writing skills to finally get my various mediums into a cohesive form to create a some graphic novels. The above was a test of photography and art and won't ever become one of those stories mentioned above, but just to test the creative waters.

I don't have deep rooted delusions about fame or a new career in this field. I simply want to create this body of work for my own personal satisfaction and to share my "stories" with those that would be interested.

Below are a few more samples of me just testing the waters of the graphic side of what I hope to work on in 2014.

Comic Sample 1

Comic Sample 2

Comic Sample 3