I went to bed at about 3:00am this morning and maybe that’s the reason.  Normally I have dreams about flying here and there - usually very exciting and entertaining dreams.  However, I was so exhausted that I think my dreamtime was a bit wonky.  I dreamt of an apocalypse - not the 4 horsemen kind, but a visually cool but really terrifying kind.

It reminded me of the final sequence in the 1985 film The Quiet Earth where the lead character, Zac Hobson witnesses a spectacular celestial event.  In my case, it seemed like a couple of suns going super nova as well as asteroid plummeting to Earth.  Then immense sky-sized sheets of ice crashed down on us.

Me and my party survived.

I am going to figure out a way to draw it - it won’t be soon, but I will be doing it.

Check out the final sequence of The Quiet Earth.

Hi Folks,

Today’s OX page will be posted later today, so hang tight.  In the meantime, read some other stuff. 

M

After all these years I’ve finally decided to do something about learning to draw properly in a disciplined manner. I’ve doodled over the years, but I never really focused on applying myself to developing some skills.

In my association with many very talented artists at Shox Studios, I’ve come to realize that I cannot sit on the sidelines any longer because I have a need to create. I also realized today, while drawing this week’s sketchbook challenge image, that the focus required in detailing an image forces me to slow down - I am a true child of the “everything now” syndrome. I now have to take the time to create what I visualize in my mind’s eye, and that takes patience.

To make a long story even longer - what does this have to do with Philip Tan? He’s a penciller extraordinare who contributed his considerable talents to Image Comics and their Spawn books and now is under exclusive contract with DC comics - FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS.

I was researching images for our recent Sketchbook Challenge, “Something Norse” when I came across Philip’s deviantART site.  His pages took my breath away.  I study his pages every day and try to mimic at least one small area on a specific page.  I especially love the way he draws hair and I’ve decided to become adept at doing hair among other things. 

I have chosen Philip’s work as a guide for some of the things I want to accomplish with my art.  Stay tuned.

The Shoxmon

Check out Andrew’s article, “So You Wake Up And You’re A Super-Hero.”

My drawing skills are improving ever so slowly, but surely. The Thor sketch I did for our weekly sketchbook challenge didn’t kill me. I think I might contribute another image to the “Something Norse” theme - maybe Hagar the Horrible.