If you feel so inclined, feel free to add me on Twitter, and listen to my insane babble about where I am and what I may be doing. It’s the official Pagan Zoetrope Twitter! You never know where I’ll be.
Well first I think I’ll show off the last full illustration I did. It was for a competition to aquire a Dragontooth Ocarina, through Songbird Ocarinas. They have some beautiful instruments on there, and although I didn’t win, I think I ended up with a decent spot illustration based off of the general story of St. George (which as I understand it, is a mish-mash of English and French tales, not unlike the stories of King Arthur).
I think the best aspect of it was the way the dragon managed to come out. I had wanted more action emphasised in it, but ultimately I became locked in by the “Yin & Yang” symbolism I was also trying to pull off in it. Clearly I wanted the Ocarina to be the emphasis, so I wanted a layout that was biomorphic and organic in flow.
On a totally separate note, but still on the subject of art and influences, I usually am bored with urban sprawl and find most all buildings to be boring as drywall. I work part-time down in the Power & Light District, and only recently managed to get a photo of my favorite building in the downtown area. The library. As you can see from the scale, the wall facade is HUGE! You don’t often find things like this in the midwest, but I had to talk about this on here, because to see literary classics like these presented as they should be, larger than life, warms the bookworm heart in me.
And speaking of influences and fun ones at that, my brother had managed to score some tickets to the International JoeCon here in KC. My recent appreciation and and growing love of the genres of diesel and steampunk (based off of me re-reading some Vernes and watching some early turn of the century films as of late featuring Buster Keaton), resulted in me wanting to find a way to purloin this beautiful bit of prop and bathe in it’s radiant awesomeness.
There were actually a lot of very cool things here that helped me recharge my creative mindset, and left me wanting for the good old days of my childhood when my biggest stress was getting the next Joe action figure.
Finally, this feeling became so overpowering, I felt compelled to pose against an action figure card display and immerse myself in to geekdom and become one with the kung-fu grip. Mind you, this is not hard to do in a room with almost 800 other Joe fans.
When you entered the second room, it was made up to look like an attic, with a wardrobe in it. After hearing a small narrative, the doors opened on their own and you got a chance to walk through the wardrobe into the main display hall FILLED with the actual armour made by Weta, the incredible costumes (the gown of the Ice Queen was a standout here), and many more elements.
Throughout the walk of the exhibit, I could hear the voice of the director in various video clips, telling the story of the creation of the two motion pictures. Towards the end, there was a phenomenal display of the arms and armour used in both movies. To see how the stunt armour was crafted, it can certainly fool the untrained eye even up close, but I was surprised just how well the armourers and weaponsmiths at Weta managed to evoke the heft, look and feel of aged weapons in so many pieces.
I mean in all honesty, the ONE just mindblowing movie prop in there was the full wearable costume of a Minotaur from Prince Caspian. Although enclosed in glass, the detail and feel of it was as if you were looking at a bit of taxidermy. It was THAT odd of a feeling. Whether that just further shows the brilliance of the artisans’ involved to mimic a fantasy world and bring it to life in such profound ways, or something more primal and enduring in our own imaginations, is up for each of us to decide.
I left there actually a bit saddened though. Only because it was a really impressive display of work and imagination. And for just a while, I’d managed to be in Lewis’ mind and saw what HE saw in the wardrobe…
Until next time, remember to support artists and local businesses. Be kind to your fellow beings and always take the path less traveled. We all may live in times uncertain, but kindness, understanding, and believing in the good that is in most each and every one of us is what can bring about better days!
Illustrator, Voice Actor, Writer, Animal Rights Activist
No comments:
Post a Comment