Saint-Ex

 

This past Saturday I wrapped up a three week Japanese woodblock workshop with Yobuko Yamasaki, which was a lot of fun. Good instructor, good classmates. 

My subject this time around was the French aviation pioneer Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I've been immersed in his world for the past few months, reading his bio and a couple of his own works of fiction that were based on his adventures. In this workshop, we were able to do two colors, so that meant two separate pieces of wood to carve. However, when I did my initial design, I had three colors in mind. So, when the time came to print, I needed to make some choices. I think that it came out ok. I'll go into more of the process in one of my next Substack posts. 

A Recent Sci-Fi Commission

11x14

ink and markers on bristol board

This here drawing is a recent commission for a fine chap across the pond. He always has fun ideas and is a treat to work with. The gal on the speeder bike is his own creation, in which I've drawn before. The speeder bike is an unused concept from the original Star Wars trilogy, in which was designed by Joe Johnston, I believe. A fun commission, for sure.

 

Rupert Murdoch

 

So, this post has two parts to it, both somewhat serendipitous. First, a shameless plug for my book of caricatures that came out earlier this year. The book, titled 86 Sycophants, Charlatans, Leeches, and Opportunists of the Donald J. Trump Sh!tshow features all kinds of questionable people who just can't stay out of the news, including Rupert Murdoch, who as you you know by now has married yet again, joining his media empire with that of Putin (close connection, ex, etc) to make things even more questionable. Of course, you can get a copy of my book by contacting me via any of my social media accounts or directly through email at madplanet@sbcglobal.net.

Now, on to part two of this narrative. I am currently absorbing Peter de Seve's latest art book, Local Fauna, which is quite awe inspiring, as you can imagine. Today, I read a bit where he talked about a certain cover that he had done for The New Yorker, in which he and his editors and fact checkers scanned repeatedly for any errors in it. After it was published (of course), a reader noticed the two right feet on the figure in said cover. Now, what does this have to do with Rupert Murdoch, you might ask? Well, just before getting everything together for the layout and after hundreds of checks, I noticed something a little off. you guessed it. Old Rupe's right hand was... well, a left hand. Now, I know that professional artists do this from time to time, as Mr. De Seve's tale will attest, but man... that one almost slipped by. Too close for comfort! And I couldn't tell you what made me 'see' it that one time as opposed to all the others, but I sure am thankful for catching it in time. So, yeah, it happens.