Rose City 2012 (1)

Just got back from Portland.  I'm probably more exhausted at this minute than I have been in a very long time.  That's maybe saying something, I think.  



I got a new hat.  My favorite hat got left at my buddy Dag's house by accident, so I picked it up at the First Thursday fair in Portland.  It was a super convenient find cause I was mad at myself real fierce for not having my good luck charm on me.  I was spending that day with  my old bud Mood and his pals Tuan, D., Petie, and Samhir.

 

 My favorite part of the weekend was my wife's reaction to a homeless man's sign.  He was going for one and he got it.  His sign said something fairly much like:

Please Help!  

Ninjas stole my girlfriend

and I need to collect 

ransom money quickly!

(or learn kung fu).

Since random inspirational cards are frequently to be found scattered around my home in times of stress or overwork, I thought I would leave her one for in the morning.  It's taking up her whole front seat.

It was a good weekend.  Off to bed now.  Early morning.

- J.

Elite Marketing

This was part of a marketing campaign which was brought to me.

- J.

30 Characters

Last November I took part in the 30 Characters Challenge online at 30 Characters dot com. 

It was one of the most difficult challenges which has ever presented itself to me, in a similar vein as to making a 24 Hour Comic, which also is hard.

Many of them are sort of fun, and a few are dreadful as can be.  Lots of them are actually people I know, or sort of knew at the time.

The intention was to make each one funny and engaging.  I wanted to avoid genres such as superhero or cowboy unless done in a heavy lampooning manner.

Here's a few of my favorites:

http://www.30characters.com/2011/12/01/j-james-final-characters/

They all have funny descriptions but you can go read them yourself if you would like.  As of the moment I am posting this, my final index is all available still on the front page of www.30characters.com where it has been sitting in plain view for random passersby for 10 months or such.   I expect it will be pushed away pretty soon into obscurity since it's about time for the next competition. 

- J.

Captain America

... throws his mighty shield.

A new clip of the Avengers premiered last night online.  It's likely gone by now, and if you are into it you'll see it on blue ray, but MAN, that should have been in the movie.

This quiet, serene series of moments where Steve is walking through his new life, remembering old friends and old love, viewing old film clips, and having a brief moment of realization that he needs to move on and let old times go.  There were very few words, it was powerful storytelling.

I made this for a young relative of mine.  He was going out for Halloween dressed like Captain America and didn't have any shield.

WHAT!  NO SHIELD!  Gotta rectify that situation.

So this was my solution.  Heavy foamcore so it's light enough for a kid, thick straps with buckles on the back so that it won't fall off.  It was painted in about three hours.

Concentric rings are funny things to paint.  There is not actually any shadow or curvature to the surface of the shield, that is only indicated through the painting, as well as the inset rings.

- J.

A Brief Metaphor

This is sort of how my drawing for a living is working out for me right now. 

I made this.  It was the only one of nine which I planted and today it's opened up.  Little late in the season I'm told but it's the only one so that's okay with me.

- J.

My Sustainance

Zach and Emily Kosta are the organizers of the long time running Craft Night Art Night in SE Portland.  Every Thursday night from about 7 pm to close, the event is held at Bar Carlo at 6433 Foster Road and is open to artists and crafters of all ages who would like to come and hang out, create something within a community of like-minded folks, and have a drink.

More recently, they have been organizing formal gallery showing at that location.  The current show is themed "Food," and you should go check it out if you are local.

When I first heard that the theme was "Food" my immediate thought was a couple embracing, something maybe a little zen/meditative.  Two people sharing an aura in one of those light-vein new agey things.  They would be sustaining each other. 

The situation was saddening to me, because there wasn't have enough time to do anything... the ideas sort of came at the right time for it to work out.  A few hours either way and it wouldn't have gotten done.  It was totally being taped up by myself and the shipper as the mailman was standing there with his fists on his hips.  When I painted this was all obsessing on symbolism after returning home from the Zine Symposium.  This was painted a day or two after it I think. 

I wanted a happy gory something.  A thing uncomfortable but warming in a way.  That is what this is.

This piece was put together pretty rapidly.  It is acrylic on canvas with mixed media for the framing materials.  It is currently a part of the display at Bar Carlo.  I think it dried in the mailing tube so go see it before it all falls apart!

- J.

Green Lantern Alan Scott

Alan Scott is the original Green Lantern from DC Comics.  He is to some degree, the Superman of the original generation of superheroes.  Barrel chested, wealthy like Batman, and really mostly a fist fighter despite his ring powers.



Overshadowed unfairly by Hal Jordan, the "movie face" of the Green Lantern name, Alan has definitely got one of the best costumes in all of superhero fashion.  I was commissioned to create this eight foot tall and four foot wide piece during a moment in which the Alan Scott character was being re-imagined, complete with a new costume (which is really pretty good as an update).  I intentionally chose to use the original uniform over the new since I consider it fascinatingly unique, and it predates almost all superhero designs so it is as raw and original as it comes.  It's always been a favorite of mine.

He is unique from other Green Lanterns due to his status as a team leader of the original World War 2 superheroes, the Justice Society of America, and now team leader of a world in which "more recognizable" heroes are all dead, which I think is a downgrade in stature.  At the same time, it is basically his Silver Age status restored, so whatever... I'll let others argue that one out!

This was originally commissioned as a stand-up for portrait opportunities, as seen at here on my portfolio and is now available due to popular demand as a lithograph poster of 11 by 17 inches size.

Hot on the heels of the Green Lantern movie, the character Green Lantern is now a household name, and with the media attention given to the New 52 DC relaunch and Alan Scott in particular, it's well past time Alan got the attention he deserves as the most stand out Green Lantern.  Hopefully he becomes the most popular GL.

This piece was a commissioned piece for Adventures Underground in Uptown Richland, purveyor of fine music, books, collectibles, and more!

If you would like to purchase an 11x17 lithograph print of this, it is available in my shop here.

- J.