I don't remember the first time I watched LA JETEE, but I do remember almost every single frame. It helps, I'm sure, that it is a film comprised entirely of stills. In fact, it's one of the reasons LA JETEE is regarded a landmark of storytelling. It is able to explore themes of war, post-apocalypse, scientific experimentation, and time-travel all through a series of still black and white photographs shot in 1962! The technique wouldn't have mattered of course had the actual narrative not been so compelling. Indeed, if you were to take the narration as stand alone text, even that would've been a revolutionary piece of text that would still hold to this day, as is the case for any compelling true work of art created anytime.
This Saturday, September 18, I get to virtually sit down with film aficionado supreme Walter Chaw to discuss Chris Marker's LA JETEE and also another film: Lluis Quilez's GRAFFITI (2015).
The latter I discovered only recently by complete chance. While browsing Kanopy's listing of Science Fiction films (a bit of an obsession of mine), GRAFFITI stood out to me as an oddity of a title for what we understand to be science fiction. Upon watching it, I certainly wasn't disappointed. In fact, I readily consider it to be one of the smartest films ever made. I do love that it's one of the few films (if not the only one?) that utilizes graffiti (another obsession of mine) as both a communication tool and window into the psyche, which is the best a worthwhile graffito could ever accomplish. The fact that it all takes place in a frozen-over post apocalypse? * chef's kiss *
“Attendance” to our virtual discussion is free, but registration is required: here.
Chatting with Walter about all things sci-fi (or all things in general really) is always engaging and illuminating, and I'm really excited to be able to dive into two these great gems with him and see what other fascinating facets we may uncover.
Talk takes place at: 10:30am PST / 12:30pm CST / 1:30pm EST
#journal #event
Wall 2 is catching up with Wall 1, which I consider barely half complete. Which leaves me the month of September to finish them up. Will probably devote 1 week to mostly finishing each, and one week to the 2 additional walls I have to do (pretty straightforward those), with the final week of September left for final touches.
Tomorrow's tasks:
– Modify posters and pasteups.
– Wall 1 and 2: Wheat-paste posters
– Wall 1 and 2: Take measurements for 3rd layer of art
– Wall 1 and 2: Assorted scribbles and doodles
#work #process #mural
After a couple of 6-hour days on the murals, I was near destroyed (still forget it's been a long time since I was in my 20's), so I'm back to 4-hours a day now, leaving me enough time in the day to exercise, prep meals, spend a little time with moony, and plan the next day ahead, in addition to some prep work at the studio.
Speaking of, plan for tomorrow:
- Wall 1: Finish up green bar
- Wall 1: Finish blue column
- Wall 2: Paint Blue Bar
- Wall 2: Paint White Camo
#work #mural #process
Work on the mural took a bit of a turn today, so tomorrow it should involve:
- Bring fluorescent paint
- Wall 1 & 2: Mask ceiling
- Wall 2: Measure low ceiling
- Wall 1 & 2: Paint top edges
- Wall 2: Paint blue bar
- Wall 2: Paint blue camo arrow
- Wall 2: Paint white camo
#work #mural #process
I've been working on a couple of slow-burn murals since July, due for completion by end of September. Each day requires a handful of tasks to check off. Tomorrow, I'ma need to:
- Bring 2 more buckets
- Bring more masking tape
- Bring more paint markers
- Bring cutting board
- Bring more white paint
- Mask up ceiling edges
- Paint top edges
- Paint camo calligraphy
- Paint rest of abtal calligraphy
- Email HPI about vinyl
Also:
– Contact Mark about Hands Up
#work #mural #process
It's been awhile since I journaled or newslettered or anything of the sort. Much work and travel in the past month (NYC and Seattle) that has stirred up much thinking but no time to jot it down or attempt a recap. Still quite busy; yesterday was a full 7 hour workday on foot with no sitting down to speak of whatsoever, in addition to whipping up a home-cooked meal (oven-roasted chicken drumsticks and mini potatoes with a side of salad) and bathing the toddler.
Still no time to sit down and write (in fact, my timer just went off), but still want to use this space so will likely turn it into a very practical daily to-do list of sorts. And maybe also a very dry log of accomplished tasks maybe. Something I typically do anyway on paper, might as well do it here.
Today:
– Watch Moony for 2 Hours
– Exercise
– Fill birdfeeders
– Email Rohan
– See Aida
– Cut stencils
– Sift through ceramic tiles
#journal
Six years and some 250 pages later and I'm still on my bullshit.
In the final 30% stretch though, so edging closer to finishing this godforsaken project.
Off to New York tomorrow. Buncha things to do there, but compared to the amount of busy I've been lately, it's the closest I'll be getting to unwinding for a while.
Also, excited to be making a public appearance at Desert Island in Brooklyn on July 29th, 6-8pm. It'll be the first in-person public thing I've done in long long time!
#journal #work #TheSolarGrid #comix
When I was a little boy I couldn't get enough comicbooks, this was before I could even read. Thanks primarily to my older brother who was an avid reader of the things, along with sci-fi and fantasy paperbacks and Dungeons & Dragons catalogues. I would just stare at the artwork of these things, unable to understand the stories but my imagination would make up its own conclusions and assumptions based entirely on the stunning art. The first burning desire I remember ever having in this world is being able to read, just to understand the seemingly magnificent tales depicted by the artwork of these comix and paperback covers. The second burning desire I ever remember having is wanting to make those things.
Eventually, I'd manage to fulfill that first desire and unlock the ability to read and understand those stories, some living up to whatever I imagined, some surpassing it, and some... well not so much. As time progressed I would acquire new desires; getting to know girls, painting murals, showing my art in museums, so on and so forth. And indeed many of these desires I would end up fulfilling, but the second desire I remember ever having in this here earthly existence? Yeah, not yet.
But now it seems like fulfilling that desire is inching closer to reality; I'm now working on the last 30% of my epic 400+ page sci-fi graphic novel! Earlier chapters of which are being released in single issues as we speak! And in less than 2 weeks time, I'll be doing my first ever comicbook signing!!
This is such a big deal to me. I'm filled with all kinds of feels that are difficult to describe. Also, I've heard much lore of the legendary Desert Island in Brooklyn where the signing is to take place, and I really can't wait to check it out and [likely] discover a few gems that have probably escaped my radar.
#Journal #Work #Comix #TheSolarGrid #Appearance
Looks like my plate is rather full well until spring 2022 maybe, hence the radio silence for almost two weeks now. “Ganzeer.Today” my ass, amiright?
Had quite a bit of calendering to do to make sure everything is accurately scheduled and planned so I can hit all the necessary milestones for the various projects exactly when they need to. I do like to plan for a little leeway, and there's some of that but not as much as I typically like.
THE SOLAR GRID is moving along, currently inking Ch.6 (issue #7 in the print editions) at a rate of about 1 page every 2-3 days, which isn't too too bad considering the other projects I'm juggling (all of which are awesome and I'm terribly excited about, announcements for which will be forthcoming).
Issue #4 drop July 21 and it features what may just be my favorite cover art to date:
There are a couple TSG events in the works; a real live in-person one when I'm in New York in a few weeks, and a pretty awesome virtual one slated for August, fingers cross on both. More deets later pending confirmations.
(Pictured top is a scene from THE SOLAR GRID #7)
#work #comix
Don't know why I thought I could ink this double-page opener in a single day. Here I am 3 days later. The lighting is a bit tricky, because I have three sources in an otherwise very dark location, and I'm just figuring it out in inks as I go. Here's hoping I finally nail it today.
In other THE SOLAR GRID related news, I did a Twitter video-thread on TSG #2 which came out in print last month.
Also also, I'm doing a live video thing today on Booklyn's Youtube Channel called “My Favorite Book”. 5:50pm CST.
#journal #work #comix #TheSolarGrid