G A N Z E E R . T O D A Y

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

AC has been out for 5 days now. In Houston. It is lethally hot. Afternoon temperatures hover around 34C/91F these days.

A lot of people's AC units must be breaking down, given that it's taking the insurance company multiple days just to send someone to look at the damn thing!

At least one good development has come out of this: I've gotten into the habit of kicking off my days by spraying water in front of the house and setting out a couple chairs for the wife and me and our coffees. The water cools off the surrounding air before the hot hot son peeks out from behind downtown Houston's skyscrapers. A ritual I nicked off of Cairo's old shop owners who almost always start their hot summer mornings this way.

In somewhat related news, gave a studio tour over at Radix Media's Instagram Stories yesterday, some of which may still be up there.

#journal

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