Week 19: For Mr. Sendak

I will miss you sir. Thanks for everything.

WEEK 19: Mad King Max the Wild

Where The Wild Things Are...perhaps one of the most pivotal books for me as a child on a few different levels. First and foremost....I love monsters. Always have and still do. As a kid, while most of my friends were outside playing baseball or football..(although I did still play...just not as dedicated as they were.) I was inside watching horror films on T.V. (At the time there were several shows on Saturday afternoons a kid like me could catch horror flicks)..building my Aurora horror model kits, thumbing through issues of Forrest J. Akermans Famous Monsters of Filmland or just drawing and reading comics.
On the other level...it was Maurices inking that caught my eye. I'm a huge inking geek. Even now I dissect every pen and ink image I see, especially if it stands out to me. As I've grown older, people like Frank Booth, Alex Toth, Walter Simmonson and some of the newer artists Jason Shawn Alexander& Jim Mahfood inspire me constantly. But for me this is where it began. Maurices use of crosshatching and textures were an immediate attraction. And though over the years I've gotten away from the use of crosshatching, after doing this challenge I've been reminded of what it's capabilities are and I tried to repeat the look of Maurices original technique as much as possible. Enjoy.

Bring Da Rumpus

When people ask me what exactly the RBMC is, I almost always compare it to the Wu Tang Clan.   Even if you don't like hip hop, you can't front on the template those dudes layed out for us.  Talented folks forming like Voltron to do something greater than what they could accomplish on their own.  You can't front on that.

If you're into wearing swear words on your chest, you can do that here.

Tim W19: Remembering Maurice

So, I kinda' unintentionally jumped the gun on week 20 (Amalgamation week) with this piece. I got my "Where the Wild Things Are" mixed into my "Into the Wild" and this is what came out. I'd like to tell you that these two stories gelled in my head because I think they both deal with a kind of escapist fantasy that I can relate to, even thought they are very VERY different (intended audience, medium, and outcome of the story to name a few), but as I said, "I'd like to tell you that". In reality it's probably because they both have the word "wild" in the title, I'm pretty simplistic like that (and maybe a bit of the previous reason as well).

My original ink drawing can be found here.

A large NO TEXT version can be found here.

Wk.19: There Must be more to life

Warning, this is going to get a little sappy.  For those uninterested in excessive sappiness this is Jennie, main character of Maurice Sendak's, "Higglety Pigglety, Pop!  Or there must be more to life."  Mr. Sendak placed Jennie in not only this book but as a background character in many other books.  Jennie was a beloved pet.  OK, that's about as far as I can go without being sappy so for those of you uninterested, punch out now.  The drawing is graphite and colored pencil on toned paper, thanks for checking it out. If you don't have the book handy to read here's some lovely British people to read it to you. 

I had not intended to draw this character when we decided to do a Sendak tribute week.  My mind went straight to "The Night Kitchen" with it's strong Windsor McKay influence or, "Really Rosie" the animated short that introduced me to Sendak's work when I was a boy.  I stumbled upon Jennie when I was getting ready to put pencil to paper.  I knew she was Mr. Sendak's actual pet, I knew he drew her in the background in much of his work and I knew he had lost her far too soon to sickness but I didn't remember much of this book.  "Higglety Pigglety, Pop!" was the book he wrote to cope with the death of his beloved friend, Jennie.  I didn't get that when I was a kid, I think cause death hadn't effected me yet.  The real purpose of the book washed right over me and what stuck was a fun book about the adventure of a dog.  

     A couple of years ago, in May, I was fortunate enough to help my Mom and Brother care for my Father who was dying of cancer.  Hardest thing I've ever done and the memory of it, although I am happy to have been able to take the time off and spend a month helping where I could and just to be with my Dad when it crosses my mind it still hurts.  SO May tends to not be a great month for me but I am glad that this May I rediscovered this book.  It's like a hug.  Sendak doesn't share his grief from having lost his friend he share the love he has for Jennie.  Sure, in reality his dog couldn't talk, didn't go on adventures but he loads the book with her personality.  He loved her and you can experience it with this book.  I think that's his genius or maybe his bravery that we are lucky to still have around.  He shared what most would have kept to themselves and the act of sharing helps us to be better and sometimes helps us cope with difficult things.

So this one I dedicate to Maurice Sendak and also to my Father, Mason Worrell.  The world is a better place for having had the both of you in it. 

Wk 19: Maurice Sendak

Just a quicky this week.  I'm starting to feel like they are all quickies anymore.  Just a sign of a busy schedule I guess.  Regardless, I wanted to make sure I put forward a tribute to Maurice Sendak.  Drawn digitally with Sketchbook Pro and Photoshop CS6.

See a WIP at my personal blog: Need Your Disease

Week 19: Tribute to Maurice Sendak (June 1928 - May 2012)

Erin here. I don't know how else to do the intro to this week's topic other than speaking personally. As you probably have heard, picture book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak passed away last Tuesday.

I have read only a few books that have had an impact on my life as large as "Where the Wild Things Are." This book was an integral part of my childhood and is one of the reasons I chose to go to art school. The everyday fantasy of it all is something that I always try to bring into my own artwork. Whether I am conscious of it or not, "Where the Wild Things Are" is part of who I am and I am positive that there are generations out there that feel the same way.

Mr. Sendak was the illustrator and/or author of far too many books to list here, but is known most for "In the Night Kitchen," "Little Bear," and of course, "Where the Wild Things Are". Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a good database of his illustrations online - I recommend sitting on the floor of the Children's Book section for a few hours. Not long ago, Marice did an excellent and touching interview with Terry Gross and a delightful 2-part interview with Stephen Colbert (part 1, part 2); I am very glad I listened to / watched both of them.

This week, the RBMC pays tribute to this influential and inspiring story teller.
Marice Sendak please don't go, we'll eat you up, we love you so.

Stay Tuned.