Like a Bowl Full of Jelly!

I've been part of the online art blog called Jelly of the Month for about a year now. The idea of Jelly is to come up with a different concept every month and then everyone submits their artistic take on it. I'll be the first to admit that sometimes I miss a month or two. Client work just kind of piles up and the next thing I know those thirty days of the month are gone. But, I do my best.

One thing I have realized and that I love about the Jelly blog is that it reminds me how much fun and easy art can be. As much as I enjoy doing art for clients and actually being paid for doing something I love, the wait for approval on some projects really slows things down. You do thumbnails, wait for approval, do the pencil art, wait for approval, ink the art, wait for approval, color the art and submit the finished product, wait to see if there are changes....you get the idea.

So, doing a piece of art once a month where I can conceive, pencil, ink, color, and finish a piece all in one sitting really reminds me why I love doing art so much in the first place. Sometimes, being as busy as I am, I forget that. So, thank you Jelly for reminding me.



September's concept was "childhood heroes". The only character I can remember constantly dressing up as (even going so far as to borrow one of my Dad's shirts, ripping off the sleeve, looping a jump rope through my belt, and donning a fedora) was Indiana Jones. The latest film notwithstanding, the concept and idea behind Indiana Jones will always be near and dear to my heart. Adventuring, fighting the good fight, and using your wits and fists to get out of jams never goes out of style. And, while I don't think I really captured the likeness of Harrison Ford that well, I definitely think I captured the feel and essence of all that is the good Doctor Jones.



October's concept was your "favorite monster!" Now, there are a LOT of monsters I love and almost too many to choose from. So, I figured...hmm...favorite? Let's look around the house and see what jumps out at me. I have a Milk and Cheese vinyl figure set on the mantle...nope, not monster enough. How about Kurt Cobain action figure right behind me in my studio? Nah, not unless I choose to make him some kind of rock and roll zombie. The Batman figure on the window sill? Nope. Ah, but there, on a shelf in the hall way. From Jeff Smith's immensely popular self published comic book, Bone, a stupid stupid Rat Creature! Yes!

So, check off September and October's Jelly of the Month off the list. And, as always, click on either image to see a larger version. I can't wait to see what ideas November brings!