I’ve been really getting into the photography and info-graphics in my copy of Basic Microwaving by Barbara Methven recently. The photographs of food in the book range from tasty looking to kind of repulsive.
It is strange that food from old cookbooks routinely can look gross and it makes me ponder whether it is the changing styles in cooking, food presentation or food photography that are affecting my perception. Overall the food in this book looks real, like your grade school friend’s mom just made it and piled it onto your plate and it tastes kind of gross and oh gag what is that chewy bit stuck in your teeth and so on. This could be one of the main differences with the imagery you’ll find today which is surely heavily edited, processed, and idealized like a cover model’s fatty tissue.
These super cool photos are credited to Michael Jensen, Ken Greer, Jack Mithun, and Warren Reynolds, with no info on the graphics except that the design and production was by Cy DeCosse Creative Department, Inc.
And apparently in 1978, you could use metal in a microwave.
Renee French made Grit Bath which Fantagraphics published for a brief time, and which was part of my warped comics education. Renee moved on to longer form comic books and now releases a new graphic novel every once in a while that she draws primarily with the pencil style that you can find on her daily blog of alternately cute and grotesque, mysterious drawing uploads. (previously posted about here).
Over on Arthur, the article A 12-Step Program in Self-Reliance about Black Flag applies nicely to all you comics heads. Outside of practicing hard and doing what you love, it is especially smart to note that business savvy has never been exclusive to corporate types alone, and is in fact essential for every Do It Yourselfer for self-reliance. Checkitout!
Brandon will not be stopped being the gushing underwater oil fountain of obscure, intensely inspiring comics knowledge. Normally he flows this onto his journal, and now, after putting together some material for a presentation he did at SCAD about the limitless world of exciting things to do with comics, he has been rolling out the material with commentary over on Robin’s Inkstuds blog in weekly installments. Here is week one and here is week two. Above is James Stokoe’s Orc Stain comics with cover by Brandon.
Derf has a website, Derfcity, with a lot of comics to read right now. There are generous previews of some of his books in print such as the one about his childhood friendship with serial-killer-cannibal, Jeffrey Dahmer. At least one of the Dahmer short comics was printed in the Fantagraphics Zero Zero anthology before, but Derf’s blog says that the book is totally re drawn and has 75% new material. There are also archives of online comics to get into such as the Trashed strips recounting life as a garbageman.
Dash has been working on a feature animated film called “The Ruined Cast” which is a project that dwarfs the scope of his series of short animated pieces from last year (posted about here). Dash has a small team of production artists and producers, a still undisclosed cast, and a teaser trailer to watch, embedded below. Dash has posted little bits on his blog about it and has attended and will be attending the Sundance writers and directors labs. You can find more info on this recent article.
Ryoko Sagara sent Meathaus a package all the way from Japan, a first for our letters column! Ryoko, who also goes by “Helmet Underground & Riko”, put together a nicely presented stash of reproductions of her drawings about owls and cats and wolves and teens pouting and acting cute in ’80s punk band t-shirts. There is even a real pressed flower under a sticker on the package. Inside a candy-striped pleasant-smelling envelope, Ryoko wrote:
“Dear Meathaus, hello Meathaus. How do you do? I’m 26 years old Japanese, and indie pop illustrator. I love drawing a illustration on the warm bed. My inspiration from music, dreams, travel, and memories. I make a tiny zine every month. (Puppy of a Caravan; take free zine) If you see my drawings, I’m glad. Thank you very much. XOXO Helmet Underground & Riko”
Thanks for the zines, drawings, and nice letter, Ryoko. Haha I think it might make Mrs. Meathaus jealous. Check out Ryoko’s myspace page over here.
Jakub Tywoniuk sent over this large envelope with his new novelty calendar-sized comic book in it called Cathedrals about a dreamy space place where an upside-down cathedral floats with a mean, wordy, hooded guy inside that taunts a young lady job applicant. I think there was a note with it but I can’t find it in this paper strewn man-cave where I work. Thanks Jakub! See more of his work over on Gnarlybog, where Jakub has many more publications that you can read online and check out, and then you can look at his current student design work that he’s stashed over here.
Brain Bolland is of course a bigshot comics artist. Brian’s got a website here that has been up for a while, with a few galleries and even some helpful tutorials on one way that professionals digitally color and prepare comics pages for print production. Most admirable of all however is the gallery of Brian’s “early amateur work”. I love this stuff, everything about it. The weirdness, the struggle, the bad ideas, the good ideas, the 1970s hair, the super hero attempts, the uncomfortably drawn sex gags and horrid puns. Every artist who has a comfortable history of professional success behind him or her should have a massive gallery just like this online showing off their early fumbling achievements. It is an example that today’s students can measure their own progress against knowing that Brian eventually evolved into the professional artist that he is today (I’m assuming through good old hard work and study, let me know if there’s another way). Post in the comments if you know of any other artist’s galleries of early work online we can examine.
