Desire's Art Studio

To Capture a People & Place...

2011-12-22T14:59:00.000-08:00

I'm now doing studies and sketches leading into the major pieces that I have in mind. Keeping pace with the inspiration that comes from what I have seen and what I am currently seeing in the community is exciting. The historic structures, falling apart but still standing tall, testifying of their resilience is partly what I aim to study in some of the finished sketches. The characters that are being produced out of my experience past and present are flooding my mind continually during the day no matter what I am doing.

Presently I am working on two pieces simultaneously. One piece is in collaboration with a colleague of mine who probably wants to go nameless for the time being. LOL It's just her way :) We are collaborating through her poetry and my illustrations coming together. Her poem Venus of the Ghetto describes a woman who is seen and unseen by her community. She is mocked because of her full buttocks. Her voluptuous figure is compared to that of Saartjie Baartman's, a woman who in the very late 1700's and early 1800's was caged and paraded around like an animal for white Europeans to gawk at as if she were a freak show because of her figure. The other piece will revolve around how I percieve some of the political figures who are currently playing a big role behind the dismantling of our local school system in Chester PA.

While doing these pieces I have a goal to make sure that Chester's historic buildings, places and people are recognized in the art. Whether good, bad or controversial I want to be sure to capture the people and places to the best of my ability. I've started taking reference pictures and so on in order to ensure some level of accuracy and potency for the viewer. I better get going. Peace and hair grease.

It is finished...

2011-12-11T19:17:00.001-08:00

It is finished! I love that phrase for so many good reasons :) I've finally completed the first piece planned for the exhibit. Despite work and a zillion other obligations I was able to get thru this detailed piece of work. God willing I will be able to create even more time for the project as the months progress. I'm looking forward to scouting Chester City for awesome landmarks and so on.

What does doing all of this "in peace" look like? I guess it looks like living by faith. Now this may seem foolish to my fellow art colleagues out there who have never had to struggle with the type of identity crisis I have LOL Activist vs Artist. I must find a way to bring them together and this project seems to be the perfect transition.

I have a lot on my plate this week that has nothing to do with art but I will have to be creative with my time in order to ensure that the project does not slow down. My current responsibilities have kinda thrown me off balance in my art, spiritual life and diet. I'm planning to get back on course this coming week. Completing this piece encourages me to stay on course. And on course I will stay. Why? Because..."It is finished."

From Chester to the World... but in DC...

2011-12-07T02:51:00.001-08:00

I am tired but this is a good morning. We are in DC pushing for the Jobs Bill be voted on and unemployment benefits to be extended. Money, finances, resources, needs vs wants... the haves and the have nots. All of this has been the tension between peoples and powers since the beginning of time. We are the 99% vs the the top 1%. The one in the room with the most apples vs those who have next to no apples. *sigh

In the art pieces I am still trying to figure out a way to convey all of this tension in a compelling and powerful way that isn't redundant. Will moving the hearts of Chester PA be the priority as I work on each piece or will I be able to create a dynamic narrative for Chester and the world around it? I often get the impression that Chester sees itself collectively as an island when in fact it is a victim of a national history...scratch that... it is the victim of a global history. From my Chester street to the nations of the world...is that to big of a story to tell? I imagine the Lord will give me wisdom on how to take on such a feat successfully. Yes yes. Heading off to serve breakfast to some courageous activist.

*Forgive any spelling errors... I'm tired :)

Encouraged...

2011-12-04T18:54:00.001-08:00

Tonight was wonderful. Although my focus was challenged by the youthful company that I had around me I was able to push further into this piece. The Lord is good and patient :) I can't imagine not being an artist. There is nothing like it. The satisfaction of completing a piece is not something I can describe well enough. Sometimes I feel like an unworthy of having art in my life so who am I to waste it?

As I delve deeper into the conceptual process of this series I find myself feeling full of energy and very tolerant of many things. They are not much of a concern to me because something greater is happening in my life presently. All I want to do is sit down and dig deeper into this line work. I find myself studying lighting as I'm driving to work or talking to someone, watching how the warm light hits their face. The hard shadow vs the soft shadow. The glass object vs the wood... it's all pulling me in day by day. Light is everything at the moment especially when it comes to pushing myself to go to the next level as an artist. I need to return to figure drawing as well. I haven't had a good figure drawing session for quite some time. Being immersed in creativity is my goal. Activism has its good but it is not me all in all. I can't imagine remaining in activism without art being at the center of my expression in the pursuit of justice. Art here I come. forgive me for being so blind for so long. I intend to redeem the time God willing. Amen.

Is honesty the best policy?

2011-11-30T18:56:00.001-08:00

A good companion.

More and more I have decided that this first piece is my test piece. A huge gigantic test strip. I want to see just how far I can take a pack of these BIC ink pens, not used traditionally for art. The medium often times sets that bar for how the public will value an art piece but I don't want the medium to set the bar in this project for two reasons. One I love to draw not paint and two I am hoping that the weight of the illsutrations will pull people in so successfully that they can't help but respect it. I live in what some would call the ghetto. But the ghetto has a lot more to offer than many in the DelCo think. I've decided that the medium should reflect that train of thought. The least of these becomes the greatest :)

Still the simplicity of the figures slightly concern me yet then again it may be necessary for them to seem not so serious and threatening. A colleague of mine referred to it as a "cartoon". I'm not sure what this means in terms of how seriously it will be taken by the public. I want it to have a "political cartoon-ish" feel so I guess I shouldn't over think it.

The chaos in the back is tremendous and will only become more hectic as each tentacle is developed and the bricks are flying all over the place. I'm realizing that not only is there tension between the static poses of the figures versus the organic energy of the crushing buildings in the back but there is also a serious contrast between the limited tonal changes in the figures versus the varying gradations within the background. Do I want to continue this trend? Probably so in order for it to read as intentional and not a mistake. If there is anything that can hurt an art series is when you have something in it that reads as a flat out mistake. LOL "It must always be intentional." And I don't mean just in the way that YOU feel about your art but also in the way that others perceive it. I honestly do not understand artist who claim that their work is produced for themselves and not the public yet they want the public to affirm their art. LOL Being honest with myself about what I want out of this process I would say... I want to get some of the worse thoughts about where I live off my chest and then I want to illustrate what I believe we could be collectively. But is honesty the best policy? I guess if I am willing to take the criticism and own the hard stuff that I plan to illustrate then it should be alright. Right?

There is a time for everything...so what time is it?

2011-11-28T19:50:00.001-08:00

As each day passes by I find myself more and more convinced that there is a time for everything. I'm also becoming convinced that there are only a few of us who have the gift to know "What time it is." Before you read further please understand that I am not one of those people. :)

One of my favorite biblical passages is Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. I must remind myself of this passage especially when I am disheartened by what I see around me. And what I see around me is not a good picture. Young people have been dying in the streets of our community almost every week for the past few years. You would think that the urgency of the issue would catapult us into a unified collective action but instead it has done quite the opposite. And the bottom for us... the breaking point seems to be no where in sight. How many more lives must be snatched up before it becomes overwhelmingly gross and intolerable? I find my heart asking... do we love the children at all?

Another unfortunate reality is that am I slowly losing confidence in people. And this reality practically punched me in the face a few months ago. I mean literally one day I woke up and realized just how deeply disgusted I was with people. Now of course this means that I would need to be disgusted with myself because I am made from the same stuff. And understand that I am disgusted with myself which is why I am on red alert. Now on face value a comment like this would be taken as very NEGATIVE and maybe even alarming to some but I would push back by saying it is my willingness to admit that this is what's happening in me that is causing me to take heed to "What time it is."

It is time for me to stop and be still. It is time for me to listen rather than speak. It is time to be in the present and not stuck in the past.

I feel as if I have been wanting something better to come out of the community when it is not capable of giving something better at this TIME. I must accept that the TIME IS NOT YET. I have been trying to force a square piece into a circle. Now that I am able to accept that the TIME IS NOT YET for this city I can move on and only ask that God make the day of Chester's liberation come swiftly if at all possible. And as I say this the Word reminds me kindly "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...He has made every thing beautiful in His time..."

Hate the Rain... Love the Creator

2011-11-21T05:49:00.001-08:00

It's been about 6 days since my last journal entry but not too much time has gone between working on the piece. I'm coming closer to the end of the piece. I've gotten all of the redlining done and now I'm simply inking and tightening up the tonal changes as I go along. It takes a good amount of time to simply cover key areas of the canvas with the hatching pattern to my liking. It's worth the labor put into it. The details must be sharp and punchy.With all the energy that is put into a piece like this I am realizing that it will be hard for me to let it go which isn't good news for the wallets of potential buyers. Maybe limited but affordable prints at the show should be available. I think that is the route to take.

I ran through the rain last night in order to get the piece from the makeshift studio at the church to my car and then from my car to the house. Every drop of rain threatened to attack it. Well I clearly will have to develop a better system of covering it. I imagine most artwork has a story of survival that would only add more value to its existence. "The trials and tribulations of the canvass." LOL. It sounds like a book title or some lame independent film. The rain last night also caused me to realize that just as I protected the art from the drops of rain last night I will also have to protect it from false priorities. I will have to do so like a lioness. I'm very much ready to be a lioness on the journey ahead.

I know that I have only been blogging only about the process of this one piece but I think taking on other concepts at the moment is not what I need presently. Presently I feel a strong need to finish this one piece. It represents the need for me to complete my work before I allow myself to get caught up in another concept. I swear I have "Creator's ADD" so please bare with me as I conquer this beast.

In the present...

2011-11-15T06:34:00.001-08:00

Getting closer to the finish of this first piece and I'm excited to see it develop. The hatching that is done takes real attention and time. I've been careful to stop when tired and go to bed. LOL Although I have daytime obligations I find myself getting things done in a timely fashion in order to make sure that I am able to be creative without worry about unfinished obligations. Of course the little hater in the back of my mind tries to convince me that my momentum will slow down but something is telling me that this is not so. Plainly, because life is meant to be lived and you may as well do what you want while passing thru the space and time of life itself. I'm thinking of Steve Jobs outlook on life and death. His push to follow the inner voice that knows who we are and what we are destined to be. Either we will fulfill the call of that voice or we will betray it.

When you give it good thought it is not an accident that only a handful of us catch on to just how simple and present life is. What if we could all live in the present? How could fear hold us down when we are not obsessed with questions about our future. And how would regret burden us if we only cared for what we were doing in the present? In a way the tentacles within this series could also be a metaphor for the past and future. Robbing us of our determination in the present. If there is anything that concerns me it is the present. And the present is where I want to be. God willing. Amen.

Powers we don't WANT to understand...

2011-11-12T07:01:00.001-08:00

I can't wait to get further into the background details. I was able to finish the bling on Big Boy today so the next step is to fill the background space with a set of tentacles that will be crushing the row houses behind Big Boy and his dog. I plan to have the bones, bling, guns and tentacles appearing in each of the art pieces. The bones stand for shame and unresolved death/injustice. The bling is symbolic of the urban poor man's constant state of want/longing. The guns are the self hatred that we practice against each other in order to vent our frustration with powers we PREFER not to understand and lastly, the tentacles represent the destructive powers that are at the root of the social dysfunction in our communities. When I say "we" and "our" I am referring to communities that are both poor and of color.

My goal in this series is to point out the apathy of the community that I live in. So many of us are living day to day simply trying to get by on the little we have so when the ravaging tentacles of injustice are reeking havoc on our communities we often times simply continue on with our day to day task until the chaos is at our personal doorstep and even then it is not a guarantee that we will respond wisely and strategically in order to make things right.

Yet again time has come for me to put down the pen in order to make yet another community meeting :) Talk soon! God willing ;)

Accessorize...

2011-11-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine and fellow artist said kindly to me... "I think you need to add an accessory." He's right I do need to add some bling to Big Boy but I also have realized that I missed the opportunity to add some bling to the stack of bones. Hmmm... I like that I am thinking about my art project throughout the day. What can I add? What are some of the simplistic things that I can do in order to punch the viewer in the heart and gut? I also have realized that there is a need for more movement and life in the piece so I will be adding something very special to the background.

In the hood that is how we work right? We add what we believe is needed in order to say that we are doing our fair share to live up to the American Dream of gluttony. And despite how little we truly own and despite how hard life is...in the hood... "We buy what we can't afford and beg for what we need." -Rev.Campbell.

Okay it is 9:49 and I need to be a responsible adult and head into work.

Resurfacing...

2011-11-09T06:24:00.000-08:00

Big Boy series and close up of ink work.

I'm really enjoying the process of doing this piece. Here I am just before work having a peaceful moment etching. Very calming. The subject of the drawing is rather heavy but the process is light and pleasing. I'm pushing for balance both on this canvass and in my life so it is highly important that I finish this piece before I start on any new ideas. Completing my work in progress has been a persistent problem over the years because of the lack of balance but I am getting to a place of zen on the matter. Where letting go of worldly obligations is becoming more and more inevitable if I am to be who i truly am as an artist inside.

I feel a bit like a child again as I work on this. Themes/subjects that came naturally to me back in my preteen years are resurfacing in this work. I was obsessed with graffiti and urban life as drawing subjects. The guys hangin' on the corner with their over sized winter jackets and hoodies. The male bravado in the neighborhoods of my youth were always interesting and even at a very young age I understood that there was a vulnerability behind all of the posturing. Well it's 9:18 and I have a meeting to get to :)

Big Boy and letting go...

2011-11-08T04:34:00.000-08:00

What is an artist to do when they find themselves determined to waste their time with the sad attempts to change the world or community they live in. It has gotten to the point wherein I am realizing that I have cheated myself spiritually. But I would be lying if I were to say that this journey has been all for nothing. What better way to get back at yourself than to do it through a series of art pieces? Dump everything on a canvass? I have started and stopped so many projects due to my OTHER responsibilities but what if i were to quit all of the obligations I have put myself under and abandon myself in nothing but art? Even to my financial peril. What would that kind of success look like? My Big Boy Series perhaps?

A work in progress...

2011-06-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

So I'm sorry for the absence in the web-o-sphere. I'm currently working on a series of children's books that I have been meaning to get done like forever and I will be sharing the artwork at some of the local cafe's and art centers. Right now I am finishing up water coloring the illustrations for my book titled "For the Love of Peanut Butter" All of it is written and penciled and I have only eleven more pages to finish so I am feeling really good right now. I plan to publish this as an e-book and dvd in the beginning. I love telling stories so I will also be doing readings at libraries, churches and any other place that would dare to have me show up. Yes I am one of THOSE people who have the nerve to think that someone would care to read my silly stories for kids. LOL. Thanks for all of your support guys and gals. You all have my mad respect and appreciation. I wish I could do more videos but the time just isn't available. But once time permits I will most definitely be up for more cartoon mash ups. "Peace and hair grease!"

How to Draw Woody WoodPecker and Bumble Bee Transformers

2011-03-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

Finally, it is finished. I had to really muster up some will power to do this one. It's kinda bizarre but I think it works. Hope ya diggs it. Keep the Cartoon Mash Up challenges comin'.

How to Draw Homer Simpson and Hellboy

2011-03-01T18:44:00.000-08:00

A NEW VIDEO is up! In this video I "mash up" Homer and Hellboy...creating Homer Hell :) Hope ya diggs it.

I am officially going to have to switch this show's day to Tuesdays and Fridays. Because no matter how hard I try I cannot get a new video up on Monday at a reasonable time. :) So it shall be Tues & Fridays from here on.

How to Draw Hulk & Tails Mash Up

2011-01-26T16:14:00.000-08:00

Finally! I finished it. It's like SUPER late I know. The problem is I tried to both work and draw this weekend so I ended up way late on everything. But I have to pay the bills right :) LOL

I hope ya'll diggs the piece and thanks MaidwithLuv for such a great challenge. It was fun doing this even though I had to SUPER rush.

Finally, I'll have the draw along tools up by Wednesday night :)

Peace and hair grease!

How to Color in Photoshop 7.0 - Adobe CS5

2011-01-21T19:23:00.000-08:00

In this video I share Jared Dutka's coloring work, a Photoshop tutorial on how to color and I reveal the winner of this coming week's original piece. Which will be a Cartoon Mashup of Hulk & Tails :)

Also sorry for the late video. I honestly did my best but work and play like to conflict with each other. I work just enough so that I can play LOL.

How to Draw a Cartoon MashUP

2011-01-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

In this Episode I do what I call a "Cartoon Mash-UP" I take two popular cartoons that are not related to each other and mash them up in a drawing. Creating a totally new character. Hope ya Diggs.

Please post your Cartoon Mash-Up suggestions on my youtube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkBZSrX1yyY

Draw Along DOWNLOADS
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SET 1
http://www.desire-grover.com/mega-bunny-1.pdf
http://www.desire-grover.com/mega-bunny-2.pdf

SET 2
http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/practice-mega-bunny.pdf
http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/practice-sheet.pdf

How to Draw Anthro Graffiti

2011-01-14T05:51:00.000-08:00

In this episode of Cartoons and Graffiti I show you how to draw the word DOPE in a very simple anthropomorphized graffiti. The basic focus is on shapes and composition.

DOWNLOADS
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SET 1

Basic Shapes: http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/dopr-redline.pdf
Reference Finish: http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/dope.pdf

SET 2

Graph With Drawing: http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/dope-graph.pdf
Blank Graph: http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/practice-sheet.pdf

Cartoons & Graffiti - Ninja Turtles

2011-01-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

In this episode of Cartoons and Graffiti I show you how to draw Raphael.

DOWNLOADS
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SET 1

Basic Shapes: http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/tmnt-redlined.pdf
Reference Finish: http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/cg-raphael.pdf

SET 2

Graph With Drawing: http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/cg-raphael-grp.pdf
Blank Graph: http://www.desire-grover.com/practice/practice-sheet-upload.pdf

Wet Mediums...What a beast!

2010-11-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

Wet mediums are not my strength. But recently I have become more and more inspired to take on the challenges that wet mediums bring. My drawing skills far exceed my painting skills so it is important for me to press forward thru the tough season of self doubt that wet mediums can cause. I remember feeling daunted by the challenge of going from using graphite only... to coloring my graphite illustrations in Photoshop. It was not easy but it was worth it. I conquered the digital medium to the point where it has been the medium of choice for me for years now. I've created book covers and posters for clients using my graphite to Photoshop technique.

Three prep painted sketches that I have painted. Playing with bold colors and strokes.

Recently, I have moved into a new apartment. I have no paintings or pictures on my wall. It was in the process of thinking about what to decorate my walls with that I began to lament how I had no colored finishes to put up on the wall because they were all digital. Even though I could get them printed out it still wouldn't be as awesome as having original finished pieces of my own art hanging my walls. So what I have decided to do is paint some original pieces. It is this decision that has stirred up my desire to conquer acrylics.

Sorry for the blurriness. I took this photo with my phone. My fourth sketch.

Later I'll talk about the challenges that acrylics give me. Most of it has to do with expectation and predictability. The digital medium is super forgiving while acrylics are not so much. Also I know what every stroke of my pencil will do while I am not so sure when using a paint brush. Also the color theories that exist in the digital medium are very straight forward while acrylics are all over the place to me. And of course this has much to do with my lack of knowledge about transparent vs opaque. Also certain colors do not mix well and bla bla bla. I could go on and on. But clearly I will need to give it some time and dedication. Which is what I have been doing for the past two weeks. Now I have months and years ahead of me to learn even more.

Loosen Up...

2010-11-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

I'm happy with some of the painting I did today. I had to talk out loud to myself. "Just loosen up will ya! Enjoy the colors and play with the line weight you anal weirdo." So that's what I did. I relaxed and just started to sketch big faces on a small canvas :) Here's one I finished as I listened to NPR talk about stuff...I want to do a large number of sketches before I get into anything big. I think this is the best approach for me :) Acrylics here I come again!

Prep Sketch: Sleeping Wiggles...

2010-11-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

I'm planning to watercolor this at 30x15 starting Monday. Putting art first comes with real sacrifice especially when you have anchored your living in so many OTHER things. This is a very long but very needed transition.

Watercolor Prep Piece for "The Warmonger" Series

2010-11-06T18:06:00.000-07:00

This is the fully complete watercolor study I did for the Warmonger Series of paintings I'm working on. I don't like the disjointedness of the piece but I do very much appreciate the way it gave me the opportunity to get acquainted with watercolor in a good way. Much of the piece was very unintentional which is why it is disjointed. I've been thumb-nailing pieces that have much better compositions and I'm thinking about the color schemes for them.

Can't wait to get started on the next piece Monday.

Painting the "Warmonger Series"

2010-11-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this piece for most of the week. I will probably be totally finished by Sunday night. I kinda threw this piece together out of sudden inspiration Monday morning. I'm playing with watercolors and pushing them further than I ever have, which is why I feel good about the piece as it is in progress. More depth to be added to the piece and when finally finished of course I will post it here first.

The reason I am painting these days as opposed to working on the graphic novel is because I need money to work on a novel so I need to create pieces that I can sell in order to raise funds so that I can give my time to nothing but the creative. So my hope is that within the next four months I will create one piece per week and then try to gallery it. Of course I'm nervous because I've never pushed my work to galleries and such. And it feels even more crazy to do so while during a recession :) But we'll see. Please share your thoughts...

Acrylics and Cartooning...

2010-10-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

I'm excited today. Super excited because I have finally done something as an artist that I have needed to do for a along time. I have finally used acrylics to paint a character concept and I did it in 2.5 hours. Why does this excite me? Well because I am NOT a painter. I have always SUCKED at painting. For whatever reason translating my graphite drawing to an acrylic painting has always been troublesome for me. NOT impossible but just annoying. The medium is to liberal for my taste and I have always given up on a piece because I didn't have the same predictable control that I have when using a pencil or ink. I quietly wrestled with this for years. I still have my issues with it but I decided I needed to try it again yesterday. And this time I actually finished an entire painting without giving up or throwing the canvass across the room. So here is my simple piece. I will be building up on this momentum and try even harder to get the same kind of pleasing detail I get from using a pen. I shall try it again with another piece. And yes I am doing this even while writing the graphic novel LOL.

Another Day Another Page Not Completed...

2010-09-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

You know... I have somewhat of a dilemma. The problem is that I seem to have plenty of small pockets of time to work on my story but not enough time to do so with focus and zeal. Now of course this drives me crazy inside because I would love nothing more than to be able to give entire days or four hours at a time to a page or even a panel but instead I find an hour here and there only to watch myself lose thirty good minutes by me staring at the blank page and the thumbnail because I am thinking about how quickly I will have to work in order to cover good distance on the task at hand. So I end up with only a scribbled skeleton of a page in hopes to return to it and complete the thing the next time an hour presents itself. But of course the next hour that presents itself comes days later and I must work my focus up again for a good thirty minutes, trying hard to drain my mind of all my other obligations.

You see when working on a graphic novel you are not only writing a story and illustrating its pictures you are also feeling what the characters feel. Making facial jesters as you draw,very much like an animator. Developing a mood as you fill in the panels with shades and tones. It actually takes some good time to work one's mind over and take it into this other world that you are creating. But it is very hard to get into the process when your mind is thinking about the bills, the phone calls you have yet to return, emails that you need to forward, tea time with your mother or staff calls that you need to have a report for. And on and on and on it goes. Yes so it goes. But dag-nab-it I am determined to finish this book and I am determined to reclaim my creative time. I just have to return some phone calls first.

Webcomic Review: The Assemblers

2010-09-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

I think it's important to keep my mind's creative sparks firing so I have a tendency to view & read other artist's work, even while producing my own. Although, I am very aware that many artist do not like to do this while illustrating and writing their own material I feel it is different when you view the work of other artist who are independent like yourself, obscure or not mainstream. With these type of artist I find that they break the rules of creativity in the most creative ways :) Ways that are inspiring.

One artist that I really enjoy following is Andy Dudak: http://andydudak.carbonmade.com. If you haven't heard of him then shame on you. Just joking, just joking. He is the author of an online webcmoic called The Assemblers. Maybe I shouldn't call it a webcomic but rather a webnovel. It will all depend on how he ends the comic. Short, long or abruptly. My prayer is that life doesn't get in his way because his work is very very unique and fun to read.

The story is about a group of boys/guys who live in a future earth that is desolate or falling apart. But things do not appear as they seem. The story opens up with three main characters, who go nameless for a good portion of the story. They move gracefully thru the ruins of somewhere. You are not quite sure what they are up to but by their cautious movement you know that they can get in trouble for what they are about to do. And they do get in trouble.

In the early stages of the storytelling you are given a bit of a history lesson, not in an annoying way, but in a rather useful way. Explaining the history of Halloween's "Devil's Night" and how it came to be. This matters greatly because it explains what the boys are up to. But the twist is in the fact that they do not destroy or tare things apart on this "Devil's Night" in this already "ruined" world. Instead they "assemble" the broken pieces, creating beautiful facades. These characters do not take their power to build things up lightly. At times they scurry along the desolate place quoting Hamlet and recalling more historical facts about "Devils Night". And as they finish their first master piece one character says "...I don't think the egg throwers would get what we're doing here." And I say... no they would not. Devil's night is about taking things apart but these young guys are on the rampage to build things up which is a powerful message in and of itself. But the tension begins when another group of young men find the work of the Assemblers and began to destroy it. A group of guys called "Deconstructionist." How they will respond to the Deconstructionist is the question. And as all of this is happening it becomes clearer that this world could be just as virtual (digital) as it is real.

Andy also likes splash pages or pages that come very close to being a splash page regardless of having a few panels splitting here there. He breaks the comic book rules pleasurably when it comes to the frequent use of big art filling up large spaces. His gray world can feel confusing at times and overwhelming but the detail of the rubble and compositions he sets up help you survive the controlled chaos of the world that the Assemblers live in.

This read is not for those who do not like learning new words and have a problem with looking into the historical references made by the narrator and characters.Even Andy lends a hand in his own comments with each upload he gives his audience thru Drunk Duck. He seems to be managing a number of social commentaries about the world such as the economy, effects of war and the power of technology. It's a great webcomic to get yourself affiliated with. So don't be a fool and go assemble his webcomic into your bookmark list.

Still focused...

2010-09-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how so many things pull for your attention. I have like a zillion obligations connected to money. Non creative jobs kinda suck in that they make themselves priority without much effort. But then again creative jobs can suck too when you have to use your creative juices on projects that don't excite you. *sigh. What a catch 22. But life is still good so I can't complain too much. I have two websites to finish and a set of logos to dish out for a buddy (who's paying me of course). :)

So I write this wanting to say finally... stay committed to your passion of art my friends and don't let anything divert you from the project you love.

I thought I'd add the latest piece of art that I've done to keep my creative spirit independently stirred.

Well I better get too those logos...

Inspired by Bill Watterson these days...

2010-08-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

SO WHILE you guys are all having a blast at the Baltimore Comic Con, cause you have the cash like that YO, I am here at the coffee shop-bookstore studying the illustration techniques of Bill Watterson. I love this man. I feel like I have discovered some open secret of artsy fart-sy-ness. I've decided that I will no longer call the strip "Chester,PA" It's too local and confining to do that. I want to be free to draw/talk about almost anything in the strip but have it still resonate with the local community I live in. So I shall call it "CHESTER & ME".

THIS NEW found inspiration begs the question... where the heck have I been all of these years? I went thru college not following this man's every move. What was my problem? Life is so annoying but it's still fun to explore one's creative self. Who else have I not discovered?

These days... and Baltimore Comic Con

2010-08-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

Well these days I have been preoccupied with my day JOBS.Community Organizing,Web Design and Instruction...it all brings in just enough money to feed me and my cat LOL But it looks like it doesn't bring in enough to save up for comic-cons. Comic-cons are desperately something that I need to attend in order to network with other artist and potential publishers of graphic novels. Now of course my book SPiDERS is not limited to this type of networking but it can't hurt to get to know as many fellow artist and publishers out there as possible. *sigh I just need the money. And in order to get the money I need a job and usually the job has nothing to do with my passion. Bobby Chui would punch me dead in the face right now. I'm not being a good artistic disciple but I am doing some drawing no matter what. Right now I have a little strip going on the community blog that I run.

SEE COMIC HERE: GHETTOPRINT.BLOGSPOT.COM

It's called Chester, PA and it's based on where I live. When I am busy doing green work I am able to find an excuse to draw and call it work at the same time LOL. Hopefully my boss doesn't read this blog.

Also I have been reading some of Bill Watterson's awesome commentaries in his Calvin & Hobbes Anniversary Book. It's so freakin' inspirational. I kept needing to take reading breaks just to control the excitement bubbling up in my soul.

Well that is all I have for now. Maybe I will get to the Baltimore Comic Con and maybe not. But I will still keep drawing folks.

How to Draw Cartoon Characters 1

2010-06-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

Here is the first part in a series of videos that I've planned to do for some time. In these videos I will show you how to draw some of my original characters from the book that I am working on called SPiDERS. The goal is to help anyone who is interested in developing their own original characters. I breakdown the reasoning behind each character's design as they are developed from simple shapes to resolved sketched finishes.

To learn more about the book go to: http://www.desire-grover.com

Desire's Art Studio: Upcoming Pages & Tutorials...

2010-06-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

I know that I need to get new pages up on DrunkDuck and SmackJeeves. I know that I need to get more tutorials done. My "school season" jobs are done for the summer so I'm determined to get it done this summer. Plus I plan to go to the Baltimore Comic Con in August. Looking forward to it like nobody's business. So I talk about some of these things in this video.

DRUNK DUCK: http://www.drunkduck.com/SPiDERS/inde...

SMACKJEEVES: http://spiders19013.smackjeeves.com/

MY BLOG: http://desirestudio.blogspot.com/

Desire's Art Studio: Tyler Chin-Tanner

2010-06-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

While at the ECBACC I met another artist who loved working on graphic novels that tackle current social issues. His name is Tyler Chin-Tanner and he is the creator of an exciting graphic novel called Adrenaline. Check him out...

Tyler Chin-Tanner: http://www.awaveblueworld.com/v03/
My BLOG: http://www.desire-grover.com

Desire's Art Studio: An Artist's Journey

2010-06-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

So these videos can be made quick and easy. I'm diggin' this. So when I don't have time to post up a tutorial or feature another artist I can just click the camera on, vent a little and booyaah I have a vlog :) Last night I vented a bit about my need to move out of this small town Chester. And the key reasons why I need to get away in order to progress on this Artist's Journey. This weekend I better make time to close out the prologue for my graphic novel SPiDERS. So cheer for me guys! "GET THE ART DONE! GET THE ART DONE! GET THE ART DONE! HOORAY!" :)

http://www.desire-grover.com

Desire's Art Studio: Eric Wilkerson

2010-06-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

So I'm on this artistic journey right? And I think you can figure out the rest from the video. And apologies to those who may take offense at my bias against spandex wearing superheros. I still love X-Men... even in my thirties :) But that's about all I can stomach.

Eric Wilkerson: http://www.ericwilkersonart.com/

ECBACC: http://ecbacc.com/wordpress/