"TALENT"

All to often I rankle the feathers of many of my co-industry nerds.
How?
Well, when I say that 'talent' for the most part.....is a myth.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Now how often will you hear that?? Not very often I'm guessing. Especially from any industry goof. Pick your art industry. But I'm here to tell you that its true.--again for the MOST part!
Now you'll have those freaks of nature like Mozart who came out of his momma playing his umbilical cord. But for the most part, Its all learned.
There isn't a damn thing that CANT be learned. I can't tell you how many times someone has seen something that I've done, be it a painting, be it animation, be it a storyboard, be it sculpture, be it character design, be it a drawing, and have said "Gosh oh golly, I wish I could draw." To which I ALWAYS reply;
"You CAN".
Now the reason this irks so many of my fellow 'artists', is because this obviously takes the mystery out of it. It takes the cosmic power out of it. And therefore plays to their insecurities and of course is a threat to their all too precious ego's.
"But Handel!! If that's the case, why doesn't EVERYONE draw or paint?"
Fair enough question. The answer is, not everyone is 1) disciplined enough to sit down and commit the HOURS and HOURS that it takes to DO a good drawing, painting, etc.
THAT is the thing that enables the 'skill'. Not this cosmic, sexy, meaningless term 'talent'.
I have been blessed with the ability and the passion to sit down and devote the hours that turned into the years and ultimately the decades to hone this ability. As with anyone with any task: cooking, speaking in public, reading, etc.
Now, there is the component of 'degree'. To what degree do I hone it?
Someone who says "Damn it, I want to draw and I want to draw well!"-- CAN become good at it. To WHAT DEGREE depends on his passion FOR it.

NOW, some people are good at several things. I am (for lack of sounding immodest) pretty good at several art forms. I heard someone coin the phrase "creative ADD". That's me. I just have several loves. Animation, comics, illustration, character design....You name it. I dig it.
So, I've delved into ALL of them. And I'm pretty good. The problem that types like me have, is that we get bored...quickly. We get into the idea and then mid way through, something else pops into our beanies and we want to attack that rather than finish what we're on!
I cant tell you how many unfinished pictures and sketches I have laying on my studio floor. Its actually embarrassing.
Another problem that this type has, is that while we may be pretty good at just about everything, many times we are master of nothing, because our attention is soo divided, between many different projects and different art forms.
This has a tendency to be a bit frustrating. BUT! I was fortunate enough to work with an art director who (unlike many art directors) was A DAMN GOOD PAINTER. A 'Master' painter. Believe me, You would know him if I told you who he was.
And while he was able to paint his tuckus off with realistic beautiful technique illustrations, when the time came to do a cartoony stylized design ( Ala disney-for disney ), He couldn't do it!
It just wouldn't klik for him. He is quite an egotistical jack ass and He saw what I was doing with the character and the reaction that it was getting, felt insecure and wanted to try and show me up. When he sat down and struggled with it--struggled HARD, yet couldn't do it. He got frustrated and left the room. I saw what he had done on his pad, and it was just awful.
NOW! To be fair to him, Its not what he spent his life honing in on. It was alien to him. His thing was realistic painting-That's where he devoted his focus on.
IF he devoted the time to it,(cartoon design) could he do it? Sure. IF he devoted the time and was passionate about it, and could get over his ego.

Which brings me back to this point. If you want to draw, just pick up the pencil and DO it.
Don't let anyone tell you that you "cant"...... ESPECIALLY you.
When someone speaks to you about 'talent', It is their way of saying that "you can't", and keeping you at some mysterious arms length. They speak of 'talent' out of vanity.
When YOU say that you "can't", You do so out of laziness.

post coming tomorrow...

In fact,,I might just switch it from sunday to monday. It is my slow day, And much easier for me..
See ya on the monday!

"ALEC BALDWIN IS A DICK"

"Hey I wanna tell you something okay, and I wanna leave a message for you right now because again its 10:30 here in New York on a Wednesday and once again I've made an ass of myself trying to get to a phone to call you at a specific time. When the time comes for me to make the phone call I stop whatever I'm doing and I go and I make that phone call at eleven-o-clock in the morning in New York and if you don't pick up the phone at ten-o-clock at night and you don't even have that god damn phone turned on. I want you to know something okay, I'm tired of playing this game with you. I'm leaving this message with you to tell you, you have insulted me for the last time. You have insulted me, you don’t have the brains or the decency as a human being, I don't give a damn if you're 12-years-old, or 11-years-old, or that you're a child, or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the ass, who doesn't care about what you do as far as I'm concerned, you have humiliated me for the last time with this phone, and when I come out there next week, I'm gonna fly out there for the day just to straighten you out on this issue, I'm gonna let you know just how disappointed in you I am and how angry I am with you that you've done this to me again. You have made me feel like shit and you have made me feel like a fool over and over and over again, and this crap you pull on me with this god damn phone situation that you would never dream of doing to your mother and you do it to me constantly, and over and over again. I am gonna get on a plane or I am gonna come out there for the day and I'm gonna straighten your ass out when I see you, do you understand me? I'm gonna really make sure you get it. Then I'm gonna get on a plane and I'm gonna turn around and I'm gonna come home. So you better be ready Friday, the 20th, to meet with me so I'm gonna let you know just how I feel about what a rude little pig you really are. You are a rude thoughtless little pig, okay."

Well, that's non other than alec baldwin, thespian extraordinaire! And hes leaving a phone message for his daughter....His 11YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. Now...I'm sure that all of you have heard this by now, Its really come down on poor ole alec. Every day and Every night people talking about alec. Poor, poor alec.
Now its been said that the reason al(ick) and kim bassinger ended up getting divorced is because alec, a democrat has a terrible problem controlling his anger. Alec, a democrat, and like most democrats--is a very emotional individual. delving very heavily into the emotional and barely dipping his toe into the abstract notion of THOUGHT. And really...this is a great example of this.
Think about it, if you were an angry hot head, and chances are you have yelled at your daughter repeatedly, belittling her, tearing her down, and causing emotional damage to her....wouldn't you THINK that by leaving a message like this on your daughters phone---your daughter who probably HATES you, that this MIGHT, just MIGHT get leaked by someone???
Well..if you were a thinking man and not an emotionally unstable man, such as alec, a democrat, obviously is.
I hope he at least took comfort in the fact that none other than rosie o'donnell, another democrat, stood up for him.
Pretty much saying something to the extent that he was just having a bad day. "who HASN'T said something like that to their children".
Ummmmm....rosie...my dear, stupid rosie...I'm pretty sure that I have never called my child a 'rude little thoughtless pig". Nope, not once. Something tells me that alec, a democrat, has done it several times.

Poor kid. I only hope that her Mother, while a 'peta' member-therefore a democrat...isn't AS insane or AS idiotic as alec is. One can only hope that the kid realizes that her parents (democrats) are morons and goes the OTHER way.

Oh yeah..I don't usually write titles like the one above. In fact, I saw that on another site...but for the life of me...couldn't come up with one that fits BETTER!

OK!!!

SO I'M THREE DAYS LATE!!! Gimme a friggin break! What can I say, I'm biddy!
Anyway, I have a bit of a revelation to tell you about. Not all that long ago, I gave some story nerds, I mean friends a really, really hard time about their stupid art blogs. Of which I said that their 'art blogs' were nothing more than petting zoo's. Where they weren't really interested in a serious comment/crit type of thing. Which is totally fine as long as your honest about it. Well...that was my opinion.Nothing more nothing less.
Recently I've been talking to some comic book pals who have 'art blogs' as well. And they're good art blogs too! But I asked them why they do it. Telling them about my conversations/arguments with and about them(art blogs).

Some of them did say that its just for sh*ts n giggles. Which falls into that realm of being honest about it. And again---fine.

But most of them said some thing along the lines of "yeah...Its just fun. BUT it also serves as a networking type of thing. Where they can not only place finished stuff up, but also rough sketch and commission work. What makes this different than what the story goons are doing is that unlike their blogs, its not just a showoff type of ego stroke (although the honest ones say that that is a side benefit), ---but they also SELL what is on their blogs. Its like a cafe press type of thing. It also serves as a side portfolio where some even said that they have received comic gigs and illustration gigs from it when a publisher or art director See's the work.

The story goons aren't really ever going to sell the story boards. To be fair, Their not meant for that. And the animation industry is so incestuous that It really isn't going be a big boost to have one IF your hope is to for more gigs.
So...It IS just to be stroked by your buddies. Again,,,nothing wrong with that if your honest about it.

So after hearing that...It made me feel better about the whole 'art blog' thing. Even made me feel like I was too hard on the story sketch people.
Although I still think that the comic guys reasons are more noble and much more worthwhile in having one, than to just be stroked.

So that said, believe it or not...It does make me feel more comfortable with them. Still not sure if I WANT one...but who knows?

THANKS FREDDIE AND JIM!

I'm tired and I'm going to have some coffee.
Yeah you read that right.

Look for next post on Sunday.

I was checkin out some of my bloggy co-horts, and found a very touching, very eloquent tribute to a hero of a story guy--who had just passed. I thought that I would pass it on to you.


""This is a bad week for my heroes. First Johnny Hart, and now Don Ho. He died yesterday. He was 84. Ho was one of my all time favorite writers. Famous for blending science fiction and comedy, he was, hands down, the funniest writer I ever read, and was a huge influence on they way I write comedy. If you are unfamiliar with Ho, I'd recommend "SlaughterHouse 5"(mentioned in "Footloose!) and then move on to "Breakfast of Champions". "Bluebeard" is the best of his later novels.
When I was a kid, I used to go to the grocerey store with my mother and spend all of my time in the magazine and book section. There, they would have a buch of those little cheap pocket paperbacks. This is where my early cartooning education began.
It's interesting to see how his style of drawing and writing progressed.
I have this to say......He did what he plaesed. He stood up for what he believed in.
I may not have agreed with how he expressed his beliefs in his work, but I do adimire the courage with which he did.
He was one of the great ones.
Rest in Peace, sir.
-John
Go check him out. If you like this strip, you'll like his stuff too.
Better late than never.
Hi-de ho.
(Read "Slapstick" .You'll get it)
-John"""

Indeed. Well spoken.
As the man himself spoke:

""Tiny bubbles
Make me warm all over
With a feelin' that
I'm gonna love you till the end of time

Hua li'i
I ka waina
Au hau'oli
I ka wa au inu

Hua 'li'i
Wau haawi hoihoi
A i'ini nui i ka wa au
Nana ia oe

Au kuuipo
I nu ho'omahalo ka'ua
I ko ka'ua aloha mau loa""

Read slaughter house five. You'll get it.
Inspiring, truly inspiring.

UPKEEP

If by chance you are up working at two am (this leaves out any and all storypeople), gnoshing on a bag of beef jerky (maybe even your second bag), and you find yourself in need of something to dig the hunk of dried beef out from behind your back teeth, and a toothpick nowhere in sight.
Let me recommend a "Staedtler" mechanical pencil with a 'F' lead. Not too soft and not too hard. finely sharpened to just the right point. Do it up reaaaaaaaaaaaal naaaaaaaahhhhce for ya.
Now I just need to find something to dislodge the lead shard in my upper gum.

(scissors, no. pen nub....no. exacto?????hmmmmm.)

IMUS

Ok.
Don Imus.
Well, I just thought I'd say a few words about this.
Nothing I like better than to see one of those rare occasions when a leftist gets eatin' by other leftists.
But I can not believe how much this has taken over the attention of this country. what does it say when what takes our attention off of ridiculous story #1 (Anna Nicole smith) is another ridiculous story by the name of 'don Imus'.
Now I believe that every one in this country has heard that don Imus on the 5Th made a comment about the Rutgers basketball team and called them (ahem) "nappy headed hoes".
Now before any of you say Oh Handel your a bigot! Your a bigot, how could you call the biggest of all media stories, "RIDICULOUS"!?!? Let me tell you why I say that it is not only 'ridiculous', but also very much.... a 'non story'.

Was the comment bad? Yes. Was it terrible, reprehensible even morbidly ignorant? Sure. Was it the first time that these words spilled out of the mouth of some dumb ass? No.
I would even go out on a limb and say that our race hustlers by the names of sharpton and jackson even own a few Cd's that have 'ludicrous' and other 'rappers' saying those words and much much worse. Maybe even some of the Rutgers players themselves own such Cd's? Possibly?
That is one of the things that irritates me I suppose. HERE COMES JESSE AND AL--to the rescue! Where were they before Imus said these words? Have they never heard a 'ludicrous' "song"? Or snoop doggy douche? Or any other 'mainstream' rapper? Why were they silent about all of the past 15 years worth of filth?
But that's just the tip of the ice berg really. There is sooo much anger. So much over the top outrage. at what? three words. Three words...."nappy.....headed.....hoe's".
Is THIS the most devastating thing to hit the black community in 50 years? Judging from the outcry and anger displayed this week, you would certainly think so! A comment made by a leftist radio dork about a college basketball team.
Right.
Why doesn't the rev al (which church?) and rev jackson (which church?) make a grand statement about the rap industry? Which use terms about women that make 'nappy head hoes" look tame in comparison. Well that would mean that they would have to take a real stand. And that would take courage and guts. And truth. And they wouldn't be welcome in those hip circles any more. They couldn't go to all the cool parties. They wouldn't be able to "KICKIT". (word).

That would take real effort after all, and its far easier to get everyone charged up on this phoney story. And lets face it, al and jesse don't really care about fixing the REAL problems. It would mean that they would be out of a job if they fixed the real problems. Far better to have everyone continue to feel that they are a victim and therefore in NEED of 'brotha jesse', and 'brotha al'. They are the equivalent of the blacks who sold blacks into slavery --in the past and in present day.
al and jesse. YOU are the same. You have done nothing but harm blacks, and I have nothing but contempt for you.
IF this outrage over ('nappy headed hoe's) is truly sincere, then jackson should show leadership and should step down..from what EVER position he holds for the remark about "going to hymie town", and then denying the remarks. Then accusing Jews of conspiring to defeat him in an election.
Sickening.
Or what about the fact that jackson had said that he backs the stripper in the Duke lacrosse rape allegation and offered a scholarship to the woman who lied and libeled the players. Did jackson apologize for THAT? Ummmm nope.
As for the clown known as sharpton. 'Tawana Brawley'? Anyone? No? Yes? Google that one. Its a hoot. Or the 'Crown Heights Riot', or the "Freddies Fashion Mart" incident.
These two idiots are a cancer. They've done more to harm the black community than anyone else in a looooooong time.

But no...Its the term 'nappy headed hoes' that is the big obstacle for the black community today.

Funny. I thought it was these poser rappers with their filth, and not to mention the:

* almost 50 % dropout rate for blacks.
* 60% of black children grow up in fatherless homes
* 790,000 black men are in jail or prison.
* 70% of black babies are born to unwed mothers.
* 320,000 black babies are aborted annually.
* And lets throw in Blacks account for more than half of new AIDS cases.

(now THAT'S a REAL inconvenient truth)

Step up to the plate rev's. Admit what the problems are rather than exploiting them. Help people, rather than taking advantage of them. It's the difference between being an adult and being a child.
Being a MAN,

Or being.............a 'boy'.
(word)

LIGHTEN UP!

Ok.
Too much talk about da-passed on here lately.
Starting to feel like some old geezer sitting on the couch that reads the obits all day-- sayin':
""Hey Winifred, Chester doobkins died ta-day! poor bastuurd! Looked like hell the last time I saw im'."

So---No more dyin' out there.
Gots to talk about some different stuff. More politics, More current events, An admission and a revelation, animation, comics, illustration, and some satire.

And I'm going to try..( I say this hesitantly...) to do a post on a Sunday- EVERY Sunday.
THAT'S RIGHT. Part of my revelation really. After talking to some of my comic and illustration palies, I thought I might take a crack at this on a more "regular" basis.
Even if that means that once in awhile I pop on one Sunday to say that there isn't a damn thing to say. I still will make a post. (or try to- Unless of course I'm abducted by any attractive and smart story people...And we all know that there's no such thing SOOOOOOOO...I have no excuses really.)

Now if I'm going to do this, Its going to be more a fly by the seat of my pantalooonies. Which means less time on spellcheck. So expect ALOT of mispellings. Very much like 'countsys' blog but with more clever insight from a far more attractive individual with better hair. And in some cases...more hair.

Talkin to you laters, and see you on the Sunday.

'B.C.' cartoonist Johnny Hart dies at 76

JOHNNY HART

(February 18, 1931- April 7, 2007)


ALBANY, N.Y. - For millions of comic strip readers, the prehistoric era was a hoot: Cavemen played baseball, ants went to school, birds rode on the back of turtles and snakes made quips.

All of it was thanks to cartoonist Johnny Hart, who died Saturday at age 76 while working at his home in the nearby hamlet of Nineveh. "He had a stroke," his wife, Bobby, said Sunday. "He died at his storyboard."

Hart's "B.C." strip was launched in 1958 and eventually appeared in more than 1,300 newspapers with an audience of 100 million, according to Creators Syndicate Inc., which distributes it.

"He was generally regarded as one of the best cartoonists we've ever had," Hart's friend Mell Lazarus, creator of the "Momma" and "Miss Peach" comic strips, said from his California home. "He was totally original. 'B.C' broke ground and led the way for a number of imitators, none of which ever came close."
Hart, who also co-created "The Wizard of Id," won numerous awards for his work, including the National Cartoonist Society's prestigious Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year and an award from the International Congress of Comics.

Later in his career, some of Hart's cartoons had religious themes, a reflection of his own Christian faith. That sometimes led to controversy.

"B.C." was filled with puns and sly digs at modern society. One recent strip showed an ant teacher asking her class, "Who can tell me what secondhand smoke is?" One pupil raised his hand with an answer: "A political speech made by a vice presidential candidate."

Besides his wife, Hart is survived by two daughters, Patti and Perri. He was a native of Endicott, about 135 miles northwest of New York City, and drew his comic strip at a studio in his home in Nineveh until the day he died.

Johnny Hart....One of the best.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!