"Throw the brick one more time
Thinking of the problems that I left behind
Throw the brick"
~Less than Jake

When I was a senior in high school we made Lego people of ourselves. This is one I made of myself. I kept them all. I have one of me, one of Reggie, one of Colin, Shane, and Yousey. It was a good night. And I couldn't throw them away.

Like I mentioned in my blog, a particular Joan Osborne song was in my mind for the last couple of days. "His Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles." I love it. I thought about it, and what I thought it would look like. I drew one eye, and then a larger one reminiscent of the song.

I took a picture of myself that just provided a shaded outline. I liked it a lot. I drew it.

So I've always admired quick drawings with thick lines. I know they're done with brushes, but I thought I'd do one in pen. And I was lazy so I stole someone's to draw tonight.

The story goes like this. I'm on the phone late last night and get read my Chinese Horoscope. I'm a Ram because I was born in 1979. So my prediction for the new Chinese year is awful. Nothing good apparently with happen (except I can rely on friends and family to help me out). You can read more about the shitty year ahead here. Scroll down to read about the Goat (Goat, Ram, Sheep....same thing in Chinese). You can read your outlook too. Its probably better than mine. Unless you were born in 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, or 2003. Then you're a Ram. Sucker.

On one of the last days of school at Kenmore Middle a student name Samantha A. gave me this turtle she had carved. It was made out of sandstone I think. She said she had carved and then smoothed it down with sandpaper and wanted to give it to me, that I was her favorite teacher. I kept on my desk for a few the last few days of school, and since then have kept it on my computer desk. I think of her whenever I look at it. I only had her in one class, and saw her after school in my classroom for help sometimes. I had her sister a few years earlier too. Its just a nice memento.

A few summers ago my older sister Carrie made the whole family these seashell necklaces. It was a simple seashell with a hole poked in it with yarn. I wear it on occasion as a bracelet instead of a necklace. I found it recently and decided to start wearing it again.

I'm not a giant fan of baseball hats. I like them on occasion. I wore them often this last summer. I like how they flatten my hair some, especially when it starts getting longer and a little curlier. I hate advertising for companies I don't much care for. This particular had has an American Eagle symbol on it that was bright yellow on the brim. I colored over it with a sharpie. It also had some random yellow emblem on the front of the hat. I took it off. Now there's just a dark shaded area there.

I hang my necklace on the bedroom doorknob when I'm not wearing it. Yesterday I hung my hat on it when I got home from dinner. Looking at it later at night I loved how it looked. So I took a picture of it and then used that for my daily drawing.

I decided to draw a picture of my favorite bottle opener. It has a wooden handle and nice metal top. It fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. I almost feel like carrying it with me all the time. Its awesome. I love it. I have no idea where I got it, or even when (a few years ago I think) but its now mine.

So I was a little bored yesterday and couldn't think of what to draw. So I drew me. I took this picture with my webcam and then went to work sketching it. I hate drawing noses by the way.

For some reason I had this image of a candle going out. It had all the gobs of wax on it, a little smoke off the wick, and a crappy wooden stand. In my mind it was a little fatter at the bottom, you know like after it has been lit for a while and has melted out in the middle. That's what I imagined, and this is what I drew.

My boss at work has one of those stereos that an iPod can plug into. On my lunch break I steal it to play music while I relax from my iPod. She doesn't care. Often I steal to play non-toddler music to my class. Yesterday we were listening to some Louis Armstrong, Tom Jones, and Nat King Cole. (Someone told me that making kids listen to Tom Jones is akin to torture....I don't agree, but do find the thought hilarious.)

Anyways, people at work have caught on that you can just steal my boss's stereo whenever you want (she's not in her office often, and is usually on the phone when she is). So it has been harder to listen to my iPod on break (without resorting to headphones). Today the kitchen worker stole the stereo in the morning and had it all day. When I went there to get coffee the Good Life was playing on the stereo. This of course led to them being my mind, and me playing them when I came home tonight. And that got me thinking about the one line that stands out, about the mouse scurrying across the floor. So I drew mice. Unfortunately my mice are fat. And probably couldn't scurry if they had to. They look more like waddlers than scurriers (my computer doesn't recognize scurriers as a word).

I was listening to Piebald tonight. Specifically the song Grace Kelly with Wings On. And it got me thinking, I know I've seen movies and pictures of Grace Kelly, but I couldn't picture her. A quick google later and I end up staring at this amazing poster. So of course I think I can draw it. There's a reason I've been drawing in pen, tonight I can't think of it. But this is what I drew.

I started out listening to the Denial Twist (it links to the bizarre video for the song) by the White Stripes. I actually put it on repeat. I listened and tried to think of what imagery I could apply to it. Then I searched for images to back up what I saw and came across these lips and this image. I used both to draw from and then drew girl reminiscent of Meg White, the drummer of the White Stripes.

I have this Denny's coffee mug I stole many years ago. I've been to many Denny's since then and a lot of them stopped using branded mugs (some still do). Anyways my Denny's mug is smaller than most of my other mugs. Fits nicely in the palm of my hand. So I decided to draw it. I think the mug looks a little out of proportion, but that's ok. I like the smaller sketch better than the big one.

Since yesterday I've had the song TV Movie stuck in my head. So I've continued along that path here.

As you may have known I draw often to music. Almost every night. Lately I've been listening to Pulp. They have a fantastic song called TV Movie. Its kind of haunting.

Sometimes when a song is stuck in your head you just have to go with it. All night I've been listening to the song "Underwear" by Pulp. And while the image I had in my mind was nothing I was even going to contemplate drawing (its not dirty or anything, just not something that fits my drawing style). I even almost fell asleep without drawing anything, before I remembered, today is day 100. Something special.

So I let myself flow a little bit. I drew one line, then another, and it all twisted into this. And then when I was done, I almost felt bad. I almost drew more on the page, because it's so scarce for a "special day drawing." But then I realized. It was done. And I liked it.

Even when around as a band The Clash were often referred to as "The only band that matters." I can't think of this being true of any other band I like. I listened to the Clash tonight to sort of lift my spirits tonight. I wasn't in a bad mood, but the Clash energizes me. I really could listen to their albums continuously I think. They have such range. I remember one time Matt and I were at the Essex Street Bar and Pub (which has the best jukebox I have ever seen). We put two dollars in the jukebox only to discover that the buttons to search through the albums didn't work. However I recalled the number for the album "London Calling" and we both knew the track listing from that album. We were able to find six songs on there to play no problem. And when we played them, six Clash songs in a row, not a single person in the bar was upset. That's the Clash. That's something that could only happen from "The only band that matters."

Sometimes the places my imagination leads are a little creepy. Take this for instance. It started as a sketch of my thumb. Don't get me wrong I like it. It just is weird.

Burlap sacks. Man they're scary.

I had this vision in my head for a drawing of some drinks at a bar, and two peoples hands on the bar also, but I didn't like where it was going. I just think I got the sizing all wrong and started to give up on this drawing. Maybe I'll try it again down the road. The image in my head is still there.

I've been listening to "Brand New Key" by Melanie a lot lately. It was one of my "Kindercare" appropriate songs I brought into work. Along those lines, I started looking into Roller Derby out here in Cleveland. The Burning River Girls I believe is the name of the club out here. They don't have bouts till March, so it'll be a while. So I drew roller skates, and then logo for my friend Julie Adams roller derby club in Denver, The Denver Roller Dolls.

I drew this tonight to correlate to the play I posted in my blog that I wrote years ago. Obviously the play is called Socks. Here's the link to the play.

It has happened. Its the day I've been waiting for. I'm excited. I started doing this drawing-a-day excursion because I didn't think I drew enough, and always used to draw all the time. And I loved drawing. I had fun drawing. And today, I'm listening to the Catherine Wheel, and I'm really, really excited about drawing. And I draw. And I love the result. The feelings back.

I was listening to Belly tonight. They've actually been in my mind since I woke up today for some reason. Although this morning the album Star was in my head....these drawing actually come from lyrics in the album King.

I used to draw all this abstract landscapes and other just purely imaginative stuff. I'm going to try working that way. I started with my iMac and then just added everything else.

I watched Glory Daze today. Great film, but always leaves that lonesome feeling in the pit of my stomach. I shouldn't watch it unless I am hanging with Pat. However....for you Pat....Up the Academy.

Whenever I drive home to my parents I always pass this sign along Rt. 5 ( I think its Rt 5) in Broadalbin for a place called Meatland. Its just a giant white advertisement at the corner of some intersection. Years ago I took a picture of it, just because I find it such a funny sign, and name of a store. It literally says "We make meat affordable." I kept expecting to see a butcher next to the sign waving a leg of ham at me. Here's a picture, and then my doodle.

New Day.
New Year.
New Sketchbook.
New Doodle.

Little Devil Guys. I drew the one on the top first and then the parts randomly, finishing up with the larger guy down towards the bottom. Little Devil Guys....gotta love them.