California Week!

This week I write to you from the great state of the ocean and movie stars, though I am actually in the part of the state with fog and redwoods and the golden gate bridge...still have the ocean though...even if I have YET to convince anyone to take me there.  That better happen before I leave town.  Just sayin'. 

Anyway, after my last entry I managed to follow that week up with a week-long anxiety attack (oh, chemical imbalances are FUN), which eventually resulted in a hospital trip at which they did all kinds of comforting tests and also prescribed me anti-anxiety medication which is not so much a day-to-day function drug as a tranquilizer that will knock me unconscious if I start just totally freaking out.  So there's that.  

Luckily, I got all of that dealt with in time to get home and finish last-minute pre-trip work and then spend the rest of the evening fighting more with character design.  And on Friday morning, a shuttle took me to the airport and I got on a plane that took me to California (well...with a stop and a plane change).  Aside from dodgy internet (see: pretty much none) in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and a failure to run into Benedict Cumberbatch in an airport and make him somehow fall in love with me, the trip was really pretty excellent.  Delta has good coffee.  On two different full flights I had an empty seat between me and the other row occupant and on both, had multiple attractive dudes in my vicinity.  And I spent pretty much all of both flights drawing and (finally) listening to Cabin Pressure. Which is awesome and hilarious.  

Since being in town, I've been dividing my time between trying to form cohesive plans with flakey Californians, working on freelance, and hiding away with my sketchbook and doodling.  I have a bunch of trip sketches but, though I've posted a few smartphone pics on tumblr and twitter, they just aren't really quality, and I want to get proper scans...so I'll post pics when I get home.  

Also, I was unable to resist this amazing art book at the fabulous Japantown bookstore:

Basically, it is the sketchbook of this excellent tattoo artist and painter (Gunnar), and it is tres inspiring.  

Also, as a side note on things that are inspiring, my friend Beth introduced me to this guy's YouTube channel where he a) demonstrates art techniques, and b) just shows off his students' awesome sketchbooks.  I can't watch it without wanting to lock myself away and draw all day.  FABULOUS. 

I haven't been doing daily warmups this week (I have been drawing daily, but not doing studies) but I do have last week's.  I decided that, as I'm not great at feet and legs and shoes, I'd work on those with varying degrees of success. 

I also accidental a fan art of two.  

Oh John, you're such a BAMF.  

Anyway, that's the news from Lake Wobegone. 

Today I am getting dragged out on an adventure of mystery.  All I know is that it will start with a promised sushi dinner and that I'm to dress casual.  I think I will wear my ReaperSun tshirt with Sherlock and the Dalek.  Because I live in geek shirts.  

Until next time, remember not to giggle...it's a crime scene.