Issue 157

Hello!

Hope you are in good spirits regardless of the ups and downs this week surely brought to your doorstep. This week was busy as usual and I'm so happy to say that ALL my creative work for the SPACESHIPS book is finished. Now I just need to dig into the file prep for the printer; fix typos, convert files to CMYK, and stuff like that. My goal was to get it finished before Inktober tomorrow and I'm so relieved to check that off my list.

Usually I have a plan going into Inktober, but the spaceships book has absorbed all of my extra focus and so I'm going into it tomorrow having no idea wha tI'm going to draw. I don't know if I feel exhilarated...or terrified!

Alright, here's 5 things I thought you'd find interesting this weekend.

Enjoy!

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1) The Stone Hand

From the Art Department

I've been so focused on spaceships since May that I haven't really drawn much else (besides freelance stuff). Yesterday, did a livestream on the Inktober IG account for Kuretake, who's one of this years Inktober sponsors. Yeah, it was also a paying gig, BUT I just got to draw something different that wasn't attached to anything and that was nice.

I used this pen set, which it GREAT for inking controlled lines that have a little life to them.

Work continues on the Spaceships book though! I finished the last of the comic pages and they're off to the colorist. Skull Chaser makes an appearance in the book!

I posted the comic pages over on Patreon this week, including ALL the process sketches and my tricks to make work go faster.

You can see all the behind the scenes stuff and more in the creation of this book, including secret stuff I can't share publicly. Sign up here: LINK​

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2) Entertainment Memorabilia Auction Catalogues

From the Arts and Culture Unit

I just discovered Propstoreauction.com. Every year they have a massive auction of movie props and the best part is you don't have to shell out any cash to appreciate these things because they have high resolution photos of them from all angles compiled in these beautiful auction catalogues that they let you download for FREE.

Check these out, lots of great reference for fan art, or creating your own IP. Also, just fun to see how these things were made by admiring the details up close.

Download the 2018 PDF here: LINK​

Download the 2019 PDF here: LINK​

Download the 2020 PDF here: LINK​

Download the 2021 PDF here: LINK​

Download the 2022 PDF here: LINK​

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3) The French Communist Party Headquarters

From the Architecture Desk

The French Communist Party headquarters in Paris designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer looks like a set for a sci-fi film. Georges Pompidou, the right-wing French president at the time this was built had this to say about it “it was the only good thing those Commies have ever done.” haha.

I think it's pretty cool too. Definitely good inspiration for making set pieces more cool.

You can read more about this place here: LINK​

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4) Sara Kipin

From the Illustrators Division

Burbank based illustrator Sara Kipin has great style, color palette, and concepts. Really glad I stumbled upon her work this week.

More art on her Behance: LINK​

Website: LINK​

Tumblr: LINK​

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5) On writers block

From the Inspirational Thought Unit

Great youtube interview with singer songwriter John Mayer here: LINK​

The part that stuck out to me was his take on writers block at 4:19​

"Writer's block is when the two people inside of you (the writer and the reader) when the reader doesn't love the writer....And so writer's block is not a failure to write, it is a failure to catch this feedback loop of enjoying what you're seeing and wanting to contribute more."

His answer to solving that problem is to write when you're ready to sit down and go for it. I can't believe that's what he actually does...but maybe it works for him. He is one of the greatest songwriters of this generation...but:

Ehhh...I'm not sure that's great advice, though I like the idea that writer's block (or creative block) is the creator and the consumer not jiving with each other.

My advice is the consumer inside of you doesn't always know what it wants, and the creator needs to show up and make something regardless of how the consumer in you is feeling. For long term creative sustainability you're going to need to let the creator be in charge. You can't just show up when the consumer in you is excited and motivated.

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That's all for this week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and hope you have a great weekend!

-Jake

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