CoE - Merry double X-mas and an insane New Year!

Not getting much drawing done these days. Lotsa work. Lotsa partying. Finally, FINALLY organizing my travels to India! Well, could be worse, I guess?
Therefore, enjoy more doodle diaries while I'm busy turning my life inside out.


Yes, we seriously have a decorated Christmas yucca palm tree. Traditionally. (And yes, I totally kicked my dad's ass at slotcar racing! Harrr!!)
Also, if you don't know who Hansi Hinterseer is - don't search. Be grateful.


Christiane Rösinger is super awesome. Although, I guess her songs are a lot less fun if you don't understand the (German) lyrics.

By the way, my work is featured on the Mendeley Blog! Sometimes, things just get so... unreal. I have to admit, I first thought it was spam or an evil joke (because, let's face it, which serious person would possibly link to my doodle diaries?). Now, I'm really flattered. Heh. And I want to emphasize that Mendeley is a neat program. Absolutely worth the near tenosynovitis (and I'm not saying that because they like my comics). So, in case you're looking for a reference manager - there are versions for Windows, Linux (yay!) and Mac, and they're free!

CoE - Christmas memories

Do you still remember these? It feels like ages since I posted the last one. Well, I'm way too neurotic to fill the rest of that book with something completely different, so I'll just keep trying to fight time and catch up eventually, some time, maybe...

Breaking the ice

Now that I'm finished with the Sketchbook Project, I finally started with the Moleskine sketchbook (real sketchbook, not shitty flimsy notebook in disguise) I treated myself to some time ago. Just couldn't resist when I walked past it in the bookstore. I always have to pull myself together not to hoard too many at a time - serious case of sketchbook squirrel disease (includes: finding sketchbooks you never knew you bought). Also, I'm one of those who are ridiculously afraid of "the first page". Especially if it's such an expensive one. Usually the best: start with a bad drawing. Breaks the ice. :)


I guess I now know why they have a dedicated watercolor sketchbook. I've never seen paper behave in such a weird way after getting in contact with a little bit of water. Sepia ink isn't much better either. So, uh, don't try this at home, kids.

Top secret sketchy sketchbook

I'm fully immersed in paperwork again these days. And by that, I'm afraid, I quite literally mean "writing papers on nitroxyl radicals" rather than "having fun with a pen on paper". So, in order to give you something to look at anyway, here are a few pages from my otherwise really really totally top secret sketchy sketchbook (the small and crappy one I always carry with me to avoid any chance of getting bored for even a few seconds during the day).

An old left-hand-drawing:


One of my favorite good-night rituals (right after listening to Harry Potter audiobooks): Quickly sketching random people from the newspaper while the windows of my bedroom are open to let in some fresh air before going to bed.


The following ballpoint sketches are from a reading by Friederike Mayröcker. Readings are wonderful for sketching people. They hold still focused on the author and don't even realize they're being watched! He-he-he!

A bra-blem

I've been busy all weekend celebrating my dad's 50^th birthday, reading a very absorbing book about sheep detectives, and drawing silly comic strips for next week, so please be contented with an older work of mine for today. It's my submission for Elizabeth J.M.W.'s bra-zine. Unfortunately, it hasn't been published yet. I suppose it's because she hasn't received enough contributions (it's a compzine). Sooo, if you feel inspired, go for it and help an ambitious zinester! Click HERE to see what she's looking for and how to contact her (don't worry, the topic is very loosely defined).

Sketchbook Project - it will be done, I swear!

Of course, I could have just sent it in with a few empty pages, but what are all-nighters for if not for a good sketchy cause?

Cover:

"First" page:
(people can - and hopefully will - insert there own "screens" into the transparent pocket!)

Back:

And the cover as a whole:

If you want more detail, just click the images and you'll be beamed to my flickr (there's a dedicated set for my Sketchbook Project, in case you haven't noticed!).
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to bed... wait, no. Work. Knew there was something else. Dang.

Sketchbook Project - almost there!

I'm not so very happy with these pages, but anyway. Time is short. It's almost done!


There are two things I want to say about this:
1) The most realistic aspect of this sketch is probably the size of the pencils - turquoise and violet-blue have been among my all-time favorites since kindergarten.
2) Straight lines are devil's work! Seriously. I'm just no good at straight-lined objects. (Maybe a reason why I'm not too fond of drawing buildings...)

Aaaand the last page (aka house advertising):


Not entirely there yet, though. I still have the very first page (yeah, totally copped out and left it empty till now) and the cover.

Sketchbook Project - Save yourself!

Didn't we all love cartoons? And didn't we learn so much watching them? No matter if our little brains wanted to or not? Thank you, Disney, for teaching me to distinguish good from bad. Now, how about finally becoming aware of your power and the accompanying responsibility and acting accordingly? I'm looking forward to the first movie I would feel wholeheartedly comfortable with showing to my potential children.

Because it just makes me feel sick (and sad) thinking of how far the pressure to be "perfect" has gone:


Dear women who consider genital surgery (for "aesthetic" reasons),
have you ever thought about what else you could do with those thousands of dollars? Seriously, do yourself a favor and better spend that money on fancy designer vibes or a good therapist, for example. Because you're worth it.

Sketchbook Project - let go

Let go and open up for something better!



If it was always so easy (and fast!).

An examplary dialogue:

Dear Fate, please hurry up with the new good stuff!
Dear E*phi, will you please work on your patience already!

I miss you

Playing around with an idea. From manual to digital.




I've got about a million variations of this theme in my head (well, almost) which I might decide to work on for my portfolio thingy some time.

For my non-German-speaking readers: "Du fehlst mir" means "I miss you". It's supposed to be a word play (more obvious in German - directly translated it's more like "I lack you").

Sketchbook Project - sober fun and curiosity

Lesson number one: Always have your good ol' permanent marker with you!


Lesson number two: Nosy people get to see more of the world!


This was a bit difficult to scan (I didn't want to fold and squish it too much).
FYI: The embroidery on her panties says "How DARE you?".

You see, my Sketchbook really is interactive and (most of all) very educational.

Oh, and I'd like to emphasize that, in real life, looking up somebody's panties is a total NO-NO unless they unambiguously ask you to. Seriously. Consent for the win, baby!

Sketchbook Project - relaxingly stupid

These are very sketchy, indeed (no pun intended). But it's called The Sketchbook Project for a reason, isn't it?

Sometimes I must stop myself from working on a picture. Sometimes because the paper starts to dissolve.

((clicky-beam yourself to flickr to actually be able to read this!))

We have a saying that the first day of the new year will set the theme for the rest of it. If that's true, I'll spend 2011 drawing comics and eating loads of chocolate. Not too bad, actually. (Although, my boss/supervisor Mr G won't be impressed.)