Saturday, May 19, 2012

5 Shades of Gray

I'm talking about pens, here, guys.  Pens.


I managed to find my favorite Faber Castell pens in Hobby Lobby recently.

Please stop staring at my strangely shaped thumb

I can tell you aren't nearly excited enough about this.

Maybe you don't know what can be done with gray pens.  Your ignorance pains me.

For example, you can make a lot of dots and draw a picture of the scary thing in the woods using thousands upon thousands of dots.

Want to know why I haven't been blogging lately?  

Well.

I was making dots.


Move over, Pisarro.  I have gray pens and I am not afraid to use them.

The title of this piece is, "I Know, Let's Go for a Hike in the Scary Woods".

I was also traveling for work last week in sunny California. I had to pretend to be a Responsible Adult for four days in a row, while my brain kept trying to get me arrested (It puts the wallet in the basket, or it gets the security pat down from TSA again).  It was pretty stressful, and I spent most of my free time there playing my ukulele.

Why yes, I do play the ukulele.  And I bring it with me when I travel.  And take it with me through airport security.

Ukuleles are cool.


I was so busy making dots and keeping my damned mouth shut, that I failed to keep up with my imaginary friends here in the blogoverse.

It turns out that while I was away, I won some awards.

What the hell, y'all?  It's like you want to hear what I have to say or some shit.

The first award is from Erica over at Touch of Embellishment.  Erica is one of those overachievers that actually illustrates her blog (just like almost everyone wishes they could), and is ridiculously funny on a regular basis.  She consistently makes me laugh, and also makes me think I should be doing more with my blog:


She has nominated me for the "Beautiful Blogger Award", which makes me incredibly happy in so many ways.  Thank you so very much.

The second award that I received while I was out gallivanting around the countryside is from BeeBee at  Beebee's Blog.  She is the only blogger I have ever seen who has illustrated a picture of her unicorn impaling Chuck Norris in a single blow.  Seriously.  Thank you, BeeBee.




So both of these awards have all these rules and things, but I thought it might be fun to just combine these into the single most awesome blog award of all time.


I call it the:

I Want to Wear Your Head for a Hat Award:







It might not be quite as prestigious as the "Your Skin Would Make a Nice Rain Coat" award, but this one is still full of awesome.

The rules:
  1. Link back to the person who tagged you.  Say what you will.  It doesn't have to be nice.  Just know that I will find you.
  2. Run like hell and hope that that crazy bitch who is following you doesn't saute your tongue in a butter and garlic sauce.

    Wait wait.  That isn't right.  That should read, "that crazy bitch that 'joined' you in Google Friend Connect."

    Or circled you... or whatever the hell these crazy kids do these days.

    Aw, fuck it.

    Run.
  3. Nominate some OTHER bloggers and ensure that they will never sleep again.  


Were you nominated?  Hrm.  Let's see.  Is your blog over on the right there, under "Stuff I Read"?

You're it.

Congratulations.

Is anyone else hungry for some fava beans and a nice chianti?  Is it wrong that I'd rather have beer?


35 comments:

Crack You Whip said...

Love the work with pens! I've used graphite pencils, but never pens.
Congrats on the award!

Stephanie said...

Oh my god. Your award is THE BEST. Seriously. I might even do that one, and we all know that I'm not one for awards. Because you know what? I totally DO want to wear your head as a hat! That's how much I love your head.

Your picture is gorgeous. You do know that I've been showing your bones comic to everyone I know? I'm still waiting for it to be buy-able.

And with the shades? And the gray? Is this turning into some kind of a smut blog? I'm incensed. And also titillated. But mostly incensed.

Leauxra said...

Crack You Whip: I really love any media I have in my hand. If you use graphite a lot, have you tried ball point pens? I have come up with some awesome stuff using ball point pens... it looks just like graphite only shinier and slightly more permanent.

Stephanie: You want to wear my head as a hat? Holy crap, I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!

The comic will be available once I get around to rescanning the images... I was in a hurry when I did it the first time and didn't always lay the page flat so they are slightly out of focus. And I need to draw a cover. But I will put it out, probably on lulu. I will make a huge announcement when it's ready.

And the funny thing about the title? I haven't read that smutty book, but people keep talking about it so I know it's all sexy and stuff. The question is: How do YOU know about it?

Jen said...

And yet another reason to NEVER HIKE AGAIN!!! Love the picture -- very Maurice Sendak-y. :)

karensomethingorother said...

I'm over there on the right! I'm THERE! ME! HOORAY!

Oh, I haven't done pointillism in years! So fun. I can appreciate many shades of grey. I think I need to do some dots. Loved your scary woods art.

Anonymous said...

What a super rad picture that is. Oh, and I will never go into the woods again, thanks. I think those eyes might be following me.

Oh crap, I'm over there, aren't I? Yep, just checked. But, but . . . I kinda LIKE my head attached to my neck. I'm old school like that. Sigh, well . . . ok then. You can have it. But only cuz I'm a team player!

KK and UK said...

Awesome--there I am/we are on the right!

Oh, and you do have a funny thumb.

Leauxra said...

Jen: Come on, you know you want to go. There are hardly any trolls. Hardly at all.

karensomethingorother: You should try it (pointillism I mean). It is really enjoyable in a therapeutic sort of way. Or color with crayons. It's awesome.

mistyslaws: You know you want to go hiking with me. I make it... exciting. And just because I want to wear your head for a hat doesn't mean I'll succeed. It's just a term of endearment.

KK and UK: I am going to get you for that thumb comment. You wait.

Love said...

I love the stuff you draw.

Your ukelele playing makes me all gooey inside - in a nice way.

Your awards won are WELL-deserved, and.... I really do want to wear your head as a hat... well.... maybe not... but I like that drawing... again, back to the first sentence of this comment.

Leauxra said...

Love: Aww, thanks. I am trying to get back into drawing every day. That, along with my ukulele playing means I don't have time to watch TV anymore, which I think is a good thing.

I am considering setting up shop on etsy... we'll see. After I get back from vacation, I mean.

Keith said...

I'm NOT there, I'm NOT!! So I'm free!! Free to write and do something else. Which in my case is talking about what a puppy picked up during a walk and I had to pry it out of his mouth and it wasn't even my dog anyways. Those with weak stomachs don't want to read. Those who are intrigued follow the link in a little while.

Leauxra said...

Keith: Well, that was an oversight. I apologize. You are totally nominated (I mean if you promise not to call the cops).

Jim said...

I love that I now have a picture of the troll in the woods to accompany the blog post about the troll in the woods. And it's all pointillisty.

Anonymous said...

Cool dot picture! If I tried to do that, it would just look like dots.

Congrats on the awards!

Leauxra said...

Jim: I am going to forever refer to this type of drawing as "all pointilisty". I love it.

Thoughtsy: MINE looks like a bunch of dots if you get up close. It looks better from far away. :)

And thanks much. Of course, you win the "I GOT TO MEET THE BLOGGESS" award, AND the "I want to wear your head as a hat award", so not to shabby yourself.

Leauxra said...

Jim: I am going to forever refer to this type of drawing as "all pointilisty". I love it.

Thoughtsy: MINE looks like a bunch of dots if you get up close. It looks better from far away. :)

And thanks much. Of course, you win the "I GOT TO MEET THE BLOGGESS" award, AND the "I want to wear your head as a hat award", so not to shabby yourself.

MakingSpace said...

Awesomeness!

First, your dotted artwork.

Second, your cannibalistic self-talk. What.

Third, my award, which I shall now pass along to an unsuspecting victim or twenty! Woot!

This was a nice way for me myownself to return to the blogosphere after a few busy weeks away. Thank you!

Leauxra said...

MakingSpace: Oh good! I've been WAITING for someone to pass on the love. Even if my graphic is poorly designed for the award. But, IT'S A MAJOR AWARD!

MakingSpace said...

I will be doing it this weekend and will link back to your post. You rocketh, and now I feel like one of the cool kids. Ferserious.

Susan Bodendo/Super Earthling said...

I started following you a while ago but haven't really had a chance to browse your blog until today. Wow! Your artwork is absolutely fabulous! And the award you designed is sheer genius. :D

I love to use shades of gray pens along with black too. I can really get carried away with detail and tons of tiny dots and lines. It's so relaxing and therapeutic, isn't it (my husband calls it manic but what the hell does he know--LOL)?

My current love is Sharpies. It's funny, I've got all sorts of expensive art pens in my studio but I find that I just love the look and feel of Sharpies.

Happy to have found your blog!

--Susan

Tom G. said...

Oh crap! I picked the wrong week to be out of town. Now I look like some sort of ingrate.

Also, I would like to point out that I'm sort of gristle-ly, and probably would require a more full bodied ale.

Leauxra said...

MakingSpace: Rock! You will be the first person (that I know of) who will be passing on the "love". Win!

SuperEarthling: Welcome to my brain! I'm glad you like the ol' award thingy... I was starting to get worried that it was a bit... ah... offputting?

And I LOVE Sharpies... provided I have something for them to soak into. Sharpie paper needs to be invented, stat!

(And and and... dots are awesome. I also love tracing my lettering on comic book pages, something that is supposed to be boring and drive one to drink. I find it relaxing).

Tom G.: Oh good, I've been in the mood for a Scottish Ale... ;)

johnpeterjohn said...

your drawing is just a inspiration to my kids :)
Online Reading Resources for Kids

Tom G. said...

In that case, may I recommend Odell's 90 Schilling Ale?

Leauxra said...

johnpeterjohn: Thanks for saying!

Tom G.: I live within reasonable distance to: Grimm Brothers Brewery (an up and coming, expect to see them national in the next few years), Big Beaver Brewery, Oskar Blues, Lefthand Brewery, Fort Collins Brewery, Equinox, Funkworks, Odell's, New Belgium, Crabtree, and that doesn't even count Denver or Boulder. I also make my own, and have recently converted an old fridge to be the keg fridge, and have stopped bothering to bottle my beer at all. I think I can find a good beer. :D

Also: I love beer.

I wonder how well you'd go with something a bit hoppier.

MOV said...

congrats on all the awards! you need to build a big (cyber) shelf to house them all!

best,
MOV

Anonymous said...

You play the ukulele AAAaand you draw with gray pens?!!! Can we be best friends please?

Come At Me Bro said...

This is great!

Leauxra said...

MOV: I totally followed your advice and made a cyber shelf for all my awards. I can be a show off, YAY!

Izzy Mason: Oh, we should TOTALLY be besties. Wait, do you play the ukulele? Please tell me you play.

Come At Me Bro: Thanks muchly!

Youngman Brown said...

Hi, I know you haven't updated in a while, but I love your drawings and I was wondering if I could purchase one of them for my new apartment.

I didn't see an e-mail address, so I figured this was the best way.

Please get back to me.

Your fan,
Youngman Brown
youngmanbrown@yahoo.com

Leauxra said...

Wow, THANK YOU, Youngman.

I have emailed you directly with information about purchasing one of my pieces. You have completely made my day. I think you win the "I Want to Wear Your Head as a Hat" award today!

MakingSpace said...

I'm late but I'm here with the link to my passing on of the award. http://makingspacethejourneyout.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/i-want-to-wear-your-head-as-a-hat/ Thank you!!!

Leauxra said...

MakingSpace: This filles me with an unimaginable amount of glee. I want to see this award cross the blogosphere!

MakingSpace said...

I agree! So far it's gone from me to two dogs. I think this means something... hehe

MakingSpace said...

For your information the beat (or is it beat-down?) goes on! http://musingsontheporch.blogspot.com/2012/07/action-jackson-dog-of-adventure.html