More from behind the rock ...

I broke one of my own rules. Remember when I boldly stated I would stick to only a few patterns when I would render textures a few posts ago? Well I didn't. I am constantly trying to match Chew's brush strokes and pen marks ... and I have to admit that I'm not good at it. From now on if Matt inks a rock, I will have to draw and ink my own rock. Because the marks he puts down on paper is just bananas. Don't get me wrong - I like bananas. Bananas are sweet and soft and ...

I don't like where that was going. Anyway, I'm going to stick to my three pattern rule and see how it pans out. I just gotta be me. And if it's ink mush I'm good at then so be it. Don't judge me.

As far as this panel goes ... I really liked the idea of a small group of angry fish warriors being represented with just a few harpoon points. That way, I didn't have to change the POV of the pirates but I was able to put them into a very sticky situation.

Chew and I discussed this over lunch today ... we are most likely not going to post the entire issue of Flex Fantastic 2 here on the blog. Instead, we will start to post a few other projects we have (or haven't) been working on. Chew will post the last Flex Panel (for a while, at least) in his next post. And then he'll post some other stuff. And the I'll post some stuff. And then he'll post some ... you get the idea.

- Jeff Tuffenstuff

A simple misunderstanding ...

About 13 or 14 years ago in college, I submitted a class project (a still life or a self portrait - I can't remember which) to a state fair art show. If the piece was selected, the artist would receive free tickets to the fair, could attend a small banquet and get his/her biography and artist's statement printed in a publication which would be distributed to all fair attendees. At the time, there wasn't a huge outlet for young, hopeful and aspiring wanna-be fine artists to showcase their work in our area. So when my piece was selected, I was ecstatic. When the publication arrived in the mail, I, of course, brought it to class to show all of my classmates ... and my professor. When I wrote the artist's statement, I wanted to be honest. I wanted to explain why I was compelled to make art. "Love to draw, huh?"asked my professor as he finished reading the statement out loud ... and proceeded to make fun of it and chastise me in front of everyone.

It stung.

Looking back on that moment, I should have done what every other artist did and still does... make up an explanation that uses big, smart sounding words that say nothing at all - a justification for creation - to appease the critics and the masses.

It took me a few days to write this post. I see this blog as an opportunity to share my process. The ideas that go into each panel. And I try really hard to sound smart. But I have to do this. Against my better judgement. I've decided to try honesty again ...

I wanted to draw Klepto peeing on Flex's leg.

- Jeff Tuffenstuff