An American robin (Turdus migratorius) and a common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) happily foraging the new grass in front of the home.
Tagged american robin, Birding, birds, Common grackle, spring
The TCAF is an annual event in Toronto for all Comics lovers. I went from the opening until 13h, sorry for all of you I missed!
Tagged art, Comics, TCAF, Toronto, Toronto COmic Arts festival
Summer is (almost) on us, the urge to swim is overwhelming… But why are our lake waters becoming greenish and gluey? Continue reading
My May special of the Joys of Signing is ready !
50+ years of Spiderman… and my husband and I almost read them all!
Yes, the new Spiderman Movie is out… and, by a splendid coincidence, this weekend is the Free Comic Book Day! Come and enjoy the activities organised by the Streetsville at the Image Collections store!
Yes, every comic con has its hassles ! All artists compete for the “prime space lots” and, at the TCAF, for any signing space. (I did not get in this year, so may be in May 2015. The upbeat is that I will have graphic novels out.)
This inspired me this page, well retouched with Manga Studio, and a slight wink to Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, the ISS commanding officer.
For the science fiction afficionados (especially those who saw Gravity!) there are at least 25 totally irrealist or unexact things, besides kiosk 63 frail “bubble”: among them, the Canadarm has changed from 2004 (the new version here), and the Space shuttles were replaced by Soyouz ships…
Moreover, you can see a lot of obsolete art material floating around the signing table! Those who can spot my Ames Lettering Guide will be reward by a cordial salute at the next Con. Where? If you missed me in the TCAF crowd, I will be at the Image collections Comic shop, for the Bread and Honey festival of Streetsville (Saturday June 7th).
Posted in Art, Comics, Science-fiction
Tagged Ames Lettering Guide, Chris Hadfield, Comic Con, graphic novels, ISS, Manga Studio, Streetsville Bread and Honey festival, TCAF, Webcomic
This scene unfolds at the Salon du livre de Québec, so the last panel shows the Québec Parliement in the background. There was no freezing spell there, but it really happened at a similar event!
This comic page was done with my Intuos tablet and modified on Manga Studio. It is no 27 in the Splendors and Miseries of the Signing Table series, the French version here. And yes, it was snowing when I drew this comic…
Many thanks to Jack Ruttan who translated this page from French!
This pic was taken last February in my garden, by minus 20 Celsius. The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis, don’t you love Latin!) and the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) seemed to observe a truce, in order to keep their energy. They nestled in the center of a wildrose bush invaded by the vines. The junco appears more blue than gray.
Below is a better view of the cardinal, before the approach of a squirrel had the two birds hopping away. (In this very dense foliage, none could immediately fly away.)
Those pics were taken through the windowpane, so the diminished/whitish colors were accentuated afterward in Gimp.
March 4, 2014 in Photos, sciences
Tagged Birding, birds, Cardinal, Junco, Ontario, Photography, winter
For 2014, here is this fresh comic page, scanned at 600 dpi, resized to 300 dpi, then retouched in greytones. It will be the first page of Honors Road, a science fiction manga, from my own Gardeners universe. (It will be published in French and English). It is always a challenge for me drawing sea shore, especially the foreground shallow water.
On the last day of the year, I set myself time to draw comics. Allan Watts suggested to think about what would you like to do if money was no object. Drawing comics is my favourite activity. It helps me crating or re-creating new worlds, and adding to the collective imaginarium.
And this is valid for all fields. Reading, sciences research, music, or even contemplating nature in silence feed our imagination.
Here are two artists-bloggers I discovered recently: Melanie Gillman, who make a good use of color pencils. And I visit the Zen Pencils blog, by artist Gavin Aung Than. The artist draw cartoons from inspitrational quotes.
My good 2014 resolution : each month, I will choose a graphic artist website and give a small amount (5$, a large gourmet coffee)in his or her Cookie Jar.
Artists, musicians, writers, even the more popular among us, do not accumulate great riches. Bottom line-seeking companies, even the most successful, now frown upon paying the artists and even steal their work when they can get away with it.
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Despite the freezing cold, I wish you all a new year filled with joy and creativity!
Posted in Art, Comics, Society
Tagged Alan Watts, artist, Comics, Gavin Aung Than, manga, Melanie Gillman, New Year, Science-fiction
This is what I added on my Holiday cards this year, as Canada Post announces its plans to shut down the door-to-door mail delivery in cities.
It is a small tribute to all the men and women who are often the sole contact with older people. Already, Canadians living in the country have to drive to their new superboxes. I hope that my future city mailboxe will be in walking distance.
And the Beatles song will never resonate the same way ever:
Please, Mr. Postman…
No need to know how to draw: just do a quick red sketch in the bottom left of your envelope, with a kind word. You may do a small delivery truck if you feel up to the challenge instead of those rounded red mailboxes.
December 14, 2013 in Event, Society
Tagged Canada Posts, Holidays, Postman, Thank-you
Echoes of a Sunday artist 
