An Artist Q&A

(This is not a comic post, this is a "ramble" post)

It's been so long since I've *written* a blog post, I am not sure how to appropriately begin...so I'll just start talking.
About a week and a half ago, I received correspondence from Patience Brewster...Patience is an amazingly imaginative, well known illustrator. I first discovered her work about 10 years ago, when I acquired a little day planner with some of her fantasy art as a design motif. Immediately, I fell in love with her work. It's fantasy art, but...there is something so distinctly original and hilarious about her pictures. Something extra special for a weirdo to appreciate.

In essence, Patience has asked me to participate in sharing some stuff about my artist self. This is fitting, as whatever I do tend to share is not so much about my artist self, just all my other selves. So, here are five questions that I have been given to ponder on and answer:

1) As a child, do you recall a significant moment when you felt truly affected or inspired by any particular artwork or artist?
Well, does an obsession with Popeye count? I've always loved cartoons. In my early childhood I also recall a strong fondness for "In a Dark Dark Room" (I believe this particular version was a Scholastic publication, with very intense illustrations) and Stephen Gammell's wicked scary pictures in the Scary Stories books by Alvin Schwartz. Quentin Blake's work in the Roald Dahl books (ALL OF THEM!) Oh! And the art by Rien Poortvliet in the Gnomes book (written by Wil Huygen). Those are the ones that stand out most.

2) As an artist, what do you hope to convey with your work?
Humor. Silliness. Play. Laughing is my favorite thing in all the world, I love doing it, I love other people doing it, I love hearing it, I love causing it. Perhaps I subconsciously try to portray some sort of personal diagram of self acceptance. Life is not all good and sparkly, it can be ugly and pain-filled at times, or it can be any gray area of dangerous/fun/boring/delightful, etc...but man, there's always ALWAYS something to laugh at.

3) What memorable responses have you had to your work?

This was the most difficult of the five questions for me. Every response is a memorable one, honestly, as I don't get tons and tons. I take every sale as a compliment! Actually, here's a list of things that I consider to be huge compliments and/or great big hugs (in no particular order):
Tattoos of my work
commission requests
Repeat sales/ repeat customers
Word of mouth

Of course, I have encountered a low to moderate amount of negative feedback. Honestly, I take most of it as an issue of taste. We all have different cone and rod set ups for our eyeballs, we all have assorted life experiences which sway us in certain ways, we are all doing our own different life-things-and-stuff. I don't take a lot of it personally. I don't take it personally if someone doesn't like waffles, or roses, or rose-flavored waffles. To each their own!

4) What is your dream project?
There are so many. To generalize a bit, I'd love to work REALLY big. Mural big. Billboard big. BIG! A coloring book (somewhat in the works). Illustrating a book, or a board game (does this make me sound obsolete?)

5) What artists, of any medium, do you admire?
Jim Henson and Dr. Seuss - they make me laugh
Edward Gorey and Aubrey Beardsley - I love etchings and black and white line work. They are both bizarre and hilarious as well.
Bill Watterson. Gary Larson. Bill Amend.
Frances Hodgson Burnett. She wrote The Secret Garden. What I admire about her is her sheer love for writing- she was so poor at one time that she could not afford paper to write on, so she saved and used every old scrap- the backs of envelopes, inside of book covers, anything. That is perseverance. That is admirable.
Pretty much anyone that can play an instrument.

I want to take a moment to thank Patience Brewster for encouraging my participation in this Q&A. Imagine an artist that adores Christmas as much (or probably MORE) than I dislike Christmas...That is Patience! She has brought so many of her whimsical illustrations to life as Christmas ornaments, so please take a moment to check those out at this link, perhaps get a big head start on the holiday shopping:
https://www.patiencebrewster.com/ornaments
Of course, Patience has her own Artist Q&A blog post, at this link:
https://www.patiencebrewster.com/blog/qa/

I hope all of you who have stuck through this ramble have enjoyed reading! If you have any questions of your own that you'd like to ask me, I do welcome them! You may ask them here in the comments, or you can always send me an email at darklingem@gmail.com

xo!
Em
zombietoes.com
Zazzle shop
etsy shop
eBay

Clownterpart

Ah, hi, I know it's been a little bit since I've posted a comic...so...here ya go, jerk faces! Muahahahahahaah!! Love yous!



Come back next Thursday, I'll have another...

xo!
Em

Or...you can always get the latest updates on EVERYTHING at the website:zombietoes.com

Door Face

Gotta watch where you're going, ESPECIALLY if you are rushing around.



Speaking of not paying attention, I can see now that I have neglected to fully color in one of my frames here. And I'm gonna just leave it as is, because it's serendipitous, or some crap.

In other news, I have a new fox painting up for auction on eBay:


"Two Beggars" original fox painting

I'd tell you what else I am up to, but it is not ready to be discussed yet. That's my annoying way of saying that I am not up to nothing...in fact, I am probably up to no good. But at least it's something, huh?

xo!
Em

If you don't like the foxes, but would still like to support my creative life, you can always visit the shoppe:
zombietoes.etsy.com

Man Hands

So...yeaaaaah...I have picked up a part time job at a local video rental store...and that means Customer Service, which I really am just no good at...But it's good practice in maintaining my "social" side.

This is pretty much my "Happy Valentine's Day" to you all. Please don't get all creative with your compliments, a simple, classic "You look nice today" will suffice. Why make things more painful and awkward than they already are?

xo!
Em

Hey I know some of you have filed your taxes, so you should spend some of your returns on the solid investment of cartoons: zombietoes.etsy.com

No Glitter

Crafty time!

xo!
Em
It's a little late to get things shipped in time for holiday gifts, but...it's never too late to shop for yourself. :D zombietoes

M + M + m&ms

Tom Waits says "when life gets you down, and you've lost all your dreams, there's nothing like a campfire, and a can of beans". This is my personal version of that (though life is not getting me down at the moment):



xo!
Em

Get your Halloween goodies here: zombietoes

bear and rabbit

Something a little different:



xo!
Em

zombietoes.etsy.com

Pork Nose

xo!
Em

zombies. toes. zombietoes.

Fantasia Bathroom

Seriously, it's like a touch-free car wash. I just want to know...WHY?!?

xo!
Em
You guys, I have tons of crazy fun stuff in my shop, please take a moment to check it out, maybe even share the link? zombietoes.etsy.com

The Cut-Off

Take it however you can get it, I guess.

xo!
Em
T shirts, bags, puppets, art, hilarious pictures, prints, zombies, monsters...get some: zombietoes.etsy.com

High Five Cat

This happened the other day. I love this man, even though he is a cat.

xo!
Em

SHHHHopppppping: zombietoes

Landry

Well.
I'm not sure how to open this post.
So I'll just go at it:

Lost some folks in April.
The loss of this particular individual touched me deeper than I thought it would, perhaps because of the timing- please read.

Yours is the very first name in my phone contact list. I only ever called you when you were super late to work...which was often enough that I would bother to save your number.
You always greeted me with one of two things- "Hey Creepy!" or "Hey Gorgeous!"- equally hilarious and fitting. Of course, this is how you greeted most people. Still, it had its charms.
I never spent any time with you outside of work. I wouldn't say we were friends, though we got along well enough. You knew every word to every song ever written, and who sung it, what year, who the hell the drummer was, how many covers were made, and by which singers...you knew so much goddamn music trivia. Why you were never a radio station DJ is beyond me. I once had to go home and look up "Eiffel Tower" because I got trapped in the walk-in with you and Tron for, like, ten seconds one day. I also remember the time a bottle of grenadine flew off the shelf at you and smashed on the floor. We talked about ghosts a lot, which is a strange thing to reflect on now, but then again...it really isn't.
I'm not going to sit here and blather on about all the good things you did and whatever, because, like I said...I never really knew your life. I only knew you- the flail scene, the joker, the risk taker, the hungover, the really pissed off, the kind of pissed off, the reckless, loving living a little too much, the clean, the dirty...the Landry. I do choose to remember you fondly, however, because...people like me need to have the influence of people like you.


Click to view larger

xo XO!!
Em

Because I had to take some time off work for another death (in the family) I would REALLY EXTRA appreciate any patronage these days! Please don't think this is some sick marketing ploy, it is more like...it is my FIRST job to take care of the people I love when they call on me, and sometimes that means calling out of work, and suffering a bit financially. zombietoes.etsy.com

C Cups

This happened last week. What a rough morning. Also, it happened yesterday morning, but I did not flail as badly.

xo!
Em
Support your favorite cartoon lady and buy the cool stuff she makes! zombietoes.etsy.com

Dorkling Art Hour- critters and rambling...plus a work in progress!

It's Art Time, y'all! You will get a comic later this week, I swear it! For now, though, you will have to indulge in some cartoon-y, lowbrow, giggle-inducing critters! Let me introduce you to "Mel"- Mel is a lone jellyfish, based on my older "Kellie, Ellie, and Nellie" Cartoon Aquarium painting, which was so much fun to paint, I thought I'd make some more!
"Mel" is a small 5" x 7" acrylic painting on a canvas panel- he is available for purchase through my etsy shop (just click on the link below, or the picture):


"Mel" original jellyfish painting

Now, I know I paint a lot of sea creatures. I don't know why, really, I just do. Some things are just better left to mystery. Of course, from time to time I also paint OTHER critters, such as "Gurble":


"Gurble" original monster art

This rabid little monster is one of my favorites, and always makes me laugh...especially when I am in the studio working on something frustrating. I look up, and he is there, making the same faces and noises that I am...He is also available for purchase at the link above :)

I recently drew this in my sketchbook:



I decided this morning that it needs to be a painting. So, that's happening now- a few work in progress shots for ya:






Weee!! I love to paint. I mean, I love my pens and my markers, but sometimes I can't do what I want with them. This is what I'm up to. Don't worry, I did go outside today :P
I suppose I should also tell you to stay tuned for some more work in progress pics and the final painting...and the comic, of course!

xo!
Em
Not into art so much? Well, I make other things, too: zombietoes.etsy.com

Miss Communication

If you don't get it, you should not have slept through health class in high school. Dang, I kind of just sounded like a high school health teacher...

xo!
Em
So...(plug plug plug)zombietoes.etsy.com

Rainbow Puppies

So...I am a bit overworked lately-- if you know me, my admission of this fact alone should give you a good idea of HOW MUCH WORK that actually is-- and if you do not know me, you are a lucky lucky son of a gun. ;P In any case...Here is something my friend Lesley says from time to time, when she is overwhelmed: "I just need some place where I can go for an hour and hang out with a bunch of dogs". Smart lady, that Lesley. Sometimes, when I am super busy and I can't get to a dog, I close my eyes and...there they are! In RAINBOW!!! Hahahahaha!!!



xo!
Em
Restocking things here and there...go check it out: zombietoes.etsy.com

Cartoon Ocean Art- Tad, Fish Hands, and Burt

Hallo! This is not a comic post...and for that I am sorry, but Christ on a crucifix, I cannot be funny ALL the TIME!!
*ahem* THIS post is about ART! CARTOONS! Dorky pictures I drew and would like to share with you! :D

Today's theme: the ocean! Why? I have been fascinated-verging-on-obsessed with the ocean for as long as I can recall. The quaint-looking (but wicked harsh) New England seaside is one of my first memories. Also...Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea...and we all know how I love me some magic dragons! But seriously, the most compelling reason, for me, to love the ocean is all the UNKNOWN out there. Out there, under the water that covers MOST of our planet. Think about it. Whoa, man, right? Of all the weird creatures my imagination could conjure up, there is something EVEN weirder lurking right next to us, but we just can't see it.
Anyway, enough rambling, how about some pictures? Three of my lowbrow water critter illustrations for you to feast your eyes upon:

"Tad"


Tad is all alone, totally lost, and extremely socially awkward (but has a heart of gold). He also looks pretty dern tired if you ask me.
The original painting is HERE
open edition 8" x 10" prints are HERE.

"Fish Hands"


I...don't even know. I just do not know.
The original illustration is HERE
I do not have prints available at this time, but if you want to nag me about it, feel free ;) Uh, actually, make sure you gauge my mood before you start the nagging. (Just some advice from a fickle person.)

"Burt"


Burt wants you to know what he's talking about... But he's not actually speaking, because this octopus has no mouth! Hope you can read eyelids...
The original illustration (framed!) is HERE!
I do not have prints of him available yet, either, but again with the nagging thing...feel free.

So, those are some of my arts. I will do more of these posts in the future, perhaps one a month? Why am I asking you? :P I hope you've enjoyed the display :) Tell you friends, tell your mom. <3

xo!
Em
Not into art so much? Well, I make other things, too: zombietoes.etsy.com

Hole Bagger

Uh, this is exactly what happened. Seriously, it's not me, I don't make this shit up. I am really not all that hilarious, as far as I can tell. I just document hilarity in the wild.



...but I do love to draw angry Leo. Hahaha!

xo!
Em

Bag yourself some awesome handmade art and other goodies: zombietoes.etsy.com

Inhumane

One of these days, I'm gonna bite his head off...



xo!
Em

PS- It is TOTALLY OKAY to feed this particular bear! To do so, just purchase some art from her shop: zombietoes.etsy.com Rawrz!

The Lonely Hole

Just...laugh at my pain. It's okay, I'm giving you permission.



xo!
Em

BUY ALL THE THINGS!!!!----> zombietoes.etsy.com