...will he ever win?
Wally Wood worked on a hipster version of "The Night Before Christmas." I don't have the poem at hand, but I have these three illustrations (above and below) to remind us of what a knack Wood had for modernism.
Wood would have made a terrific architect. That fireplace (above) is beautiful, and the tree that spans two floors is pretty neat. I love the brickwork in the foreground and the idea of a mat-framed print to set it off. I love how the whole place is on levels. What do you think of the cheetah skin beret on the guy on the lower right?
Here (above) are beatnik children all snug in their beds while visions of Abstract Expressionism dance in their heads. Being the kids of cool parents they naturally wear headphones and dark glasses to bed, and have little goatees.
Boy, even Santa's reindeer are hip!
That's all I had to say about Wood. How about a few non-Wood pictures to round the post out?
What do you think of this photo (above) from the Christmas sequence of "Meet Me in St. Louis?" I get sentimental when I see pictures like this. Imagine how great Christmas would be if you had this many kids...okay maybe half this number, say...five or six. I had two and it definitely wasn't enough.
Bored Santas (above) are a whole genre of photography.
So are kids recoiling in horror from Santa.
Above, a good card to send a tall friend.
Can't afford a Christmas tree?
Surprisingly, some modern-day hipsters (above) are pretty good purveyors of the Christmas spirit. I guess they have a flair for design and this is a holiday that rewards that. Come to think of it, Halloween is a haven for designers too. The entire Fall and early Winter is a playground for artsy people like us.
Thinking about that reminds me of why I like Christmas so much. It's a time of the year that's steeped in profound tradition and sentiment, and it's simultaneously a fun celebration that's always trying to re-invent itself.
December 30, 2011 01:21 AM
I wish cartoonists would pay more attention to what people wear. Clothes are funny (above), though you'd never know it by looking at modern animation and newspaper strips.
A hundred years ago main characters were drawn like clowns with outrageous clothes. I admit that's going too far, but I prefer that to the bland clothes cartoon characters wear today.
The way I see it, characters should always dress to fit their occupation or physical type. Rich people should look rich, poor people should look poor. Texans should look like cowboys, fat people should look like opera singers, and skinny people should look like scarecrows.
Cartoon characters should live in homes that reflect their professions. They should speak and act the way people in their profession speak and act. Everybody should be visibly attached to a profession, even if that profession is loafer.
Cartoonists should exaggerate. Slightly rich people (above) should look and act very rich. Sneaky people should dress like professional sneaks, and not simply act that way while dressing normally.
Unfortunately we live in an era whose fashion is dominated by geniuses like Calvin Klein. Klein set himself to the task of making the common man look as elegant as the rich, and he pretty much succeeded. Now every working person looks good, but nobody looks funny anymore.
Er...well, maybe some people do. Thank God for emos, skaters and hip hoppers.
December 30, 2011 12:57 AM
December 29, 2011
I found a bunch of old model sheets from Stimpy's Pregnant. I thought about spinningoff Dr. Mr. Horse in his own soap opera series....supported by his faithful love interest, Nurse Sheep who worships the stable he trods in. Tears and laughs abound.Girls would eat this shit up, I tell ya.
December 29, 2011 04:20 PM
December 27, 2011
FORGIVE ME!!!!! I haven't been able to post because my kid is visiting and my computer is in the room he's using. He's a sports guy and my computer table is full of athletic gear, smelly socks, hair gel, underwear, crumbs and the like. Having him here is delightful, but he sure does fill a room. I'll be back Wednesday, if not before.
December 27, 2011 08:16 AM
December 25, 2011
Let's take a closer look at the Wally Wood architecture that I posted a few days ago. There was a lot going on there and one post wasn't enough to cover it.
Well, to begin with, we all know Wood is fond of tight spaces. He uses perspective cheats to make them appear more spacious, and that's a great technique. His spaces are simultaneously wide and cramped. There's no reason why real architecture can't do this.
Wood intuitively knows that tight spaces and varying levels (above) are sheltering and nurturing. We naturally seek safety in places like that. A house full of gullies and alcoves and ledges and interesting reveals fits the kind of creature we are.
Of course a home consisting of nothing but tight spaces would be claustrophobic. I like the way Wood opens up the space in front of the entrance. Immediately upon entering the house (or is it an apartment?) you're confronted with a choice: whether to walk down into the living room or up onto the second floor. From the vantage point of the door both choices are visible and enticing.
I know what you're thinking...that some modern architecture (sample above) already does all that...but does it? The examples I've seen are usually botched, like the bed above. Granted, it sits on a level or a ledge of sorts but it's lost in a gigantic, impersonal space. None of Wood's sheltering here.
For contrast, observe how Wood handles his levels (above). The levels resemble solid blocks. They seem to protect the girl sleeping in the single bed at the bottom of the stairs. I'm guessing that's a guest bed, which is also useful for reading and lounging in the middle of the day. Spacious closets could be hidden in the blocks. There's actually a lot of potential closet space here.
The sleeping hipster on the top level sacks out on the comfortable wall-to-wall carpet that covers the floors, stairs and walls. Currently wall carpets are dust traps, and are probably unhealthy, but the day can't be far off when the right material will make them practical.
Most modern architects are too fond of empty space (above). Wood seldom made that mistake.
Here's a large space that almost works. It would work a lot better with a low, nurturing, Wally Wood ceiling that would emphasize the wideness of the room.
Sigh! There's more to say on this subject, but it'll have to wait til after Christmas. I've got presents to wrap!
Let me lay on you........
December 25, 2011 09:40 PM
The Fire of Christ burst into Keegan McFly's breast last night and impelled him to create this glorious message of peace to share with cartoonists and lesser folk everywhere.Merry Christmas!(thanks to Keegan, Christ, Zeus, Zoroaster, Jehova, Buddha, Clampett, Allah and the rest of the pantheon of immortals)
December 25, 2011 02:09 PM
December 24, 2011
December 18, 2011
Obviously, Popeye cartoons use many ingredients to make them so special. Throbbing is one of them.Personality is another, but those are secondary qualities of cartoons. Well, actually maybe throbbing is pretty important since it is hard to imagine live action being able to throb to the beat.But the one creative quality that is unique to animated cartoons is demonstrated artfully in this here
December 18, 2011 07:40 PM
IT'S MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE MEAT
December 18, 2011 07:11 PM
December 17, 2011
Sorry for the hasty Photoshopping! I'm swamped with things to do that relate to Christmas and my family! I'll stay on schedule though, even if I have to be a bit sloppy to do it.
December 17, 2011 08:42 PM
