Smiling Presidents

American presidents started smiling for their official portraits in the mid 1970s or so.


Of course, they smiled for informal pictures before that.

Many cameras captured FDR with his famous smile. Rockwell painted Eisenhower for two Post covers in a rubbery grin. Jimmy Carter’s toothy smile was a big subject during his campaign.

But for the official and semi-official pictures, up until 30 or 40 years ago, presidents usually kept their faces dignified and serious. After Reagan, the full-on toothy smile (which is a very different challenge to paint) was here to stay.

Why the change? Was it the inevitable outcome of photography or was it the result of campaigning on television?

Are there other jobs that still demand a serious portrait, such as a Supreme Court justice, district attorney, or an undertaker?

Akira at the Toonseum

Toonseum is a new museum of cartoon art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is currently hosting an exhibition of art from the animated film Akira.

Akira, set in twenty-first-century post-World War III Japan, was directed by comic artist Katsuhiro Otomo. Released in the USA in 1990, Akira was one of the last feature films created with traditional hand-painted cel and painted background technique.

On display are stunning perspective layout drawings and renderings of science fiction cityscapes, as well as effects animation cels and character designs. All of the art comes from the collection of Joe Peacock.

Toonseum is one of only two museums in the USA dedicated exclusively to art from the comic strip, graphic novel, comic book, and animated film. Earlier museums in Rye, New York; Boca Raton, Florida; and Northampton, Massachusetts are sadly no longer in operation.

Toonseum is very small—the size of a gallery or shopfront, but it’s fun to visit because it’s run by artists. They encourage you to sit down and draw on an actual worktable from one of Disney’s early animators.

They even granted me the geek dream of holding an original drawing from “Gertie the Dinosaur” by Winsor McCay.


And they talked me into doodling on the hall-of-fame group sketch.

Toonseum is located at 945 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. It’s open from 9 to 3 on most days, Wednesday through Sunday. The Akira exhibit will be on view through July 18.

Toonseum.org

Hours and admission

YouTube interview with Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo

Griffin Portrait

Until yesterday, I had never painted a living griffin before.

A magnificent specimen named China Blue Rockett posed for me during my hour-long demo on water-soluble colored pencils at Anthrocon.

I used an assortment of Caran d'Ache Supracolor 2 pencils. After a light lay-in, I scumbled a few colors and dissolved them with three Niji water brushes: one filled with clear water, another with a middle gray (the strokes on the sleeve), and another with black.

By juggling the water brushes, I kept the edge around the head soft, so as to suggest the fringe of fur without painting every hair.
------
Anthrocon aka Furrycon
More on GJ on that colored pencil technique
Wiki on Griffins (or if you prefer the spelling: griffon, gryphon, γρύφων, grýphōn,, γρύπων, or grýpōn).

Castle of the Maidens

In 1901, American expatriate artist Edwin Austin Abbey unveiled his mural epic "The Quest and Achievement of the Holy Grail" for the Boston Public Library.


One of the panels shows the following, according to the official text:

"Sir Galahad's entry into the Castle is here shown.
The imprisoned maidens have long been expecting him,
for it had been prophesied that the perfect knight would
come to deliver them. They welcome him with shy
delight, putting out their hands to be kissed; behind
him lies his white shield bearing the red cross painted
with his own blood by Josephes, son of Joseph of
Arimathea. Having accomplished this mission, Sir
Galahad passed on to other deeds."

-----
The murals have been restored and are open to the public.
Boston Public Library website info.
Full text explaining murals
More about Abbey from BPIB
Abbey on Wiki

What Are Furries?

Furry fans are people who are interested in anthropomorphic animals, especially cartoon characters. Most furries strongly identify with a particular non-human animal species.

Furry identities are called fursonas. They include dragon, feline (cat, lion, tiger), and canine (wolf, fox, domestic dog) species.

Some furries blend species, such as a cabbit (cat and rabbit) or a folf (fox and wolf). A few furries identify with monkeys or apes.

The largest furry convention is called Anthrocon, also known as Furriecon, which is being held right now in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This year the theme is “Modern Stone-Age Furries.” Some dinosaur-based costumes have been made specially for this Anthrocon.

During the rest of the year, furries meet in cyberspace to compare notes on costume building and to share artwork depicting anthropomorphized animals.

While attending Furry Fandom conventions, some furries dress head-to-toe in animal-like costumes, referred to as fursuits. Fursuits, similar to what athletic team mascots wear, are constructed of fabric, not fur or animal skins.

While in a fursuit, a furry walks upright. Some furries superimpose human clothing on the fursuit; for example, a snow leopard diva may wear a red cocktail dress and a big yellow dog may wear blue jeans.

Most furries do not own a full fursuit because they are costly. Many furries wear a partial fursuit consisting of ears and a tail.

The preceding was adapted from anthrocon.org, the official website for furry fandom.


This year’s convention has approximately 4000 attendees, the largest furry convention in the world, and the largest of all time.

It features a dealer’s room and art show, much like a science fiction convention, a track of programming that today included a puppet performance workshop by guest Jim Martin of the Muppets, a video game contest, card and role playing games, three different dance events, and a quiet art room for artists doing custom commissions.

I would just add that furry fans are some of the nicest and most creative people I’ve met at any sort of convention, and I’ve never been received more graciously or generously as a guest at any con before. The whole group conveys a spirit of acceptance and childlike fun.
------
Anthrocon.org
Furry Artwork at Furaffinity.net
Wikipedia on Furry Fandom
Article in today's Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Starrigger

When Berkley books asked me to design the ultimate monster truck, I scaled up a lot of features of trucks that I liked. The book was called “Starrigger” by John DeChancie.

I imagined a giant vehicle that could make long runs across a planet that was basically a huge dry lake bed. When the sequel assignment came along, I was unfortunately too busy to take the job. But I was delighted that one of my heroes, John Berkey, received the commission. His painting, for “Red Limit Freeway” closely followed the design I came up with.

I was able to find time to do another sequel cover called "Paradox Alley," which shows the truck going off a cliff and the driver flying out in an ejection seat. That oil original is in the collection of Art Center College of Design.

See a lot more Berkey's at Jim Pinkoski's website.

Antique Dresses

A recent exhibit at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, showcased antique dresses.


The dresses were given by alumnae to the drama department, where they featured in many theatrical productions. But once the school discovered their value, they were given proper care by the Historic Costume Preservation Workshop.

One student described the experience of steaming out the underarm wrinkles. The heat and moisture revived the aroma of 120-year-old body odor, which made the past come roaring into the present.
----
"A Glimpse into Vassar's Secret Closet"

Centrolinead

A centrolinead is a perspective tool with adjustable Y-shaped legs branching from a main bar. The legs rest against two nails placed on the drawing board.
As it pivots up and down, the main bar changes slope. The resulting lines orient to a remote vanishing point that would be otherwise difficult to establish.


E.G. Lutz’s book Practical Drawing includes the diagram above.

Concept artist and illustrator Craig Elliott discovered an antique centrolinead dating from around 1890 (below). Note how the Y-legs branch from a point along the top line of the ruler. He reports:

“I did a little building facade and some windows to test out the Centrolineaid. It is such a breeze, even better than using a long ruler! I set the map pins at 3 inches from the HL and the blades at 30 degrees.

I did the verticals with a t-square and the 30-60 triangle shown. I think two or three of these would make darn quick work of a two- or three-point perspective drawing on a quite small drawing board. This board is about 24 x 32. Another benefit of this tool seems to be that it doesn't pop off the pin all the time like a regular ruler would- it is very steady on the 2 pins.

For the pins or nails, I used a paper clip with one end bent up, or even an upside down flat headed thumbtack taped to the board or paper. This is good for balancing a ruler on for perspective points on the board or for this operation.

You could also use a sheet of metal to draw on, even with a Borco cover, and Neodymium magnets about 1/2 cube size for the pins. They are so strong they won't shift.”

ADDENDUM
Check the comments for a lot more links and tips. Below is a scanned version of Craig's antique model, with measurements.
Thanks, Craig!
Craig Elliott’s blog post about his centrolinead

Rockwell’s Bifocals

Norman Rockwell had a pair of bifocal glasses specially made with a vertical division in the middle of each lens. Instead of the close-up portion being below the far focus area, it was alongside it.

These glasses allowed him to shift his attention sideways from his reference to his painting, rather than bobbing his head up and down.

The actual glasses are currently on display alongside a scuffed sneaker in a glass case at the Norman Rockwell Museum.

Raccoon in the Chicken Coop

A raccoon got into the chicken coop and killed nineteen chickens.

Lenny was upset. The next morning at 4:00 a.m. he waited outside the chicken coop with his .22 rifle.

As expected the raccoon came back for more. When it spotted Lenny, it ran for the nearest tree and climbed up. Lenny stood below the tree and aimed the rifle. One shot stung it.

The raccoon descended the tree to attack him. The next shot killed it.