Friends Visited me In Tokyo

It was nuts.

I will be getting back to art this week. I read a paragraph in Metropolitan of Donovan Frankenthaler. Basically he is a musician and professional surfer. Hes Jack Johnson's buddy too. Anyways, he is asked how he balances his life between the two big endeavors. Donovan said a real artist has to take some time off from one or the other. This isn't a setback- this is a time to get a refreshed perspective on why you do it. A break is required- and I couldn't agree more.

With that said- I wanna hit the ground running. I will have a pretty sick ass pen and ink drawing coming up- should be cool.

one hour a day for 8 days...

This is prolly the best axample of what 8 hours can do if I put my mind into it. Sometimes I will spend 3 or 4 hours on a piece, but this one really looks like 8 hours of work. If I charged 10$ an hour I should sell this thing for 80$... somehow that just doesnt seem right to me. Ugh. Selling art is a challenge.

I have some paintintgs up at Days Cafe here in Japan and I think I have them for way to much. So, If you scroll below you will see 5 of the 7. I am lowering the price as of today to 125$ apiece. If you are interested send me a message to justincoombs21@yahoo.com.

I will put them into my store on justincoombsart when I get a chance.

Still in Action

Well a lot more of the same going on here in Satte Japan. That is a good thing because the same consists of sketching a good amount, and going out partying in Tokyo. I included a random picture, this one has me doing a g pose- but turned out to be more of a zombie face.

There is a sketch, a didgital illustration for a Graphic Novel and finally a preliminary for a pen and ink im doing. hmmm

the pen and ink is part of what I am hoping, hoping, hoping will be a sick series of sci-fi stuff. I would be interested in putting it in Ben's Cafe here in Tokyo- it is a goal I will have to meet before I leave. Time is of the essence, but so is everything. I am reading a lot of good books too.

in other news Joesph Biden announced he is running (hes smart... not as cool as Obama tho). Al Franken from Air America Radio Fame is running for senator of Minnesota- just awesome. seriously awesome. He could very well make cspan fun. he is no slouch and god if he wins it will inject some badly needed rebellion and transparency into our government.

**** it wont let me upload the photos, i will try later.

The first 6

So here are the first 5 paintings of my alley series. I think you have seen all of them. I am going to try to get another 4 or 5 done and really push it at some cafes I know around here.

Well Barack Obama is running. I just finished two books on Atheism. They were spectacular. one is a must-read. "Letter to a Christian Nation" by Sam Harris. Get it on iTunes right now.

seriously do.

now.

its only like 10$

So with these two amazing developments, I have really changed my belief in two things. God, and the American Political scene. This should be a fantastic 08' race, and either way we are getting rid of, what will probably go down as one of the worst administrations in US history. It is tied to the religious right as well (further adds some bitterness for me)

The art is churning along but there is still not enough time in the day. I have decided to forego another year here in Japan and will inevitably be in the Denver art scene this August. I will try and update my Justin Coombs art with a new link for any upcoming shows.

Thanks for reading if you are! It is the visitors on this and ym website that gives me motivation to do this work!

HEEB

The Molester, The Cowboy and the Alley

I am not sure why my art is so damned homoerotic... but with a title like that- how can you go wrong?!

This painting on a scale of 1-10 of frustration is a 2. just kidding it was a damn 9 (I hate how cliche that saying is).

A big challenge, but it worked out and it looks pretty decent. My problem was I was missing a good yellow and could NOT get that damn color of the telephone poles right. it was brutal.

well no banter today, im tired.

A few Heeb but no Kabeebs

There seems to be a draw towards science fiction that captures my attention. I think that part of it has to do with the access to related artowrk in the same field. The material has always caught my eye. It isnt real, or cerebral, it is simply fun.

I don't think all of my art needs to be ofa fun nature, but it repeatedly grabs my energy. Is this a bad thing? That the simpler, for sophmoric topic is my primary interest? Should all post-college artists have there eye set on creating the next controversial show, or thought-provoking painting. My work doesnt provoke much thought besides the occassional "Badass" or "You're stuff is so good Justin".

Is there a value in somehitng of more substance? Perhaps a financial value, or maybe admissions credibility for graduate school. It scratches the surface of a hovering question in my head of 'what do graduate schools want'?

there are soem good artists out there

There are artists out there WAY better than me. That is just the nature of it I suppose.

You can either get down on yourself, or you can try and be as good or better than them.

I hate the art world like that, but hopefully there is enough to go around for all of us. Although I have yet to find a way to make a living at this game unless you sell out as an illustrator. Which is not half bad, considering how good some of the illustrators I have seen are.

I am trying to make better work. And by better I mean more real, more honest work. I am starting to enjoy the process more now. The marker on paper, the oil stinking my room. Getting my brush covered in apitn, so the grip is sticky (it works better this way). All of the little intricacies are starting to shine again and I am working forward again.

Not to say that the work is the best I've done. It isn't, but it is new. And that is worth something.

Can't decide if I want to stay another year in Japan or not.


Hmmm

hmmm started drawing again

well, vacation was fun but back to work. I did a drawing late tonight after heckling myself all day to create some damn work. Sometimes getting back on the horse is difficult. We all like to say 'Just do it' but it is never that easy. I personally use errands to occupy myelf. To perpetually avoid getting down to the table. It is a stuggle as are all things worthwhile.

the dude reaching is the product of my struggle. I like him a lot.

the other is a preliminary work for a series I am going to put in a cafe here. I like the guy ina gas mask carying a gun seen in previous posts. But what is the purpose? Is he a decoraiton because I love gun and armor and drawing. I thing my series will need content and that is somehitng always challenging to identify. That is what I will be up to over the next week. Trying to figure out why I am drawing guys with guns for a cafe series.

They need color, but the guy here is a mix of mid tone color, versus arbitrariness. I like the result, but that could also just be the drawing and not the color... I will do some more prelim work and get to work on the series so I can get some headway towards having ym first Japan show.

work continues on the Alley series of paintings. I will probably have a good 10 by the time I get sick of it. At that point I have a cafe here in Satte. Very low key and lame, but I know the owner and I think it wont be a problem given the non-confrontational nature of the work.

Cowboys and aliens is nebulous. It is getting harder to keep it moving. I like the point it is at, because I can start killing and fighting and blowing stuff up... I will have to put out a page before Friday.

well those are the happenings.

Back to Japan

Well i am now on my way back from America to Japan. I will be there in 28 hours. jesus traveling can drain you so much.

It will be nice to get back into my art. I am seriously having feelings towards making something very new and different. We'll see.

be back in 2 days for real.

2 Pages of love... AND A BONUS

today was a good day of drawing. Did 2 pages for cowboys and started work on a side project.

YAY

Here are those two pages.

I also included on the the drawings from a side-project for a short story called Son. I have 6 of the drawings, and there eventually will be 10. For now heres the one I did last week. HEEB

I just got over a vicious cold so I couldn't work till tonight. Still hacking green goopies.... MMMMMM m

Snerf

I made it out to Shinjuku and saw a cool show with Leon Golubs work in it. Neat stuff and an inspiration to see in person. It can be hard trying to find what will be the best work for graduate school. Especially if it is different from what I like to paint or make. So I am trying to make avente garde art for grad school. Its silly, but then again everyone has to do it. Thats how I approach it anyways. It isnt natural for me to make really cerebral, heady art. I tend to like cowboys, and aliens, and artists who make an image for its own sake- rather than a deeper meaning. I enjoy comic art, and beautiful paintings. I dont tend to slide towards the edgier works. I think that perhaps the purpose of art for me is to instill awe amd wonderment. Maybe that includes introspective paintings. But I like robots and star wars concept art too.

I threw in a picture of a 'wires' paitnting I finished tonight too. I have 5 so far. Can you track all 5 through my blog?! YAY u get a prize. A big update should happen tommorow night. 2 pages of woboys and hopefully some new stuff. JOY

More Cowboys and Aliens

Yay

Some more cowboy and alien love... wait that sounded bad.... More Cowboy and Alien Comic Love.

Yes yes. I am going to do a new series of drawings in the same style as the gas-mask soldier, but I need toloosen it up to make sure they dont take 8 hours like that one did.

Hmmmm

The themes should be coherent, but then again this is for fun.

Sneeb

Wall-Sized Bitches

Here is the final wall-size comic-style drawing. It turned out cool. It took a while to ink. The background is a mixed bag. I lke how it focus's the figure from the background, but its also kind of boring. Hmmm. Such is the nature, and you have to take risks. Ill see how I feel next time. Then again who wants just a black and white drawing? Well I do, but legibilit and clarity for other people is important too. It seems that with purely black and white it can be difficult to decipher what exactly is what. As wierd as that sounds.

I am doing about 2 hours a night now, but have been up to 3 hours of drawing once or twice. Ill try to keep this going.

Bottom Line: I need to quit wasting time on the CPU and just draw like I it is a job.

Snerf

Some Holiday Cheer

How about this little smackadoodle. Work in progress. but it looks fantastic full-size. its about 3 feet by 1 foot. I am doing a series of similar style/content. Really is it because of some of the last few Cowboys and Aliens have come out so neat.

Schneef

A big turn for the comic... DUH DUH DUH

Well the comic is cranking along. One of the takes me about 3 hours from start to finish. It'd be fun to finish the comic up before x-mas. But coloring is awhole nother ballpark. If anyone wants to get me a wacom tablet for free please do.

I need to get back to painting soon tho. I hate staying away from the canvas for too long. Its been a week. Hmmmm.

Any feedback so far? Anyone keeping up with the series?

well pages 1-7 are up on justincoombsart.com if you follow the 'SERIES" link.

its a pretty cool website if I do say so myself....

Here is some page 9 goodness for anyone interested. I am really chaning styles a bit here, so I am definetaly going tot ake the comic on a different course. Its a test project anyways. GOD there is never enough time in the day.

THE WEBSTORE IS UP

see above....

www.justincoombsart.com

Starting to color them...

After browsing the b log of some profesisonal artists it struck me that I am still not doing nearly enough if I ever want to become a great artist. So I am going to try and update this site everyday, and try to draw/patin for 3 hours a day. I am more telling this on here becasuse I hear that telling your freinds somehting makes you do it.

We'll see how it goes.

Anyways, here are some shots of whats going on now:

hoob heres another lovely comic... DERP

HEEB!

Big News. Jusitn Coombs art V3 is getting some good traffic, and I will have the store seciton up ASAP.

I am brainstroming ideas for including a media package with any art that is pruchased that would include some goodies. I will wokrout the logistics on my trip home this december. Shipping form Japan is a non-possibility.

Well I have been a little busy. Actually the bulk of these three was done in one day. It is crazy how much you can get done if you really buckle down. Its all about not looking at www.digg.com or youtube.com. God I love those websites. I also like gonintendo.com because the Wii is going to kick your mother. It's that good.

The two comics are pages 3 and 4 of what is turning out to be a great experiment. I basically drew these in cafes and on a trainride from Satte to Shibuya (about 1 hour 20 minutes).

The painting is part 3 of the series. Wiring. I did a series of drawings in Italy based on the same Motif (check justincoombsart drawing section.) This series does two main things, both practical. First it is part of a cohesive whole that galleries love. And second it is keeping my academic paitnitng standards up to a certain level of abilty (I have given up on the possibility of finding a ude model, so my Charcoal skills are non-existant yet again... such things arent always possible).

I AM ASKING ONE THING :) If you visit the Justin Coombs Art V3 site what are your favorite pieces? Im thinking of selling the cowboy drawings on this blog for like 50$ apiece with shipping/frame and media package. Interested? Or should I make posters of some of my paintings and sell those for like 30$? What do you all want/ or would buy if you have 50-300$ HEEB.

Oh and whaddya guys think of cowboys and aliens so far?

Justin Coombs Art v3 is UP

Almost....

I am wainting on Paypal to send me verificaiton. They need business days. But everything besides the store and cmoics is up. It has been a long wekeend of updating this new stuff and building the site, but it looks much better and is much simpler to navigate.

Plus the store should be exciting as it will give everyone an opportunity to buy some goods. I am looking into making some Giclee Prints (because original paintings are too expensive). Another option I am looking into is publishing some big posters. I dont speak japanese so Im gonna keep my eyes open, and maybe get a good jap speaker to translate some goodness.

Neways. I am working on Page 2 of Cowboys and aliens. It looks better than the first page. I will be updating this comic on my blog and on my comics section.

In addition there should be a new comic popping up there sometime this week. MWAHAHA

neways. Ill keep you posted.

in the meantime here are some random pics. YAY