Appreciate Comment

[Steve B]

I've sort of completed my first pen and color wash drawing in a year. I've used Faber Castell TGIS pens ranging from 0.10 to 0.20 and (dont laugh) colored pencils applied very lightly and dissolved in paraffin. I am still unsure whether to do more on this - like darken shadows by applying more cross hatching. I think I have been extremely cautious on this drawing - perhaps way too much in fact. Any comment, ideas etc?

Drawing is here btw http://www.stevebonellocartoons.com/blog.html
Hope it doesnt take too long to load

Thanks

[Leah-Admin]

superb artwork, the type of thing you could print out in variety of formats and it'd sell as wall art.

I wouldn't change a thing, and I am not worthy to comment, your art work is far superior than mine Great stuff

[Steve B]

good maybe but not great Leah - maybe I wont change a thing but still have this nagging thing about it being a tad flat. I love lurking shadows

[gagacol]

I think it's great.

[Steve B]

Thanks Gagacol. I took Leah's advise and changed very little in fact just a few highlights.
This took me 27 days fitted in between the day job and my other cartoon work but I would like to start on something new as soon as I can. I have started doodling as a matter of discipline sort of and you tend to get ideas that way.

To be honest the day job gets more unsecure by the day so I have to think really deeply about an alternative career if worst comes to worst. Finding a job at 50 is no easy task.

Relearning to draw and putting up my small website are steps in that direction. Btw I am saying this just as plain fact. I do not expect sympathy - that's life and it has to go on no matter what.

[Simon Lake]

I like your avatar picture Steve. I find it very appropriate.

[Steve B]

Yes Simon - dumbo finally figured out how it's done....

[Kathy]

Steve, I think it's great. I understand what you mean about wanting to darken the shadows. Sometimes that can really make things POP. But as is, it's still very good as is. Has an illustrative style, I think.

[Steve B]

Kathy - I am taking your advise and Leah's and I have stopped tinkering with it. Sketching on something new now

[Kathy]

Join the new comic jam!

[Leah-Admin]

Hi again Steve

We here know exactly what you mean

I spend every day wondering how the heck I am going to make something pay. The market is so up and down, one day you get £150 for a cartoon and then nothing for what maybe rolling into weeks or months! Cartooning as an income is not the easiest of routes to follow and that applies to all art. It's the self promotion and marketing that takes so long, so many hours.

I am thinking of being bold and writing and illustrating my own books, got one idea submitted to a publisher already and one not even started as yet, but I believe a good one and worth self publishing as I'd have a readymade market to sell to re that one.

It's all so risky, uncertain and time consuming, but Steve...we are here, to help to support and to push you all the way to the top.

When things get tricky, that's what we do best, inspire and encourage and show you a way in.

Simon has been making good headway with freelancer sites, Kathy has a book illustration project on the go and I've done my bit for business clients. All different markets and I am sure there are many more.

Stick around, it's worth it!

[Steve B]

Hi Leah

Thanks and thanks again for the encouraging words. Yep it will always be tough I guess and the local market for my sort of work is small - middle sized town in England I guess. My vague aim (wrong choice of words there but hey..) is to perhaps have enough work for an exhibition in a year or two as its now been twenty years since I had my last exhibition.

Over where I work 500 jobs are on the line (I have no idea if mine is) and I am luckier than most as I do have a sideline of sorts - so yes I do keep looking at the brighter side of things.

On another note when you see what is happening just 200 miles south of us in Libya then you have to conclude that all of us here live in the world's less crappier places

[haydnlock]

Love the art work.