Still Here

Yes, I am still here. It's been so long since I have posted anything that there is a 3 inch layer of dust on my blog page. I guess the creative juices just haven't been flowing. I get like that from time to time. I'll go for a long time with out the urge to draw anything and if I try to make myself it will turn out looking like I tried to draw it on the back of a run away rhino during an earthquake. Hopefully I will be able to come up with something soon. In the meantime, though, I have 4 of the coolest guest artists that you will ever find ready to jump in and take up my slack. So without any ado here they are:

Our first artist has graced this blog before with wonderful pictures such as Jimmy, Destructo, Moto BMX, Impala, Deadpool, and was the star of "Happy Birthday, Big Man!!!!".

Here he has drawn us his own character creation named War Hawk. He said that he got the idea from DC Comic's Hawk Man. I think he did an excellent job on this. He has actually came up with his own hero universe. I have seen his characters and they are very good. He puts a lot of time and thought into each of them. He gives them their own names, list of powers and weaknesses and whether they are a hero or a villain. He has even started drawing his characters in comic book form where a certain hero has a story line and villain or villains to defeat. I love to see his drawings. I love the fact that we share a passion for comic books and of all things heroic. We can sit a talk about it for hours. He recently informed me that he loves to read my blog. He said that he really enjoyed looking at it and that he spends a lot of time here, so because of that I will try to make at least one new post every month. Just so he will have something new to look at. Thank you, Big Man for letting me unveil your newest hero here. I hope you will always love to create the way you do now. Just so long as you DON'T DO IT DURING SCHOOL!!!

Our next artist has also made his own guest appearances on my blog. He has given us the wonderful, thrilling drawings of Horror, General Grievous, Wolf Man & 2nd Hulk, and was the star of "One Fast Hotrod!!!".

This drawing is of a phoenix bursting into flames and trying to fly away, but it is chained downed. He said he got the idea from a particular video game. I really like it. I like his use of colors here. He has always had an uninhibited imagination. He can take his mind anywhere. From shark invested waters to the depths of outer space if there is an adventure to have, he can do it. I like to watch him as he plays with his little action figures. How he matches them up, not concerned with what people say their powers are, just making it up as he goes along. I think that is so cool. So thank you Hot Rod for letting me show this picture to the world. I'm sure they will love it as much as I do.

The next person on our list is also a repeat guest artist. She has graced us with some of her earlier abstract art seen here on Guest Artist #3 and is the star of "My Little Dumplin". She shows us now her more fashionable side.

She received a fashion designer kit for Christmas and has been putting it to good use. As you can see she has created a wonderful ensemble that will undoubtedly rock the fashion world at the next big show in Paris. Everything is color coordinated and matched just perfectly. I love sitting with her while she creates her next outrageous design. She takes the time to look through all of her patterns and comes up with the best outfit imaginable. Whether she 'Just Woke Up', or is 'Going to the Pool', or even 'Going to the Prom' She is sure to put all the right pieces together to make a one of a kind perfect look. Way to go Dumplin and thank you for letting me walk your master piece down this blog's catwalk.

This will be our next artist's first contribution to the blog although she is the star of 'My Little Squirt".

This picture, which she affectionately named 'Kitty Cats Playing with Me" Was given to me on Saturday afternoon just before a stimulating game of 'Let's See Where We Can Bruise Daddy Next". It is fun to watch her color and draw. She sits there and hums a little tune or sings a little song or even makes up a story about what ever she decided to draw at the time. I also think its important to mention that she is very well rounded in her creativity. Not only is she very good at using colored pencils, which you see here, but she is also a master of crayons and finger paints as well. Well Little Squirt, I hope you like you blog depute, and I thank you for yet another beautiful picture.

Happy Birthday, Big Man!!!!

Today we celebrate the birthday of an extraordinary young man. He is an exceptional big brother, and a wonderful son. To say that I am proud of him is an understatement. I love him and cherish him. He is a part of my heart and my soul, and I am so very honored that he became a part of my life and I, a part of his.

On the day he was born I nervously watched as the mid-wife turned and twisted him, trying to get him 'unwrapped' and cleaned up. I didn't think we were ever going to hear him cry, but once he started, he decided he wasn't going to stop. He wanted the world to know he was here. And he decided to shout it to the mountain tops. When they gave him to me I thought for sure he would break just by touching him. I took him over to his mother and laid him down with her and we sang 'Happy Birthday' as he nestled into her neck. He looked right at me. He stared straight into my eyes and I knew then that I was hooked. He had me wrapped around his finger. I still am today.

Being our first born he was full of lessons, wonders, and surprises. We had been told during the entire pregnancy that all he would do was eat, sleep, and poop. Well, two out of three ain't bad. He ate like a horse, pooped like a goose, but as for sleep; he wanted none of it. He was wide awake and wanted to stay that way. He wanted to see everybody and be a part of everything. He didn't want to miss anything. EVER. All he needed was a two hour power nap and he was ready for more.

On his first day of school his mother and I decided that we should follow the bus to school and be there for him when he got off. As he walked down the steps of the bus he looked so big. I couldn't wait to hug him and tell him just how proud I was of him. He looked at me with the most beautiful smile, and knowing that I was on the verge of tears, he said, "I love you Daddy, everything will be alright". It turned out that he was there for me.

I have cherished every moment with him. From helping him learn to ride a two wheeler, coaching his T-ball team, to watching him become a big brother. (By the way, he was sure that his mother was having a dinosaur and NOT a baby brother). Watching him learn, hearing him laugh and holding him while he cried. Making the 'monster spray', becoming the wrestling mat, holding him up when the water got above his knees, helping him splash in the tub and just watching him while he slept. All of these moments I wouldn't trade for the world. I wouldn't give them up for anything. They are tucked away in my heart so that someday, if I'm lucky, I will get to share them with his children.

He has grown so much over the past 11 years. It has gone by so fast. I miss that little guy with the big head that wanted to go everywhere I went. That wanted to do everything that I did. That wanted to 'help' me with anything that I may have been working on. Those big, beautiful, green eyes staring back at me with an unconditional love that I had never felt before. He has taught me what true, unending love really is. Watching him develop into the fine young man that he is undoubtedly going to be gives me a feeling of pride that I can not explain. His fun loving nature, his caring and compassionate heart along with his hilarious sense of humor make him an amazing young man that I just can't get enough of.

Happy Birthday, Big Man. I hope you have a wonderful day today. I hope you know that I love you and I am so proud to be your father. I hope you understand these words I have here for you are words of love, pride and respect for all that you have taught me. I hope you have a long and happy life, and I hope that one day you will look into the eyes of your little one and finally be able to understand what love is meant to be.

Skull and a Snake

I have two versions of the same drawing here. After finishing the first one I took a look at it and decided that something just didn't fit. I discussed this with my oldest son and my girl friend and we all decided that the eye had to go.

After that, I was informed that I needed to add a glob of maggots or another snake, a ball of fire, or a cloud of poot gas coming out of the eye socket. After removing the actual eye I decided that was all the picture needed.

It took me about 3 days to finish this one because I took the time to shade in around each scale individually, something my scanner didn't find as important as I did. (I gotta get a new scanner)
Here is the second and final version of the drawing. I think it turned out very well.

I like dropping myself into a picture like this. While working on this nothing else was in my head. No matter what is going on in my life. All of it goes away when I am drawing. All that is left is me and the idea in my head. It is most definitely a way for me to get away for a while. At least until my 4 beautiful wonder bugs come back to see me. Then I get to watch them make their own little master pieces.

Dead Pool: by Guest Artist Wolverine

Gary's oldest son created this drawing of Dead Pool, a character from Hulk vs. Wolverine. His art was created with colored pencil on lined paper.

Guest Artist: Wolverine: Impala

Gary's oldest son stars as guest artist again today, with his rendition of an Impala. He created this car with pencil and colored markers on lined paper. He usually prefers Mustangs, but this Impala, with its flames and custom paint job, is also pretty cool!

Guest Artist: Wolverine: "Moto BMX"

Today's guest artist is Gary's oldest son, who drew this Moto BMX creation in pencil and colored markers on lined paper.

Guest Artist: "General Grievous"

Gary's youngest son is stepping in as a guest artist today. After receiving a Star Wars toy of General Grievous, Gary's son drew General Grievous in his wheel bike. He created this drawing with orange colored pencil on plain white paper. Gary was impressed with how quickly his son finished this picture and with the accuracy of the details of the wheel bike.

Guest Artist: "Destructo"

Gary's oldest son is appearing here again as a guest artist, this time with his drawing of a superhero he created named Destructo. He drew Destructo with colored pencils on lined paper. Gary was impressed with the way his son drew the fists (with each knuckle individually) and the heels added to Destructo's shoes.

Doodle 4 Google

K-12 students are invited to "play around" with Google's logo and see what they come up with in Google's Doodle 4 Google competition. This year's theme is "What I Wish for the World."

Registration closes March 17, 2009, and entries are due March 31, 2009. Only teachers or school employees may register a student, so if you are a parent, please contact your child's teacher to register.

The National winner's logo design will go live on Google for 24 hours, and the National winner will also receive scholarship money, a laptop, a t-shirt with their doodle, and a trip to Google's New York office. More prize information can be found here.

Don't forget to click here for tips on designing a doodle, the Doodle history, and sample Doodles.

Guest Artist #3: Sunflower: Abstract Art

The third in our series of guest artists, this drawing comes to you from Gary's 5-year-old daughter, who we will call Sunflower. She loves to draw, color, and hang up her artwork all around the house. This drawing was created in pencil on plain white paper.

Guest Artist: Wolverine: "Jimmy"

Our second guest artist is Wolverine, Gary's 9-year-old son, who enjoys learning how to draw comic book characters and describes this drawing as "sweet". It is a drawing of Jimmy Neutron.

Guest Artist: Hot Rod: "Horror"

Introducing our first ever guest artist on Gary's Greetings: Hot Rod, Gary's 7-year-old son, who drew this self-described "awesome" monster. Our young artist describes his artwork as a monster who should scare you out of your socks. He hopes that you love it.

T-Rex

Gary drew this T-Rex dinosaur for his youngest son, who loves dinosaurs. This T-Rex was created in pencil on plain white paper (and was a hit with the young critics!)

Batman

This drawing of Batman was created for Gary's second oldest son. Gary drew this in pencil on plain white paper.

Hercules

Gary's oldest son asked that this drawing be added to this blog, so without further ado, here it is! This a rendition of Gary's son, as Hercules, that Gary drew at the bottom of a letter to his son. It was drawn in pen on lined notebook paper, hence the lines that run across his body and his sword.

Tiger

Gary drew this tiger for his oldest son, in pencil on white paper.

Wolverine

Gary created this drawing of Wolverine in pencil on plain white paper. One of his sons is a fan of Wolverine, and this (and many other renditions of Wolverine) was designed just for him.

Monster Truck

This monster truck was also drawn for one of Gary's children, with pencil on plain white paper. The color was added with the image editing software to obscure the personalization on the truck and tailgate, so the coloring oddities are not part of the original drawing!

Cowboy "Saddle Up" Card

Gary drew this card with rope lettering spelling out "Saddle up, Quick Draw" for one of his sons. (This was scanned from a photocopy, so I apologize for the grainy image and the letters being cut off. The original had already been delivered to a special little boy who loves his own cowboy dress-up playset!)

Batwoman Pencil Drawing

Gary created this version of Batwoman with pencil on white paper. He drew this figure with his daughters in mind, wanting to create a strong female character.