Barker Bits

2007

News, events, and occasionally, my rambling thoughts...

My first feature for Sketch magazine is scheduled for issue #33, soon to be available. It spotlights 3 of our Ringling students from Joe Thiel's Comix class. My next feature will start a series about the process of creating comics in collaboration with long-time friend and Sketch editor, Bill Nichols. We will bring life to one of his characters, step-by-step, from character creation to page layouts and pencils through inking.

Wow!  Thanks for your enthusiastic response to my Terror Is... t-shirts.  Glad you like them.

If you you love comics...and who doesn't, check out Tom Spurgeon's web site, www.comicsreporter.com, a truly wondrous place. I happened upon it when my friend and gal pal, Linda, told me that my birthday was remembered there. A nice surprise for a milestone birthday.

I'm really slow in getting this posted but a former student and now graduate of Ringling, Jared Moraitis, has a marvelous blog. I would try to describe it but it would be better if you just went there: 
www.pop-monkey.blogspot.com.

The Ringling School of Art and Design is now officially, The Ringling College of Art and Design.

We found a couple of lost cases of "Terror Is..."  t-shirts from a project that my business partner, David Sissom and I created back in the mid-90's. It featured some of my monster art. They are now available t-shirts.  

Lots of projects in the works, and as usual the greatest obstacle is time. But, there is a children's book that I'm developing as well as a new comic strip, called Mondo Condo.

I was graciously invited to create a regular feature for Sketch Magazine. If you are unfamiliar with this very useful and insightful magazine, go to www.bluelinepro.com where you can also find other great books, comic art supplies and a growing message board with art contests. Not sure when my first feature debuts, but I'll post it here when I know.

Hey!  Check it out.  The Ringling Senior Thesis Exhibition was last week, and I just got the pictures put on the Student Highlights page. They are talented!

A big congrats to Caleb Procknow, who graduated in 2006, an amazing talent....don't believe me? Check out his website. Go ahead...I'll wait. It's  www.cmp-art.com.  He had one piece accepted in the student competition for the Society of Illustrators, 2 pieces accepted by CMYK magazine and 2 pieces accepted into Spectrum. 

02/28/07

I just joined www.comicspace.com and I can't believe the size of the site and all the familiar names from the comic industry. I've only just started putting my page together there, but it looks like it's going to be a fun place to be.

On Sept. 19th, I will be giving a presentation to the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Auxiliary general meeting.  Looking forward to it. These programs are always a great deal of fun.

02/22/07

If you don't know who Stuart Sayger is, then go to www.stuartsayger.com, where I'm certain you will be wowed.   I've known him since he was a youngster stuffing comics into comic bags at the Comic Carnival in Indianapolis, Indiana, and he is a spectacular talent.

I had a great time a MegaCon and our Ringling students were fantastic  demonstrating their skills and styles to an enthusiastic audience.

Happy New Year!

Went to see the movie, Happy Feet.  Loved it!  Great characterizations, wonderful animation and music that makes you want to dance.

I'll be at the Ringling School of Art & Design booth during the MegaCom in Orlando.  Stop by.  Don't know if I'll have the sketchbooks done by then, but will try.

I'll be giving a lecture for the Gulf Gate Library Annual Meeting at the Prestancia Tournament Players Club in Sarasota, Florida, from 11:30-1:30 pm. The topic will be, "A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words." 

The current hot trend is sketchbooks full of doodles, drawings and scribbles.  So, I'm hard at work on one which I'm hoping to have finished for the upcoming MegaCon on February 16-18, 2007, in Orlando, Florida. 

Check out the new issue of Sketch Magazine #30.  I was featured in the PROFOLIO section.  A big thanks to Bob Hickey and Bill Nichols. 

04/03/06

My thanks to the nomination committee of the University of Indianapolis for honoring me as one of its top 30 alumni.  They like me.  They really, really like me!

Links I Like

Tim Temmel's comic zine site:  www.geocities.com/tim_tt2/

Long-time friend and business partner, David Sissom:  www.airtrendsinternational.com

Great Stuff...an amazing site:  www.tubbytoons.com

Fantastic place in the cyber universe:  www.comicsreporter.com

Just do it!:  www.pop-monkey.blogspot.com