acrylic, colored pencil on paper, 14 x 20"
I've been reading A LOT of Avenging Spider-Man lately, inspired by my impulse purchase of Amazing Spider-Man #700, and subsequent pick-up of the new Superior Spider-Man #1. The latter has now bled into Avenging Spider-Man, issue #16, thrilling this dork to no end. Spidey was definitely a favorite character from childhood, and remains so to this day. His youthful exuberance and inherent goodness appeal to me greatly, and his wisecracking ways are a refreshing contrast to the often deadly situations he's put into helping others. Everybody loves Spidey!
This rendering of ol' Webhead is my own mix of Manga Spidey (no sleeves), with Ultimate Spidey (no "boots"). He's also inspired by the Hasbro Grappling Hook Spider-Man action figure I picked up this past July, modeled after Manga Spidey. A friend asked where his sleeves went, and lamented over their omission, "... well, I don't read much Manga, but it's classic Spidey for me." The truth is that I don't read much Manga either, and am a big fan of Ditko's classic design, but why copy when you can interpret in your own voice? I want to see something new. Remember the first time you saw Spider-Man? Would be hard to remember, but you were probably very interested at that moment. Spider-Man is so iconic, we tend to forget how exciting that character is, what a great idea he was. How do I get that feeling back.. that feeling I had the first time I saw that? Like the Superman I painted recently, I made it new again, by making it my own. He's my Spidey.
As a kid in school I dreamt of being a comic book artist- I went on to attend school and became a working fine artist. The influence of comics is highly evident in my work today, and though my style developed in a different direction, it did retain a dramatic and narrative quality. Those comic artists are just in a league above and beyond me, but it's still fun way to use my imagination, and that's what we do here Friends :D
More Later-Make It FUN!
Congrats! I wish I was artistic...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful !!
ReplyDeleteYou know what a fan I am of your work and this piece is no exception. You stuff is so unlike other art I am immersed in daily and I love the sense of color and movement. I love that you went with many influences to create your personal Spidey. I am enjoying Superior Spider-Man but you and I might be the last two who do. I still think you need to do a mural in some elementary school library or the childrens section of the public library.
ReplyDeleteGreat work. Drawing is always a talent I wish I possessed.
ReplyDeleteGreat work as always Super-D. : )
ReplyDeleteThanks all! :)
ReplyDelete