... so comes the Autumn of Loomis

I ended up taking some advice from some other artists and downloaded the works of an artist named Andrew Loomis, who was an illustrator from the early 20th century, or the 'pre-photoshop-filter' era if you will.

His books are long out of print, and his family won't publish them in the foreseeable future. Despite this, the books remain an excellent source for beginning artists, or in my case, horrible ones trying to start over.

I'm taking it slow, starting with 'Fun with a Pencil' and work my way forward. Already, it's helped make some more expressive, if a little creepier, faces.

Three years ago today I debuted the previous version of "Upstate" which only lasted a year before I gave up on it. Writing was half the problem I had with it, so much so I ran myself into a literary corner; so many sins I've improved upon since then. But the real monkey on my back has been the art.

Hopefully this is the way to pry that damn simian off once and for all.