It's a draw (No pun intended)

I love the way that Shane puts vacations: "But because vacation days are so limited, I refuse to waste them on boring activities like "resting" or "breathing." In fact, I can't think of the last time I had a day off that wasn't considerably more exhausting than going to work would have been."

I'm not sure there have ever been vacations that I have actually rested well. Think about it... Camping, hoteling, moteling... you name it. I have even been at my house (at least the sleeping part) but the hours aren't great.

This break was the break for theme parks. In this Christmas break I went twice to Disneyland, then Knotts all day the day after the all day second Disneyland trip (which was earlier in the month), then two days ago I went to Six Flags Magic Mountain. The day after that wasn't that exciting. I went to the doctors office for flu shots. ...Didn't think I needed to draw that one.

This drawing symbolizes the tiring, but fun days I had at the amusement parks. Each park playing rock paper scissors. They are at a draw. I was thinking about drawing some of the handsome people I went with to these places, but I couldn't do them justice. So, I will leave you with the cartoon characters that bring the kids to the character's respective park. The reason Mickey is so surprised because he is the only one that I have a pass to go to. Can't believe that he tied.

Sure, I do have a favorite park, but it's not just the ride that make the park so great... it's who you go with. (So it was easy to decide which park was my favorite since I went with just about the same people every time.)

I would say that there is hope for the rest of my vacation, but alas the new year is all that is left. I'm going to die. Just maybe not this vacation.

So long my handsome readers. Have a restful new year!

Sorry Daniel

Now this is a labor force. Or what I like to call forced labor. Jolly old Saint Nicholas my chimney! Santa is a nice guy, or so people thought. I haven't heard of a creepier person. *Truly look it *up. I'm sorry that I have to be the bearer of bad news, but this has to be seen. I'm sorry this isn't perfectly accurate...I forgot to draw the chains.

You don't really hear about the elves in Christmas music. Why do you think that is? Santa lets the media see what he wants them to see. The only one that may be some what close is "The Night Santa Went Crazy" by Weird Al. But that didn't even talk about the chains. Enslaved Elves Inc.

Well one thing is for sure-that little elf on the left should be played by *Cheech Marin.

* Thanks to Shane Lewis, Emily Macadam and Wikipedia.

...'n Jake

Hey, sorry I had to post two in one day again. I would have posted them both in the same post, but then you couldn't click on them to look at 'em.

To explain the one below. I didn't draw it very well, but those are saws on the ground with the cut out of the barn with them. You can figure out the rest, bloke.

I decided that I would make some political jokes in this comic strip. It is just so easy to make fun of people in politics. Hey, maybe this will count for my U.S. Government class.

I'm having to hold myself back from posting Santa and from posting in Spanish. I'm really working on self-control here. Thanks for all your comments!

Jazz...

If you don't get the joke than you can go and choke. NO, ooh nooo, I mean, I will call you a bloke ...?

You can't die, I love you guys. And (maybe more importantly) no one would be here to read my blog.

Ink version

For some reason it wouldn't let me post this on the other one. So here it is. More on the way!!

Ben's Comix

People have been asking me since I started this blog, "Why benscomix?" "What does that mean?" So, I have been telling people (here is the story for those of you who have been wanting to ask): I first started reading the Captain Underpants books by Dav Pilkey when I was, I think seven. I had no original ideas of my own. In the books the two main characters, George and Harold, have a comic book "company" called Tree House Comix Inc. Having no original ideas, my comic book company was called Ben's Comix. Then in either 04 or 05 I used the name to create an account on yahoo, where the name was shortened to benscomix. I have used this name on websites and blogs ever since.

Now you also have been asking, "If you're benscomix, then where are the comics man?!" Well, because of my lack of knowledge of the human anatomy and muscle mass, I have stopped making comic books for a time. But I have been working on comic strip ideas for a while and now have the one that I will post on here. The strip is called Farm City, and is totally copyrighted. The basic run down of the comic is that there is a farm in the middle of the city between two businesses.

There is a large cast of characters spanning from all sorts of animals you would probably ever see on a farm. I have been drawing on a plethora of school work papers to get these guys finished up. The characters are: Jack and Jill Brown (the farmers), their son Jake, Jazz the rooster (who is the main character), Ralph the disgusting dog, Fleas the germophobic cat, Moody the cow (she got her name from her moooooooo-d swing personality), Giblets the pig, Bacon the chicken and other chickens, Oliver the owl, Junior Jr. the fat rabbit, and many other side characters such as sheep, turkeys and groundhogs.

This one isn't very funny, but this is just sort of the starter. There are more on the way!

I drew this one also in ink, but for some reason it won't work on this post. So, two posts in one day.

Leftovers

One of the best parts about Thanksgiving is that it just keeps on giving! Normally I have leftovers after the actual day, but since I will have better things to post then, I will wait.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

El Pavo Loco

I was reading some article by a real-type editor guy once who said that turkeys are attacking those who are trying take them for people's Thanksgiving meals. I guess all it takes is one rebel.

Yep, there will be a few more turkey quick sketches this month.

Me three.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I'm a little weighed down at the moment. There is quite a bit to do. Juggling all these responsibilities has proven to be a challenge. Whenever I catch one thing, I drop another. As I try to pick up that activity off the ground, two others seem to fall. Most of my essentials are still up in the air, but some have plummeted to the earth. (Wow. You will never see me use the word "plummeted" probably ever again.) I'm not even doing as well as this octopus.

Now, you're probably wandering, "Wait a second bub, if you are really as busy as you say you are, then how could you have enough time to A: draw this, B: post this and C: use "plummeted" in a sentence?" Well, I had to drop some things in order to pick these up from their fallen estate.

Actually, I was feeling a lot worse and more weighed down a couple of weeks ago, but now I am actually doing great. Just pray that I will remember this from Colossians 3:15,

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Now, about the drawing. One thing I did get right about this "me" is the fat head. All those pencils and pens have a background too. Not only have I not used them very much for drawing and school, but I also have on several occasions forgotten to bring any writing utensils to my classes. I think the guy sitting next to me is tired of lending me his.

Happy Friday the 13 a day early everyone! -How often am I going to miss out on posting on all these scary-type holidays?

Me... two?

Yet another quick sketch. Ahh, my poor blog... I have failed you!

Apparently I didn't think I did a very good job of drawing of a koala when I drew it, since I had to write what the thing is to the side of it. For shame.

As I said in my last post, the times are tough. Though I had a little bit more time last week, it was all spent on guitar. Which I have also failed in. I drew this one a while before I drew some of the last ones I have posted, but since I haven't any others to scan, this is what you get.

Well, I call this a sequel to a post a did a while ago because this too is another form of animal me. Yes, everything from his strange look, to his big ears and extremely crooked nose. All of these I have. The only thing this guy is missing is a long neck and bags under his eyes. Koalas sleep something like 19 hours a day. I wonder what would happen if I slept that long? Maybe my ears would grow larger, my smelling proboscis straighter and I would grow gray hair on every part of my body! *Sigh* I better not dream too big.

Happy 2nd of November and not Halloween everyone! ...Dang'git I missed it again.

It's school really...

Hey hey hey! I haven't had a whole lot of time for drawing of late, so here are two of my billion quick sketches I do of various homework papers.

The first one is on one of my Spanish papers. A little bit above the oddly proportioned panda is where I learned dibujar-to draw.

Frogman was drawn on an Algebra 2 paper. Frogman is the favored super hero of one of my other characters. In my stories, Frogman is strictly a nerd super hero, meaning only nerds like him.

I figure that drawing pictures on my homework papers actually helps me learn. In fact, when my mom quizzes me on any Spanish vocab. page, I can't tell her what the word means, but I can tell her exactly what drawings are on that page and exactly where the drawings are on the page.

After drawing Frogman, I kept staring at it thinking about my "TV show's episodes" that involve him. For some reason my mom kept on covering the drawing with a book so I couldn't see it.

Overall I think drawing while listening to anything helps; lectures, music, sermons, etc....

So, it's school really.

Check-Out lane (Pre-Halloween post)

In all my experiences in grocery stores and places like those, I haven't really seen that many good looking people working at the places. The worst looking people usually end up working ... the check out lane. Who came up with that name anyway?

The check out lane is the last place where I would want to be "checked-out." People who run these grocery ..(horror).. stores have demented senses of humor in calling it what they do, and then making the ugly people work there. That is why this Halloween I will be wearing a hoody, a face mask, my Groucho Marx glasses and fake nose, because I am not going to be checked out at the check out lane!

Crazy Cartoon!

Remember when you were a kid and you had that sugary, sweet, kid cereal? Remember this morning when you had sugary, sweet kid cereal? I do. I also remember why I wanted to talk my mom into getting those cereals. It is for those crazy cartoon characters they have on the box! My cousin brought the subject of insane cereal dudes while we were on vacation together in July. This got us thinking... why don't gross, cardboard, adult cereals have crazy spokespersons? Maybe if they did, kids would be begging their parents for the "un-sugar-coated cardboard flakes, (now with fiber)".

Be looking out for this little guy on the Fiber-Os commercial, where the slogan for the cereal is, "When slow and steady, doesn't win the race!"

Well, looks like I've been upstaged by my good friend Daniel Torres again. I was planning on posting this turtle since I drew it way back then. Dan just happened to be posting a turtle right before I get to mine. No seriously, check out his blog, his art is amazing!

Quick Dino sketches.

This was an evolution joke that no one really got. *Sigh* Scientists say that birds came from dinosaurs. Can you imagine the look on the parents' faces?

All I can say is, I was thirsty while drawing this. I didn't do much clean up work on these because I drew them pretty quickly.

Posting covers a multitude of un-erased marks, right? That's how I've always heard that saying anyway.

Me

People have told me that I sing like a walrus, (whatever that means). But maybe if I play guitar like one too, people can close their eyes and actually be fooled into thinking that a walrus is playing. Whatever that means.

Hey, guys, sorry the blog has been a little slow recently. First I was really sick with the flu. Yeah, don't ask if it was the swine flu, because the doctors wouldn't say... probably to not depress people. Although, it would be really funny if I had the swine flu after that fuss I made about it a while back. The second reason it has been slow is that I had to hook up the printer to my computer. (Lame excuse.) Third, I started school, and man have I been busy. This semester is looking so much more busy than my last semester. Thankfully this semester looks busier to just about everyone I know, so I'm not missing out.

Now, because of lame reason number 2, you won't be missing out on my blog.

Quick sketches ahoy!!

Can't wait till Summer 2011!!

Hey ya'll I'm back from the East Coast! I went to an amazing conference: Worship God 09-From Generation to Generation! I went to the worship conference last year, both very helpful, but I think they upped it at this year's couple of days!! Bob Kauflin, a pastor of Covenent Life Church and faithful worship leader there for 12 years, organizes the conference with his daughter. The conferences are usually every other year, but they did it two years in a row to get off the same year as The Clash, another good conference.

Since the main topic is Worship they always have (in my opinion) the best in Worship Music. Not only musically is it fantastic but the words are profound and are very helpful at pointing and keeping our gaze on the Gospel. Here is a list of the songs we sung at the conference.

Alright, so it looks like I will not be getting any photoshop this year. So, black and white it is... :(

For a rainy day...

I was saving this for a rainy day but then I realized I live in California. I haven't really had much time for drawing recently, (this one was on the same page as the last one) but I hadn't posted anything in a while...

I was actually waiting to post this till I heard back from my friend that works at Adobe about getting Photoshop for cheap.

In other news, my brother got a lot of new electronics which means I got all his old ones. One of the things he got is a new printer THAT HAS A SCANNER! So, hopefully no more taking pictures of drawings!!

Speaking of new electronics, one of the old ones of his I got was his ipod touch! Haha, it was amazing after only a couple hours of having it it already was a necessity.

"The Fam!" -'What about Bob?'

11 days ago or something like that, my family had its normal ritual of not being at the house all summer long, aka SUMMER FAMILY VACATION ROAD TRIP! That's a mouth full.

This trip didn't consist of anything too new or too different from last years ritual past time, but a new experience all in all. But as most summer family vacation road trips go it consisted of the same ingredients: Early mornings, fast food, long trips in the car, electronics, books, music, family, fast food, more family, more long trips in the car, grease, zits, fast food, tents, sleeping bags, flashlights, fast food, rest stops, smelly breath, late nights, sun burns, MORE family, and fast food. --Day one.

Now, I'm a considerate blogger. I don't like to talk about events longer than they actually took place, so I have come up with two sections to this post. The first one is for those of you who don't wanna read for an hour but are considerate enough to check my blog. The 2nd is a little more detailed and a little longer. Both will say practically the same things. Hopefully I don't write 10 days worth of stuff. Oi, I feel arthritis coming on...

The First One.

Day one, we drove up to the Red Woods and camped with my cousins. We were there for three days. Then we drove up to Oregon to see more of the same side of the family and to go to one of my cousin's wedding. We were there for three nights at least, idk about the days. After that we had a family reunion in Southern Oregon with the other side of my family right on the freezing beach. We were there three days. End of "The First One".

The Long One, (Second One).

Friday morning, the third, I believe it was; we woke up bright eyed and bushy eyebrowed ready for our ten day trip. I didn't get any sleep in the car, but I still did a lot of fun things (as far as car riding goes). After a long drive up to Northern CA we were deep in the heart of the red woods, and we could feel the beat that the country played to. Stupid banjos.

I have only been in that part of the Red Woods once before and man I wish I would have been more. I had sooooo much fun straining my neck and eyes to see the tops of the enormous redness. If you have never been threw the Red Woods before to give you an idea of how big the trees are they cut out a small part of one huge tree that cars drive through!! Also, the trees are so big that at when we got there it was still hot and sunny and once we got under the trees the temperature dropped and we set up camp in the dark. *Whew* that was a long sentence. We left there half way through the day on the 6th.

We drove up to Corvallis, Oregon that day and continued to camp, but this time it was in my Aunt's backyard. We sort of had a family reunion on that side of the family there because we were all there for my cousin's wedding. There was so much good and red meated food the day before the wedding that the night before I ralphed it all up. I had such a wonderful time there.

On another note it was a nice wedding, right by a lake. A Japanese style wedding. -That was muy fascinatin-o. I think we left there on the 9th? But I could be wrong. The trip, and summer actually, I never keep track of time.

Once we arrived at our rural destination in Southern Oregon you might have thought we were family'd out, right? Wrong... we had a family reunion for the other side of my family there. This was the 2nd one I really had with the whole of my dad's side. My mom's side I see all the time; they're chop liver.

When our days there were up we drove back to SoutherCali. I think it was a 14 hour drive.

Now you think I'm family'd out? Nonsense! My grandma drove back in the car with us!! She is here now!

End "The Long One, (Second One)."

On the trip I heard a lot of funny jokes and had lots of good ideas for drawings and posts on here.

I didn't check the grammar on here yet, so, who knows how're me spellin' en grammahhh wints. (Now that is the heart beat of the country!)

A Year and Six Months

Hey everyone here's the post people who have blogs give after a year and six months or so... It is a thanks to all of ya'lls for looking at my ramblings and few second sketches once and a while. Thanks for all your comments!! They are all much appreciated! This blog has been helpful for me especially now that I can look back at where I was a year and a half ago and where I am now. Though my art hasn't improved a whole lot from when I started posted drawings on here till now, it is encouraging for me to look back.

So thanks for all your comments! And if you want to see some real art and real humor check out these blogs: Shane Lewis, Toon Club, and Daniel Torres.

Bear Britches

Today I was transplanting some plants around in my backyard today and I just so happend to be moving Bear Britches. So I decided to sketch my take on the strange name. Aren't you glad I didn't think of a "bear" human. ...Though I guess that would be "Naked Ladies." ...You know what, I like the name Bear Britches...

Well, my summer started last week. I have been doing some awesome Summer activities! Rollerblading, walking the dog, bass, drums, electric guitar, swimming and as you have heard yard work! The only thing I'm missing is the beach and my summer will be complete in ONE WEEK! The only question on my mind now, is what won't I do this summer! Or ..."now what?"

...Forever and Always Secure

"I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I do know this: Because of the cross I'll be doing much better than I deserve."

-C.J. Mahaney The Cross Centered Life

Pixar, you've done it again, sir!

Hey, yeah, I know another post without a drawing, but its ok because I'm talking about an animated movie. Go watch Up! It was fantastic! Pixar upholds its rep yet again. We'll see with Toy Story 3 and Cars 2. But don't get me started on sequels... So, if you have 11-15 bucks just sitting around the desk, or in the sofa cushions, then go watch Up in 3D! And congrats "real D 3D" the two movies I have seen that you did the 3D stuffs for looked great.

And Carl Fredricksen is the coolest old man!

Quiet on the set!

Wow! Yesterday was the day of the big shoot, (as in shoot a movie.)
About two months ago, my friend, Stephen, finished a script to a short film. Stephen, the Director, and his Assistant Director, Eric, have been coming over to my house since about a month ago to go over me story boarding it. My brother, Matthew, was the star of the short film. It was great being on set of the final project with all these real actors, Cinematographer people, and a Make Up Artist. I have actually been working on the story boards for this for at least the past four posts I've done on here.
This summer be looking for Maverick from Sunrise Pictures.

Well, I'm actually posting this because it was an amazing experience, and because I have a sore throat and typing is about all I can do.
Don't worry, I'm sure with Stephen's permission I'll get some story board drawings on here.

Haha.

Swine Flu!!

This week for school I was reading George Orwell's Animal Farm. It is a pretty easy read, but the main topic of the story is Communism. Orwell basically takes Communism (or in the book Animalism) and puts it into a context of animals on a farm in England. The animals of Manor Farm decide they don't need their old masters, the humans, anymore and run them off the farm. The pigs are the leaders of the rebellion since they are the smartest and most cunning of the animals. Eventually, the animals start to see that their leaders aren't all they're cracked up to be after they go against all the "7 Commandments" that they set up at the beginning of the rebellion. And as we know, Communism, or Animalism is a terrible business. The pigs rule with an iron fist! (See above)

The best character in the book is Benjamin, the Donkey, (for obvious reasons) and because he is just like Eeyore. Once the pigs decide to make a windmill for electrical purposes. When they ask Benjamin he replies, "Windmill or no windmill, life will go on the same way it always has. That is-badly."

Well, the terrible epidemic is upon us! No one shake hands. No one go out in public! No one, get worried about this... Yeah, I seem to recall a certain, "Bird Flu" that hit some years back and how it was a "terrible epidemic". Sure, it might have been bad, but an epidemic? I think not. Well, as far as I'm concerned, I think the media has nothing else to do. Break outs like this are just what they are looking for! If they are really concerned about swine problems, how has Wienerschnitzel lasted so long?

I think a real pig problem to watch out for is Animalism. I hear it is on the rise.

Super Studs.

Well, only a couple of these guys were "epic failures". Since I had nothing else to post however, you are stuck with these guys.

I actually was drawing a lot in the month of April but not all were the worthy for me to take a picture it and put it on here.

Well, I would have posted these when I drew them; nearer to the time of my last post. But my Internet has been blocked by parental controls. Which I wouldn't mind so much if it would let me get on here, or at least check my email. So, if any of you have emailed me in the past two months. I might not have seen it.

As my friend commented in the last post, a lot of things have been going on. I got my braces off! I actually got them off before I posted that last drawing on here. But, I haven't been able to get on the Internet. Now I gotta' get a new benscomix drawing.

Cow meat, Zebra.

Sometimes my friend, Holly, and I will pick something to draw, then we each do our own rendition of it. We decided upon a cow and a zebra. I thought, "Ha, I can't draw cows, this will be easy enough!" Actually, this drawing is just about the first thing that popped into my head when I thought of drawing a cow. What can I say? I'm a teenager. And besides, what else are cows good for than Milk shakes and Burgers? What else do cows do? Stand there and cause global warming, perhaps? Well, I think the more burgers there are, the less global warming issues there will be... and the more lunches too.

Though it might help my burger thoughts that my friend, Colin, started working at In N' Out recently. I think I have gone there more in the past few months than ever before.

Wait, now that I think about it. Anything you do more than once is doing it more than before because you are just adding to what you have already done. Wow, I have just stumbled upon an epiphany. I wish I could get an epiphany to how to spell an Epiphany. What would I do without you spell check!

3-D!!

I have gone from flat to animated to now, 3-D! Now all I need to do is Animated 3-D.

This was actually a fairly simple process, I simply took one of my cartoons, put it in the Wanka-Vision machine... and ...April Fools.

Ok.

I used Model Magic by Crayola, and stuck some pieces together. I'll post my other one I made yesterday in a while. I still want to paint the other one.

So, there you have it. Now I will go off on April Foolitees.

This is one of the few days that I miss the fun in going to public school. Pranks. True, I can do them to my brothers, but since we're all under the same roof, one is bound to see you setting up something. True, I used to try back in my more simpler days of childhood. How many do we remember? One or two? And that is mostly because they didn't work.

April Fools is pretty much one of the best holidays, and yet I spend it on the Internet, doing school, playing music and doing nothing! Just like everyday.

But I'm not bitter... April Fools.

It's Alive!!

I wanted to make an animated short. So, I drew 38 frames on peices of tracing paper. I brought it over to my friend, Colin's, house and he did all the technical stuff. Over all this took about 7 or 8 hours for 4 seconds. Enjoy!

Miss Ophelia and Topsy (Uncle Tom's Cabin)

Raise your hand if you have read Uncle Tom's Cabin? Man, that was helpful... Ok, well for those of you that have you may recall a couple of chapters in the book about Augustine St. Clare's cousin, Miss Ophelia, is given a rowdy child, Topsy, to teach and raise up in a "proper way". There are many struggles and so far what I have read in the book, all of Miss Ophelia's efforts are futile. The only one that can get to Topsy is Augustine's child, Eva, who speaks kindly and shows her love for her.

So far this has been a great book to read! Harriet Beecher Stowe writes fantastically on how slaves were treated, and even still (as in Tom's case) kept their faith in Christ. Uncle Tom's Cabin is a great book, I would highly recommend it.

16!!

I've decided that I will try to spend this post talking mainly of what had been happening to me recently, more specifically this past weekend.

For a while my mom asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday. "Nothing," or "Not much," I would reply. Over the course of time I could see my mom's eager need to do something but eventually she gave up the idea. So last weekend:

Friday started off as a pretty typical day, did some school after I woke up, then went to choir. Afterword the people in my youth group went over to the Card's to listen to Mike talk on bikes. Mike works at a bikeshops and knows and has done more with bikes than anyone else I think I know. I think. After getting home my mom surprised me when we arrived because she said that we didn't have to do any more school that day. Glad, I agreed to go with my mom shopping to spend my Christmas Michael's card and get some ice cream. On the way home my mom and I got into some discussion which held my attention; walking out of the car I was still pondering it.



Then I opened the front door.



Wow, I have never more surprised in my!! -Except maybe one time when I opened the door to exit the bathroom and Zac jumped out and got me. Good thing I had just went, or else I would have "went" in my pants.

So yes, the surprise was incredible! I open the door and Zac flashes a picture which nearly blinds me. And then there are all my friends. Wow, no wonder I was scared. Haha

We played games all night; too bad we didn't get to go Ice Blocking. Thanks to all my friends for coming, for the gifts, and for making my birthday so wonderfull! Some of my Pasadena friends came down and spent the night.

Saturday we those who stayed did some amazing ball tag all over the place! Later at church I played guitar and my dad preached. Saturday night after church we visited Colin at work. Man, I wasn't hungry till I stepped into those In N' Out doors. After I went to Pasadena with Daniel and he snored all night. Haha, ahh no Dan it's all good.

Sunday, my actual birthday, Dan and I went to church. Good job, Stephen, on the electric guitar! My dad preached there as well. I have to say I liked it better the second time.

Psalm 23

"Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psa 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

This is a pretty familiar passage of scripture. I'm sure you know it, and maybe didn't even read it above, you just recited from memory. I too probably would have been able to recite this a couple months ago, and probably would have done it the same way you just did. But something is different now. I believe God put this passage of scripture on my heart some probably month or two ago, and it has effected my life while I have been praying it in my devotions. Ever since the Worship God conference last year I have been praying through the Psalms (yes, now I can even spell it), and it has radically effected my prayer times.
This psalm, as God (I believe) has been leading me to pray and meditate on, has shown me new and profound things in it. One night it was how much passion is in this psalm, and David's yearn for God.
Another was how much every word is directed about God, to God. "The Lord is my shepherd," "He makes me lie down in green pastures," "He leads me beside still waters," "He restores..." "He leads," "You are with me," "You prepare a table," "You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."
And I believe recently God has been showing me, God is my shepherd. You'd think that would be an obvious one, especially since it is the way this Psalm starts. But it has been more profound than that, as I trust God spoke to me and had me think of all the things a shepherd does. A shepherd loves, provides, feeds, protects, nurtures, helps, blesses, and keeps! How much more does Christ do for us?! The Lord is my Shepherd! I shall not want. Another powerful bit of scripture the Lord has brought me to is Matthew 18. Such powerful stuff! Matthew 18:12-14 says,

"Mat 18:12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? Mat 18:13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

Mat 18:14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."'

I would encourage you in your prayer times to keep in mind Psalm 23, and Matthew 18. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

February '09

You can see how big the paper is. I took my time and spent all February working on it. You can see in comparison how much time I took from that to how I much I took to taking the picture of it, (hence the head cut off).
A lot of things have been happening this month, I have been keeping up in my college class, drawing, music, and my aunt had her baby yesterday. All right, I'm hoping to post a lot this coming month about whatever God puts onto my life... we will see.
Enjoy these sketches!

My own style.

Using my own style I drew Peter Parker, mask off. But he's smiling so there must be nothing wrong. Or as in the movies, whenever it is an intense scene with a lot drama, mask comes off. Usually he's not smiling in the movies however.
My inspiration for starting this drawing is actually just to redeem the other Spider-Man drawings I have done. I like the way this turned out, if I was I Marvel he'd look something like this. Maybe that is why he is smiling.

The Misfits.

You know that team, course you do, you know... the one that loses a lot. Though yes, the team differs from year to year, but there will always be the "losers." And I'm also sure as a kid, you probably were on one of these teams. Well, I know I was. And just in case you forgot/tried to block it out of your mind forever... maybe this drawing and post will help bring those terrible memories back into your head!

First, the leader of the team. Yeah, the guy who looks good in front of the adults and all the people on the team know he's a jerk, and has some skill. (aka the coaches favorite)
Second, the guy to his right-our left, (aka the rookie). Freshman, great kid, great player, gets beat up.
Now the next guy-right of him, (the guy with the real skill) would be the coaches favorite but is the worst sport. So all the mom's of the other players are secretly happy that this guy got totally beat up.
The next guy is left to the quarter-back/right to us. This guy takes some of the kicks, blocks, throws and tries to be funny. (aka the clown)
The short, fifth guy... no one gets past him. And might I add he is the only guy on the team not beat up. (aka the immigrant)
Even when they lost the game they still dumped the Gatorade all over the coach. And then the nerdy kid trying to get on the team walked up, (aka the water boy).

Any memories yet? You know, you could always change by trying out as the water boy?
Ok so this probably didn't make you think of anything... thanks for letting me vent off my childhood grudges on you guys, though. Ahh, therapy!

So, as many games as this team lost, and how much they got beat up, they probably still didn't do as bad as the Lions this year. 0-16 ouch. Though I bet they had the decency not to dump the Gatorade on the coach... and leave the barrel on him.

Happy New Year!

How have you all been? Kind of a late start at the new year. Over Christmas I went to Idaho, while at my Grandpa's house I noticed that he had a lot of duck type things in one room. So, I thought I give a crack at it. Ha, Eggs...pun... never mind.
I did this Mallard in ink, so drawn with a paint brush and quill.

Well, I hope you guys had a great Christmas, and continue with a Quaky New Year! Ha ha, pun.