the sketchbook

Today’s movie is True Grit.  I must confess that I actually saw the movie a couple of weeks ago, but I suppose that a review is better late than never.  With that said, here we go.

Many of you may have seen the John Wayne version as I have since I was little and honestly I was a bit pissed when I heard that Hollywood was remaking this classic western.  I mean how does today’s “politically correct” Hollywood do justice to this movie?  It’s easy, you have the Coen Brothers do it!

The casting was very good indeed with Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Barry Pepper.  Jeff Bridges isn’t John Wayne and isn’t trying to be.  Who he is being is Rooster Cogburn and doing it quite well.  I have no doubt that he will get a best actor nod for his portrayal of  “a one eyed fat man.”  I’m sure that Hailee Steinfeld will also get the Oscar nod as the precocious and formidable Miss Mattie Ross.  Matt Damon took the role and ran with it and must be commended for having to slur his speech for more than half of the movie and Josh Brolin’s whiny portrayal of Tom Chainey makes you really loathe him.

The real performance to look for though is that of Berry Pepper as Lucky Ned Pepper.  Berry Pepper didn’t play Lucky Ned, he wore him!  He was so embedded in this character that it’s hard to imagine that this is the same actor that was the God fearing sniper in “Saving Private Ryan.”  If he doesn’t get a best supporting actor nomination then something is very, very wrong.

Did I like this movie?  Hell, it had horses and guns in it!  Of course I liked it!

I give True Grit 5 out of 5

Met a new friend for breakfast and old friends before lunch.  Now that’s what I call a good Sunday!

Yes, it’s official, I have class.  Oh, I’m not bragging about my style or lack there of.   I’m talking about school!  Last week I started a French Wash extension class at Pasadena City College.   Let me tell you it’s a lot of fun!

Today we brought in the work that we started in the first class then worked on during the week.  As with all courses you had some people that had worked on their project and some that hadn’t.  I was in the had group as I have time to do stuff like that right now.  I was trying to keep my head low and just be another student but when people saw my piece some eyebrows were raised and my cover was totally blown.  One of my fellow students even asked me what I was doing in that class?   I him answered honestly and said “having fun drawing and learning a new technique.”

What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning.

Easter has come again and I am just a bit blue.  Oh not that it’s Easter or that I have just turned another year older (yes I feel there are more birthdays behind me than there are left ahead) but the Easter e-card that I was working on just didn’t work out.  I guess the greatest plans made by man can be put aside by a temperamental computer.  It’s okay though as I still have all of the illustrations for the card and now I have an entire year to get this one working properly.

Let’s all just take a deep breath and enjoy this lovely albeit cloudy (at least here in Southern California) Easter Sunday.

I have finished the third piece of my Rodeo Series.  I must admit that I am very pleased with the way that this one turned out.  It has more depth and feeling than the first two and a lot more detail.

I have started the fourth and final piece of the series and hope to have that completed soon.

Happy viewing!

A couple of days ago I finished the second illustration in my “Rodeo” series.  I’m rather happy with the way that it turned out especially since it was the first time that I had illustrated a bull.  I am now playing with the third illustration and hope to have that done soon.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Here it is nearly the end of January and all I have to show for it is one lousy blog entry.  What am I a slacker?  No, not really.  Actually I have dusted off Adobe Illustrator and have been creative.    The illustration of the Saddle Bronc is the first in a series of rodeo art that I am creating, well, for fun and promotion.

It’s cool getting to do what you really enjoy.

The holidays are over and the new year has begun.  I have never been big on the whole “resolution” thing but I have made some personal plans for this year.  What are they you ask?  Well they’re mine and I’m going to hold onto them for a while.  It’s kind of like that birthday wish that you make and if you tell someone it won’t come true.

My holiday decorations are safely in their boxes and my home looks like it should and I like it.

Happy 2010 everyone!

Well, I haven’t been anywhere, just haven’t posted anything in quite some time.  Why?  Hell, I just didn’t have anything to say really.  So do I have something to say now?  Yes I do as a matter of fact.   I would like to take my hat off to Facebook.  Not only did it allow me to get reacquainted with people from my past, but it has allowed me to connect with some of my family that I haven’t heard from in many years.

So what have we learned today?

1. Facebook  – good
2. Connecting with family and friends – good
3. Not posting anything on my blog in over a month -bad (but honest)

Friday I went over to my buddy Kirk’s haunted house to help them scare the crap out of their “guests”.  This was a bunch of fun.  It’s much better being the scare-er than the scare-ee.  The only drawback was that I had a very scratchy voice on Saturday.  This wasn’t all that bad as I could sing along with Barry White on the radio (oh baby).

Saturday my brothers, their wives and I got together and played golf to celebrate my brother Don’s birthday.  It was a beautiful sunny day all be it a bit windy but no one was complaining.  The only thing that would have made it better would be if the rest of the family was with us.

I hope you all received treats and no tricks.