1) WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE, NOTHING MATTERS AND I LIKE TO DRAW, not to be hysterical. But from that baseline, what artwork to create?
2) Birds are awesome, they’ve got intricate, detailed feathers and stuff. What subject hasn’t been drawn about ten gajillion times? I landed on birds, especially the humbler birds, especially sparrows. Seahorses would also be cool (and octopi!) but not as cool as birds. Here are other great subjects not as cool as birds:
Fantasy characters and superheros: There’s an ocean of artists doing those, heck drawing any other thing = instant niche. Fantasy subjects art quality has been cranked up to an amazing level. Too much competition, I coward. Also my favorite pen and ink artists all end up doing Star Wars or Game of Thrones stuff because it sells, sells, sells and since I apparently hate success and money I don’t.
People = What do we need more people for? we’ve got zillions and zillions. They’re everywhere going places and doing stuff with VERY GREAT SELF IMPORTANT ENERGY, spouting trite platitudes, demanding things, reproducing, making me uncomfortable for no good reason, fuhgeddabodit. People are only interesting to me when you peel back a couple layers of defenses and get down to the good stuff, the crazy unique energy that every one of us has and hides… and that New Englanders hide in particular. Say anything out of the ordinary and New Englanders start digging escape tunnels, they run off to mow their lawn. I like Russians. Pour some vodka into one and be nice to them and suddenly you’re their BEST FRIEND FOREVER AND EVER, let’s break out the crazy! But Ty, you say, if you find people so onerous, what about you, you deplorable hypocrite? Well, says Ty, I’m not doing self portraits, either.
Sexy ladies (speaking of Russians): I likes me a good titillation as much as the next guy but I’d like people to pay attention to the art and message, plz. If they’re in for the sexy they’re not in it for the art… plus I’ve got a ten year old daughter and I’d rather her not have to think of her ‘ol Dads’ sex drive when she looks at my art, or worse, to think being sexy is super-important to get attention. She’s going to do great in this world and she doesn’t need that shit.
Zombies/horror stuff: Pen and ink artists are all about horror but let the sun shine, baby, lighten up, jeez. I gotta live in this head, evil isn’t welcome up in here.
3) I really do have a message to get across, some realworld philosophy that has helped me along.. Why do it with art and freakin birds? Because logic sucks. We rationalize, we debate, we come up with talking points, we try to take the news cycle. It’s all rows and rows of mental cannonades and grenadiers defending the core lizard brain. You see something, you feel about it and then out comes the insults, meh.
Okay that’s it more later
Here are the roses from ‘Beauty can save the world’ vectorized