Most of my practicing the past week or two has focused on heads and faces. This gentleman has feet. That makes him unique in this post. (Though clearly I could stand to practice some body proportion next — see edit. :-P)

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I’ve updated the site theme to reflect the new foliage as well.

The apple tree cuttings I took last autumn failed to root. I suspect I may have taken the cuttings too early, or else I let them get too dry over the winter. We’ll try again come Christmas… assuming the tree survives, of course. I perpetually fear a summer storm is going to sweep through and topple it. Hasn’t happened yet, though, and we’ve had some healthy storms in the past century.

This is where the world’s best applesauce and apple crisp start (picture taken by my mom, April ’09):

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In defiance of the death threats being made around the world against those who depict the Prophet Muhammad, today is “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day.” Rebecca has the backstory:

I decided to keep it simple: nothing too wacky or embarrassing.  I just thought the Prophet Muhammad might enjoy a refreshing, non-alcoholic beverage.

The offense is in the irreverence. I do not revere the prophet, and religious prohibitions against depicting him do not apply to me. I boldly defy those who would use threats of violence to force their superstitions upon others.

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This was my first year attempting the Hourly Comic challenge. Consider this penance for having slacked off on my sketch posts. (Oh, and yeah, the lack of practice shows.)

It was grueling. It was fun. The results are below. (Also available on the Hourly Comic forum)

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I know it looks all-dead, but it’s just dormant as we in the northern hemisphere head into winter. It’s also still a work in progress–a living piece of art, so to speak.

There’s something beautiful about a half-dead tree, since despite being half-dead it is still fully alive.

We have an heirloom apple tree in my front yard back home, brought as a sapling from Germany about 100 years ago. A full half of the tree is dead wood (which we dare not cut off lest we put the tree off-balance), and yet the other half grows full and lush every year, providing apples that my grandmother turns into the most incredible applesauce and apple crisps.

For several years now, I’ve been trying to clone the tree from cuttings. It’s a race against time; every summer, I fear that a hurricane or something will knock the tree down before I can take new cuttings. I came damn close last year, growing a one-inch-long section of root from a hardwood cutting completely by accident. Before that, I wasn’t even sure I could root from this type of tree at all, let alone one so very old. Now that I know what I’m doing, this might be the year I finally succeed in preserving my pomaceous birthright for future generations.

This isn’t a picture of my apple tree, mind you. This is a different half-dead tree, with a character all its own. (When a tree loses its leaves, that’s when you can tell part of its true character that’s obscured for most of the year.)

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However, though my sketchbook has been collecting dust, my fingers have not been completely idle.

Photos will be on the way once I get a chance to take some during daylight hours, but until then here’s a bit of a preview:

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In short, I’ve let myself get somewhat distracted from writing and drawing. It’s not the end of the world, I know. But it did feel good to pick up a pencil again the past night or two, if only a little bit at a time.

On the subject of fantasy games, I have been seriously jonesing for the original Final Fantasy on the NES.

Sorcerers will destroy you.

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I think it would be pretty neat to play the saxophone. Maybe then I could be as cool as Wally Gator.

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