I’m having the beast of times with my Pen+Gear Sketch Diary sketchbook, a gem my wife Tina unearthed for me at our local Walmart. The sturdy paper withstands the rough handling of my pencils and erasers, while its surface handles the ink from my Sailor and Pentel pens better than I’d expect particularly for a discount sketchbook. Continue reading →
As we plunge DEEP into the heart of the Halloween season, I couldn’t resist reviving my vector rendition of The Phantom of the Opera with a chilling encore. This iconic figure, shrouded in mystery and menace, deserves a fresh twist to haunt your imagination.
In my original version, I framed him against the majestic pipes of a grand organ, evoking the eerie echoes of the opera house. However, after watching the 1943 Technicolor classic featuring Claude Rains and the 1962 Hammer horror with Herbert Lom on the Universal Monster streaming channel, inspiration struck. I relocated my spectral Phantom to the dank, labyrinthine sewers beneath the streets of Paris—a fittingly macabre setting that amplifies his otherworldly presence. The damp stone walls and shadowy tunnels now set the stage for his sinister lurking.
In the event of birthdays, anniversaries and a few other holidays, Tina and I have a tradition where we exchange cards that we make for one another. It certainly saves on the clutter and we end up with something truly unique rather than something store bought that will be forgotten. We call them Drawer Cards.
I’m having the beast of times with my 
As we plunge DEEP into the heart of the Halloween season, I couldn’t resist reviving my vector rendition of The Phantom of the Opera with a chilling encore. This iconic figure, shrouded in mystery and menace, deserves a fresh twist to haunt your imagination.
