{"id":4777,"date":"2011-10-20T06:29:49","date_gmt":"2011-10-20T11:29:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/?p=4777"},"modified":"2021-07-07T07:42:58","modified_gmt":"2021-07-07T11:42:58","slug":"cosmic-maaaannnnnn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2011\/10\/20\/cosmic-maaaannnnnn\/","title":{"rendered":"Cosmic, Maaaannnnnn!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>A war wages within me between traditionally and digitally inking my cartoons. I go back and forth between my pens and brushes and my Wacom tablet. It depends on the job, my mood or whatever is close at hand.<\/p>\n

\"Cosmic<\/a>Cosmic, Man was inked traditionally.<\/p>\n

I must admit that I had no idea what I was going to do for this year’s anniversary card. After a bit of research on the internet, I found that crystal is the traditional gift given for the fifteenth anniversary. I made the mental leap – crystal, crystals, new age, hippies. I grabbed a wire bound sketchbook and quickly sketched out the fellow above in my favorite indigo pencil<\/a>. I figured I would scan the sketch and ink it digitally, but instead, I grabbed my beloved Pentel Pocket Brush<\/strong> which is like a fountain pen with a nylon brush head instead of a nib. It does fat and fine lines beautifully and really is a pleasure to use.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The problem with the indigo lead is that it does not erase very easily or very well. I let the inks dry over night and attempted to erase the pencil lines the next day. I scanned the drawing in grayscale rather than bitmap and was able to make the pencil lines vanish using levels<\/em> in Photoshop.<\/p>\n

As usual, I colored the cartoon in on the computer using Photoshop.<\/p>\n

Of course, my hippie needed a tie-dye tee shirt. I was going to fake it daubing some virtual paint around with my digital brushes, but I took a look on the internet for Photoshop tutorials, and found several on creating a tie-dye texture. THIS<\/strong><\/a> was the best one, and using it as a guide with some slight variations I created this pattern. I dropped it in on Cosmic, Maaaannnnnn’s<\/strong> tee shirt on a layer beneath my ink layer in Photoshop. POOF!<\/strong> Instant new-age, hippie guru guy!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>More color was applied. Background ideas were fiddled with. Filters tried. Blending modes played with. A lot of it is playing, and a lot of other stuff is stuff I remembered tripping across before.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A war wages within me between traditionally and digitally inking my cartoons. I go back and forth between my pens and brushes and my Wacom tablet. It depends on the job, my mood or whatever is close at hand. Cosmic, … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[18,16,318],"tags":[17,8,312,912,27,3664,32,43,906,5,916,66,3663,915,917,3660],"class_list":["post-4777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-drawer-cards","category-sketch","category-technique","tag-cartoon","tag-cartoons","tag-comic","tag-cosmic","tag-digital-illustration","tag-drawer-cards","tag-hippie","tag-humor","tag-ink","tag-joe-williams","tag-pentel-pocket-brush","tag-photoshop","tag-sketch","tag-space","tag-tie-dye","tag-willceau"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1ed1x-1f3","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4769,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2011\/10\/19\/15-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":4777,"position":0},"title":"15 Years","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"October 19, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Fifteen years ago on a similarly rainy day, before a gathering of family, friends and a priest who had buried most of the gangsters in South Philly, Tina and I got hitched! As I've said before, Tina and I exchange cards that we make ourselves on holidays and major occasions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drawer Cards"","block_context":{"text":"Drawer Cards","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/drawer-cards\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/10-19-11-FINAL-jw-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/10-19-11-FINAL-jw-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/10-19-11-FINAL-jw-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":41681,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/10\/07\/cosmic-maaaaaannnnn-sticks-around-for-another-birthday\/","url_meta":{"origin":4777,"position":1},"title":"Cosmic Maaaaaannnnn Sticks Around for Another Birthday","author":"Joe","date":"October 7, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"As I have written before, it's Tina's and my tradition to exchange birthday, anniversary and holiday cards we have illustrated ourselves. It's more personal and making your own cards is a lot cheaper than a Hallmark card from one of the drugstore chains. Have you priced them recently?! Ouch! We\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drawer Cards"","block_context":{"text":"Drawer Cards","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/drawer-cards\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Cosmic-Man-detail-2023.jpg?fit=640%2C519&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Cosmic-Man-detail-2023.jpg?fit=640%2C519&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Cosmic-Man-detail-2023.jpg?fit=640%2C519&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10162,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2012\/10\/19\/sweet-sixteen\/","url_meta":{"origin":4777,"position":2},"title":"Sweet Sixteen","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"October 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"16 years ago, Tina and I tied the knot all nice and legal. As is our custom, we exchange cards that we make ourselves. This is mine to her. Once again, I didn't have a rock-solid idea of what I was going to do. I let my pencil do the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drawer Cards"","block_context":{"text":"Drawer Cards","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/drawer-cards\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/sixteen-jw.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/sixteen-jw.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/sixteen-jw.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/sixteen-jw.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39222,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2022\/10\/07\/cosmic-maaaaaannnnn-returns-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":4777,"position":3},"title":"Cosmic Maaaaaannnnn Returns Again!","author":"Joe","date":"October 7, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Cosmic Maaaaaannnn has returned to celebrate my darling wife's birthday! We first met this star traveler during our crystal anniversary and again on Tina's birthday ten years ago. Happy birthday, Tina! \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Drawer Cards"","block_context":{"text":"Drawer Cards","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/drawer-cards\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Return of Cosmic Maaaaannnn!","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52407934565_7f281c1d7e_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52407934565_7f281c1d7e_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52407934565_7f281c1d7e_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10005,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2012\/10\/07\/happy-birthday-tina-the-2012-edition\/","url_meta":{"origin":4777,"position":4},"title":"Happy Birthday, Tina! The 2012 Edition","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"October 7, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the 2012 edition of my birthday card to Tina. This is the front or outside of the card. ...and this is the inside of the card which marks the Triumphant Return of Cosmic, Maaaannnnnn! Happy birthday, Tina! \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Drawer Cards"","block_context":{"text":"Drawer Cards","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/drawer-cards\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/happy-birthday-tina-2012.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/happy-birthday-tina-2012.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/happy-birthday-tina-2012.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/happy-birthday-tina-2012.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10011,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2012\/10\/08\/the-return-of-cosmic-maaaannnnnn\/","url_meta":{"origin":4777,"position":5},"title":"The Return of Cosmic, Maaaannnnnn!!!","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"October 8, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Tina's birthday was fast approaching, and I didn't have a rock solid, hysterically funny idea for a card so I decided to revisit a friend from last year's anniversary card, Cosmic, Maaaannnnnn! I did the sketch above during my commute to and from work on the Market-Frankford El in a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drawer Cards"","block_context":{"text":"Drawer Cards","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/drawer-cards\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/outer-space-background.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/outer-space-background.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/outer-space-background.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4777"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4777\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}