sketch diary, Friday Dec. 15

December 17th, 2006 | Uncategorized

barber closeup

No sooner did I post that guilt-ridden message about blowing off my strips this month than I was seized with a new idea. I could post other kinds of cartoons here, like a sketch diary, until I’m back on track with strip.

I think I was inspired by Roz Chast’s new book, which a very kind reader of this blog just sent me. I was looking at it last night and envying her free ‘n’ EZ drawing style and wide-ranging subject matter. Well, it was a combo of Chast’s influence and James Kochalka’s. I’m also envious of his simple, haiku-like American Elf sketchbook diary.

I just thought it might be fun to try something like that, and it would make up for slacking off in the DTWOF department. I know, I know, everyone’s been making these very kind posts about how I shouldn’t feel guilty and it’s fine to take a break. But I got really seized with this idea.

So I made this little story about something that happened to me yesterday.

boxer barber

18 Responses to “sketch diary, Friday Dec. 15”

  1. Ellen O. says:

    If anyone is having trouble seeing the drawings, try right-clicking with your mouse and opening them in a new window. Or, if you have a Mac, Control-Click.

    I love the angle of the head in the third panel. Catches the experience of the back-of-the-neck shave perfectly.

  2. Josiah says:

    Yep, I control-clicked to see the image on its own. (Mac user since 1984 here.)

    I love the little bits of hair stuck to Alison’s face in the last panel. So true! And you keep finding them stuck to your skin for the rest of the day after a haircut, don’t you?

  3. tallie says:

    your barber looks like that DTWOF character whose name i can’t remember now….

  4. cybercita says:

    hey, ellen o, thanks for the control click suggestion!!!

    {mac user since 1999 here!!!}

  5. Cadence says:

    The barber is Carlos!

  6. MissieP says:

    well done on finally getting that haircut! don’t forget to breeeaaaaaaaathe while you’re trying to “relax”!

  7. Silvio Soprani says:

    YES, definitely Carlos!!

  8. Angi says:

    Pictures worked for me…and the barber totally looks like Carlos! Is that a device to protect the identity of the innocent or does your barber actually look like Carlos (or Carlos looks like your barber?) Love the sketch book idea!

  9. Deb says:

    This is a really nice change of pace! I just got back from a week-long training in Sacramento. Though I haven’t worked so hard in such a long time at a workshop, it was a good change of pace from the dialy grind of what I usually do, so it was a good break. I think you are doing a good thing for yourself. Go with your flow Alison. You are so very talented, you will feel better and we will enjoy watching that talent flow from another place for a bit! Lucky us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. My barber actually looks nothing like Carlos. The resemblance is due only to my lack of drawing skill. They have the same hair and beard, I guess, but that’s it. I almost cheated on my rule by looking for a photo of my barber in an old newspaper article, but fortunately I couldn’t find it.

    I’m pretty bad at drawing real, actual people to look like themselves. Except for me–I think my drawings of myself pretty much look like me. But that’s just because I draw myself more than I draw other real people.

  11. --MC says:

    In our house Kochalka is known more for his wacky music stylings. Though his diary comic is great.
    This Xmas we’ve been enjoying his “Sleighride to Heck” song, thematically similar to Spinal Tap’s “Christmas With The Devil”: “Satan’s taken Santa on a sleighride to FUCK!”

  12. patrick says:

    i love the sketch diary! keep it up (i mean, no pressure of course)!

  13. dawn says:

    no wonder the “free ‘n EZ” drawing style appeals to you. after listening to you explain the long, complicated and arduous process you go through to make every single panel (when you read at powell’s in portland this year), i don’t blame you for wanting a little break for it. you work really hard. it’s kind of amazing.

  14. Sophie says:

    Wow! This is history in the making. The very first appearance of your online sketch diary. I’m sure we’ll all remember it fondly one day. You know, “I was there” ;P

  15. mlk says:

    Alison, do you really draw real people so badly, or do you just think so? I don’t know the literary guys you drew earlier in the year (on an occasion when you didn’t have a camera) and so maybe they weren’t true to life. but as I remember, some of the more learned folks on the blog actually recognized your subjects.

    just something to think about . . .

    of course, when you’re taking a break it’s perfectly OK to draw on the familiar instead of stressing to push yourself in an area where you lack confidence. so glad you didn’t break your own rule by “copying” from a photo. and it’s fun to see Carlos outside the strip!

    (hope this doesn’t sound too motherly. don’t want to make you feel claustrophobic! and don’t have any interest in replacing your mother . . . she’s quite a woman!)

  16. Austin Kleon says:

    I’m so happy to hear that you dig Kochalka

  17. Str8butnotNarrow says:

    I don’t think Al could draw anything badly if she tried. Part of my enjoying DTWOF so much is watching her skills evolve…which they have, greatly.

  18. amalle says:

    this is so perfect.