Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Art appreciation

A few weeks before my birthday last year, Yazzle Dazzle rather bluntly asked me over coffee what I wanted for a present because she was totally devoid of ideas and didn't want to buy me something crappy that I'd feign delight at then bin as soon as she turned her head. I subsequently gave her a list of items (seriously, I hadn't been waiting to be asked at all), and on that list was a book called The Three Paradoxes by a chap called Paul Hornschemeier. To cut a long story short, she bought it for me, and I then read it in one sitting. It was wonderful. I've since read another of Paul's books, Mother, Come Home, which struck such a chord with me that it actually elicited an emotional response - thus putting it in the same category as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (the scene where Spock dies just … y'know, gets me … right *there*) and A Confederacy of Dunces, which is the first book that ever made me cry with laughter.

Anyway, shortly after reading The Three Paradoxes, I discovered (via the Fantagraphics Books Flog, I believe) that Paul wrote a blog of his own, and it's subsequently become a must-read on my daily travels around the tinternets. And it was while I was reading his blog a few weeks back, that I discovered that Paul was accepting commissions for a limited time and at an exceedingly reasonable price ($50 for black 'n white, $100 for colour).

I had to have one.

And so, me being, well, me, I asked Paul if he'd draw me his interpretation of Star Trek.

Then I sat back and waited (not literally sat back and waited for the last few weeks or so, I mean; I do have some semblance of a life you know).

So this morning I'm faffing about at work making a cup of tea and having a water cooler moment for one when our delightful production manager, AKA Queen of the office and the lady I once appointed minister for partying, strolls in carrying a load of post. Somehow I knew today was the day, and I tore into the stack of letters sending bills and unwanted stationary catalogues flying in all directions.

And there it was: a large cardboard envelope addressed to moi. I returned to my desk in a state of giddy anticipation, and carefully opened the package.

I knew it would be great, but the drawing I found inside exceeded even my hopes and expectations.

I think you'll agree that Paul totally nailed Kirk and Spock here (sorry, the 'prime universe' Kirk and Spock for any new-to-the-franchise fans who might only be familiar with this year's movie), and if anyone from IDW Publishing sees this can I suggest you ask him to do at the very least a variant cover, if not an entire Star Trek comic book of his own? Just my two-pence worth…

Anyway, as the first piece of original artwork I've ever bought, this is setting the bar waaaaaaay high and I'm chuffed to bits with it. I now intend to spend some quality time perusing some art shops in search of the perfect frame…

9 comments:

Tara said...

Reading just a small bit about what "Mother, Come Home" is about, I could feel some emotions churn up a bit. I'm thinking I'd be a bag of tears if I read that book.

That drawing is so cool, I'm so happy that you got a response from him!

Tim said...

Two words: read it! It actually took me longer than it should've done to read it because I kept rereading pages over and over because they were so powerful. I highly recommend it.

And yeah, the drawing is very cool!!

CyberPete said...

Very KOOL!

Love it

BEAST said...

Thats extremely cool and I am hardly jealous at all
***sticks pin in Sparkey Malarkey vodoo doll***
and you have an Iphone and I havnt
***wiggles pin about a bit***
and a Mini
***selects second somewhat blunter pin and jabs away***

missyandchrissy said...

both books sound interesting - i have to check them out!

and congrats on your very first piece of original artwork...it is awesome!

Tim said...

Cyberpete - Isn't it?

Beast - You might need to jab harder, I appear to be somewhat impervious to your actions.

MissyandChrissy - You definitely should, I really enjoyed both! Mother, Come Home is very downbeat though - expect emotions!

Inexplicable DeVice said...

While it is indeed an excellent picture, Kirk, to my eyes (that admittedly don't work all that well), looks rather like David Walliams doing an impression of Kirk.


Oh, Beast? Do you have any spare Sparky Tim voodoo dolls lying around?

CyberPete said...

Absolutely!

Oh looky looky IDV is back

Tim said...

Inexplicable Device - You need to wash your eyes properly! It's awesome!!

Cyberpete - Yes, he is … isn't he?