Wednesday, April 07, 2010

There but for the grace of you go I.

Posted from:http://lopezstudios.com/?p=214">There but for the grace of you go I.

Been listening to Simon and Garfunkle all day. You'd be surprised at how soothing and relaxing the lyrics and melodies are. Anyway, there's a live version of this song on my iPod.. very beautiful... Kathy's Song
Simon and Garfunkle I hear the drizzle of the rain Like a memory it falls Soft and warm continuing Tapping on my roof and walls. And from the shelter of my mind Through the window of my eyes I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets To England where my heart lies. My mind's distracted and diffused
My thoughts are many miles away
They lie with you when you're asleep
And kiss you when you start your day. And a song I was writing is left undone I don't know why I spend my time Writing songs I can't believe With words that tear and strain to rhyme. And so you see I have come to doubt
All that I once held as true
I stand alone without beliefs
The only truth I know is you.

And as I watch the drops of rain
Weave their weary paths and die
I know that I am like the rain
There but for the grace of you go I. *sigh* Such sweet words.. This is a special weekend, it's gonna be awesome :) -Freddy
LopezStudios: The Art of Alfredo Lopez Jr.

Speaking of ripoff artists... Celine chokes on Meatloaf

Posted from:http://lopezstudios.com/?p=215">Speaking of ripoff artists... Celine chokes on Meatloaf

Was telling alex about how much I disliked this fugly diva known as Celine Dion and remembered the exact moment at which I solidified my dislike for her... I, being a huge meatloaf fan, was still riding the wave of his return with the 'I would do anything for love' single... Anyway, while flipping through the channels I passed a scene which i though was the video for it, so I flipped back to watch. Surprisingly, it wasn't Meatloaf!! Celine was riding the wave of her whiney boat movie song and had released a new song titled 'It's all coming back to me now'. As I watched, the song sounded suspiciously like Meatloaf's song.. in fact, the Video lifted almost every scene from Meatloaf, all the way down to the castle scenes. Here's Meatloaf's video: and here's Celine's cheap knockoff: After a little research I discovered the song was actually written by long time meatloaf collaborator Jim Steinman who wrote the ballad in 1986 for Bat out of Hell II. Steinman and Meat Loaf decided to use 'I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)' and save this song for Bat III. Bat out of Hell 2 was released in '93 without the 'coming back' tune. While waiting, Steinman recorded the song with an all-female group called 'Pandora's Box'. The group was comprised mostly of acquaintances who had worked on the Bat 1 album and consisted of concept songs intended for meatloaf and others. It was a commercial failure but does mark the first recorded version of the song. Steinman eventually wound up giving the song to Celine Dion who recorded it in 1996, upsetting Meatloaf who was working on gathering material for Bat 3. Nigel Dick directed the music video for Dion's version, with Simon Archer as cinematographer and Jaromir Svarc as art director. You can tell by watching the video that they were trying hard to match Steinman's original vision of it being a MeatLoaf song almost down to being a direct copy of his 'I would do anything for love' video. Motorcycles, castles, flowing drapes and candelabras. I'm surprised they didn't just make Celine gain a hundred pounds, have a sex change and call her 'Porkchop' or something. The song got mixed reviews . Ironically, The Toronto Sun said that it 'sounds like a Meat Loaf reject'. In 2006, Meatloaf appeared on the American Idol show and performed a duet of 'It's all coming back to me now' with Katherine McPhee. This is the way the song was intended to be done. The appearance was to promote 'Bat out of Hell 3: The monster is loose' which hit US Shelves in October. Bat out of Hell 3 contained the track 'It's all coming back to me now' by Meatloaf in a duet with Norwegian singer, Marion Raven. The video for the song tells the story as it was intended. Through a series of flashbacks depicting the loss of his love. Much more original than the Celine version. This, Celine, is how you do a Meatloaf song. -Freddy
LopezStudios: The Art of Alfredo Lopez Jr.

My sequential life...

Posted from:http://lopezstudios.com/?p=222">My sequential life...

Sometimes the little things in life that make one happy return. And with them, some smiles and the knowledge that life is good. Free comic book day was May 5th. I hope everyone made it out, grabbed a fistfull of free comics, got to know your local comic shop and all in all had a great time. I started the day at my sister's house. I have been looking forward to this for a while, it's always a nice treat and an excuse to spend some time with my niece. My sister had a yard sale planned so I woke up early, picked up some coffee and donuts for the troops and headed on over. The sale went great and we got quite a bit of traffic. I woke up the lazy princess Amby and headed down to Bob's around 11. It was groovy as hell, the place was packed and there were costumed heroes walking around saying hi to the kids. Local artists were there including Kriss Kidd, creator of Big Epsilon, former Spiderman inker Sam DeLa Rosa and (one of my fave comic groups) the crew from Rubberband Press . Alex met us there and it was nice to see her enjoying the event. At the event I bumped into local artist & caricaturist Frank Zieglar, a great guy. We got to talking about how hard it is to keep up with art when life keeps coming at ya @ 100mph. I'm gonna try hard to get him to do a con soon, would love to just hang and draw sometime. Anyway, it got me wondering about how I should have done something for FCBD and how I *need* to focus on my art. I'm currently looking at the convention schedules and trying to figure out which ones I need to do. So far WWTx is a MUST.. there's also a couple of local shows I'm keeping my eye on. I had an odd experience with a client. Feel like I got ripped off... waiting for part 2 where I get ripped off even more by same client. But, I fulfilled my part and should have some good karma coming my way. I also finally did a cover for one of the nicest Comic Creators i've had the priveledge to work for. I'll be posting that soon for comments.  Also did some damage on an art project that's looming over my head. Hope to have that one finished soon as well. Anyway, had a blast and it felt good to be in a comic store and wrapping up more comic work. Yeah, I know it's nerdy but I like comics. What can I say? These are the little things that make me happy. Oooooooo!! I didn't make it to the midnight showing of Spiderman.. I didn't even make it on the first day.. wow, am I getting old or what? But Sunday, i did manage to make it to the early showing at the Quarry.. Huh? What did I think? Well, I'll tell ya... wait... actually I think this calls for it's own blog. -Freddy
LopezStudios: The Art of Alfredo Lopez Jr.

Tomorrow is 24 hour comic day

Posted from:http://lopezstudios.com/?p=290">Tomorrow is 24 hour comic day

http://www. 24hourcomicsday. com/ Tomorrow is 24 hour comic day!! Anyone in or near the san antonio area who's willing to take up the challenge is welcome to swing by Dragon's Lair and hang out with us. We'll be killing ourselves to create 24 page comcisin 24 hours... Yeah, cuz we're crazy like that.. If you're planning on going, drop me a line at : Freddy@LopezStudios.com or here on myspace at: www. MySpace. com/FreddyL would love to know who's showing up and maybe brainstorm before the event!!! -Freddy.. Dragon's Lair is an Official Participating Site for 24 Hour Comics Day! This is an amazing creative challenge - create 24 consecutive comic book pages in 24 consecutive hours! The event takes place on Saturday, October 18, 2008 beginning at 10 a.m. and ends on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 10 a.m. - and Dragon's Lair will stay open for the duration, and probably have a few other events for other night-owls.
24 Hour Comics Day is an annual challenge for cartoonists to produce a 24-page comic book written, drawn, and completed in 24 consecutive hours. ComicsPRO, the comic book specialty retailer trade organization, recently assumed the organizational reins for 24HCD with the enthusiastic endorsement of the event's founder, Nat Gertler, publisher of About Comics.
Over the years, the 24 Hour comic book challenge has thwarted and rewarded such comics luminaries as Scott McCloud, Dave Sim, Neil Gaiman, Kevin Eastman and many others. On 24 Hour Comics Day, creators of all ages and levels of skill and experience gather at one of the participating sites to encourage each other in completing this creative comics marathon.
Dragon's Lair is looking forward to seeing some of our own artists come out and give this a try - come by and try your hand at this challenge or just cheer on those brave souls putting their artistic wills to the test! Dragon's Lair is on the corner of Medical and Fredricksburg... For more info, contact the San Antonio Store: 7959 Fredericksburg Rd # 129 San Antonio, TX 78229 (210)615-1229 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LopezStudios: The Art of Alfredo Lopez Jr.

The Face Upon The Floor

Posted from:http://lopezstudios.com/?p=272">The Face Upon The Floor

The Face Upon The Floor

Something to kick off the Memorial Day Weekend.. A poem of an artist in love.. Art by Jack Davis. Originally published in Mad 10 (Apr 1954) by E.C. THE FACE UPON THE (BARROOM) FLOOR -Hugh Antoine d'Arcy 'Twas a balmy summer evening, and a goodly crowd was there. Which well-nigh filled Joe's bar-room on the corner of the square; And as songs and witty stories came through the open door, A vagabond crept slowly in and posed upon the floor. "Where did it come from?" someone said, "The wind has blown it in." "What does it want?" another cried. "Some whisky, rum or gin?" "Here, Toby, sic him, if your stomach's equal to the work - I wouldn't touch him with a fork, he's as filthy as a Turk." This badinage the poor wretch took with stoical good grace; In fact, he smiled as though he thought he'd struck the proper place. "Come, boys, I know there's burly hearts among so good a crowd To be in such good company would make a deacon proud." "Give me a drink -- that's what I want -- I'm out of funds, you know; When I had cash to treat the gang, this hand was never slow. What? You laugh as though you thought this pocket never held a sou! I once was fixed as well, my boys, as anyone of you." "There, thanks; that's braced me nicely! God bless you one and all! Next time I pass this good saloon, I'll make another call. Give you a song? No, I can't do that, my singing days are past; My voice is cracked, my throat's worn out, and my lungs are going fast." "Say! Give me another whisky, and I'll tell you what I'll do I'll tell you a funny story, and a fact, I promise, too. That I was ever a decent man not one of you would think; But I was, some four or five years back. Say, give me another drink." "Fill her up, Joe, I want to put some life into my frame -- Such little drinks to a bum like me are miserably tame; Five fingers -- there, that's the scheme - and corking whisky, too. Well, here's luck, boys! and, landlord, my best regards to you!" "You've treated me pretty kindly, and I'd like to tell you how I came to be the dirty sot you see before you now. As I told you, once I was a man, with muscle, frame and health, And, but for a blunder, ought to have made considerable wealth." "I was a painter -- not one that daubed on bricks and wood But an artist, and, for my age, was rated pretty good. I worked hard at my canvas and was bidding fair to rise, For gradually I saw the star of fame before my eyes." "I made a picture, perhaps you've seen, 'tis called the 'Chase of Fame.' It brought me fifteen hundred pounds and added to my name. And then I met a woman -- now comes the funny part -- With eyes that petrified my brain, and sunk into my heart." "Why don't you laugh? 'Tis funny that the vagabond you see Could ever love a woman and expect her love for me; But 'twas so, and for a month or two her smiles were freely given, And when her loving lips touched mine it carried me to heaven." "Did you ever see a woman for whom your soul you'd give, With a form like the Milo Venus, too beautiful to live; With eyes that would beat the Koh-i-noor, and a wealth of chestnut hair? If so, 'twas she, for there never was another half so fair." "I was working on a portrait, one afternoon in May, Of a fair-haired boy, a friend of mine, who lived across the way, And Madeleine admired it, and, much to my surprise, Said that she'd like to know the man that had such dreamy eyes." "It didn't take long to know him, and before the month had flown My friend had stolen my darling, and I was left alone; And, ere a year of misery had passed above my head, The jewel I had treasured so had tarnished, and was dead." "That's why I took to drink, boys. Why, I never saw you smile! I thought you'd be amused, and laughing all the while. Why, what's the matter, friend? There's a teardrop in your eye, Come, laugh, like me; 'tis only babies and women that should cry." "Say, boys, if you give me just another whisky, I'll be glad, And I'll draw right here a picture of the face that drove me mad. Give me that piece of chalk with which you mark the baseball score -- You shall see the lovely Madeleine upon the bar-room floor." Another drink, and with chalk in hand the vagabond began To sketch a face that well might buy the soul of any man. Then, as he placed another lock upon the shapely head, With a fearful shriek, he leaped and fell across the picture -- dead.
LopezStudios: The Art of Alfredo Lopez Jr.