A selection of monotypes.

To be specific these are trace monotypes with watercolor and pen.
I made this unique edition for a portfolio exchange in New Paltz.
I'm a Godzilla fan, what can I say?
These are some of the least offensive prints from the series,
which I wanted to be super kitschy.

Oh yeah and that Godzilla is definitely playing keep-away with Lady Gaga's disco stick.

Oh and, umm...Justin Hubbell.

Okay so maybe a longer pause than usual...

The computer problem I had earlier was more or less rectified within a few days of the issue.
Long story short, I had to buy a completely new machine. Lucky for me all of my old data
was successfully transferred, so it's almost as though nothing ever happened.

The reason why I have not updated this blog in so long is because my BFA thesis show is coming up soon. Actually, it's tomorrow. Needless to say I've been very busy planning, arranging, managing...anything you can think of I've probably done it or given it thought.

There will be pictures of this show posted soon, so stay tuned!

My last semester is finally dwindling down to the point where I can see the end of the line.
I got my cap and gown, I took my last quiz, and I'm rather low on cash.
Then again, that's what summer jobs are for right?

Only this won't be a summer job, it'll be a bonafide full timer.
With luck I'll get on my feet en0ugh to create a website within a year or two.
If that doesn't end up happening then you can rest assured that I am working
on Suicide, my first graphic novel. In the very least I'll have updates on that.

My apologies for not updating sooner. It's been chaotic.
Sooner than later I'll dump a bunch of comics here.

I've been doing work for my school newspaper, but I found that I had to practice
limiting my comics to four frames. It's quite a challenge to make an engaging comic with that format. I found that I either ended up with one-liner punch lines or nonsequitor gags.
This of course is okay, because that roughly describes the comedic flow of practically every four panel comic ever made. The problem is making them actually funny.

It took a lot of comics until I made one I liked...and it turned out I didn't like that one too much either after a while. Like I said, I'll eventually post these comics (good and bad) on here.

Time for class!

...

Justin Hubbell

INTERIORS FOR SALE

Here's how it goes. You mail me a check, I mail you an interior!
Yes! An interior of your choice, custom made and lovingly flourished!

Wash + Dryer included! Heat and Electric included! Wireless internet! My signature!

To order your interior email me at: hubbel99@newpaltz.edu

An interior is something that can bring happiness to your life. Take the reaction
of this fine fellow as proof!

Contrary to what may seem like photographic evidence, neither of us were drunk in these scenes. What you are seeing is pure INTERIOR ELATION™

The Great War

TOLD you I'd do a comic soon.
Things have been great recently.
My work for my thesis has been approved by all fronts.

Now all that's left to do is work out the finishing touches.
Postcards.
Labels.
And of course, additional prints.

My girlfriend Alex has spent her spring break with me in New Paltz, and soon I will be spending mine with her in Alfred. We've had a merry time of things. She says "hi."

Soon an INTERIOR ETCHING PRINT will be available to the public. That means, you can buy one if you like! Yes! You can buy a print from me! Signed and everything!
Woo!

I'm getting into The Great War again. I've come to realize that at the heart of it, The Great War series represents my view of America, more or less. At least politically.

Exciting news, I've developed a new character for the series. Death. You'll see it soon.
Well, in a week or so. That's soon, geographically speaking. That's like a minute.
5 minutes.

Augh!

It's gotten to the point where I'm drawing interiors simply to pass the time.
I have done other work, but looking at this blog it seems like interiors are the only thing I draw.

I think that will change soon. I want to start doing comics for my school newspaper.
I'll start tomorrow!

Graphic novels are novels. Comic strips are poems.
It's hard work, comic strips, it's hard to write a poem.

In both cases you have to limit yourself to the constraints
of purity. You must pick and choose only what works.
Elaboration becomes a luxury and a risk all at once.

I could never do comic strips professionally.
People like Charles Schultz and Gary Larson. No idea how they did it.

•••

The rug on the second floor of this interior is a little distracting. I went a touch too far with it.

BFA Show Dates! Yes!

Well folks, the time has come for me to talk once again of my BFA thesis show, which will officially premiere April 30th. A friday.

My junior year in college I wondered if I had lost my drive. If my sense of discipline had been vanquished by my swelling senioritis...

Now I know that not to be true. I work so hard these days that Mondays utterly astonish me. Because if it were Monday...then that would mean I must have, at some point, experienced some kind of weekend. Right?

Right. No. There are no weekends anymore. There hasn't been any since September of last semester, when I began working on my thesis.

For the longest time I wasn't sure if any of it was going to be rewarding, but upon finding the perfect dresser for my installation, I must admit that each new print feels like a major triumph. Even my shittiest work would look relevant in these drawers. I will probably include at least one print from freshman year, just to go full circle.

Eventually I'll update this post with the image I'll use on my postcard. I plan on having that done soon.

Sooner than later.

You betcha.

Now all that is left is elbow grease and paperwork. No more time for worrying.

It's go time.

Color experiment.

This was a present for a good friend of mine.
There is nothing more satisfying for me, sometimes, than surprising someone with art.

But yes, this was a color study to be sure.

Some prints!

Hey guys!

Though I am unable to attend your comic needs, I can give you a slice of pie.

My thesis show is going to be in May, and I've been working on it since I got here.

The idea revolves around the self portrait, only instead of one I plan on printing

one hundred unique etchings.  Each one is framed.

Ultimately I want a mass of pictures that gives an overall impression of my life story (thus far).

Each print doesn't reveal too much, but together I hope they will act like a school of fish.

Here are three of them!

Self reflection, and a CHARLES DUMP

Sketch book portraits.

These are some portraits I had in my sketchbook that I thought I'd gussy up.
The first one of Charles, is about four or five months old.

You'll notice that the alien is in fact, a ballet teacher.

And as for the pirates, well. If you ever find me riding along side your bike with mine, it means I'm pretending to blast you out of the water.
True story.

CHARLES

In the beginning of summer I started using a moleskin sketchbook instead of my usual leather bound 8.5 x 11 sketchbooks. The reason for this was because I'm going to have to get used to smaller formats, so I figured it'd be good practice to jump ship.

I had, at this point, developed an even larger ego, so when the first few pages didn't turn out well, I just ripped them out. After several frustrating pages, torn asunder, I drew this first comic.

Little did I know the consequences of this plucky little demon. I liked the look of him very much, and drew a portrait of him, but that was all for the next couple months.

In college, I found myself drawn to him again, and I began making comics that explored his personality more. What I discovered was a lewd, brutal, cynical, malevolent little shit, that I soon realized was the incarnation of my id.

Like seriously, this is it. He is called Charles.

I grappled with making him a thoughtful, complex character, but the more I tried the more he rebelled. I found that he'd always end up screaming in comics, simply for the sake of destroying the clarity. He lives for controversy.

I even went as far as introducing him to one of my other favorite characters, the Shakespearean jester from "The Great War" series. But he ended up killing him with an ax. I was so upset that I couldn't finish the comic.

The more blunt, offensive, and nasty I draw him; the more true to his character the comics are.
I didn't intend some of these images, I just found him this way. After this post I'll dump the rest on you.

Another look

As much as I'd like to launch into making Suicide happen, the real thing I should be focusing on now is a bullet proof query letter, and a small chunk of the comic that I can tease a publisher with. So they say.

Speaking of teasing, here's another bit from the manuscript.

I had the comic on display for a while in a gallery at New Paltz. I left out a comment book and got probably the best compliment I've ever been given about it in there:

"You know, I've never really been a fan of those "tell all autobiographical" comics that seem to dominate the independent scene. In the first place, they always seemed ridiculously self-indulgent, and even when dressed up with self-depreciating humor, they seemed egotistical as hell. Also watching someone reveal their deepest and darkest with such honesty makes me feel a bit like someone has invited me over to watch their masturbation session.

I don't pretend to know why "Suicide" is different, but it's the first autobiographical comic that's made me feel something other than mild disgust. It's incredibly well written, and it never sinks into the whiny bitch-fest that it so easily could have become.

Congrats."

Hurray!

Today marked the first meeting of Free Cake Comics, a club I started here in SUNY New Paltz. All of us met at a workshop with Jessica Abel (http://www.jessicaabel.com/) on making comics.

The most I got out of it really was seeing everyone involved and being able to communicate with them. From there we started the FCC and will very soon be putting out our very own zine! How nice!

Though no work is up yet, we do have a myspace so feel free at any time to check out our stuff!
http://www.myspace.com/freecakecomics

Though it was only our first meeting I'm already getting a positive vibe from everyone who came. I feel it will be the most fun organization I'll ever be a part of on campus.