Night at the Opera: Madame Butterfly

I've started my Madame Butterfly post over here:
Gypsy-Maria's Art Blog
More pictures to come!

This time On Time, Abby's Madame Butterfly post!

Madame Butterfly was a lot easier for me to draw because I didn't have to spend a lot of time picking apart the costumes, they were all really traditional Japanese, stuff that I'm familiar with and know how to draw. So I was excited to draw this. To Teri's consternation, I sassed the conductor, telling him I was worried the play would be racist. He said no it wasn't and I sassed him some more, saying I'd draw a comic if it was.... and it turns out it wasn't! There was nothing for me to draw a comic of.

He was right, Puccini clearly did a lot of research, his treatment of Japanese culture and culture clash is respectful of both sides. He used Japanese music, even some songs that are still familiar to the ear to this day. There are even some Japanese words in the opera that I managed to pick out! It's pretty amazing.

On the more current side of things, The set designers and costume designers also did an amazing job of indicating character thru clothing. It's a great and beautiful opera that is amazingly put together through the Minnesota Opera. Even if you can't afford a ticket full price, check out the rush line because it's definitely worth it.



This time around I used greyscale markers to draw, trying to capture the symbolism and clothing designs inherent in a lot of the visuals. The images at the top were the ones I am the most proud of, the first being an illustration of what Cio-Cio san would look like at her true age of 15, the second being my last drawing of a butterfly flying out of her empty wedding dress.

I've seen a lot of tragedies here, I'd like to see some comedies sometime.... Maybe next year.

The latest of the late: Abby's Lucia De Lammermoor Writeup

Lucia De Lammermoor was an opera I was only familiar with through The Fifth Element, where an alien Diva sings Lucia's last solo and then moves into a weird futuristic beatbox version.

Knowing the words that she was singing made things a lot more interesting! The Minnesota Opera production was incredibly well-choreographed and the set design was amazing. The use of light and shadow, and especially color made the show amazing to see.

My favorite scene was of course Lucia's "Mad Scene" which was the song sung in Fifth Element. Lucia is singing about her beloved, her clothes covered in blood from murdering the man she was forced to marry. She talks of the bloodstains as if they were roses, and that's what caused me to do my favorite sketch, this last one.

The next Opera is tonight's Madame Butterfly, and I'll upload my sketches in enough time for our readers to decide to buy a ticket and see it this time!!!

---Abby

Night at the Opera: Lucia di Lammermoor

Once again, better late than never...

My blog post about Lucia di Lammermoor.

A Night at the Opera: Werther

My post was super late (Werther isn't even playing anymore, I fail at life), but I finally remembered that I had a webcam so I couldn't use my "crappy old broken scanner" excuse anymore.

Anyway, here it is.


~Gypsy-Maria

A few good comic artist resources

If you draw comics, or just like behind-the-scenes information about comics making, here are a few of my favorite resources lately.

Firstly, This little tutorial on mouths and speaking by E.K. Weaver, of The Not So Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal.

Also this archive of all sorts of production art from animated movies from around the world.

And finally, this mind-bending article about comics page layouts.

More to come,
Lee Blauersouth

Black Hat Collective Member Portraits

We here at Black Hat Collective are often asked by our adoring public for pictures or descriptions of ourselves, so that they can more effectively adore us. Some of them are very persistent, and Marty, the fire marshall says you need to take down the fort. To that end, here are some candid portraits of our membership for your edification and enjoyment.



Our fearless leaders, Lisa and Lee Blauersouth, hard at work.











Hobbes Maxwell, in his natural habitat.












Newcomer Kate Saturday, with various tools and instruments of artifice.











Fes Works, keeping his eyes on the prize.

Perceptive readers will have noticed how often candid pictures of Black Hat members show them at work. This is because we never stop working, dear reader, we never cease our striving to bring you the precious gems of imagination.








Gypsy Maria Lorimer, after a grueling day in the imagination mines.








And the Gerbil.

The perceptive reader will also notice that our membership is made up of an unusual proportion of unicorns. This is because comics is magic.












And so, dear readers, you can stop hanging around outside our houses, your little noses fogging our windows. Now you know the truth.