combat baby

I promised a Wednesday post, so here it is! I had some more scanner issues with this one. I also apologize for the fray of paper that makes a cameo.

This piece is a little slice of a story that I've had rolling around in my head for years. It is influenced by Japanese mecha (giant robot) anime, like the Gundam franchise or Full Metal Panic! I find this genre's post-modern war stories so intriguing.

I formatted this one like a propaganda poster because of the political undertones. The piece also represents "love as a battlefield," and "fighting for love." The songs, "Combat Baby", "Soldier," and "War" hold amazing lyrics that I made into a cohesive poem. I added the phrase, "What is it all for?" to ask a question that I often ponder about. The answer comes from The Beatles, "All you need is love. Love is all you need." I know that sounds like hippie-dippy, soapbox bull, and I am not going to preach to any choir. Just think about it for a little bit. Let it simmer.

Anyway...

Lettering is so cathartic. I did not mind that this task's completion took a large chunk of time. It is important to me to make the words stand out as much as the drawing, but not create a competition. In this case, the competitive nature of words and imagery became encouraged due to the piece's theme of combat.

This was my first attempt to draw a giant-robotic-fighting-machine. It was quite a challenge. Using memory, I combined elements from various anime mecha to construct this monster. The outcome looked a little cheesy. I opted to shadow the robot and cover the cheese. I think that the shading provides the dark and ominous air that I aim for.

The cherry blossom trees are my favorite aspect of this piece. I admire the legendary manga artist, Rumiko Takahashi. The most lovely cherry blossom trees appear in her work, and I thought of her style when it came time to draw them. I have mentioned before that I love the fragile beauty of cherry blossoms. They contrast the giant robotic figure that seeks to destroy. The blown-up blossoms were a last minute touch, and I feel that they completed the piece.

I made the character's position slightly provocative to reflect the sultry mood suggested by the lyrics. Her expression seems multifaceted. She wears a smile at first glance, but after staring for a second, she looks fearful. I enjoyed drawing a character that isn't a literal interpretation of myself. Showing up in all of these pieces becomes so exhausting.

Disclaimer: I give full credit for the lyrics used in this piece to the following artists: Metric ("Combat Baby"), Ingrid Michaelson ("Soldier"), The Cardigans ("War"), The Beatles ("All You Need Is Love").