Utopia Moment sketches and writing by Jack Ruttan and friends

After missing a couple of nights, I finally made it to the monthly Montreal Comic Jam. Took pictures, but now I’m lazy, and put them into a slide show. You can actually click on photos as they pass by above to read info about who’s in them, etc.

Enthused about watercolour, I brought my set of paints, forked bamboo brushes and grubby bottle of water, and badgered people to do a watercolour jam. I left them alone, and they performed a stellar job:

Starting from the top, that’s me, Richard Gagnon, Francis Paquette, me again, Kurt Beaulieu, and Jeff LeBlanc.

I did a sketch of these guys, who are the English-speaking division of the jam (except for me):

These are, clockwise from left: Jeff LeBlanc, Michael Arsenault, Brad Doucet, Shane Simmons.

The scrawl in the upper corner is the title of a science fiction anthology from Tor Books Michael has a story in. Pretty cool, but I can’t find it on the web, so perhaps it hasn’t been released yet. More on this when I know.

The last Thursday in May means the Monthly Montreal Comic Jam. I actually worked on some pages of comics, but it’s more of a get-together for local artists, to share and show off, and also collaborate on things.

I got my bud Rick Gagnon to colour this picture of mine above, which turned out swell. He also inked over my pencillings for the character below:

Another of my pals works at the studio that produces the cartoon Arthur. All the animation is done with computer now, but there were boxes of old-school cels and backgrounds nobody was using, so we got these as gifts:

Here’s just the background, without the cel on top:

It was done in transparent inks, against a background of yellow underpainting to make the greens show up better.

I like the idea of yellow under, because it gives the picture warmness and its own light. I tired the same technique in a sketch I did of a couple of personalities who died this weekend:

…Was better attended than you would think, considering the icy weather.

Still, stacks of comics have been drawn, but people (yours truly included) haven’t gotten it together to scan them, or try to print them in a zine.

I bet that that zine would have some sort of currency, since we’re a fixture at L’Escalier bar, once every month.

Here’s a shot of the gang. Our numbers only got greater as the night drew on:

I drew a surreptitious picture of one of the jamsters, and she seemed pretty happy with it.

Off to the Monthly Montreal Comic Jam the other night. But first there was a big event happening across the street. I took some video with my little camera:

Got one of the volunteers in the information booth to explain what was going on. Nice siren in the background, which fits with the name of the festival.
Unfortunately, I held the camera sideways, thinking, I guess, that this was like a still photo you could “rotate” right side up. No such luck, so you’re going to have to turn your monitor on its side, or have a very flexible neck:

Off then to the jam, which was upstairs at a bar called L’Utopik. Nice crowd at the table.

That’s Éric Theriault, centre, Richard Gagnon, right, and I’ll get the name of the guy on the left, I promise.

Sirkowski, far left, Nicolas Plamondon, centre, and that guy again.

Marr, and Jeff Leblanc.

Éric had found, under the bed, or something, a pile of finished cartoons no one had seen for years. I’m hoping that these get published in a book soon, with the rest of the cartoons we do at the jam. Maybe someone can scan them, and put them up for all to enjoy.

I drew a bunch of little things. Wish I’d made a record of them, somehow. Well, still fun to hobnob with one’s fellow cartoonists.

Shots from last night’s Monthly Montreal Comic Jam. This time at a new location: the L’Escalier bar (actually, former site of l’Utopik, where there had been a few jams before).

R. Gagnon (in saffron here, like the walls) did a great job of setting it up. Thanks, Rick!

I didn’t get everyone’s name, so I’m not going to bother identifying.

Also, there was another table, but I mainly took pictures of this one:

Even though I didn’t stay that long, it was a very pleasant evening, with a lot of comics done by interesting and fun people. Sorry, none of those to post. Maybe they’ll make a book of them someday.

UPDATE: More photos here, from Rockin’ Rick Gagnon (on facebook)! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2537498&id=662345842&ref=nf

Fear of a pandemic grips the planet. Economic collapse has put millions out of work. Outside the window of the Cock and Bull Bar, an angry throng marches down the street for May Day, carrying red and black flags, shouting for justice and revolution. I feel suddenly like I’m in Paris, 1968.

I tried to nod at what my friend Rick was saying, and look sympathetic, but it wasn’t working.

So, he inked for me my pencil drawing of the lovely Illeana Douglas. This helped:

Next he did a couple of cowboys, slightly mirroring the mood at the table:

I think that’s Warren Oates and Jake Busey.

Things were better. Then another friend Marr showed up (yay!), and we finished our beers, and headed to a much more expensive bar. There, an artist friend of ours who has shown up in these pages, Jeff Leblanc, was having a birthday celebration:

That’s him with the always sympathetic Eric Theriault, who is nodding and trying to look interested.

Because this is a sketch blog, and this is how I roll, I drew a sketch of Jeff:

He would do the same for me. Only it would take about 2 hours, and be much better.

Beers here cost about as much as a whole pitcher at the other place. But I bought a pint in honour of Jeff, blowing my weekend savings. Rick meanwhile had onion rings, which he photographed lovingly:

Later that night as I was heading home on my bike via rue Rene Levesque, I happened upon the protesters. They had camped in front of the government building, and were apparently having a tam-tam party.

I, meanwhile, remain optimistic about things, despite bouts of panic. For no reason at all, here’s a picture of my cat, Mr. Boggedy, looking silly:

Still been sick and busy. Plus, my little cat is at the vet’s getting her tubes tied, or ripped out (whatever they do to spay little cats). So not much on the sketch front, outside of this.

Apparently, I missed strange goings on at the Montreal Comic Jam last night, which I will have to link to, when I get a link.

Lots of action at the Montreal Monthly Comic Jam last night, at the Cock N’ Bull pub!

The Jam happens every last Thursday of the month at the pub, 1944 Saint Catherine Street west (Metro: Guy), around 8 pm. I’m going to try to place a link to our facebook page: [link]

Below is some of the Jam gang watching Youtube movies with jamster Ray Bishop:

My sketch of Ray, which he thought made him look too stern:

It was Eric Theriault’s birthday, so Nicolas Plamondon and Rick Gagnon gave him a few swings:

Maybe not one for every year, but enough to show that we love him:

Some areas of the bar were rather dark, so this book-light equipped beer mug came in handy:

The hands of Jeff Leblanc, in the very act of creation:

Nicolas Plamondon — quite a cool and young cartoonist. Visit his site in the links at right:

Sirkowski and Kurt Beaulieu:

Mathieu Bernier, sitting across from Kurt, was drawing quite a funny likeness:

Kurt himself was drawing his usual subject matter:

Art is everywhere. Strange modelling-clay decorations on a post I saw on the way out:

I started a couple of comic pages at last Night’s Montreal Comic Jam, but you can’t see them because they were packed away, and I didn’t take my handy little digital camera to take snaps of them, or of the jam participants, for that matter.

So you’ll have to be content with this little doodle from my sketchbook, upon which I splashed some watercolours.

The thing was, the Jam took place at the Cock N’ Bull pub, the same spot I am going this afternoon, to meet with my friends (both of whom I was with last night), and draw more silly pictures. You’ll undoubtedly see those posted here, soon.

I was pretty tired last night, so I retired early from the bar. My friends stuck around, but were soon chased away by the band setting up. They, however, went down the hill to R. Gagnon’s place, and kept drawing. Rick sent me evidence via e-mail of what happened.

This looks like Rick a bit, but with a huge schnozz.

Shane Simmons cradles Shade, Rick’s kitty:

Please usher the kids away, because there is some cartoon nudity below! Kind of a first for this blog, but I hope people don’t blow a gasket.

Anyways, even though the order of images is reversed, this makes a nice little demo of Jeff Leblanc drawing, and Marr inking (I’m also guessing Rick G. had a hand, because it’s impossible to keep him away, when there’s inking!). Jeff has always been a more careful artist than I, because when I try to construct a drawing, it usually becomes totally stiff and lifeless. Jeff however, was traditionally trained.

Now he tells me, he’s been working to get more spontaneity in his work. That’s actually a good reason for him to hang out with characters like Marr, Gagnon, and myself, because we all learn from each others’ approaches.

We all have strengths, and areas we’d like to improve. I’ve learned a lot from the guys and girls I hang out with on the Montreal scene: watching their own work, and seeing what they do with mine.

Sometimes in the give-and-take, controversies erupt: for instance, I sometimes think Rick goes too far in interpreting my stuff, and drowns me out* (*actually, I have a hard time thinking of instances. I must have just been in a bad mood while writing this). Dealing with this is part of the process of collaboration. Most artists have big egos: myself included. I worry about getting lost in the background, especially in big groups, where other artists might be more talented, agreeable, or more forward than me.

However, the solution in my case has been to not worry about it. Go with the flow. I’m not a big leader, but am good at suggesting and guiding. So, if I can quell the yammering anxiety, and just keep working, I don’t get lost.

Also, I initiate projects in a quiet way and carry them through. People see something worthwhile in what I’ve been doing, and want to work with me, and listen. It relates a little to what I’ve read about zen, and extends into my drawing and writing, as well as interpersonal relations. I try to create positive energy, and keep it flowing.

There’s work that needs doing in all these areas. But what’s hopeful for me is that I see improvements. Setbacks, too, occasionally, but a general rising upwards. It’s always interesting to see what happens next.

In the meantime, I’ve got these cute nekkid ladies on the blog. Not my thing, because I’m pretty prudish, at least on the outside. But they might attract an entirely new audience.