Sample smithee 2 panel and THE GRIND

I spent the past couple days doing some test drawings for Smithee #2. I tried vector art, but while it was clean, it didn't convey the expressiveness I want. So I went back to doing a freehand pencil, then a sharpie inking. After recovering from the Sharpie fumes, I like it. Here is a sample - straight from the sketch book with some basic photoshop coloring.

In other news, I went to a meeting of the local art guild monday. I'm thinking of joining. See, I like comics and sketching, but also fine art. Fine arts is a different world though. There is just a different feel. Hard to put my finger on.
People can bring a piece of their work to the meetings and put it up on easels to share with everyone else. There was an oil of a lion's face, a ghostly pastel on black paper of a bulldog, some pencil sketches artistically taped to a piece of plan ol box cardboard, making a statement about homeless children, and other art of the like. I tagged along with a gentlemen who is a chef and goes to art classes. He presented an abstract colored pencil sketch that was nice.

I talked with the chef. I pointed out us artists that have good jobs have an advantage in that we don't have to have money stress take away from our art. When I was unemployed, it took ALOT to let go of the basic need for survival and do art. But at the same time, I did some meaningful drawings at the time. Such as this etching I did expressing
 my sense of how the grind of a monotonous 40 hr week job can feel like a grind that chews up your heart and soul.This was back in 2010 after 3 months of unemployment. I must say having an interesting life after work makes work less of a grind since your soul has other avenues to express itself without total dependency on your 'day job'.
Anway, I want to join the guild, but finances are tight this month, so I'm postponing till next month. They say members get display space in gallery's. It would be a thrill to show at a gallery, almost as much as having my own table at and an APE or Mocca convention!