68. Dave

Dave is a great guy, an old roommate, and one of my best friends.  Everybody loves him.

And because he's so lovable he can get away with whatever the hell that thing is on his chin.

Is it a beard?  A goat-tail?  A chin-braid?  A mid-life crisis?  I don't know.  It's exotic I guess.  A symbol of rebellion against the norm.  Whatever it is - it's gone now and Dave has rejoined the ranks of the merely bearded.  And everybody still loves him.

The drawing is blah.  Not crazy about it.  Might draw him again some day, he deserves better.

67. Barack Obama

It was election day, cut me a break.

I used the same photo as reference that Shepard Fairey used for his famous Hope poster.  Certainly one of the most iconic graphic images created in the last 20 years.  Once it was clear that the image was going to have a continuing cultural and historical impact the AP, who own the rights to the original photograph, insisted on getting a cut of the action.  Fairey sued them on the grounds of fair use and the parties ultimately settled before going to trial.

Fairey and I both went to RISD.  I don't know him, he's younger than me.  But we both learned the same thing: that all images are fair game.  Everything is in the mix.  As an artist I can do whatever I want.  When I interpret an image, I am making a new thing.  It's mine.

The AP can go fuck off.

66. Elana

Muse #2.

Elana and I went to RISD together.  We should have been best friends because it turns out we have a million things in common.  But after freshman year everybody went off in different directions and lived in separate worlds.  Especially the Apparel majors.  They had their own dimension.  ;)

But she was with me on this all the way to the end.  Always encouraging and positive, her enthusiasm and feedback carried me through the darkest days and the coldest streaks.  It's no surprise she's a great mom.  I could not have done this without her.

Thank you, Elana!

65. Frankenstein

It was Halloween, cut me a break.

Thought I was tossing myself a Frankenstein softball here but the cold streak continues.  I should be able to draw Frankenstein in my sleep, right?

Not right!  Wake up!  I had to make amends!  To Frankenstein!

Ah screw it, gimme a beer.

64. Dylan

Brother of Michael and Matthew.

One of the things I learned about myself while doing this project is that I go through hot streaks and cold streaks.  It's bizarre because my skill level is pretty constant, and at this point in the project I've been drawing every day in a row for two straight months.  But some days I just don't have it.  I don't know why.  I was cruising for a while.  Until now.

Now I'm cold.

63. WWW

My little pretty.

Still one of the scariest things I've ever seen in a movie.

There's a progression to the experience of the Wizard of Oz:  as a child it's amazing, as an adolescent it's a sentimental relic, as an adult it's a nostalgic metaphor for life.

And then you have a kid - and she watches it a thousand times and insists on wearing the Dorothy dress and the ruby slippers to school - and then it breaks your damn heart. 

62. Erik

Jon's brother.  Brother of my brother.

I have a confession.  I'm a friend poacher.  I'll friend your friend.  I'll friend your friend's brother.  I'll even friend your friend's daughter.  It's true.  I need all the friends I can get.

Every time I see Erik I'm amazed at what a great guy he is.  Smart, funny, a kindred soul.  I am lucky to know him.

By any means necessary.