Words and pictures, from an untethered mind… an ongoing project of independent, multiple format, myriad pieces… of myself.
JIGSAW PIECE 1 : Mal Earl’s JIGSAW
The eponymous opening jigsaw piece. Launching us into an exploration of the range of a creative mind unbound by editorial, corporate or monetary restraint.
Jigsaw is a walking, Rorschach pattern, digital comic inspired by the ambient works of French Comic master Moebius – Available now at David Lloyd’s Aces Weekly – follow the link below.
https://acesweekly.co.uk/vol38
JIGSAW PIECE 2 : BULLETPROOF NYLON
Hastily conceived in late 2010, BPN has grown into a ‘burlesquenoir’ pulp epic that has taken me down avenues I haven’t always wanted to explore.
From an initial vision of an alternate world inspired by 1950’s fetish models and Mexican Lucha vigilantes, material has clung to, and changed the drive and focus of the tale until it had reached a point where the only option was to reimagine the characters and stories from scratch.
The final proportions of BPN dictated a dedicated site and so, if ‘burlesquenoir’ pulp is something that tickles your fancy, bookmark the address below… I think your in for a bumpy ride…
JIGSAW PIECE 3 : DREAMzine
DREAMzine came from nowhere.
It began with a desire to speed up my production times by learning to brush ink digitally – not a method that comes naturally to me.
Inspired by modern exponents of the style, such as Ryan Heshka, Darwyn Cooke, Frank Espinosa and Niagara Detroit, there is a definite edge to it’s application when telling tales that need fluidity and a dynamic sense of movement.
‘If you want to be good, learn from people who are good’
…as the old motto goes, and so, I found myself studying the brush lines of the master craftsmen of the 40’s and 50’s like Matt Baker, Leonard Starr, Warren King and Frank Bolle.
One of the easiest ways to ‘feel’ the strokes used by another artist is to trace a piece of work, and the digital age allows this to happen with frightening ease and, although an excellent way to practice, the method presents a quandary almost instantly…
The practice pieces, once the fluidity of use begins to take hold of the mind to hand function, begin to echo other things… namely – Roy Lichtenstein!
Now… for all that has been said about him, and the arguments for and against his methods of working, I have always liked absorbing his art. His paintings were the thing that sprang to mind when my brush inks began to fall into place, and his format, of text, line, flat colour, dot and re-draw are what has inspired DREAMzines methodology (that, and a sprinkling of Raymond Pettibon on the side).
The text in all the images on the DREAMzine page are my words. Culled from some of the published and unpublished writings that I’ve produced over the years.
When married to images taken from books published seventy years ago something happens that I can’t quite put my finger on, but which occasionally flows into realms of melancholy and sadness that really does strike a cord inside me.
So please take a look at DREAMzine on the page below. I think it’s a worthwhile project… and as you do, try to wrap your appreciation around the fact that: the single panel images that I’ve ‘borrowed’ as a focal point here, were produced by artists a lifetime ago… six panels per page… every day of a hard, now sadly unappreciated week.
https://malearl.com/jigsaw/dreamzine/
Coming Soon…
JIGSAW PIECE 4 : BENNETT
Coming Soon…
JIGSAW PIECE 5 : WYRMWORLD
Coming Soon…
JIGSAW PIECE 6 : BULLHAWK
Coming Soon…
JIGSAW PIECE 7 : BARBARY DOVE
Coming Soon…
