Veteran. Papa. Innovator. Autodidact. Designer. Stoic. Gadfly. Apprentice Polymath. Advocate. Cynophilist. Artist. Ignostic. Minarchist. Pastafarian. Patriot. Contrarian. Bibliophile. Occasional Mensan. Cancer Survivor. Former police officer, sailor, and soldier.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Big Three Bail Out; NOT!
A bailout should never have even been proposed. It is illegal and unconstitutional and any elected official who voted for it should be impeached. Period. The same goes for the Fannie Mae/Bank bail out.
Visit www.notyourstogive.org. It is a phenomenal piece by Col. David Crockett that will help anyone understand why this is a misappropriation of funds, illegal, and absolutely wrong.
It closes with the following quotation;
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."
"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependence back again into bondage."
The above was penned by Professor Alexander Tytler over 200 years ago while we were still a British colony.
I hope you will take the time to read and study that piece and then contact your local news media and elected officials.
Rock
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Rock's Really Lame Motivational Posters
Before I am a caricaturist, I am an editorial cartoonist at heart. Sometimes I just have to make a point, even if it isn't a good one. I hope enough of you will share my warped sense of humor that this was a worthwhile endeavor.
Please feel free to laugh and retaliate!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Everything I need to know about life I learned at the NCN Convention
Compare your work to your work, not to others. There will always be somebody better than you.
Good is often the worst enemy of best.
To have a friend, be a friend.
You reap what you sow.
What goes around comes around.
Just because someone looks different than you doesn't mean they don't speak English. ARRGH!
The Irish are all nancy boys or disco queens.
If you love doing something, it stops being work. If you hate doing something, it is worse than work.
Be prepared.
Asian chicks dig me.
Inspiration can come from anywhere.
Roger Hurtado isn't a megalomaniac. He's just really good. Well, maybe he is, but a hell of a nice one!
Keep moving or the world will pass you by.
With the possible exception of Adam Pate, most people are a hell of a lot taller than their avatars.
It hurts falling off your pedestal if you have clay feet.
Sean Gardner has a really pointy nose.
Sketch.
Asian men and women both look good from behind unless you are Mike Giblin and you get there after Joe Bluhm is done!
Rock and Roll is still king.
Its a poor craftsman who blames his tools.
Macs crash too!
Sleep is overrated.
Kidney stones still suck.
Everybody likes Barenjager.
Adam English is an awesome caricaturist as well as musician.
Great caricature doesn't have to be brutal.
The only person who can make you feel second class is you.
Tad wants to talk about sex when he drinks.
Start at the beginning.
The truly great caricaturists are all people people.
The Japanese bring their own Paparazzi to conventions.
Caricature can be a lucrative business as well as a joy.
The NCN is about people.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Busy week or so
Saturday I received a phone call letting me know that my friend, Chavin Kendrick, had been shot and killed in a club in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Donations will be accepted at any Ink Link Tattoos (NC), Tattooing U (Charlotte, NC), Belmont Tattoo Studio (Belmont, NC), and Tattoo Wearhouse (Spartanburg, SC).
I am trying to get ready for the 2009 National Caricaturist Network's Annual Convention in Raleigh and keep running into unexpected expenses to slim down my already thin budget, piddly car troubles, kidney stones, and other not so peachy surprises. Fortunately, unless God really hates me, I'll still make it okay!
I am looking forward to meeting so many great people and inspirational artists/caricaturists. There will be folks from all over the USA, Japan, England, Ireland, Belgium, China, Australia, the Netherlands, and who knows where else! I am quite jazzed about the whole thing. Regrettably, not all of the fantastic NCNers from the Forum can make it and many will be sorely missed.
I'll be posting a lot of pictures after the Convention. Check back soon!
Monday, October 20, 2008
A few great caricatures of me!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
My First 3/4 profile 3D Caricature
Thanks for letting me share,
Rock
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Knotty Headz
I am finishing redoing a web site for Knotty Headz Tattoo Factory in Columbia, South Carolina. I included 3D Caricatures of the owners, Christian and Sabine. Great folks, very nice clean shop with some talented artists!
Thought I'd post them.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Claiborne and Carla Revised
Claiborne & Carla
Friday, September 5, 2008
Carolina or South Eastern NCN Chapter Forming?
Side Street Pizza, Tryon, North Carolina, Sept. 4, 2008
A group of five NCN Caricaturists, a wife, and a girlfriend got together at Side Street Pizza in Tryon, North Carolina yesterday for lunch, fellowship, some caricaturing, and to discuss the possibility of forming a Carolina or South Eastern Chapter of the National Caricaturist Network. Present were Brian Vasilik, Mike Paglia, Bill LaRocque, Bat Hilliard, Bat's lady, Lindsey, my glorious wife, Marecho, and me, Rock Cowles.
We split two exceptional pizzas, got to know each other a bit, and whipped out the drawing supplies! Everyone got drawn by everyone except the two ladies, who aren't caricaturists, but were eye candy with great senses of humor!
Nothing got resolved, other than chapter or not, we'd like to try to do this on an monthly or bi-monthly basis. We decided to find out what forming a chapter takes, and see about doing a little recruiting or at least find out how many interested parties we might have, at this year's NCN Annual Convention being held this November in Raleigh, North Carolina.
I was like a fish out of water drawing live caricature, but everyone (but me) seemed happy with my live caricatures. Long way to go!
Please let me know if you're interested in the possibility of starting a Chapter with us. If you haven't already checked out the NCN and have an interest in caricature, visit the National Caricaturist Network at: www.caricature.org
Thanks for sharing your time with me!
Rock
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Caricaturize.com
My Slide Show also shows a lot of the newer caricatures I have done.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Why I am here...
Thanks for stopping by. As some of you might know, I recently joined the National Caricaturist Network, I am working on developing my skills with other forms of caricature, beyond my infamous 3D Caricatures.
I recently registered RedhandedCaricatures.com and have been posting a lot of my new work there. Most of the caricatures there are of fellow caricaturists from the NCN's Firing Squad.
I will try to make this blog worthwhile by posting here also.
I appreciate your patience!
Dave "Rock" Cowles
July 22, 2008