WHO KNEW PICKING UP ONE COMIC BOOK COULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE

Believe it or not, thats exactly what happened to me. Was it my escape or had I found my home… so where do I begin?

So when did the comic bug hit you? I was asked that once. Well here's a little back story, showcased with a gallery's worth of art, for the most part, the art has never before been seen anywhere else. Of note, many of the pieces I've showcased here, were done for portfolio purposes and helped me get into both High School and College.

It was 1964, the comic book was DareDevil # 7, the first time I ever actually spent money to buy one. The newly turned all red DD, as redesigned by the great Wally Wood, was fighting what turned out to be my favorite comic book character ever, Prince Namor, The Sub-Mariner, created by one of my favorite comic artists Bill Everett and I was hooked. All it took was seeing that cover and my life was forever altered.

Not that DareDevil # 7 was the first comic book I had read, or held in my hands, or frankly just looked at the pictures, since I was 'reading' them before I could even read. That began at a much earlier age, but in 1964 I was just turning 5, and well it was love at first sight. And after forking over my 12¢ I spent many an hour staring at the cover and the interior pages.

And for the first time, I began to draw super-heroes. Until then my drawing was of anything and everything, mostly people mind you, portraits of my family or people I saw on TV or in real life. But the costumed heroes of Marvel and DC hadn't taken over as my primary subject matter. Until my eyes feasted on Wally Wood's brilliance. 

Mind you, Jack Kirby, was and will always be to me comic books, I could list a ton of artists who I grew up admiring and swiping and learning from. Artists who are as important to me as any that have hung at the Louvre or the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The artists of the comics world that I grew up being a fan of, and who helped shape me into the artist I would become probably had more of an influence on me then any other art form.

Beginning with the likes of John Buscema, Don Heck, George Tuska, Neal Adams, Herb Trimpe, Nick Cardy, John Romita Sr, Gene Colan, Bernie Wrightson and many others,  I just fell in love with the medium, the art form. The color, the power and fun that I witnessed every time I picked up a new comic book. But Jack Kirby to me is the medium itself. And he was the artist that I wanted to try to aspire to be as a child.  

So I spent my childhood drawing and drawing and drawing some more, creating characters with my brothers and friends. And eventually applied and was accepted to The High School of Art and Design. Where I majored in cartooning. How ever I soon discovered that what I wanted to do as a cartoonist wasn't what our instructors wanted us to do.

They wanted us to do funny, cute characters. Which I loved, but honestly, what I wasn't really into. I wanted to do Super-heroes not Mother Goose. And realized that I should instead focus on illustration at least while attending high school, where at least I could do serious art and not have to try to come up with punchlines. 

Of course the person in charge, refused to allow me too transfer so I spent the next year and a half drawing and animating funny animals. Well I survived High School, learned a lot and decided I was gonna attend The School of Visual Arts, Where I could further learn my chosen profession and somehow get myself into the world of comics and illustration. 

Attending The School of Visual Arts is something I fully endorse to anyone thinking about choosing a college. I loved going there, in fact I still wish I could be going there now.  What could be bad, 4 years spent discovering all types of art, experimenting in as many mediums as possible. And spending your days with other like minded souls, all wanting to discover where this art thing might lead us.

For me it was eye-opening, for I discovered to my amazement that I could paint, that I wasn't just a wanna be comic book penciller, but maybe I could grow up and become a full fledged illustrator, like my idol, Norman Rockwell or the genius named Frank Frazetta.

And while attending classes there, my eyes were opened to all manner of styles and well life. Making my once innocent view of the world, well open up. You see, just what college is supposed to do. And along with that I got the chance to learn from one of the masters of the medium itself, the legendary Will Eisner. While attending SVA I was lucky enough to score one of the few seats available to his classes. And boy did I relish learning from one of the people that actually helped make sequential art into the medium it is today.

YOU ASKED FOR IT! Was one of the assignments that Will Eisner gave us. The assignment, a one page sequential story. With art and story by yourself. Well I was stumped, since the writing part, hadn't been what I had devoted my life to. So I decided to re-use a very old, very bad joke as my inspiration and well… Uncle Will, as some of us called the great man, seemed to love it.

A DESCENT IN THE MAELSTROM! Another assignment from Uncle Will, was to take a pre-existing story, mine was from the great Edgar Allan Poe, and adapt it into a 3 page sequential story. Dig that crazy zip-a-tone. And as you can see, my hand-lettering wasn't something I was really focusing on. I just figured, if I actually made it into Marvel, they could hire one of their letterers to do it. I must say, the headline for the story itself, I'm kind of proud of. Have to be honest. Oh, I just noticed some of the words balloons have been lost. Sorry.

After I graduated, I focused on illustration, thinking to myself that it was easier painting one image, one illustration then drawing an entire book. Mapping out the story. Story boarding the plot. I figured finding one iconic image in the entire story would be easier. And then I received a call from a friend from High School. She informed me that she was gonna self-publish her own comic book and that she wanted me to do an 8 page story in it. I also was gonna be doing the back cover. 

The comic was eventually entitled Panorama. I actually came up with the magazine's name and logo design, and was thrilled to see it on the cover when it was published a few months later.  

I decided that instead of drawing and inking Those who Watch! my little tale of Joseph Mann, who well watched our planet, protecting it from evil, in this case Mystique (yes I came up with the same, years before Marvel did)…well,  I was gonna paint it. At this time, I was fantazing that Marvel might call me up and hand me my dream assignment, a Sub-Mariner graphic novel. I had decided that pen and ink was so old school. And after a little debate, I talked Debbie David, our publisher into allowing me to indeed paint my story. The final art as showcased here was done the same size as real comic book pages are done, and painted in oil paint on double weight illustration board.

Well I haven't received the call from Marvel yet, but once the comic book came out, I started attending comic book conventions, and at my very first appearance, I was approached by the art director of Personality Comics, and happily was hired to do the my first assignment for them, a portrait of Gloria Estefan,which turned out to be the first of of 25 covers I eventually did for them. 

It was while I was making the appearances at the conventions, that the idea of publishing my own magazine really started to percolate. I mean if I wasn't getting hired by the powers that be, perhaps I could persuade them if I showed them I could do it myself. Then one day, I came up with Advanced Warning! which eventually became OffWorld, thanks to my friend, Tony Williams. who came up with the new title.

The great thing about self-publishing is that for once you get to have final say in what you want to do. And you get to  call the shots. The main reason I launched the magazine, was it was supposed to be a showcase for my talents as an illustrator. And happily here is one example of the art I created especially for the magazine.

Even though, as of now, I haven't spent my career working for the major comic book companies, I did spend a few fun days coloring pages at Valiant Comics when they published the GAME BOY comics. However, I have spent much of it, creating art showcasing the characters from the major companies. Two favorites of mine have always been Marvel's Spider-Man and DC's Super-Man.

In addition to my more traditional oil paintings featuring heroic imagery, I've also been experimenting with prismacolor color pencils, and you can still see my love for the medium in most anything I create.

So you see, this is what happened after an almost 5 year boy picked up one 12¢ comic book. I can only imagine if instead of that comic, I had been attracted to something else, who knows where my life would have led me.

If you interesting in seeing more of my art, please check out:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/neilfeigeles

Until next time,

Neil

SOME MAY CONSIDER THIS BACKGROUND. I'M JUST HAPPY THEY NEEDED AN ACTOR WHO COULD DRAW PT. 2

So the show aired on Father's Day, and now its available to watch online for those who can't get TV Land on their televisions

So in my last post I discussed my gig on The Jim Gaffigan Show, where I played the role of a Court Room sketch artist. As as mentioned in the post, happily I can report that yes, my work actually made the final cut. 

And even better, I, shall we say punctuate the jokes in what I think is an incredibly funny 1/2 hour of television. And I would say that even if I wasn't lucky to have nabbed the assignment.

Here's the description of the episode: Jim finds himself jailed and on trial for a crime he may or may not have committed.

As showcased here, I've screen captured some of my appearances in the episode, and as you can see I'm pretty much in the middle of all the action.

What was great about working on the episode was the amount of guest stars that appeared in it.  Sadly I didn't work the jail sequences, but man what a cast of performers.

And the actors I did see and/or work with, man I felt like a kid in a candy shop. I mean come on Judy Gold! I actually went to see her One-Woman-Show The Judy Show: My Life As A Sit-Com Off Broadway, which rocked.  

To be perfectly honest with you, watching this episode was the first time I've ever seen the series. I am a fan of Jim Gaffigan, but for some reason I never had the chance to sit back and see his sit-com. 

Well, all I can say is, even if I wasn't in it, I am now a fan of the show and will be watching it from now on. And the great thing is, I there's an entire first season to catch up on that I missed. 

And if you'd like to watch it, now, or in the near future, the good people at TV Land, have uploaded the episode on to their website. 

Here's the link: 

http://www.tvland.com/episodes/isx3dv/the-jim-gaffigan-show-the-trial-ep-201

See, told you, the episode rocks. 

Until next time,
Neil

SOME MAY CONSIDER THIS BACKGROUND. I'M JUST HAPPY THEY NEEDED AN ACTOR WHO COULD DRAW

Its nice getting a featured role, without actually realizing it till you see it at a screening. 

Who said going to art school wouldn't pay off... again. As showcased in this promo, tonight on TV LAND, I'm on TV! To be more precise, The Jim Gaffigan Show's 2nd season premiere's at 10/9C PM, and I have a featured role on it.

It's non-speaking mind you, but shall we say I am an integral part of the plot of the episode.
Of note, there are two shows premiering tonight, I actually think that the show I'm in might be airing 2nd, at 10:30/9:30C PM, cause I just checked the viewing guard, and the episode is listed at 10:30/9C entitled "The Trial"  so who knows. Heck watch them both. The man's funny, and the episode I'm in is hysterical, even if I wasn't in it I'd laugh. 
As soon as I get a few images of it, I'll add them to this blog. 
On Thursday night, June 16th, I was lucky enough to go to a screening of the episode, and afterwards, we the people in the audience were treated to an interview with the stars of the show, Jim Gaffigan and Ashley Williams who plays his wife on the series, and Jim's real wife, Jeannie Gaffigan the co-creator/co-writer of the series. And it was really interesting listening them discuss how they developed the series, and why it eventually landed on TV Land.

I don't want to give too much away, but, Jim writes a tweet that shall we say backfires badly. And he goes to jail, then trial, for it. Lots of guest stars appear including Judy Gold.
As for me, I was very lucky to  nab the assignment.  I actually worked on this three weeks before I played a Court Room Sketch artist on Bull, and on that I'm actually drawing.
On The Jim Gaffigan Show, I'm pretending I'm drawing. The art showcased was actually done by another artist. The funny part is that in order to get both jobs, I had to prove I could actually draw. I had to send samples, showcased what art supplies I used. Besides sending my head shots, I had to send pictures of my hands front and back.
It wasn't till I got to the set of The Jim Gaffigan show, did I realize I wasn't gonna be doing the art. I also was told to bring my own art supplies, and once I got there was also given art tools to work with. 
The highlight of the entire shoot was at the end. As everyone else wrapped, I was told to go to set. I actually thought I was just picking up my own art supplies I had left there. But instead once I arrived, I discovered that I was gonna be the star of the show. So I was directed to sit in my spot, and prepare to well act. I was now confronted with 3 cameras facing me, One aimed at me from the front and the other cameras were behind me to see what I was was pretending to draw, and a third angled on the side for another perspective. So now, instead of actors seated where they performed during the scenes we were added sequences to, the people behind the camera were now in their place, telling me how to react to what was occurring. For example, instead of Judge Judy old occupying the judge's chair, sat the director. And they all were telling me where to sit and how to react to what I was pretending to be capturing on my sketch pad. It was like watching film clips of the making of Silent Movies and you see the director barking at orders to the actor on camera. Neil now look at the judge, now look at the defendant, now look at Jim. Draw. Draw. Draw. All in all we spent approximately 20 minutes shooting me. I wish I could get that video. And then my job was done, they yelled thats a wrap, and they seemed happy with what I did, so I was happy. 
Whats fun for me now is seeing how they edited the show together and to discover how I was featured in the plot of the episode. And for once in this gig, I wasn't just a blur or an accidental sighting in the movie, I like to call Where's Neil?
The other funny part in all this, was when I got the call to work on the pilot of Bull, which actually occurred weeks before the Jim Gaffigan call, I never thought that 3 weeks after filming the Court Room scenes in The Jim Gaffigan Show, I would return to the same Court Room in Yonkers, New York to film another court room scene there for Bull. And in fact it was the exact same Court Room! I guess small world, right? I just hope I get as much screen time in that episode, as I got I this one. 
So you see dad, sometimes your son can be right. When I decided to ditch my music future, my dad's idea for a way for me to make a living, instead to try to become an artist. Once I was accepted in The High School of Art and Design, I knew some day that my decision would turn out to be the right one. I just never knew that being an artist would help me land a non-speaking featured role on a national television show. I guess dreams can come true, even if not in the ways that you imagined them to be.

Until next time,
Neil

MAYBE THE SECOND TIMES THE CHARM

Guess it pays to keep everything when you're actor

The life of an actor... How funny, yesterday I was asked to do a Video audition for a film, yeah me! But that's not the entire story, you see the other day I saw a casting notice on Backstage that I seemed to be right for and so I applied. And yesterday, I received notice that I passed the first test, that the producer of the film, asked me to do a video audition. Yes, at least I'm still in the running, and I get to perform, and its on video, and I get to act. I get to showcase my ability. Great! 
Of course I was a little confused, because in their email to me, they opened the good news with another actor's first name… not mine. So I queried that, and also mentioned that the included sides I needed to learn which he had mentioned hadn't been included in his message to me. Well a few minutes later I received his response. Yup it was for me, and he made a joke of his error and this time he also included the sides for the part I was gonna be auditioning for.
Well as soon as I printed it out I sat back and went… hmm
You see, it turns out last September I actually had already video taped the exact sides for the same project and sent it to them. Thats right! The funny thing was, I had never heard back so I figured I didn't get the gig... next. But it seems either, they never got it, or the project at the time was put on hold or something. In any event, I guess I passed the first test twice. 
So the good thing is, I have the video on my computer, and tomorrow I'll again be sending them my audition, perhaps this time, I'll hear back from them... if I pass part 2 of the exam.
I queried with a friend if I should re-do the video, but the suggestion I got was to send the original tape and not worry about it. So I guess wish me luck, if anything comes of this I'll let you know. The life of an actor, every day a new role to play.

Until next time,
Neil

DONALD 'TRUMP' DRUMPF: CON MAN, LIAR, CROOK, 
AND THOSE ARE HIS BEST QUALITIES 

I don't usually do caricatures, but I needed to get the orange faced buffoon out of my system

Donald 'Trump' Drumpf:  Con Man, Liar & Crook, & those are his best qualities. © Neil Feigeles 2016

Even since Donald Trump decided to officially become a candidate for the Presidency I've been biting my lip, trying to somehow skip doing a sketch or finished illustration of him. Though all my years of doing artwork, for the most part I've been lucky that I've never had to do anyone or anything that makes me really angry or sick.

The closest I ever came was in college, where we were given the assignment to illustrate something. And whatever you got, no matter what, you had to do it. Well mine was abortion, and I was given the assignment to be against it. 

While I am not pro-abortion, I am pro rights for women to choose. Prove to me there is a God and that he or she is against it, not some religious leader or zealot, then I'll believe, but until there is, my belief is, its now of my business. So in protest, I illustrated a baby hanging on a meat hook, in a butchers freezer. Its from a sick joke I had heard as a kid, Whats small, Red and Swings? A baby on a meat hook of course. Well when I hung the assignment on the wall for class discussion, the reactions were quite amazing. And our instructor actually liked what I had come with. Seeing that I hated the subject, and that I took something and made a statement on it. The best part he actually liked my art. Yeah! I'm not known for being an editorial artist, so I was very happy that for once my art made a statement.

Well, back to the art, a few days back I decided to attempt my hand at The Donald, and after a day of sketching out ideas, I decided to illustrate my ideas more as a caricature then just a representative portrait of him. And decided to do  a trifecta of heads, showing him in several of his worst expressions. Revealing the hate within him. 

Well as showcased above, this is what I came up with. Hope you like. I decided to showcase it on my political blog today.

When I wrote a piece on Hillary's delightful twitter bombing of Trump all afternoon.

If you get the chance, please check it out. Here's the link: 
http://neilizms.blogspot.com/2016/06/seems-twitter-war-is-on-and-surprise.html

Below is the art in stages.

Until next time, 

Neil

A NEW PLACE TO FIND MY ART ONLINE
Just added Society6, a great place to find my illustrations

Its always fun to discover a new site online that showcases art. Well, last week I had a get together with some old friends, from the art world. Actually friends from High School and College. And one of them, mentioned a site, I hadn't heard of, Society6.

So after we said our good byes, I investigated, and well, here you go. I am now happy to announce that I have added a new place online to showcase my illustrations. And to give fans of my work or my subjects, another option in how you can get your very own. 

As seen here, from the screen caps of the site, the art is showcased very nicely. And if you like art, you should spend a few minutes on their site. In my brief search through the talents showcased, I found several I'm definitely gonna be revisiting in the their future.  

If you get the chance, please check it out. To go directly to the site, here's the link:  https://society6.com/nfeigeles

Until next time, 

Neil

WORKING AS AN EXTRA SOMETIMES HAS ITS BONUSES 
For once I was at the right place at the right time  

A scene from Alfie, featuring Jude Law and myself (ok, I'm just in the background)

In 2004, I was lucky enough to work on ALFIE, the remake of the Michael Caine classic. At the time I was pretty new to being an extra, still non-union, and when I got the call to work on Jude Law's latest I didn't hesitate to say yes. I mean, its Jude Law, not a difficult decision. 

Well during the day, as they were setting up the next sequence, I got the chance to actually meet him. During one of our breaks, I was sitting on a sofa, inside an expensive women's dress shop, which was that days holding (the place where the actors kill time when not on the set). And he, Jude Law (lucky for me), sat down right next to me. I must admit, I was a little star struck, and yes, the man amazingly looks better in person then he does on screen. 

And for the next 20 minutes or so, I was treated to a little one on one time, after he complained to me about "Your bloody cold New York weather."

You see the days shoot was on a shockingly cold and windy May day, and we were filming outside. The scene is showcased near the beginning of the film, my little moment in the sun (as showcased in the photo above) occurred at approximately the 5 minute mark. Jude Law is riding his scooter, driving thru Tribeca and other areas of  Downtown NY.  I distinctly remember, that the background players had to wear very light clothes. None of the women were allowed to wear bras, and all the men wore light Summer suits. I mention this, because right before I got my one-on-one time, snow started to fall around us… 

Snow, in May, hence the break in the action. It was honestly hysterical watching the PA's trying to keep the fake trees from blowing away… wish I was kidding. 

Anyway, its one of the highlights of many that I've had working as an extra on a film project or television show. The first thing they tell you is never talk to the actors, and usually I follow any and all rules, but if the actors talk to you first…usually you don't get in trouble. Usually.

Believe it or not, until yesterday, I had never watched it. So when I discovered it was on cable, I decided to sit back and hopefully enjoy something I had never seen before. And to discover if I actually made it onto the final cut. 

Well, happily I did, as the image above showcases. Its always fun to see something you worked on, cause you really never know whats gonna make it onto the screen. What scenes, which take, and/or which angle. Sadly some times when you sit back and watch, you realize that you never made it, that the camera was framed so you miss the cut by inches, like my work on the first Fantastic Four movie.

But no matter how long a go you worked on it, you can usually remember while watching it, what you did and how many takes it took to get what they wanted. So watching the opening scenes of Alfie, all of the days shots were in the back of my brain as I sat back, and realized that what I worked on occurred at the very beginning of the film. And was pleasantly surprised to discover that yes, my longs days work, actually made it to the final film. Which was actually a good thing, I could sit back for the rest of the story and just watch a pro do his job.

To learn about some of the other projects have I worked on over the years, please check out  https://www.pinterest.com/neilfeigeles/projects-ive-worked-on/ 

Until next time, 

Neil

SEEMS I DID MAKE FINAL CUT

Well at least my face made the FIRST LOOK TEASER 

Recently as mentioned in this blog, I had the fun job of being a Sketch artist in a Court Room scene shot for the Pilot for the new Michael Weatherly television series Bull. 
Well the series has been picked up… yeah! and to my happy surprise I actually made an appearance in the First Look Teaser released.
Showcased here are a few screen caps of the Teaser, my appearance is very brief in it, but I did find a few moments when I am visible for the world to see… that is if you really squint your eyes while trying to find me.  

So much fun watching the Teaser, because the only scenes I knew about were the scenes I worked on. I honestly didn't know what was happening accept for what I could read in the sides (the script of the scenes I worked on), or what I was lucky enough to be in the middle of, or at least within shouting distance. So now I'm excited to see the scenes that we only get a brief glimpse of from the edited sequences showcased. Fingers crossed when the episode airs, I get a little more screen time then whats on the teaser. At least I hope me drawing the art and/or the art itself will be shown. 

As some of you all know, I recently did a sketch of Michael Weatherly, and if you are a fan, it is now available to get in various ways, from T-Shirt to canvas prints, or better yet, the original art itself, please check out the links below.

Michael Weatherly, Art © Neil Feigeles,  April 24, 2016

Please check out the links below 

http://www.redbubble.com/people/neilfeigeles/works/21644885-michael-weatherly

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/michael-weatherly-neil-feigeles.html?newartwork=true

Thanks for visiting today. 
Questions, comments, commissions…

Neil 

SOMETIMES DREAMS COME TRUE part 2
So glad I was easily talked into doing this

As mentioned in my previous posting here on my blog, while plying my trade at The Thirteenth Street Repertory Company, Without much of an effort, I was talked into writing down my stories, my tales of woe, or simply to answer the question Why hadn't I ever gotten married? 
Well from those discussions, came 'What's wrong with this picture? I'm in it!' my first produced play. The play was originally produced and premiered at the rep in 2003. And in 2004, I was very happy to announce that a revised version of it, had been accepted into and produced at The 2004 International Fringe Festival in New York, and showcased at The Soho Playhouse. 
Showcased here are a few scenes from the video recording of one of the performances at The Soho Playhouse.

                                                                                                                                                                
As mentioned in my previous blog, that production is now available to watch online on Youtube.com.  

Please check it out:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02JhnyLylgI

Please check out my writers pages on my main website  
http://neilfeigeles.net/WRITER.html and http://neilfeigeles.net/whats wrong fringe

Until next time, Neil