BOND, JAMES BOND

Hurricane Sandy kept me inside all day, and since the power’s stayed on so far, I was sculpting and watching movies, including FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. For fun I decided to sculpt a quick mini-bust of James Bond, but as described by Ian Fleming in his novels.

“Bond reminds me rather of Hoagy Carmichael, but there is something cold and ruthless,” says Vesper Lynd in CASINO ROYALE, the first Bond novel (Carmichael had also been the physical model for The Shadow). I used Carmichael’s general description, but added the “comma”-shaped forelock of hair and scar on his right cheek (which I may have exaggerated a bit).

I should sculpt more characters from books.

Gussy and a Cat

Gussy hates your housepets.

Gussy, the Big Jerk of a Little Bear, began as a recurring character in a comic book I drew. He was the insufferable ex-boyfriend of another character, forever hanging around and moping.

Eventually Gussy’s aggressive pessimism grew on me, plus he was fun to write, draw, and sculpt. He became kind of my mascot, adorning numerous website avatars, my signature, and even this site.