Madrid Part 1

Madrid is Marco's hometown so he knows it well so we had a good time. Madrid has a different vibe than Barcelona. There are not that many touristas so it feels more like Spain than Europe's playground.



Madrid is a lot bigger than Barcelona so it helps that their metro is faster



Marco's aunt is always cheery





lunch at his parents house included picos, some salted/vinegar'd fish, and baked pasta something. All was awesome.



Equestrian police force







all the buildings are connected in Spain as you have seen. so when they destroy one they have to cut it off the block literally. that leaves exposed rough wall that they usually paint over in some nice color. Here they painted over it with paint that oxidized into the color of soft kitten poo from eating too much of your yoghurt that you left on the coffee table while you were taking a nap.



Plaza Mayor





this bocadillo is called bocadillo calamares and if filled with fried calamari and is famous from Madrid.



The Art Nouveau Filmoteca Espana in Lavapies shows old movies. Hey movie lovers, look at the lobby and bar! it looks awesome. Imagine having something like this in NY where they show old classic movies where you can have drinks before or after and talk movies with your fellow cinephiles.





Lavapies is the neighborhood where Marco's apartment is. its got character and is older and dirtier.





maybe you thought Marco Pardo was a no good bum. but he acutally bought an apartment in this building years ago but rents it out. I gotta get me some interior design money.







Mahou is the beer of Madrid. esta bueno. we met some of his old friends and co-workers for drinks outside then dinner at a restaurant on Head Street. It was the best and most food I have ever eaten. there are no pictures because i was blinded by hunger. we are talking many many platters of sausages and eggs, meats, potatoes, salads, potatoes and meat smothered in a mountain of melted cheese that is basically strong blue cheese, and so on and so on.



head street or street of the head or watever you want to call it. the streets have interesting names in Madrid.

I am one of Lürzers Archive's 200 best illustrators worldwide

A while ago I got an email from Lürzers Archive saying that I was nominated by an art director somewhere. I've always seen this book in the book store from some foreign place and wondered if i would ever be in there. You have to be nominated by an art director and then chosen by the Lürzers judges panel to be in this book so it's not "curated" per say. Haven't seen it yet because they were mailed to my parents house and i'm in Barcelona but it's cool to be in this book that I once gazed upon with student eyes filled with a thousand glimmering stars of hope.

Gracia Stroll

The Arc de Triomf in Barcelona Cuitadella Park is pretty cool. people all over taking advantage of any grass. Indian/Pakistani dudes trying to sell stuff people. at the beach they're there selling coconuts. Here they were selling some kind of samosas or something. but always, anywhere you go you will here "cervesa beer, cervesa beer". at night they are your personal beer refrigerator always lurking around somewhere to sell you cans of beer for 1 euro. it gets annoying real fast. In Barcelona its the job of the "Pakis". In Madrid its the job of the "Chinos" ---2022 Jason here, Paki and Chino aren't cool too say, to me and many others, i'm just showing you what they actually say and call people in Spain.   Javier's house. he rents half of this cool old apartment for amazingly cheap. Caga Tio (literally shit log, seriously) is a unique Christmas tradition in the Catalunya area. You feed him a little every night somehow and then xmas day or eve you "make him shit" by wack him with sticks until treats break out of his hollowed out body. My friends told me this and wikipedia says the same. that's a beret he wears, not a santa hat. view from Javier's roof on one side. he has a projector so we had a movie night. it was a crowd of artists so we watched "Fantastic Mr. Fox" Gracia is a cool charming neighborhood a 15 min walk north east of my house. There are few tourists so it has a more authentic feeling. Its full of 20-30 somethings and artists, musicians, creatives, etc... like everywhere Gracia is all about plazas. this one is plaza de something. we go to Candanchu in this plaza for drinks sometimes. wood pile getting gang raped. Plaza del sol, the liveliest plaza in Gracia bagel shop, looks like some little girl won an art prize. oh, there's the artist. she came running in to tell me this was her work and then back to play. corner of Plaza del sol these half sized dumpster things are everywhere here and are credited for the city being so clean. it is pretty clean here. but people have to actually put their garbage in here. come to think of it i never see garbage bags on the street..... elevator buttons in my elevator. starts with floor 0, then entresuelo, then principal, then the 1st floor. so the 1st floor is actually the 4th floor i'm not a pilsner guy so not really a fan of this beer.

Modern Fairy Tails for The Times London

The Times in London called me for a quick turnaround for 6 illustrations based on modern fairy tales that authors had put a twist on. A very fun assignment. It's the first time I thought of putting freckles and blemishes on people. but then again i haven't drawn to many red heads. Still though I should start using them more for the monsters and uglies that i draw.



big opening illustration. Gone is the age that girls dream of becoming princesses. Here Cinderella longs for freedom from social engagements and the other realities of life.



Red Riding Hood is a poor, uneducated teenager turned celebrity rape victim.



The 3 Little Pigs live a dry, sarcastic life. I hate compromising things with fast turn arounds, like here there was no time to render shiny pig flesh.



Jack and the beanstalks are a band competing on an American Idol like show where the judges include the Giant who is like a certain former American Idol judge. and yes that is me as the giant and yes i basically look like that.



After her parents divorce the Little Mermaid puts on weight and longs for a Pop Idol prince until the day she seems him join in a civil partnership with his best friend Clive.