BATTLE OF THE SEXES: PART 1

JEN OAKS vs. ED HE

I have soooooo been waiting for this round to begin! OOooooh, this is going to be some fun because its time for the first update of the Battle of the Sexes round! Just to keep it proper, we’re going to begin with LADIES first ~

First up on the Ladies Panel [aka Panel #5] is Jen Oaks of Berkeley CA. Jen’s style is fabulously girlie and I think it was love at first sight with her art. I could probably spend all day staring at her luscious ladies and plump pinups without ever getting tired of them and just seeing one of them sprawled out on the panel is really putting me over the edge here. Is it hot in here? While I open a window, check out her website and take in a nice eyeful of her work and maybe have a laugh or two [her web comics always put a huge smile on my face]:

www.jenoaks.com

and how about some KITTY BON BON for good measure?

I'm Jen Oaks! I'm from Oklahoma City and now live in Berkeley next door to some chickens. I make pretty prints and buttons and things, and the occasional web comic, but lately I've been drawing babes. Currently I'm working on a fat gi

rl pinup calendar for 2012.

What is your earliest “artistic” memory?
I remember my preschool teacher telling my parents I had "serious artistic talent" because I drew a lacy

border on my valentine heart. Also, when I was six, I drew the scene from Mickey's Christmas Carol where Scrooge is being visited by Marley's ghost. There are leg chains and everything, and it has "Scrooooooooge!" at the top.

What are three words that best describe your artwork?
pretty, funny, colorful

What inspires you?
The gorgeous Bay Area. My menagerie of awesome, brilliant, bizarre friends and all of their talents. Crazy people on public transportation. Design blogs. Ridiculous, decadent fashion editorial spreads. Babes in general.

What is your goal in life?
That my husband and I can support ourselves -- and a future family -- by doing what we love. And also to live somewhere with a porch and a garden. And could I maybe get a window that doesn't look at the

backs of people's fences?

Name something you love, and why.I love springtime in Oklahoma because it's completely schizo and you have to check the weather every two hours. I miss it a lot.

What makes you angry?
Pretty much everything I read in the news that isn't a story about animals being awesome.

What was your favorite toy as a kid?

I played with dirt for hours. I made little villages out of mud, leaves and twigs, and then populated the villages with My Little Ponies. They usually met their demise via the lawn mower. And yes, I did love my Barbies.

What is your favorite toy now?
Ink, pixels, and texture.

What is your “dream” art project?
You'll find out when you get the postcard invite. :)

What have you been listening to while you’ve been working on your art[recently]?
Girl Talk, Department of Eagles, Midlake, Broken Social Scene, Tame Impala, Neon Indian, lots of other d-baggy hipster music I'm apt to get judged by.

If you were a cocktail on a drink menu at a bar, what would your name be?
Fizzy Thunderthighs

If you could go back in time and talk to “8 year old YOU”, what would you say to her/him?

"BE YOURSELF!"

If you could collaborate with any other artist [living or dead], who would it be and why?
I'm dying to do something with one of the many incredible comic artists I admire. I see a sexy mashup in there!

What is the best bit of advice that you have ever been given?
"Quit comparing. Do what you do."

If you had a chance to say one sentence for the whole world to hear, what would you say?
"Be excellent to each other."

FOR REAL. And what a HAWT way to start the piece, amirite??? Bikini babe jammin’ to some tunes... lookin real good to me! What do you all think?? Big thanks to Jen for doing her thing and rockin’ out a solid start for the ladie’s panel! She’s another one to keep a close eye on. I feel big things are about to come from this lady.

Let the competition begin because here comes the boys team with a little sumthin’ sumthin’ on the Guy's Panel [aka Panel #4] from Ed He of San Francisco. Ed is currently a Master’s student for painting and his work is no joke, LEGIT. I can honestly say I’ve been impressed with just about every piece of work I have seen of his and I envy his oil painting skills like crazy. Bums me out that he doesn’t have a website [AHEM*...ED] so you’ll just have to take my word when I say all of his work is amazing. But for now, you can see what he did on the Boy’s panel... which is pretty appropriate and RIDICULOUS, hahaha:

What is your earliest “artistic” memory?

Copying some other kid's farm animal drawings in 1st grade. He was good!

What are three words that best describe your artwork?
Time, Work, Payoff.

What inspires you?

My peers and instructors

What is your goal in life?
Survive with pencil and paper.

Name something you love, and why.
Learning!, because it's fun!

What makes you angry?
Lack of common sense.

What was your favorite toy as a kid?
Transformers from the 80s.

What is your favorite toy now?
Macbook Pro.

What is your “dream” art project?

Book cover illustration

What have you been listening too while you’ve been working on your art[recently]?
Epic movie soundtracks on Pandora.

If you were a cocktail on a drink menu at a bar, what would your name be?
Sake Bomb'ED lol

If you could go back in time and talk to “8 year old YOU”, what would you say to her/him?
"drop your homework and get drawing!"

If you could collaborate with any other artist [living or dead], who would it be and why?
Howard Pyle. He was an amazing teacher.

What is the best bit of advice that you have ever been given?
Practice Practice/ Wrap it around.

If you had a chance to say one sentence for the whole world to hear, what would you say?
Don’t be a pussy

Dude, did you seriously just paint a cock on the panel? LOL *face palm*

Ok, so what do you all think? Who’s in the lead so far? Did the sexy bikini girl rock your world or where you too busy placing bets on Ed’s fighting rooster???

Next up to battle are JDUB of Moreno Valley for the girls and P. Dilla fo Roseville for the guys!

Ready. Set.



GO.


Peace,
ELROD

P.S- This is the SECOND time an artist [Jen] has mentioned having The Christmas Carol as part of an early childhood artistic memory, LOL, remember Ryan Martinez's interview? Check it.