About the art. So this piece comes courtesy of CAF’s own Grant Riddle. Before the last CAF Live, Grant posted a preview of his booth. I spotted the piece and reached out to him to ask a few general questions about the art and about payment. Then I just waited for the show to open on Saturday and put in my purchase request. Grant could not have been easier and nicer to deal with. I loved the piece, again, because of the movie. But I also loved it as a drawing. Plus, I’m a huge fan of Jamie’s.

Okay, first the positives. Obviously the DPS size is a nice bonus. But again, as long as the likenesses work for me, or if it’s appealing stylistically, the size isn’t that important. That said, I really love that close-up of Leon with his trademark glasses and beanie. Jamie’s work on that headshot is nothing short of phenomenal. Really just incredible linework. I wish I could say the same thing about the Mathilda figure. As drawings go, it’s a wonderful rendering. But really misses the mark on the character’s likeness. Plus she just looks much older and taller than the pint sized, wannabe hitman we all know and love. What makes them work as a mismatched pair is the dichotomy of their size difference. Making her older and/or bigger just ruins that.

If I had to nitpick, I guess I might also question the layout and design choices. While I totally get what Jamie was doing with the two scenes he chose to depict in the piece, having that window as the centerpiece of the image probably would not have been my first choice. Haha! I just feel like it would have worked much better if he had switched the left side with the right. Put the close-up of Leon on the right (also facing right of course), with the figure of Mathilda in the middle (a much better centerpiece for the composition), and the gunfight scene on the left. But almost anything would have been better than having that window in the center of the frame. That said, the art still puts a big smile on my face as is. And I should mention again for those who forgot or just don’t know. There is not a single drop of ink on this piece. Jamie works in 100% pencil only. Isn’t that incredible?

Finally, I just wanted to add a personal footnote here. I know Jamie was dealing with some longstanding health issues and I actually have not heard from him in quite a while (over a year now). I don’t want to assume the worst or jump to any conclusions, but I’ve never gone this long without hearing from him. I don’t know of any family I can get in contact with. And we’ve never communicated by phone. So all I have are his direct email, his CAF email, and his eBay email. If anyone has heard from him, or knows how he’s doing, or knows someone who might know, I would sure appreciate you sharing any news or information. I really hope he’s okay.

Anyway, my thanks to Grant for this wonderful new addition. To Jamie for his artistry and imagination. To Luc Besson for making one hell of a movie. And to all of you who stopped by for a visit. Appreciate your time.

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