Dominick R. Domingo's Blog, page 5
January 7, 2018
Article_Animation MAG
If there’s one thing we learn in art school, it’s that art is subjective. If artistic merit is in the eye of the beholder, what makes a ‘good’ portfolio? Simply put, one that lands the work! Whatever your specific career goals, the proof seems to be in the pudding. However, until landing that dream job in animation, it can be difficult amassing feedback that is consistent and free of contradiction. This article will explore some of the conventional wisdoms regarding portfolios, weeding out myths and arriving at a universal baseline. Though very little about art is definitive, consensus is alive and well!
After graduating Art Center’s Illustration Department in Dec, 1991, I spent twelve years working as a background painter and Visual Development artist at Disney Feature Animation. Almost immediately, I began working with the Artist Development department, presenting in the public arena and helping train younger artists through FODA—Foundations of Disney Animation. Working for Disney’s Paris studio and Animation Lab Israel among other overseas studios exposed me to a cross section of portfolios from art schools the world over. But the bulk of my advice comes from participating with other artists and recruiters in endless portfolio reviews for CTN Animation Expo and teaching Art Center’s Portfolio Lab, which landed twenty years of students at major studios like Disney, Dreamworks, PDI and Pixar.
Academic Proficiency plus Unique Voice Few would argue that foundational skills are a key factor in a successful portfolio. A character animator’s reel should demonstrate fundamentals like squash and stretch, anticipation and action, and secondary action (drag, follow-through and settle.) But the ring of truth these principles betray must be rooted in observation of life and a love of breathing that life into a character through storytelling. Similarly, the foundational skills showcased in a Visual Development portfolio, for example, are best complemented by a unique flair I call ‘voice.’ This quality, however intangible, is what will make a reel (or a flatbook or online portfolio, for that matter) stand out from the crowd. Do not confuse voice with ‘style.’ One’s portfolio may showcase work from various projects, each with its own visual style, but the artist’s voice can inform each one of them. Think of it as the thumbprint or soul of the artist on paper—his or her worldview, emotional imprint, values and opinions. Simply put, an artist’s voice could be equated with the ‘why’ part of the equation: why one is drawn to visual storytelling in the first place.
Know Thyself This essence can and should be reflected in every page of a portfolio. Though it evolves over time, taking stock periodically and asking the big questions can result in a brand that speaks to people, that makes an art director wish to bring you on and share that magic on their project.
Branding My students design a personal logo that captures their essence as a visual storyteller and brands everything from their portfolio pages to their business cards, leave behinds, and websites or online portfolios. Whether a humorous caricature or a conceptual graphic that engages in an interactive way, a pneumonic image may stick in the mind’s eye of those with the power to hire you, especially if it reflects your essence as an artist!
The Myth of a Catch-all Animation Portfolio Even a Visual Development generalist usually leads with props or character design, or specializes in story beats and color scripts. A portfolio that seems to have no understanding of the production pipeline or the departments therein can be alarming. My best recommendation is to do the research. Know what niche in production you are best suited for, and cater the portfolio content to the requirements for that position. It may be supplemented by academic or personal work, but the bulk of the content should be relevant to the position for which you are applying. Many artists are versatile and adaptable, even straddling genres and formats, vacillating between television animation and feature, or even feature animation and gaming. They edit and gear their portfolios toward a specific opportunity or have supplements (like a storyboarding portfolio as an insert, e.g.) but knowing what to include and what you are best suited for still boils down to the former convention: know thyself.
Resist Showing the Kitchen Sink—Edit! On a related note, many artists have a personal attachment to an older piece because it represents a milestone in their growth, or they have an emotional attachment to it for whatever reason. And yet, to others, it is obsolete and sticks out like a sore thumb. This is where objectivity about one’s own work comes in, and regular feedback that can help create that objectivity. Get a variety of opinions regularly, and be judicious about them. If you hear the same bit of advice repeatedly, you should probably heed it!
I Just Want to Be Loved; Is That So Wrong?It is always alarming when in addition to the position-relevant content, an artist cannot resist showing graphic design, album covers, school work, personal work, fine art, etc. An academic section (plein aire paintings, figure studies, still life, e.g.) is quite normal. But beyond that, you may want to consider the following advice when editing content: if there is enough of a given vein to justify a section in the portfolio, keep it; if not, weed it out. An inability to resist showing an aspect of one’s self can seem needy, or at best, naïve with regard to the professional arena. In other words, if you’ve taken a single Maya class and learned to produce two low-poly models that are crude at best, they may not be worth including as they will represent a liability and not justify a section. Having said that, a trend of late is for concept artists to also have a skill that will allow them to see a title all the way through production.
Less Is More This conventional wisdom is a bit of a myth; I’ve found its relevance to be case-specific. One artist may be served by minimalism, whereas hoards of quick and dirty film studies in another case may demonstrate a prolificacy that’s impressive due to sheer volume, leading one to think: ‘Man, this guy could crank out these comps in his sleep,’ or equally important, ‘Man, this guy loves to draw!’ However, less is indeed more if all the work is not equally competent. Which leads to:
You’re As Strong As Your Weakest Link It is not worth including a piece that demonstrates a technical liability, or even a lapse in a well-developed voice, no matter how attached you are to it. Each new piece in a portfolio can and should demonstrate a new skill set or flavor, without redundancy. In that way, flipping through a portfolio can be thought of as a journey, an experience over which you have the control. You manage the pacing, the flow and the rhythm, the first impression and the final, lasting impression.
Start With a Bang, End With a Bang!This phrase gets thrown around quite a bit, and is akin to the sayings ‘first impressions are indelible’ and ‘leave a lasting impression.’ If either are true, does one just ‘cruise’ for a while in between? And if you’re as weak as your weakest link and the caliber is consistent, what falls between your first impression and your final ‘bang?’ It’s simple: what is usually meant by the elusive ‘bang’ is simply a large, full color piece, maybe even one that spans the gutter as a double-page spread. People, whether trained artists or not, really are captivated by shiny objects!
Creating and Organizing ContentOnce the dream job has been identified and portfolio requirements researched, there are often gaps that must be filled in a portfolio—more storyboards, more color story beats from those storyboards, more props, vehicles weapons or other assets. I recommend taking night classes as a structured opportunity to create the needed content with feedback rather than creating in a vacuum, no matter how disciplined you are. Then comes the task of organizing the content once you’ve edited it. Many artists organize by Intellectual Property, or title. They create a title treatment for each project, identifying it in no uncertain terms. Then they scroll through the assets, first showing props/vehicles/weapons, moving on to character designs then environments and finally story beats/moment paintings. Others organize by asset, scrolling through each title thereunder. In other words, they begin with a prop section, first showing their Peter Pan props, then their Monkey King props, etc. The above represent the two main approaches to organizing content.
To Show Or Not To Show Ideation? Many artists are unsure whether to show the ideation that led up to a finished design. There are as many answers to this question as there are artists. My opinion is to lead with what you are proud of, and that which identifies you. If you are an excellent draftsman with a lively drawing style relevant to animation, raw sketches will not feel like dirty laundry to you. You will be proud to share them, knowing they show a rare talent beyond motor skills, an imagination full of ideas. Another artist who prides him or herself on finished, polished renderings, may not wish to lead with raw drawings but rather full-color pieces carried to a finish. Though the odd art director or production designer (depending on the position) may like seeing how an artist works from start-to-finish and therefore appreciate the inclusion of photo reference, I personally tend to advise against squandering valuable real estate on it. But again, most choices are case-by-case based on what best markets an artists unique skill set!
To Show or Not To Show School WorkI have often heard recruiters and art directors advise against showing schoolwork, saying that it is innately inferior conceptually. I could not disagree more; depending on what school one attends, school assignments that are more blue sky and less production-oriented can be the strongest work one will ever create. You’re not fooling anyone anyway; if you don’t have an IMDB page showing familiar titles, masquerading as a seasoned veteran will be a dead-end road. The good news is, being fresh out of school is a PLUS! Animation has always been youth-oriented, and that has not changed. In fact, internships and fellowships that require one be registered in a program are a great way in to many companies. And after graduation, I would use the phrase ‘recent graduate’ as long as possible until you land that dream job! I would follow that advice myself, but one glimpse of Pride Rock or Rafiki’s tree in my portfolio and I’ve given myself away!
I hope some of these tips have been helpful, helping to clear away the veil of contradictions. There will always be opposing opinions, especially among artists who pride themselves on thinking outside the box and resisting conformity! I recommend taking it all with a grain of salt, a degree of receptivity, and synthesizing what you hear in a judicious way. Kind of like everything else in life.Now, go get that dream job!
After graduating Art Center’s Illustration Department in Dec, 1991, I spent twelve years working as a background painter and Visual Development artist at Disney Feature Animation. Almost immediately, I began working with the Artist Development department, presenting in the public arena and helping train younger artists through FODA—Foundations of Disney Animation. Working for Disney’s Paris studio and Animation Lab Israel among other overseas studios exposed me to a cross section of portfolios from art schools the world over. But the bulk of my advice comes from participating with other artists and recruiters in endless portfolio reviews for CTN Animation Expo and teaching Art Center’s Portfolio Lab, which landed twenty years of students at major studios like Disney, Dreamworks, PDI and Pixar.
Academic Proficiency plus Unique Voice Few would argue that foundational skills are a key factor in a successful portfolio. A character animator’s reel should demonstrate fundamentals like squash and stretch, anticipation and action, and secondary action (drag, follow-through and settle.) But the ring of truth these principles betray must be rooted in observation of life and a love of breathing that life into a character through storytelling. Similarly, the foundational skills showcased in a Visual Development portfolio, for example, are best complemented by a unique flair I call ‘voice.’ This quality, however intangible, is what will make a reel (or a flatbook or online portfolio, for that matter) stand out from the crowd. Do not confuse voice with ‘style.’ One’s portfolio may showcase work from various projects, each with its own visual style, but the artist’s voice can inform each one of them. Think of it as the thumbprint or soul of the artist on paper—his or her worldview, emotional imprint, values and opinions. Simply put, an artist’s voice could be equated with the ‘why’ part of the equation: why one is drawn to visual storytelling in the first place.
Know Thyself This essence can and should be reflected in every page of a portfolio. Though it evolves over time, taking stock periodically and asking the big questions can result in a brand that speaks to people, that makes an art director wish to bring you on and share that magic on their project.
Branding My students design a personal logo that captures their essence as a visual storyteller and brands everything from their portfolio pages to their business cards, leave behinds, and websites or online portfolios. Whether a humorous caricature or a conceptual graphic that engages in an interactive way, a pneumonic image may stick in the mind’s eye of those with the power to hire you, especially if it reflects your essence as an artist!
The Myth of a Catch-all Animation Portfolio Even a Visual Development generalist usually leads with props or character design, or specializes in story beats and color scripts. A portfolio that seems to have no understanding of the production pipeline or the departments therein can be alarming. My best recommendation is to do the research. Know what niche in production you are best suited for, and cater the portfolio content to the requirements for that position. It may be supplemented by academic or personal work, but the bulk of the content should be relevant to the position for which you are applying. Many artists are versatile and adaptable, even straddling genres and formats, vacillating between television animation and feature, or even feature animation and gaming. They edit and gear their portfolios toward a specific opportunity or have supplements (like a storyboarding portfolio as an insert, e.g.) but knowing what to include and what you are best suited for still boils down to the former convention: know thyself.
Resist Showing the Kitchen Sink—Edit! On a related note, many artists have a personal attachment to an older piece because it represents a milestone in their growth, or they have an emotional attachment to it for whatever reason. And yet, to others, it is obsolete and sticks out like a sore thumb. This is where objectivity about one’s own work comes in, and regular feedback that can help create that objectivity. Get a variety of opinions regularly, and be judicious about them. If you hear the same bit of advice repeatedly, you should probably heed it!
I Just Want to Be Loved; Is That So Wrong?It is always alarming when in addition to the position-relevant content, an artist cannot resist showing graphic design, album covers, school work, personal work, fine art, etc. An academic section (plein aire paintings, figure studies, still life, e.g.) is quite normal. But beyond that, you may want to consider the following advice when editing content: if there is enough of a given vein to justify a section in the portfolio, keep it; if not, weed it out. An inability to resist showing an aspect of one’s self can seem needy, or at best, naïve with regard to the professional arena. In other words, if you’ve taken a single Maya class and learned to produce two low-poly models that are crude at best, they may not be worth including as they will represent a liability and not justify a section. Having said that, a trend of late is for concept artists to also have a skill that will allow them to see a title all the way through production.
Less Is More This conventional wisdom is a bit of a myth; I’ve found its relevance to be case-specific. One artist may be served by minimalism, whereas hoards of quick and dirty film studies in another case may demonstrate a prolificacy that’s impressive due to sheer volume, leading one to think: ‘Man, this guy could crank out these comps in his sleep,’ or equally important, ‘Man, this guy loves to draw!’ However, less is indeed more if all the work is not equally competent. Which leads to:
You’re As Strong As Your Weakest Link It is not worth including a piece that demonstrates a technical liability, or even a lapse in a well-developed voice, no matter how attached you are to it. Each new piece in a portfolio can and should demonstrate a new skill set or flavor, without redundancy. In that way, flipping through a portfolio can be thought of as a journey, an experience over which you have the control. You manage the pacing, the flow and the rhythm, the first impression and the final, lasting impression.
Start With a Bang, End With a Bang!This phrase gets thrown around quite a bit, and is akin to the sayings ‘first impressions are indelible’ and ‘leave a lasting impression.’ If either are true, does one just ‘cruise’ for a while in between? And if you’re as weak as your weakest link and the caliber is consistent, what falls between your first impression and your final ‘bang?’ It’s simple: what is usually meant by the elusive ‘bang’ is simply a large, full color piece, maybe even one that spans the gutter as a double-page spread. People, whether trained artists or not, really are captivated by shiny objects!
Creating and Organizing ContentOnce the dream job has been identified and portfolio requirements researched, there are often gaps that must be filled in a portfolio—more storyboards, more color story beats from those storyboards, more props, vehicles weapons or other assets. I recommend taking night classes as a structured opportunity to create the needed content with feedback rather than creating in a vacuum, no matter how disciplined you are. Then comes the task of organizing the content once you’ve edited it. Many artists organize by Intellectual Property, or title. They create a title treatment for each project, identifying it in no uncertain terms. Then they scroll through the assets, first showing props/vehicles/weapons, moving on to character designs then environments and finally story beats/moment paintings. Others organize by asset, scrolling through each title thereunder. In other words, they begin with a prop section, first showing their Peter Pan props, then their Monkey King props, etc. The above represent the two main approaches to organizing content.
To Show Or Not To Show Ideation? Many artists are unsure whether to show the ideation that led up to a finished design. There are as many answers to this question as there are artists. My opinion is to lead with what you are proud of, and that which identifies you. If you are an excellent draftsman with a lively drawing style relevant to animation, raw sketches will not feel like dirty laundry to you. You will be proud to share them, knowing they show a rare talent beyond motor skills, an imagination full of ideas. Another artist who prides him or herself on finished, polished renderings, may not wish to lead with raw drawings but rather full-color pieces carried to a finish. Though the odd art director or production designer (depending on the position) may like seeing how an artist works from start-to-finish and therefore appreciate the inclusion of photo reference, I personally tend to advise against squandering valuable real estate on it. But again, most choices are case-by-case based on what best markets an artists unique skill set!
To Show or Not To Show School WorkI have often heard recruiters and art directors advise against showing schoolwork, saying that it is innately inferior conceptually. I could not disagree more; depending on what school one attends, school assignments that are more blue sky and less production-oriented can be the strongest work one will ever create. You’re not fooling anyone anyway; if you don’t have an IMDB page showing familiar titles, masquerading as a seasoned veteran will be a dead-end road. The good news is, being fresh out of school is a PLUS! Animation has always been youth-oriented, and that has not changed. In fact, internships and fellowships that require one be registered in a program are a great way in to many companies. And after graduation, I would use the phrase ‘recent graduate’ as long as possible until you land that dream job! I would follow that advice myself, but one glimpse of Pride Rock or Rafiki’s tree in my portfolio and I’ve given myself away!
I hope some of these tips have been helpful, helping to clear away the veil of contradictions. There will always be opposing opinions, especially among artists who pride themselves on thinking outside the box and resisting conformity! I recommend taking it all with a grain of salt, a degree of receptivity, and synthesizing what you hear in a judicious way. Kind of like everything else in life.Now, go get that dream job!
September 7, 2017
NEW short fiction in progress:
Having a ball! New territory- so far this is shaping up like a (dark) Princess Brider:
A harsh winter had ravaged the landscape, leaving little more than tracts of hard-packed ice impaled by bare stumps, set stark and wretched against a brooding sky. The bleakness was alarming but strangely familiar, echoing her heart’s melancholy with sublime poetry. Adolescence had come without warning, isolating Kaitlin Spencer as much or more than the relentlessly churning storms, making her a stranger to her own impulses. Worse, she’d been holed up for weeks in a tiny, dilapidated cottage just inside the palace walls with her parents, also strangers. She’d spoken to them only when inevitable. This was her first outing since the sun had peeked sheepishly between walls of gray, illuminating a single patch of snow. She’d been surveying the surrounding terrain on horseback for mere moments when Puck lost his footing on the slickness, throwing her and bolting into the shadowy gullet of the bare-limbed forest that reared up behind the palace. She rose, dusted herself with stiff, frozen fingers, and ignoring the throbbing in the hip on which she’d landed, started after her impertinent steed. “Puck!” She cried into the hollowness. The mysterious dark swallowed her velvety tones instantly, just as tangles of wretched limbs strangled all light at a certain distance. She could hear the clopping of hooves on randomly strewn rocks not far ahead; he hadn’t gone far. It wasn’t like him to be spooked, and even less so, disobedient. Soon he’d return and eat carrots from her outstretched palm. “Puck!” She called again, to combat the dread that seemed to hang over the place more and more the deeper she penetrated. The cloud cover filtered the sun like a blanket, but the crisscrossing limbs rendered light even more muddled and confusing here in the forest, making it impossible to tell the time of day. She’d left the palace grounds only moments before, but suddenly felt hours could have passed, or days, or weeks. She called a third time, but the sound of her own voice was scarcely recognizable, edged as it was with panic. She pursued the resounding clatter of hooves, her own overtones mingling with the gentle cacophony. But suddenly there was a third sound, weaving its rich, melodious baritone between the more percussive, staccato lines like a shimmering thread. It was sweetly seductive and captivating all at once, transforming the barren glen into a magical tapestry. Kaitlin found herself entangled in its weave, tugged along weightlessly by the shimmering thread of a voice, helpless to resist even if she’d wanted to. Puck became an afterthought or a distant memory, so hypnotic was the effect. And there, emerging from darkness and centered in the tapestry like a perfectly embroidered tableau, stood the source of the unearthly melody. Framed by an ashlar bridge that spanned a shimmering rivulet, bathed in dapples of golden light—the few that dared penetrate the sheath of darkness—stood the most beautiful youth Kaitlin had ever laid eyes on. Dark, wavy locks hung over staunch, surly brows. But the eyes they framed were wide and angelic, emanating ice blue to rival the clumps of snow all about. The boy’s jaw formed a continuous, uninterrupted line, denoting strength and stalwartness, as did the muscular neck and well, every part of him. Full lips enunciated the wordless melody that hung on the air. The first peculiar thing Kaitlin noticed about the youth was his attire; his tunic was tattered and soiled, a far cry from what she was accustomed to among the courtiers of the palace. The coarse fabric was cinched at the waist, and sheer leggings defined muscular thighs that remained casually crossed as the boy leaned against the ashlar bridge. His sinewy forearms were outstretched, offering her the reigns that had slipped out of her own grasp moments before. He’d enchanted Puck too; the horse did not so much as stammer or pace—only waited patiently for command. “Thank you,” she managed, tipping her head. “M’Lady,” the youth replied, putting an end to the enticing lullaby. Kaitlin advanced with reticence; she knew better than to put herself in danger so far from the company of others. But something about the boy’s angelic voice made her trust him. Or to not wish to trust him. Or to mistrust herself, or some combination thereof. She felt her hand leaving her side. As it reached for the reigns, the boy’s outstretched hand closed around hers, and her eyes locked with his. In seconds, their lips had come together and she found herself in a state of complete surrender, sliding to the earth in wonderment at her own abandon, and at the same time, never having wanted a thing more. And then he was inside of her on the slippery earth, the two of them gasping in unison and her staring into the confusion of crisscrossing branches, flushing and heaving and welcoming the light sweat that came in defiance of winter. She’d been told by schoolmates the first time was always a disappointment; how wrong they had been. Or how unlucky. After the final gasp, the two lovers, strangers to one another, made introductions. “I’m Titus,” the youth offered, reclining against the base of the ashlar bridge, somewhat spent. Sheets of ice had begun to melt there where mitered granite met the soil, yielding a margin of verdant moss. It’s there Kaitlin wedged herself, collapsing into his sturdy frame. “I’m Kaitlin,” she reciprocated. She would not tell him she was Kaitlin Spencer,of the noble Westshire Spencers. Nor that she lived inside the castle walls, the only child of the royal seamstress and her silversmith husband. Least relevant of all at the moment—hence, no need to share—was the fact she was in line to court King Zardus himself one day. She was not descended from nobility, nor was she a member of the royal court. But it was well agreed-upon that she was the fairest maiden in all the land, and soon to be put on market. Her coming of age ceremony would take place in mere months. In the mean time, she was being preened. Withholding her social status did not feel like deception to the girl; the station that awaited her was hardly who she was anyway. And the roll in the—snow, as it were—that she’d just shared with the boy was the most honest act she’d engaged in in God knew how long. Still, to deflect attention, she asked “Do you live here, in these woods?” “Yes, M’Lady,” was all the boy offered. “I’ve heard tell of villages deep in these woods, but never had occasion to meet an inhabitant. Only at the Spring Festival, of course…” Once a year, folk from every corner of the kingdom gathered to celebrate the arrival of spring and to sell their wares. As a child, she’d been fascinated by forestfolk—by the dark, unruly appearance and demeanor of those who dwelt beneath leaf and limb. When she shared as much, the boy scowled. “You seem altogether—different,” she observed. The vendors and merchants who’d captured her imagination at the festival were less—idealized, to put it kindly. More gnarled and torqued and knobby, beset with peculiarities like not enough fingers or too many. Some sprouted fern-like limbs or fungus-like antlers, which made them ideal novelty acts during festival season. Kaitlin knew full well, even as a child, that the misfits and undesirables stood little chance in society, and so took to the shadowy underbelly of the forest canopy, forging a civil bond by their shared uniqueness. Over time, their existence, revealed only when stumbled upon by the wayward traveler unsure what he was seeing, gave rise to lore of dwarves and elves and goblins. “I was not born a forest dweller,” Titus explained. “I was taken in by forestfolk when my parents perished.” “I’m sorry,” Kaitlin consoled, gently stroking his thick umber locks. The boy’s eyes retreated in time, as though hacking away at thickets of brush to get at his earliest recollections. “My entire village was burned,” he continued. “By the Royal Army. It had been a harsh winter; we hadn’t the means to pay our taxes…” The boy’s sadness touched Kaitlin, and she lay her head upon his chest, allowing her chestnut hair to spill across it like spun gold. She knew her fair complexion contrasted with the swarthiness of his swelling ribcage, that the crimson flush of her cheek complemented the heart that beat inside, so rich with life and loss. “And how did you learn to sing?” Kaitlin asked in earnest. Though the melody had been wordless, the sheer mastery of his instrument, the perfect tone and utter pitch control, spoke of training. “I’m not sure,” Titus confessed humbly. “As far back as I can remember, I amused my new family with song. The forestfolk, though musically inclined themselves, called it a gift.” “A gift indeed,” Kaitlin Spencer concurred with unbridled enthusiasm. “The gift of enchantment…” Here she took to planting tiny breathless kisses across the flawless expanse of her lover’s chest. And then something came over her. “Carry me away once more,” she pleaded. “Let your voice carry me far from here, where words are silly and useless, where branches flutter and the forest quakes and appearances fall away like so many dead leaves…” Titus indulged her with his gift, that of impossibly ethereal overtones and undertones that resonated above and below—in the core of her being and the heady chambers of her lofty ideals. The melody was the same one as before—one she recognized from a dream of the past or a vision of the future, or both. It was as though he knew her better than she knew herself, keyed into her essence from some expansive perch beyond the here and now. The ineffable feeling of being transported, however, quickly turned to that of being abducted, and her heart beat wildly. Somewhere in the ether, her heels scrambled for solid ground, for fear of being whisked away to a place of no return. She panicked and sprang to her feet. “I must go,” she bade him. He sat up, bewildered. “But—” “I have had a most wonderful afternoon. One I shall never forget.” In her heart, she knew it to be true. What she could not know is how the memory of it would come to haunt her, or the indelible stamp it had already imprinted on her soul. “When shall I see you again?” the boy asked as Kaitlin mounted Puck from the bridge. “Never,” she called back regretfully. “I must never return to this place…” Halfway back to the barbican, she felt it and looked down. Her garment was soaked in blood. She began to devise an alibi. If she could not make it to her chambers unnoticed, she’d say her cycle had arrived, or that it was the horse. He’d become startled (not altogether untrue) and she’d suffered quite a jolt. She promised God that if King Zardus would buy the story (after all, she’d heard of quite a few hymens that had been broken not by husbands but by temperamental horses) she’d never be so reckless again. And she made sure of it. Or life did. From that day on, abandonment was tempered with structure and discipline, their meticulously orchestrated plans for her sufficient to distract her from her own heart. A week after Kaitlin Spencer’s coming of age ceremony, King Zardus called upon her by sending an engraved invitation to the door of the small cottage she shared with her parents. Lady Spencer’s eyes swelled like a squall on the high seas imagining an entire future for her daughter in the few words the squire read aloud:
Lady Kaitlin Spencer Your presence is required this very eve, at six-and-thirty on the clock At the Royal Banquet Hall That King Zardus might be enchanted by your company during supper. Lady Spencer wasted no time pressing her daughter’s fanciest gown, adorning it with brocade sashes and a train to rival her cascading locks. She was the royal seamstress; it was no effort at all ensuring her daughter’s appearance would eclipse that of every last lady of the court. She smiled approvingly once finishing touches had been applied, and bade her daughter farewell along with her husband, who was teary-eyed and full of pride. The King’s reaction on seeing the maiden was no less effusive; his jaw nearly fell to the floor in abject surrender when she was escorted into the enormous dining hall. Still, it was she who curtsied and kissed his ring, gluing her eyes to the floor. King Zardus immediately put the girl at ease, seating her beside him at the head of a ridiculously long rosewood dining table. The two were waited upon hand and foot, treated to a four-course meal of roast mutton and a string quartet. Kaitlin found the affair less stuffy than she’d feared, reveled in the sheer glory of abundance. It was clear the harshness of life was kept at bay here in the castle’s bailey, but a distant memory. She even found the king himself attractive, in a fatherly sort of way. His effusive laugh was earnest, contagious, calming her nerves and endearing him to her. She had to remind herself throughout the evening not to take the attention personally; the king was motivated to settle on a wife and produce an heir. Rumors of the otherwise benevolent ruler’s temper had made it to the furthest reaches of the kingdom, however distorted, rendering the momentary charity, at least in Kaitlin’s estimation, disingenuous. Or worse, subject to whim. She couldn’t shake the sense that although good fortune had landed her in the path of opportunity, the stakes were all or nothing. If she said the wrong thing, or if a foul mood beset the man, her head could end up in a basket like that of the last contender. Her fears proved unfounded in the end, and her head remained attached. After a three-week courtship, the two were wed in a lavish public ceremony. Subjects attended from far and wide, eager to lay eyes once again on the fairest maiden in the land, now a bride, and soon to be their queen. It was not long, however, before the fanfare and ceremony yielded to malice. Rumors of former dalliances came to haunt the queen in a most unkind way. In preparation for betrothal, royal midwives had officially confirmed the bride’s hymen had gone the way of so many other young equestrians’, and the assessment had appeased royal concern. But whispers began to circulate on the lips of courtesans, primarily the lips of those who wished to cull favor with the king. Or better still, to share his bed once the queen’s head was on a post somewhere. The rumors were not confined to the palace walls; pamphlets circulated in the streets, tabloids meant to tarnish the as-yet pristine but mysterious reputation of the young queen. In an attempt to endear herself to the people and diffuse any ill will with earthiness, the queen guzzled ale at festivals, told raucous and bawdy jokes in public. The king was only charmed by the impropriety, momentarily blinded by love. He hadn’t seen it coming—not by a long shot. But the people were not so charitable, taking the relaxed decorum as further proof of their queen’s inferior stock. The king paid no attention; if anything, his myopia extended to the notion the two were a team, that the shelter of their union could withstand any storm. He reveled in the new protocol—a more friendly and accessible oligarchy. Even so, when Kaitlin’s head hit the silk pillow at night, imagining Titus’s supple lips on her breast all those years ago, she couldn’t help but worry. Part of her knew at any moment the gossip might rouse her husband’s suspicions. Despite his own disdain for appearances, he’d behead her in an instant if his dignity was threatened. He was a man, after all, and a prideful one at that. Over time, the king’s council bent his ear. The people were not sophisticated enough for change, they said, at least not in the form of relaxed protocol. It would be wise to curtail ‘earthiness’ with manners, he was advised; the rebellious streak the royal couple shared would benefit from improved appearances. And it was always best to have the people on your side. The king took to reminding his wife to sit up straight, to retire her goblet early in the evening, to wave correctly and use the right utensil at the right time. Queen Kaitlin took to sobbing at night once she’d dismissed her handmaiden. The formalities were killing her inside.
Even the couple’s lovemaking was routine. At first, when she was called upon to visit the king’s chambers and do her wifely duty, she cherished the regularity. She found great purpose in lying beneath his corpulent royal mass, staring at the gilded tiles above. She wanted nothing more than to bear the man an heir. But the familiar, comforting ritual turned eventually to desperate protests her heart alone could hear: she had wants and needs of her own. Desires. Dear lord, she thought, if he only knew…
More to come!
A harsh winter had ravaged the landscape, leaving little more than tracts of hard-packed ice impaled by bare stumps, set stark and wretched against a brooding sky. The bleakness was alarming but strangely familiar, echoing her heart’s melancholy with sublime poetry. Adolescence had come without warning, isolating Kaitlin Spencer as much or more than the relentlessly churning storms, making her a stranger to her own impulses. Worse, she’d been holed up for weeks in a tiny, dilapidated cottage just inside the palace walls with her parents, also strangers. She’d spoken to them only when inevitable. This was her first outing since the sun had peeked sheepishly between walls of gray, illuminating a single patch of snow. She’d been surveying the surrounding terrain on horseback for mere moments when Puck lost his footing on the slickness, throwing her and bolting into the shadowy gullet of the bare-limbed forest that reared up behind the palace. She rose, dusted herself with stiff, frozen fingers, and ignoring the throbbing in the hip on which she’d landed, started after her impertinent steed. “Puck!” She cried into the hollowness. The mysterious dark swallowed her velvety tones instantly, just as tangles of wretched limbs strangled all light at a certain distance. She could hear the clopping of hooves on randomly strewn rocks not far ahead; he hadn’t gone far. It wasn’t like him to be spooked, and even less so, disobedient. Soon he’d return and eat carrots from her outstretched palm. “Puck!” She called again, to combat the dread that seemed to hang over the place more and more the deeper she penetrated. The cloud cover filtered the sun like a blanket, but the crisscrossing limbs rendered light even more muddled and confusing here in the forest, making it impossible to tell the time of day. She’d left the palace grounds only moments before, but suddenly felt hours could have passed, or days, or weeks. She called a third time, but the sound of her own voice was scarcely recognizable, edged as it was with panic. She pursued the resounding clatter of hooves, her own overtones mingling with the gentle cacophony. But suddenly there was a third sound, weaving its rich, melodious baritone between the more percussive, staccato lines like a shimmering thread. It was sweetly seductive and captivating all at once, transforming the barren glen into a magical tapestry. Kaitlin found herself entangled in its weave, tugged along weightlessly by the shimmering thread of a voice, helpless to resist even if she’d wanted to. Puck became an afterthought or a distant memory, so hypnotic was the effect. And there, emerging from darkness and centered in the tapestry like a perfectly embroidered tableau, stood the source of the unearthly melody. Framed by an ashlar bridge that spanned a shimmering rivulet, bathed in dapples of golden light—the few that dared penetrate the sheath of darkness—stood the most beautiful youth Kaitlin had ever laid eyes on. Dark, wavy locks hung over staunch, surly brows. But the eyes they framed were wide and angelic, emanating ice blue to rival the clumps of snow all about. The boy’s jaw formed a continuous, uninterrupted line, denoting strength and stalwartness, as did the muscular neck and well, every part of him. Full lips enunciated the wordless melody that hung on the air. The first peculiar thing Kaitlin noticed about the youth was his attire; his tunic was tattered and soiled, a far cry from what she was accustomed to among the courtiers of the palace. The coarse fabric was cinched at the waist, and sheer leggings defined muscular thighs that remained casually crossed as the boy leaned against the ashlar bridge. His sinewy forearms were outstretched, offering her the reigns that had slipped out of her own grasp moments before. He’d enchanted Puck too; the horse did not so much as stammer or pace—only waited patiently for command. “Thank you,” she managed, tipping her head. “M’Lady,” the youth replied, putting an end to the enticing lullaby. Kaitlin advanced with reticence; she knew better than to put herself in danger so far from the company of others. But something about the boy’s angelic voice made her trust him. Or to not wish to trust him. Or to mistrust herself, or some combination thereof. She felt her hand leaving her side. As it reached for the reigns, the boy’s outstretched hand closed around hers, and her eyes locked with his. In seconds, their lips had come together and she found herself in a state of complete surrender, sliding to the earth in wonderment at her own abandon, and at the same time, never having wanted a thing more. And then he was inside of her on the slippery earth, the two of them gasping in unison and her staring into the confusion of crisscrossing branches, flushing and heaving and welcoming the light sweat that came in defiance of winter. She’d been told by schoolmates the first time was always a disappointment; how wrong they had been. Or how unlucky. After the final gasp, the two lovers, strangers to one another, made introductions. “I’m Titus,” the youth offered, reclining against the base of the ashlar bridge, somewhat spent. Sheets of ice had begun to melt there where mitered granite met the soil, yielding a margin of verdant moss. It’s there Kaitlin wedged herself, collapsing into his sturdy frame. “I’m Kaitlin,” she reciprocated. She would not tell him she was Kaitlin Spencer,of the noble Westshire Spencers. Nor that she lived inside the castle walls, the only child of the royal seamstress and her silversmith husband. Least relevant of all at the moment—hence, no need to share—was the fact she was in line to court King Zardus himself one day. She was not descended from nobility, nor was she a member of the royal court. But it was well agreed-upon that she was the fairest maiden in all the land, and soon to be put on market. Her coming of age ceremony would take place in mere months. In the mean time, she was being preened. Withholding her social status did not feel like deception to the girl; the station that awaited her was hardly who she was anyway. And the roll in the—snow, as it were—that she’d just shared with the boy was the most honest act she’d engaged in in God knew how long. Still, to deflect attention, she asked “Do you live here, in these woods?” “Yes, M’Lady,” was all the boy offered. “I’ve heard tell of villages deep in these woods, but never had occasion to meet an inhabitant. Only at the Spring Festival, of course…” Once a year, folk from every corner of the kingdom gathered to celebrate the arrival of spring and to sell their wares. As a child, she’d been fascinated by forestfolk—by the dark, unruly appearance and demeanor of those who dwelt beneath leaf and limb. When she shared as much, the boy scowled. “You seem altogether—different,” she observed. The vendors and merchants who’d captured her imagination at the festival were less—idealized, to put it kindly. More gnarled and torqued and knobby, beset with peculiarities like not enough fingers or too many. Some sprouted fern-like limbs or fungus-like antlers, which made them ideal novelty acts during festival season. Kaitlin knew full well, even as a child, that the misfits and undesirables stood little chance in society, and so took to the shadowy underbelly of the forest canopy, forging a civil bond by their shared uniqueness. Over time, their existence, revealed only when stumbled upon by the wayward traveler unsure what he was seeing, gave rise to lore of dwarves and elves and goblins. “I was not born a forest dweller,” Titus explained. “I was taken in by forestfolk when my parents perished.” “I’m sorry,” Kaitlin consoled, gently stroking his thick umber locks. The boy’s eyes retreated in time, as though hacking away at thickets of brush to get at his earliest recollections. “My entire village was burned,” he continued. “By the Royal Army. It had been a harsh winter; we hadn’t the means to pay our taxes…” The boy’s sadness touched Kaitlin, and she lay her head upon his chest, allowing her chestnut hair to spill across it like spun gold. She knew her fair complexion contrasted with the swarthiness of his swelling ribcage, that the crimson flush of her cheek complemented the heart that beat inside, so rich with life and loss. “And how did you learn to sing?” Kaitlin asked in earnest. Though the melody had been wordless, the sheer mastery of his instrument, the perfect tone and utter pitch control, spoke of training. “I’m not sure,” Titus confessed humbly. “As far back as I can remember, I amused my new family with song. The forestfolk, though musically inclined themselves, called it a gift.” “A gift indeed,” Kaitlin Spencer concurred with unbridled enthusiasm. “The gift of enchantment…” Here she took to planting tiny breathless kisses across the flawless expanse of her lover’s chest. And then something came over her. “Carry me away once more,” she pleaded. “Let your voice carry me far from here, where words are silly and useless, where branches flutter and the forest quakes and appearances fall away like so many dead leaves…” Titus indulged her with his gift, that of impossibly ethereal overtones and undertones that resonated above and below—in the core of her being and the heady chambers of her lofty ideals. The melody was the same one as before—one she recognized from a dream of the past or a vision of the future, or both. It was as though he knew her better than she knew herself, keyed into her essence from some expansive perch beyond the here and now. The ineffable feeling of being transported, however, quickly turned to that of being abducted, and her heart beat wildly. Somewhere in the ether, her heels scrambled for solid ground, for fear of being whisked away to a place of no return. She panicked and sprang to her feet. “I must go,” she bade him. He sat up, bewildered. “But—” “I have had a most wonderful afternoon. One I shall never forget.” In her heart, she knew it to be true. What she could not know is how the memory of it would come to haunt her, or the indelible stamp it had already imprinted on her soul. “When shall I see you again?” the boy asked as Kaitlin mounted Puck from the bridge. “Never,” she called back regretfully. “I must never return to this place…” Halfway back to the barbican, she felt it and looked down. Her garment was soaked in blood. She began to devise an alibi. If she could not make it to her chambers unnoticed, she’d say her cycle had arrived, or that it was the horse. He’d become startled (not altogether untrue) and she’d suffered quite a jolt. She promised God that if King Zardus would buy the story (after all, she’d heard of quite a few hymens that had been broken not by husbands but by temperamental horses) she’d never be so reckless again. And she made sure of it. Or life did. From that day on, abandonment was tempered with structure and discipline, their meticulously orchestrated plans for her sufficient to distract her from her own heart. A week after Kaitlin Spencer’s coming of age ceremony, King Zardus called upon her by sending an engraved invitation to the door of the small cottage she shared with her parents. Lady Spencer’s eyes swelled like a squall on the high seas imagining an entire future for her daughter in the few words the squire read aloud:
Lady Kaitlin Spencer Your presence is required this very eve, at six-and-thirty on the clock At the Royal Banquet Hall That King Zardus might be enchanted by your company during supper. Lady Spencer wasted no time pressing her daughter’s fanciest gown, adorning it with brocade sashes and a train to rival her cascading locks. She was the royal seamstress; it was no effort at all ensuring her daughter’s appearance would eclipse that of every last lady of the court. She smiled approvingly once finishing touches had been applied, and bade her daughter farewell along with her husband, who was teary-eyed and full of pride. The King’s reaction on seeing the maiden was no less effusive; his jaw nearly fell to the floor in abject surrender when she was escorted into the enormous dining hall. Still, it was she who curtsied and kissed his ring, gluing her eyes to the floor. King Zardus immediately put the girl at ease, seating her beside him at the head of a ridiculously long rosewood dining table. The two were waited upon hand and foot, treated to a four-course meal of roast mutton and a string quartet. Kaitlin found the affair less stuffy than she’d feared, reveled in the sheer glory of abundance. It was clear the harshness of life was kept at bay here in the castle’s bailey, but a distant memory. She even found the king himself attractive, in a fatherly sort of way. His effusive laugh was earnest, contagious, calming her nerves and endearing him to her. She had to remind herself throughout the evening not to take the attention personally; the king was motivated to settle on a wife and produce an heir. Rumors of the otherwise benevolent ruler’s temper had made it to the furthest reaches of the kingdom, however distorted, rendering the momentary charity, at least in Kaitlin’s estimation, disingenuous. Or worse, subject to whim. She couldn’t shake the sense that although good fortune had landed her in the path of opportunity, the stakes were all or nothing. If she said the wrong thing, or if a foul mood beset the man, her head could end up in a basket like that of the last contender. Her fears proved unfounded in the end, and her head remained attached. After a three-week courtship, the two were wed in a lavish public ceremony. Subjects attended from far and wide, eager to lay eyes once again on the fairest maiden in the land, now a bride, and soon to be their queen. It was not long, however, before the fanfare and ceremony yielded to malice. Rumors of former dalliances came to haunt the queen in a most unkind way. In preparation for betrothal, royal midwives had officially confirmed the bride’s hymen had gone the way of so many other young equestrians’, and the assessment had appeased royal concern. But whispers began to circulate on the lips of courtesans, primarily the lips of those who wished to cull favor with the king. Or better still, to share his bed once the queen’s head was on a post somewhere. The rumors were not confined to the palace walls; pamphlets circulated in the streets, tabloids meant to tarnish the as-yet pristine but mysterious reputation of the young queen. In an attempt to endear herself to the people and diffuse any ill will with earthiness, the queen guzzled ale at festivals, told raucous and bawdy jokes in public. The king was only charmed by the impropriety, momentarily blinded by love. He hadn’t seen it coming—not by a long shot. But the people were not so charitable, taking the relaxed decorum as further proof of their queen’s inferior stock. The king paid no attention; if anything, his myopia extended to the notion the two were a team, that the shelter of their union could withstand any storm. He reveled in the new protocol—a more friendly and accessible oligarchy. Even so, when Kaitlin’s head hit the silk pillow at night, imagining Titus’s supple lips on her breast all those years ago, she couldn’t help but worry. Part of her knew at any moment the gossip might rouse her husband’s suspicions. Despite his own disdain for appearances, he’d behead her in an instant if his dignity was threatened. He was a man, after all, and a prideful one at that. Over time, the king’s council bent his ear. The people were not sophisticated enough for change, they said, at least not in the form of relaxed protocol. It would be wise to curtail ‘earthiness’ with manners, he was advised; the rebellious streak the royal couple shared would benefit from improved appearances. And it was always best to have the people on your side. The king took to reminding his wife to sit up straight, to retire her goblet early in the evening, to wave correctly and use the right utensil at the right time. Queen Kaitlin took to sobbing at night once she’d dismissed her handmaiden. The formalities were killing her inside.
Even the couple’s lovemaking was routine. At first, when she was called upon to visit the king’s chambers and do her wifely duty, she cherished the regularity. She found great purpose in lying beneath his corpulent royal mass, staring at the gilded tiles above. She wanted nothing more than to bear the man an heir. But the familiar, comforting ritual turned eventually to desperate protests her heart alone could hear: she had wants and needs of her own. Desires. Dear lord, she thought, if he only knew…
More to come!
August 16, 2017
For Debbie
The DATING GAME
When it came to dating, my mantra used to be “Everything’s what you make it.” In my estimation, there was no need to have a bad date. My policy on dating was similar to my policy on movie going: you could always find something to enjoy for your nine-fifty, be it the production design, the score, or the guilty pleasure of watching a bunch of Spartans running around in kilts decapitating one another, in the case of 300. On a date, whether it resulted in a second one or not, you could always enjoy a nice dinner, a movie, stimulating conversation—something—if you had the right mindset. Like so many things, it was all about perspective and expectations.So when I found myself sitting across a Naugahyde booth from the pretty mess I would later call ‘the Axe Murderer,’ I had an okay time. If nothing else, I had something pleasant to look at. Never mind that something could not put a lid on his record even for one evening—couldn’t resist rattling off the string of dead people littering his past (prematurely dead, mind you…) and the various friends and family members in the witness protection program. Most people’s skeletons popped out of the closet uninvited, over time. His busted down the door and marched into the spotlight like drag queens at a gay pride parade. With most people, a red flag is understood to be the tip of the iceberg. If this guy couldn’t put on a good face for one evening, I, for one, did not care to see the iceberg. I briefly considered changing my number after politely declining a second date. It had been an entertaining evening, like a car-wreck or an episode of America’s Most Wanted. But self-preservation compelled me to, well, run in the opposite direction, lest I wind up living in a cornfield in Iowa with a face transplant. Though our date may not have been a love connection, I continued to pride myself on my ability to have a good time, even while sitting across the table from Charles Manson.A few months later I met him. The man who would singlehandedly force me to retire my mantra, who’d convert me and make me just like everyone else who dreads the dating game. His name was Elan Waine. Or I thinkthat was his name; it had been Anglicized—spruced up to sound sexier. He was a Palestinian ‘hair designer’ working for Jose Eber, which we all know is the next most fabulous thing to being an A-list movie star. I met him at The Abbey, a West Hollywood coffee shop that had acquired a liquor license and become an overnight circuit party.I’d excused myself from present company and headed out to the patio for a smoke, a pretext to escape the cattiness of my friend Mark’s entourage. I surveyed the patio, swiftly reminded why I shied away from such venues. A group of seeming twelve-year olds flitted in from the sidewalk, having migrated from the underground club across the street. Surely they were of drinking age, but to me drinking age was looking more prepubescent everyday. The leader of the pretentious pack was squeezed into an ensemble made head to toe of green plastic. He pushed through the crowd, imaginary cigarette holder raised high above his head, like an eccentric Ziploc mascot, or the lovechild of David Bowie and Gumbie. One person laughed, then another. With mob-mentality vehemence, the entire patio burst into peals of laughter. The drag queen to my left blew out a hit of smoke and said to me without turning, “Honey, you just know she left the house tonight thinkin’ she was all that and a bag o’ chips. Tisk…tisk…”She was shaking her head in shame. I breathed a small sigh of relief when she extinguished her cigarette beneath a spiked heel and exited the patio. My relationship with drag queens is complicated at best. Simply put, it involves fear. Still, I almost missed this one the moment she was gone. Mainly because I was then left to the overstimulation I often experience when out in Boystown. The patio was like a Mr. Universe contest, each physique more Adonis-like than the last. Sure, it’s fun to look at, but ultimately frustrating. If I want to be over-stimulated I’ll snort crank in the bathroom. It’s been said that West Hollywood is a city of sevens looking for tens. And I’ve found it to be true; after hours of looking and posing, posing and looking, no one ever acts on their impulses. Until last call that is, when the diehards choose a Latino bar hand or wander off to the local bathhouse for some anonymous gratification.So it was refreshing and unexpected when I found my eyes locked in an intense gaze with a handsome stranger. He was planted directly across the patio from where I stood, leaning against a banister not unlike mine, cigarette smoke curling from his lips. One knee was raised, foot propped against the wall. Leather pants, black motorcycle boots, shirt torn open to the navel. Chin lowered to chest, brooding eyes beneath heavy brows—eyes that said ‘you are mine now—I dare you to extricate yourself from the tractor beam of my hypnotic gaze...’ He’d clearly stepped from the pages of an ethnic Danielle Steele novel—the middle-eastern Fabio. His moves came from a Don Juan manual—the slow, calculated dropping of the cigarette butt—never once shifting his gaze from mine, the slow, sensual grinding of heel on flagstone.The man planted himself before me, looked me up and down, allowing his eyes to wander ever so slowly for my benefit.“I think I like the eyes the best,” he said. “Do you want to know why?”I had a feeling he was going to tell me even if I objected.“Because they’re on me.”I tried not to look as perplexed as I was, not so much by the arrogance of the statement as the lack of poetry. Slightly disarming was the way he objectified my sense organs—the eyes… I chalked it up to a language barrier, and smiled.“Do they like what they see?” He then asked.Things weren’t getting any better. The problem is, I did like what the eyes saw. The leather pants were formfitting, and his form was well worth fitting. I hadn’t been out in a while. A longwhile. And did I mention he was middle-eastern? Though I didn’t really have a type, Middle Eastern was it. Unfortunately the deal was effectively sealed. Somehow, in seconds, I knew this was his power in the world—the joy of watching others lower their standards. But it was just the beginning. “Not bad,” I said as coolly as possible, blowing a hit nonchalantly into the air. He was not fooled by my aloofness. “So why out here all alone?” He wanted to know. Everything his raspy voice uttered sounded like an invitation to jump in the sac. I imagined bringing him home for Thanksgiving and being asked to leave after an inappropriate delivery of “pass the salt.” “Such shame,” he continued, “Good-looking guy like yourself all alone in place like this…”“I came with friends,” I said, nodding toward the back bar. “Just came out for a smoke.” I could have tried to explain my need to duck out and escape Mark’s entourage, but thought better of it. Still, my look said there was a story there.“Ah,” he rasped, with a smolder that was meant to say, ‘I know you better than you know yourself…’ He looked me up and down again, this time from a closer range so his eyes wandered from hairline to collarbone. I knew what came next—some keen insight meant to reveal his astute and perceptive nature, his X-ray vision. “You’re a thinker,” he crooned. “You’re much too deep for them.”I stifled a laugh. “Very intuitive.”“I amvery intuitive,” he confirmed. “I’m also very spiritual. So…are you a top or a bottom?”Yet again, I was speechless. “I don’t like labels,” I said at last.“I knew that,” he said, “Because I am intuitive.”“Psychic, one might say.”“Yes. And anyway, we can work out details later. So… you came with friends?”“Yes.”“Did you drive separately or together?”I knew where he was headed. “I have my own car.”“Perfect,” he smiled. Then his expression became insistent, as if casting a spell. “Say goodbye to your friends and follow me. I live around the corner.” Here he laid a kiss on me. Then he touched a finger to my lower lip. I tried to participate, to somehow make the exchange sexy. But he was already backing up slowly, brooding eyes riveted under those heavy brows, pointing at me.I knew instantly no matter what he said during our relationship, whether it turned out to last five minutes or five years, my reaction would be that of shock. Not because what he said or did was shocking—the exact opposite. It would be a guaranteed cliché. The shock lay in the fact that despite his psychic nature, he could not smell a mile away that I was smarter than all this and choosing to put up with it for the sex. But then a small part of me would wonder if he knew something about the human sexual psyche that I did not—something he’d read in that manual. Because five minutes later I was following him down La Cienega Boulevard toward his apartment.It was tiny and over-decorated, like the bachelor pad of a sultan who’d been disowned and fled to L.A. To say simply that it was overstuffed with kitsch would be an injustice to the tiger skin rug (head still attached) that was the centerpiece, to the various exotic game mounted on the walls. For a moment, I was unsure if I was turning a trick, or had mistakenly wandered into a taxidermist’s office. He took my hand, leading me toward a leather chair in the corner. I stepped over the tiger’s head, careful not to snag an incisor. “You would like some water,” He both asked and informed me. “Allow me.” His every action said, “I will serve your every need. But I will also be very controlling.” When he disappeared into the kitchen I was given time to take in my surroundings, and this was not a good thing. I trained my eyes on the magazine on the end table before me—Cosmetology Today. But I could feel their prying eyes—the desperate, dewy, terror-filled eyes of every phylum known to Darwin, and then some. I was in a lost episode of The Twilight Zone or The Most Dangerous Game. Keep your eyes on the magazine, I thought. I had to remain focused, keep my wits about me. If I looked around I might judge. Spiritually it seemed like a bad idea. But more importantly, it was all a potential turnoff. I can work with this, I told myself. Embrace the cheese factor.It was then that I heard it.The frenzied scuffle of canine toenails on whitewashed hardwood. The manic ankle-biter rounded the corner from the bedroom, banked off the living room wall and in seconds was staring up at me, slobbering on my shoe. A million thoughts occurred to me in a single moment. Firstly the fact that the poodle was neatly groomed in a way that suited it to accessorize the handbag of a Parisian socialite—what did this say about its master? My eyes went to the magazine—Cosmetology Today—the Sultan was ahairdresser. Suddenly it all made sense. The incongruity of it all. The mounted heads were a gross, masculine overcompensation for the stigma of his profession. He was a hairdresser but also a hunter. The fact that the poodle had become his own personal experiment—his canvas—that he’d subjected it to such humiliation because he could, was just sinister. I imagined for a moment I saw terror in the poodle’s eyes, in the slobbering, jittery expression. It looked to the terror-filled eyes of the water buffalo suspended above, then back to me.“Help me,” it panted.Just then, the Sultan returned. He presented my glass of ice water with a look of scrutiny, as if sensing that in the few minutes he’d been out of the room I’d found him out. To cover up, I pounced and kissed him on a dead tiger. It wasn’t just the need to create a diversion that compelled me to initiate foreplay in the company of taxidermy; I just didn’t want to hear him speak any more for the moment. We stumbled into the bedroom. The make-out session that followed was worthy of the Danielle Steele novel we were living, but I was distracted. After a moment, I stood.“Can I do one thing?” I asked. The poodle was watching us from the doorway. Without waiting for an answer, I got up. Despair return to its weepy eyes as I shut the prying fur ball out. I’d been its only hope of escape. And now I too was in the Master’s clutches. The staccato toenails wandered off, clicking with disappointment. Some time later the Sultan and I were smoking in bed, spent. In the tradition of putting formalities after the deed, we exchanged names. Then we moved on to other vitals: backgrounds, ethnic and otherwise. Occupations. Turns out he’d studied cosmetology in Israel. “Oh, really? So you’re a hairdresser?” I did my best to sound as if this was new information.“Hair designer,” he corrected me. “For Jose¢ Eber.” This was enunciated with great importance, as if it elevated the first part of the sentence. I raised my eyebrows, but my well-crafted expression was wasted in the dim light. It may have been that the pressure of the chase was off, but he proved less of a caricature there in the dark. I’m not saying there wasn’t a jeweled turban stashed in a hall closet, but the Sultan seemed more dimensional. More human. This glimpse of the man beneath the turban may be why after a few more rolls in the hay we decided to make it legal and go on a real date. I suppose part of me felt for the fallen prince, banished from his kingdom and cut off from the infinite riches of his inheritance, exiled to a tiny West Hollywood apartment stuffed with taxidermy. That first night I’d stood in his bathroom drying my hands on an embroidered towel. My attention was drawn to the wall-sized portrait I’d noticed peripherally but dismissed as a print from a travel brochure. I now saw that it was a portrait of the Sultan himself, nude on an Israeli beach. He stood back to the camera, stance wide and glutes clenched, looking out across the turquoise water of the Dead Sea. Though I found it curious one would hang a life-sized portrait of himself and nude to boot, there was something lonely about it that tugged at me.Our first date took place at a restaurant of his choosing—the French Marketplace. I knew it well—charming and relatively harmless, situated in an open space surrounded by tiny shops modeled after New Orleans’ French Quarter. We were seated in the main section, overlooked by a balcony of French provincial facades.The Sultan made it clear within seconds that he knew the owner. I took the opportunity to reprise my “impressed” expression, this time under decent lighting conditions. Still, I wasn’t sure if it was I who was being shown off or the company he kept. The waiter informed us the owner was not in, and the Sultan looked disappointed. But knowing there was a VIP in the house was enough to put the waiter on his best behavior. His posture improved, and “dude,” became “sir.” He was twenty-one at best, probably attending junior college in the area. He was handsome enough, fresh faced and well scrubbed. There was a nice sheen to his complexion, likely enhanced by performance anxiety.The date started out uneventfully enough. Divulging more about himself was no longer a liability for the Sultan. But things quickly became touch-and-go, and I learned this is why people dislike dating—every utterance, every gesture, look or mannerism is a potential deal-breaker. I cannot count the times I divorced him and took him back mentally during the course of our dinner. The question became, “How many second chances can a person give in his head?”We’d driven together in his jeep, and I got the feeling he rarely had passengers, or at least any with a lunch to lose. When I stumbled from the vehicle, blue in the face, I didn’t think to grab my jacket. There was an insistence in the Sultan’s grip as he clutched my neck while walking from car to restaurant. What was next, a pat on the ass? At dinner he turned to me, caressed my check gently and assured me “of all of them, you are my favorite.”Great. I was the first wife in the harem. I couldn’t help noting his strategy: using jealousy to keep each member of his harem in a constant state of insecurity. I could picture the handbook, began to imagine its title: From Arrogance to Zodiac: A Sultans’ Guide to Training Your Bitches.His tactics were not reserved for me, but extended to the young waiter accomplishing his every whim. He had the poor kid bending over backward, and found pleasure in it. And yet I knew it was all for my benefit. When the mixed vegetables were not to the Sultan’s liking, they were sent back, to be replaced by a different assortment. Then they were too soft, but this could be overlooked. And to every command, a blush and a “Yes, sir.”When dessert arrived, the boy waited while the Sultan stared at his plate with distaste. The zucchini bread that normally came as dessert with his entrée had been replaced by a muffin instead.“But what you don’t understand,” my date proceeded to condescend, “is that the zucchini bread is precisely why I come here. The owner knows that.”The boy’s face flushed for the hundredth time. “I’m terribly sorry, sir. If it’s any consolation, the batter is the same. We simply ran out of zucchini bread. This is a zucchini muffin.”“Aha,” the Sultan exclaimed, cogs turning. “Then you know what you are going to do for me? You are going to take the muffin to the kitchen and slice it in pieces. Then it will be zucchini bread.”If I’d had a shell to crawl into at that moment, I would have chosen still to slit my wrists. When dessert returned, it was accompanied by the hot beverages we’d ordered. The waiter’s hands trembled as he placed them before us and turned to leave. But before he could make his escape, the Sultan snapped his fingers. The boy grimaced, turned back with a nervous smile.The Sultan was suddenly syrupy sweet, as though extending benevolence before ordering an execution. “It’s terrible of me—just terrible—but my friend here is drinking cappuccino. I, on the other hand, have made the mistake of ordering regular coffee. Now, looking at my friend’s beverage, I have had a change of heart. I, too, would like a cappuccino like my friend.”The cappuccino appeared a moment later, along with the check, and it was then that the Sultan placed a firm hand on the waiter’s arm. “You must hate me—truly hate me, after all I’ve put you through.”Incredibly the kid blushed, flashed a look in my direction, and replied, “On the contrary.”The Sultan smiled, activating the tractor beams. “Surely there is something I can do to make up for it …”Not even a look in my direction this time; I was invisible. “I can think of a few things…”A wad of cash had been thrown on the table; theoretically I could ditch at any moment. I stood and headed for the door. The Sultan made sure I caught him exchanging numbers with the masochistic boy, smiled as he took his time folding the napkin on which the boy’s number was scrawled. Only when I glanced back did he place it in his wallet. At the door I remembered that we’d ridden in his jeep. I slowed as my date from hell strolled leisurely to my side, smiling as if to say: “you see how easy it is? A little abuse and they’re hooked…” I rolled my eyes and proceeded to the sidewalk. The Sultan caught up with me.“What is it? Does it bother you that the boy insisted I take his number?” “Do you want it to bother me?” I was too old for this shit.“Well, something is bothering you.”What’s bothering me is that you WANT it to bother me. That you’re even asking. What bothers me is that you REALLY think this is how the world works, that this is what a boy wants, what it takes to snag one and keep him around. On some very base level, this may be true, but until you unravel the web of pain and cultural fucked-upness that is your twisted psyche, you’ll never know true intimacy—you’ll forever be limited to relationships that operate on that one primitive level. What bothers me is that you’ll never know anything different and that you’re too stupid to realize others do—that they’re more evolved. What bothers me is that even with your psychic ability you can’t see that I see right through you and still I’ve chosen to be here—what bothers me is that I’m even standing here having this fucking conversation…Of course I didn’t say any of this. What came out instead was the Reader’s Digest version: “If you don’t know then there’s no point in telling you. Because you’re hopeless.”I turned with finality. I’d leave him standing there on the sidewalk, like in a movie or a Danielle Steele novel. I’d disappear down the sidewalk leaving him in a swirling tempest of his own regret—opportunities missed and choices made, wondering if he had bypassed his one chance at true love.“Your jacket is in my car,” he said flatly.Shit. That’s a three hundred dollar leather jacket.We rode the seven minutes back to his apartment in complete silence, save the grinding of gears and the squeal of tire rubber on asphalt. There was no long, tearful goodbye when I got to my car, which was parked in front of his apartment. No Hollywood ending. Joan Collins would have written, “…and so the Sultan was left to live out the rest of his days seducing strangers in smoke filled bars, serving their every need while controlling their every move.”As I unlocked my car door, I glanced up at the tiny kingdom that was his apartment. Warm light poured out into the night from an overdressed window. And there, in the lower left corner, was the shivering silhouette of a tiny poodle. I could see, even in shadow at several hundred yards, that its eyes were dewy moist, pupils dilated to garner sympathy.“I’m sorry,” I said solemnly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. Godspeed…”
May 4, 2017
SCROLL DOWN forShort Stories and Essays!Only a few d...
SCROLL DOWN forShort Stories and Essays!
Only a few days left to register for my Art Center at Night class: STORY DRIVEN ART DIRECTION. You do NOT have to be enrolled in the degree program- it is open to all adults, working professionals, etc. The class is a version ( with a twist ) of the VISUAL DEVELOPMENT for Animation class I have taught for many years at Art Center- which has consistently helped to develop voice and style, and the portfolio-quality work that results regularly constitutes a great portion of grad wall content and graduation portfolio content! The slant of this night class is that it’s got even more ( if possible ) of a ‘story’ emphasis! I will paste the catalogue blurb below. Pls feel free to share the link!
STORY-DRIVEN ART DIRECTIONFrom Children’s Classic to FilmACN-413In Entertainment, there is much talk of the role of ‘story’ in the Visual Development process. For many, however, it remains an elusive buzzword. In very pragmatic terms, this class illuminates how Western Storytelling Structure becomes Art Direction in practice, not just theory. How literary themes are visually represented by the artist, lending resonance to the written word in a way only an artist can. Over 14-weeks, students will bring a Children’s Classic to life, from blue sky concepts to a cohesive, production-ready style guide. In designing all assets for production (props/vehicles/weapons, character, environment, and story beats) students gain practical experience identifying what’s universal in the story, while also finding their own personal connection to it in a way that nurtures their unique voice and flair! Students may design for any narrative genre/format: TV or Feature Animation (CG or Traditional,) Live-Action Film, Gaming, Animated short, Experimental Animation, Children’s picture book, Graphic Novel.
Online REGISTRATION is available: http://www.artcenter.edu/acngo to “Register” <Register Now>on the search page, enter ’Domingo' in the “instructor’s last name” field, then hit submit.
May 3, 2017
Pls share this link with anyone who plans to go to CTN or...
Pls share this link with anyone who plans to go to CTN or is in an Illust/Entertainment program! Come get a mini-version of the Portfolio class I taught at Art Center for six years in a one-day workshop...This Sunday at Center Stage Gallery ( CTN )
Learn more/register
Learn more/register
May 1, 2017
MUST MOVE these two boxes of books purchased for the Book...
MUST MOVE these two boxes of books purchased for the Book Launch before July 1st! If you have not yet picked up your copy of 'The Nameless Prince' or its sequel, 'The Royal Trinity,' pick up BOTH here:
You can pay by Paypal OR Credit/debit card! Help me make rent on the 1st!! They make great GIFTS!! Feel free to share link!
I have a box of books left over from the launch; if you'v...
I have a box of books left over from the launch; if you've never ordered The Nameless Prince or its sequel, The Royal Trinity and don't want to go the Amazon or Barnes and Noble route, order it from ME and it will arrive signed!! Order here:
April 24, 2017
Check out Dominick Domingo's life affirming short story '...
Check out Dominick Domingo's life affirming short story 'The Distance Between Stars' on Amazon: MCB QUARTERLY 7
Here's a sample:
The Distance between Stars
Next door to Brewer Street Theater stood a nondescript mid-rise brick building with misshapen windows. Their sills were tired and waterlogged, some spilling even wearier-looking succulents from corroded wrought iron planters. At night, the portals twinkled like slow-burning stars—marigold embers spangling an indifferent brick cosmos with signs of intelligent life. The ashen cinder block building flanking the other side of the lanky theater house was identical, rendering both incognito.Passersby mistook the facades for those of residential suites. But their skewed vertical windows told a different story, even when smoldering into the wee hours. Several floors of the derelict structure west of the theater had been leased as an annex by a reputable university outside London, designated as labs for the thesis projects of grad students. The idea was for the university to establish a presence in London proper, while providing students a connection to the hustle and bustle. A lifeline to the pulse of the real world that awaited them after graduation.Maurice Steadman and Garret Milne were two such upper-term students, and more often than not the ones burning the midnight oil. They could be seen hunched over monitors or reading punch cards in the semi-dark, their high-tech (for its time) equipment incongruous amid soot-smattered brick, mortar, and chipping plaster. In their infancy, computers spanned entire rooms, spat out data on ridiculously large manila squares; such means were necessary to calculate—to convert all that abstract chaos into something meaningful. When not scrutinizing punch cards, the two young men could be seen on the building's roof, gazing at the cosmos through sophisticated telescopes mounted between corroded water towers and oxidized rain gutters. They'd been thrown together by faculty on a joint thesis: "Parallax: Alternative Methods for Measuring the Distance between Stars." Their research entailed mathematical equations and axioms; even the most powerful telescope could not come close to validating the abstract data. Their research was theoretical.Even now, Maurice’s olive skin furrowed between heavy brows as he squinted through the eyepiece of the tripod-mounted monstrosity they'd heaved up the fire escape. He let out a heavy sigh."You really can't see it?" Garret needled him incredulously, pushing blonde bangs from his own freckled brow.Maurice squinted harder, every muscle tensing with his ocular mechanism. Then, all at once, his shoulders drooped in defeat."Nothing.""You're joking! To me, it's clear as day!" Garret bragged, nudging his partner aside and restationing himself before the eyepiece to the cosmos. "Looks like I could reach out and grab it!"His hand swiped at nothing.Their data had revealed the existence of a small, smoldering amber star—Jen 3.5, normally invisible to the naked eye. But the parallax shift that occurred between when they'd begun their thesis in the fall and now had revealed the small beauty to empirical evidence.As though he'd failed at something vitally important, Maurice seated himself on a hooded vent that slumped in tandem with his spirit."I can't focus on it," he lamented, feeling the need to explain himself. "I'm trying, really. It's all those other heavenly bodies competing for my attention!"Years later, when it became a thing, Maurice would be diagnosed with adult ADD. Garret would even provide a testimonial to help him get his diagnosis—and access to medication."Well, for the record, it's beautiful," Garret assured him. "Jen 3.5 may not be a nova or a supernova, but it's stunning. For me, everything else around it just disappears ...."Garret seated himself beside his partner. The two were as different as night and day: Maurice dark and exotic, Garret familiar and blonde and—obvious in appearance. Gravity took hold of the boys' collective gaze, dragging it like an anchor into the more immediate sea of city lights that mirrored heaven. The lights twinkled incessantly, a reeling tide of possibilities. Some of the shimmering lights were large, some small, some near and others far. Some shone cold and fluorescent, others pulsed warm with incandescent welcoming. In the closer buildings, silhouettes could be distinguished, blocking the light: children running about past their bedtime, lovers kissing or throwing things about, loners gazing into the night in still silence. Without voicing the fact, both boys felt they were looking out at the myriad of possible lives that awaited them after graduation. Maybe administration had it right to let them dip a toe in the pool before diving in cold turkey. To minimize the shock.Both young men had come from small villages in the country—one a farming community and one fishing. They'd bonded over a shared affinity for sunburned farmers (or fisherman) short on teeth, for John Deere tractors or schooners, for melancholy sunsets hanging over gently waving crops or choppy seas. Just as powerful a cement was their shared distaste for bible-thumping, ignorance, and sawed-off shotguns. That alone—the prospect of escaping the small-mindedness of provincial life—was enough to justify the other challenges that came along with city life.Long before partnering on their thesis, the two had been thrown together as dorm mates by sheer chance. Their paths had first crossed on moving day when Garret's mattress collided with Maurice's hutch in the narrow dormitory hallway. Within a week, the congestion problem would be resolved—one bed instead of two. They'd shared a kiss that very first night, effortlessly—a goodnight peck that turned into an all-night affair of spooning and telling stories in the dark (Maurice saying he felt like a kid at camp again) and then melded into a brief interlude resembling sleep. Then they'd woke with stiffies and done it all again.They were late for class that day.Their arrangement would not have flown in the country; in London, no one batted an eye. The university's liberal mindset managed to trump the pervasive conservatism of the nineteen fifties; no one from the dorm monitor to the Dean of Students asked about the lumpy mattress that found itself slumped against an industrial dumpster in the alleyway behind the dormitory.Still, the two refrained from holding hands in public—only on the couch at home, fingertips gently grazing, firing sparks from the universe confirming—anointing—their connection. Both knew the feeling was mutual, undeniable, a gift. All else followed effortlessly: the joint shopping sprees, the melding of tastes and habits—the formation of a household. Their temperaments and dispositions were blissfully copacetic; neither had ever felt so at home.Some of what they built together came from mimicry, relationship models they'd seen; how could it be otherwise? But for the most part, their relationship was its own animal, a docile one requiring no handbook or training manual.Despite their compatibility, despite the wellbeing and inner peace it brought, Garret couldn't help but sense, at times, there were corners of his lover's mind he would never know. Dark corners, like cigarette-burned borders vignetting an idyllic tableau. Maurice had spoken of abuse—horrific things he'd overcome. Garret did not have the life experience to know these were the things that reared their ugly heads over time, chipping away at bliss.Oh, part of him likely subscribed to the quaint notion that love conquers all. His own upbringing had been far from a fairy tale. But he'd repackaged it, thanking the good Lord he'd been raised with the good sense to make lemons of lemonade. Simply put, to compensate for any damage done by his alcoholic father, his mother had fitted him with rose-colored glasses. It would be painful when they were eventually torn off—they'd been surgically attached—but for the moment, the boy was glad he had tools to cope: ideals, ethics, morals. A productive thought process (some called it positive thinking) that allowed him to transform and renew, transform and renew. To cleanse the world.It would not be enough.After graduation, the couple moved into a small West End flat. Garret hit the ground running, continuing his research (only for a salary now) with the company where he'd interned during his undergrad studies. The work was an extension of what he'd specialized in at university; he quickly found himself at the forefront of Interstellar Parallax. Maurice found work with a rival research institute. Several of his studies were published in scientific journals. Still, his name did not ring synonymous with the cutting edge like his partner's.It may have been professional jealousy at work, or simple pride: the feeling that he was the breadwinner's wife and not the breadwinner (men being socialized as they are), but whatever the case, resentment came to roost in Maurice Steadman’s heart.It did not take long for the young man to stray. He took to long strolls at night, promenades that compelled him along the moonlit Thames, under Waterloo Bridge, to that nondescript underground pub with no sign above the door. The one you rang to enter, professing in a whisper to be a 'friend of Dorothy's,' the equivalent of a passcode.The darkened den was a microcosm of the city—its seedy possibilities, its moral ambiguity, its endless options and overstimulation. In a small town it was easy to commit; one settled on whomever was in front of him. In the city, with so many prospects, one held out for whomever offered the most... advantage.It was here among the myriad of swirling options that Maurice encountered Jack Pershing, an old acquaintance from the fishing village of Whimby. The man was not an old flame but a spark that had never been kindled. So much had changed: London's rules were different than those of Whimby's. Both men knew themselves better than before. Not to mention Jack had grown into a strapping, handsome man with a smart moustache. And his own law firm.Maurice Steadman traded up.Oh, Garret was no slouch; he was world-renowned. But he was devoted to research. And research did not pay, whereas chasing taxis did, and handsomely.The day Maurice moved out, Garret saw him shed a tear for the first and last time ever. He himself was cried out."I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing," Maurice rasped from a damaged place. His brooding, heavy-lidded eyes flashed moist in the darkened flat.Years later, Garret would figure out it had all been a test. That on some unconscious level, his lover had hoped he'd fight for what they had. Fight for him. Save him from himself. But in the moment, Garret's ideals told him tests were emotional manipulation, that one cannot make another want to stay, and that the old adage was true: If you loved something, you set it free; if it came back to you, it was meant to be.Garret finally understood that the dark cigar-burned corners of his lover's mind, the ones he could never know, spawned demons. They were rearing their ugly heads, blinding Maurice with superficiality to what truly mattered, driving him to sabotage the best thing that had ever happened to either of them. To forfeit a gift from the universe. Garret knew in his heart Maurice was sentencing them both.That night, each of them acted on the thing that drove him: Maurice on visceral, mysterious, broken instinct and Garret on the heady ideals that had saved him thus far. That night both men made the most momentous error of their lives.And nothing would ever be the same.After his lover was gone for certain, the buckled wooden door having clicked shut with finality, fickle footsteps having faded with any hope of rewinding time, Garret remained paralyzed on the couch in nearly complete and utter darkness. The fluorescent glow of a computer screen flattened his expressionless features, the machine itself spitting needless punch cards from its gut.Just then, with a thud, the lights went out.The city's entire power grid.Garret stumbled to the distorted window frame and gazed out at an unrecognizable London. Her skyline stood stark and wretched against the night sky, but any sign of life below was swallowed in unforgiving black. No twinkling, welcoming lights, no shadow puppets dancing or dirty laundry hanging, no sordid lives on display. By contrast, the heavens jumped forward, Milky Way flung from horizon to horizon incubating countless nebula, clusters of stars as old as time. Garret had never seen the city this way; normally the city lights obscured heaven altogether.In that moment, nothing was what he'd presumed it to be.Nothing made sense.
April 11, 2017
The launch of 'The Royal Trinity' was a blast!! By all ac...
The launch of 'The Royal Trinity' was a blast!! By all accounts, an inspiring afternoon was had by all! Order your copy at:
