...always wake up with ambitious plans, always end up sleeping on couch with my angels next to me (or on me).

Still, time wasted with pets is never wasted time, really.

Thanks for reading,

Josep

A couple of days ago I had what is perhaps one of the coolest dreams I've ever had... it impacted me so much that I just had to draw a part of it.

In the dream, I was busking with a friend o'mine in downtown Chicago and we began singing "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen... not a few notes in, da boss himself walks by, grabs a guitar and begins to sing with us!

The thing about this dream is... there was no exaggeration to it (aside from da boss being there, of course!)... everything seemed like it was real life and, unlike scary dreams where you wake up just when you're about to the killed, we sang the whole song with him! After we were done, he gently puts the guitar down, gives us a look of approval, and walks away... me and my friend just stood there in awe.

Then I woke up. Happy as could be. 

I normally like dreaming about zombies and running from them (really!), but this dream most definitely will be a top one for a time to come.

Thanks for reading,

Josep

Soda Stereo will always be one of my top five bands. Their music, to this day, is amazing... no one in the rock scene in the latin world sounds like them, and even internationally, few can compare to them.
This illustration is dedicated to Gustavo Cerati, lead singer and guitarist, who sadly left us five years ago this month.
Here's hoping he is rocking hard in Heaven.

Last year I had the privilege to spend a few fantastic days in Mexico City with dear friends of mine.

Such an incredible, cosmopolitan city... I was only there for a few days and I cannot wait to go back... the food, the people, the shops... EVERYTHING. This is one incredible city!

A beautiful highlight, my friends took me to this wonderful bookstore, El Pendulo, en Colonia Roma. It was a three-story bookstore that had not only a delicious restaurant (the tables are on the second floor, surrounded by books!), but also a bar and a concert hall on its roof! Amazing place.

This WiP drawing is from that day... These two men, a guitarist and a violinist, played beautiful renditions of pop songs, as well as a few classical pieces. They played while we had lunch a few tables away from them. It was such a romantic moment!

I cannot recommend this store (heck, this city!) enough... one of my favorite cities in this world.

Thanks for reading,

Josep

Thirty years ago today, in Tiananmen Square, China, a man whose name we do not know to this day thanks to the hard censorship the Chinese live under, stood in front of a line of tanks, and did not allow them to pass. 
He knew all-too-well, and you can probably guess, that the punishment for such attitude would be extremely severe... and yet there he stood, not allowing the tanks to pass.

May we never have to find ourselves in the situation where we have to confront our own government in such dramatic fashion, but if it comes to pass, may we show the same commitment and bravery that this man showed that faithful day thirty years ago.

Thanks for reading,

Josep Blas

...and, as ever, I´m with this guy.

¨We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty.¨ - Edward R. Murrow

Amazingly enough, a new post only a day after the old one! 
Won't happen often, I promise.
Just wanted to make the official announcement of my next project: The book "A day, a year, a life".
Every page of the book, well, 365 of them, really, will be a drawing for each day of the year 2018... a moment in life that either affected me, or I witnessed; a moment in time the left an impression in me.
Above is the pencils of what will be the cover. Went through quite a few designs and finally landed on this one... it just feels true to my persona (and it has my two babies in it!).
I'm hoping this book sees the light of day toward the end of this year, 2019, or early 2020 and posting my progress is a way of kicking my own arse in gear!
Thank you for reading, I hope you keep me company on this ride!
Cheers,
Josep

One of my favorite movies, indeed one of my top 20 without hesitation, is Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous". 
Actually, to be more specific, it is the director's cut, "Untitled", that I really love... although the version released in the cinemas is a perfectly good film too... it's just that the extra scenes of the director's version makes it nearly a perfect movie.
Instead of talking about the movie and its near-perfect execution, I want to mention the way it brings me back to my childhood here in the States in Chicago. The clothes, the behavior, the settings, and, more importantly, the music, immediately grabbed me and placed me inside this movie. Grabbed me in such a way that I did not want to leave it and because of that feeling watch it often.... it is very likely the movie I watch the most, especially when depressed. It transfers me to very happy childhood times and leaves me in a good place each time I see it. It reminds me of my sisters, who played damn good music in the house all the time and taught me how to use the record player at a very early age. It reminds me of coming back home from school and watching cartoons in UHF channels, it reminds me of seeing my parents greet each other with a kiss when my da came back home after work every day. Simply, it reminds me of a very good life in the 70s, one that I miss and cherish dearly. In my mind and heart, any movie, song, or art that can do that is perfect.
Thanks for reading, gonna go draw while watching this one one more time.
Cheers,
Josep

Today (well, yesterday. I am typing this at 1am...) is the 38th anniversary of John Lennon's death. A date that in my younger years had a very poetic and sad meaning.... This man was very much my first real-life hero that I adored as much as a young, idealistic kid can. To me, this man could do no wrong.
As time passed by, and after reading a few too many Beatles/John Lennon biographies, I finally got to learn about Julian, his first son, and how John mistreated, abused, and then essentially ignored both Julian and his mother, later choosing to start a new family and spend most of his "matured" life with his newborn son.
And that... well, that hurt.
You see, I come from a broken family too; I'm the son of a man that also spent most of his later life with his new family. I only saw him a few times a year, since he lived far from me and made little effort to come see me.
Because of this, I immediately felt a connection to Julian and have forever blocked my ability to enjoy John's music anymore... I just hear him and can't help but think "irresponsible, terrible father".
Many say "oh, but he grew up... matured... you shouldn't be so harsh to a man that tried to be a better man...", and to that my simple answer is this: the fact that you find yourself in his music does not mean he was a good man later on... just a good composer. I find it interesting how fast people are walking away from the works of famous actors and musicians that have recently gotten into hot waters, but seem to always be able to forgive, or downright ignore, the actions of Lennon.... and to make matters worse,  he was oh-so-very fond of talking about peace and love, but ignoring those who rightfully deserved and needed his love, presence and devotion.
Forgive my bitterness but again, I just cannot feel appreciation for a man who did not care for his family, and it bothers me that many do.
Cheers,
Josep

Hello, welcome to my website.

This site has gone trough many incarnations. Originally it was going to be my portfolio site where I could show my graphic design work… when that thought bored me I then considered, and it was, briefly, the site where to show my illustrations to get freelance and commission work, but then realized Facebook was already taking care of that for me… so then, without an idea of what to do, this site just stayed dormant, without much of a purpose.

Until it hit me… if the internet is a world, then your own personal site is your home, plain and simple…. A piece of digital land where you can do whatever you want.

…and that is what I’ve decided to do.

I don’t have a plan, nor a schedule, nor do I have any intention to have this site become the be-all, end-all of anything and everything I do… considering I have Facebook and Instagram to do that, it would be a useless exercise to try and compete with the big boys.

Nope, this is just going to be a place where I can just be… my thoughts, my unfinished cartoons, anything that is closer to my heart will more than likely end up here.

Anyhoo, thank you stopping by and thank you for reading… if you want to tell me something, use the (soon to exist, I think) message button, or just look for me in the other sites I just mentioned. You’ll find me easily, I promise.

Cheers,

Josep