White Mice

This is the first of probably many "attendance mandatory" shows of 2010. There's just no other way to think about this. White Mice are easily one of my favorite bands to see play. I would not usually draw a band, or do anything quite so literal for a poster, but this is my fourth White Mice jam, and of those one was part of a triptych, and another was part of Month of Flyers. So, that being the case, and the fact that White Mice bring it visually, spectacle-wise, as much as they bring the sonic assault... yeah, it's about time I drew the Mice the way they are.

I missed Tinsel Teeth last time, but have heard great things about their shows. I also missed Liturgy last time they played here, which, I have no idea where I was or what I was up to that was more important. Probably working. I have no idea who Stress Ape is, but they have a cool name and nice messy logo. That bodes well.

I think I know who's in Weird River, but I don't know much about them other than what's up on their myspace page. Based on that, though, I think it's pretty safe to expect good things. The Family Chapter is, again, another project where I know the members but very little else. Actually... maybe I don't know the members- in fact, that shit could go in any direction. This could be anything. It will probably be brutal though.



My original concept sketch, not nearly dynamic enough. I liked the way the mice looked, but it just felt a little flat. To get pumped for this poster and as a reference point, I looked at this post on Brooklyn Vegan with White Mice shots from a show in NY. I had drawn some really sketchy versions of them already, here's one of those:



I spent a lot longer on this, and worked it out to try and build the pile of severed heads up, to be looking at them from a worm's eye view (which didn't really work that well). I wanted the mice to look as menacing as I could manage. I feel like I haven't done enough gruesome stuff lately. I feel like I've spent some time being a nice dude. Cupid Dogs and Dumpling Eating Contests and Presidents. Saints, even. There's nothing wrong with that. I LOVE drawing that stuff. But... I've missed moves like the old "pile of severed heads". I like piles of severed heads.



I drew this pretty big again. It's on a 14 x 17 piece of Bristol Board. It's fun to draw bigger. I'm not sure if it takes longer, it might. I dunno.



I can't wait for this show. You should come. You should bring your friends. You should wear your fancy dancing shoes. You should be prepared to get your bells rocked, then your head cut off. It'll be a blast.