Book of Lael Contest Results!!! AND I did eventually binge watch Sleepy Hollow, in case you were worried. Also, I took a lot of showers. I really like showers.

Howdy, Everyone!

Here I present a real not live comic for you, but first...

Thanks to everyone who participated in the  Book of Lael CONTEST! And the winner is....M(r)s M3/PhD! You have won any item from my etsy shop!

In order of appearance the cutouts were inspired by:

Book of Durrow, f. 21v

Walters W.554 (9^th century Qur'ān manuscript), f. 27b and Walters W.554 (9^th century Qur'ān manuscript), f. 65a

Book of Dimma, f. 30r. The Evangelist Mark

Echternach Gospels, f. 18v

Lindisfarne Gospels, f. 26v

On to the comic!

Some of you may remember this comic from April of 2013 in which I went completely insane during a mini-staycation. A year and half later and things have not changed very much...

Some people asked me to make this, so I did. No comment to be offered.

It's super easy to make a Gmail filter! OR How did I get on some of these lists?!

Don't forget that until 12/24/14, you can use the coupon code HOLIDAYSALE14 to receive $3 off your purchase at my etsy shop! 

As noted last week, starting next week I will be taking a pseudo-hiatus to work on holiday projects. I WILL be posting early medieval (in some cases LOOSELY) inspired works each Sunday starting December 7th and lasting through January 4th.

These works will also constitute another Book of Lael CONTEST! For each piece, send me a private message with your guess as to what work/related works inspired it. Whoever guesses the most correctly will win his or her choice of any one item from my etsy shop! I'll announce all of the inspirations on January 11th.

--LJE

PS. I just, as I posted this at 5pm got another email! Gah!

UPDATE: 4 more emails by 12/7/14!

UPDATE: 2 more emails by 12/13/14!

UPDATE: 2 more emails by 12/18/14!

UPDATE: 1 more email on 12/28/14!

If you can't figure out what to get ME for Christmas... :wink wink:

Howdy, dear Readers! A few announcements for you.

First, as the holidays are upon us, be sure to check out my etsy shop for that special medievalist on your list! Until 12/24/14, use the coupon code HOLIDAYSALE14 to receive $3 off your purchase! 

Secondly, expect a regular (and seasonal) comic next Sunday, but after that I will be taking a pseudo-hiatus to work on holiday projects. I may or may not post some of those results. HOWEVER, I will be posting early medieval (in some cases LOOSELY) inspired works each Sunday starting December 7^th and lasting through January 4^th.

These works will also constitute another Book of Lael CONTEST! For each piece, send me a private message with your guess as to what work/related works inspired it. Whoever guesses the most correctly will win his or her choice of any one item from my etsy shop! If you know me, it probably won't be too hard because most of my old standbys are represented! I really wanted to make some pieces inspired by my medieval friends, but with some of the new techniques I've been trying out. I'll announce all of the inspirations on January 11^th.

On to the comic!

--LJE

Why is being an adult sooooo hard?!

I had to go to DC for 3 days in October. 

Comic!

--LJE

I'll call this one "Sunday Evening Soul-Baring."

If you are gonna make a dumb comment at least offer to help. OR At least he didn't say, "There's an app for that."

Howdy, Dear Readers,

Scroll down for today's comic, but first, I'm excited to announce two new items in my etsy shop! Two beaded cross necklaces! Check 'em out! 

The Theodosia:

The Constantia: 

And on to the comic! 

--LJE

Maybe I'd have better results if I actually drank some of the wine I've been collecting...

Handbarrow, harpooner, chaperone, harbinger, hairband—all words OpenOffice thought were the correct spelling of habanero...whatever that means...

Comic! 

--LJE 

When I say "real numbers, "I'm not juxtaposing them with "imaginary numbers," but just saying I didn't totally make them up, but I kinda did do that...

Check out the February comic I reference here. Sure, those emails were just from Dr. A, but let's be honest. Not too much different from the rest anyway...

--LJE

I guess I do miss Conky! He got me through some tough times!

Dearest Readers,

I'm changing it up this week! I wanted to work on some other art projects this week, it is Labor Day, and it has been too long since I got medieval, so I decided to do some drawing and sketching.

So, what medieval was I to draw? I kept thinking about what my dad said about Conky (see the bottom of last week's post.)

Conky is my logo, but he gets no play! 













See his first appearance in my comic here where he looked like this:














His second time, he looked like this:

He cleaned up a bit for our date in his last character driven appearance: 

The real medieval art that inspired him is the tympanum at Conques. 

Today I drew him in pencil, 

in brush pen,

and digitally.

Then, I thought, hey, if he becomes a recurring character, he may need some clothes, and then I thought, maybe his clothes could promote something really cool happening in Baltimore! Check out the Thunder Grunt Podcast Network! And while you're at it, like the network on the Facebooks. 

I also decided to draw a bit from this lovely piece: a 13th century tempera on wood painting: Scenes from the Life of Christ: Arrest of Christ, Christ in Limbo; Descent from the Cross, Preparation of Christ’s Body for His Entombment at the MET. The title is off, but if you want this as a poster, it can be yours!

I figured this guy could be a buddy (or pet?) of Conky's, so I drew him in pencil,

in marker, 

and digitally. 

When I went to draw him digitally, I decided to keep the columns from the original image as with the pencil drawing and couldn't help but think the drawing would make a good insanely strange medieval ad. Now, I just hope the Thunder Grunter's don't mind! 

See you next week, and Happy Labor Day,
LJE

“Thank goodness I’m not just a clam or a ham or a dusty old jar of sour gooseberry jam! I am what I am! That’s a great thing to be! If I say so myself, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!” --Dr. Seuss

Thanks to Dr. A for illustrating this comic--what a great birthday gift! 

Please scroll to the bottom for a "side note."

Other note: As this is a holiday weekend, the next post of the Book of Lael will be on Monday this coming week! 

--LJE

So, tonight my dad: "Are you still doing the comic? You are? Is the character on my shirt still in it? I really like him! He's got personality! You should do more with him!" 

For those of you who have no reason to remember, Conky, the figural sculpture who got fired from his long standing job on the tympanum of Ste. Foy at Conques last appeared in my comic on July 11, 2010. What a blast from the past! 


If anyone really DOES want to see him make a recurrence, please, by all means, do let me know! Oh, and if you'd like to own a shirt with his original guitar-shoving-down-the-throat-of-a-sinner-with-bad-taste-in-music, check out my etsy shop. 

I skipped the part at the end where I followed a film crew around for a week hoping to be an extra...

Comic! I experimented with oil pastels for the first time in years! It was fun and interesting!

Don't forget to check out my Etsy shop!

 --LJE

Well, since everyone really seemed to like my awkward bathroom troubles from last week's comic, I thought, hey, why don't I do another bathroom-themed comic! That's sure to build my fan base!

Comic!

I secretly kinda wish more of my comics could include floor plans...what does that say about me? OR What an Illinoying situation!

However, my sources tell me this type of dorm bathroom also exists in upstate New York and right here in Maryland! Just FYI.

Oh, and hey, everyone, I thought this would be a good time to remind you about my Etsy shop where you can pick up nifty postcards and t-shirts. Also, check me out on Twitter @lael_j. And if you haven't, feel free to "like" The Book of Lael on Facebook. Yay, social media! 

--LJE

I've only ever said “in the states” when I was abroad and when I was recounting this dream...

Comic! 

"Guest Comics" Week 4: I should probably file this under Dr. Lael, the Love Doctor...

So, this isn't really a guest comic unless you count "high school Lael" as a guest. I found these gems while cleaning/packing/trashing. One a piece of artwork I thought was super clever at the time, one I guess was a class assignment, and one the kind of thing I did before I did comics. Now, I'd do something similar, but draw it!

--LJE

Part of this is because I'm less upper crust and more can afford old crusts.

This week continues the series I lovingly refer to as “Shorter Sketchbook Lael's Moving Real Soon Comics.”

Thanks for the support,

LJE

If Bruce Willis tries to save the world and falls in love me, yeah, I guess I could be into that...

Thanks for the jokes, Dr. A!

Last week's comic and the next few weeks of comics will be part of the series I will lovingly refer to as “Shorter Sketchbook Lael's Moving Real Soon Comics.” Thanks, everyone!

--LJE

Variations on a Theme [off the deep end]...OR This is not, I repeat, not fanfic...I do not write fanfic... :she says as she falls deeper down the rabbit hole...:

Howdy, Readers!

Some of the lines in today's comic are direct quotes, but I took a LOT of artistic license! Thanks, Dr. A and dr. ks for your contributions!  

***Call for Guest Comics***: Due to some upcoming events, I may be forced to take a few weeks off in May and June. If you'd like to help me out and draw a guest comic for me, I'd love it! Virtually anything is fine, actual comics or just drawings (as long as it isn't blatantly offensive and doesn't include too much colorful language). Your piece would need to be complete and submitted to me by May 1st. Send me an email at thebookoflael@gmail.com if you're interested! 

Ok, on to the comic! Scroll down for some images I ended up not using in this week's comic! 

The cake is chocolate frosted with Funfetti cake inside! Only the best boxed mix for my boys!

Thank you so much to everyone who has given me so much support over the years. So much has changed in the last five years, and wow, you and this comic have gotten me through! Sometimes the deepest darkness brings the light...This comic saved me in so many ways as did all of you who have supported it--from those first chuckles for my tea party, you gave me the courage to survive losing the thing I thought mattered most but to gain something else just as important. 

Check out all of the insular tea parties/birthday parties over the years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013!

--LJE