Maquette Study + Dimebag Darrell (Patreon)

A weird little clay drawing session and reflecting on the death of Dimebag Darrell 19 years later.

I'm getting in to this process. I like mushing the clay around, creating distorted, messed up faces, coming up with little costumes and props for them, playing around with lighting them, And then drawing them.

It's kind of like sketching in 3 dimensions to me. Usually when artists work on maquettes they have an idea of what they are building. I'm letting the clay guide me.

Here's the maquette I worked from.

Happy Dec. 8th everybody.

Today marks the 19th anniversary since DIMEBAG DARRELL was shot and killed while playing guitar on stage at a concert.

I was in the 8th grade and was into all things guitar and heavy metal. I even had a Dimebag Darrell guitar.

I remember the day we got the news about his death, me and my friend Cameron went to his house after school and watched a live PANTERA DVD on a little 12 inch TV in his room. We hooked his stereo speakers up to the TV for the occasion so that we could really crank the music.

His mom barged in and asked what the hell we were doing playing it so loud. "Watching Pantera." "Dimebag Darrell died today."

Her whole demeanor instantly changed. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry." And then she shut the door and left.

I'll always remember her reaction in that moment. I could feel her genuine compassion and sympathy. She was sincere and not patronizing like the teachers at school and the parents of other kids were. She was the first adult I encountered that understood the weight of it.

That losing an artist you admire is more like losing a friend.

Vh1 did a behind the music about Pantera after Dimebag died. I rewatched it on YouTube recently.  Dimebag's brother Vinnie is in the documentary, he was the drummer in Pantera. He's also since passed away.

Watching the documentary now I feel for Dimebag and Vinnie's father, Jerry, who is also in the film. He is just a kind and loving man who supported his boys and was so proud of their accomplishments. And he's lost them both in the past 19 years.

So on Dec. 8th remember to take a moment to think of Jerry Abbott, the father of the late musicians Dimebag Darrell Abbott and Vinnie Paul Abbott.

Painting I did of Dimebag some years ago.