Why I Make Creatures, Part 3, The Practical Side

One day I had a great idea. It was a gag for a cartoon and it was funny. “If vegetarians eat only vegetables, should we be afraid of humanitarians.” I drew a head hunter standing in front of a huge boiling pot, ala the Tarzan movies and posted it, waiting for people to start complimenting my comedic genius. That’s not what happened. Instead I got a very kind note from an artist friend. Now my friend is African American, and he started off so kindly and patiently and said something to the effect of, “Today, a lot of people see images like the one you just posted as racist. I know your heart, and I know that’s not want you meant, but I thought you should know.” Now I’ll confess part of me wanted to get mad. I really liked the cartoon. It was funny andThe drawing came together really well, but my friend spoke the truth in love to me, and I respected him enough to take the comic down. That’s the other part of the reason I draw creatures.

You see my creatures are unique and different and they don’t look like anyone, and because they don’t look like anyone, they can represent everyone and that’s huge. The truth is, I don’t do these things, especially my cartoons for my health. I do them to communicate, and I want to cast a wide net. I want people to mull over the messages and maybe, just maybe apply them or at least consider what I’m saying. The messages do sometimes have an edge to them and I don’t shy away from controversy, but I want to be heard. The creatures are less offensive and so they don’t create a barrier. It’s another reason I use the creatures. Offense builds walls where I want windows.

I share this message for two reasons. First of all I wanted to use my friend as an example. He cared enough to share what could have been a very hard truth. We artists tend to take our work pretty personally. Add to that the fact that he saw a meaning I never thought of, intended, or even considered and it could have been touchy. He was looking out for me and he validated me while showing me an unintended, potentially hurtful consequence and I received it, largely because of the heart with which he shared it.

Lastly, I am fully aware that we live in a world that, at times, seems way too touchy. Those of us who sometimes deal in humor, have to be especially aware of this. At the end of the day though, if we are going to be communicators, we have to be willing to look for barriers to the message in our work and tear down as many walls as we can. This is not to say we shy away from truth, but rather that we speak the truth in love. In my case, the image was well done, and the gag was funny, but a funny gag and a well drawn picture is not worth as much as my credibility, when I’m saying something that’s important. Now to be clear, you will never avoid offending everyone. I’m sure even my creatures offend some, but to maximize our effectiveness, we should work hard to minimize offense. My rule of thumb is the gospel will offend, but it’s message is still the truth that sets us free. It’s the hill I’d die on, everything else is negotiable.

That’s why I draw creatures. Why do you do what you do? Investigating that and knowing the answer is important.

Why I Make Creatures, Part 2, The Spiritual Side

For the longest time, I treated my art and my faith separately, Christian was who I was and art was what I did. When I discovered that Jesus needed to be lord over my entire life, I thought the creature thing was done. After all how could God use someone who creates creatures in His Kingdom? (Yes, I am aware of how obvious that is now. I wasn’t then.) I ended up freelancing for a licensee of the Ninja Turtles, and while the work was a blast, it was taking me down a pretty bad road. My client had me convinced he was going to bring me the kind of fame and fortune turtle creators Eastman and Laird were experiencing and I was hooked. I really fell hard into idolatry to my career and I was ruining my life. Fortunately God intervened and I laid art down for a season. During this time I got my call to ministry, and I figured being a professional artist was behind me. Well that lasted about six months. You see when I laid art down, I told God I would never pick it up again unless I was using it for him. I figured that meant a church project here and there and nothing more. God had other plans and eventually God showed me how I could use art in ministry and that’s when this ministry and my speaking ministry was born. 


But what about the creatures, after all there’s no room for creatures in the Kingdom. Well one day I was preparing to preach at my friend’s church. One of the verses that has resonated with me since the start of my faith journey was 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come.” The event I was preaching at was a youth event, and so I decided to preach on being a new creation in Christ and the transformative power of God. Now I knew my friend was a King James guy, and he asked that all preachers at his church preach from the KJV, but I knew the Old English language of the text would make it hard for me to construct the message, so I decided to cheat, just a little. I would write my message from the NIV (my translation of choice at the time) and then, after I was done, I would just cut and paste the King James text into my message. How different could it be?

Well it was different. Where the NIV said “new creation” the KJV said “new creature.” How could I use that? How would people, especially kids respond to being called “creatures?” But then other thoughts came into play, “New Creature, hey wait, I draw creatures, or at least I used to. I wonder could I somehow use creatures to communicate the Gospel?” That was the beginning of my web comic and countless works of art where I do just that.

The moral of this story is simple. God can use virtually anything that we will submit to Him. Your tests become your testimony. Your life story, yes, the good, the bad and even the ugly can show His goodness to a world that desperately needs it, and your gifts and talents, even the unusual ones, can be used to His glory. Look at all you have, and ask God how He would use it. Then step out in faith. Remember 1 Peter 4:10, each one should use whatever gifts he has received to serve others. Any gift submitted to God can be used to glorify Him.

What have you given to God and what are you holding back? Remember when God says whatever gifts, He means it.

Another New Coloring Book from Dave Weiss

As you know, I usually advocate working on more than one project at a time and this is an example of that. I work on my coloring books two at a time so I can jump off one style when I get blocked. I usually finish them within a few days of each other. They served as their own diversions. Of course I will also admit this is very much a side project that I do largely just for fun and it really is. There’s something about designing an eighth of a piece of art and not knowing what it will look like until it’s put together.

It’s 50 fun one sided images to color featuring my unique creature/monster/animal drawings expressed kaleidoscopically. Get yours here.

Why Not Color Some Creatures?

The second of my adult coloring books is now available. This one features all sorts of creatures in kaleidoscopic patterns. I have always loved drawing creatures because the possibilities are limitless. This book has 50 one sided images to color. I had a really great time doing this one and I hope you enjoy it too. You can order your copy by clicking here or at Amazon.com.

Fruit of the Spirit Creature Series: Self Control

I’m doing a fruit of the spirit series with the creatures. This is the one was the toughest one to create, self control. Self-control feels about this way sometimes. Some of the other ones feel pretty easy but self control and patience can be a struggle.

The Best/Most Dangerous Question for Creatives

There is a question that will endanger/stifle/maybe even kill your creativity. There is also a question that will launch your creativity. The thing is they are both the same question, two words, “What if…” On one side we ask questions like “What if it doesn’t work?” “What if it fails?” “What if people don’t like it?” What if? What if? What if? We creatives can “What if” ourselves to our creative death.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to question yourself and your motivations from time to time. After all the Bible tells us the human heart is deceptive and counting the cost is a good thing, but when to comes to our God given ideas and talents, we can “What if” ourselves into disobedience.

Of course there is a better side to “What if…” A positive side, a side that opens us up to dreams and visions and awesome possibilities. So when you find yourself on the negative side of “What if…” flip it around. “What if it doesn’t work?” Yes but what if it does?” “What if it fails?” “Yes, but what if it succeeds?” “What if People Don’t Like it? “Yes, but what if they do?” or maybe “Yes, but what if it touches one heart?” “What if it lights a fire in one heart or changes someone’s life?” “What if it touches many hearts?” “What if it starts a positive revolution?”

The negative side of “what if” looks at the impossibilities, but with God all things are possible and we can do all things through Him who gives us strength.

It’s okay to check yourself, but don’t “what if” yourself into disobedience. Don’t “what if” yourself out of success.

Don’t what if yourself out of your creative destiny.

You can do what God has called you to do. No “what ifs” About it.