Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 25, 2022

That’s so sad. He can’t tell that she’s having the exact opposite effect on him. He needs a new Muse.

Will Bernice say something?

Says the drama queen who wanted to break up

you really influenced Nil one way or another, Bernice

That’s saying something. ✨

Sooo, is that going left to right, or right to left?

I don’t get it.

We are not amused.

So his work has gone the route of the ICE AGE movies after Disney bought out and dissolved BlueSky Studios?

Luann at its best: both funny and endearing

So this is like a game of basketball with no basket.

Oh, dear Bernice! So hard for a psychology major to understand the needs of an artist, especially one as vibrant as Nils! I so want to tell her, breathe, accept, and enjoy without analyzing!!

Nobody noticed that the drawing on the right has part of Bernice’s glasses in it? The work on the left is well done, but has already BEEN done. Not bad, I say.

I want to make a “moos” pun but I don’t think it will go over well.

Bern gets Nils hormones running, and he becomes more abstract.

So Nil was drawing naked men and then after he met Bernice he started drawing abstract symbols. I think there is a message there.

Nil is smitten in his art, if not his heart!

Bernice doesn’t seem too happy about being thought of as just a muse. Maybe she should repeat the options she mentioned earlier (life partner, organ donor, etc.) and tell Nil to pick one of those in addition to muse.

As for Nil’s drawing——-is the one on the right supposed to be the same figure redrawn with his new ’creativity?"

I think Nil has a shred of John Lennon in him.

What is Bernice’s problem? “Is that all that I am to you?” About being a MUSE? If there’s one thing more annoying than a stuck up snob, it’s a stuck up ignorant snob.

People should bear in mind two aspects of art:

1) As an example, Pablo Picasso’s abstract art had legitimacy because he was also fully able to paint standard realistic portraits.

2) Yes, it may be true you could paint or construct that piece of art just as well – or at least copy it. But can you truthfully maintain that you have the inspiration and talent to originate that piece of art?

The second drawing looks like the silhouette that Alfred Hitchcock would walk into.

During the time you been with Bernice your creatively has dark.

Her comment of “is that all”? Personally, I would LOVE to be an inspiration to someone.

Amazing!

So is his imagination.

Art is in the eye of the beholder but it looks like Bernice isn’t convinced that her influence has been for the positive.

On an issue of continuity. . . Did we ever see Nil’s art before he went on that double date with Jack and Luann. I thought we had seen how Nil painted Jack’s nude modelling, (which was something like just an ear) before the date but some what Nil is saying he had been a realistic artist until he met Bernice and went extreme abstraction.

bernice should ask pattie boyd how that muse thing worked out for her…

Bernice enjoys Nils company.

She enjoys Nils kisses.

She enjoys Nil.

A blind mule could see that Bern’s got the hots for Mr. Picasso Jr.

Yet, despite the obvious fact that Nil still wants Bernice in his life, Bern is doing everything in her power to make that NOT happen.

In no way should Bernice be a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, gossip columnist or ANY job where she offers guidance or advice to somebody else. EVER.

In fact, there was only one time that I can think of in the last 5 or 6 years where Bernice’s “advice” resulted in a very Positive Outcome. ;-)

I’m with Bernice on this one…

Hi this is my first time posting. Bernice needs to accept that Nil sees a side that is not her version of passion and romance. Why can’t she admit that desiring affection is not shameful.

Wasn’t that before-and-after when he started smoking dope??

Ha! This is great! I like that even if Bernice did model for him, nobody would be able to tell.

definitions of muse(in Greek and Roman mythology) each of nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.synonyms: inspiration, creative influence, stimulus, stimulation, afflatusa person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.“Yeats’ muse, Maud Gonne”synonyms: inspiration, creative influence, stimulus, stimulation, afflatus

I don’t think Bernice is any of these

Bernice just seems unable to understand how important it is to be the muse of an artist. Unfortunately I think she will never understand it, but maybe she could accept to be Nil’s muse because, in some deep (very deep) part of her heart, she cares about him a little tiny bit and see how that is really important to him..

Left b00b bigger than the right????

I don’t recall his work ever looking like the left image…

Honestly not sure where this one is going. Sometimes I can guess correctly, sometimes not. Bernice is certainly confused; Nil has just told her she means the world to him, in the only way he knows to express himself. This one probably won’t be wrapped up by Saturday.

pppppdfffffffftttttttt HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAA!! We’ve gone from “naked Lenin” to “plucked flower at midnight“…

His creativity is way up. In the first picture, he showed artistic talent, but a camera could do it better. In the second, he’s merging the model with his vision.

She turned him into Vargas

Certainly is off the chart, only images left are two geometric lines and a dot.

Bernice: “I’ve always wanted to inspire art that I didn’t understand!”

I’d be more impressed if the 2 pictures were vice-versa, but then that wouldn’t be funny.

I think what Nil is trying to say is that Bernice is his inspiration. Either that, or his only love is art.

YEs ladies, Many guys (and now women) will try to use you for their own purposes. They seek their own physical gratification or have other bizarre ends in mind. Remember maintain your decorum and defend your feminine virtue. S3x is not love.

I tell you what you’re not Bernice, you’re not a-Muse-ing, get it, a-Muse-ing… tee-hee!

This is probably the clearest indication that we’ll get that these two have already crossed a certain line, and why Nil has become so imprinted upon Bernice. All good things must come to an end, and on this “hump day” (deliberate irony), we see that this relationship is essentially in it’s proverbial 15th minute.

Nil and Jack first appeared at the same time, and seemed at that time to be no more than throwaway background characters. Both have grown into well-defined semi-regulars. Even if none of us understand Nil’s artwork (well, he IS an abstract artist inside a comic strip), he has grown considerably, though I think the minimalism of his current work is part of the joke here.

Abstraction is a good thing?

Being a muse isn’t necessarily healthy either, though.

I find this story arc amusing.

Why do I get the feeling that Greg is making a joke about aspiring artists with no real talent? At least Nil feels good about himself, but it’s too bad he has just let Bernice know that she will never get to have a relationship with him that isn’t overshadowed by his “art”. I would pass.

OK, Nil. Think photography.

It is obvious that Nil’s thinking is backwards. He thinks Bernice is a good catch.

Next stop: completely blank slate on the wall, with some pretentious incomprehensible name on a plaque below it. Either that or progressing toward gluing vacuum cleaner canister contents onto canvas.

Wow, he’s going to sell a lot of those!

In the eye of the beholder! Bernice should be flattered that she inspires Nil.

When he first introduced Zébo and the art class back in January 2015, Greg introduced us to four constructs of art. Zébo, the pretentious art connoisseur. Jack the jock with not an artistic bone in his body. Nil the consummate abstraction. And, of course, Luann, Gerg’s own little muse.

He should have stuck with Luann and art.

She did…”um!”

How reductionist. Devoid of all nuance.

Seems to me that Bernice was originally attracted to the minimalist art that Nil produced. She impulsively kissed him after viewing his art show and that caused her self-perceived hormonal “crisis.” I’m soooo confused!

Isn’t that picture upside down?

Two nuts from different trees.

I CANT BELIEVE HE DID A NUDE OF BERNICE!

Will Bernice say something? That’s not snarky or demeaning? unlikely

“You mean you are just using me?”

tears streaming down her face

“I thought you wanted me for my body.”

“That’s nice too.”

If you say so.

She wasn’t in art class with him, so she doesn’t get his style.

Which is before, and which is after?

Strategically placed finger in panel 2.

My muse has always been 1990’s Carmen Electra!

We’re supposed to think that because he originally did a good job at a literal representation of a human figure that his artistic skills have deteriorated because he’s shifted to a modern style. I think Greg was purposely making Nil’s new style seem simplistic but I suspect readers who hate modern art would have had the same reaction if he had been shown to have a more complex (or at least more detailed) modern style. For some reason Greg likes to ridicule both visual and performing artists, which seems odd for someone who draws for a living.

Must be either really good or really bad. Never seen Bernice so quite

SOMETHING’S off the chart!But it’s not what’s on the paper.

An artist can’t be inspired by somebody he HATES>So we’re making progress here.

Hmm, I’m not sure about that Nil.

two different styles of work, one the literal representation the other abstract and modernist. So Nil is saying that his relationship with Bern has caused him to pursue the abstract minimalist type of painting. But I think he was doing that before Bern. His art show, which was their first meet-up, had plenty of the latter. I think an artistic muse is just someone that the artist is passionate about and that passion translates over into his work. If Nil can convey this to Bern then he might win her over though first she’ll say she’s having a negative effect on his work. So the emphasis just needs to be on the passion.

She might be barking up the wrong tree

I kinda expected the “before” art to be a comic strip — maybe an early Luann?

these two are both passionately into their work. They have this in common and it should bind them together.

“Is that all I am to you” she says to the guy she’s currently in the middle of dumping because she has no actual romantic feelings for him. Bernice really is a piece of work.

So each of them is using the other, though not necessarily to the same end.

I agree with Nil: his creativity is off the chart. In fact, it fell and hit the floor. Similar to Greg and his failing out of touch comic strip…

Am I over thinking this? Where they have art, a MUSE UM?

By the way smart placement of Nil’s finger over the rear end of the subject in his before drawing (lol).

“Question: why is it so . . . BIG? And does it HAVE to be . . . thr_bbing?”

This is the first time we see Nil smile; yesterday was a start. Today is almost a full blown smile.

Bernice needs to think a bit more here….. being Nil’s MUSE is a pretty damn big deal!!!!! He NEEDS Bernice for his inspiration in his life’s mission! That is a sure sign of love on his part. Bernice received a far deeper complement and confirmation of how much Nil cares than his simply saying “I want to continue this relationship.”

Once they both realize HOW MUCH they care for each other, things will be smoother sailing.

To me, they are an excellent couple. They work as well together as do Brad and Toni. No relationship is perfect….. but Brad & Toni… and now also Bernice & Nil…. are the currently very strong relationships.

One “drawing style” of Greg, question….. is Nil somehow able to show two different photos on his one screen (not sure how), does he have a single photo of his two works side-by-side, or might he have one of those trendy, “bendy” phones (and if so, does that allow two separate images simultaneously)?

By her expression she is thinking “how? I don’t think you’ve ever seen me nude….”

Some here think Nil’s art is minimalist to the point of being a joke, which it is not. Remember Greg creates stereotypical characters in their most extreme form for effect. Nil had his own art show which means some gallery owner (maybe at the college) decided his work was worthy of it. The painting (on the right) is shown to us (the way it is) for effect. Bern doesn’t understand modern art; she can’t relate to it and may even feel insulted that she inspired Nil to do it. Between now and the end of the week, it is Nil’s job is to try to to convince her that being his Muse means that he feels passion for her and his passionate feelings are motivating him to do art whether she understands it or not.

The utter banality of Nil’s latest art is completely explained by his choice of inspiration. “Muse” indeed!…

What happens to the Muse when the struggling artist starts to feel his work is not what he wants it to be, when he doesn’t feel the inspiration coming and it frustrates him? Doesn’t sound like a very stable relationship to me.

Wow, she inspired him to leap from classical to post-modern! Impressive.

GET out Bernice, GET OUT NOW!