Should I draw comics?

Going to Tuson. Can't sleep, so I drew.

Yeah yeah, I'm an insomniac. I'm sure there's a good reason for it. It has something to do with everyone being asleep and me having time to sit and do without having to worry about other people. Or maybe it has to do with left over habits from when I used to deliver pizza. Around this time Friday or Saturday night, when we would get out of the store, a few of us used to go hit the all night seven eleven. We'd shoot the breeze and pour nacho cheese down bags of corn chips. To be fair, I feel like I've pushed it too far if I get to see the sun rise.

In the news:
I've been told by a friend who showed my art to a friend of hers; that it reminds him of Ashley Wood. Happy dance, there. I love his stuff. I love my stuff too, I love a lot of art.

This is topical and involves the art in this post; I was drawing this in my room (so much for the peace at night while I draw theory...) and my Brother walks in and asks me to put some words in it. *Zap with the stylus and they're in right? Anyway, so then I'm redoing the face to match the text... long story short, I'm thinking about doing a comic. Now, the comics I love have always had deep stories and moving themes. Think watchmen or dark knight returns and all that. And I'm sure I'm going to blow a neuron or two figuring this thing out. But then, I think back to what I pulled on 24 hour comic day the other year. I think I can do it. Or rather, I know I can. It's a good feeling.

Which brings me to the Mall on Main Street action. It's going well, come in and check it out. Seeing new things in Rexburg is wonderful, and the people who work with and at the place are great.

I'm so excited to flee this sub zero weather...

And now I've got comic ideas to think about on the road. Seems like my star is working it's way back to an accent.

Caricature artist

I've been doing caricatures at the Mall on Main Street in Rexburg Idaho. It's been a lot of fun. Take these too kids, they were a blast to draw. Anyway, if you're in the neighborhood, drop on by.

What's really important;

I've come to the conclusion that my last post was dumb. That being said, I can't subscribe to an idea that requires me to sleep on my posts and think about them before I post.

The other day I was stuck in a series of blogs about how to create a "must read blog". After thinking it through for a few days. I've decided that they're full of crap.

Numbers in the header, a question at the end of the post, a paragraph breakup like a less effective standardized writing test?

Bah.

I'm just going to post some sketches.

Comment at will folks. I'm sick of getting feedback on facebook.

3 Reasons I think I'm turning into Ashley Wood

I find that as I move further into the digital painting realm, that I'm picking up influences.
I'm very happy with this. I mean, it's always better to be moving forward. If the alternative is crying to myself as I check out
Adam Hughes Deviant Art page, I'll move forward.

Anyway, in no specific order; my reasons I think I'm turning into Ashley Wood:

1. I'm drawing lots of latex cat suits.
Now, if I was a proper blogger I'd be pulling images of his into this. As I'm not, and I'm assuming that you have a passing knowledge of Mr. Wood's body of work. You'll actually be asking me why I'm not drawing more robots. But I'm a huge fan of how he treats the female form, and Yeah... Shiny girls are fun to draw.

2. I'm using all kinds of crazy textures.
This is something that I've noticed in Ashley's work, and other successful digital artists as well. Of course it's something that I can improve on, but the seeds have been planted.

3. My silhouettes stand out.
One of the things that strikes me most in the art I like, is a strong silhouette. Mr. Wood's work demonstrates this in spades.

Now, of course I'm pursuing my own illustrative style and body of work. But I'm doing my best to take in strong examples and mature as an illustrator. Just as easily I could have brought up differences in my work. But I like the idea of being inclusive.
Also, as I've noted. I find a shared sense of subject matter with the man.

Is there another artist that I'm starting to remind you of?
I'd love to hear about it.

Nuke Girl

Well, this was a fun image to do. I find that I'm stuck in a production mode. It's nice, only had to de-tox from art school for a year or so. Not that art school is toxic. I'm talking about a notion that was brought up by Harvey Dunn. Art school is great, but learning how to make a good image is something that takes time, commitment, and dare I say it; an interest in seeing what you can do on your own. That being said, there's a few things that now (of course, after I post it up on the blog... /sigh) that I'll go back in and fix. But the fact that the image file is there, is half the battle for me. Strangely, I find that there's an expenditure of energy in Digital Painting. I expect it with traditional media; and much of it is expressed in setting up and cleaning down. (?!? Stupid idioms...) But the will, for lack of a better word, to pick up the stylus and make a controlled mess can be draining. But then it might have something to do with staying up all night digital painting. That, strangely enough; is why I keep this blog. I feel better being able to rant about things like that.

Well, that and I'm too lazy (busy? sure...) to update a proper website. But, illustration was never about what's proper.

*yawn!*

Can't think of anything to type here. Old sketch, kinda... worked over in Painter. I feel bad that my computer can't bench press Painter 11 like it lifts 9.5. But meh, I just saved 100$ because of that.

Anyway, digging for more cool sketches. With my archive? this could be a while.

SoB, er.. Sister of Battle

Ah, just a quick sketchbook gouache painting I did back when the county fair was going on. There were some stretches were I was able to get some serious drawing in. And yeah, I had to dig this out of a sketchbook I kept while I was running around. The sketchbook in question was tucked away in a box with all of my other summer gear. Scandal! The scan doesn't show the intricate sheen that the metallic makers lent, but the colors are pretty accurate.
As for my gouache technique here... I should have been a little bit thicker with my paint application. I think the face is the only place where I really leveraged the advantage that the medium has over water color.
I'm curious, about the nature of digital medium. How reliable is a blog? Will this be around like a paper record, or will all of this dissolve with the advent of zero point computers. Who backs up the web?
In other news, I've got a cold. Ewww.

New post. Guess I better preface it with noting that this is a colorized image from way back when this blog was new. It dawned on me that many of my best images are laying in my sketchbooks. Anyway, I'm seeking to reclaim them. And reclaim them I will.

In other news, I fear I have let loose a terrible terrible sarcasm on my facebook account. I'm sure no one will catch it. But to be sure, I'm leaving note of it now. First, so there's a key. Just in case some one misses it ( I'm sure no one will catch it.) And secondly, I don't think the crowed the sarcasm's aimed at know that I have a blog too. Oh well, such is life.

Cup fiend

Just a sketch, the file is up in painter at this very moment being worked on. Of course, it's also very possible by the time you read these words, that I'll be in a picture file right above this. Guess it depends on if I sleep tonight or not. Anyway, the drawing here was done on 19x24 bristol board, regular (vellum) surface. I couldn't scan it, so I took a picture with my camera. Seems to be my import method of choice. Listening to Harlan Ellison on youtube right now... he's got some very good points about copyright law.
Enjoy.

Ah, I guess two weeks isn't bad. As it is, I'm pretty thrilled with sketching right now. I think I've discovered the best sketching surface for me. I know there's artists out there that try everything that they can get their hands on. I know, because I've tried just about every sketchbook at least once. (working at an art supply store for a few years has it's perks.) Long story short, I've dug out an old 19x24 pad of bristol board and hit it with a 6b pencil (Sanford Draughting Pencil on Strathmore 300 cold press if we're counting, and we are.)

It's changed everything.

I mean, I like to elongate my figures... a lot as I've sat back and looked at my collection of work that I've amassed. trying to get something to fit in a 9x12 is pretty futile. I mean, most of the time, if I'm putting a reasonable sized face on the paper, I can't quite fit anything beneath the knees. On that big sexy pad of bristol board, I've got room to spare. Also, the tooth is perfect. Makes me think that Strathmore's going to discontinue the line or something. Getting it into the computer has proved to be a challenge however. Well, a regular scanner is right out. I takes a digital camera. Two things I've learned the hard way. First, don't flash a graphite drawing... it won't work. Second, I don't care how oversized 8 megapixels feels for simple line art... you're gonna want the highest res you can squeeze into your camera.

Anyway, Here's my favorite right arm that I've drawn yet in my sketching career. Enjoy.

Critical Hit!

Woah, didn't want to get to more than six months without updating.

Not that it would be a record or anything. I just didn't feel like I had anything that I liked enough to post up, that or I've been too busy working on working.
Found a good way to light a nice fire under my can... I've been posting on deviant art under this same name. Drives safari nuts, but whatever.
It's cool, because you get near instant feedback on your work. I know if I haven't got a favorite in less than five minutes I've posted up a real dog.

This was based off the new mmo Aion. It's got some pretty slick characters and some crazy group pvp gameplay. More or less as if someone cut all the fat from World of Warcraft. Something that drives me nuts about any hp based combat system is the lack of a devastating head shot system. They'll weave in the occasional critical hit, but nothing that really represents the full removal of the brain pan with a instrument designed for, uh, removing brain pans.

I guess this is where I say that art > video games.

Progress is his middle name...

It's coming right along. I'm very happy with it. And I'm now doing the little tricks to it. Like looking at it in the mirror, printing it out, and showing people who's opinion I trust. I've fought like crazy to keep the actual acrylic texture in the background. No mean feat considering my first instincts are to hit everything with the Tinting brush. The faces in the peanut gallery need more polish, but I'm happy with their diversity. The foreground figure came out completely black in the printout I did. I got too excited about showing the charred edges of his laser wound. Placed him in the proverbial microwave for a minute or two too long. This has been a fantastic learning experience for using textures from Painter in an actual work. I'm very happy with the effect. Some modeling of the gun's form, a second pass on the back ground, and some good hand painted texture highlights and I'll call it done.

Well, at least; that's what the left brain has to say.

My right brain's all, "Boooyeah!"

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum...

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, I don’t want to get into a deep post, or take up a ton of space like I’m trying to make up for missing posts. But I’ve also had much on my mind.

I’ve taken the summer off and I’m spending it in Idaho.

It’s been great so far. I’ve got a niece and nephews nearby, my mother still cooks for me, I’ve had the chance to touch base with a double handful of old friends I haven't seen since I moved to SF back on 01. In fact, one of my first weeks back I found myself demonstrating digital painting techniques to an interior design class for a former instructor of mine.

I’ve also had a lesson on perspective, the kind that doesn’t involve any type of vanishing point what so ever.

It came from a ‘where are you now’ conversation with an old friend who I used to draw with 15 years ago. He zigged, I zagged. He’s now a brilliant electrical engineer, I’m now an Illustrator who’s reworking his portfolio.

As we spoke, it dawned on me that there’s a responsibility for us dream chasers to work towards, chase, and catch our dreams. Consider the legions of people out there who’ve given up on being what they want before they even gave it a chance.

What would accountants wish their real job was, if it wasn’t for art students who’ve made the transition to art professional? I’m one of few that have taken the road less traveled. I’ve cultivated skills that many people killed in themselves during the 6th grade. To not do something grand with those skills would be a crime.

It popped a pretty formidable depression bubble that I had built up. Which is the reason that I bring it up. There is no problem that exists, but what it common to man. Maybe someone else out there has been in the same situation. An Art School Graduate who’s wondering where their motivation is. A indy band punk rocker who’s taking chemistry classes. The aspiring country singers of the world.

Which segues right into my posted image. It all comes back to people getting lasered by a hot chick. It’s not perfect; indeed, while writing this I’ve seen a boat load of things that need to be cleaned up, softened, hardened, delineated, blended, and erased. It exists, I’m going to work on it. And it’s going to be a damn spiffy image in my portfolio.

Some little sketch

Hm, so long without an update. I mean, I'm not breaking any records or anything. I think there was one point where I went a year without posting something, or.... something.

This is a recent experimentation using a very limited palate. Just wanted to throw some simple shapes around quickly.

The point, though, is having fun.