More Studio 4c stuff

Another Studio 4c clip I found on youtube. This seems to be a trailer of multiple projects. The striking thing to me is the variety of art styles represented. Extremely cool and very inspiring.

Nelson goes under the knife!!!

My good buddy and writer of my webcomic, Dave 'D.L.' Nelson, had surgury today to correct a deviated septum.

I've talked to him and the surgury went well. We figure he will survive.

Give Dave a shout-out at heydlnelson@gmail.com

The best part is maybe this will fix his snoring in time for the Kansas City con and I'll actually get some sleep at a con for once!

Studio 4c Kung Fu Love

I was poking around on Youtube and I found this.




The description says its a promo short for a proposed full length feature. This looks really amazing. When I was in art college one of the instructors brought a bootleg video of 'Akira' just to show the class.

It really blew me away, I had never seen anything like that.

The same instructor worked at a local comic shop and pointed me to the old Epic Mobeuis books.

Thanks to the internet the world gets smaller and smaller!

More Monster Hunters!

Just sent the next page to the writer. I was pretty happy with this page. I picked up some new pencils and we all know it depends on the type of pencils you use...

Monster Hunters panel

Okay, I know I'm putting up too much commentary and not posting enough art.

I'll work on that. I've got a lot of art, it just takes too much to fire up the scanner...

In the meantime, here's a panel from Monster Hunters.

The Message

I have had my Bible since I was a kid. My poor Bible has been drug everywhere for 25 years. Like a weathered face, It's got a lot of character in it's scarred up surface.

However, lately the binding has started to crack and I'm afraid it's gonna fall apart. So I've been looking for a replacement. I figure I'll spend some real money and get another really nice Bible.

One thing I've been looking at is switching up versions. In the end I decided I just can't do it, I'm just too used to the wording and the cadence of the NIV and the new versions just don't read right.

However, several people suggested I get a The Message version. I was very sceptical because I had read online about how 'radical' it is.

One thing I've learned is the internet is no help deciding stuff like 'which version of the Bible should I read' because there are too many opinions and they're all worth exacly what they cost!

Well my father -in-law suggested I pick up a copy of The Message, he said I'd really like it.

So I decided to look around and see. I went to a few stores and one had this version of the message for half price. The cover is so cool with kind of a Matrxi-like photo of a cool urban landscape. Plus the cover is kind of rubberized with rain-drops on it. Exactly yhe kind of thing I dig.

However now that I got it I gotta say the best part is on the inside. I am inspired everytime I open this Bible, it's awesome! I've read the Bible virtually all my life, but this really speaks to me.

One thing I like is in the front, the author admits this is a paraphrase and uges readers to get a good study Bible.

And I'm still planning on getting me a nice NIV with the leather cover and all that jazz. And a local store is having an Easter sale, so I'll get one in a few weeks.

But man I really like this Bible and would urge anyone who doesn't read the Bible, but is maybe curious about God to give this a try. You won't regret it!

New Drawing

While I was at Disney World I did this drawing of Tokyo. I bought a large Moleskin reporter sketchbook before we left. I had seen a webpage with some guy's vacation photos of Tokyo.

That inspired this drawing. I carried the moleskin around with me and drew this drawing in bits and pieces whereever I happened to be waiting. Resturaunts, bus lines, airports, wherever.

The thing I always run into while I'm drawing in public is people want to talk to me and look at my sketchbook. I don't like just handing someone my sketchbook to leaf through because I like to experiment in mine and there are a lot bad drawings, missteps and half finished sketches. I think this is important to have a place to experiment and attempt to grow. If I thought people were going to see every page I would freeze up.

I'm not drawing pin-ups, it's a sketchbook!

I'm not sure why drawing in public always attracts such attention. If I saw a guy working on a PowerPoint presentation at an airport I wouldn't slide up to him, ask him if he was a salesman, ask to look at his laptop and tell him how great of a salesman my cousin is.

But that's the kind of thing that happens to me all the time.

I guess the whole idea of actually being an artist seems kind of exotic, but I don't understand that. I guse the fact I grew up with an older cousin who is an artist and seeing him work on stuff at Grandma's kind of makes it seem normal. My family has always been 'creative' with artists and musicians in the family.

New Comic

I mentioned I've been working on a new project. Here's the first page. The writer has a major publisher interested in the script, but them wanted to see a completed book. This publisher has also expressed interest in having me work on a project for them.

So we're hoping between them liking his script and my art, this will be a slam dunk.

However, one thing art has taught me, nothing is a slam dunk!

Plus, I'm insecure enough to figure the editor for this company who actually likes my art was an escaped mental patient, who has been recaptured by now!

Adding to my insecurity: I sent the first three pages to a bunch of comic people I know. NO ONE RESPONDED! None, nada, no one! I mean, I know these are busy people, but common I figure somebody would have sent me something, a simple looks good, leave me alone, whatever!

Remember, You know who you are, and I know where you live!

Cool Disney World Stuff

Okay, my last post I kinda dumped on WDW and how much it's changed. Here's where I make up by telling you about all the cool stuff we did that we've never done, even after 8 or 9 times.

1) The Adventurer's Club. A cross between a bar and a theme park, this was pretty cool.

They told all these stories and there were props on the wall which would move and talk to you.

It was one of these places which you will like if you just kinda throw yourself into it and have fun. If you're a wallflower, forget it your in trouble!

2) Prime Time 50's Cafe. In MGM, this restuarant looks like a '50s era house. The greatest part was the witresses. Our's (Aunt janice) kept telling me to keep my elbows off the table. When I was drawing in my sketchbook, she told me, "that's good Skippy, keep doing your homework!' She commented how Michelle couldn't make up her mind. It was pretty fun and I 100% recommend this place-ask for Aunt Janice!

Here's a photo of Michelle as we're waiting to be seated. This place looked like my Grandma's house.

Back From Disney World!

Okay, we've been back for a while, but I've been busy working on a new comic. Here's my much belated DisneyWorld report.

We stayed at Downtown Disney Hotel this time, which is a first. We've either stayed off property or at a 'Disney' Hotel. We were gonna stay on property, but somehow all the hotels were full. My first, price is no object choice is the Polynesian. We stayed there a few years ago and it was awesome! But VERY expensive. My second choice is Port Orleans. It has a boat to downtown and is kinda cool and under $200 a night.

We stayed at the Grovsner, right across the street from downtown Disney. It was $75 a night, but the added about $25 of fees per night. My only complaint was it was kinda old and it felt like an old hotel, with a connecting door , thin walls and all that.

Still the price and proximity to Downtown made it worth staying at. We had a fridge and our first night I HIKED down the end of the block to leave Disney property and go to a grocery store. The walk was so far I loaded up and swore I was only doing that once!

Michelle and I have been going to WDW since '96, right before she graduated from college. While it's still fun I think in some ways its changed for the worse. Here's my reasons:

1) Vibe. Okay I'm gonna start off with the most elusive. The only way I can explain it is Disney used to have this kinda funky '70s vibe that I really liked. It's like it was well preserved. I know this sounds weird but here's some examples.

This used to be a resturaunt. Now it's empty!

2)The Animation tour. WDW used to actually have animators working there.

3) The Virgin Megastore. They used to actually stock graphic novels and art books there. I picked up a bunch of my Mobeuis and Masamune Shirow trades there. Of course this was before Amazon and me going to San diego every year, but their stock has gotten bad.

4) Animal Kingdom. I hate this park! And I can't figure out why. It has the best theming. I think it feel too much like a zoo and that bugs me.

5) The Art of Disney store downtown. This store used to have nice stuff. I bought my 'Illusion of Life " there. Heck, we bought a coffee table there. They used to have shirts, books, furniture all kinds of stuff. Now it's just stautes and high end prints. Oh you can buy a 'cel' drawn by a Disney artist. You can sit there and watch him. I talked to the guy and he was super nice, but lets face it, that's not a cel. It's a guy copying from a model sheet. You could do the same thing yourself! I also have this same gripe about the store in Epcot, across from the Electric Umbrella. I guess my real beef is the stores used to sell some cool stuff, now it's junk from china.

I don't want you to think I didn't have fun, I had a blast. Walt Disney World used to have a cool 'feel' that I really liked and I think it's lost that.

Next i post about all the cool things we did!

Streetcar

Almost everyday I listen to a little bit of "A Confederacy of Dunces", my favorite book ever. I've been working on pumping up my 'art' section of my website. Inspired by the New Orleans setting of the book I drew this streetcar in my sketchbook.

VACATION!

We're going on vacation!

Michelle and I have been to Disney World 8 or 9 times. We haven't been in a couple of years and Michelle wanted to go again. We planned this trip in a rush, but I think it's gonna be one of the best. We're staying on the edge of Disney property and I think it's gonna be cool. There's a 7-11 near our hotel!

I know it's hip to be down on Disney, believe me, I seen the down side, but what I love is the care they put into everything. I look around and see all the artistry that goes into everything and it really inspires me.

What I'm listening to...

Art of Concentration
Meditative Music Designed to Enhance Focus

I picked this up at Target. I've seen these kinda things for a while now and I've wondered if they do anything.

I think it's better then listening to some stuff while you're trying to draw. They claim there are hidden harmonics that add your focus and concentration.

I don't know if it helps you, but I don't think it hurts you.

I've tryed to find music that i can listen to while I draw; stuff that won't distract me, but will help mask distracting noises.

Some classical and jazz seem to work. I like some of the Brian Eno ambient stuff, epsecially 'On Land'. I've got a few of those 'ambient' CDs with rain and jungle noises, that sort of thing.

I would LOVE to find a CD with 'urban' sounds like they play in the NYC backlot at Universal Studios (e-mail me if you know of one!) You know trucks, buses, that sort of thing.

I found a guy online who had mp3s he had made of 'Arcade Noises'. That is very distracting, but very cool!

My Studio

I was scanning through some photos on my computer and came across this photo of my studio.

Typically, my studio is the messyest room in the house. Too much comics, books, paper, etc. and too little time.

The theory is if you keep your workspace neat, know where evrything is and never look for anything.

And I believe that, I even keep my pencils in the same place all the time.

But the problem is all the 'other stuff' that seems to pile up.

Of course it dosen't help that I feel the only time I am in my studio is when I am drawing. It's not an office or a study or a 'spare bedroom' (thankfuly!)

One day I'll keep it clean and spend my evenings sorting and throwing stuff away.

But for now, I'll let other guys trying to break into comics spend their time cleaning. I prefer to spend my limited spare time drawing!

iMac Pencil

One of the cool things about being an artist is getting buy buy all the cool supplies. I love going to office supply stores and have since I was a kid.

This weekend I picked up this:
It's a Pentel Papermate Clearpoint mechanical pencil. I love this pencil! It's got that first generation iMac clear look. The barrel is clear so I can what is going on inside it. Best of all it works good. The grip is grippy so I can hold it looser; I tend to put my pencils in a deathgrip. And its got a big eraser. I've never used a 'sidebutton' pencil, but I'm liking it more then the 'top push' style! Only downside is I think it only comes in 0.5 & 0.7, no 0.9.

When it seems like everything is getting cheaper and cheaper made, it's nice to find something new that is this cool!

Now if they made it in Blueberry!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We rang in the new year with a communion service at the church. There was a brief moment of terror when I thought there wasn't enough supplies (I was responsible for putting them out!) but we were okay.

This was a time of reflection about the past year. Overall 2006 was pretty good. I could list all the amazing things that I saw and did this year, but they might not seem as cool to you!

I would be tempted to obsess on the shortcomings, only looking at the things I didn't acomplish.

But the blame for any failures is only my fault, not from lack of trying, but from aiming too high.

See, I have this theory that if you are reaching all your goals, you aren't setting your goals high enough.

Conversly, if you are always falling just short, your goals are just high enough. Thus, you are always doomed to failure. This is a tall task and can be very demoralizing!

Like a wise man once said "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars"!

And may God bless you this new year!

Merry Christmas!

Some new art.

I've been talking to a guy about working with him on something. He wanted a design of a werelion. Here's my first shot:

But the guy felt this was a little too far out and he wanted something a little more human looking. So here's my second shot:

I don't know if this is more like what he's thinking. Nothing is solid right now, I haven't read a script yet, but we'll see!

And The Winner is...

One of the weird "perks" for working for an awards company is sometime you see some cool stuff.

How many people get a chance to hold the actual Heisman trophy?

Pretty cool!

Drain Pin up

I just started attending life drawing sessions and since I go straight from work I got there way early so I drew this pinup of Chinatsu, the vampire in C. B. Cebulski's comic 'Drain'.

'Drain' is a very Japanese-styled painted comic, so I enjoyed giving Chinatsu my own spin!

'Drain'#1 was just released by Image Comics.