PATREON

I’ve started a Patreon Page!

What in the world is Patreon? Well there’s this handy video you can watch of me, where I squint and wriggle my eyebrows a lot while I explain in the first 60 seconds. If you don’t feel like watching the video - Patreon is where people can support the creators they love.

Basically I’ll continue to post artwork, including daily sketches, WIPs, illustrations etc, but now you have the option of supporting me, by donating as little as $2 a month (that’s like.. less than one fancy coffee a month) to see my artwork AND receive extra goodies, in the forms of drawing videos, art prints, mailed postcards of my illustrations, and more!

It comes down to this: The more support I receive, the more I can give back to you! I’d truly appreciate any re-blogging or sharing of this - even if you are uninterested, perhaps your friends might be? Thanks, everyone! :)

Moar secret sketchies

Potential new project I could work on - conceptin some new things.

Hawkeye Initiative

I want to preface this with the fact that I am a huge fan of Milo Manara’s work and his Human History was one of the greatest things I came across in Strand bookstore, back when I was living in NYC years ago. Frankly, I love him as an erotica artist as well as a comic artist. Personally I think Manara had some insane deadline for this particular cover and didn’t get to give it his usual all.

But for Marvel, there was an art director somewhere that got those sketches in and they sat there and approved it with a bunch of other people for the franchise to make this a cover. So Spider-Woman gets the Hawkeye Initiative treatment.

Sketch Dailies: Cat Burglar

Sketch Dailies: Favorite Cat-burglar - Catwoman/Selina Kyle

I was actually gonna put details in those buildings and color correct things, but then my hand exploded into tiny itchy blisters and I just had to stop.

WIP - Hellboy 20th anniversary

Work-in-progress of my Hellboy tribute piece for an upcoming show. Congrats to Mike Mignola on 20 years of Hellboy!

Sketch Dailies: Thor

Sketch Dailies: Thor (on Thorsday, GET IT?! HAAAA)

I missed yesterday’s sketch dailies of a Shetland pony… so hopefully including Loki in this one makes up for it.

I mixed Marvel Thor with a smidgen of Myth Thor, so there’s a crown of stars somewhere around his head.

Adolescence comic - 1 & 2

No Sketch Dailies last night (because I’m sure everyone was Leprechaun’d out anyhow)

I’ve been attempting to write a story out so I drew two pages for it. If people are interested in something like this, then I might continue on it.

Hellraiser Cover

I’m very excited to show this! Apparently Clive Barker, creator of the very popular Hellraiser series, really liked my Black Swan illustration, and as a result, BOOM! Studios (the comic publisher) contacted me to do the cover of an upcoming Hellraiser issue featuring Pinhead (which will be available in July!). So here it is!

More Facial Expressions

Keep practicing drawing faces, to build up confidence, to draw more comics.

Sketch Drop

Dropping in some sketches from the plane ride/airport. I plan to redo my Scissors Cuts Paper illustration into a v2.0 now that I have more time and have developed the Scissors girl a whole lot more. And Rock Crushes Scissors is here as well!

Operation: Replace Portfolio

Yes, Operation: Replace Portfolio is now in effect. This mission is just about exactly as it sounds. I will begin to replace the very old illustrations on my site with new ones like this:


I guess it can stay as 'Kite River' for now. It should truthfully be entitled "NJ Transit," because the landscape right outside of NYC looks like that. Finally finished!

Honestly, I don't think I could ever be one of those digital painters who do 'speed paintings.' While this illustration went a lot faster than other digital ones I've tried in the past, it's going to be a LONG while before I feel comfortable enough to crank out a just-as-detailed piece in 30 minutes or less.

Cover

...This is extremely out of my comfort zone though it feels new and exciting. But I think it works. On numerous occasions, Randy and I have scoured through NYC's comic book stores. We discovered we became disappointed when a comic has this truly amazing cover on it and the inside artwork is either done by a different artist that doesn't hold up to the cover artwork, or the interior is black and white while the cover has amazingly vibrant colors. It's true, it really is hard not just judge comics by their covers when it's supposed to be the thing that catches your eye while it's sitting on a rack.

I suppose I wanted to do a sort of opposite effect for the cover. Not fully colored cover with a fully colored interior. Maybe it'll be my downfall!
Did I mention the title changed? 'The Promise' kept reminding me of the asian film by the same name. I just didn't feel right if I kept it. I guess this has a more playful childhood feeling. Less ominous.

This image is sized for printing when I do the 8.5x11 folded paper bit, saddle-stitched with staples over the next week.

In other news, Society of Illustrators West 46 is finally up! You can check out my piece in there along with everyone else that's in it!

Mission...COMPLETE.

All that's left is the cover. ...And a title. Which I know will change in my head before I get it down on paper. Again. ...If only I could make up my mind. Here's pages 18 and what could be considered a back page, or simply a page 19.

Hope you enjoyed this strange 'lil story.

3-day weekend

Granted I was away for half of it. Here's what I got done in the second half.

Page 17. One page to go, plus a closing page, and something I'm still tinkering around in my head for... a cover... ayaah. So close, so close...

Frenzy

Yes, yes, that's the perfect word. It is officially July and I need to finish this comic, plus put together a new postcard for San Diego. ...Cutting it close, much??


Page 16!

The Conference

I was receiving mail for Icon5, and while it would be truly worthwhile for me to go, with panels by Allan Comport, and maybe even running into other ridiculously great and wonderful individuals, I know that I simply don't have the time.

I depart for San Diego at the end of July and this comic is still unfinished. The rest of today will be filled up by inking any remaining panels for the last three pages. One of which needs to be redrawn entirely...

...Not to mention that I have YET to create a cover image for this thing. Aiyee!

Page 15 just for you.

Page 14

I've been going to an open life drawing session once a week for the past 2-3 weeks. Hopefully I can get some gestures scanned in. In the meantime, here's page 14.

Also a reminder, these are still not color-corrected. so I apologize for the 'over-exposed' sort of look they seem to have on anyone else's monitor!

Summer

This page took me a bit longer to finish than I expected. I apologize for that.

I always forget that there are specific dates when a season begins and ends. I just assume once a particular month starts, such as June, that month signifies the beginning of summer. I will admit, sometimes I miss the long breaks between one year of school to the next. With a full-time job, there are no immensely long pauses. But there are its perks. I go home and don't stress about tests or homework(well... freelance and its insane deadlines once in awhile, but that brings money and accomplishment as a reward).

When sitting in the park during lunch, co-workers along with myself will treat ourselves to an icy from the man who pushes his 'lil icy cart around. And while this seems like such a trivial, unimportant, little event... it's nice to know you have the freedom to purchase what you want when you want as an adult.

Treat yourself to something nice once in awhile.

Eye-spotting

Page 12 for your viewing pleasure; I realized the last page wasn't the right file when it was uploaded; the highlights and texture layers had been turned off. My mistake! The updated file will of course be in the printing when this comic is completed.

In other news: David Tabler of TheIspot had emailed me earlier today asking if I was interested in posting my portfolio on their website to have art directors find me for freelance work. Apparently SILA finally posted the names of their artists and the pieces that were in it; including my Half-Asian piece. He had found me through Nate Williams at illustrationmundo. In truth, I've been staring at their website every so often since I had Whitney Sherman as an instructor at MICA and she had recommended posting a portfolio there to our graduating class. The problem is I personally don't feel I have enough pieces to be a good, strong portfolio. That's up to 18 images, while I'll feel I have perhaps 5-8? I'll have to work harder once this sequential piece is done. I think it's always good to set personal goals; nothing too ridiculous but something that can be remotely feasible. If I can come to the end of this year with a few more strong, concrete illustrations while working full-time, I'll be more than satisfied.

Needless to say, I'm really excited to have these individuals looking at my work!

Heat Wave

...Think I can brave the city summer without A/C? ...well, I've just survived the first weekend of 96 degree straight weather. Here's hoping I can withstand the following weeks.

Page 11 for ya!