WonderCon 2011

Maybe I’ll see you there.

Lost Wages

Light blue Col-Erase pencil and black India Ink on Bristol Board

27.94 cm  x  43.18 (11.00 inches  x  17.00 inches)

Following that manga style Tuff-Girl piece I made for MomoCon, I decide that I should create new pieces of art to commemorate every convention at which I plan to exhibit. Smart marketing or mis-guided errand?

Here Tuff-Girl and man-lizard baddie Rip Tyler are in the midst of another sparring session in front of a modified version of the famous “Las Vegas” sign. It seemed like a good idea - what with my writing partner Merrill Hagan using the city as the epicenter for Tuff-Girl adventure for the first couple of stories. However as an advertising image, it seems disconnected when I placed the WonderCon information on it, which will be in San Francisco. Oh well, that leaves it wide and clear to do something more connected next time.

If you’re following along with the development of the Tuff-Girl character, you may have picked up that I keep re-designing her costume. It’s not so much re-designing her costume as much as envisioning that in her different bases of operations or places where she can crash, she has closets full of different costume pieces and accessories. Beside, as you see here, she probably has them torn up pretty frequently.

From concept to final digital color, I estimate I totaled over ten hours on this piece. Up and through the inking, I has it in my mind that the image was in day light; so some of the black shadows are incongruous with the night time coloring I ultimately gave it.

WonderCon

Hey, all!

WonderCon!

9 days away!

Mo and Mo

Atlanta, GA, Mar. 12 & 13, 2011 - Momocon. The two day comic convention, had a major Anime and Manga component judging by the what one could find in the dealers’ booths and the offerings along artist’s alley. Still it wasn’t exclusively so as evidenced by my table in the dealers’ room, across from a large display of tee-shirts.

I actually sold a modest number of books and often received the sincere comment, “you’re good,” which was sometimes mixed with a hint of surprise. The convention commission sketching business wasn’t so brisk, so most of what I spent my time doodling, I took home.

Here’s a sampling:

Blue She-Hulk.  This is was you get because I only bring red and blue pencils, and black pens.

Wonder Girl. The name was added in part because there was space, and in part because I felt like doing it this time when I usually don’t.

Ariel, the little mermaid.

Alice from Walt Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland.” There’s something about Alice and her adventures that appeals to girls. I don’t quite know what it may be. Curious.

Spider-Man. Time to give the Marvel characters their due. There’s something genius about Spidey’s costume design.

Dr. Doom. I don’t think I’ve drawn the ruler of Latveria since high school. And again I make due with red and blue pencils while lacking a green.

Tuff-Girl. It’s my booth, and I can drawn what I want.

Supergirl. I guess I’ve got to draw at least one Supergirl for every con I’m at.

TAGS April 20 & 21, 1994

04/20: Rain dears.

04/21:The “un” in “fun”.

April 20: Tanya (otter, 3rd appearance) hates the rain while Polly (penguin, 18) likes it, although to judge them by their species, they both should enjoy the water. Eh - it serves the story. Gerry (a.k.a. Geri, beaver) returns in only her 2nd appearance since about the first dozen strips. Because her role is main that of middle-management, she doesn’t get involved in the funner stuff.

April 21: Monster doesn’t dole out trust very easily, as Hans (fox, 4) gets all he can the joy from early release.

What happens in a theme park when it rains? A lot of people leave - the annual pass-holders and multi-day admission ticket guests - but not all of the people. So nearly all the attractions keep running and all of the stores get packed full of people where character imprinted vinyl ponchos and nylon umbrellas magically appear on shelves. Some restaurants are strategically closed to guide guest to others that have some indoor seating, makeshift as it may be.

A warm summer rain in the evening grants you short or non-existent lines, puddles on cobblestone walk ways that reflect twinkling multi-colored lights from the carrousel, and a sloshy, bathtub on wheels roller coaster ride in and out of a 147-feet tall concrete mountain. Squich, squich, squich your toes wriggle inside your squeekers.

Supergirl: Ice Work If You Can Get It

a) Concept.

Red rollerball ink on pre-printed note pad paper.

17.8 cm  x  25.4 cm   (7.0 inch  x  10.0 inch).

2008.

b) Digital color over scan of India ink.

2010.

More Supergirl fan art.

From the concept drawing shown, I drew a new, tighter drawing, inked it and colored it digitally. I’m in the habit (or have assumed the procedure) of building the art on layers for future re-manipulation, tweaking or re-coloring. For example, Supergirl, the iceberg and chain are comprised of 6 layers: one for the line work, another for flat base color and four for effects or lighting and shading.

Mo Momo Con

a) Tuff-Girl and Wichita, digital color over scan of black ballpoint pen on copier paper, 20.3 cm x 25.4 cm (8.0 inch x 10.0 inch); 
b) alternate re-color; 
c) detail, 4.1 cm x 5.1 cm (1.6 inch x 2.0 inch).
d) rough drawing, scarlet red pencil on copier paper, 21.6 cm x 27.9 cm (8.5 inch x 11.0 inch)

Here is the full render of the anime style drawing of Tuff-Girl done for the MomoCon advertisement mock up. As I have been accustomed to doing with my work in consumer products and marketing illustration, both with Disney and Cartoon Network, the pose was designed as an asset, which is to say it is not intended to be final in its layout and cropping, but for use with in another layout. This partly explains the drab, flat gray color behind Tuff-Girl and Wichita. For the alternate re-color, I put a little more effort in the background.

The decision to use a ballpoint pen for the final line lies mostly in my comfort with the tool. Because the ink doesn’t bleed, it’s a passable substitute for a darkened xerographied or scanned pencil line, which to the best of my knowledge is part of the anime aesthetic. Because I drew the final ink line on top of the red pencil rough, the high resolution scan is the only way that stage of the art now exists.

The dramatic re-color done for the final ad, was mostly the result of playing with some of Photoshop’s capabilities- you know, because I could.

MomoCon, 2011

Heads up, ya’ll!

This will be my first convention appearance of the year - MomoCon.

I hear it’s got a large anime component, so it seemed appropriate to try my hand at an anime style over Tuff-Girl and Wichita.

I’ll be a guest in the “Media” track, due to my day job - staff illustrator/ character artist for Cartoon Network. However, you can be sure that I will books and drawing to sell.

Admission cost: FREE!

I hope to see you there.

MomoCon, 2011
March 12-13, 2011
10am to Midnight (Sat)
10am to 10 pm (Sun)


Georgia Tech Square
5th Street and Spring
Atlanta, GA



http://momocon.moonfruit.com/

Covering a Cover

(a. Red pencil on paper, 8.5 in. x 11.0 in. 

b. Digital color and composite over clean scan of ink on paper)

Simply, here is my take on the cover of “Supergirl” #60.

TAGS, January 01, 1994

“Ski Trip”

Digital color over clean scan of ink on paper.

I created this piece of art for one of the covers of “monotony.” I’m very certain that I colored it with water colors and of which a black and white copy was reproduced for that cover. As of this writing, I could not find that original water color. Here in its stead is my digital color pass of it.  Being digital, I could then make the accompanying legend is quick order.

Guy’s “87” jersey refers to the first year I worked a summer at Disneyland.  The paper lunch sack supposedly contained charcoal briquets for the snow-critters, which is an odd and otherwise unexplained detail to include.

At one point I was very concerned about which characters would wear boots. Biologically, I don’t think I got all of that detail correct. Also, I now wonder if  Bingo and Bill would really enjoy the winter fun?