To be clear, she is blue, and she is speckled, but she does not have blue speckles. And yes, she is a she. The eyelashes give it away.
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Art: Painting Art: Watercolor Character Designs Illustrations Monsters
Ah yes, the ol’ FFF creature. I think this one was inspired by my 5:30am wake-up routine while I was employed earlier this year. I would get up at 5:30 to beat the rush hour traffic on the long commute to the animation studio I was working at all to avoid looking like yesterday’s monster on a daily basis. Guess I traded yesterday’s look for today’s with the lack of sleep I was getting. Here’s hoping my next animation gig is closer to home!
Whatever the inspiration, hopefully you look better than this in your morning mirror!
One more monster is coming your way tomorrow to finish out this week!
…otherwise known as “Monster Artist”. (Yes, I invoked the language of Latin in an effort to sound smart. Did it work?)
Welcome to the first of the new images for 2014’s MONSTER MONTH! Following the tradition of past years, our first selection of the month is a self-portrait. I don’t often take this form in my day-to-day life – unless I am driving on California freeways. Then this is the form that my Jekyl & Hyde personality takes on.
Come back again tomorrow and each weekday in October to see more illustrated creatures from my twisted mind.
Last October 31st, on a night just like tonight, all sorts of creatures that go bump in the night took their final bow for the year here on the ol’ blog. Where they practiced their mischief over the past year, no one knows, but you can be assured that they will return again tomorrow on October 1 to scare, amuse, and cause emotional unrest for another round of….
Come back each weekday in the month of October (if you dare) to see new original drawings, doodles, sketches, paintings, and illustrations of creepy crawlies and gruesome ghoulies sure to make grown men openly weep and prematurely whiten the hair of women everywhere!
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It has been awhile since I have posted anything. I have been wandering the country seeking new opportunities and connecting with old friends. Of course, I always take my sketchbook with me because you never know when inspiration will strike. It struck in the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport.
While waiting for a flight, I found a nice cozy spot near a TSA checkpoint and proceeded to break out a pen to document the wonders that lay before me. There were so many to choose from, which made it difficult to concentrate on any one subject. However arduous the task, I managed to plow through and came up with this page of life drawing doodles.
Only two people on this page were passengers walking through the airport – the rest were airport/airline employees.
Of course, now that I’ve posted these, I will likely be targeted for the full search every time I fly. Sigh.
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This coming Saturday, August 16th, I will be participating in one last epic book signing event for The Sakai Project book published by Dark Horse Comics. I and twenty of my colleagues will be meeting at Meltdown Comics on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles from 4-6pm to sign our pages in the Usagi Yojimbo tribute book all to help raise just a little more money for our pal Stan Sakai needed for his wife’s cancer bills.
In addition to the book, they will be selling beautiful 13×19″ limited edition prints of just a few of the pieces in the book such as the one by Sergio Aragonès that was announced on CAPS’ Facebook page today. CLICK HERE to visit the CAPS’ Facebook page where special revelations about the upcoming signing will be posted all week.
The following is the official press release from CAPS:
Los Angeles, CA – On Saturday, August 16, twenty-one members of the cartooning community will descend upon Meltdown Comics on Sunset Boulevard to sign copies of Dark Horse Comics’ recently released book “The Sakai Project” to help raise money for the medical bills of fellow cartoonist Stan Sakai, creator of Dark Horse’s “Usagi Yojimbo” comic book, now in its thirtieth year.
Fundraising efforts were initially spearheaded by the Comic Art Professional Society (CAPS), an organization of professional comic book artists and writers of which Stan Sakai is a member. Organized by artist Tone Rodriguez, CAPS began collecting original art last December for an online auction to lend a helping hand to Sakai, whose wife Sharon has been suffering from an inoperable brain tumor. As art poured in from the cartooning community, many pieces were custom drawings of Stan’s samurai rabbit creation Usagi Yojimbo.
Bill Morrison, a member of CAPS and an art director at Bongo Comics (publisher of “The Simpsons”), approached Sakai’s publisher, Dark Horse, about collecting these wonderful images into a book to also benefit the Sakais. Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson was enthusiastic about the idea, and offered to pay for the book’s publication so that all sales could go to the Sakais. Bill Morrison proceeded to volunteer his time to edit the book in tandem with Dark Horse editor Randy Stradley which was designed voluntarily by noted book designer Serban Cristescu. The result is a beautiful 160-paged hardcover art book featuring interpretations of Usagi Yojimbo by some of the top cartoonists in comics today.
Between the online auction and the book, the cartooning community came together in a unique way to help one of their own. Now twenty-one artists local to Los Angeles will gather one more time to help their friend with a fundraising book signing event.
Attending the signing event will be “The Sakai Project” contributors Sergio Aragonès (“Groo the Wanderer”, “MAD Magazine”), Mark Evanier (“Groo” writer), Tom Luth (“Groo” and “Usagi” colorist), William Stout (noted illustrator), Ricardo Delgado (“Age of Reptiles”), Jeff Keane (“Family Circus”), Rubèn Procopio (“Batman 66”), Bill Morrison (editor of “The Sakai Project”), Tone Rodriguez (“The Simpsons” comics), Dean Yeagle, Steven E. Gordon, Anson Jew, Benton Jew, Aidan Casserly, Chad Frye, Brad Rader, Patrick Scullin, Robert Stanley, Mark Dos Santos and Mike Kazaleh all joining with Stan Sakai (“Usagi Yojimbo”) himself.
Books will be sold for $45 each, or if fans already have the book, they will be charged a nominal $15 to have their books signed by the artists in attendance.
In addition to “The Sakai Project” book, there will be limited edition prints available exclusively at the event of four images from the book by artists attending the signing: Sergio Aragonès, Stan Sakai, William Stout, and Bill Morrison.
The event will take place on August 16 from 4-6pm at Meltdown Comics & Collectibles, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046. Thanks to Meltdown, all proceeds go to Sharon & Stan Sakai to help with their medical bills.
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Last year I was approached to create a one-of-a-kind design for the back of the letterman jacket for a member of Burbank High School’s lady bulldogs water polo team. From what I was told, she wasn’t thrilled with whatever choices the school was offering for the back of the jacket, so her father hired me to create a custom image.
I worked up my own version of a bulldog, kept it tough and formidable and yet added elements of femininity to represent the team of ladies who would deliver water polo justice to their competitors.
And yes, this was for use on just ONE jacket. She has a very nice father.
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As a contributor to The Sakai Project book, published last week by Dark Horse Comics, I will be participating in a big book signing this coming Saturday. Even Stan Sakai himself will be in attendance. If you are in the Los Angeles area, come on out and meet SEVENTEEN artists!
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