I started out to make a new sketchcard (same size and specs as the others, 5″x7″ inked), with the idea of doing one of Lon Chaney Sr.’s famous monsters. I chose his Phantom of the Opera, basing it off of a couple of photos. As I worked though, for some Read more…
I was hoping to do quite a few more small inked cards (I’ve been calling them “sketchcards”), but I haven’t had as much time as I’d hoped. But, tonight, I managed to get one finished. I call it Phibes, and it’s based on the character from the “Dr. Phibes” movies. Read more…
Here is the new painting, an 18″ x 24″ acrylic painting. I named it “The Apotheosis of War”.
Now that I have the camera back (it took the family on a vacation this week), I can post a few shots of my work in progress. It doesn’t have an official name yet, but “futility” might have something to do with it. Here it is on my desk, and Read more…
This cover is a bit unlike Kelli’s, and many that I’ve done, in that the story was already available to the public.
I’ve been lucky over the past few weeks to get to work with the fantastic Thunderstorm Books. I’ve been working on three books for their Maelstrom imprint, beginning with tonight’s showcase, the cover for author Kelli Owen’s Six Days. For me, this first book is special because it’s Kelli’s first Read more…
Last weekend I was able to finish a painting that I’d wanted to do for some time. Not a digital image, but an acrylic painting. Here’s what it looked like in the gallery on Friday night: If anyone read the previous blog entry (not betting on it) about the original Read more…
Being a graphic designer as well as an artist can lead to some fun projects. When I’m working with authors, I tend to try to help them with what they need to push the books I’m doing the covers or other artwork for. After all, if they do well then Read more…
I’ve been working on three covers for Maelstrom/Thunderstorm Books for the last few weeks, the third of which I’m working on right after I get done typing this. The two that are complete have now shown up, titles and all, on author Brian Keene’s site here. Two of the covers, Read more…
Here’s another one of the 5″ x 7″, ink on cold press sketchcards that I’ve been doing.
I’ve been a busy little bee somehow, and here’s another of the scratchcards.
This is the first one of the sketchcards that I’ve tried to color, and I used a technique I haven’t tried before.
While I was at the booth at the Gallery Underground (Ft. Collins, CO) this evening, I created another sketchcard. After a failed attempt at an Iron Giant sketch (let us never speak of it again), I created this one below. I call it “Rough Times”. Like the other two, it’s Read more…
Here’s the second of the sketchcards that I’ll have at the gallery, starting tomorrow night. They are fun, and they are also helping me get back into the swing of things with inkwork. This one is of a mask/sculpture of Pacal, the Mayan ruler of Palenque. I think inks are Read more…
I’ve seen several artists online talk about doing original sketchcards, either at local galleries or at conventions. It’s something I’ve been considering for awhile as well, and with the new gallery I thought I’d give it a try. Here’s the first one, an ink sketch based on a gargoyle I Read more…
I think it’s good for all artists to look back at where they’ve been, to see how they’ve improved.
I decided, since I had a few old frames left over from another project, that the best thing to do would be to destroy the ever-loving hell out of one of them.
I like seeing how art evolves, from the beginning of the thumbnail sketches all the way through the final product. I think you can literally see an artist’s though processes as they work through issues, try new things, and complete what their vision is. In my case, it might be Read more…
I never just charge into a piece for the sake of doing art, I always let it mull around in my head some first. Sometimes I have a pretty good idea and I just need to smooth things out. Other times, there’s a lot of thought in what the scene Read more…
In the case of grayscale art, often I’ll look at it and see if I can enhance it with color.