Q1. Is this blog dead again?

A1: Nope.

Q2: Did the Hernandez Bros' work at Cartoon Art Museum make you want to draw comics again?

A2: Of course.  It was a good visit with a friend I hadn't seen in years, but I'd like to spend more time looking at those pages again.

I will say that we are lucky that printing quality is at a point where we can get amazing books like David Mazzucchelli's Daredevil Born Again Artist's Edition from IDW.  Editions like that one give us a chance to get a detailed look at the original art from some wonderful artists.  The reprint of Wally Wood's EC work also comes to mind.

Q3: What work will you share here before the year's over?

A3: You'll have to wait and see, but, in the meantime, I say we watch the latest Walking Dead episode accompanied by a nice Belgian ale or maybe some pudding.

End.

Still Going

Today at breakfast, I saw this guy with his gorgeous girlfriend, both on their cell phones and barely saying anything to each other.  What happened to interesting conversation in the 21st Century?  So I could stop making these silly spot illustrations, but I keep seeing examples of people who can't separate themselves from their technology.  The Borg & Terminators are going to win.

Spot Illustration Redux

Click for a closer look.

You'll see why I had to redraw this one in Photoshop.   Must draw...faster...

Late Warm-Up

Was working on stuff today but just did this silly sketch to get ready for more work tonight.  I need to simplify that dog's face...yikes.  I also need to go out for a jog.  Till next post.

Manga Studio EX4 Test

I redrew one of the spot illustrations in MS EX4.  It was a bitmap image and printed fine, but I'm wondering how it'll look on here. 

 

I guess converting it to grayscale & saving it as a jpg is okay for screen display purposes.  I need to work on some drawings due Wed but wanted to see how this worked first.  Hope you all had a good weekend.

Hit Pause

Breaking Bad Season 4.  Saul's bodyguard and secretary.

Sci-Fi Nonsense

I keep saying it, but sci-fi is great because you can draw things that don't make sense and just say that cultures from far away regions of the universe don't make sense.  This one is only strange for that furry thing on his shoulders.  It could be alive or not. 

 

Four posts in three days!  I still have to do everything faster, but at least some work is getting done around here.  Must sketch for the remainder of the studio time because I haven't done so at all today, and then I have to get to designs for the lookbook project.

Even Extraterrestrials Need Directions

This off-world visitor must have forgotten all of the high-tech gadgets on his/her spaceship.  Luckily, the gentleman with a mustache has navigation on his phone!

I need a beer.

Clicking may signal alien invasion fleet.

You've Seen This on the Street

Clicking may cause enlargement of image.

A few things are not to my liking in this illustration, but I'm moving on to another one tomorrow when I wake up & get to the studio.  I can re-edit stuff once 10 of these plus other portfolio pieces are past the sketch & initial drawing phases.

You've seen the above often enough.  Some folks cannot pick a restaurant let alone a meal without consulting their smart phones.  It's nice that people on social media are being helpful, telling you what their favorite dishes are, but just pick your own lunch special without the phone.  It's not a life or death situation, right?  I'm sure some of you have a vegan joke to throw in at this point.

In a related note: Trader Joe's Cinnamon Apple Snack Sticks are addicting because they're not overly sweet.  I didn't have to do some online research before trying them by the way. 

It's 2:30am PST.  Don't take any of this too seriously.  Jeez.

He's Going to Post It to Instagram

Spot illustration sample with things I don't draw enough...zombies & machetes.  I should have nine more spot illustration samples along with some sequential work, character design, and environment design.  A lot of work to do, but I need to keep producing before I contact some people for some freelance work.  Kanpai!

Click to enlarge if you'd like.

In Between Bot

While figuring out lookbook images and how to redraw those 10 portfolio pieces, this robot head materialized in the sketchbook.

"01101000 01110010 01110010 01101101."

Update: 18:55:  Now, less robot and more masked wrestler or crime fighter.  Wonder what to color this guy.  

 

Morning Sketch

Wish the cats were in this one.

Deadline Right Around the Corner

Need to finalize the style/look of this upcoming illustration project. Just three more hours till our DTLA building closes, and I'm running on a macaron & brownie.

Oh...and I was browsing the audience & pageviews for this blog, and China is beating the USA 82 to 60. Hello, China!

That was one of my few attempts to reach out to anyone reading this blog.  A couple of friends & family members have left some nice comments on my "business" Facebook page which I 'd never thought I'd get around to updating, but it's there if you socialize over internet networks.  Cheers!

First iPad Sketches

Lost my first stylus and just got another one, so hopefully, I can use the sketch app more often especially now that the case from Treegloo is finally shipping.  Their customer service needs work, and I say that as someone who rarely gripes and moans on the internet (disregard all the tweets about being hungry or wanting beer).

Why did I think of these two today?

Happy Hour Sketch

These are exponentially more fun when the pretty girl asks you to draw her...even if she's not sitting still at all.  You admitted you weren't, Jenn.

at Spring St. Bar.

Happy Fri the 13th

I haven't forgotten about this blog!  Sketches...  Working on some spot illustration samples, but won't post the set until they're all done & on the site's portfolio section.

Warm-ups to Start of July

Nothing to say except that June left us too quickly this year.  Our family vacation was fun, and I can't believe it's over already.  Afternoon coffee or tea is in order, but not before I drop off a package at the UPS drop box.

 

Post #100!

Back to some sketching at happy hour today!  Why was everyone facing my right?

Was drawing bartender, then made hime generic-bearded-man.

June First!

I wasn't lying about editing a bunch of photos from a photo shoot.  Good news is that I've learned more about Alpha Channels in Photoshop, but these selections are time consuming.

Below is a peak at what I'm working on now.  What's not pictured is the strawberry shortcake donut I had for National Donut Day.

This kid was a natural!

Friday Warm-Up

Working on a more finished version of that MCA drawing because I said I would, but for now, there's this.  I need to go to Raw Materials & pick up a new sketchbook.

Skull Turtle

Under the sea...

Larger version on the Facebook page.

Photo ref hunt leads to new drawing.

Cleaned Up Drawing

Another off-Earth environment.  I like to imagine these as a cross between fortresses/castles and tree houses.  I could see them as levels to explore in video games, similar in height as 20-story office buildings.

I like beer.

Drawn last week at late happy hour at The Falls which is just one block over from the studio. There was live jazz, but I had to leave early.

Optimism

Other things my time-traveling son from the future might say:

"Mom's starting to hate you."

"Soy milk is surprisingly cheap."

"All farmers markets have petting zoos, and the 'pets' are from outer space!"

Click to Enlarge.

"At least you still jog often and haven't gotten obese."

"The comics industry still needs more new readers because kids still spend more time watching YouTube and eating spoonfuls of cinnamon."

"Mila Kunis is still quite attractive."

"People do reblog one of your drawings on Tumblr only because it has Spider-man in it."

I need some dinner...

Draw Everything

I need to build up my visual vocabulary to tell stories.  A turntable will pop up in my comics eventually.  Now, for more Beastie Boys on YouTube.

Finally Getting to Some Robots

Shit. That first one is looking like a well-known sci-fi character, in my eyes anyway. Will redo the color scheme when I redraw it.

Hope your cerveza is ready para Cinco de Mayo. ¡Salud!

Quick Inks

I'd like to try some squid ink pasta...just saying...

Happy Hour Sketches

A.k.a. Post #90.

Happy hour still filled up even with the Tuesday farmers market around the corner.

Two people not sitting together on the patio

Three ladies that walked by the restaurant

Contours & Finally Some Color Again

I like how lines can end up becoming a character.  No thought.   Just the result of putting a drawing instrument onto the pressed wood pulp contained in a sketchbook.

 

Looking at this character after this first stage is done, I think of how the designs of Domo & Gossamer made their way into the lines subconsciously.  The mouth hints at Zoidberg without it actually being made of tentacles.  I also see that his left arm is smaller than his right one, but that was...intentional!  Yeah.  I want to point out those similarities because I see them even if others don't.  So, thanks to all those who designed the aforementioned characters; they are great ones!  This one doesn't have a name as of this post, but soon enough he will.

Environment 2

Moving along... Here's a second drawing for an environment set.  There was a version with figures in the foreground, but it looked more like an afterthought for the composition.  I prefer this one.  Next, will be a couple of character designs, a few short comics, and color environments.

A few more things on this last day of April!

Click to enlarge...

First Job in L.A.

I didn't know much about Adobe Illustrator until last week.  Learning about the software was something on my to-do list, but a friend needed logo for her new kids clothing line.  Here is the result of a week of wanting to punch my computer in its face.

Re-working Sketches

Have to build this portfolio as quickly as I can.  I like fantasy and off-Earth environments because one can just draw & really experiment with lines and forms.

There's something living in that tree, I just know it.

Cloudy Monday

Zero sunshine today in Los Angeles. We got a good deal on a water dispenser here at the studio. Trying not to go to happy hour.  Below is some catching up on sketchbook posts.  Please drink a beer for me.

Fixie in Oakland.

Sketches for friend's logo.

Pinball Creature f.t.B.L. & friend.

Maybe Too Late for Coffee

I shouldn't drink coffee past 3pm, but sometimes one gives in to cravings.  It doesn't help that a decent coffee shop is just on the next block from the studio.  This guy, like the others seated against the back wall, was on his laptop while I eavesdropped on the two filmmakers to my left.

First Post From New Studio

Here's a sketch of the laptop on my temporary work table in the new Downtown L.A. studio.

Laptop on sewing table works well enough.

I may just have to purchase a used drafting table on Craigslist, since mine didn't fit in the car for the drive from the S.F. Bay Area.