MODOK Sketch for MMM

May ink this before sending it to March M.O.D.O.K. Madness, but it's really up to M.O.D.O.K., of course.

Thanks to Dr. Seuss and apologies.

Quick Morning Comic

Yes...I need to have someone redo this template's html to allow for bigger posts and just a general overhaul to the whole blog, but content is priority right now.  I could to adjust it in Blogger, but then all previous posts look like crap.  Please, let me know if these posts strain your eyes!

Middle-Aged Skater

Saw this woman skating in Berkeley a couple of weeks ago.  The combination of the outfit and the fact that she was probably in her late 40s/early 50s made me do a double-take.  Plain cool.

This was one of those random notes you find a piece of paper, and you remember you wanted to sketch it.

zoooOOOM

Very Messy Composition

At least this is getting back to some kind complete picture making and not just my usual sketchbook stuff. 

Click for larger version.

And here it is with some shapes blocked in digitally by my pet monkey, Manila, who's also a great art intern.  He gets paid in banana bread and not just fresh bananas.  It's just to an quick indication to indicate different areas and figures with a second giant thrown into the foreground. 

Okay. Back to the drawing table to make sense of this one and other sketches that have shown up here.

Thursday Warm-Ups

A couple of things from the sketchbook.  Draw, draw... I need some exercise...

Just butter knives. She has to butter her toast.

Looking at that Kickstarter widget again, and I wanted to send another Thank You to those of you who supported CJ's first novel.  Celebrate with beer!

Brisket Adventures

Comic thumbnailed yesterday.  There's a second page, but it needs to be cleaned up a bit.

How many of you have stood by a pot of boiling meat, skimming off the foam?  It's making you hungry just thinking about, right?

 I just have to keep going with these to get better.  Woof.

Late Start Today

I drew this yesterday and then painted over the scan in Photoshop today. I'd better tell my brother that the second one is unintentionally starting to look like a character he designed long ago.  We never did work on a comic book together...

Misc. pencils & red acrylic ink.

I didn't see any figures in this until today.  I thought it was going to be another landscape to be honest.  Maybe something that can end up in a sci-fi comic!

Saturday Sketchbook 1

graphite & gouache

What was some kind of whirlpool or vortex in the second one became, what looks to me, some kind of dragon eye, but we'll see what happens with the next sketches.

I can't believe Jean Giraud--Moebius--has passed away.  Ralph McQuarrie recently, now another great one.  Rest in Peace, gentlemen.  Your works live on and inspire.

Food Truck to Figure Drawing

I went to figure drawing again at Firehouse North in Berkeley after an oyster + bacon sandwich and some wine.  Here's the first two-minute drawing while I scan in the other ones.  I've been saying that I'll invest in a larger scanner, but that hasn't happened yet.

*Update: 12:26: More scans of shorter poses.

Monday Monster!

© chris mendoza

Longer Pose

Here's one that I left at a larger size, so please click away if you feel the need.  Cleaned it up a bit in PS, since there were distracting smudges all around the figure.

Please click for more detail.

Also, please take a look at this Kickstarter page for a novel whose cover I illustrated (some of you may not like that usage of whose, but too bad).  CJ still needs about $1,000 more to get this first printing into people's hands, so if you're interested read more about it at the above and maybe pass it on some friends and family.  Many thanks!

Leap Day Figure Drawing

Made use of the extra day in February yesterday and did the following:

• went here for the first time and had good Vietnamese soup
• drank a pint of Dimmer Switch (milk stout) at Triple Rock Brewery
• drew at a three-hour figure drawing session

Below are a few of the drawings that were easier to scan in.

Thanks to Firehouse North in Berkeley, CA for letting me join your evening, and thanks to April for modeling.  I'll try to make it as often as I can.