The First Family Of Comics

I've done another hero initiative cover. I'm not sure when the auction will be but I'll be sure to let people know via twitter and Facebook once I find out. It is a great cause (one I might be in need of someday) and I love the opportunity to try for the most fun and dynamic image I can make as a physical art object:

I used gouache, ultradraw ink and prismacolor colored pencil for this image. I like the way Galactus turned out and, as Jeff Parker pointed out, it looks like Johnny Storm has decided that he has better things to do.

Here is a picture of me painting it before I cleaned up my area of the studio, hence the rumpled paper bag behind me.

This is the sketch I did. It may have been posted a while back but there are things I like about it more than the finished piece (in some ways) so I'm going to hold onto it for a while until someone wants to offer me mad cash!

Sketchbook Adventures

Here are a few items from my sketch books. Keeping it short and sweet with lots of pictures. Lindsey says people like pictures.



I played a rare solo show and opened for these fine fellows. Then I did a drawing of them.



The one on the left was done while we waited for pancakes to come to our table. The painted study on the left was done with gouache but I did it over acrylic gesso so it's a bit streaky. I just got some 'watercolor ground' to try out. We shall see eh?



More Lindsey. I started by sketching with the gray brush and added the ink after. It was fun. This preceded pancakes as well. I eat pancakes every weekend if I can. It is my favorite treat.



These are my amazing friends Matt and Cathy Hastie. They just got back from Peru where they were living for 7 months. Matt was helping local people to improve their water quality. Cathy was working with kids at a Peruvian school. You can see their fantastic adventures on their website. I did these drawings while they were giving a forum on their experience at the Mc Menamin's Kennedy school in the public room.



I found this sketch I had done for a fella at a comic book signing event. No sketch post is complete without a little Star Wars.
And there you go...

World War Doodle.

Happy post independence day post! I like to celebrate the formation of my nation (and its' subsequently brilliant secular constitution) as much as the next guy but I don't do it with fireworks. I like to show my pride by doing what the sacrifice and efforts of many unsung American heroes allow me to do as a job each day: draw a picture!

I gave the dinosaurs American gear but you shouldn't read too much into it! The Mammals aren't any specific opposing power either.
I hope you all enjoy this poster. I encourage you all to find a way to show your gratitude toward all the public servants that make our country what it is. By that I mean teachers, public employees of all stripes, troops, emergency service personnel and every American who makes a point to embrace the pluralism that makes me proud to live here. Thanks to all of you!

I am depicted here in Oklahoma at the wall of Patriotism they have in 'hobby lobby.' It was not yet June; I was amazed.

Dewey's Tuesday Grab-Bag!

I have a few 'targeted' blog posts coming up but for now I have some drawings and points of interest that I'd like to share before I forget! The first of these somewhat unconnected offerings is a little painting I did of my cat in anticipation of a project that I'm developing with writer Paul Tobin. More on that front as it becomes appropriate to divulge details.

I'm really enjoying the qualities of Gouache. I might even make a painted comic, of modest length, as an upcoming project.
I played a show with my friend Josh Malm at the Aladdin Theatre on the 11th of this month and I was able to do a little drawing of one of the opening bands. All I had was a sharpie and a 0.05 micron. It's like having a broadsword or a scalpel when you want to spread jam on your toast.

These guys knew how to work a crowd but they were a little crass backstage; I suppose that is rock n' roll for the most part.
Here is another drawing of Lindsey that I did while we were eating at a restaurant. We went to Genie's to try their breakfast fare. I liked Lindsey's French toast but I was not a fan of my own pancakes. I think it was probably a fluke because the rest of breakfast was great. I think Lindsey is very pretty and I like to draw her.

My current sketch book has really thin paper so I didn't add a wash behind her; I still like this image as it is with the tints of white pen on the off white paper.
I've got plenty of drawings in process and lots of projects in the cue. Come back and visit. Feel free to tell me what you think and what sorts of things you might like to see on the blog. I'm open to including suggestions and stealing your ideas! Happy Tuesday. Thanks all!

Banner Fun.

I'm progressing along making my blog better and trying to get other aspects of my life in order. My first order of business was to make some appealing headers/banners. Lindsey suggested that I do a different one for every month like another blogger she reads. I started with a space theme featuring Lindsey herself but I decided that I need to repaint it because of proportion issues.

Here are the banners in various states of finish. The top is the redrawing of my 'Lindsey in space' banner. The bottom is the current banner before I added ink and highlights
This is the June banner in it's un-cropped, finished state.
I've got more ideas to come. You may have seen one in a previous post that involves woodland creatures. I several planned: undersea, old West, dinosaurs, rock n' roll, scientists, friend portraits, cats and more! Keep checking back to see what is happening.