DOUBLEBORN

Here's the cover for DOUBLEBORN, the third book in the DRAGONBORN quartet published by Bloomsbury. I wound up going with the head-on shot as I thought I might after the opposing profiles on DRAGONBORN and FIREBORN. The upcoming fourth book will probably be a group shot of some kind. The digital color is a bit much for my taste (which is especially irritating since I colored it) but I overcooked the first book in the series a few years ago so I'm stuck with the style until the end.

I have some process pics of this one which I will share in a future post. The pencils were kind of nice before I went hog wild with the Photoshop.

More soon!

Wonder Woman- DC Comics' Convergence Event

It was announced today that I am drawing (and inking and coloring) two issues of Wonder Woman for DC. The issues will be on the shelves in April and May, and I will talk a bit more about it a little further down the road. For now, here is the image DC released for the promo.

As it has been misreported elsewhere on the internet (shocking!), I should point out that this is not a cover. It is in fact a single panel from a 5-panel page that appears in the first issue, and will probably be about three or four inches tall when it sees print, which is how it is meant to be seen.

I'm generally not a fan of taking panels out of context, especially when they are blown up larger than I actually drew them, but I suppose it might be better than spoiling a whole page, so there you have it.

And yes, I know that she is not wearing her tiara. To unravel that troubling mystery, one must buy the book.

The Flash 75th anniversary variant cover

The Jerry Robinson original

This was a fun one. To mark the 75th anniversary of The Flash character, DC Comics has him running through the covers of a bunch of other books. I was asked to look through all of the classic Detective Comics covers to find a good one for The Flash to run through, and we wound up with issue #67. As soon as I saw that ostrich, I knew we had a winner. Man, comics used to be some crazy fun.

So here is the original Jerry Robinson cover and my follow-up. I wanted to keep some of the classic feel of the old cover, so I played it pretty straight- pencils, inks, and relatively simple color utilizing the same palette as the original.

More soon!

Catwoman #35 Halloween variant cover

 

This is a variant cover for Catwoman issue 35, on shelves in October. It was fun sticking to just orange and black (and grey). My editor suggested the little devil on her shoulder. He's pretty tiny on the cover, but he was my favorite part to draw.

Pencils, inks, and Photoshop for color.

Wonder Woman - Batman 75th cover

Here's a Wonder Woman cover I completed recently as part of DC Comics' Batman 75th anniversary variants. After about a dozen misfires, I finally landed on a sketch I liked. I hadn't planned on going for an art deco feel initially, but as I worked out the thumbnail everything kept lining up in such a way that the style just sort of materialized on its own.

It was nice to break away from my usual approach to drawing and to think more about shapes than linework. In fact, I dropped out almost all of the line drawing, which I rarely do. I also tried to learn how to use the pen tool in Photoshop, which was somehow both liberating and infuriating.

More soon.

I'm alive...ALIVE!

Yes, I am still here, if anybody is still out there. Life has been quite an adventure lately, so the blog has been taking a good long nap (like Ivy in this marker piece from last year's SDCC). I'll try to wake it up soon!

UPDATE: I should add that the original Ivy piece resides with the mighty Kelvin Mao. You can see a larger scan and find more of his fine collection here.

She's alive...ALIVE!

15"x24" acrylic gouache and pencil on 300lb watercolor paper, private commission

Fireborn

Here is the cover to FIREBORN, the sequel to DRAGONBORN. I finished this one almost exactly one year ago, and the book still won't be on the shelves until December! Book publishers sure do plan ahead.

While I provided several different sketches, the art director liked the idea of basically mirroring the Dragonborn cover thematically and compositionally. There are four books in the series, so I was a little concerned about how I would handle the next two should I be asked to do them- I can't keep flopping the characters back and forth- but this is what we went with, so I'll have to figure it out eventually. Maybe the next one will be a straight-on shot of the main character, and the last could be a group shot. I don't know, but I would like the covers to work together somehow.

You'd think with all of that lead time we'd have a plan...

My original color sketch for this one was a bit moodier with darker shadows and the like, but the publisher wanted to keep it a bit brighter and more colorful, and asked me to avoid too much black. When I look at this now, it's a bit too "Photoshoppy" for me, but I feel that way about most of my digital colors. I still haven't found the "less is more" filter.

San Diego Comic Con 2013

It's just a month until SDCC 2013 (July 18-21, preview night July 17), and once again, I will be in Artist Alley at table DD-16. If you're going to attend the big show, please come by and say hello. It's going to be a blast as always!

Marker-made Mary Marvel

I need to wake up this sleepy blog, so here's another one of the 9"x12" marker commissions I take on occasionally. This one is from a while back, but I don't think I posted it here. At least, I hope not. Pretty sad to have a blog in reruns.
I just finished a fairly large painting which I will be posting next, along with some process stuff, so please stay tuned.

I'm also finalizing my plans for San Diego Comic Con, July 17-21, which is creeping up fast. I'll post the info soon.

I hope everyone is doing well out there.

Psi-Judge Anderson commission

Here is a commission I painted a couple of months ago of Psi-Judge Anderson (with Judge Death in the background) from the 2000 AD Judge Dredd comics. The original measures about 12"x18" and is painted in gouache. 

Post-Wondercon post

 

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my table at the big show. I had a wonderful time talking art with so many enthusiastic fans of comics and all things fantastic. An extra thanks to those of you who purchased prints, books, or original art. Your support means the world to me.

Speaking of original art, above is a sampling of the commissions I delivered at the convention. All of them were drawn on 10"x14" watercolor paper in pigmented ink.

Wondercon 2013 pre-show commission requests

Well, it's that time again, folks...Wondercon 2013 in Anaheim, CA, March 29-31! I will be setting up shop in Artist Alley at table AA-117. With the show only a couple weeks away, I am busy making the usual preparations- sorting through my original art, putting the portfolios together, making new prints, and so forth- but I still have a little time for some pre-show commissions for anybody planning to attend and pick up their art in-person.

Here is this year's deal:

1. If you would like a commission, simply hit that 'Contact' tab up top and send me your request. Be sure to include 'Wondercon 2013 Commission Request' in the subject line. Feel free to request anything you want, but please limit your request to a single character. I am open to any and all requests, so be creative. It definitely doesn't have to be a well-known superhero, but of course that's fine if it is. A request for a "cool elf warrior" or "beautiful girl with red hair" or "Morticia from the Addams Family" is fine, too. (Yeah, I know you're gonna ask for Jean Grey). Oh, and feel free to give me a few options to choose from.

2. I'm going to look through the requests as they come in and pick the ones I feel I can do the best job on. I will then contact you to confirm that I have accepted your commission. If you do not receive a confirmation email from me within 24 hours of when I received your request, that unfortunately means I will not be taking on your commission. I will post a note on the blog when the window for requests closes.

3. The commissions will be very similar to the ones I did last year, like this Poison Ivy or Delirium. They will measure at least 9"x12" and will be done with all archival materials as usual. I may decide to mix it up and use toned paper or something if the subject seems to warrant it.

4. All commissions cost $500, payable when you pick up your art at the show (if you would rather pay up front, please let me know when you make your request and we will sort it out). I realize these commissions are not inexpensive, but since I am drawing them in my home studio, I assure you I will be doing my best to deliver more bang-for-the-buck. That said, please feel free to tell other show attendees that I completed your commission in a mere 20 minutes at my table while talking and drinking a Coke.

5. The usual legal disclaimer: I retain all reproduction rights for the commissioned artwork. The sale price grants the right of ownership of the original art only.

As always, I very much appreciate any interest in my work, and I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to take on private commissions like these. Thanks.

I think that about does it. Let's see some requests!

And just to get some art in this post, here's a sketch of a girl with red hair.

Sketch of a Ziegfeld girl with flowers