State of the Artist 7/29/2013

It's Monday, and so it's time for another State of the artist update! Today's post includes new sketches, sneak peeks at the upcoming August Monthly Postcard Project original, and a poll!



Weekly Words

It is not knowledge, but the act of learning, not possession but the act of getting there, which grants the greatest enjoyment.

-Carl Friedrich Gauss, 1777 - 1855




Current Project

I've actually got a couple of Current Projects on the table, one of which I could use some input, so I'm asking for *your* help! Below, you'll find a few individual piece polls to help me put together a new, upcoming art series. If you've ever wanted to be an integral part of my creative process, here's your chance! Look at it like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book (wow... does anyone else remember those?)

I'm putting together a new series of Art Nouveau pieces, in anticipation of attending a few new conventions before year's end, so I'm asking for help to put them together. The series will feature well-known comic book heroes (maybe villains, too, if I get the time) and I've done two versions of each of the preliminary heroes. Please, cast your vote for which version you'd prefer to see finished!

(Right now, all the candidates are members of the DC Comics catalog, but Marvel will also be included. If you've got suggestions for heroes you'd like to see, please let me know! Currently in the queue for Marvel are: Wolverine, Storm, and Gambit ... with a high probability of a Hulkling/Wiccan piece, as well.)


Batman:
Wonder Woman
Superman
Nightwing

TO VOTE, please follow the link to the LJ poll, HERE OR leave your choice in the comments.

Thanks very much for your input!



Monthly Postcard Project

Posting a sneak peek of the upcoming August Monthly Postcard Project original all set to be ordered on August 7th.



If you'd like to receive this card (and upcoming cards) in your mailbox, please check out the Monthly Postcard Project information page located:HERE!



Near Future

I've got an exciting abstract acrylic commission project currently in the works, and I'm also splitting time between the commission, the DC Superheroes Nouveau series, and the Monthly Postcard Project original. So, right now, I'm Busy, Busy, Busy!

I'll also be attending AFO in Orlando, FL August 16-18, so if you'll be at the convention, come by and say hi!


Well, I think that's all for this week's State of the Artist update here on Planet Kit.

I thank you for joining me again this week! Feedback is the food which fuels the creative discussion between Artist and Audience, please, feel free to comment or leave suggestions for new projects!


If you enjoy seeing posts of new or in-progress artwork, please consider a donation.

Become a patron of the arts!

Feel free to post links to this journal/community if you feel there might be interest in my artwork!

State of the Artist: 7/22/2013

View halloo, all!

I'm terribly sorry about not having a State of the Artist post last Monday, or last week at all. I was busy working on a project, and there were a few other Real Life things going on. But, the project is done (it will show up in an upcoming State of the Artist update) and said other Real Life things are still churning away, but that's just the way it is, right?

So, all that said, I am overdue for a new State of the Artist update, and it's Monday, so here we go!



Weekly Words

Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy.
- Joseph Campbell, 1904 - 1987

Woe be unto ye if you run afoul of your computer... for it will, in no uncertain terms, make life extremely difficult. The most important rules I've learned when dealing with computers?

Backup. Backup. Backup.

I backup files often and have multiple redundancies... particularly finished art files and WIP files. Whoooboy, that was a lesson learned the hard way many years ago. >.<;;; Current Project

As I said, the most recent finished project will show up in a future State of the Artist post, probably next week's, so right now I'll post the *very* preliminary sketches of what I'm hoping will be a series of pieces completed in time for NYCC.

* * * *

From left -> right are DC Comics's Big Three: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
(Please forgive the somewhat blurry camera phone pics)

Like I said, I'm hoping to have a series of both DC and Marvel pieces done in time for NYCC later this year (or next year's MegaCon, if I don't get a table at NYCC.) I'm not sure how many pieces this series will eventually contain, but I do know there are a handful of other DC characters I'd like to include before I'm done. (Nightwing is a guaranteed character... I can't possibly do a series of DC comic art without drawing my favorite character!)

If you all have any suggestions for other DC or Marvel characters (I already plan on Wolverine and Storm) for the series, please let me know in the comments! :)



Shop Silvertales

The Zazzle store is having a 50% of ALL device cases sale today (Monday only,) so, if you've ever wanted a sleeping baby dragon case for your Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or the Gentlecephalopod on a device case, head on over to the Zazzle store and use code: MONDAYCASE72 during the check out process!

Shop Silvertales



Near Future

As I mentioned above, I'm hoping to pass the jury selection process and secure a table at NYCC this October, but in the meantime, I'll be appearing at the following conventions:

AFO: Orlando, FL 8/16-8/18
PalmCon: West Palm Beach, FL 9/21

If you'll be attending either event, come by and say hi!

I've also got a rather large, and exciting, commission project coming up soon, another set of abstract acrylic paintings, so stay tuned for more information on those if you're interested in seeing more abstracts!


Well, I think that's all for this week's State of the Artist update here on Planet Kit.

I thank you for joining me again this week! Feedback is the food which fuels the creative discussion between Artist and Audience, please, feel free to comment or leave suggestions for new projects!


If you enjoy seeing posts of new or in-progress artwork, please consider a donation.

Become a patron of the arts!

Feel free to post links to this journal/community if you feel there might be interest in my artwork!

State of the Artist 7/9/2013

View halloo, all!

Sorry for the delay, I meant to have this out yesterday like all my State Of The Artist updates, but commission backlog from Florida SuperCon had me busy. But, just a little off-schedule, here is the latest update!



Weekly Words

First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence in practice.
- Octavia Butler, 1947 - 2006

While Octavia Butler was referring specifically to writing, this certainly applies to any creative endeavor. But, inspiration, by it's very nature, is unreliable. That's not to say it's not a vital part of the creative process, it is, but consistency is the key. Something I'm still working on.



Current Project

Florida SuperCon is over for another year, and it has been steadily growing, which is a good thing! It's nice to have a successful con in Miami for a change, as most genre cons in Florida take place in the central corridor of the state (around Orlando.) So, it's nice to have a con in my own back yard for a change. Don't get me wrong, I love the cons I attend in other parts of the state, but I get wiped out driving 4-5 hours back and forth for every one of them multiple times a year.

That said, I'm pretty sure SuperCon will be moving to a new venue in Miami next year, and if it will prevent the complete clusterf*ck that was the Artist Alley layout this year, I'll happily drive the extra 20 minutes each way and fight traffic out to the beach.

I didn't get to see much of the con (I never do, as I spend all of my time at my table) but the numbers for Saturday topped out at 25,000 attendees, a huge jump over previous years, and not in little part due to George Takei and Kevin Smith on the guest roster, I'm sure.

All that said, I took a number of commissions at the convention over the weekend, more than I usually do, so I thought I'd post them here! (In no particular order)

*

Two full body pencil sketch commissions for the same customer, both of which had really interesting involved backgrounds and stories to go along with them. I think we actually spent more time discussing the pre-WWI history and background of the character on the left than I actually spent drawing her. O.o

*

LEFT: This was a full color commission for a woman who wanted a stylized steampunk version of herself including elements from the A&E series "Vikings," which is AWESOME and AMAZING and I loved every episode and I can't wait until it comes back because ZOMG!Ragnar Lothbrook! This was a fun piece!

RIGHT: This customer wanted a full body pencil sketch of Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and thank heavens for smart phones and the ability to Google reference pictures! >.< I had a lot of fun with those hands! Usually hands at odd angles frustrate me to no end, but these actually came off without a hitch. :) *

LEFT: A full body pencil of an original demon character. I was given some great background info on this guy that really just instantly resolved into this whole arrogant and insufferably smug image in my mind. I was provided with some fabulous reference images, too!

RIGHT: A full body pencil sketch of an original novel character. This client had already commissioned a number of other artists for their interpretations of this character to see whose vision fit with what he hand in mind. I'm thrilled that he was very happy with my take on his character.

*

LEFT: A grayscale w/ accent color commission for a lovely woman with whom I had an awesome conversation that spanned Art Nouveau, comics, and OhayoCon, which she attends regularly. I was very excited to work on this piece, as it was just the most effortless piece I worked on all weekend. I'm only sorry I didn't get it done before she had to fly out, so it is in the mail and on it's way!

RIGHT: A full body ink for fellow Artist Alley table monkey, Derrick Fish, of his original character Zoe. I was given a beautiful comic of this character as reference and I can only hope I did her justice!

Whew!



Near Future

Well, now that SuperCon is over, I'm just waiting to hear about table applications from NYCC as far as big cons go, and I am SUPER excited about that one... and more than a little intimidated, to be honest. It's also the most expensive convention I'll be attending, in terms of table/travel/hotel costs.

In the meantime, I'm set for AFO in Orlando from August 16-18, which is in a new location this year.

I heard a number of good things about some pretty local, smaller cons over the weekend, so I'm looking into those either as a last minute addition to my schedule for this year, or as options for next year. I'll post more informaion about them as it becomes available!

I also have two rather large commission projects to get started on now that SuperCon is over. I'm excited to get them going!



Well, I think that's all for this week's State of the Artist update here on Planet Kit.

I thank you for joining me again this week! Feedback is the food which fuels the creative discussion between Artist and Audience, please, feel free to comment or leave suggestions for new projects!


If you enjoy seeing posts of new or in-progress artwork, please consider a donation.

Become a patron of the arts!

Feel free to post links to this journal/community if you feel there might be interest in my artwork!

State of the Artist 7/1/2013

View halloo, all!

It's hard to believe we're already in the month of July, isn't it? Where has the time gone?! But, be that as it may, it is Monday and so it is time for another State of the Artist update!


Weekly Words

Just as appetite comes by eating, so work brings inspiration, if inspiration is not discernible at the beginning.
- Igor Stravinsky, 1882 - 1971

I know one of my own pitfalls as an artist is consistency. Mostly in actually producing work. I can see the difference when I start my Sketch-A-Day projects and the rest of the year... while working on the Sketch-A-Day project, I'm always drawing, even if it's something I'm not too happy with, I'm *always* drawing. Once the project is over, I find myself taking a break and get out of the habit of daily drawing. This leads to longer stretches where I'm not drawing, which leads to even longer stretches where I'm not drawing... making it harder to get back into drawing and even harder to get back into drawing things that I'm happy with the general direction.

The art of drawing is like working a muscle. The more you do it, the more muscle memory starts to take over and things become more fluid, more effortless.

On that note, I've decided to launch the Sketch-A-Day project again in September. I do hope you'll join me for it! Please, feel free to leave suggestions for themes/characters (of mine)/genres you'd like to see! (Please do not ask for fanart, I prefer to keep the Sketch-A-Day project an original art only project.)



Current Project

Well, I'm currently preparing for Florida SuperCon this coming weekend, so I'm rather swamped with organization and packing stuff up. I've got two rather large commission projects on the horizon and having them hanging out there in the near future has rather run me head first into a block.

But, I have doodled out a few random things over the past week or so. (Please forgive the camera phone pictures.) All of these are done in a small 5.5x8.5" sketchbook.

***

LEFT: Just a random dragon head doodled in my 5.5x8.5" Toned Tan sketchbook. I'm glad I picked up one of these in the smaller size, as it's easier to cart around in my bag than my usual 9x12"

RIGHT: Quickie 20 minute tiger head sketch, using Terracotta tinted graphite and white colored pencil. I wanted to keep the focus in the center with the face and get progressively less detailed and softer as I moved out toward the edges. I think it worked...

***

***

LEFT: Yet another random doodle of... I have no idea. She just sort of evolved on the page. >.< RIGHT: I call this one Random Doodle No. 4. -.-;;; another "evolved on the page" type drawing. I picture him on fire at the feet, tail, and head. Probably MUCH darker in skin tone than I've done here, but I put him on a Toned Gray paper just to play around with it.




Monthly Postcard Project

The May monthly postcard original is ready to post!


Original is 5x8 done in ink, markers, white pencil, and white ink. I love drawing skulls.

The original is available for sale for $25USD + $6/$10 shipping domestic/international.

The Monthly Postcard Project is designed to send subscribers exclusive, original art postcards in their mailbox every month. If you'd like to sign up for the project, or know more, please check out the info page HERE!



Near Future

Florida SuperCon is here in Miami this coming weekend, and I'll be having a table in the Artist Alley all four days (Thursday-Sunday,) so if you're attending the con come stop by, say hi, pick up a few prints, or commission something original!

Once the con is done, I've got to get in gear on standing commission orders! I'm definitely excited about both projects, but I'm always apprehensive before I tackle commission projects, as I never really know what I'm doing until I start doing it. >.< Well, I think that's all for this week's State of the Artist update here on Planet Kit. I thank you for joining me again this week! Feedback is the food which fuels the creative discussion between Artist and Audience, please, feel free to comment or leave suggestions for new projects!

If you enjoy seeing posts of new or in-progress artwork, please consider a donation.

Become a patron of the arts!

Feel free to post links to this journal/community if you feel there might be interest in my artwork!