Sorry about not having a State of the Artist update last week on the 19th, but I spent most of my Monday driving back from Tampa in some pretty epic rain. What should have been a 4-hour drive was, in actuality, a 7-hour drive due to the horrendous weather. Oi!
But, it's a new Monday, and so it's time for a State of the Artist update!
Weekly Words
I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.
- Golda Meir, 1898 - 1978
Current Project
Well, not so much current, as a week overdue, but... last weekend I attended AFO in Orlando, FL where I had an Artist Alley table. I always enjoy that convention. It's a smaller convention where I usually end up being commissioned by repeat customers and get to see some great, fun artists I only see at AFO.
That said, this year's convention was extremely slow and disappointing. The convention changed venues this year due to the previous venue being under renovation and reconstruction. Perfectly understandable, and while the new location was a nice hotel (Renaissance Sea World) it had a few distinct downsides... mostly being the $20 parking fee for non-hotel guests. NOT, as generally understood, $20-a-day, either, but $20 Every Single Time you came and went. Ouch. Most attendees at AFO are locals, and the exorbitant parking fee kept many away.
So, it was a slow convention, but I did end up taking a few commissions (unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the two pencil sketch commissions I took!)
* 
*RIGHT: A full-color commission of a human paladin in full armor from World of Warcraft
While both of these were fun, World of Warcraft armor is FUSSY! Wow... also, difficult to work from 2x3" 72dpi printed reference photos, but I'm glad I had them, as this would have been impossible to do without references!
For giggles, I ended up drawing this cartoony octopus Sharpie tattoo on artist friend Dana Corrigan's friend Daniel on Saturday. On Sunday, I put him back (after he'd rubbed off) complete with top hat, monocle, and handlebar mustache.
I think the highlight of the weekend, however, goes to having dark chocolate fondue and alcoholic coffee with MCA Hogarth on Sunday night in Tampa after the convention was over. Her coffee, a Nutty Irishman, was the winner.)
Shop Silvertales
Zazzle is having a site-wide sale on back-to-school merchandise!
60% off notebooks & notepads, 50% off mugs, magnets, and mousepads, 40% off cases, sleeves, and skins, 30% off clothing and bags!
Use code BACK2URSTYLE at checkout (through August 28th 11:59pm Pacific) to take advantage of the sales across the entirety of the Zazzle website.
Today is also the last day to take advantage of the 20% off ALL ORDERS site-wide by using 20ZAZZLEDEAL at checkout. (Zazzle offers cannot be combined, so choose wisely!)
Shop Silvertales
Near Future
I'm currently at work on the series of Art Nouveau-inspired DC comic heroes I posted the poll for a few weeks ago, and I'll start posting WIP pics if anyone is interested. Please let me know in the comments if you'd like to see those!
(I'm also taking suggestions for more to add to the series [I've got Batman, Superman, Nightwing, and Wonder Woman so far from DC, and I'm planning to add Gambit, Wolverine, and Storm from Marvel... please don't suggest Rogue. I don't like Rogue, I haven't liked her since before the trial in Antarctica if you follow comics, and I've never liked movie!Rogue])
I'm hoping to start posting WIP pics of a series of painted book covers done for MCA Hogarth's epic Jokka trilogy. Those would be the series of abstract acrylics I mentioned on and off over the last few weeks. I've had a number of people express interest in the process of my abstract acrylics (all TWO of my previous paintings! :D,) so, if you're interested, they'll start showing up once I've spoken to the author about releasing the cover images.
I've got PalmCon coming up on September 21st. It's a one-day convention West Palm Beach, FL, so if you'll be in town, stop by and say hi!
After that comes Necronomicon in Tampa, FL (October 18-20) where I'll be sharing a table with MCA Hogarth for the weekend!
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!
Feel free to post links to this journal/community if you feel there might be interest in my artwork!
