I'm Moving!

 Blogger, in all of its wisdom, decided to delete my entire image library of 5+ years when I tried to link it to my gmail to it. Thus leaving my blog with nothing but my ramblings about images that you can no longer see. I was not pleased when this happened, seeing as some of those images had been up here for years and I no longer had them preserved anywhere else any more. At any rate I have decided to take the show on the road, the first and last stop?

My New Art Blog!

Oh and also....

My Portfolio! 

I don't expect to update the portfolio as frequently but you are free to take a look

Geroge and the Dragon

Today I finished the painting over the first of the sketches from last week. George and the Dragon. This one is basically done then. I might get some feed back and make changes accordingly, find the places that need some polishing and ... well polish them. Its not quite the master piece I had in my head, but they rarely are. So you please feel free to comment with thoughts on the piece :)

Project Fables

A few weeks ago I made a little black and white illustration inspired by the book Till We Have Faces. At the time I was just doing this project as a sort of warm up. But it inspired me to do more other illustrations based on stories I like. I had originally planned on just doing books for this, then i decided to add fairytales.  But then that didn't seem like enough so I added poems, myths and folklore. Eventually I ended up with the beginnings of what I am calling "Project Fables". Is a working title. The by the end I expect the project to have over 100 full color painted illustrations from different stories, myths and poems. Below are rough outline sketches for the first 4 fables I intend to include.

I know all of the following images are rough at this point, as a mentioned before I intend to use these sketches as an outline to paint over later.

Annabel Lee

Something to get everyone in the Valentine's Day spirit. Based on the Poe's poem of a kingdom by the sea, and two children who loved with a love that was more then love. Is difficult to tell in this rough image, but the background is meant to be a rough sea bashing against to coast. Annabel's ghost is seen in the moonlight looking to her former love, who makes his bed within her sepulcher. Normally I would have the angel on the tomb in a more mournful posture, but in the poem the speaker blames the angels for killing his love, so I set the statue in a more triumphant stance.

 Pandora Box

The original "Dark Chest of Wonders". Based on the Greeks take on paradise lost and the problem of evil. I had a lot of fun planning this one. Every one of the evils jumping forth from the box is a creature from myths and folklore from all over the world. Everything from Celtic folklore of Banshees and the Nuckelavee to a Native American Wendigo to Hamlin plague rats. And of course my personal favorite Krampus. Pandora's face is one of mixed fear, wonder and gilt. In her hands her grasps Hope, the only good to be contained among evils.

 The Count of Monte Cristo

For those with a thirst for vengeance burning in their heart. Based on one of my favorite books of all time, we see Edmond Dantes here at his absolute low, locked deep in the dungeons of the Chateau D'if. I am mostly pleased with the overall composition of this image and the used of lights and darks, although I might add a little more in the floor, straw a bucket some rats that sort of thing. Something to emphasize his suffering while also filling up the blank edges o the image.

 St. George and the Dragon

The Red Cross Knight himself. This image doesn't have the same level of shadows on it as the others but that mostly because I don't expect light and darkness to play the same role in this as the others. As it is a think the image tells the story pretty well as it is. I wanted to make it original from the translational Christian paintings as well, while still maintaining the meaning. As such I decided to set the scene right before to actual battle begins, rather then at the end with the dragon already vanquished as most other images depict. As such, George is approaching sword and shield at the ready, and the maiden Alexandra chained to a tree (in a Christ like pose) ready to be sacrificed to the beast.

Looks like its Ladies Night!

Finally buckled down and finished the Scarlyn and Faeyd bar painting I have been working on for the past week or two. Doesn't look too different from the last one. More shading and detailing on the dudes in the foreground, tweaked contrast and darkness, better bottles plus smoke and blood splatter pretty much sums it up. It'll probably stay like it is now, but who knows I may change it up a bit once a get some constructive criticism from my other artist friends.

Till We Have Faces

 A few weeks ago I finished the book "Till We Have Faces". It was the first time I had returned to C.S. Lewis since I finished "The Space Trilogy" about 2 years ago. Anyway, I decided to do a few warm up sketches today, the first was going to be of the two main characters of Till We Have Faces, Psyche & Orual. Needless to say it was one of those days where a simple sketch kinda got away from me and turned into something pretty sweet after an hour or two. I originally planned on just having it be as shown below, however, I decided to make another version as well featuring the title. Something that could almost work as a cover of sorts. (See far below)

 

A Return to Form

Some might remember a while back I was working on a painting of Scarlyn in a shot up bar. I was also trying to achieve photo realism. The result was that I worked for a day or so and lost interest for almost a year. However within the last week I decided to reboot the project. Below you may recognize the first attempt from a while back.

Here however you may note the rebooted version (not quite complete). I returned a bit to my more classic style, but still tried to mix in a bit more realism then I usually use. I changed up the posses a bit to make it seem more playful, and added Faeyd next to Scarlyn. as I mentioned this post is more of an update and the piece is as yet incomplete. I hope to have it finished within the next few days.

Happy N7!

Here just in time for my favorite holiday (Nov 7th aka N7 Day aka Mass Effect Day) is the picture of Samara I started on months ago and only today remembered I needed to finish. So here she is meditating on the observation deck, staring off across the great endless void. I hope to work on more painting in the next few weeks to really build up my portfolio. Not sure what the content will be but certainly something, so for now just enjoy this beautiful Asari!

Update

Did a little more work since this afternoon, sketching up another character, "The Ace of Blades" as well as some adjustment to the Windrider to make her look more "Tawnee". As usual the answer was sunglasses on the head and splash of color.

Very Powerful

So I do a little work redesign the look of "The Windrider" today to move away from the super hero look I had going the other day. I'm probably gonna continue to work on it, come up with some different concepts for the design.

 

"Tawnee Windrider... Very Powerful"

What I've been up to

Here's some of what I have been working on lately. Ever since I bought a femshep statuet for my desktop the inspiration has been flowing like a waterfall!

Below is what I was working on today. Not much to look at yet, just a bit of a sketch/doodle. Eventually I intend to work it into an epic team shot. I will be posting updated progress posts as it continues to take form. For the moment I have Peck in the bottom left rocking the "Greatest of her Father's sons" look. Its all good. And on the right, a work in progress on "Tawnee Windrider" sporting which so far is something akin to a superhero sort of look. I will continue to concept on it.

Other stuff I have been messing around with has been this dragon. I had a nice clean streak going; 10 years of no dragon art hehe. But KG has been drawing dragons and I suppose I (for lack of subject) gave into the desires of 13 year old Nate and made a dragon. I was going for a golden bronze sort of look. I suppose I was thinking of Relicon and his trusty Bronze drake from my day in the War on Azzeroth... But I am retired now. From the war and dragon art... hopefully.

 

This last one was something I felt particularly proud of. It started as just a bit of a warm up drawing using brown values, but I got into it and ended up working it for a hour or two. The end result was nothing less than the Queen of Blades in all her awesome glory. Chris Metzen would be proud... I hope. At any rate I enjoyed using the brown instead of gray tones for a change (it totally wasn't on accident...really) and I think I may attempt to use them more often in future.

 

"I'm still the Queen Bitch of the Universe"

Redhead....Still Very Powerful

 This is a repost of what had previously been here, yet I, being the blurry eyed fumbler that I am sometimes deleted it by mistake. Not that it particularly matters but I will repost anyway. I can't remember what the text all said probably just prattle about how I wasn't satisfied with contrast levels, you know the usual dribble. I do however, remember the pics I had posted so i will at least toss those back up.

 The latest version of the Scarlyn pic I started 2 months ago and still haven't got around to finishing.... at this rate it will be ready by next Valentines day? Note a redhead....Very Powerful.

 A pic I did for my friend Lindsay, of "Dedra" an original collaborative character concept between her and Nate Hastings. Also a redhead...Also very powerful!

And I suppose because I found this guy on my destop you get a rough sketch of a Indoril Ordinator.... I've been playing Morrowind. Call it my second childhood...

Scarlyn Painting Update

I did a little more work today on Scarlyn, splashing some more color around and doing some detailing on her armor. The bar is coming together nicely, although before I am done I have a feeling I might to reposition her seat on the bar down just a hint. Still not sure what I am gonna make her captured target look like, and for now I am not terribly worried about it. I am slightly concerned I made her head too large as well, but I saved it on a layer of its own, thank God and will be able to adjust the size later if needed I suppose. I might also add some blood spatter in the background, if for now other reason then to cover that mirror a little bit. I am not sure whos reflection is gonna be in it yet, I will probably use it show terrified bar patrons, we'll see.....

Maybe the blood can make a heart shape! :D

-Nate out

Valentines Day Hunting

Scarlyn has returned! And this time (with my help) she has captured his greatest target yet... photorealism! Or at least the two of us have come close enough for me. This work is by no mean finished I am just calling it for tonight, tomorrow I will probably finish the color work and shading on her and her armor and then after that perhaps work on the background. The final vision is of a bar all shot up, broken bottles on all the shelves and her holding onto her captured target. Should be sweet.

So remember this Valentines day, Scarlyn doesn't ask for a Valentine to takes one by force. And in the immortal words of Mira on the art of bounty hunting...

"Call it what you will, I love my targets"

-Nate out

I'm back! I'm back and I want YOOOOUUU!!!

Alright then! Its been a while since my last post it seems. But needless to say I have been busy, leveling my digital painting skills or at least trying to as best I can. Below are some examples of my toil!

Exhibit A. "FemShep" This was one of my first attempts in working with a painting approach rather then starting with sketched line art. I decided to keep it simple black and white until and use and unoriginal character design until I had a better mastery of the technique. Overall though I think she turned out well. 

Next I attempted to try color. It proved a little less successful as shown by the two incomplete works below. The first was a simple nude I started but abandoned do to frustration from not being able to create the desired skin tones. The second is an original character design I came up with. Her name is Sahari and she was more of an experiment in character design writing then art. My goal was to create a middle eastern heroine, who used an original magic style. I will most likely finish this one on a later date adding more background and detail to the glass spikes around her.

Feeling a little daunted by the color again I returned to black and white for the next one. This black and white portrait, is of another original character I have created. I will leave some mystery to him for now, until I come back to this face and perhaps make a body for it. His name though is Alexander Sidon.

 Finally after working for a week or on the other pieces seen I felt confident enough to try color again. I decided though to attempt an original work, although with an unoriginal character, so as to be able to focus most of my attention to the color and not as much on the raw imagination of making a new character from scratch. The subject a chose was Raziel from the epic Legacy of Kain game series. Six and half hours later yielded this little gem. I might go back eventually and work on the background. for now I just shoe horned in some grey values and called it good. But I must say I am very pleased with the end result :)

 

ITS HERE! ITS HERE!.... What do we do?!

YEAH! That's right, the first printed copy of the "Necrocomicon" has arrived. Feast your eyes of some of these glamor shots below. FEAST!

Look at that glossy cover. Classy!


The printed version contains 52 pages and something like 60 strips. The result is a healthy little book with a certain THICKNESS to it. That some would find rather appealing.


Check out these interior Shots:

here we got 2, 4 panel, comics. Each one taking up one page so they are nice and big!


This one shows one of the pages containing several smaller strips. Look at 'em all packed in there! Epic!



So yeah I know you guys are like "Omg I want one of those!". And you will be able to get one shortly. This first printed version met my approval and I am just waiting for a response from Indyplanet letting me know they are ready to sell these beasts. I will update when the message arrives, so be sure to keep on eye on the ol' Facebook.

Cover and Logo

Below are two works I did today. The first is a concept for what my logo will look like for my comics. RTB or Random Thought Book comics. This is designed to be something I could put on the book and other products I eventually make.

Below is the cover concept I came up with for the Necrocomicon. One will notice where i inserted the new logo on the left.

Cover and RTB Goes to Hell Update!

Here is some progress I have been making on the ending of the Necrocomicon as well as a very rough concept for what the cover might end up looking a bit like.

Kinda a Lovecraft tentacle elder evil look I guess...
God don't let this be my artistic Legacy


"The RTB Goes to Hell"

This is a series that took its first roots with some roughs I did in high school but the story never got this level of polish till now. It is a several parter which follows our beloved heroes on their craziest adventure yet. Into Hell! But enough spoilers...

"Yep I just got there..."
Readers may remember a while back I made a comic where Trevor's new dog "Mary Jane" helps itself to his cigs.


"Are you kidding me?! Look at him!"
In my world the devil looks like Charlie Sheen


"The Hell for Artists"
Not sure if not artists will get any of this one but I am also not sure if I care.


"Righteous Axe"
I think this would be Hell for everyone in the room


"Are you ready for your punishment?"
The lovely Jenny returns!


To Be Continued...

SOON!!!

Time Line and Project Proposal

Working Title: THE NECROCOMICON!

My plan for this coming term is to continue the comic production although at a slower production rate then before. I now have enough comics to theoretically put the book together. The timeline and week to week goal of this term will certainly be more varied then before but I shoot to still have at least 1 new strip per week as I attempt to tie up some of the story lines I have begun so far.

The Process will be about the same as it was been. I will begin as before with a rough sketch or at least some loose concept that I have jotted down on paper. After which I will scan the sketches and proceed to ink the outlines, add color, definition and text bubble in Photoshop.
Note the Transformation in the examples provided below.



The book I am thinking would not be a "Comic Book" in the classic sense of a dark story driven narrative, but rather a humorous collection of my work. An anthology of the strips I have done over the past several years. This is common among newspaper strips and even web comics to release something like this every several years.

Timeline wise I would like complete at least 1 comic strip a week depending on the length and number of panels, as well another goal relating to the construction of the actually book.

Week 1- Initial Planning, Project Proposal and Inventory of Accumulated comics thus far

Week 2- 1 New strip (Concepts to be decided), Touch up work on older comics

Week 3 -1 New strip (Concepts to be decided), Perhaps continue touch up work, Begin organizing strips into an Indesign layout

Week 4- 1 New strip (Concepts to be decided), write artist comment on old strips

Week 5- New comic if manageable but it will be midterms. write more comments if necessary, begin to organize bonus material for back of book (Character and style evolution)

Week 6- 1 New strip (Concepts to be decided) Make Cover

Week 7- 1 New strips (Concepts to be decided) Put all together and send off (if the time allows)

Week 8- 2 New strips (Concepts to be decided)

Week 9 -2 New strips (Concepts to be decided)

Week 10- Present Finished Book

This timeline is meant to be a jumping point but in all honest I am going to uncharted waters with most of the actual "book organizing stuff" and some of it might take more or less time then I expect. I also need to find out exactly how long it will take to get the book sent, printed and back and if necessary adjust my timeline accordingly.

That Got a little Dark...

"Its Hot in this House...."
Based on a True story of when I lived with Hastings. Apparently temperature in very important to beer brewing, and some people take their beer seriously enough to literally loose sleep over this kinda stuff.



"Like Gorillas"
I am not entirely sure how or why I got the idea to write this one. I think Brent may have been involved in the general idea somehow. The concepts seem to have his dirty little Aladdin looking finger prints all of it. Although I think my favorite thing is the way Kyle's neck is turned int he last panel. Atomically correct? No. Should I go in and fix it? Probably. Is it too funny as it is. Yes.


"Establish your Dominance!"
The idea for this one came to me as a variant of the previous comic. I remember I had been bouncing ideas off of Trevor over facebook trying to get some dialog for the other one right and somehow at some point this one sort of grew from a pile of discarded ideas that had gained some level of sentience.


"Our Brenty is on a Date"
This is a cleaned up version of one from 3 or 4 years ago not quite in old enough to be form the golden RTB era but probably my freshman year of college. I always enjoyed this one, as did most of the people who I have had read it. The writing for the dialog was given to me by Trevor while he was visiting me in the dorms. It introduces the character of "Jen" the female variant of Brent who was going to naturally perfect for him though he would be do dense to realize it.


Below is a "Recapping Heep" of the other comics I was able to forge during this term.