Last weekend I was able to finish a painting that I’d wanted to do for some time. Not a digital image, but an acrylic painting. Here’s what it looked like in the gallery on Friday night: If anyone read the previous blog entry (not betting on it) about the original Read more…
Being a graphic designer as well as an artist can lead to some fun projects. When I’m working with authors, I tend to try to help them with what they need to push the books I’m doing the covers or other artwork for. After all, if they do well then Read more…
I’ve been working on three covers for Maelstrom/Thunderstorm Books for the last few weeks, the third of which I’m working on right after I get done typing this. The two that are complete have now shown up, titles and all, on author Brian Keene’s site here. Two of the covers, Read more…
Here’s another one of the 5″ x 7″, ink on cold press sketchcards that I’ve been doing.
I’ve been a busy little bee somehow, and here’s another of the scratchcards.
This is the first one of the sketchcards that I’ve tried to color, and I used a technique I haven’t tried before.
While I was at the booth at the Gallery Underground (Ft. Collins, CO) this evening, I created another sketchcard. After a failed attempt at an Iron Giant sketch (let us never speak of it again), I created this one below. I call it “Rough Times”. Like the other two, it’s Read more…
Here’s the second of the sketchcards that I’ll have at the gallery, starting tomorrow night. They are fun, and they are also helping me get back into the swing of things with inkwork. This one is of a mask/sculpture of Pacal, the Mayan ruler of Palenque. I think inks are Read more…
I’ve seen several artists online talk about doing original sketchcards, either at local galleries or at conventions. It’s something I’ve been considering for awhile as well, and with the new gallery I thought I’d give it a try. Here’s the first one, an ink sketch based on a gargoyle I Read more…
I think it’s good for all artists to look back at where they’ve been, to see how they’ve improved.
I decided, since I had a few old frames left over from another project, that the best thing to do would be to destroy the ever-loving hell out of one of them.
I like seeing how art evolves, from the beginning of the thumbnail sketches all the way through the final product. I think you can literally see an artist’s though processes as they work through issues, try new things, and complete what their vision is. In my case, it might be Read more…
I never just charge into a piece for the sake of doing art, I always let it mull around in my head some first. Sometimes I have a pretty good idea and I just need to smooth things out. Other times, there’s a lot of thought in what the scene Read more…
In the case of grayscale art, often I’ll look at it and see if I can enhance it with color.
I’ve been very anxious to show everyone this, and now, upon the release of the novella, I can do just that. Below I’ve attached a number of pieces of art that I did for author Brian Keene’s book Scratch, just released from Cemetery Dance Publications.
Scratch, if you don’t follow Keene’s work (and his followers are Legion), is the story of a giant snake. One that gives our characters quite a bad time.
I have to say, working on such an in-depth and extensive project was a daunting idea at first. But working with an author like Brian, who is so open to ideas and so helpful with the ones I came up with, was just fantastic. All the fine folks at Cemetery Dance are very supportive and wonderful to work with as well, and overall this was a great experience.
Now, the art itself is spread quite thoroughly throughout the book, and while the esteemed Mr. Keene doesn’t think that the art alone gives away the story, it’s certainly a possibility.
So, fair warning. The art is chock full of spoilers.
One more time, for those Keene fans (and others) who haven’t read it:
If you’d just like to see what the art looks like, please enjoy the full gallery below. Every image in Scratch is there, please let me know what you think.
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If, however, you’d like a bit more “meat” with it, follow along below this (and to the next page) for comments on how I created the art, thoughts on it, and so forth. REALLY spoiled then, and I mean it.
After this, there’s no going back, because the rest below contains
Without further ado, follow along to the next page for my insights.