Let's make some magic!

So I decided to make my uncle who was very generous and allowed me to buy a new laptop a thank-you card- using the Tablet PC. Well- half and half. The line work was done traditionally because I wanted to ink by hand, but I colored in Photoshop using the Tablet...and it took me half the time I normally spend on things. Yay.



Tommorow must go to Kinkos and get it printed?

Winter Wonderland

So I'm home for the holidays, and have been distracted/bored/I have no clue. Trying to get that comic work done and hopefully it will be done and update my website and do some work I was unable to do during the semester that involves my um....life/future.

Anyways, also, thanks to my MacBookPro's keyboard breaking, I was kinda put out for a little while of a computer. Luckily thanks to the generosity of my family I was able to get a new laptop. A Tablet PC with Wacom technology, to boot! (Yay for open box specials on websites nobody remembers...and yay for price comparision websites)

When I got it I decided to test it. I took a sketch I made in one of my Moleskines and inked it using my new lappie's built in tablet in Corel Painter 11 (another new toy for me- only 18 bucks thanks to educational discounts) and colored in good ole' Photoshop.

Call it my sort of "Happy Holidays" or "Christmas" image for the year. I think it's cute. Matt and one of his sons, Charlie....who is adorable and young. Yuppp.



I love my new computer, to say it short. It's going to increase my productivity like SO much because drawing directly on screen is a little bit easier than the hand/eye coordination thing with my other tablet. (Although I'm not planning on selling anything quite yet....I like my Intuos still too).

Oh, and I like this image so much I turned in into my computer's wallpaper.



That is all. For now.

Figure Painting

Finally, some good old fashioned paintings from life. All were done in gouache...which I have really come to love over this semester as a useful medium....

Schoolwork Dump Part 1

Beginning to archive my work from this semester for the purposes of updating my portfolio site over winter break....some of the pieces (Some more need to be scanned but I don't have them right now....)






Also, a random doodad from my "Writing the Graphic Narrative" class. We collaborated with young students at a school to make "Dome Comics"....they did some, and we were supposed to do one design. These were projected on a dome projector (kinda like the Omni Theater at the Boston Museum of Science, if you've ever been?) at a planetarium in Bradenton. Unfortunately I was unable to attend that showing because I had no ride to the place. I would have really liked to have seen what it looked like on the actual large screen....=/

RF Doodles

Done during a long arse final crit yesterday....




And some random finds while browsing on my school account's space....

cheap paper is amusing

So I've been meaning to post crap up from my illustration class from this semester...but um....with the semester coming to a close I've also felt like retooling some of the pieces as well, so I think it'll wait until after the semester ends and I'm back home for me to post stuff?

But, here. I recently bought some really cheap brown sketch paper and have been doodling on it for kicks. Here's a couple of em.

What?

I've been working in labs at school late hours of the night wayyyyy too often lately. Damn schoolwork. >_<

Sometimes I take breaks and make doodles.

And sometimes those doodles become a little....bit more than doodles. Although nothing full blown.



And that's also how I've been feeling lately...what, is something wrong? Why should I care? Blarghhhhh....*eyebrow raise*

Back to work though. Later.

WIP WIP WIP

TECHNICALLY homework for Writing the Graphic Narrative class....but....I'm using that class to develop my webcomic so when the holidays roll around I can finally start cranking out pages.

Trying to nail down definite character sketches for chapter 1. Here's the rough sketch for everybody's favorite hero boy, circa age 7.




Dawwww, doesn't he look cute. Although the OTHER brother....he's 5...and so.....



My brain is exploding with cute now. And I haven't even colored these kiddies yet. Dear god, sometimes I am my worst enemy.

(and yes, that's a stuffed monkey Matt has. He's a special kid who deserves something other than a teddy bear kthxbai.)

More sketches+progress on this later. I'm effin busy right now with primarily Illustration work.....ughhhhhhh....so alot of fun stuff has been shoved farther on the back burner until my winter break....doh.

Make Mine Mirage!

Okay, so, I have been doing drawings, just.....NOT of things that I really feel like posting up here. =/ All school work which eh, I'll probably get around to making live when I finally get around to updating my portfolio site again. Which needs to be soon as my mother has some of my newly printed business cards to pass around to interested parties....ut ohs I'm public now!

But, I would like to spend a moment back in memory land.

Recently I heard news about now the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were sold off to Nickelodeon by Mirage Studios. It was a bit of a shock for me.

I know, I know, a lot of you are like "pfft, they're just green talking turtles. They were always dorky! Why should you care?"

Well, why do I care?

For one thing, I grew up fairly close to where Mirage Studios was located out of in the 90's, in Amherst MA. Mirage was based outta Haydenville/Easthampton/Northampton in the 90's, and today is based out of Northampton. Most of us kids into comic books in the Pioneer Valley were at least aware of this studio, but well, I thought it was the best thing in the world. A group of people, right near me, making COMIC BOOKS? And they DIDN'T work for some New York company like DC/Marvel/insert mainstream blah blah blah here?? Awesome! When I got to skim through their issues (Vol 1 TMNT), I was always impressed by the free-spirited nature of the issues, showing a wide variety of stories, styles, and ideas from many independent comic book artists.

(Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird of course, but also Michael Dooney, Jim Lawson, Eric Talbot, Rich Veitch, AC Farley, Dave Sim, Mark Bode, the list goes on....)

With this sale, marks an uncertain future for Mirage Studios. Their primary IP for the past oh, decade at least, was TMNT. They tried publishing other comics during the early 90's (Gizmo, Fugitoid,etc), but really, they were known for Turtles. I'm really curious what is going to happen to Mirage once their current Turtles line stops printing around May 2010. I really hope at least the core group of artists still at Mirage stick together for new ideas, or to at least perhaps, use that vast 20+ years of knowledge to influence and/or guide all those who wish to learn about the comics business.

(I for one, would LOVE to meet, or at least talk to any of these artists in the future...I think Kevin or Peter especially, but also I love Michael Dooney and Jim Lawson's work too...)

One more thing before I shut up again (lol). I should also note that a big influence on me related to these fellows/the Turtles was one December, 1997. I won a raffle at the Words and Pictures Museum (A comic book museum owned by Kevin Eastman in Northampton- no longer in existance, unfortunately.) when I had last visited....when the freakin' BATMOBILE from Batman Forever showed up in my small ass town, lol.

This was Vol 1, #2 of the Mirage TMNT, all the way from the 1980's. Kevin and Peter even signed it in the inside cover. I shall show you its awesome.



(I'm way too lazy to blur out the name/phone....none of it is valid for me anymore anyways, I don't live in MA anymore! :< )





(Kevin drew a little cute Turtle head with his signature! I always loved that! XD)



As for the comic itself....it introduced me to Vol 1 of Mirage. I have a few issues here and there, but unfortunately older Mirage comics are REALLY FREAKING HARD to find nowadays thanks to them being, you know, 15-25 yearsish old! I really hope Viacom contracts a company in the future to give Vol 1 the publication it deserves....but I guess considering its hard to get-ness, I will say that there are torrents of the comics floating about that are easier to get than any of the hard copies. Not like Mirage is getting any more money from the Turtles anyways....I'm a fan of fair use of comics so long as you know, they've been out of print for a considerable amount of time...

Story time?

Not exactly an art post, but I'm cross referencing a post from a blog I'm using for my "Writing the Graphic Narrative" class I'm taking right now at school. Some people who I hope are interested in this probably don't check that other blog. So.

I've been using that class to um, develop Rebel Forces some more to some sort of definitive state. Because my free time is limited and um, it's a comic,why not use a comics writing class to some ACTUAL USE? lol.

For one of our assignments we had to write a "character relationship" story of some sort. I decided to let Zero and Rogue have a shot at it, seeing as their link hasn't been as developed as the (mangled) link between Matt and Keegan.

Download the PDF HERE kthxbai.

That was amusing, although considering how long it's been just me and this other guy I worked on RF with....I wonder what's going to happen when I bring like....4 other people into the table and what suggestions they'll make. Hopefully not TOO many.....my image of these guys are pretty firm in MY head at least.

The start of something....ZANY and BIG.

I think I may have just done something that may or may not screw with my schoolwork a bit, but I think I've finally gotten someplace with my art skills where I'm comfortable giving it a shot again . 

So, I finally bought a web domain for my that , ya know, WEB COMIC idea I've had for like....years?? I spent money on a web domain and hosting plan, so let's HOPE this will kick my ass into effin gear so I'll actually work on it. 

I think it will, I think I'm finally serious about it, help or no help, no more waiting, and even if nobody reads it it'll still be something for me. Hmph. 

Anyways, the site isn't exactly ready yet (nor do I have many pages done)- I have to find a comic page system thing first and design the site. It might take awhile. But. For hopefully future reference you'll find it (eventually) at: 

http://www.rebelforcescomic.com

There's a teaser 4 panel comic to keep you company for the moment being.

(and in other news....Rogue needs to do her schoolwork, that image took WAY too much time! Crap!)

Meme time again??

One of my friends tagged me on DeviantArt to do a Meme, a "Man-Self Meme"....what I would in theory be like if I was a guy? (So those who saw this already on dA, can ignore this post...I know there a few people who only check here instead of there because I kinda quasi-abandoned it...)

http://roguea007.deviantart.com/art/Man-Self-Meme-138830964

@_@. Class time soon. Have to finish work. Later. 

Wolf Fang Fist Times Two!!!

A "What-If" fanart that I did on a muse for a Dragon Ball forum.....

The what if question was: What if humans had a transformation just as awesome as the Sayians?

I drew a big blank except for one muse I always had ever since I watched the original Dragon Ball when I was in High School.....Why didn't Yamucha's Wolf Fang Fist attack look somethin' like this?



(Word bubble says the title of this post...."Wolf Fang Fist Times Two!")

Oh. THAT'S WHY. Wolfmen and anime is...no...just...no. XD Kay. I'm gonna go back to my homework now that I've gotten absurdness outta my system. lol.

Effin Screw You!

Another sketch outta my sketchbook on a day when I was feeling pretty craptacular and wanted to yell to the world, "SCREW YOU" and "SCREW EVERYBODY".

I was just gonna scan the sketchbook piece. But then I wanted to doodle in Photoshop some. So I "inked" it up, and then decided to color it as well..



Sometimes things outta my sketchbook can translate into full-blown illustrations pretty well.

I wanna draw more demonic things now. I dunno what type of demon that is....it's like a bull...bear...dog...goat...thing. LOL. I normally draw primarily human things...but drawing monster things is...kinda fun! XD

(Homework? What homework? Oh, yeah, well, I was PRACTICING digital coloring, that's kinda work-related, right? >_> RIGHT??? <_<)

BLURGH.

So when I get busy with schoolwork, I REALLY get busy with schoolwork. Current work bogging me down is not finished, so until it's done you can't see it.

However, I did draw something in my sketchbook that kinda amuses me.



I don't get to draw my characters in slice-of-life situations enough. This guy is the head of a PMC who hunts demons. Of COURSE he's gonna have moments when he's sitting down next to dead demonic beasts, chatting on the comm about why his NCO buddy isn't there with him- oh- right- a deadly hangover after a bar hop or two or ten. =)

(granted, I don't draw demonic hellbeasts enough...Perhaps MAYBE I will add color in which case I'll probably try and pump up the demon awesomness then....)

Doodles have been spewing outta my head too, but those will come later, maybe....and maybe the doodles will persuade me to do other things of a more awesome nature as well? Who knows. Time will tell.

Till later.

NEW Layout? WUT?

Okay, so I got bored of my other layout...now, I'm not an expert at Blogger layouts, but this is what I made.

It vaguely looks like....Planet Namek? Wut. Well, I like to think that, cuz I like Dragon Ball. If you don't, stuff it, deal with it. lol. Just don't think it's Planet Namek. LOL.

Anyways. Updates will continue...eventually...I"ve been lazy in taking pictures/scanning crap I'm working on right now, it happens when I'm knee deep in school work...lol. Later.

4KOMA 4KOMA 4KOMA

4Komas are hilarious. I mean....most of you have NO clue who this is....but in the case of 4Komas (4 panel comics ala manga)....IT DOESN'T MATTER. IT MAKES SENSE ANYWAYS. XD




That's who he is in a nutshell. He blows things up with fire...that's really what most people need to know LOL.

There's your mini comic...thing... bro. I can't say you owe me more RP...but....obviously you help with these. LOL. >_>

Last Figure Dump

Oh, and while I'm at it, two more drawings from the last session of that figure drawing class I had. Yay. Something that doesn't require me to be creative....*sigh* ......and actually know what the hell I'm thinking about drawing from my imagination. Life drawing doesn't need too too much imagination, I mean, you are trying to draw what you see in front of you (although I still can't help but stylize, and the teacher who was teaching this didn't help much...)

MEMES MEMES MEMES 1

You know, I had SAID that I was gonna stop on this project of mine...but goddamnit....I just can't, apparently.

My friend Ironmary on DevArt made a MEME that basically you take one of your OCs and age him/her.

Well....



Why the hell did I just do this? I dunno. *sigh* Like I said, it's sometimes a little hard to let go of projects that you seriously want to work on, yet at the same time I think I'm spinning my wheels. Urgh.

Dunno. I imagine eventually it'll either go along someplace again, whether it's by my will or otherwise, or...it'll eventually fall back outta favor as other ideas are forced into my head thanks to school/crap like that.=T May as well play around with it some more for now I guess.

Oh, and let me spin through the ages here of Mr. Barton the younger, and possible reasoning why he would be like what he would be like at such age....

Young Child (like...4-6) : OMG, I think this is the happiest I've ever drawn Matt, that's for sure. Like...innocent care free happy, not psychotic happy! LOL! His childhood till age 5 was perfectly normal so what would he have to worry bout?

(well...cept for the blood transfusion of demon blood he was given to cure a disease he had...BUT....he doesn't know about that at this age, why would he care bout that anyways?)

Child (like....7-9 ish?): He lost his parents and his older brother (parents killed, older brother left him for dead accidentally)....and got put into a snake pit of an orphanage, where he got bullied like hell by just about everybody. His hair would probably be longer if some psycho and old biddy nuns didn't strap him to a barber chair and hack it until it looked managable, but apparently too big clothes for him isn't a problem? Wut?

Young teen (13- 15 ish?): When he isn't required to keep it short, Matt really never gave a fuck about his hair, lol. That and oh, in this age group he was a runaway living on the street until he got arrested and put into a UK correctional faculity...then later the streets of the UK/where the hell he could find shelter. Gangly would probably be a good way to describe him here....gangly and still a shy dork because beyond surviving he isn't exactly the popular kid still.

Late Teen (16-17): Got his ass deported back to the US somehow, but his lifestyle didn't change that much until he found his brother again and was taken in by a couple of soldiers because they were interested in the "powers" both of them had as a result of the demon blood transfusion. (more so his brother than Matt at this time). Still doesn't give a shit about his hair and he's still a gangly fellow from not eating properly. So he doesn't look as old as he could- in fact- a lot of people mistook him for being younger than what he really was. Like his brother made this comment when they first met after the long years they were seperated:

"Whatever. You know, you act real big for a kid your age....what are you...like ten?"

(To which Matt got mad....he dislikes when people call him anything along the lines of "kid", "runt", "little", and so forth.)

Young Adult (18-mid 20s?): After he got taken in by the soldiers and put through a few random adventures, he was trained in well um, fighting and soldering crap by one of the soldiers, a Japanese fellow named Ryusho, or "Rogue". He got a haircut finally, thanks to military regulations. Also most of the time, three squares a day, and with that a shit ton of PT and other similar soldier learnings. So he's at least...ya know, "average" looking here.

Oh, wait. Except for the scars on his face and neck (also lots of other places not seen here), which occured at 18 after a mission that ended with his own brother.... beating his ass, slashing him, flaming pain, shrapnel, oh, and most importantly, slammed his head one too many times into walls and with a nasty punch that gave Matt a Traumatic Brain Injury. Ouch.

Adult (20's-late 30's?): Not too much change here. Still a soldier,and a damn skilled one at that because he enjoys the job and thusly becomes a Special Operations soldier. All that training obviously reflects on his body. Gets that spot of facial hair because he's just that damn awesome, apparently. Also starts a family but...pfft...it ain't that important. As a SOF operative he gets pulled away from his family ALOT. (thats the only part of the job he dislikes but he knows his family deals with it...his children either vaguely mind him, or outright dislike him, and his gal is independent enough to if he's gone, it's not a huge deal.)

Just...watch what you say with him though. He has a bit of a temper and it has been said when he loses control bad things happen....

Middle Age (late 30's-???) : This is probably where the most changes happen...well..he still looks like he could be 20 something, that's because of the demon blood. Think like Wolverine, he ages realllly slowly.

But....he kinda lost for one reason or another, his family that he actually cared about during this time period, his gal (wife in all but actual marriage) and his three kids. (Minus his older brother, but...he didn't care bout his brother too much, kay? Never did.) . And that loss, pretty much broke what little sanity he had left after 20+ years of bullshit and war. Along with the brain injury. And the demon blood.

It...essentially turns him into one screwed up mother effer who enjoys the dark side more than he should. Like, he's not completely psychotic, but he is rather impatient, and a dumb brute who just so happens has the abilities to knock you into next week AND then shock or use some demonic whatever the eff to kill you. Or cut you open and filet you in two with a beam saber. Or if he really has to you know, he'll use a gun. Or slam a hand right through your gut and tear out some vital organs. You get the idea.

Elder: Oh gawd, this was a HARD one to think of and probably the first time I ever drew Matt THIS old. Because the problem with Matt, is that he ages REALLY slowly, if at all, really, because of his demon blood. I don't really want to think how long it'd take him to look like this.

But, there ya go. Think like, ya know, Heihachi Mishima....he can probably still kick your ass 10 different ways even if he's old, and he has more than enough experience to almost always have the upper hand on you....despite he's old. LOL.


This would have been useful had I actually been going anywhere faster. But alas...nope. The first 7 cards were easy, and then I got stuck on card 8 for like a week. Not. Efficient. At all. UGH.

Sculpting!?

Okay, this one requires a post of all its own.

In our class for the past two days, we've been doing....figure sculpting? WUT???

It's something new for me! Brand new! Never done it before (well, aside from animation models, but that's different!). It was...intense. Here are the weird+beginnerish results. LOL. And big huge boxes of clay that we got to use because I feel like posting how exactly epic it was. Or something like that.

Figure Class Dump

Okay, well, my figure drawing class is just about over, and I just realized I failed to post like.....most of the drawings Ive done in that class. Oops. Sorry. It's been a class FILLED with drawings so I felt a little overwhelmed. LOL.

Anyways. Dumpage time. Not gonna comment on them, that would take FOREVER. Just enjoy them for what they are, K?