Monster Show 2

It's that time of year again for Monster Show 2 at Domy Books here in Houston. My piece this year continues my classic monsters in everyday settings with a female Creature From The Black Lagoon. The show opens Friday, October 26 at 7pm and runs until November 30. Come check it out! I'll be making an appearance in my Lobster Johnson costume of course.

"Beware my claw, for I've come to inflict justice!"

Here is my uber nerd project of all time. I decided about two months ago to put together a Lobster Johnson costume based on Mike Mignola's character from the Hellboy comics for Hallowe'en this year. Here is a photo my wife shot of me in Austin at the Monster Mash show with the Austin Sketch Squad. I've also convinced a photographer friend of mine to do some professional shots that I'll post later.

Fiction?

Monster Mash

Here is the piece I did for the Lowbrow MonsterMash: an Art Extravaganza. The show opens in Austin, Texas on Saturday, October 13th at 7pm and will hang until November 30th. Plenty of beer and a live art event! Surely to be the social event of the season! So come on down to the Lowbrow Emporium at 2708 South Lamar this weekend!

Everyone Needs a Little Cash

Drawing from last weeks Sketch Klubb. I may have to do a series of some of my favorite musicians...in my spare time.

Secret Project # 22

I have so many "Secret Projects" lately it's really hampering my blog updating. Here is something to show that I'll go into more detail later. That's about all I can say.

6th Annual Luck Of The Draw

This was my second year to contribute to Luck Of The Draw at Diverse Works Art Space. More than 200 people crammed the gallery space to vie for a chance to pick a piece of art. All the works had to be smaller than 8.5" x 11" and on paper, you would pay for a chance and be given a number (and you could buy more than one number), and when the number was called you would have 30 seconds to go get the one you want. 207 or so artists contributed at least one piece of art each for this great fundraiser!

J. M. Simpson

Fellow Sketch Klubber David Wang found that you can make yourself a Simpsons character on the movies web site. It got pretty close, but I did have to do a screen grab and tweak it a little more in Photoshop. Doh! www.simpsonsmovie.com

Na na na na na na Batgirl

Latest drawing for Austin Sketch Squad covering the topics of Bats and Heroes.

Days Long Past, No. 10

I haven't done one of these in a while, too busy with other things. It's a hot day in Houston today, maybe this will cool things down a little (at least in my mind).

Iron Man

OK, I'm making up for not drawing all this stuff when I was a kid. Sorry. I cleverly did this drawing for my Austin Sketch Squad blogs cyborg theme and to submit to Michael Cho's Iron Man fan blog at the same time. I hope it gets on!

Foxy Turkey

This is for the weekly Austin Sketch Squad challenge...Hand Turkey.

I think I may have veered away from the spirit on this one a little bit more than normal, but it was the first thing to pop into my head. And that's my modus operandi for Austin Sketch Squad.

Nerd Flea Market & Swap Meet!

Ya'll come now, ya hear!

Atlanta Magazine

Here's an illustration I just finished for Atlanta Magazine. It's for a story on the first woman sports reporters, and this piece is based on an incident with the New England Patriots in 1990. It's hard to believe that these ladies had to put up with this kind of stuff so recently.

Who Said Police Work is Exciting?

Miss Anne and I went to Austin last weekend to visit friends and hang out. On Saturday morning I met up with a few "Scanner" Alum and fellow Austin Sketch Squad members for a little drawing session. So special thanks and in no particular order to Jason, Kennon and Kevin! Here is the dragon contribution I (almost) finished Saturday. Too bad we forgot to take some photos.

No. 12 with Chicken

Latest for Austin Sketch Squad, completed during Sketch Klubb. Is that legal?

Random Heads & Stuff

These are just Sketch Klubb doodles, you can never draw too may heads-right? And no not every guy in hat is me (although at least one of these guys could be). These were drawn from live people, photos and such.

TRON

I've recently been invited to be a long distance member of Austin Sketch Squad. Made up mostly of former animators of A Scanner Darkly, they meet once a week and draw, plus a weekly topic to post some work. Since I was the newby they had me pick this past weeks theme, which is "Circuit". I thought it would be a good excuse for a TRON drawing.

A Couple of Gents on the Stoop

Here is this weeks entry into my Days Long Past sketchbook. I don't think I've ever stated before, but these are all Pitt pen in a 5 1/2" by 8 1/2" hardcover sketch book, started and completed within one Sketch Klubb meeting (which is about 1 1/2 hours). The only work I do ahead is to find a suitable photo. I then very loosely lay it out in blue pencil then go right to inking.

Days Long Past, No. 9

Here is another background. I'm sticking to the alternating with the people sketches for now. And sorry for the lapse in posts, with the Nerd Garage Sale and Thanksgiving, November was just too busy!

Oxford American Magazine

Here's something that should be hitting news stands any day now. I have a full page illustration in this months Oxford American Magazine, a literary publication that focuses on the South and Southern writers. My art accompanies Roy Blount Jr.'s monthly column (If his name sounds familiar he is a regular on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me on NPR). You can see the piece in web form and read his column here.

Five Fab Fez Fellows

I found the photo that I based this drawing on while doing fez research for Sketch Klubb online. I'm trying to talk the group into getting an official fez...we'll see.

Happy Hallowe'en!

The Monster Show, a compendium of awesome monster drawings, was at Domy Books last Saturday night and was a rousing success! The art was all well received to a packed house and fun was had by all. Here are the three pieces I contributed and a shot of them on the wall. For more press and photos go to Domy's Flickr.

The Packard Plant, Detroit Michigan

I decided that I needed to alternate the vintage snapshot interpretation with a little landscape and still life work, here's the first. I got this from a photo book on abandoned places, can't remember the name off hand.

#788: Secret Compartments Max and His Amazing Stovepipe Hat Full of Eggs and Junk

This is my submission to the 700 Hobos Project. John Hodgman wrote a book named The Areas of My Expertise which included a comprehensive list of notable historical hobo names, numbering 700. A website was created to have 700 cartoonists volunteer to draw one hobo each as a public service or for no particular reason. Russell brought this site to our attention at Sketch Klubb as a potential project, and when this hobo had Stovepipe in his name I could not resist. It might also look a little like me too. Go check them out at e-hobo.com, there are still some names left!

It's never too late to quit?

Believe it or not this is for work, but since Hallowe'en is fast approaching I thought it was appropriate. Boo.

Novella Style

The client for this job wanted a Mexican Novella style look to get a health screening message out to Hispanic males in their early 50's. It was a perfect opportunity to work in the high contrast style I've been cultivating.

Metal Sketchbook

This is my entry into the "Metal" themed Sketch Klubb pass around book. I have to admit I don't really know anything about metal, so I tied it into a couple of other entries.

Days Long Past, No. 7

I think the hardest thing about these is picking just the right photo. This one was a little harder, not as much contrast to work with. I thought the photographers shadow was kind of cool though.

Days Long Past, No. 6

From this weekends Sketch Klubb. This couple is not family and once again there is no writing on the photo back. I'm thinking of putting all these together in a little book after I have a few more I like.

Days Long Past, No. 5

Latest in this series. I'm really trying to push myself to explore positive and negative space. This photo has no caption, I probably bought it at some antique store.

On My Desk

My wife found this cool blog called "On My Desk", where artists, illustrators and creative people of all varieties show their workspaces. If you want to see my space, or any of the other dozens of examples, go check it out!

My 15 Minutes

The August issue of 002 Magazine has a short article on me and how I worked on the movie "A Scanner Darkly". If you can't pick up a copy of the issue you can check it out online at this link.

MANIFESTO!

I finished this image for DJ Jeffrey Mac last night. He and a few fellow DJ's needed an image for a new program they put together. Happy to oblige!

Days Long Past, No. 4

Here is the latest in the "interpreting an old photo" series. This is a family photo also, but no one in my family seems to know who it is. I was trying to loose more of the edges in this one.

Mods Vs. Rockers

This Thursday July 13 at Diverse Works Art Space is the 5th annual Luck Of The Draw. Over 200 pieces of art will be auctioned off as a funraiser for the gallery. Not too long ago I watched Quadrophenia and had this image in my mind, a la Timm, and this was a good way to get it out. All the art for the show has to be 8.5 x 11 or smaller. I hope it finds a good home!

Substance D Stickers

In the P. K. Dick's book A Scanner Darkly the world is being taken over by the drug Substance D, described only as a red capsule. One of the possible side effects of this drug when taken in massive doses is that the users brain is gradually split into two distinct, combative entities (which happens to Bob Arctor). During the animation production there was a contest to design the Animation Crew official t-shirt, and this sticker is based on my winning design. On my version I added the black skull, with the top being split in half (and my version was subsequently added to the animation of the capsules in the movie!) If you would like to buy one (or more) of these swell stickers for 50 cents each plus postage just email me for details. The sticker is about 2.75" x 4" on vinyl, perfect for plastering the neighborhood!

Days Long Past, No. 3

I bought the photo that this sketch is based on at an antique store in Pacifica, CA. The caption on the back reads "On the deck of the S.S. President, Oct. 1939". I love it when these old photos have captions!

A Scanner Darkly, I can't wait!

OK folks it's almost here! The movie has been getting a lot of great reviews lately, from three out of four stars in Rolling Stone to Two Thumbs Up! However well it does at the box office it's destined to be a cult hit, so if I had to work on only one movie in my life I'm fortunate that it was this one.

Also (as I have posted before), many of the animators traded sketch books during the production, and it looks like that work is going to be published! As soon as I have more details I'll let you know.

Sketch Klubb Self Portrait

Houston artist and current Diverse Works Summer Residency artist Eric Pearce asked his fellow Sketch Klubb cronies to contribute a self portrait for a silkscreening workshop. The students are printing all the portraits in a book that they will be selling at the opening. This one is based on my avatar photo, with a little "Kirby Crackle" thrown in for good measure.

Dirty Robot Disco-Inked!

I finally got around to inking the Dirty Robot Disco sketch this week for DJ Jeffrey Mac. It should be popping up on his advertising any day now, and maybe a t-shirt is in order?!?

Days Long Past, No. 2

Latest entry in my sketchbook, this image based on a Library of Congress photo from 1938.

Scanner Darkly Sketchbook

One of the top two things about working on A Scanner Darkly would have to be the sketchbook swap. Most of us bought a book, gave it a theme, and turned it loose on the other animators. Even with the movie "in the can" we are still working on them. This is one I finished today for Katherine Yingling, an illustrator from Dallas.

Portrait Illustration Maker

Make your face! It's fun and educational!

here

Days Long Past, No. I

One of my sketchbooks is devoted to interpretations of the many old photos I have collected. I have a box full of family photos that my mom was going to get rid of many years ago because they could not be identified (some of which I have since recognized as my grandmother). The rest I have been buying for years at antique stores and such. Here is a recent entry.

Full Stop

This past winter in Houston the Diverse Works Gallery displayed Tom Burckhardt's "Full Stop", an artists studio made entirely of cardboard and black paint. Only 10 ft high x 18 ft wide x 18 ft deep, the installation is filled with art historical references such as Jackson Pollock's shoes, Jasper Johns's Savarin can and Edward Hopper's potbellied stove. The idea is that despite having all the right materials: tools, art supplies, art books and postcards of past masters work at hand, the artist is having a block--staring at a blank canvass. The attention to detail and that it's made entirely of cardboard is amazing. And the fact that you could walk in it was a real plus. Here are a few photos of the work, and one with myself just for scale. The only date still listed on the tour is the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art in Ridgefield, CT from March 26 through July, 2006.