Hello Internet world. I had a pretty good run with this bloggy thing but I'm afraid the days of blogs are pretty much done. Traffic was slowly dwindling even when I was regularly posting. So in an effort to simplify my life I've decided to move what the function of this blog was over to my Facebook page. I have turned it into the official Stovepipe blog so please go there to find out what I'm up to. I'll leave this blog on as a record and signpost only.

See you on Facebook! (I can't believe I actually said that.)

https://www.facebook.com/j.michael.stovall

Crunchy Roll

Here is the latest in my "Monsters Doing Normal Things" series. It also marks my first departure from drawing only Universal Studios monsters. I do still have a few to go on those, but a Godzilla commission took precedence. I'm going to get back to the Hunchback before the end of the year though!

Pinup for Student

SketchKlubb August 2013?

Some how I never scanned in the page from last August. I realized it when someone told me they liked this page in my sketchbook and then I couldn't find it online! Oh well, so here it is now in all it's glory... including the coffee stain.

SketchKlubb April

Well this is the last page in this old sketchbook. I jump around a lot between books and even the books are not completely linear-just like my brain. But I have a fresh, new Moleskine for the next SK meet up so onwards and upwards!

Bunnies for Spring

Coming up on April 12th is the Bunny Bazaar at Sparrow and the Nest, a little place that sells my work here in Houston. Since it's close to Easter they have this little wacky fun bunny themed thing every year, band on the porch and all that. Since I'm not really a rabbit drawer I had to go with what I know best, so here are my two pieces for the show. I'm going to be selling these as just black and white plus a small batch of hand tinted with watercolor.

Staple! Independent Media Expo

This was year two for me having a table at Staple! in Austin! Had a great time seeing friends, drawing, hawking my wares, more drawing and some drinking thrown in there. Saturday night was another live drawing fundraiser for KOOP in Austin which is always a blast. For some reason I was having too much fun to take any photos but here is my table all set up and a commission I did there of Fiona as a skate punk. If you have never been you have to check it out, it's like an artist alley at a big con without all the other stuff. Looking forward to next year already!

SketchKlubb March

I've missed a lot of SketchKlubbs lately for various reasons, but I was able to finish up this cityscape on Saturday. Thinking about adding some color too. I was a little tired of drawing windows but managed to power through somehow.

Chris & Marta

A couple of my friends asked me to create the art for their upcoming wedding. They were going for a "Midsummer's Night Dream" kind of vibe, and in doing research I ended up being inspired by a lot of Art Nouveau which has a lot of similar themes and a distinct style I could channel. It was a lot of fun and they are happy with the results! Thanks guys!

Sketch Klubb Box13 Show

On January 11 SketchKlubb (the collective I'm in) had a show at Box13 Art Space. When we first applied for and were accepted for the show we had 12 longstanding members. Last Summer we lost one, Michael Harwell. We loved that guy dearly and it was a shock to all of us. As the show was getting closer we had a lot of mixed feeling on what to do, and in the end decided on a tribute of sorts to Michael. He was very fond of bad drawings of Bart Simpson so our show became 1,000 Crappy Barts for Michael Harwell plus Klay Klubb. Here are a couple of great write-ups by Glass Tire and Robert Boyd. We will be having a closing party to sell all the drawings on February 15th.

Lil' Sketchbook 2

I seem to be drawing in this one more lately, no time for SK in October. I will (eventually) do the entire alphabet like this, for no particular reason.

The Wolf Girl of Devil's River

Doom Ranch 5000 is an illustrated book on Texas myths and legends. It features twelve Texas illustrators who each picked their own story to work from, and I chose this strange tale from the 1800's about a feral orphan. Who knows if there is any truth to it but it was a blast to do! You can get more info on the project and read my entire legend here Doom Ranch 5000. The first small run of the book has my work in black and white, but here it is in color for the final edition. And thanks to Mark Nasso for asking me to participate!

Lil' Sketchbook

I have this little sketchbook that I like to doodle in during meetings and presentations and such. Just pencil, unlike my SketchKlubb ink stuff.

Sketch Klubb Stuff That I've Been Deliquent in Posting

The title says it all.

Beware My Claw!

I did this loose sketch of Lobster Johnson (from the Hellboy world) a long time ago but never did anything with it. In fact I think I posted that sketch here somewhere. Anyway I've been inking a lot lately in a loose, sketchy way with gel/ballpoint pens and thought I'd try it on this. Still heavy on the contrast but not solid black like my "normal" work.

Chillin' on an Asteroid

Here is a commission from Comicpalooza that I went ahead and inked and colored for fun. So I have Batgirl and Supergirl, who's next? Wondergirl?

Comicpalooza 2013

This is the second time I've been in artist ally at Comicpalooza, the Texas International Comic Convention. This was a very fun and profitable weekend, I love seeing old friends, making new ones and being just as nerdy as possible for three days. I sold lots of my monster postcards, screen printed posters, zines and t-shirts, plus I have a ton of new ideas for my next con. I also was asked to participate in the live drawing even and silent auction to benefit Ronald McDonald house, more on that later. Here are just a few photos of my table and the fun, you can see more at my Facebook page or all over the web!

Fionna & Cake Bag

This may very well be the last paper lunch bag of elementary school, maybe even school in general. Who know how she will feel about this after she starts middle school next year. In any case we have the alternate versions of Finn and Jake. Last time she actually made it home with the bag, we'll see what happens today.

Random SketchKlubb Goodness

Nuff said.

Hooligan?

Here is a commission I just wrapped up. Even soccer fans have to retire sooner or later.

Midnight Snack

I just barely finished this one in time, I couldn't stand the thought of missing the Domy Monster Show for the first time since it began. Domy's Annual Monster Show, Houston and Austin is this Saturday, October 27 from 7-9 pm! I'm in the Houston show so come and check it out! Don't keep Vlad waiting!

Box13, July & August Sketch Klubb

I have officially located my studio now at Box13 ArtSpace! All my stuff has been moved and I organized just enough to get to work. In the mean time here is the last couple of pages from Sketch Klubb.

Oakland Museum of California

While out in San Francisco we made a stop at the Oakland Museum of California to check out the Daniel Clowes retrospective. It was a really amazing exhibit, seeing the art at it's created size is always a real eye opener. It definitely gets the creative juices flowing. And while I would love to show some photos, it was strictly forbidden and the docents there made it impossible to even sneak a pic.

As a consolation another exhibit at the museum was themed California Portraits and they had a touchscreen with some drawing program. The idea is that you would draw a self portrait and it was them added to a continually running show on a monitor. When you finish it you also give them your email address so they would send your art to you, and it just came today! So here is my little face I drew while a field trip of fifteen eight-year olds hovered behind me for their turn.

A Day In The Life

Take one boring seminar. Add one bored artist. Leave on the table cheap Crayola markers, ballpoint pens and plain copy paper. Mix well for several hours and voila! You have a single sheet mini comic zine! Here is a link if you have never made one before. It's fun and easy! And a great way to pass the time while looking busy!

The Newest Cub!

Here is a commission I just finished for some friends of mine. Their anniversary was coming up and her husband is a huge Chicago Cubs fan, so the idea was to make a vintage baseball card (around circa 1960). They were super happy with it, and I had a "ball" making it...sorry.

Mike 2.0

Well ever since I grew my beard back in November it's been bugging me that I still draw myself with just the chin hair. So in the spirit of accuracy I had to determine how to pull this off, so here it is. I do tend to put myself in a lot of illustrations so the narcissism is justified.

April Sketch Klubb

Just some doodles from that month. Kinda busy at school.

Toadsville, U.S.A.

This will probably be the last lunch bag for the school year, as Field Day is a sack lunch day. I seem to be in this pattern of alternating wildlife with superheroes or scifi characters.

Lobster Johnson & Lucifer's Orb

Just messin' around again with Lobster Johnson. Will have to ink this also. Should be reading for a book study I have Monday.

BatBag

Sydney says her favorite part of the field trips are the bus rides with her friends and the bags I draw her. That's a lot of pressure.

Random Heads & Stuff 5

Drawings from January for fun and for various reasons which need no explanation.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins

It's time for the annual Christmas exchange with the other high school teachers in my district. This year our names where swapped and we each had to give a sampling of artists and song titles for the each assigned secret teacher to work from. I was given Vicky Satterwhite who among her choices was Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and who could resist that. Vicky got the inked original art but here it is with little computer color just for fun.