The Uncanny Walt-Man

Goofing around today, I scrounged up some old artwork and decided to use it for... Something.  So, here's the latest T-shirt for the masses!

The Uncanny Walt-Man "Skatacular Tee"

Bina Project: Update

Here we are at day 3 and I've completed the light sketch and, on a separate layer, started the tight pencils here.

Here is the completed finished pencils.  Now, for the part I dread (laughs), inks.

On a third layer, I've started the inks.

As a whole, I'm really enjoying this latest version of Manga Studio 5 and I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the "EX" version late this coming summer!  I will be upgrading!

Laytur!

Incompetence Inspires A New Project!

Last Thursday I got home to discovered that my cable/internet was down. Called the cable company to get a recorded message stating that there was a problem in my area and would be cleared up within 15 to 20 minutes. 3 hours go by and everything was still not working. Called again to talk to someone that said someone would come out the next day, Friday afternoon.

I'll spare you all the details but the short version goes like this: Service tech comes out doesn't stay long enough for me to get home for him to explain everything. He leaves without leaving a note or phone call. Turns in report explaining what needs to be done. Nobody schedules the appropriate techs to come out and fix the problem... Twice... Finally, today, they got it all right and not only am I watching the news for the first time since Thursday morning, I'm here blogging!

So, that brings us to today's inspiration. While waiting for another tech to come out (that was 90-minutes late) I started sketching an illustration using the new Manga Studio 5.  I have to tell you that I really do love this new version of Manga Studio!  I've used version 3 and thought it was good but this new one is excellent.  I'm doing an illustration of a former co-worker and good friend and I've been wanting to attempt doing my rendition of this photo for months. Here are a few screen shots of the initial sketch so far.

Click here if you would like more info on Manga Studio 5.

Whoa... Manga Studio 5

Ordered and received my first new software package for the new computer this past week, Manga Studio 5! In the past I had been using Manga Studio 3 and I thought it was cool. Version 5, to me, makes version 3 seem like Windows Paint!

Anyway, I'm not going to be able to explain everything in words. So, I picked out one of the many Manga Studio 5 webinars from Youtube.

Enjoy!

Catching Up February

Here's the latest items up for show!

This one was done a few months back, just before Thanksgiving, and was used for the Tucker Rocky Distributing Christmas Card.  I can't take all the credit for this one. First off this photo of out-going President, COO Steve Johnson's bike was taken with an iPhone!  Second, a lot of Photoshop manipulation by the company photographer Daniel Peirce.  And last, my finishing touches.

So, what all was done to this photo? It was taken in October 2012 and the building the bike is parked in front of is a barbeque joint.  Next, there were lots of plants and Halloween/Thanksgiving decorations all around that needed to be removed, much thanks to Dan.  Last, I added the new signage on the window and wall "Happy Holidays!" and "K.K.'s Sled Shop" as well as the poinsettias.  There had been a request to add "snow" to the image but it proved to take away from the image of the bike and to be too much of a hassle to execute without looking too cheesy.

 

Next up is a logo designed for a little league soccer team.  I really had fun creating this one!

Well, that's it for what's been completed over the past month or so.  Progress is being made on my 2014 calendar images... So, stay tuned to hear and see more on that project.  I'll be selling it online on Zazzle.com by late summer/early fall.

Be sure to check out my items there!

Have Some Coffee & C.T.F.D! Coffee Mug by WHAT_Studio_Art
Look at Coffee Mugs online at Zazzle.com

Catching Up To The New Year

A lot of things have happened between my last post to now... A lot... And most of it not good.

First off on the 4th of July my grandmother fell very ill. The following week she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.  Upon finding this out we, the family, discovered she had no life insurance.  It had been mismanaged by other members of the family.  Long story short, by the end of July, my grandmother passed away peacefully at my parents house.  Deborah didn't get to see 100 like she'd hoped but she did outlive all of her generation of our family... As she said "92 isn't that bad."

I'll miss her wisdom.

Soon after that, my computer blew a motherboard.  Seeing as it was a last generation "PowerPC Macintosh G5" there was no way I was getting that replaced.  So, I'm blogging from a new computer!

In October, 3 days before my birthday, I lost my bestest of bestest friends of 14 years, Heidelberg, to old age.  A dog is truly a boy's best friend.  She was the inspiration of a few of my drawings and paintings.  I'm gonna miss my feisty "Girly-Girl".

I guarantee you, a shelter or rescued dog is the best dog you will ever have... Period!

Finally, I had a breakup with my girlfriend... Not once... But twice!  The first time, just before my grandmother fell ill and, after getting back together in December, again this week.

So, as I'm lifting myself back up and dusting off... I can get back to my planned projects!

2013 is gonna be kick@$$!

New Stuff!

It's summertime and time to get down to business!  So, to start off the much anticipated 2nd blog post, I'm cleaning up the workspace here at the home office to prepare to get some more artwork done!

"More artwork, you say?"

Yes, last month I completed a portrait that I promised to illustrate for one of my best friends, Abby, and here it is!

Total [actual] work time on this was about 5 hours. Although, I completed the pencil sketch way back in November of 2011, I didn't complete the actual digital paint until May 14, 2012 (I guess a lot of A.D.D. kicked in). She was ecstatic about it once she saw it posted on her Facebook page and immediately turned it into her main profile picture!  

Forever trying to get whatever I illustrate "right", Photoshop is my greatest artistic friend.  As you can see with this comparison of the original pencil sketch and the completed color I "tweaked" some things to come to the end result.

If you'd like to see a larger view of it, you can find it on my deviantART profile here.

Now, on to what's new on my Zazzle.com store.  Since the shoes have been on "hiatus" there, I've been brainstorming what to create next to sell there.  So, far, I've just been reusing the same artwork on new applications that Zazzle has started offering. Having not really seen what it is that they've been offering, I noticed that they now have game console skins. Specifically, the Xbox 360 S and the original Xbox.

If you're looking to decorate your Xbox console case with cool graphics, look no further.  Here's the first one, a Godzilla themed skin: King of Kaiju.

That's it for now.