Tuesday, April 24, 2007

BACK AT IT!

Okay, so it's another drawing of MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE. But at least it's in markers.



Each character has their own, unique way to "throw" bad guys. Luke cage take 'fools' by the back of the head and slams them, face first, into the ground...repeatedly...until they are dead.

Here's a shot of Dr. Strange (Blue Mage outfit*), doing HIS throw--which is levitating the bad guy (in this case, an A.I.M. goon), suspending him in the air, flipping them upside down, then drilling them into and all over the ground like a top!

*it should be noted I have since switched Strange's costume back to his classic look for energy consumption benefits.

MARVEL should definately hook me up for all this free publicity!

Thursday, April 19, 2007

My next purchace:



Being unemployed, I need to make sensible buying decisions...I think this will be one. I can't wait--VENTURE BROS. is by for, the only watchable cartoon out right now. I've only recently acquired cable (when I acquired girlfriend), so I haven't been able to watch them all consecutively. Very excited! And there's a great article on Chris McCulloch @ www.aintitcool.com that has a few pieces of his original art he's auctioning off. Check it out!



Oh! I'm also digging (from what I saw of it) "Mr.MEATY" on Nickelodeon...(even though I'm possibly blacklisted there). But what great designs those character's have. Really impressive. When I talked to a couple execs awhile back about the show--they were at a loss as to what to do with it. Apparently it gets mediocre ratings (which is DEATH @ Nick.) so they were in the middle of more focus testing. I think it could be the medium (puppets) and demo (tweens), a bit confusing and contradictive, but I hope it catches on. Character designers should really watch it and take notes.

P.S. No, this isn't a ploy to get work from Team Venture; it really is the only cartoon I can stomach these days.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

MORE DODGER!

Here's the rough pencil and final color..without the digitally added title/logo.

Thank God for markers.


My Girl...


Me and my lady made it into a scene in DODGER DARE...though you have to keep an eye out.

"CHICKEN" of the Sea...

or: "A Rant"




This was an OLD painting; dating back to 1998. I had a potential buyer--so I thought I'd get a hi-rez pic before I part with it...which may or may not happen...anyway; I did this towards the end of my 5 (?!) year run @ CCS in downtown Detroit. I had found some modicum of success at the time, though I don't think folks knew what to do with this series (there's a set) in which I depicted Pan, Hercules and the Devil (in this instance Ulysses stood in), and their quest for the "Enchanted Pineapple". Who knows, I was probably just being a pretentious art student--though at the time could feel my days numbered and the safe, sheltered walls closing in...maybe this was an "ironic" statement and kiss-off to all the coffee-drinking hippie/beatniks.

I’m such a big man.

What an idealist.

What a lonely, missed-the-train loser.

This is such a touchy subject. "FINE ART". What constitutes it being "fine-arty" and what just looks like you thru a frame on a design you did @ work?! I mean, I view almost every piece of scrap DAN KRALL or JUSTIN THOMPSON does as pure, expressionistic genius; whether it be with a brush, a pen or a wacom. Why do I hate so many others?!?

But still, I wonder if I painted more like this now, I might actually be asked to join in some of those hip group shows all the kids are doing. It's a hard experience for me and my ego to take in when I go to these gallery/shows: perhaps I'm overwhelmed by the clones of Biskup and other copycatic sycophants. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jim Flora as well as the next guy; adore the Provensens too. We ALL love the same reference materials we each pull from in our daily trade(s)…but for me, painting has always been an escape from the doodles and grind; an experience of pushing and mixing a medium that so lends itself to expression and feeling—where I want to forget form and flatness. But that’s just me. And that’s probably why I’m not a cool kid that gets invited to cool kid art shows. I do, however, take most of the blame: Mr. Gibson had been kind enough to offer me a spot a few years back for the 8-bit show, but due to time (I was full steam ahead in 3 pilots), and my inability to decide which "style" I should go for, prevented me from making the deadline. I can't remember if that was before or after he insulted my CIRCUS PEANUT pilot. Priceless.

hehehe

I need to mix it up I suppose. Venture out. Beg.

All this being said, Lou Romano’s stuff that I saw awhile back totally blew my mind. How cool and inspiring it was for me to see one of our guys, top of our field, not afraid to break out of his comfort zone and put some fingerprints on his work!

Monday, April 16, 2007

BIG & BAD

Hopefully at this point it's safe to say Sony will NOT be going with my designs for the new Spidey-animated...I wasn't all that happy with where Spidey's designs went, but I got a kick out of designing these two out of 'blocks', so to speak. We'll see what they end up with--and hey, at least it aint another drawing from a video game I'm playing.


Thursday, April 12, 2007

COME WATCH ME DRAW!



Come check out this show, THIS SUNDAY, April 15th @ 8pm! I will be drawing cartoons, that get immediately uploaded and animated to improvisors, cool, huh?!

YOU CAN ALSO BE A GUEST ARTIST!!! It could be a fun way to promote yourself, your work or whatever you are trying to sell.

Contact me or them for more info--come check out Sunday's show!!!

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE: The Return to Atlantis!


...okay, so I'm on my 2nd playthrough (this time on 'normal' difficulty) using 3 out of 4 of my same characters--hey, I like what I like; when I cought myself imagining LUKE CAGE and SPIDER-WOMAN having a "thing":

Luke Cage: "Damn, woman--can I get fries wit' dat shake?!"

Spider-Woman: (Sigh)

Monday, April 09, 2007

Newest Painting...


...this is for an upcoming CD (cover) for my buddy Shaun: www.shauncromwell.com

Monday, April 02, 2007

MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE: Update!

--just wanted everyone to know Luke Cage, Doc Strange, Spider-Woman and Thor successfully beat Dr. Doom; thus bringing down the Masters of Evil and consequently saving the world!!

Sigh.

On the "EASY" level.