Sketches and Paintings

Halloween Show Painting

2011-10-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

A piece from an upcoming Bureau of Drawers show, and two of the sketches that I made getting there.

Cover image for an Activity Book

2011-05-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

The very kind people at Best Friends Animal Society are putting out an activity book, and I'm lucky enough to be doing the illustrations for it. This is the cover illustration. I'll post the cover once I have the file in hand.

EDIT: This illustration has been bumped in favor of a different illustration with a menagerie of animals, including that most common of household pets, the horse.

Older Than Dirt's Grandmother

2011-04-04T18:42:00.000-07:00

The oldest thing you'll see on this blog. I found this illustration I did for the San Francisco Weekly (go SFW!) at least a decade ago. It's so old that I dialed down the color on this thing so it wouldn't be completely yellowed over.

It's fun to see old drawings. Sometimes it shows you how far you've come, sometimes it shows you something that has been missing in your more recent work. That gray tone thing on portraits- I've got to bring that back.

More Comic and Game Concept Designs

2011-04-01T18:51:00.001-07:00

Character concepts for various game and comic projects.

Toy Sketches

2011-03-10T15:59:00.000-08:00

In keeping with my new promise to post more sketches here, I post these exploratory concept drawings done to flesh out a toy figure proposal I'm finishing. That's all I want to say for now, but I guess these are sort of self explanatory.

Seattle Weekly illustration

2011-03-01T23:12:00.000-08:00

This music feature illustration went over so well that the Art Director, Boo Davis, pushed to make it the cover. Thanks, Boo!

Bad Guys

2011-02-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

I've posted these before, but I've tweaked them a bit since then, and since I'll be doing much more of this kind of material soon, I thought that they deserved another shot.

Included below is the original Joker sketch, done before I found the perfect vintage Batman puppet and decided to give it a cameo in the painted version.

Pigs, Pigs, Pigs

2011-02-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

For some reason, I doodle and draw a lot of pigs. The bottom two pigs were done for the Dueling Pigs blog. For this blog, which collects drawings of pigs playing the banjo. The upper right was a tabloid cover, and the last of them was done for a pencil art show a while back at the Howard House gallery in Seattle. I draw a lot of pigs.

http://banjopigs.blogspot.com/

Halloween Card Illustrations- Best Friends

2010-10-22T01:29:00.000-07:00

These are going in the portfolio in a few days, but for now, I'll post them here on this defacto portfolio page until I can polish them a little bit further. Two Halloween card designs for my friends at Best Friends!

From a Recent Art Show

2010-05-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

For the Seattle Weekly

2010-04-26T11:52:00.001-07:00

Thanks, Boo!

An Actual Prehistoric Caveman

2010-03-05T22:50:00.000-08:00

Continuing today's theme, which is apparently posting the oldest artwork I can dig up, I offer this Caveman design. What this was for, I have no idea.
EDIT: Added a brand new caveman.

Promotional Image For An Old Art Show

2010-03-05T21:46:00.001-08:00

I made this image- shaped as you now see it- a long time ago to use on a postcard shared with another artist with whom I was going to share a show. He did the other half of the square, with information set on either side of the image. I found it again today, and decided to dust it off for old home week here on the blog.

Automatic Shakespeare.

2010-03-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

I made this photoshop picture a while back for my old Automatic Daddy blog. I found it again recently and I liked it all over again.

I combined a collection of found images of things as widely varied as an ancient amusement machine cabinet, stencils of hand prints, damaged glass, and the statue that sits on Shakespeare's tomb, of course (which looked so much like the genie in a wishing machine that it inspired this whole goofy thing in the first place). At this resolution, Gaussian blur is your friend, as is Corel Painter.

I wanted to do an exquisite corpse kind of a thing with anyone who'd want to do it, but I got sidetracked and never returned to it. One day, maybe I'll try it again.

Toy Designs

2010-02-24T16:32:00.000-08:00

I won't explain this drawing, as I think it's obscure enough on its own to protect the concept of the toy itself, but I offer it here 'cause I love it so.

Here's another in this design series.

The Axe

2010-02-20T17:31:00.000-08:00

An illustration accompanying an article about downsizing, from a now ironically defunct newspaper back east. It originally ran without color.

Bunch of little portraits.

2010-02-15T11:50:00.000-08:00

I'm making a few of these for my portfolio, and I'll post them as I finish them.

A Turtle-y Monster

2010-02-05T12:20:00.001-08:00

Sketched with love and painted with Photoshop.

Edit: Maybe he's mad because someone stole his other sock-thingie.

From the Howard House Friends of the Nib Art Show

2009-12-24T02:20:00.000-08:00

More to come...

Seattle Weekly Holiday Cover

2009-12-15T19:56:00.000-08:00

Boo Davis, the AD at the Seattle Weekly dreamed up this idea, incorporating film, Christmas and Sherlock Holmes, and she asked that it be created as kind of a collage. It's was a fun idea, and Boo pulled it together at the last minute, making my work look good in the process.

Thanks, Boo!

Best Friends

2009-11-28T17:48:00.001-08:00

This is a lightning fast illustration done for the Best Friends people, for their magazine. A cat who loves the vaccuum? What is this, opposites day?

Posting Some "Office Wrestling" Images

2009-11-10T05:39:00.000-08:00

A while back I was involved in the development of a game proposal for "Office Wrestling", a game idea brought to us by Emmy Award winning animation designer Dan Krall. While the company where I worked percolated on exactly what they might do with this proposal, another company announced a frustratingly similar idea, so that effectively ended "Office Wrestling". I'll post a couple more concept sketches here as soon as I can.

For the record, Dan was none too crazy about this direction for the visual development himself. I'm sure we could have made him happier with the full project, hopefully working with him on a more sophisticated approach, but unfortunately we never got the chance.

Kids' Stuff- Image From A Book Project

2009-11-02T03:44:00.000-08:00

Revisting a Character Design

2009-10-30T02:12:00.000-07:00

The top guy is a reworking of the guy on the bottom. That's enough said for now.

Newspaper Illustration

2009-10-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

From 2006.

Tattoo Shop Suggestions for Flowplay

2009-10-20T00:01:00.001-07:00

This was a rejected direction for the building designs for Our World done for Flowplay. The gently wonky perspective was intended to make the designs look warmer and more like miniatures, like tilt-shift photography.

This was another take on the same subject, incorporating the then-writer's insistence on a Frank Gehry-meets-The Muppets take.

Old Show Poster Illustration

2009-10-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

I made this image for a show poster some time ago. I no longer have a hard copy of this, but the type design was no great shakes, let me tell you.

More Kids' Book Work

2009-10-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Drawings for Things

2009-09-25T04:07:00.000-07:00

I'm doing some drawings for tee shirts now, and this one is an early possibility. This is a first run-through, before refining it and doing any inking or coloring.

I'll post another couple of these drawings here as I finish them.

Dogs and Cats, Living Together...

2009-09-22T18:01:00.001-07:00

Wrapping up Best Friends work. Click for the embiggening.

Another Newspaper Illustration for the Weekly.

2009-08-24T14:47:00.001-07:00

Oxycontin robberies article.

Part of the reason doing newspaper illustrations can be so much fun is that often art directors will be inspired to make a change in an image as it goes to page. Color has been added to some of my illustrations late in the game as color ads were sold to the paper and colored inkes became available. I don't know if that's much of a consideration these days, since there seems to be color available on almost every page of most weeklies. I always enjoy seeing the changes to my work. I feel like I'm more a part of a team.

The green and red (orange?) here was added after the illustration was turned in, and it's intentionally off-register. It looks great! Thanks to Jane and Co. at the Weekly.

Avatar Designs

2009-08-23T18:34:00.000-07:00

I don't think these are going to be used in this form at this time. We're probably going to go with inked drawings colored digitally, but I like these JP Miller style images too.

This Week In Your Seattle Weekly

2009-08-22T00:27:00.001-07:00

Careful! Clicking this will only make it bigger.

I'm glad to be back in the local papers. I have another illustration coming up this week, also illustrating a crime story. I'll post it once it's finished.

First Post- New Portfolio

2009-08-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to build a portfolio of images for a robust project pitch. This is the first one; the astronomer's club meets here. More to come.

Character Concept for Cyberspace Mountain

2009-08-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

A long while back I worked on a project for Disney Interactive, through Zombie Virtual Entertainment, doing some concept designs and helping to storyboard the action. It was a virtual rollercoaster called Cyberspace Mountain, and this was a concept design for a host character who would test the impossible coaster you'd design before you took a spin on it yourself. This character at the time was named "Krash". That's a plumb bob kind of thing on his chest to help show the effect spinning upside down and being flung around would have on the rider. The heart monitor would flash at exciting opportune moments, and his body could fly to pieces if the ride was too intense. It was a simple crash test dummy robot, and nothing more. At least I got to design some options for them.

I have no idea if this character or if any similar character was ever included in the final project, but Cyberspace Mountain is still available somewhere in Disneyworld, with youtube videos online to show how it works.

San Francisco Weekly

2009-08-13T06:17:00.001-07:00

This piece was done for the SF Weekly a while ago. The original illustration was a simple black and white line drawing, but the color treatment is flashier, no?

Illustrations for BestFriends.org

2009-07-25T03:33:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on a collection of characters and illustrations for BestFriends.org's new children's web site sections. Kids and animals.

Fairy Tale Story Sketch

2009-07-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

From a still-gestating original "classic"-style fairy tale I've been working on. The troll king gets his comeuppance. This scene will be staged very differently in the final.

Upcoming Tee Shirt Design

2009-07-21T21:51:00.001-07:00

On its way. It's got some tweaking in its future. The rings on the pigeon's neck vex me a little, for example. that lone fry there on the bottom looks a little anemic too.

New Project Peek

2009-07-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Penny!

Band Logo Designs

2009-06-22T02:23:00.000-07:00

I made up these logo roughs for my friend Demian Johnston. His band's name is Hemingway, and I thought I'd take a crack at designing some tee shirts for him. I did these a while ago, and just rediscovered them. I suggested the designs to him again,unfotunately just in time for the band to change their name. (Sigh).

The concept revolves around polydactyl cats being colloquially referred to as "Hemingways". I especially like using an x-ray image for the black shirts. That's a real six fingered x-ray, by the way; thank Google for that. The fleshy six-fingered hand I did myself, using collage and illustration to make it look more convincing.

At the time I even suggested kids' tees with five-fingered Mickey Mouse gloves under the type. I thought it would be one of those jokes that you either got, or you were dumb.

Vampire Enforcer

2009-03-30T01:32:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about the Hildebrandt Bros. today while painting this. I think it influenced the colors somewhat.

Night Creature

2009-03-25T01:25:00.001-07:00

This was originally begun as a mood and character concept illustration for a game pitch for Amaze Entertainment, but it wasn't used at the time. I was moved to another project before I could really get involved. Of course, by that time I couldn't help but work up some images on my own.

Old, Old, Oooold Illustration Job

2009-03-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

I found these while going through some old files recently and I thought they were worth posting here for fun. I did this series of illustrations for a story in the San Francisco Weekly years ago for Mr. Darrick Rainey. I don't remember the story at all anymore, but these Curious little guys somehow fit the bill. Apologies to H.A.Rey, of course.

My illustrators' group had a show of drawings- very last minute- and believe it or not all of these monkey pictures sold. Ten years in a drawer leads to money in the pocket.

The show was a lot of fun, and was a rousing success. Good for us!

Spooky Scarecrow

2009-03-19T18:19:00.000-07:00

This is a self-rejected bit of background imagery from a game pitch I am recreating. It may make its way into the doc yet...

Character Design

2009-03-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

I'm going forward with this character for a new kids' non-fiction idea I'm putting together. It pretty much came together with no fuss at all, so I'm taking that as a good omen.

While I was doing this color version of the design below, I suddenly realized that the sleeves were completely incompatible with movement or normal wear, and were completely different from one another. If this were animated, I thought of a number of ways the penciled design might work, but since it's a one-off color concept design, I decided to redesign it a little. I can't believe I never noticed it in the original pencil!

Comic Book Character Sketch

2009-02-26T04:53:00.001-08:00

This heavily armored gentleman is about to put a beating to somebody.

When will I get these comics done?! There's just too much to do!

Painter Sketch

2009-02-24T15:18:00.001-08:00

I am painting some background designs right now, and this is an exploratory sketch toward one of the statues in one of the designs. I like the lighting and the weird mask-like face on the statue.

A Little Housekeeping on the Portfolio

2009-02-17T16:46:00.000-08:00

Recently added to my carbonmade portfolio is this illustration done a couple of years ago for a weekly paper client, but I forget which one. It was used to illustrate an article about Rob Zombie the film director and not so much the musician, but they just wanted a straight, identifiable portrait. It was originally run as a line drawing in black and white, but I've since jazzed it up into the jpeg that stands before you.

Pickled Piggie

2009-02-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

An update on an old sketch. This was done as a gift for my friend Kees.

800 Pound Gorilla

2009-01-22T11:02:00.000-08:00

Update! A newly retooled shaggy version of the same, repurposed as a comic book cover. There will be a tee shirt in this too at some point.

I've had this image around as a black and white ink drawing for ages.

UPDATE: A BONUS gorilla from the XHD!:

A Possible Tee Shirt Design

2009-01-19T07:32:00.000-08:00

I've been lazy about it, but it's been my desire to set up a Zazzle account and maintain a limited edition collection of tee shirt designs. Some will be based on illustrations I am doing, some on type, and some will reference other well known things in the popular culture. Like this one.

Another Digital Painting

2009-01-04T10:31:00.001-08:00

I made this painting to use as a profile image around the internet, but I'm moving on to another image, so I post it here for posterity.

Miscellaneous Stuff

2009-01-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

I think the little "I Wuv Yoo" Darth Vader would be a great seller, but George Lucas isn't returning my phone calls since I set all those fires at Skywalker Ranch in the eighties. Ah well...

The bottom images are a throwback to the old MAD magazine grotesques that I grew up loving.

A quick sketch in Painter

2009-01-03T09:27:00.001-08:00

Fun to do. This image is based on an idea I swiped from a friend of mine. Some friend I am, huh?

New Portfolio

2008-12-15T11:01:00.000-08:00

Please come check out my new, easy to navigate portfolio site, with tons of new paintings and drawings and more to see.

Click here.

Pencils for a digital painting

2008-10-13T17:30:00.001-07:00

A "hero shot" of a character from a game pitch I've been pecking at recently. The final will go up tomorrow.

Well, it's been a while, but I'm finally getting around to posting this color version. It's not everything I wanted it to be, but it was one of my first Painter projects, so I have a warm spot for it nonetheless. I would do a lot of things differently on it now, but the color palette is what I'd intended, and it works as a piece of rough, early concept art, so it hit it's mark there too.

Children's Book In Progress

2008-08-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

This is the captain of a troupe of pirate ghosts trapped wandering the bottom of the sea. I'll post more of these designs soon.

Illustration Work

2007-11-15T19:38:00.001-08:00

In this space I'll be posting some straight illustration jobs I've done, if I like them. These aren't concept art jobs-they're print and web illustrations..

The drama and intrique backstage at the technical Oscars.

Spinach is also good for the eyes!

Robots!

2007-10-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

A robot coffee table concept rough that was designed for Flowplay.

A working sketch of a robot sentry.
Lin eart presentation and tone pass.

Game Character Development Drawings and Color Suggestions

2007-09-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

Still more DAH3 game characters, including a biker:

...a rejected take on a Seventies-era cult leader:

...and a kung-fu master.
Click to enlarge, as always.

Some Settings and Environments

2007-09-02T04:03:00.001-07:00

This first two are from a game pitch- a truck found in a haunted swamp.

The third is an environment from a project my former employer worked on with Microsoft.
It was intended to be an immersive kids' sim for the 360, but it died on the table after a few months' gestation. Tiny hillside villas in a fantasy world.

Not really an environment, but part of one in a way: a balloon-buoyed airship for a game I'm working on.

Police Officer in 2049 NYC

2007-08-30T00:37:00.000-07:00

Concepting out a Graphic Novel I'm working toward.
This is a sunburned police lieutenant wearing nomadic urban gear.

Bonus! A body-modified druglord from the same project:

For An Upcoming Halloween Show

2007-08-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

This is one of the pieces I'm doing for an upcoming Halloween group show; sort of a daguerreotype look. The others will be paintings.

And this is the original drawing minus color.

Character Concepts

2007-08-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

For a circus-themed platformer pitch for Amaze Entertainment.

The Firemaster

Firemaster Mark II

An unscrupulous bad man near the circus town.

Human bomb.

2007-07-24T18:55:00.001-07:00

This is an anthropomorphic A-Bomb, from an animation project I've had stewing a while.

A Pair of Designs For A Multimedia Project

2007-07-24T01:18:00.000-07:00

This character is intended to be a pastiche of platformer characters. This was a piece of pose reference for the 3-D model packet.
This was a never-realized design for the yang to that little guy's yin. He's also meant to reference other characters and games in his design.

Space Hoodlum

2007-07-20T05:13:00.000-07:00

An unused bad guy from a game pitch. I just felt he didn't fit the part at the time.
I'm keeping his resume on file, though, and I may call him back one day for another project.

A Girl and Her Disguised Walking Bomb

2007-06-27T02:24:00.000-07:00

This is a concept drawing for a kids' book project I'm starting up in a bit.

Game Character Designs

2007-06-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

These are from Destroy All Humans 3. These are some of the dozens of characters I contributed, which were then beautifully rendered in 3D by the Crankymasters.

Action! Thrills!

2007-04-11T16:59:00.001-07:00