Getting ready for BOTCON :)

So this weekend coming up will be Botcon 2010.  I have to say that I'm getting pretty excited now about going.  I leave on Wednesday for Orlando where the convention is being held this year.  So I get there a couple days before the show actually starts.  I think it's nice to be able to relax and not rush around as soon as I get off the plane.

Just like all the other years that I've attended Botcon, I will be set up selling prints and doing sketches for people who want one.

here are a few examples of the prints and sketches I'll have at the show.

All prints are $10.00 and are 11'x17' in size.

Sketches are 8'x10' and go from $20.00 for B&W to $40.00 for Colour.

Just a few samples of what I'll have at Botcon.  Sketches are usually first come, first served depending on what you want.  The best thing to do if your interested in getting a sketch is to get to me early and put in your request since there have been times whee my sketch list fills up fast. I would like to be able to do every sketch that people want, but there are only so many hours in the day.  

Also, if you want a sketch and it's of a not as well know character or it's something totally different from a transformer, then i suggest bring a image reference for me to work off of, just so i get exactly what you want.  Best to bring reference for everything just in case ;)

Well, I have some last minute work to do, and many other things to get done before i leave. So i will be off for now.

see you again when i get back

Cheers :)

Start to Finish

so i have gotten a lot of people ask me in the past to show how i start a comic page.  they want to know how i come up with the different panels and the look of the final image.  so i decided that i would finally get around to showing off how i do a page.  i will use the first page for the upcoming Transformers: Drift mini series (as that is the only page that has been shown off already and is safe for me to use)

first off after i have read the script i will do a layout.  these are basically thumbnails, just drawn a bit larger then a typical thumbnail.  usually about 4 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches.  the actual proportions don't match my final page size, but since i'm just using these to get my ideas on paper, it really doesn't matter.   so i will do my page layouts in these thumbnails, placing the panels where i think they should go.  then i send those off to my editor to look over and get the green light to go ahead with the final pages.    this helps too just in case the editor wants something changed, you don't waste all your time on the good page, then have to go change it.  this is where you want all the changes to happen.  most of the time it works out that way, but not always :p

then come the pencils.  now usually i go a lot rougher then this since i ink the pages myself, so i put all the details in when inking.  but with this one i was getting back into the feel for drawing G1 style bots again, and i wanted to take my time and make sure the page looked the way i wanted.

then come the inks.  not much to really say, other then i add all the final details to the image, and have all the black areas now filled in.  it can be fun to ink sometimes, and others it makes me want to pull my hair out and throw my desk across the room

finally we get to the colours.  this is when i have the file saved as a digital copy and send it to my colourist.  this is where the real magic happens.  What can i say, Josh is a mad man who always delivers something awesome to my work.  i've worked with the man for 6 years now, and he just keeps getting better.  i know that there are times when stuff has to get done, and he can't work on everything i do, but for the most part, i really don't want to work with anyone else.  i'm happy with the work he does, and thats all that matters to me :) here is a link to his deviantart gallery.  some really nice stuff in there.

http://www.dyemooch.deviantart.com/

so i hope that gives you a little insight into how i work and how things are done.  i gotta get Josh to post how he does the colours sometime.  maybe then i'll be able to steal some of his secrets :p

well back to work

laters ;p

Fan Appreciation show June 5-6 2010

so this last weekend i was at the Toronto Comicon fan appreciation convention.  i have to say that the first day of the show wasn't as good as i hoped.  it seemed that there was no one there, and i most were waiting for the Sunday where it was free to get in.  well i was right about that.  the show was a lot better on the Sunday and i ended up working a bit harder on sketches.

i think the greatest thing about the show was there was a fan who brought me an "Art of IDW's Transformers" hardcover book to which he wanted me to draw any 2 transformers i wanted in the inner front covers of the book  so i did a prime and megatron.  i was most happy with the way it turned out.  i guess the fan was too because he came back to get me to do 2 more in the inner back covers.  this time i did bumblebee and starscream.

so yeah i have to say that these came out better then i hoped.  makes me want to do this to my copy of the book, and then buy 3 more and do the same thing.  hmmmmm, interesting idw :p

the rest of the con was pretty good.  did a few more sketches and sold a few prints.  all in all a pretty good time.

well, back to work :)

WORK, WORK, and more WORK

so basically this is just me ranting about the ton of work i have to do right now.  seems like there is never a break.  sometimes that is a good thing since i don't really want a break, i would just like a more even flow of work.  you never know when work will be offered to you, so you grab as much of it as you can and then your in the deep end of it.  oh well.

so basically i've been getting a bunch of work done before i head off to botcon in  about 2 weeks. that convention is always fun.  i'll post pictures from it when i get back.  (hopefully i'll remember to take pictures :p )  but there is lots of things to get done.  mostly my pages for the Drift mini series i'm currently working on.  

i have to say, for a series i've worked on, this one is pretty fun.  i never thought i'd like working on Drift, but i do.  i've grown to like the character. hopefully you to will enjoy the book when it comes out.  

well i better get back to work now.  i want to come up with a couple new print images to take to botcon, so for now i leave you with this page.  not the final look of the page, but good enough to post here ;)

It's blogging time!

so i have no idea what i really want to talk about here. i just thought it would be a good idea to start a blog so that i can try and attract more people to my art. maybe a good idea, maybe not? only time will tell. so until then i guess here you will be able to view my rambling and scribbles and whatever else i may rant about in the future.