Ellie again

Just some little Ellie tests. Not sayin' it's a preview or anything, but..., well..., just sayin'.

Sketchy at the Scarab!

Three Years! That's how long Sean Bieri has been running our Detroit Dr. Sketchy sessions. He hooked us up last Thursday at the Scarab Club, an historic artist hangout here in the Motor City. For over one hundred years artists such as Diego Rivera and Norman Rockwell have been coming here where they scrawl their names on the rafters of the second floor lounge.

It was a beautiful evening as we started out drawing in the courtyard with model Demonique Damzelle in her Egyptian garb. The Scarab's bartender even got in on the act by presenting us with the official Dr. Sketchy cocktail - absinthe, tequila, grenadine. Raffle prizes were handed out including some of the t-shirts I did. After the sun set we moved indoors where Lily La Rue gave us all a half-time burlesque performance before settling in with Demonique for a number of poses. We had a great turnout and I hope it continues that way!

Here are a few pics of our models, Sean handing out prizes, Agnes Domanska snapping a few pics, and someone's sketchbook. Following that, my sketchbook, including a quick drawing of a young girl in her cool hat and bright yellow skirt (I heard later she was a ballerina).

You can find more pics and drawings at the Detroit Dr. Sketchy blog.

The World. Delivered.

As a graphic designer I am both a fan and a student of commercial art from the past. I find vintage travel poster design especially appealing, as many people do. I think it has something to do with the romance that travel in bygone days has for us. Luxury liners took days to make their Atlantic crossings, and dirigibles filled the skies. Everyone dressed smartly and kept their clothes in big steamer trunks. At least in our fantasies.
I recently designed several posters for an AT&T company function in the style of those old posters. Though they aren't based on any particular posters, much of the inspiration comes from the book The Art Of The Airways, though the Eiffel Tower was inspired by the cover of Ludwig Bemelmans' Madeline book. It was also a lot of fun making them look all old and grungy.

Baby did a bad, bad thing.

A quick sketch of Chris Isaak, though I don't think the likeness is that good. I had fun doing his jacket though. I need one like that.

And here's a drawing of Ellie from my sketchbook just 'cause I liked it.

Comic Con Report: Part the Fourth

Stuff!

Here's a nearly complete list of all the stuff I spent far too much money on at Comic Con this year.

The Joy of Cook by Katie Cook

Cheeks: UNCLENCHED 2009 artbook by Sean Galloway

Atom Bomb Bikini & Teeny Bikini by Rob Ullman

Passion for Life by Stephen Silver

Paper Biscuit by Ronnie del Carmen

Seductive Espionage by Kevin Dart

Fennec by Yoann & Lewis Trondheim

Great Scott & Kovaleski in Color by John Kovaleski

Scarlett Takes Manhattan by Molly Crabapple

Battle Milk by Killian Plunkett, Thang Le, Wayne Lo, Jackson Sze

Pow! Bang! Zap! by Scott McKeeve

Chris Sanders 3 by Chris Sanders

Oaxaca Mexico by Peter Kuper

Flight 6

Arthur De Pins

The Pink Sketchbook volume 1: Grrr!, Strange Science Fantasy, & Smack Dab by Scott Morse

Attic Bugs, 26 Robots,Stop Drop and Roll, & Wide Awake 666 By J Chris Campbell

And Then One Day #5 - Sketchbook Edition by Ryan Claytor

Thrills, Spills, and Chills: Collected Works of Ryan Hungerford

T-T-Tartamudo by Rhode Montijo

Double Fine Action Comics by Scott C.

The Venice Chronicles by Enrico Casarosa

Gabby & Gator by James Burks

Mouse Guard by David Petersen

Malinky Robot: Bicycle by Sonny Liew

Rough Beasts by Bill Halliar

...plus some tee shirts, a California Brown Coats water bottle, a cool woolen octopus that I can't find where I got it from, buttons, stickers, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog program, and other fine and sundry things.

I took my Tablet PC with me and let a few people try it out. Rob Ullman, J Chris Campbell, and John Kovaleski all had their go. This is how I get free convention sketches.

And here's Rob Ullman showing the Detroit Red Wings some disrespect:

On the road back from San Diego to Las Vegas we got hooked up in a 2 hour traffic stoppage. Here's what's left of the propane truck that blew up that was the cause. I hope nobody was hurt.

A few sketches from the tablet. The girl and boy were brother and sister, I think. They were at the airport on my flight home and looked like they really didn't want to be there. I think they should be a musical act.

Comic Con Report: Part the Third

Friday at Comic Con is traditionally Star Wars day. And being a big 'Wars junkie it's a surprise that I didn't make it into any of the panels. Well, not much of a surprise when you consider that I would have had to arrive at 7am to stand in line for an 11am panel with no guarantee that I'd even get a seat. And that press pass just doesn't have the cache that it used to. So Friday had to be about something else, and that something was MORE DR. SKETCHY! I know, I know, it's like a drug. But when the Doc gives you a prescription you have to take it.

The one and only Molly Crabapple, creator of Dr. Sketchy, was holding an extra special session Friday night at a local San Diego club to celebrate the publication of her first graphic novel. I met Molly at the Con that afternoon where she signed a copy of Scarlett Takes Manhattan for me. She even gratiously critiqued my Sketchy sketchbook.

Here are a few photos of the event donated by Scott McKeeve. Lady Borgia portrayed Scarlett from the novel. The other model was local drag performer Daniel d'Lovely. After all the drawing fun the club turned out a top notch burlesque show.

Here, in no particular order are my sketches. It was tough getting both models into a two or five minute sketch. And I was distracted while talking to some other artists, one among them a political cartoonist from Philly, another being a former Playboy cartoonist. Talent ran deep in that crowd.










Next: Booty!

Comic Con Report: Part the Second

I don't take many vacation pics, especially when traveling with my photographer friend Scott - I mean, what's the point, right? He makes all my photos look like crap. But here are a few from my camera.

Before heading from Las Vegas to San Diego we visited a few National Parks: Zion and Bryce Canyon.




On the road to Comic Con we took a detour through Joshua Tree National Forest.


A stop on Coronado Island and a visit to the dog end of the beach.


Comic Con is jammed with people. Welcome to Geek Prom 2009.


We stumbled into the press room for the new V series and met Morena Baccarin who also played Inara, the courtesan, from favorite tv show Firefly.


And second in cool only to William Shatner , none other than Batman and the Mayor of Quahog himself, Adam West! Did I say second? Make that First in Cool! No one wears a Pure West hat and fist bumps like West. No one.


More to come!