Jon Pinto

While there were many highlights from the event I would like to point out two very special ones. First is giving a big thanks to Jim Bowers of CapedWonder.com for not only his friendship and help but for also going out of his way to have a piece of art I did get signed by so many celebrities from Superman: The Movie! This piece was done by request for a show in Kansas and it includes so many signatures including the late Margot Kidder. I can't thank you enough Jim.





Also at the event and seated right across from me was the great Alex Saviuk! Alex has been drawing Spider-Man for over 30 years which includes an epic run on Web of Spider-Man as well as working on the daily strip to this day! I have been a fan of his work longer than I even realized. I recently re-purchased an issue of Action Comics that I had as a kid and remembered loving the back up feature of a young character called Air Wave. Turns out it was Alex drawing it! I got to ask him about it and he then surprised me on t…

This year I got to not only visit, not only show my work but be a part of the annual Superman Celebration held in Metropolis Illinois. This was the 40th anniversary of the event and it just so happened to be the 40th anniversary of Superman: The Movie as well as the 80th anniversary of Superman himself! What a great time to finally make it to the event. I just got home last night and my head is still spinning from the experience. My only regret is that I didn't sneak out from my table enough to enjoy even more of the festivities.

I was asked to not only be an artist at the show but to design the official art for the event as well. It was printed on the program, t-shirts, pins and used in advertising as well. It came together rather quickly but I was asked to make a change to the design from Warner Bros. and change the from image of Superman to an "official" piece of clip art to "keep in the current image of Superman". Meaning, no red shorts. I was a bit bummed …

I have had several discussions between myself and peers about why I don't draw at conventions so I thought I would expand here as it's slightly complicated. I shy from commissions during the convention because the expectation is that the customer will get something resembling my painted prints and that is simply not doable in the time allotted for a commission. My portraits take up to four hours to do. But I do draw at conventions. Usually in my sketchbook and I have been known to do a quick sketch in a book or such for people but honestly I'm not even asked very often. I'd be inclined to honor a request if it was a Superman drawing but not a Henry Cavil portrait. Make sense? Anyway, here is a sketch I did at C2E2 with sharpie on an old comic backing board. Has to be an old one, the new ones are too slick. I then digitally retro colored it. Enjoy.

After posting my Superman/Lucy picture and making a referece to my Lost in Space picture, it made me realize that I totally forgot to post it here on my blog!! Im such a dope sometimes! Anyway, here is my Lost in Space homage.

Lost in Space! This was so much fun!! The family and I have been enjoying the new Netflix version and before I knew it I was doodling in my sketchbook the originals. I watched this as a kid growing up in the 70's. Here are 3 versions of it. Obviously the finished color version, the totally flat, sepia version (just thought it would be fun) and the composite of my sketches that started it.

So what happens when two things you love collide? When I was a kid growing up watching re-runs of shows long gone, two of my favorites were The Adventures of Superman (obviously) and I Love Lucy. I was simply blown away one day when Superman himself showed up on Lucy's show playing Superman! I actually have the episode recorded and saved on my DVR for several years now. In fact I just learned that there is a color version of it but I have only seen clips and screenshots of it and not the whole episode as of yet. I'll have to look for it.

So I was in California recently and was asked several times if I would consider ever doing a Lucy/Superman piece. Actually I was asked by the same person but he did ask several times! I thought it was a great idea but I really didn't think it would sell that well. More recently I finished a retro looking cartoon drawing of Lost in Space. I didn't plan on making that picture either, they were just doodles in my sketchbook that all came …

Today the 1000th issue of Action Comics, the one that started it all, is released. Obviously I have been a long time fan and once had dreams of being a comic book artist. I made this by scanning in my original pencil drawing and then digitally inking and coloring it. I played around a bit and even "mocked" up the logo and aged the paper leaving the "masking fluid" a brighter white like old comic pages look like now when you see them. The colored version has a dot tone pattern mixed in as well. I really enjoy making pictures like this.

Happy 80th Anniversary Superman!! Thanks for everything.

Enjoy!