Lola and the Eleven Secrets!

A fellow artist and friend, Nathan Szerdy, has been working on a project for several years. He told me about it when I first met him last year when we sat next to each other at a show. I loved the work he showed me from it (and I dug his other work he was selling as well!), and we made conversation and kept in touch. We recently saw each other again this past March at MegaCon and I think it was there that he mentioned he was soliciting other artists to draw his characters for a bonus gallery in the book. It's called "Lola and the Eleven Secrets". I was very interested but I was hesitant to commit due to other obligations. Well, Nathan launched his Kickstarter campaign (Yes. I sponsored!) and I was once again interested. As luck would have it, a gap in my schedule opened up and I jumped on it! I knew I only had a small window to do something but since I had been thinking about this for a while, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to draw. I did the most minimal thumbnail I think I had ever done and then preceded to rough it all out digitally. I liked what I had and went right to color. Normally, I like the finished piece to sit and breath for a day or two before I show them to anyone as I always find little things to tweak, but like I said, the window was closing. I shot off an email to Nathan a day before his cut off! Given what time it was, it may have been less than a day. I made it! I also like the piece too! And Nathan likes it!! Bonus! I hope you like it but I know you will love Nathans version and you should buy his book!!

Yeah! THIS is my thumbnail!

Klingons at Heroes Landing!

This past weekend, my local comic shop, Heroes Landing, hosted a Klingon Event and was kind enough to ask me to sit with them as well. I can think of worse ways to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon! I had a lot of fun meeting and talking to people and I even drew a picture of the Eleventh Doctor on David's play mat. I wish I took a picture of it!

Geez, I need a haircut!!

Hi Yo Silver!

Just one last thing about The Lone Ranger. Maybe two. Went to Disney's Hollywood Studios on May 4th for Star Wars fireworks but I was really jazzed about seeing a billboard for The Lone Ranger movie out in the parking lot.

I also mentioned that my favorite childhood Christmas involved receiving The Lone Ranger and Silver figures. They are still on my toy shelf!

The Lone Ranger!

You almost need to hear Rossini's score don't you? Maybe it's just me. I know, I know, I dragged this out an extra day, but I was pretty busy around the house and with my family yesterday. Had yard work and such plus it was my birthday so I had to eat some cake as well. I hope this is all worth the wait. I am really happy with the final piece and I am now just really hoping that the movie lives up to expectations or I feel I will be re-painting this with Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels. I hope you all like it as well. Let me know.

The Lone Ranger. Part Thirteen

Thirteen?? Seriously?? I can't have this end on thirteen! I know! I will drag this out an extra day.

So before actually starting any work on this particular picture, I became a little concerned that my work has migrated away form the more cartoony look of some of my other pieces. For some reason, this really started to rattle me so I did a quick picture using the same process but with a definite intention to lean towards realism. It didn't take long to notice that even tho my pictures have changed a bit in style, they are still not "portraits" and I liked how "my look" has an elasticity to it so I can lean more realistically or more cartoony as needed. You can tell that I didn't spend a whole lot of time on this little experiment but I thought it was worth showing that I still have my doubts and struggles. Hey, I'm human!

While on the topic of experimenting, I thought I could also show a little pic I did on my phone. Now this is really not a new drawing or anything, it's just the painted figure of the Lone Ranger that has been run thru a drawing app on my smartphone. Came out kinda neat looking. What do you think?

Lastly, but definitely not least by any means, is a doodle by my friend and former co-worker Dave Lovelace! He started a website called Anything Napkin. It's just what is says. He'll draw anything on a napkin. How could I refuse? I told him that since I was slaving away on the Lone Ranger, he should be as well so that is what I ordered. Dave really delivered in his inimitable style!! Thanks Dave!!

The Lone Ranger. Part Twelve

Here is the completed full painting of the Lone Ranger figure. You may note that Tonto as well as the Ranger here do have some basic rim lighting to help it blend into the background. These are kept on a separate layer so I can dial it in when the files are placed together. Always fun to paint black on black but adding the different textures really helped with that. Enjoy.
 

The Lone Ranger. Part Eleven

"This one goes to eleven." Well, not really. It goes past eleven, but not by much! Yay, the end is near!! I told you at the end of the last post that the painting stage was ready to begin and begin it has! Tonto is painted!!