R.I.P. H.R. Giger 1940-2014

This week the world lost a genius.  H. R. Giger died this past Tuesday.  

Saturday Sketch: Original Magik / Illyana Rasputin

Here is the final sketch from the Magik set: Illyana Rasputin as she appears at the end of the Magik limited series and the beginning of New Mutants #14.  Illyana has always been one of my favorite characters in the Marvel Universe and this re-examination of her origin story has just made me love her more.

I'll admit to putting a bit more of extra time into this piece than the others.  It was the final piece in the set and...it's Illyana.  There's more Illyana to come when I explore the New Mutants later on, but with the Magik set complete, I'm going to give Marvel characters a break and focus on DC for a while.

{2.5x3.5,  created in Adobe Photoshop}

I claim no copyright for the properties represented in the Saturday Sketches.  All copyrights and trademarks are retained by their respective owners.  I make no money from what I am presenting here.  It is presented for portfolio and appreciation purposes only. 

Featured Creature: The Rathbone Assignment Part I, Erica's Test

The Rathbone Assignment Part I:

Erica's Test

Erica grabbed the plastic grocery bag with the toothpaste and toiletries in it to keep in the front seat with her.  She placed the rest of the grocery bags in the back of her minivan and closed the hatch.  She reached down into the bag of toiletries and gently took out the plain pink box.  Such a simple design, she thought, for something so complex.

Birds at the edge of the parking lot took flight.  She paused to watch the them as they scattered and reorganized into a flock in the air.  They formed a soft edged triangle as they flew behind the far end of the grocery store.  Beyond them, behind a purple bank of clouds, the sun was burning the horizon a deep orange.  She dropped the box back into the bag and tossed the bag into the passenger seat with her purse.  

She exited the parking lot onto Hwy 130 south and headed home.  It was a long drive to the house but Erica always enjoyed the forest and farmland she passed along the way.  Except for the Army base, Rathbone was just a small country town. Erica didn't mind, she enjoyed the solitude.  In fact, when she found out that Derrick had gotten the assignment at the Rathbone base, she was ecstatic.  She had grown up in this exact kind of landscape and it always made her feel like home.  It was something that she had always wanted her children to experience and to understand.  

SpartanCon Post Con Part III: Tables and Acrylic Designs

Between this week's Scorpio Full Moon on Wednesday and the next week's upcoming Mars Retrograde going Direct it has been a huge pain in the butt to get anything done!  I've been treading water all week.  I'm hoping that since the Full Moon has passed, it might be a little easier to get things completed.  In that light, here finally, are the last of the SPARTANCON photos. The first is the view from my table,  followed by my friendly neighbor Brad Parton whose Alpha-Sketch work is amazing and you need to check him out and show some appreciation for his trailblazing work, and lastly here is a picture of me at my table.

From the Archives: Tornado of Self

Ahhh, stress!  I had been struggling for years to get this idea down on paper.  When I drew this, I felt at the time that I had finally correctly displayed what my stress felt like.

{8.5x11,  Sharpie}

Featured Creature Delay

Sorry for the delay on the Featured Creature this week.  I'm running a bit behind.  It is in process, just trying to find time to write.  In the meantime, please enjoy the extra posts from SPARTANCON.

 

Soon.

SpartCon Post Con Part II: Zombie Bite Con Sketches

In addition to the flyers for SPARTANCON, I decided to create sketches for those who wanted them.  Here are some of the freebie zombie bite sketch business cards I was doing at the con.  I didn't have the time or cash to get printed cards so I figured I would try these to have something to give out.  There are a few missing though.  I didn't think to take photos of them until about 4 or 5 were gone.  I figured these would be a cool way to get the Zombie Bites name out there and to offer a piece of art to go with it.  Enjoy!

SpartanCon Post Con Part I: Cosplayers

Even though it was only a single day, I had an excellent time at SPARTANCON.  I was amazed at the number of cosplay fandom that were present.  There were many excellent characters.  Below are the ones I managed to catch. 

Saturday Sketch: Original Darkchylde

Closing in on the end of the Magik set, here we have Illyana Raputin the first time she manifests as the Darkchylde.  Shortly after manifesting her Soulsword, Illyana battles Belasco and morphs into her Darkchylde aspect.  This aspect of Illyana goes through several variations during the run of the character.  I'll be looking at those later on.

{2.5x3.5,  created in Adobe Photoshop}

I claim no copyright for the properties represented in the Saturday Sketches.  All copyrights and trademarks are retained by their respective owners.  I make no money from what I am presenting here.  It is presented for portfolio and appreciation purposes only. 

Countdown to SpartanCon: Saturday Sketch

Here are the last of the display pieces for SPARTANCON: two promotional designs for the Saturday Sketch.  These two made me feel happy when I finished them.  It was nice to see all the sketchcards in one place together.  As a bonus, if you look closely at the second page, you'll see a preview of the next two sketches.  Enjoy!

Countdown to SpartanCon: The Devil's Square

"Four lost souls are gathered together to find the most dangerous artifact in all creation.

Their quest will uncover a secret that will change the World.

Forgotten.  Damned.

They have nothing left to lose.
 
God help anyone who stands in their way."

Countdown to SpartanCon: Halloween Outbreak - Night of the Cauldron

Next up for the SPARTANCON display pieces is a promotional teaser piece for The Night of Cauldron event from this past Halloween.

"In the Woodsboro subdivision, trick or treating and costume parties are disrupted as eerie green lights herald a terrifying and deadly turn to All Hallow’s Eve.  A mysterious force is bringing Halloween to life.  As the effect of the green light spreads, no one is unscathed by the horror that follows.  Read all eight chapters of The Night of the Cauldron and follow them to their gut wrenching conclusion at Zombie Bites!

Countdown to SpartanCon: Skin Crawling Comics - The Serpentine Cure

Next up from my SPARTANCON display pieces is more work from Skin Crawling Comics.  Here are a selection of pages I colored from Tatiana Christian's and Jenay Gordon's The Serpentine Cure story.  I'm including Jenay Gordon's inks side by side for comparison.