odds n sods

2007-01-12T16:37:00.000-08:00

Hey all-I've decided to use this blog as more of a final piece outlet, as I have another more community based sketchbook based over hea:
Mr Grumble
so updates will be less frequent, but perhaps, more meaningful.

2007-01-08T22:11:00.000-08:00

quick self portrait done in photoshop yesterday...round 45 minutes...almost done...

....and there!

things might be kinda slow as of now...i'm finding myself getting rather selfish and just perusing countless art books and references rather than actually doing my own work...let's hope this has some benefits!

2007-01-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Hasan-I-Sabbah
Not quite done yet...but here's the first day's worth of a large oil painting I'm doing for a historical figure competition: Hasan-I-Sabbah, the first assassin, also known as the old Man of the Mountains. Different approach to painting this time, really light layers, so the oils dried in like an hour! Now that I look back...gad that left hand...disgust! Need to pump the orange clouds on the right as well...but again, first day's work.
Now I wish I had good studio lights and a camera yet again!!!!
Oil
30x48
Oil

2006-12-29T09:21:00.000-08:00

yowser-long time since my last post! well, nothin' too exciting or finalized to post, but here are some WIP's for a stylized highland cow competition I'm doing right now for a 2dArtist magazine.
First was kinda just a manly figure to make myself feel cool, and then my work on the babpiping cows, to make me feel extra uncool.

2006-12-10T17:56:00.000-08:00

Here's a veeeerrrrrrryy loose take on fascism, cuz that's what my teach wanted. After close inspection, one can sense the influence from Apocalyptico, but ever so slightly. The abstraction: the piece is a somewhat tribal emblem of the Eagle, which I associate with the term. Rough colors, hopefully get a chance to polish it off someday soonish

2006-12-09T00:24:00.000-08:00

Apocalyptico! I care not what Gibson did, because this movie is just simply stunning. The fact that they even implanted the denture caps on all the casts teeth was obsessivce compulsive enough to create such an enveloping atmosphere. I got kinda inspired, so I came back to studio around 1:15 with all intent to do some Incan/Mayan/Aztec/Tolmec sketches, but ended up with this...I'm going to polish him off tomorrow, probably add a bird insignia on the drape and call it a third of my final digital project loosely based on "fascism". The next one, Hitler in drag...'fashionism!'...or... 'dress to depress!'

2006-11-29T18:21:00.000-08:00

here's a quick sketch for a steampunk captain, and a scratchboard piece for a steampunk magazine commission on the author michael moorcock. NOTE THE STINKINESS on the moorcock- wish i had taken more time on it, but that is life. finals week, and a free magazine job=lack of patience! poppycock i say.

2006-11-25T23:38:00.000-08:00

Okay- so I got rid of the last post just cuz I felt it wasn't that 'good' looking- instead, here are some of the critters I skeptched before, with some quick colors on 'em (granted they aren't the ones I'm using in the Bestiary, but when I get that all settled I'll have a big post)!

2006-11-19T19:34:00.001-08:00

Started the Creature of the Week competition, this time it is an Armored Jellyfish. Technically we aren't allowed to 'accesorize' our species, but I felt the japanese battle helmet was a pivotal attribute. Due Wednesday so I have plenty of time to make the organs all squishy. oh happiness!

2006-11-18T13:22:00.000-08:00

For my Works on Paper final project I've decided to make a 'Bestiary' of somewhat odd creations. I plan on doing a sort of antiqued field guide, with diagrams and indepth commentary about the animals. The tentative title is 'The Muttonhoag Compendium: A collection of rare and unfettered species from the Muttonhoag Reserve' Here are some quick sketches of ideas: The Durmite, Blumptilly, Pigarpillar (actually a concept for my comics class but what the hell), Mullbum and Vosk. I can usually get four or five of the done an hour so when I get time I'll update!

2006-11-13T19:15:00.001-08:00

I've decided to start doing the Character/Creature of the Week competitions at the Conceptart.org website in my spare time (hah!), so here's a work in progress of this weeks C.H.O.W: a sewer mermaid king. I like the sketch, but all the colors are kinda looking...how should I say...like mittencrap. Yes, mittencrap

2006-11-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

I've had a few people ask me where they can get a listen to some of my music (how they knew that I had actually recorded I haven't a clue, considering I've put all music on hiatus while I tryen get my art up to snuff with it) but anyhoo, if you're so inclined, there's an old myspace account I have...seldom visited but give it a whirl!
http://www.myspace.com/mistergrumbles
(p.s. this picture has nothing to do with it, but what's a blog entry worth without some work? just a quickie acrylic sketch)

2006-11-07T21:31:00.000-08:00

finished 'er up tonight, though i still despise that nasty little face i managed to paste on the guy to the right. if anyone can send me some piccies of a strong egyptian type face i'd be oh so intrigued! sorry about the horrid lighting, but that's all we's gots down here in the basement studios.
i'm also thinking i might add some verrrrrry light white washes to some of the sky. anyhoo, here she is:
heavy artillary in flight (jolly rogers of the sky)
charcoal, bad lighting on paper

2006-11-04T18:43:00.000-08:00

And so it begins. Here we have the first hour of working on my 7x5 project for my Works on Paper class. Rives BFK paper mounted on foamboard, and due to a manky little internet scam agency who took out 50 dollars from my account before these transactions went through, I'm only 259 dollars in debt! Hallelujah praise my gord. At least I can just be happy with my little box of charcoal for the time being. Soooo anyhoo-I also took a quick little piccie of the character I'm working on right now, but most likely it won't turn out the same, I always tend to like leaving alot of dark shadow areas with my charcoal thingamabobs. Ve shall see, jah?

2006-10-31T11:42:00.000-08:00

Here's one of three quick sketches I'm doing for what will hopefully end up a large (7x5') charcoal/painting. I plan on making two or three figures in a somewhat dwarfed/surreal landscape similair to a Bosch if all goes to plan, which it doesn't.
Stickin' with the whole archaic iron city idea, but this particular sketch just deals with the helmet. A quick stroke ended up looking like some sort of knife so I modelled that a bit...but now it just reeks of Ashley Wood (or so he goes by AshWood I've heard)

2006-10-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

My illustration teacher was quite fond of saying, "Sometimes you must murder your darlings," If only he knew how many times I've commited homicide...mabye genocide! Well, here is my next potential victim: The first comic page from a two page assignment to show a rotating dynamic architectural environment. I chose the rather mundane setting of a sushi bar in a post-apocalyptic swamp. Yawwwnnnnn. The pencils are okay, so now on to the inks...

2006-10-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

GRUMBLE ISSUE 2! Got it in my grips right now, my second comic. I did a flip issue with my mate Timmy Lemire. If you want to get a copy while they're lukewarm/semi hot, drop a line to mrgrumble@inbox.com and we can sort something out. $3, to keep me warm and off the streets. It's for a good cause...Here are the first few pages:

2006-10-23T21:58:00.000-07:00

Just started up this project tonight for my Works On Paper class: the assignment was to create a fantastic cityscape...and I opted to make it into an odd raggy dress. Right now this is just charcoal with a bit of white conte, although I intend to throw some white washes over for some skin tones. Mabye put some legs on it. I tried to make this one all subtle, but half the time I didn't even know what I was working on...too much shadow plane and not enough definition! mittens of mirth!
I'm trying to exercise a little restraint though, as I always end up taking what was once a good sketch or underpainting to a point known as 'overdone', and it looks like pure dog poody. Here's hoping we don't see that happen with this one.
I do like the imagery kinda, so hopefully I can make this into a series with a bit more time - it would be interesting to play around with different regalia, visual eras, or mabye slap on some backgrounds too.
Class isn't 'til Wednesday so anythings a go.
Title: Mr. Tubbs and his city of Cog
Media: Charcoal

2006-10-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

Just set up a quick little blog, more to come once I finish up this damned comic page!