SAMURAI CINEMA!

Above, Unosuke (Tatsuya Nakadai) and Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune) square off in Yojimbo. 

Who says you can't bring a 'knife' to a gunfight?

Below, Sanjuro Kuwabatake (Toshiro Mifune) scratches out a scruffy scheme.

Above, the path Ryunosuke Tsukue (Tatsuya Nakadai) carves in The Sword of Doom.

Below, the stealthy and notorious Ishikawa Goemon (Raizo Ichikawa) in Shinobi No Mono.

Above, Sanjuro Tsubaki (Toshiro Mifune) rests while rascals roust about in Sanjuro.

Below, Ogami Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama) and Diagoro (Akihiro Tomikawa), otherwise known as 'Lone Wolf and Cub.'

Above, the Lone Wolf and Cub, living the lives of demons.

Below, the icy beauty of Yuki Kashima (Meiko Kaji) otherwise known as Lady Snowblood (Shurayukihime.) Revenge is a dish best served cold.

So, no art to show as yet. But I've been restocking my grey matter with plenty of choice goodies. Allow me to explain...

SAMURAI CINEMA!!!

In an effort to gain accuracy in costumes, culture, architecture, landscapes and the like, I've been watching lots of Japanese gems. Let the countdown begin!

1. Yojimbo

2. Sanjuro

3. Lone Wolf & Cub: Sword of Vengeance

4. Lone Wolf & Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx

5. Lone Wolf & Cub: Baby Cart in Hades

6. Lone Wolf & Cub: Baby Cart in Peril

7. Sword of Doom

8. Lady Snowblood

9. Shinobi No Mono

And more are coming my way!

good peeps

no pictures. just words.

i'm gonna keep this in the informal non-caps that i can just throw down. please excuse.

basically this blog is an appreciation of some of the people that i call friends. and i'll actually narrow it down to someone that i admire and appreciate for his particular brand of friendship.

this shout out goes to Patrick Godfrey. he's good peeps. genuinely.

i've got to say that Patrick's level of honesty is justified, non-bullshitting, and even-tempered. this isn't to say that he is stone-faced and unapproachable. Patrick has a demeanor that has certainly been forged by the experiences of his life, that is he has learned from those experiences and makes them count by exercising the wisdom gained from those lessons.

it is a misfortune that many don't operate on this same level. much to Patrick's credit his integrity is well intact, as far as i've witnessed. and i have no reason to believe otherwise.

the reason for this appreciation stems from a meeting that we had this evening. i met with Patrick to express my regrets and misgivings about having to pull out of the Team 8 Press Creator Showcase comic. the reason being that my job (having nothing to do with my degree or interests) has pretty much been handing me my ass on a daily basis. by the time i get home i have no creative energy left and can barely draw and/or read. i'm not cool with this and i'm trying to work life into a semblance of satisfying productivity.

having been unemployed for 4 months while finishing up school in december 2007 took its toll on me and i'm only just now crawling out from under that rock. i wasn't receiving unemployment b/c i couldn't actively seek employment with my school schedule so i was forced to borrow money, a practice i'm almost too proud to do. hence i've been working a job since mid january that isn't creative in the sense that counts for me. and it's draining.

i'm working toward creative expressions regardless but as i've mentioned before this flow is a weak trickle by day's end. i'm still trying to grow as an artist b/c i'm ever critical of my ability, skill, and techniques not to mention my overall headspace as an artist. i have so much to learn and i aspire to be better always.

Patrick recognizes and empathizes with these things with earnest clarity. for that i'm appreciative. moreover i'm grateful for his faith in my ability as an artist despite my sharp inward eye.

so my thanks to P.G. he's good peeps.

ROLLER DERBY: Ft. Myers Roller Derby Bout

PIRATE NINJA YARRRI-KARI COMIC

A few things really... 

Tonight I was working on art & design for the Ft. Myers, FL roller derby bout in June. I'd only had a bowl of oatmeal for breggies and was loopy-famished. My plan was to hit the vegetarian buffet at Panda Veg at 5pm and go to figure drawing afterward.

I crushed 3 fat plates at the buffet with serious diet soda 

washdowns. Just as I was thinking I was the champ, the radio played the Rocky theme just for me, no lie.

I got to figure drawing an hour late because I thought it was later than sooner. Cue Redd Foxx, "You big dummy!" I got 2 decent sketches in.

Then Patrick Godfrey and I went to pick up Tom and go to the Team 8 Designs meeting for the Creator Showcase comics they're publishing.

I've hinted at my project previously, but here's the actual working material. Team 8 is screen printing covers with 3 color ink and color bristol cover with offset press b/w interiors. I've breathed enough life into my lark character, Pirate Ninja Yarrri-Kari, to be satisfied presenting an initial public offering. I'll be illustrating a 21 line poem penned by an anonymous 14th century samurai that is commonly known as the "Warrior's Creed." My biggest influences for this project are ukiyo-e prints and the beloved Samurai Jack. Stop me if you've heard this one...

So here you go. A peek of the character design (probably still in development) and I'll be finishing the cover in a few days. Feedback more than welcome. Cheers.

old art series - b/c I'm way wicked busy...

So it's a cop out. I've been very busy with many tasks, activities, situations. I've been very tired. I will be kicking some A before long though. Speaking of which, look at these guys getting ready to do just that.

old art series - OUR LADY OF CAPITALISM

old art series - I WANT YOUR SKULLS!

old art series - 2001

I've recently closed out my myspace artwork album and I'm in the process of posting that stuff on this artwork blog. Makes sense...

Here's a piece that I did for my junior year at VCU. Obviously it's a redesign of one of our favorite movies for a digital drawing class. The piece is pencils with digital coloring in Photoshop. I was just learning some more Photoshop tricks and this is actually my first digital coloring, pre-Wacom tablet. So I colored this jank with a freaking mouse.

It is what it is...

howdy, stranger...

Oh, it's been a while since I've blogged. I've been working my ass off at work and doodling a little when I'm on lunch breaks or at home or Beth's.

March 14th I started a new sketchbook, with better paper than the last piece of crap sketchbook, and I've filled about 28 pages with sketches, doodles, anatomy, and gestures.

So, I suppose the obligatory sketch dump is in order. Here goes...

I've been working on my main weakness as per usual: anatomy. One day I will be extra special good at it. This is from Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist by Stephen Rogers Peck. It's a pretty good paperback that I carry with me frequently.

These two are from different ukiyo-e prints from my Ukiyo-e book mentioned in a previous blog. I used the Pitt brush pen, Microns, and Prismacolor markers.

Here's a quick and dirty for my roomie's band The Black Times. Jim wanted an homage to the Ramones but with esoteric imagery a la Freemasonry, alchemy, etc. The triangle read '33' with the Freemason image but has been changed to a billiard rack with the 8, the cue, and the 4 balls for '804.' With time run out in the hourglass, a clutch of lightning and a scythe, the whole thing is roped off with an inverted ouroboros. Black times indeed...

Finished this one today on lunch break. Femur studies from the same anatomy book. Figured I'd mess around with some hatching too.

In an effort to improve my skills, I've been going to figure drawing sessions for about 3 weeks now. On Friday I go to the Visual Art Center on Main Street from 6:30-9pm. On Sunday I go to Ghostprint Gallery on Broad Street, just a few blocks from my apartment.

Actually I missed last weekend's session. Just plain forgot. But the first session yielded this drawing, inked with the Pitt brush pen and watercolored.

I see the glaring errors, and my old figure drawing teacher would probably bodyslam my ass, but I feel alright about it. Just alright. I feel better about the watercolors than the anatomy/figure drawing.

Let it go...

DEMON DOGS!!!

Oh, yeah. Here it is, batches! I've had a stiffy for this piece ever since I came up with the idea (dare I say it) months ago!

After beating my head against the composition of the characters, environment, and major supporting elements like, I don't know, style- I've finally created this post-apocalyptic nightmare for mass consumption.

So eat up!