Home Made Sketchbook

This is a home made sketchbook I made out of a pack of paper I got at a Coast paper show. It was just sitting around so I thought I might put it to some use. I took some heavy cardboard stock from a tracing paper pad and made a cover folded the 8.5 x 11 paper in half and voila a sketchbook. Really more of a sketch notebook. It last a while because I usually have 2-3 sketchbooks on the go. This one lasted me almost on year.

I finished it two days ago and have started using a moleskin. Moleskin is a great product but I feel bad for them because I'm so into making my own. I bought three to see how they put there product together. I'm convinced I can do just as well for myself. But it's good to know that in a pinch I can go to McNally Robinson's and pick a couple up. I am enjoying the notebook version I'm using at the moment. It has a cardboard cover and looks very durable. The real benefit of these books is they have rounded corners which help reduce wear and tear and they have a solid sewn saddle binding which makes it extremely hard for pages to fall out.

So for those of you not willing to construct your own books. Please go and try a moleskin they are a quality product.

Black Superman

I absolutely love this drawing.

It just popped into my head and I wanted to draw it.

I don't know why but I can't help myself every time I look at this drawing it genuinely makes me smile.

It is one of the last drawings in my first handmade sketchbook. Thanks to Blair Helgason for getting me interested in hand binding books.

Actually most of the drawing you will see posted are from my hand made sketchbook. Try doing it sometime you can save some serious cash and end up with a product you are seriously proud of.

I'll be posting more real soon.

Nude Smoker - "Is it cold in here?"

I'd like to say first of all I find smoking to be repulsive.

I've grown up around smokers my whole life and for a very long time I was quite desensitized to it. But since the smoking ban here at bars and my mother quitting due to the expense I find that when I am around people who do smoke I'm ultra sensitive to how gross it smells. However people still look really cool when they smoke. I do not know what it is. It is like a cigarette X factor.

My main reason for making my nude a smoker is that I love drawing smoke. I'm not fantastic at it but I get better every time I do it.

So kids out there, say no to cigarettes or you could be that old person out in front of the hospital smoking through a hole in your throat.

On that happy note, have a wonderful weekend.

Bear

I did this at the sketch night with the Winnipeg Artist Group. It was Oodles of fun. My friend Ezra did a great drawing of a bear and so my other friend Justin and I were inspired and did our own take on the furry beast.

Enjoi.

Skeksis

This is a Skeksis I have drawn and painted. I love the Dark Crystal it is one of those kids movies that when I was young would terrify me, but I would always come back for more. I think the conceptual designer Brian Fround and the Henson Creature Shop found a great balance between the grotesque and fantastical elements of the Dark Crystal Universe.

CreatureBox

If I have never told you about CreatureBox I'm telling you about it now.
It is a great blog/webpage from two conceptual designers from Insomniac Games.
Dave Guertin and Greg Baldwin they alternate posting sketches and conceptual work and their stuff is brilliant I love how the use line and their colour-work is second to none.

Check'em out at http://creaturebox.com/

Nazgul

Here is a sketch I am planning to do more with soon. I drew it after watching the fellowship of the ring (Extended Edition).

I love the bent and twisted nature of the wring wraiths.

I would like to make the legs a bit longer, I think that would add some size and menace to the Character.

Comic Con went quite well...thanks for asking.

I met a ton of talented artists. My fellow Comic Con artist Justen Currie and I were invited to an artist group called The Winnipeg Artist Group by a very nice Gent names James. We went and checked it out last night and it was a lot of fun my suggestion is that anyone who is interested should contact me and I'll give you the where and when.

Books are in

(Update)
I completely forgot to write about this sketch. this is the very first sketch I did of the Super Moon Lummox's. I had a dream one night and the last thing in my head before I woke up was "Super Moon Lummox's" I wrote the name down when I woke up and that night before I went to sleep I did this drawing.

My books are in! They turned out quite well.

I will be selling them for 3 dollars each. 5 dollars if you would like a sketch on the pack page which I have generously left room for.

Hope to see you there.

Please check out my Cohorts Blog. Justin Currie at The Art of Currie to see what he is up to.

Manitoba Comicon - Super Moon Lummox's

For those who are interested. I will be sketching at a table in Artists Alley at the Manitoba Comicon on Saturday. The event runs all day Saturday and Half the Day Sunday. I have produced a mini-comic for the event. It is called Super Moon Lummox's. Here is the cover I did for the comic. So for those who would like to come and support some local artist who have a passion for graphic storytelling.

Hope to see you there.