Shameless Self-Promotion: Man-Thing Tattoo

Man-Thing Tattoo

While this doesn't quite fit into my usual shameless self-promotion, I will sorta lump it in with self-promotion nonetheless.

Like most vaguely interesting things in my life, it started with an e-mail out of the blue.  I received an e-mail from someone who stops by my Blog semi-regularly, claiming to be a fan of my work (the name has been withheld to protect the guilty).  I was already suspicious, questioning his judgement.  Then he said he was going to get a tattoo of my Man-Thing Unwanted Valentine and wanted my blessing, so it was pretty much confirmed he had lost his mind.

I was sort of put into an awkward position... on the one hand, a tattoo is (mostly) permanent and my responsible side wanted to say "No way!  Don't do it!"  Then again, seeing a tattoo of my art is really cool.  An angel and devil fighting on my shoulder--which side would win?  Since he claimed to be a fan of my art, he already demonstrated a disturbing lack of perspicacity, so he had my blessing as long as I got to show off his tattoo on my Blog when it was finished and mock him mercilessly for doing so.

And here we are.  Tsk, tsk.  I weep for the future.  :-P

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Here's the first step/black ink for the tattoo.

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And, a couple weeks later, here's the finished tattoo with the color added.

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I keep a folder of my art which has turned up on strange places; this certainly takes the cake in that regard (so far).  Still, I am simultaneously thrilled and horrified to see my art as a tattoo.  Surreal, man.  Surreal.

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President's Day: Garfield

President's Day

Just what everyone is clamoring for: a President's Day mash-up!  I've had this joke stuck in my head for several years, but really didn't think of a place for it... 'til I realized President's Day was coming up, this week.  Sure, it's a really dumb and obvious joke (no doubt done by many others), but I never let a little thing like being dumb and obvious stop me.

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STEP ONE:  Here are the hastily scrawled digital pencils, done with a grid in Photoshop.

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STEP TWO:  Quickly followed by the digital inks, done with a 5pt Hard Round brush.  For the most part I figured I'd leave it black-and-white to vaguely follow the visual feel of a daily comic strip.

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Done digitally in Photoshop.

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Shameless Self-Promotion: 100,000 Views

100,000 Views

Well, it took about 5-1/2 years, but last week I broke the 100,000 Views mark which, to me, seems like a lot.  At this rate, I should be crossing over the 1,000,000 Views mark sometime in the 2060's.  So, there's that to look forward to.  I'm sure most of the people were tricked into visiting with Google's algorithm accidentally suggesting a posting or picture from my site, or something along those lines.

And, there are even a few of you (very few, of course) who are actually masochistic enough to subscribe to my Blog and, to you, I have a special message:  Have you no sense of shame?  Where is your dignity?  I think it is time you take a long, hard look in the mirror and begin to ponder some of the choices you've made throughout your life...  Get it together, people!

Anyhoo, my sincere thanks to all of you out there -- tricked and otherwise -- who have taken the time to gawk at my modest Blog.  It is all GREATLY appreciated!  :-)

For those of you interested (and even those of you who aren't), below are the Step-By-Steps...

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STEP ONE:  Here are the digital pencils on a 1,000px x 1,400 document.  Based on the Jim Steranko "Hulk King-Size Special #1" cover, which I've used before as a parody cover.

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STEP TWO:  Here is the half-hearted, grayscale, digital painting.  I figured I'd be doing most of the actual painting in the color layer, so I didn't bother with getting too much detail.

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STEP THREE:  Over several New Layers, I kept building up the digital painting, adding and subtracting highlights and shadows, and just generally adding a few textures here and there.  I also went with actual fonts, rather than my semi-crummy hand-lettering.

THANKS AGAIN, Everyone!  Your kind attentions are very much appreciated!  :-)

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Done digitally in PhotoShop.

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Unwanted Valentines: Temple of Doom

Unwanted Valentines: Temple of Doom

Done just in time for Valentine's Day!  In this case, it is an obvious joke (can I think of any other kind?) based on the infamous scene from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom".  The priest of Kali, Mola Ram, holds the beating, burning heart of a sacrificial victim as he is lowered into a lava pit.  Yeah, it's every bit as crazy as it sounds.

While working on these couple Unwanted Valentines, I thought of a few more I could do, but ran out of time.  Oh, well, next year...

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STEP ONE:  Here are the quick scribbles for the digital pencils, along with my hasty lettering for the layout.

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STEP TWO:  The digital inks were done mostly with a 7pt hard round brush.

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STEP THREE:  The colors were done on a Multiply Layer, with some of the coloring of the burning heart done over top on a New Layer.  The lettering was added last and called it DONE!

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Done digitally in Photoshop.

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Unwanted Valentines: Wicker Man

Unwanted Valentines: Wicker Man

Hey, it's time again for another Unwanted Valentine, this time from the movie "The Wicker Man" (the 2006 Nicolas Cage remake in this case, rather than the 1973 original).

For those interested, below are the work in progress...

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STEP ONE:  Here are the digital pencils, roughly scribbled in at first to show get the layout, then refined a little bit to try and get a likeness.

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STEP TWO:  Here are the digital inks, done mostly with a 7pt hard round brush.

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STEP THREE:  Coloring was done with Multiply Layers and the lettering added over top.

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Done digitally in Photoshop. 

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