Unwanted Valentines: RoboCop (1987) - Part 2

 Unwanted Valentines:
RoboCop (1987)

It's couple more Unwanted Valentines from "RoboCop (1987)".  This is one I've been sitting on for a couple-a-few years, now, always meaning to do it, but never quite getting to it in time.  It is probably the filthiest "G-Rated" one I've done.  And, I kept going back and forth between the movie accurate quote, "Dead or alive, you're coming with me!", to the also amusing inversion, "Dead or alive, I'm coming with you!"  So, since I couldn't decide, I had the bright idea to do 'em both.

I did consider spelling "Coming" with the sexual variant, but figured it works best as a double-entendre with plausible deniability.  After all, that's part of what makes it amusing and, also, the Unwanted Valentines should just be unwanted and not actionable as part of a Restraining Order...  😉 

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STEP ONE:  Here are the digital blue pencils, done on a 2,000px x 2,800 @ 300dpi canvas.

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STEP TWO:  And the digital inks, done mostly with an 10pt and a 15pt brush.

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STEP THREE:  The colors were done on the layer below.

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Done digitally with Clip Studio Paint

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Unwanted Valentines: RoboCop (1987)

Unwanted Valentines:
RoboCop (1987)

It's another Unwanted Valentine, this time it's the melting guy, Emil, from "RoboCop (1987) who drove into a container of toxic waste.  Don't worry, it didn't last long; he was soon turned into a splash of chunky, red water after being run over with a car...  Eeeeewwwwwwwwww!

I have one more RoboCop Valentine I'm working on for tomorrow.  Here's to hoping.

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STEP ONE:  Here are the digital blue pencils, done on a 2,000px x 2,800 @ 300dpi canvas.

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STEP TWO:  And the digital inks, done mostly with an 10pt and a 15pt brush.

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STEP THREE:  The colors were done on the layer below.

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Done digitally with Clip Studio Paint

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Unwanted Valentines: Alien (1979)

Unwanted Valentines:
Alien (1979)

It's time again for an Unwanted Valentine--Valentines so nerdy and built upon puns so terrible that no one would be pleased to receive them... especially a loved one!  I'm revisiting "Alien (1979)" for this Unwanted Valentine, calling back to my (by far) most popular Unwanted Valentine featuring a Facehugger.  Rather than the "Hugs and Kisses" Facehugger, it's a Chestbursting overflow of Love!

Yeah, I know the Chestburster is a lot bigger than in the movie, but I'll just say it is enlarged to show texture, as they say on the cereal boxes!

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STEP ONE:  Here are the digital blue pencils, done on a 2,000px x 2,800 @ 300dpi canvas.

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STEP TWO:  And the digital inks, done mostly with an 8pt and a 12pt brush.

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STEP THREE:  The colors were done on the layer below.

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Done digitally with Clip Studio Paint

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Batman-uary 2025 - Jungle Batman (Part 2)

BATMAN-UARY 2025:
Jungle Batman (Part 2)

Just under the wire, it's Batman-uary: Jungle Batman: Part II.  I had this idea halfway through doing the last post with Jungle Batman and it amused me (not that it takes much to amuse me, of course).

There was an all too brief fad of drawing male characters in the pose of various female poses on covers and pin-ups with predictably ridiculous (and amusing) results.  So, continuing that tradition... here it is!

I will admit that I cheated a little bit on this one, as I had done a GIANT (20" x 30") recreation of the "Sheena: Queen of the Jungle" cover for a friend, so I already had some pencils of the cover I could digitally ink over in Clip Studio Paint.

Once again, here is the original cover to "Batman #72" (1952) with Jungle Batman.

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It was done as a parody/homage of Dave Steven's "Sheena: Queen of the Jungle #1" (1985).

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STEP ONE:  Here are the scrawled, digital pencils done on a 2,000px x 3,000px canvas @ 300dpi.  I quickly scrawled over my pencils for the recreation of the cover I did earlier for Dave Stevens' "Sheena: Queen of the Jungle #1" (1985).

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STEP TWO:  And here are the digital inks, mostly done with a 10pt brush.  Luckily, I was able to save a few steps by just inking over my pencils/inks from the cover recreation.

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STEP THREE: Here is the finished digital work, done using a series of layers for each color, and a very slight paper texture over top.

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Done digitally in Clip Studio Paint.

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Batman-uary 2025 - Jungle Batman

BATMAN-UARY 2025:
Jungle Batman

It's Batman-uary: Part II.  This time it's Jungle Batman from 1952's "Batman #72".  The story involves...  Well, now that I think about it, I'm not entirely sure, nor am I sure I want to find out.  I believe it involves a shipwreck on a desert island of some sort.  Maybe they find Gilligan and the rest?

Here is the original cover to "Batman #72" (1952).

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And it was done as a parody/homage to Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns #3".

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STEP ONE:  Here are the scrawled, digital pencils done on a 2,000px x 3,000px canvas @ 300dpi.

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STEP TWO:  And here are the digital inks, mostly done with a 10pt brush.

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STEP THREE: Here is the finished digital work, done using a series of layers for each color, and a paper texture over top.

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Done digitally in Clip Studio Paint.

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Batman-uary 2025 - Mummy Batman

BATMAN-UARY 2025:
Mummy Batman

Once again, it's Batman-uary... and my 600th Post!  To kick it off this year, it's Batman's costume from 1963's "Detective Comics" #320, featuring Mummy Batman.  Apparently, Batman and Robin are exposed to some sort of alien substance which turns their skin green.  In order to make sure people don't guess that the suddenly green Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson suspiciously have the same complexion as Batman and Robin, they wrap themselves up as Mummies.  It was the 60's, what can I say about Mummy Batman other than it worked and was completely logical, of course. 

Originally, I thought about doing something more horror-related and a realistic, decayed Batman Mummy--and may still in the future.  But, what could be more fun than mashing up that Mummy costume Batman with one of many classic Frank Miller panels from "The Dark Knight Returns"?  I immediately knew I had to do it that way, instead.

Here is the original cover to "Detective Comics #320".

And it was done as a parody/homage to Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns #3".

And here's the Batman-uary Logo.  Feel free to use it as you please...

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STEP ONE:  Here are the scrawled, digital pencils done on a 2,000px x 3,000px canvas @ 300dpi.

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STEP TWO:  And here are the digital inks, mostly done with a 10pt brush.

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STEP THREE: Here is the finished digital work, done using a series of layers for each color.

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Done digitally in Clip Studio Paint.

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Happy New Year - Superman-uary

Happy New Year!
Superman-uary

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

It's a New(ish) Year, 2025.  Sure, it's week-and-a-half old, but it still has that New Year's smell.  Mostly.

Just a real quick note to thank everybody who stops by to look at my meager Blog site (probably more akin to rubber-necking at a 20 car pile-up on the I-90, but I'll still take it!), and a special shout out to the people who have graciously been following my work.  It's mind-boggling to me that over the past 13 years I've been doing this, one-third-of-a-million people have stopped on by and taken a gander (it's 91 people shy of 333,333 as I write this, so it should be over that number by the morning).  It's all very humbling and a heartfelt thank you to all: Past, Present, and Future!

With the New Year, I'm kinda hoping to do a few larger projects here on this Blog, along with some of the usual shenanigans.  So, stay tuned and check back often.  Not too often, of course, we don't wanna be weird about it...  Y'know, casual often.

I know I'm a little late to this party (hey, I've been busy with other projects), but I must have watched the James Gunn "Superman" Teaser Trailer at least 50 times so far (no exaggeration, alas).  It is probably my most anticipated movie of the year, to be honest.  In spite of it showing Supes just getting wrecked every time he's on screen, it did give me something missing from the more recent incarnations of Superman on the screen: Hope.

Speaking of, here's to hoping things go well for everyone this year.  As I mentioned, I have a few big things I wanna try, so you know I've got the New Year's Delusions of Grandeur, which I'm keeping right next to my Delusions of Resolutions!

Also: Superman-uary?  Don't worry, I won't try to make that a thing; this was just a one-off.  The next post will be back to our regularly scheduled silliness, Batman-uary style!   

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Because I was goofing around with a few Apps I hadn't opened in a while, and I did this all on a single layer, I wasn't paying attention and didn't save a "Work in Progress".  Given all the programs it passed through, that would have been a mess to save and show.  I mean a mess worse than usual to save and show.

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Done digitally in Procreate and Art Studio Pro, with as assist in Photoshop for the lettering.

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Merry Sithmas - Darth Plagueis

 MERRY SITHMAS
Darth Plagueis

Hey, hey, it's the second Sithmas Card of the season!  Always two there are, no more no le--... oh, what's that, I made the same joke in my last post?  Oh, um...  Heaven forfend that I should repeat myself and make the same joke twice.  What's that?  The hundredth time, you say?  Yeah, I guess I do that...

Anyhoo, this time it's Darth Plagueis, the Sith Lord that trained Darth Sidious (A.K.A. Emperor Sheev Palpatine), who was seen skulking in the shadows of a cave at the end of the "The Acolyte" series.  

Did you ever hear of the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?  Well, I guess there's a whole book about it that I haven't gotten around to reading, yet, but I think the moral of the story is that you should never eat or drink anything that Sheev gives to you.  Just sayin' you may not be all that wise if you are so guileless of your fellow Sith apprentice.  

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STEP ONE:  Here are the digital pencils, done in Clip Studio Paint.  It is a 2,00px x 2,791px document at 300dpi.

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STEP TWO:  And here are the digital inks.  They were mostly done with a 15pt digital brush.

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STEP THREE:  Here are the colors, done in a variety of layers under the inked layer before the animation lights were applied.  For the animation, three images were imported into Photoshop in the Timeline, and exported as an animated .GIF.

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Done digitally in Clip Studio Paint (with the animated .GIF produced in Photoshop).

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Merry Sithmas - Darth Teeth

MERRY SITHMAS
Darth Teeth

Hey, hey, it's time for a Sithmas Card!  This time it is the nameless Sith from "The Acolyte", dubbed Darth Teeth or Smilo Ren (perhaps Darth Dentata?), as the tubing around his mouth looks like teeth when seen from a distance.  Hmmm, I wonder if they will ever give him a "real" name since it appears there won't be a second season to "The Acolyte". 

Always two there are--no more, no less.  So, look forward to another Sithmas Card in a couple days or so.

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STEP ONE:  Here are the digital pencils, done in Clip Studio Paint.  It is a 2,00px x 2,791px document at 300dpi.  I used the Symmetry Tool to keep everything, well, mostly symmetrical between the two sides, then turned it off for parts of the helmet and cloak.

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STEP TWO:  And here are the digital inks.  They were mostly done with a 15pt digital brush.

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STEP THREE:  Here are the colors, done in a variety of layers under the inked layer before the animation lights were applied.  For the animation, three images were imported into Photoshop in the Timeline, and exported as an animated .GIF.

Maybe next year I'll do some genuine animation for the Sithmas Cards.  As always, my dumb brain and mouth writing checks that my hands (and @$$) may not be able to cash.

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Done digitally in Clip Studio Paint (with the animated .GIF produced in Photoshop).

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Metallo - The Man with the Kryptonite Heart

Metallo - The Man with the Kryptonite Heart

For no particular reason, here's a digital painting of Metallo.  A number of years ago, I saw a picture of a sculpture someone did with a skull encrusted with some crystal growths coming out of it and it flashed in my head to do something like that but with Metallo--one of Superman's many nemesis with a Kryptonite heart--with the crystals in question being Kryptonite.

I did a quick, digital sketch of it and left it in a folder on my hard drive as one of my projects to do some day in the future.  Every once in a while I'd dust it off and try to make something of it with moderate success, but I never cared for the results.  This time, I figured I'd give it another shot and the results weren't altogether terrible, so here we are.

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STEP ONE:  This is a quick, digital sketch I did of Metallo a few years ago and always meant to do some day.  There is a certain energy (no vague pun intended, given all the glowing lights and such powered by his Kryptonite heart).

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STEP TWO:  And here's the finished one, done in Rebelle.  I'm never sure why I keep forgetting to do in-between steps when I'm doing something in Rebelle... This time I used the "Vivid Light" and "Soft Light" Layer effects to try and get more of an impactful glow out of the Kryptonite.

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Done digitally in Rebelle 7.

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Day 31: John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) - 31 Days of HELL-O-Ween 2024

  31 Days of HELL-O-Ween 2024:
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)

It wouldn't be "31 Days of HELL-O-Ween" without a reference to "John Carpenter's The Thing" (1982), and in this case, also a slight nod to "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966).

Well, I made it to the end of "31 Days of HELL-O-Ween"...  Thanks to all of you for stopping back and the kind words of encouragement for this mad endeavor!

Every year it is a shocking amount of work that seems to increment up, taking more and more time; and every year when I am finished I swear I'm not going to do this again, and yet here we are.  On top of that, this year I had a few other things going on which I thought for sure would possibly spell me missing several of my self-imposed deadlines, but I managed to get through (barely).  For all my complaining, it is a good exercise, although I am beginning to wonder if I should change things up next year and move away from movie monsters and begin to consider broadening my horizons...

I guess we shall see.  That's a decision for future, non-tired John to make sometime next year!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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STEP ONE:  Here are the hastily scribbled digital pencils done on a 2,550px x 3,300px canvas.

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STEP TWO:  Here are the digital inks.

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STEP THREE:  And here's the finished digital painting. 

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Done digitally in Clip Studio Paint.

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Day 30: Smile (2022) - 31 Days of HELL-O-Ween 2024

31 Days of HELL-O-Ween 2024:
Smile (2022)

"Smile" (2022) is mostly a psychological horror movie involving the transmission of trauma right up until the end when it is revealed to be a demonic entity which feeds upon the trauma of others.  The possession by the demon manifests in the people smiling unnaturally wide before performing some monstrous bit of violence--usually toward themselves.

Sure, I could have done the "Smile Demon/Trauma Monster" at the end, but I think the first person to infect Dr. Cotter with the with trauma contagion is probably scarier and more iconic.

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STEP ONE:  Here are the quick pencils done with colored pencil on 8-1/2" x 11" extra-heavy toned cardstock.

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STEP TWO:  Here's the first pass with Acrylic paint.

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STEP THREE:  And here's the finished painting. 

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Done with Acrylic on 8-1/2" x 11" extra-heavy toned cardstock.

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