A Michigan To Texas Birthday Wish

Today is the birthday of my internet pal, Sandra, and on this day she likes to collect photos from all her internet peeps across the globe. So, I thought that I would pass along a bit of Detroit for her enjoyment. This is the entrance to the historic Belle Isle Aquarium located on Belle Isle on the Detroit River. The aquarium was shut down a few years ago by the cultural deficient "leaders" of Detroit, but great efforts are being made to reopen the nation's oldest aquarium. It's a beautiful building.

Happy Birthday, Sandra!

Happy Holidays 2009!

That's right, I said 'Happy Holidays.' For the life of me, I'll never understand why people need to make a fuss or be offended over a good sentiment or a well wish. Get it? It's a positive thing, no matter how it's said. Now that I'm done ranting, I hope that each and every one of you (all two of you) has a great holiday season and that you find more than one surprise that will make you smile. Peace.

Clone Wars, Season One Widevision Sketch Cards, part two

Here are a few more of my cards that were done for The Clone Wars, Season One Widevision set from Topps. Within the next few weeks I'll be putting up some cards from the various sets that I have worked on this fall, including Zombies vs Cheerleaders, Moonstone Comics and Iron Man. I have another set that I'm still waiting on approvals for, so I can't show that yet.

Two With Water Release Party

Well now, there's nothing like waiting until the last possible moment to post this, as the party in question is tonight. But, with all that I've been doing lately, I'm sad to say that it slipped my mind (sorry TWW peeps!).

Anyways, Two With Water is a literary magazine and they are celebrating the print release of their first issue and having a party complete with bands and readings and such. And yours truly has a sketch done for one of the stories. So, if you are in the Chicago area tonight stop on by and see what's up.

Below is the sketch done for a story about a man's struggle with a urine sample that he must give and the drugs he took recently. The view is kind of from the vantage point of the toilet looking up. This sketch was actually done a few years ago about something entirely different. It was how I viewed my dad as a kid. His hands seemed monstrously huge.

The Boondock Saints

Last October when I went down to Columbus, Ohio for the Mid Ohio Con I talked with quite a few people about the upcoming sequel to The Boondock Saints movie. So, it was there that I hatched the idea to do a Saints painting and get some prints made up to sell at cons and through this here site, as well. Above is what the finished project will look like. The prints will be 13x19 and I should have them available by the first of the year. The original painting is much larger at 20x30 and was done in acrylic washes.

I'm super happy with this painting on so many levels and it's probably one of the better pieces that I've done (if I may say so myself), so I hope that someone finds some enjoyment in it, as well.

Koi Roundup Wrapup

On November 7th, The Friends Of Belle Isle Aquarium held the transferring of the koi from the outside pond on Belle Isle to the basement tanks of the aquarium. So, a bunch of us helped scoop, net, wrangle and then bucket the various sized fish and send them off to their winter home. Of course, we thought that we had most of them, but about 30 or so did their best to escape the nets and will be spending their winter under ice. It's amazing how easily these bad boys could hide under a thick layer of fish poop and escape detection.

Here's a cartoon capturing the beauty of the event with Vance, the president of FOBIA and his two boys, Cameron and Spencer.

This is me in one of the inside tanks trying to get a not too healthy fish outta there.

Vance, with his stylish (not too matching) boots trying to get the last of the trouble makers.

This was one of the trouble makers who will be spending the winter outside.

One of the inside koi.

If you'd like to see more pics from the day (including a dog rescue), check out the aquarium website for that and other cool stuff.

Winter Migration

The Friends of Belle Isle Aquarium will be helping our little koi friends move from the outside pond between the conservatory and the aquarium to their winter habitation in the basement of said aquarium. So, if you'd like to help these critters with their winter migration to warmer climes, come on down to Belle Isle tomorrow at 10:00am and lend a fin or two. There's always plenty of fish poop, it's fun!

Portrait of Diane Kruger

This is one of my recent paintings and it's a portrait of the actress Diane Kruger. The color from the digital pic that I took of it seems to be just a bit off from the original, so maybe I'll post a scan when I do that. I tooled around with color adjustments in photoshop, but all that I managed to do was make her a bright pink and I really don't like to alter things too much from the original unless I have to.

Portrait of Diane Kruger

10x15

acrylic on illustration board

Clone Wars, Season One Widevision Sketch Cards

Here are a few of the 200 Clone Wars Season One Widevision sketch cards that I've done for Topps that have been approved to show. When I get the rest approved I will be sure to put more up. I love working on anything Star Wars, of course, but these were a blast to do. I like how the characters have a sculpted marionette look to them and that makes for a fun draw.

So, this fall is turning out to be one filled with sketch card work. Other than this set here, I am working on two sets for 5Finity; Zombies vs. Cheerleaders and Moonstone Comics characters, another set that I can't talk about yet, then another 5Finity that I may or may not be able to talk about yet, so I'll play it safe for now.

I hope that these will be as enjoyable to you as they were to me while working on them.

Mid Ohio Con Wrap up

This past weekend I loaded up my stuff and headed down to Columbus for the Mid Ohio Con and had a very good time, I might add. The convention center was a very nice venue and was about half the size of the Motor City Con, but put together better, I think. It was mostly illustrators and like minded creators, with a few actors and just a small area of comic dealers, whereas Detroit's con has a huge area of dealers. Nothing wrong with that, I just thought it was refreshing to see a con with mostly artists.

It was fun to talk with quite a few sketch card collectors and to see their excitement about what they liked about the hobby. Also, it was nice to see the people who collected as a family, which I guess took me by surprise.

So, much thanks to everyone who came by my table, which was nestled right in the middle of fellow illustrators (and travel mates) Bill Pulkovski and Alex Buechel. Much fun was had by all.

This was my set up this time. I couldn't bring my display stands with framed originals because there just wasn't enough room in my jeep. The dude sitting there is fellow sci-fi/comics geek David Ozias who came along to help out and have a grand ole time.

Some illustrator type (Alex Buechel) who thinks he is a certain webslinger.

My friend Jay Miglia, the famed and notorious sax playin' Columbus inhabitant showing that yes, he was here.

Columbus from what little I saw of it seems like a great city and hopefully I'll be able to explore it some more soon!

Mid Ohio Con

I will be at the Mid Ohio Con this Saturday and Sunday, the 3rd and 4th of October in Columbus Ohio for my first out of state convention. I will be set up at table CC67 in the Creator Commons area, so if you are going to be there, swing on by and say hello.

I snagged the above banner right of the con site and wasn't done by me or anything like that. It might be Fred Hembeck as he will be there and it kind of looks like his work. You can go here to check out the guest list and all of the events.

Archie Sketch Cards

I am currently working on a whole bunch of sketch cards at the moment, so I thought I'd put up some of the 56 Archie cards that I did for 5finity and the March Of Dimes. Right now, I'm working on the Clone Wars, Season One set for Topps and will soon be starting some cards for 5finity, including Moonstone Comics characters and Zombies vs. Cheerleaders. Should be fun. And on top of that, I need to get ready for my first ever out of state convention, as I will be heading down to Colombus, Ohio next week to the Mid Ohio Con with fellow illustrators Bill Pulkovski and Alex Buechel. So, if you plan on going, pop on over to my table and say hello.

Muck Man #7

More Muck Man Mania.

Rehab Tribune Cartoon-August 2009

This is the 'toon that I did for last month's issue of Seattle's Rehab Tribune. Actually, it's now being published for the entire state of Washington as the guy up above is showing. Congrats to them for the quick expansion and for continued success.

Auguste Rodin Sketch

A sketch of the famed French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

ink.re.ments #5

I wonder if anyone will even get this one. It's a somewhat obscure reference.

Michael Vick Cartoon

So, if there is one thing that we have learned from this whole Michael Vick saga, it's that if you are a sociopath who works in the entertainment field and you kill someone or something for fun then you will be rewarded because you just made a 'mistake.' You deserve a second chance even though you KNOW what's right and wrong. But, if you are a sociopath who kills someone because it affects the economy then by all means we will string you up by whatever hurts you the most. Death can't come soon enough. Whatever.

So sue me. I like dogs.

Stay tuned. Donte Stallworth will get a second chance for killing someone too. I see contract extensions worth millions. Good job guys.

Arthur Schopenhauer Sketch

I haven't posted much from my sketchbook in a while, so here is one of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. I've been doing a few of these lately using a limited palette and have been picking my subjects as the ones who inspire or entertain me.

Terminator Salvation and Archie return cards

Here are my 6 return cards from the Terminator Salvation set released by Topps earlier this year and the 3 return cards from the Archie set for the March Of Dimes. If anyone is interested in any of these shoot me an e-mail.

A Night At The Aquarium On Belle Isle

Last Saturday night was the Night At The Aquarium fundraiser event held at Belle Isle's Aquarium and by all indicators it was a successful night. There were over 200 people that showed up to support the efforts of FOBIA to re-open the aquarium. The aquarium tanks themselves were filled with all sorts of items, fish related or otherwise, for the silent auction and most everything went home with someone.

The above pic is a view from my table where I was doing aquarium and fish related cartoons. The cop was from the mounted division (check out the spurs) and he popped in from time to time and seemed to enjoy the festivities. I wonder where he tied up his horse?
One of the tanks was filled with up so that Port Huron artist Gregory Lashbrook could paint under water. He and his wife are under water documentary film makers and they also had a lot of cool artwork on hand.
The tank to the left was filled with three of my original "fish" cartoons that were in a cartoon festival in Iran in 2005. The tank on the right had a General Grievous painting donated by my pal Matt Busch and there were also some of my aquarium cartoon prints in there, as well. All went to some lucky bidders.
This was my little set up right across from the center pagoda. You know, right by where the food and alcohol was being served. I spent the evening drawing cartoons to the amusement of the masses (I hope). Actually, I was a little concerned how this would go over, but it seemed that most people got it and had fun with it. I know that I enjoyed myself talking with people about the cartoons and such. People took prints and two originals were taken for a donation to the aquarium.

There were guest speakers there for the people to talk to, such as past curators and other specialists, and I was asked to make up some place cards for each guest. Here are most of the ones that were done. They disappeared quickly, so I hope that someone like them and took them home.


Jerry Stanecki was a local newscaster who had went down south to fish for a new alligator gar after the old one had died. They named him Hal.

So, all in all, a great night that I was happy and honored to be a part of. I really like being in this old building and getting the chance to walk around behind the scenes and just taking it all in (I've been able to do this a few times these past few months). And I've met a lot of good people who are also a part of this whole thing.

Who would have thought way back in 1977 when I was coming here for grade school field trips that I would be sitting in the center of the aquarium drawing cartoons for the fish.