A Michigan to Texas Birthday Wish 2022

 

Here is this year's birthday pic to my friend Sandra down in Texas. This tradition started some years ago and I kinda like doing it, so Happy Birthday, Sandra!

This pic is from last summer and is one of our dogs, Elroy. A happy pup makes for a happy pic.

Merry Christmas!

 

Happy, Merry, whatever, you may! Be safe and have fun!

The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come

 

Ghost of Christmas yet to Come/Ghost of Christmas present... either or, I guess. What does it mean? Don't ask me, this was stuck in me brainpan, so that's what came out. There's a warning in there somewhere, you can be darn sure of that!

Now, get off my lawn.

Saw Gerrera Sketch

 

5x8

ink and ink wash from sketchbook

I finished watching Andor last week and was pleasantly surprised that Forest Whitaker had reprised his role as a younger Saw Gerrera. Whitaker has always had an interesting face and that he would be fun to draw, so I sketched out a close up of his animated Saw face and did an ink wash, something I don't do often. It might show.  

Brook Stickleback Sketch

 

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ink in sketchbook

In conjunction with the #25DaysofFishmas, today's #SundayFish Sketch theme was another riddle. The clues were as follows:

1. Native to North America, including the Great Lakes

2. Has no scales, but has five prominent spines on its back.

3. Builds a nest using its kidney secretions.

At first, I thought that this brook stickleback wouldn't be that fun to draw, but no, I was wrong. It was very entertaining to draw as it's an interesting fish and I'm kind of happy with the outcome. 

Muskellunge Sketch

 

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ink in sketchbook

This week's #SundayFishSketch coincides with the #25DaysofFishmas thingie going on, as well. This one, we had to guess the fish based on 3 clues:

1. Native to the Great Lakes, but stocked elsewhere as sport fish.

2. A fish with serious 'duck face.'

3. Both its common and scientific names are derived from an Ojibwa word.

Hence, the muskellunge, or muskie. 

Urgin' Sturgeon Sticker

 

A few years ago I did a sturgeon as a floor decal for the Belle Isle Aquarium when they acquired some of the said fish So, I decided to make up a chonky version as a sticker. 

You can now get one of your own at my website store at www.brucegerlach.squarespace.com. 

A Cavefish Sketch

 

7x7

colored pencil on black paper

I'm not sure what to make of my sketches on the black paper. I truly envision something different as I begin, but that's half the fun, I suppose. 

This week's theme for #SundayFishSketch are fish with tiny eyes. You don't get any tinier than no eyes at all. This is a cavefish. 

The Clawson Comic Book And Toy Show, Nov 2022

 

poster by Marty Hirchak

This Sunday from 10-4 is the Clawson Comic Book and Toy Show and I will be a featured artist alongside Matt Feazell. For this show, I will be busting out some older pieces of original art, such as paintings done on canvas, but mostly illustration board. Of course, I will have all the usual stuff, such as ink drawings, books, AP sketch cards and prints. If you are in the area and like such things, make sure to stop on by.

Buzz

 

9x12

ink on bristol

I really don't know why I was inspired to draw Buzz lightyear other than I thought the scenes where he was flying through space in his spacecraft with all the colors streaming by looked rather cool. So, of course, I drew it in black and white. Figures.

I will have the original for sale next weekend at the Clawson Comic Book and Toy Show, but more on that tomorrow.

Twitter...

 

No caption needed, really.

Happy Halloween 2022

 

Happy Halloween!

The Vicar!

 

The Vicar!

Opah Sketch

 

5x8

ink from sketchbook

I've missed the past few #SundayFishSketch days, so I needed together back on track for the 6th anniversary of the event. Of course, I've only been doing them for a little over a year, but it has been fun to do so, with a bunch of fellow artists and scientists, as well. A great community of like-minded souls.

Inktober 2022 Day 8: Match

 

So, I decided not to do too much with Inktober this year, as I am nearing the end of a personal project that I have been working for some time now and want to get that done and the official word prompt list is less than inspiring. But, maybe one or two here and there. So, here... a match. 

Anglerfish Sketch

 

7x7

mixed media

Bioluminescent fish was today's theme for #SundayFishSketch, so here's a simple sketch of an anglerfish.

Museum Collection Baseball Artist Proof Sketch Cards

 

Here are my Artist Proof/Return Cards for the Museum Collection Baseball set recently released through Topps, including 3 special die-cut shaped cards, as you can see in the bottom row. Links below, if interested:

Martin Maldonado    Yermin Mercedes    Hoby Milner

Eric Haase    J.D. Martinez    Lance McCullers

Gyronchus Sketch

 

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ink in sketchbook

A fossilized gyronchus for this week's #SundayFishSketch theme of petrified, whether afraid or...

Skull Sketch

I was digging around for some kraft paper to do a sketch on and I found this little ditty from about 11 years ago that I probably haven't looked at since that time. I kind of liked it and since we are getting into that season, here's a skull.

 

Museum Collection Baseball Sketch Cards, Part II

 

Here are the rest of the sketch cards that I did for the Museum Collection recently released through Topps, including some fold out stadium cards.

My Artist Proof/Return Cards coming up soon.

Z Is For Zam

 

And.... here is the last illustration from my unpublished Star Wars A-Z book, Yoda is Small and Other Such Utterances. 

Z is for Zam

who was hired to take the fall.

I do so love black and white art, but I think that this one might look good colored. I may take a stab at it someday. 

Well, that's it, all of them, spread out over a year, or so. It was a fun project that may never see the light of day as a book, but I certainly had fun doing them.

Elephant Fish Sketch

 

5x8

ink in sketchbook

Is is a hoax fish, or what? Apparently, the elephant fish, or the elephant nose fish is an actual fish and popular among aquarium fish people. I saw a pic that was definitely a photoshopped 'hoax,' though.

Museum Collection Baseball Sketch Cards, Part I

 

Here are some of the sketch cards that I did for the recently released 2022 Museum Collection Baseball for Topps. More to come soon, which cards I selected for my Artist proofs.

Pogo

9x12

ink on bristol

I've recently finished this drawing of Pogo from The Umbrella Academy series, because who doesn't like a monkey riding a chopper? No one, that's who. I'll have this drawing and others on hand at this Sunday's Comic Book and Toy Show in Clawson. 

 

The Clawson Comic Book And Toy Show 2022

 

poster by Martin Hirchak

This Sunday from 10-4, I will be set up at the Clawson Comic Book and Toy Show in Clawson, MI. As this is mostly a collectors show, there will be just a few of us artist types on hand (with legendary poster artist Mark Arminski headlining), so check it out!

I will have the usual stuff; original art, stickers, books, etc.

The show will be at the Knights of Columbus hall, located at 870 N Main St, Clawson, MI

Coral Catshark Sketch

 

5x8

ink in sketchbook

A stylized coral catshark for this week's #SundayFishSketch theme of invertebrate prey. Now, I do believe that I am exaggerating this attempt at eating a giant oyster, but hey, maybe catsharks dream big?

Great White Shark (Bruce) Sticker

 

I now have shark stickers for sale on my website and will have them at cons and such. I'm taking some of the sketches that I have done for #SundayFishSketch and making them into stickers. Soon, I'll have a 'fish packet' available where you can purchase a group of fish stickers (or individually, of course), but for right now, just the shark sticker is up.

You can click here or use the website tab to the right to head on over to my website.

Oceanic Whitetipped Shark

 

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ink in sketchbook

Fish with abnormally large fins is this week's theme for #SundayFishSketch. The oceanic white tipped shark has some large dorsal and pectoral fins. 

Giant Pacific Octopus Tank Design

 

Since the unveiling of the octopus tank at the Belle Isle Aquarium is now official, I can now show the design that I did for it over a year and a half ago. After I submitted my design, it was sent off to a company in Arizona who made it and installed it. It then took awhile to procure the octopus and get it acclimated. I was able to see the cephalopod a few weeks ago and have been itching to share the news. I have yet to see the view of the tank from the front, as I have only seen it from above, behind the scenes, but it even has the same color scheme. I'll have pics soon, for sure!

Lamprey Sketch

 

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ink in sketchbook

This week's theme for #SundayFishSketch are fish that have parasite, or are parasites. A lamprey is the sucker shown here.

Y Is For Yoda

 

Y is for Yoda

who wasn't that tall.

We are getting near the end. The letter 'Y' from my unpublished Star Wars A-Z book, entitled Yoda was Small and Other such Utterances.

The Incredible Mr. Limpet

 

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ink from sketchbook

This week's #SundayFishSketch theme are movies that have fish as a main character. So, I went with an oldie, The incredible Mr. Limpet. I have no idea what kind of fish that that was supposed to be...

Alex Jones, Delusional Drama Queen

 

I'm not an authoritarian, nor a fascist, so I'll never understand the appeal, the pull, that these whackadoodles like Alex Jones, these crazy, delusional, conspiracists, have on people. That being said, I'm enjoying the proceedings that have this grifter sweating like a hog.

Ninja Lanternshark Sketch

 

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ink in sketchbook

This week's #SundayFishSketch theme are either fish that one wants to study (if a scientist), or fish that you would like to study, if one could. 

All of them!

However, I'm not sketching that many fish, so I have chosen the glow in the dark ninja lanternshark. A shark whose scientific name is benchleyi, named after the author of Jaws, Peter Benchley. 

X Is For The X-Wing Fighter Pilots

 

We're getting closer to the end folks... bear with me.

The letter X from my unpublished Star Wars A-Z book, Yoda is Small and Other Such Utterances.

X is for the X-Wing pilots who 

dealt the Empire a great blow.

Lancetfish Sketch

 

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ink in sketchbook 

For today's #SundayFishSketch theme of midwater fishes, I give you a lancetfish. 

Pipedreams #18

 

Yowza, it been over a year since I've shared one of these old/new (to you) Pipedreams strips that were done by Darin Palmer (story and inks) and myself (story and pencils) back in the olden times of factory work. All of the characters were based on actual people and, of course, the names have been changed to protect the dysfunctional. Some of these strips wrote themselves. 

Well, most, actually. 

Hollywood Is Dead Artist Proof Sketch Cards

I am currently going through the stack of blank Artist Proof cards that I've accumulated over the years and never completed, for one reason or another. So, the next in line are the 14 AP cards that I received for doing the 2010 set released through Rocket Ink Studios. For those who remember, this set was done in conjunction with Matt Busch's Hollywood Is Dead art book. Matt recreated a slew of classic and modern movie posters done in the style of the original artist, but as undead characters. The cards were done in each artists style, though and much fun was had.

I included recent movies and series, as well as classic ones. All cards have my very own AP sticker on the back to separate these from pack pulled cards. The links are below:

The Latex Resurrected     Benerotta    Nasto Boy

Archered    The Rotting Of Macbeth    The Biteman

There's Something Rotten In The Ozarks    Goopy    Slap Rot

The Great Rot    Rotting Arizona    Chreacher    The Bone Ranger    Mr. Dead

 

Capital City Comic Con

 

This weekend (Fri-Sun) I will be set up in Artists Alley at table #1500 at the Capital City Comic Con in Lansing, MI. I'll have all the usual stuff; comics, books, original art and I'll be doing commissions, as well. 

So, if you are in the area, stop on by. There will be a lot of good creatives on hand!

The 4th of July

 

Nothing says 'America' more than a shooting at a 4th of July parade. You can get your rights stripped away from you just like that and then be shot. 'Murica.

I did this cartoon a few months ago, so about 600+ shootings, or so, but knew that I'd have a chance to put it out there. 

But hey, more money in the coffers for the NRA and the gun manufacturers, so that's what's most important here. 

Enjoy your fireworks.

Bocon Toadfish Sketch

 

5x8

ink in sketchbook

This week's #SundayFishSketch theme is one of fish that make noises. Perfect for an explosive American holiday; plenty of noise. This is a bocan toadfish and with a face like that, I'd expect a lot of noise. Gurgles, burps, the works.

The Nick Sheeran Invitational Champions Golf Trophy

 

The golf trophy that I have been working on for a few months has finally been finished and will be ready for the tournament that this was made for. I was honored to be asked to do this and I hope that everyone involved is happy with the outcome.

This project wasn't just me and there are plenty of kudos to ho around. My brother-in-law, Frank put the base together for me and lacquered it, Ken and team at Flatlanders did the bronze casting and Woods Trophies did the mounting and plaques.

There were unique challenges at each stage of this project, but at each time, a solution was found and progress was made. At some point I will do a process post and show the developments as they went along.

Harryhausen And The Skeletons

 

9x12

ink on vellum bristol

Happy Birthday to Ray Harryhausen! I did this drawing a couple of years ago, but had never shown it, so what better occasion that to celebrate the birth of a true artist.

A Red Tailed Turquoise Killifish Sketch

 

5x8

mixed media in sketchbook

This week's #SundayFishSketch theme are fish that have a short life span, so here is a red-tailed turquoise killifish, which are known to live only about a year, or so.