May 31, 2007 by Collin
I’m busy, so nothing new for this one. That said, here’s something old:
This is a car that I made in Photoshop using vector layers and gradient effects:
I can’t seem to locate the original file, so I can’t offer a better view of it. If I find it in the next couple of days I’ll update the post.
And since the theme of the week is “Cars” plural, here’s the image that I made my illustration from:
Have a great weekend everyone.
—
Also, our latest podcast is up here. #51.
Category Art | Tags: | 6 Comments
May 25, 2007 by Collin
(updated with the final illustration 5/29)
This has been one long, long week. Long I say! And barely a drop of fun to be had between the hours of 8am and 5:30pm. Next week should be “fun” though; I have jury duty starting (and hopefully ending) on Tuesday. First time. Wheee.
The only thing I have for you today is a post that I posted at my Visual Breakdown site earlier this week. It just ties together all of the zombie drawings I’ve been working on in a single post. The only thing new that I haven’t already shown at this site is at the bottom.
Also, keeping in the zombie vein of this post, Heather showed me a trailer this morning for a movie coming out soon-ish: Fido. A must see for me. Thanks babe!
Those of you in the US, enjoy your extended Memorial Day weekend. Those of you elsewhere in the world, enjoy your regular two day weekend. Those of you with odd working hours… find something to enjoy and enjoy the living heck out of it!
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Zombie “Fan-Art” for D.L. Snell’s latest book “Roses of Blood on Barbwire Vines”
First some sketches to try to flesh out the author’s mental image of his zombies:
The second and third were the closest, although the tentacles needed to be narrower. With those in mind I made a thin line drawing that I would later add vector layers and more line work to:
Now the vector layers are done:
I’ll update later with the final piece when it’s done.
It’s done. Here’s the Black & White version:
and the color version:
Category Art | Tags: | 3 Comments
May 23, 2007 by Collin
… for D.L. Snell’s latest book “Roses of Blood on Barbwire Vines”
First some sketches to try to flesh out the author’s mental image of his zombies:
The second and third were the closest, although the tentacles needed to be narrower. With those in mind I made a thin line drawing that I would later add vector layers and more line work to:
Now the vector layers are done:
I’ll update later with the final piece when it’s done.
It’s done. Here’s the Black & White version:
and the color version:
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May 21, 2007 by Collin
Now that that’s (potentially) done, it’s on to other things.
Have a great week.
Category Art | Tags: | 8 Comments
May 17, 2007 by Collin
… I finished the third illustration out of the four I’m doing for the book:
Category Art | Tags: | 4 Comments
May 16, 2007 by Collin
Derek Brought up a good point in a comment on my last post:
Derek Knight said…
so I clicked through to Graveside and found that they pay the pittance of $10-$15 (US) for artwork. You know, I’m all for things like “exposure” and “helpin’ folks out,” but…Brotha’, these represent far more work than a trip to Taco Bell…
I’ve felt that way myself for quite awhile as well about other companies. I even took about a week after receiving the request to make the decision to do the illustrations. Here are my reasons for doing this:
- Graveside is a new company, just getting started. It’s at a very “indy” level right now, and companies like that need help where they can get it. If you’ve been a reader of mine for awhile, you may recall the one time I did an illustration for Dark Recesses Press. They were in the same situation. However, with them, I think I blew the one illustration I did. I’ve never heard back from them. I have no idea if Graveside will take off, or crash and burn. That’s not in my hands. But if they do take off, and they really like the work I’ve done for them, and we build up a good working relationship, then when paying jobs come along I’m confident they’ll think of me. Amazingly optimistic for me, I know, but there you go.
- I’m not a “professional” illustrator. I’d like to be, but I’m not even close. I need practice actually illustrating stories. I know I could get a book I already have and illustrate things from it, and I’ve even considered that in the past, however that would pay even less than this and lacking external pressure to get it done I’d likely end up never finishing. Left to myself I tend to put things off. Like the book you and I were talking about a year or two ago. I see working with Graveside right now as a kind of internship. The pay isn’t great, but maybe I’ll learn something about what I’m doing and how to do it better.
- The feedback I get from doing a project like this is helpful. The only time I get more than a couple of comments here about things I’ve drawn is when it’s a part of Illustration Friday. As helpful and confidence building as those times usually are, illustrating a story is more difficult than illustrating a word. For that matter, I’ve been participating in Illustration Friday – more on than off – for almost a year and a half now and it doesn’t pay anything. But I have been learning as I’ve been involved in IF, developing a few styles, and I feel it’s worth doing and continuing. But the pay’s not great.
- At the end of this all, there should be a book released with my artwork in it and it takes from me is a few hours of sketching in my downtime.
I certainly understand why someone might not want to participate in something like this, but for me – where I am artistically right now – I’m willing to do it.
So. Here’s a zombie.
It’s a lot more plain than the rest because I’m going to apply “finishing” work to it and I like the lines to be clean at that point.
These zombies I’ve been drawing lately are fan art for D.L. Snell’s book “Roses of Blood on Barbwire Thorns” which just recently went to press and can be found by clicking the sidebar button, or going to Amazon. It’s zombies vs. vampires.
I’ve been a fan of Snell’s work since I read ‘Cold Flesh’. He contacted me a month or so ago and asked if I was still drawing. We emailed back and forth and he recommended that I try submitting some of my work to Permuted Press for them to keep on file in case they needed any illustration work done. I didn’t know if that would work since the body of my horror illustration work is smaller than that of a missing circus midget. He then suggested that I try my hand at doing an illustration of one of the types of zombies that makes an appearance in the book. That way I’d gain a bit of experience, and the guy at Permuted that gives out the art assignments could see my process and the end result for a story he’s familiar with. This is the fourth zombie I’ve sent to Snell, and the last sketch I’ll make before the finished work.
That’s the story behind the odd zombies. Have a great rest of the week.
Category Adrift | Tags: | 3 Comments
May 15, 2007 by Collin
I’m doing four illustrations in my “sketch” style for four stories that are being collected in an anthology called ‘Fried! Fast Food, Slow Death.’ being put out by Graveside Tales.
Two are done, and follow below, and I’m waiting on stories for the other two. My deadline is the end of July, so I’m doing pretty good so far. This is very loosely connected to the zombies I was sketching before, in that one of the people responsible for putting this book together saw my sketches at the other book’s forum and liked the style.
On to the art.
‘Clipped’ written by Jodi Lee
‘Snailwart’ written by MP Johnson
And yes, that’s nasty. But the story is fairly nasty as well. And it’s from the story.
I’ll post the others as they are done and approved, and I’ll let everyone know when the book is available.
I’m not going to be participating in Illustration Friday this week, as the word is “Citrus” and I have other things that I should be working on. I may change my mind, but it’s not likely.
Category Art | Tags: | 3 Comments
May 13, 2007 by Collin
I’m not even making actual art during it. I’m just doodling. It’s sad, really. But it’s something new.
Have a good… no a GREAT Sunday.
Category Adrift | Tags: | 3 Comments
May 13, 2007 by Collin
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May 11, 2007 by Collin
I was getting lunch from QDoba and noticed, as I was leaving, someone going into the nearby “Tan Your Hide”. I’ve always thought that was a stupid name, since “tanning your hide” is another way to say “giving you a beating”, usually with a belt. At least it was when I was a kid. Today I thought, if I was more enterprising and willing to go up against the law, it would be great to open a chain of S&M shops alongside all of the “Tan You Hides” in strip malls across America and call them “Smack Your Ass”.
Have a great weekend you huddled masses, with all your yearning and whatnot.
Category Adrift | Tags: | 2 Comments