Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Comet Wranglers (Kite Edition)

Recently, I had the good fortune to be invited to the First Flight show at Masthead Print Studio here in Philadelphia, PA. The show opens in a couple weeks, but I've been including process photos of the work on Facebook, so I figured it would only be appropriate for me to include photos of the finished work here on the blog.

The Comet Wranglers
Pen and ink, watercolor, bristol board, strong
2011

The premise of the show is a kite theme, which could be developed in a variety of ways. My thought was to use the kite as a vehicle for an image, and give some indication of a story or world within the form and structure of the kite.

This is obviously an untried medium for me, but I found it...I don't want to say 'liberating' since that sounds so cliché...but something about the process was really enjoyable for me. Maybe it's just that thrill of the new, of testing uncharted creative waters. Maybe it's the reactions I've received from people as I've posted the process photos, which seem to be more numerous than anything I've received from my comic or illustration work. I don't know, my feelings for this have escaped words.
But, overall, I think a real thrill for me was breaking past the edge of that kite boundary, which in some ways served as an oversized panel border. That little piece of string may be slight, but by incorporating it into the action of the image on the kite, I think it helped to create a harmonious whole not only for the image but the kite as well.

I realize that I'm not really breaking new ground here, I'm sure there's a kite designer somewhere in the world who has considered all the things I've done here and made a swell living doing so. But I think for me this opens a new door for storytelling possibilities, a new way to explore the universe that I've created with Supernova Lullaby, and a new way for the characters to interact with that universe. Who knows, I just might, might be onto something.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

More Kickstarter Commissions

A couple more commissions from my Kickstarter project. Click on the image for a larger view.

U2
pen and ink on watercolor paper


Elizabeth Barrett Browning
pen and ink on watercolor paper


Sketch Cards Project

This is a side project that I've begun working on this year, making handmade sketch cards based on various characters from comics and movies. Eventually, I may include some of my own characters, but I'm still waiting to see how these cards are received in general. All cards are 2.5" x 3.5" on bristol paper, made with pen and ink and colored pencil, and are available for purchase from my Etsy shop.








Monday, February 14, 2011

Sketchbook Project 2011 Opens this Weekend

The Sketchbook Project 2011, sponsored by Art House Co-op and the Brooklyn Art Library, opens this weekend at their home base in Brooklyn, NY. If you're in the neighborhood, please stop by and check out the books. I was there this past weekend (since I won't be able to make it to the opening), and they said they have received 12,00o books for the tour. Incredible!

While you're their, keep an eye out for this eye, The Fiobonacci Device by yours truly:


And if you can't make it to Brooklyn, the show will be traveling across the US over the year. Dates and locations are listed below, but more may be added, so make sure to check their website on occasion.

Brooklyn Art Library - Brooklyn, New York, - February 19-27
Austin Museum of Art - Austin, Texas - March 12
SPACE Gallery - Portland, Maine - March 30-April 2
The Granite Room - Atlanta, Georgia - April 8-9
Transformer Gallery - Washington D.C. - April 11-30
Form/Space Atelier - Seattle, Washington - June 10-12
111 Minna Gallery - San Franciso, California - June 18
Hyde Park Arts Center - Chicago, Illinois - July 14-17
Full Sail University - Winter Park, Florida - July 29-31