The Reviews are in!

I'm happy that I have gotten a few positive reviews in the last week! Today Randy Lander at The Fourth Rail reviewed all of the Active Images books and he had some great things to say! I hope that good reviews will add up to more sales. GunpowderGirl and The Outlaw Squaw! I don't promote by book as much as I should on this blog, so I'm going to tell all of you to visit the following sites:

www.thefourthrail.com/reviews/snapjudgments/092605/activeimages.shtml

www.postmodernbarney.com

www.comiccritique.com/st/grevSt146.html

Those are the 3 most recent reviews! I hope you will visit these sites and consider buying my book.

Sketch time!

I spent my lunch hour at the comic shop near my workplace. I didn't have that much time to spare, so I gave the place the "which books are new" once over. Suddenly, something caught my eye! It was an issue of The tomb of Dracula from Marvel.
It was in a dollar box and the cover caught my eye. Issue 46 and Dracula was getting married! After reading the book, I got the impression that the writer had a long story arc planned and I had stumbled in the middle of it. The writer and Editor of the comic was Marv Wolfman. Anyway, I did a few Dracula sketches and I hope you enjoy them.

Fun with tracing paper

I am a big fan of reference. I have all kinds of files and clippings of all sorts of everything! I've learned that a draftsman can draw anything, so getting the right ref. brings me closer to my goal of being a draftsman. Keeping this in mind, whenever I see any art on the web or when I take a look at a comic, I look at it with a critical eye. I look at my own art with the same attitude and I wind up rethinking and redrawing my own pages.

So the other day, I visit a website and see a pencil page from an upcoming book. It's a Vampirella page and at first blush it looks okay. Then I really look at it. I see that the artist needs a little help and a little unwanted advice. He should work on his anatomy. Especially children's' proportions. Also, a little help with composition. Now...This guy already has the work so why would he care? But Like I have said, as an artist, I'm trying to reach a goal of being the very best. Using reference correctly is helping me. It can help him too.

One of my Favorite covers!

I came across this cover recently and I was impressed by what my old mentor John Romita could do with a 10x7 canvas. I think that he was art director at Marvel at that time and did a lot of covers. Some he just inked, but this Fantastic Four Cover is all his! This is a great Cover! Look at the Panic in Sue Richards' face! The breaking glass as Reed gets thrown out the window! This is how a comic book would get itself noticed and I have made a few comments on why it's so cool.

More time to sketch!

The traveling bug

I have been thinking about convention season next year. I know that there are a few left for this year, like in the southern states, but I am thinking ahead. My GN, Gunpowder Girl and The Outlaw Squaw has been published and I have been getting support from my Publisher, Active Images. Why not make the rounds? Philly in the Spring? WonderCon in SanFrancisco? I have to get a sellers license, but that shouldn't be too big of a deal. I need to think about this.

Time to sketch!

I managed to find time to sketch something not work-related. I mean, it was just some quick thing to clear my head.

weekend work!

This has been a busy, action packed week! I flew to NYC on Tuesday, had drinks with friends that night. Had a meeting with the Director and Art director of the show I'm working on (Jersey Boys...Coming soon to Broadway!) Then a short dinner at a cool BBQ joint on 45th st. Wednesday was my birthday and I spent half the day flying back to LA, but spent the night at an Italian Ristorante with friends! After a busy Thursday workday in Burbank, Friday night found me at another cool dinner with cool people. I hung out with a cool new friend, Nikki! She's Bright, bold and British! I share a birthday with my friend Rob and I was a guest at his West Hollywood dinner. This Saturday can only end with freelance work and maybe some backyard grilling! What's in store for Sunday? Football!

Today is a good day

I am posting from New York again and it's early morning on Tuesday. It's the wedding anniversary of my friends Vince and Laurie. I went to their wedding about 7 years ago and I can't belive how much the world has changed. I should have taken more photos.

In the mail!

During my trip to New York I made a few sketches and sent a few postcards. I also made a sketch on a post card and sent it to myself! I don't do that usually. I mean, I would draw on a postcard, but I would send it to a friend. Because I am blogging I tried sending it to myself. It took far to long to get here. I wonder why... Take a look.