I can’t believe it’s almost been a year since David and I started doing these for Quick.  If you live in the area pick one up this next week!

Recently I got the go ahead on a project that has been in the works for awhile now and I’m really excited to get moving on it.  Over the next few months I’ll be working with Lerner Publishing and their Graphic Universe and Chris Schweizer of Crogans fame on some “Choose Your Own Adventure” type graphic novels involving both comics and prose for elementary age kids.  Chris is on writing chores and has written a really fun script that has so far been a blast to thumbnail out while I wait for some notes and templates before diving right into pencils.  In the meantime here is the first main character that we’ve come up with.  There is a stack of designs sitting next to my table right now and I’ll post them up over the next week or so.

I’m also trying to find a way to get to NYCC this October.  It’s clearly a last minute trip but I need to get my butt in to more conventions and start hanging with more artists and writers in the industry.  After Staple! in March I had a pretty big uptick in ideas I wanted to explore and sketchbooks I wanted to fill.  It helps being around folks who do the same thing.  So here’s a friendly reminder that I do commissions!  I love doing them, and it will help get me to NYCC.  So head over here, email me, and get on the list! This is happening people!  Don’t say no!  How can you say no…

…TO THIS FACE?!

HOW?!

I’m in the process of attaining my alternative teachers license as far too many big jobs have been taken out from under me under the guise of 2010 budget cuts.  I’ve always had a passion for teaching and looking over my teaching resume for the past few years it’s a true rival to my art resume.  I’ll still be doing as much cartooning as I can IF I’m able to get in the classroom, but for the time being the economy dictates that I do more then sketch, try to pull together some pitches, and twiddle my thumbs.  Of course I’m terrible at taking notes during class lectures…here are some quick 5 min drawings during some of the boring parts…and I liked this last one so much I threw some messy unskilled colors on it for fun before bed.

I’ve been catching up on a LOT of Green Lantern lately…

Working on a few commissions this week while I eagerly anticipate starting teaching classes next week.  It’s been a slow year and while art will still be my full time passion I need a more consistent full time job.  So while drawing full time might take awhile to get back on track I’m getting my alternative certification in teaching here in Texas.  Jil did the same thing two years ago and she’s hard at work in the classroom.  Over the summer I’m teaching some cartooning classes for kids again like last summer.  I’m really excited about it!  Especially since they’ll be a little older then last summer and can probably(hopefully) catch on a little quicker then some of the younger kids.

I’ve also started running daily as I get ready for our trip to Cabo in July.  I’ve got some pounds to drop so I got this awesome Flash ring as inspiration!  It came with the new Flash comic in which Francis Manupal’s art has my jaw dropping.  Geez that guy is incredible.

I’ve been sadly forgetful about posting We’ve Never Met on this blog and I plan to be a lot better about it.  It’s been a real blast to be able to work with David Hopkins on this for the last 5 months and it looks like there is no end in site (you can catch up HERE).  Our only complaint is that we only get to do two a month.  For those of you in the Dallas area keep an eye out for Quick(it’s free so just grab one!).  It’s bi weekly so if you don’t see a We’ve Never Met, enjoy Listoons by the talented duo of Cal Slayton and Stacy Austin Sheffield!

Since Staple! I’ve been working on a few ideas and had a moment the other night to ink this one up.  I’m sending some pitches around later this week and hopefully I’ll get a bite or even some feedback on them.  I’m still using my good old Col-erase Blues (occasionally a Carmine Red) for penciling but I’ve finally upgraded from my old brush pens to a fancy Kuretake that I am absolutely in love with.  I’ve got a few more of these I’ll post over the next few days!  I’ll try and get around to coloring this too!

In response to Schweizer’s month late post about Staple I figure I’ll throw up one of my own!  After living in Dallas for (almost) two years now it was about time that I was able to get down to Austin.  Jil unfortunately had to stay behind this time around so I headed up early on Friday and caught up with Chris Schweizer, Guy Davis, and our most gracious host Randy Lander.  We spent the day driving around the city and eventually made our way to the incredible  Austin Books for a great pre party.  Saturday I spent the day walking around and visiting tables.  I was late in checking out table space this year, and by the time i got around to buying a place to set up shop everything was sold out.  That was perfectly fine with me…I haven’t just enjoyed a convention as a fan in years, and t was nice to walk around with a backpack and meet some incredible artists!  And when I got tired I just hung out with Chris and Guy and helped sell their wares!

The day ended with incredible BBQ(which Chris and I demanded on having again for lunch the next day) and a roundabout “fight” at a local bar for a Live Art show afterwards.  The brawl involved far too many people to list here…but I took quite a few punches…

but I gave as good as I got…

overall an incredible weekend getting to know Austin and it’s artists and see some old friends.  Chris and I had some long talks about “Sea Monsters” and was as usual an enthusiastic cheerleader regarding some other projects I have cooking.  I need to go to conventions like Staple much more often.  I always have that creative fire going when I get home and am ready to really get drawing.  In fact I’m almost done filling up a new sketchbook I bought while I was there!  I’ll try and post a few pages sometime soon!  Keep coming back!

Tomorrow the Dallas Quick comes out with a cover and a feature illustrated by yours truly!  I’ve really enjoyed working with them since November and apparently they’ve liked what I’ve done enough to give me some more work!  Hooray!  If you’re in the Greater Dallas area I hope you’ll head out and find a copy.  If not then make your way here!  In the meantime I’ll be sitting here in my studio and drawing some more comics!

For all of you in the Greater Dallas area that poke around my little neck of the woods, next Thursday run out and find a copy of Quick where writer-fantastic David Hopkins and I will be doing a fun little full color, full page, bi weekly comic!  Titled, “We’ve Never Met”, this brainchild is David’s great idea and he graciously asked me to come aboard and work with him on this!  These are the first three character designs for the first comic and more will be on the way.   If you’re not around DFW then I’m sure there will be a way we can get it to you folks soon!

A handful of tiny jobs and a computer crash kept me from updating after my week of ACTUALLY posting warm up!  SO….sorry about that.  Here’s a small sketch I did on the side of a page I was working on the other day.  SEE…I’m still posting….sometimes.