Post 329

Post 328

I was talking with Kristian the other day, and he made a good point, I don't put up previews of sequential art I've done for things very often. I guess it's because I used to think that everything had a gag order on it, which to editors should be a good thing that I'm not waving around art. But since I wasn't told not to show any of the non-lettered art, I think it's a good thing to show that I'm not just doing pin-ups and sketches and webcomics. I CAN DRAW SEQUENTIALS!!!! Over the years I feel my storytelling has gotten really strong, ESPECIALLY with the story pictured above, which you can check out in Popgun Volume 4. Not sure when it comes out. Popgun Volume 3 however, came out this week, and I seriously suggest you pick it up, the first part of this story is in it (different artist, same writer, my boy David Hopkins). The first part takes place AFTER the second part (my story)...sounds confusing, right?! Well, it isn't, David crafted a really well structured, cinematic pacing to the way the story is laid out!

So, I did all the pencils, inks and colors on this puppy in the span of about a week, maybe a smidge less. I was very excited about it, by all means this is the biggest sequential book I've worked on...in status and ESPECIALLY SIZE...pushing the 400 page mark on each volume. It's the most bang for your buck and easiest way to catch up on the new talent coming into the industry. Joe Keatinge and Mark Smith, both guys I've known for a while, started something really cool! New editors on the most recent ones, and I feel that each volume is getting better and better. Having helped Jake and luan with an anthology, I really don't know how it's possible to get one together at this scale in a short period of time!

So, between David, Luan (who lettered it) and I, we were the first ones done with our completed story, even with a bunch of re-sizing and changing lettering requests. I've kind of made a habit of that with projects like these. Show that I can be the first one done with a high level of finish, and then set the bar high early.

So, anyways, here's two pages of it to get a taste. I'll be putting up some more sequentials and in the process page shots from time to time now. Just to show you the fact that I am keeping up with a daily sketch blog, working a 40+ hour a week day job, AND I'm doing sequential pages weekly and keeping my deadlines! So, if you're an editor that happens to read this page, take all that into consideration!

Post 327

So, went to the doctors today, but I think I've narrowed it down to one of two things: either it is a new body wash I started using 2 weeks ago, or clay dust. Due to the fact it is primarily on my arms, I think clay dust. The clay had this brown mold on it. My room doesn't have a sink, and I can't leave the students in the class alone, so I've been walking around with clay dust up and down my arm for 90 minutes at a time without the chance to wash them as I wedge clay and dip my hands into slip on a regular basis.

Either way, the treatment is the same...steroid injection, and antihistamine pills.

So I should be back to fighting strength soon and getting rid of all of the skin irritation. Getting a full nights sleep without avoiding scratching will be worth a TON! Now I can actually focus on my drawing for the first time in a few weeks!!!!

Post 326

I have to say thank you to all the people who called or e-mailed me, I'm still working through things. Lost a few dollars in change from the car...thankfully that appears to be it. More to come on that as I find out. They caught one guy, and the other got away. I've become a lot more vigilant because of the experience...to say the least!

This has been the week of unending stress, but I've been dealing with it pretty outstandingly. I credit better health. Last year at this time I was a wreck from the stress. Still itching, I'm going to the doctor on Friday morning (first appointment I could get) and get it checked out, probably end up getting a steroid shot. As a precaution if whether it's fleas or what I think it is (dust mites), pest control sprayed the area by the fireplace. I'm about to go and use a steam vac I got to clean the floor and chairs, then I have to do a bunch of laundry. That's what I've read was the best course of action...I just can't take any more of this itching, on top of the cold I've been dealing with.

Anyways, hopefully it'll be a much better weekend than the week has been!!!

Post 325

This is a placeholder post for later in the day. Been up since 3, but I wasn't sleeping well anyway. Itching on my arms got worse than ever and more welts on my arms. It's been driving me insane, a great addition to my cold. I couldn't figure what it was. It didn't have any raised section where the bites occurred, and it wasn't happening anywhere else. So I thought contact allergy of some sort, then thought maybe it's from all the orange juice I've been drinking (I put a splash in water instead of drinking any sugar drinks, diet secret), but that's not it, then I thought maybe hives. Then I researched mites, and I'm dead sure that's what it is, or fleas, treatment is similar since it's contained to the area near the fireplace. So I've gotta' get a steam cleaner and get the area, if that don't work, bug bomb, but I want to avoid that, as it leaves poison everywhere. My latin teacher in 9th grade forgot to wash her sheets after a do it yourself bug bomb and got cyanide poisoning and nearly died. She swelled up, and had necrotic tissue from areas of skin that were killed by contact with the poison.

ANYWAY, back to the ongoing fun part (sarcasm)! I thought I was hallucinating from cough medicine and the constant state of not knowing whether I was awake, asleep, or in the midst of the many nightmares I was having, but I started to hear voices on and off, and I thought...oh great, now I've finally gone and done it. People think my art is crazy, now I'VE become crazy!!! Thankfully for me, that day wasn't today...I look out the window and see some po-po driving around and yelling at a guy "come over here...get down." So at first I thought it was maybe a scripted impromptu performance of Arnold Schwarzenegger's greatest hits...but about 15 minutes later they come knocking and tell me that people are breaking into cars in the neighborhood to steal stuff. I don't leave important things in the car. You leave anything tempthing, they'll go for it. But still, gotta' see if anything was taken. Haven't gotten the okay yet, police are taking pictures, canvasing the neighborhood for one that tried to run. They caught one of them.

So yeah, great way to start the morning, so you'll understand if I'm a bit late with my daily sketch...thanks for understanding!

Post 324

More random sketches from the weekend, done while riding in the car.

Post 323