Santa Senses Jingling!

Santa-cipation (Christmas Card 2016)

An illustration for this year's Christmas card, if I weren't still sending out last year's designs.

Special thanks to my friend and fellow illustrator MD Jackson who posted a comment on my Facebook page suggesting that I could keep going with this drawing I did for a bag at an office Christmas party. 

It just goes to show you what a little encouraging comment can lead to and inspire (hint hint)

Heres to 2017 folks, let's all make it a good one!

Everybody Gather Round: Christmas Cards 2015

The concept of an artist being surrounded by their creations is nothing new. I had tinkered with this same notion last year. After my summer at Cedar Point with people looking over my shoulder every single day the idea seemed ripe to revisit.

Whatever apparitions the new year has waiting I'm proud to be surrounded by all of you, my friends!

Family Caricature for Christmas

Commissioned caricatures for Christmas of my brother, his wife and their dachshund puppy.

Giblin Family Christmas

Commissioned caricatures for a Christmas family portrait complete with the parents, their kids, the kid's spouses, the grandchildren and the dogs!

Art & Advocacy Auction 2: Electric Boogaloo

I was invited to return for the 3rd annual Art + Advocacy Auction for Safe & Sound, an organization that aids children who have been in abusive homes.

This year I drew caricatures instead of portraits and didn't take as many photos.

Geek Fallout Comics #44: Joker's Wild!

Jingle bells, Batman smells! Tis the season were we discuss comic's Clown Prince of Crime... The Joker!

Join Chris Lockhart, Calvin Heighton and myself as we discuss the many sides of this DC Comics super villain.

Penciled Packages 2: The Quickening

While I'm glad to have time to commit to long term projects, I'm also getting in the habit of sketching small and speedy.

Once again, I'm embellishing some Christmas packaging. This time around I wanted to make the drawings more dynamic, play to the shape of the box and not be so tied down to the material I was using for reference.

Color is magic!

Llama Llama Red Pajama. That's new to me.

"Miles from Tomorrowland" is also new to me.
What little I've seen looks better than the "Tomorrowland" movie.

Sophia the First, What's on second, I don't know is on third...

Ariel is "Under the C". Get it?

Use the Farce Luke!

Alas, this post is not about any new Star Wars buzz or related fan art, this is instead a caricature of my cousin Luke done as a Christmas present.

I don't draw caricature as much as portraiture, (not since that one of Joaquin Phoenix in January) but I could probably benefit from playing with pieces that call for exaggerating the subject, rather than just copy what's there.

What I learned:

1. When working in a style that you're unfamiliar with, it's important give yourself plenty of prep time to experiment. The project may sound simple, but it'll come out better if you give yourself time to play with the possibilities.

2. If you're asked to draw someone that you've never met in your life. Make sure the client gives you MULTIPLE reference photos. Five minimum is a good place to start.


Now I want to hear from you. What have your art projects taught you in this past year?

Secret Santa Sketches

One of the local elementary schools asked me to make some sketch cards for the kids as part of a Secret Santa exchange.

Hiro and Baymax

Groot and Rocket

Groot and Rocket

All those who chose to oppose his shield must YEILD!

First time I've drawn Anna.
Seriously I've gotten more requests for Sven than her!

Dave... or maybe Steve

Olaf

Rapunzel, another Disney first for me.

Wolverine as Michael Keaton's Batman!

Starfox and Wonder Man as Harold and Kumar.
This sketch is actually for the Michigan Comics Collective Secret Santa Exchange.

Now I want to hear from you! Which card is your favorite and who would you request for a secret Santa sketch?

Sketch ya' later!

The Making of Christmas Cards 2014

Plenty of people have sent me e-mails letting me know that they received their copy of my Christmas card so I guess I can sure it with the rest of the world now!

Two years worth of experience have taught me to start earlier each year so it was a bit hard to come up with something Christmas-y when I had only just caught the Halloween bug. So sadly I wasn't able to continue my unintended them from previous years of a seasonal messenger coming to your home, be it by angels or an animal.

Instead I opted for a self portrait, to make it more personal.

This Christmas, surround yourself with colorful characters!

My original plan involved a picture of myself at my desk interacting with a variety of fantasy characters. It was fun to construct this set up, but it ended up being too ambitious to be fully completed in just a month.

Its an idea I'd seen in other places and wanted to give my own take on it as a way of showing people the more fantastical elements that I like to draw.

Ed Catmull, John Lasseter and friends

Walt Kelly

Jack Kirby

To try and give it a fun twist, I added the finished card at my desk to create this weird recursion illusion. Yet another case of time limitations and necessity being the mother of invention!

Now I want to hear from you! What do you think of this year's Christmas card and how do you think I can improve for next year?

Merry Christmas!

Random Nerdness Christmas Special!

Art by Ralph McQuarrie

The Geek Fallout crew returns for our Christmas Special Spectacular!

Join Chris Lockhart, Chris Giada, Brian Farrell, Derek Ash, George Pappy and myself as we brighten up the season by talking about our best Christmas gifts, our favorite TV specials, cookies and debate whether or not to tell the kids about Santa Claus.



Tomorrow: Christmas Cards!

Art & Advocacy Auction

I was invited to attend the Art + Advocacy Auction for Safe & Sound, an organization that aids children who have been in abusive homes. 

So I had a table set up and drew live portraits in exchange for a donation.

Penciled Packages

Christmas is coming sooner than I'd like. Not because of any cynicism, but rather because it means I now have a ticking clock when it comes to Christmas themed projects.

One person who seems to be ahead of the game is my neighbor Shannon, who asked if I would draw some characters on the wrapping for some presents she is going to mail her nieces and nephews.

Working on midtone paper and colored pencil was very different from the kind of sketches I've been doing this summer, but it offered a variety of textures and shades I wouldn't have been able to try otherwise.

Doc McStuffins, thats a first

Elsa, I just can't seem to let her go

Hello Kitty waves goodbye

Sketch ya' later!