Some mythological creatures

The cockatrice, hatched from the egg of a rooster that was sat upon by a toad. It's basically a rooster with a lizard/dragon tail that can kill you by looking into your eyes or breathing on you.

One of my favorites, the manticore. A lion's body with a human face and poison-barbed tail. So cuddly.

My favorite thing to draw are creatures; whether fantasy or cryptozoological. Awesome fun!

Marvel Cats

I am absolutely loving Marvel Cats. I just yanked these from my sketchbook.
I love me a mopey Wolvie fat cat that meows like, "mer."
Chamber tabby!

And Penance, who is still one of my favorite characters to draw.

Let's go for a walk! I feel great!

I've been watching My Neighbor Totoro for three days straight. Best three days of my life!

Fall 2010

So very, very ready for cooler weather.

Fall semester at SCAD-Atlanta is kicking off nicely. I already have a ton of work to do, but it's all fun.

I went with Erin Gladstone, Cara McGee, and Falynn Koch to Japanfest at the Gwinett convention center this afternoon. We watched some guy put on a one man show, where he enthusiastically played all four roles (the princess, the villain, the hero Aishu Kamen, and False Aishu Kamen). He also did some juggling, tightrope walking, and quick changes in an onstage tent WITHOUT EVER CLOSING THE FLAP. It was the hardest I've laughed in a while, yo. Love! Justice!! Aishu Kamen!!! Had some delicious takoyaki and black milk bubble tea. I really really wanted some mochi and some onigiri what bad, but they were sold out. I wanted to buy everything!! So much cute Japanese stuff at the booths!!! Hello Kitties, Tare Pandas, other kitties, Totoros, Nintendo controller wallets, catbus hats, pencil cases, everyeveryeverything. I did end out getting a soot sprite and two books, but I could have spent a small fortune on all the stuff I wanted.

Today was also my first time to H-Mart. I feel like I can never shop at a regular grocery store again. I just want udon noodles, mochi, fresh squid and scallops, and onigiri for the rest of my life. And I want everything packed in a Hello Kitty bento box.

I will definitely have to go to Japan soon.

Heroes Con 2010

Yeeeah, guys!

Sorry it's taking me so long to post about Heroes Con! I had an entire post typed out and then my computer froze up and I lost everything I had written. I decided to give myself a few days to properly forget what I wrote, so now I'm ready to type up an even better and more exciting report!

Friday was great; getting to the con, scoping out where everything was, and saying hi to friends I haven't seen in forever. I didn't go to any panels or anything, but I had a good time buying some books I knew I wanted and getting a few things signed. Julie Godwin brought Scott Adsit over to the table to meet us, and that was pretty damn exciting. I was also excited to see and talk to guys like Matt Kindt and Sean Murphy, who both have come to SCAD-Atlanta to do artist workshops for the Sequential Art students.

Do you guys understand how much Sean Murphy rules? Do you?? His arts make me want to be a better artist and experiment with my inks a lot more. I'm definitely going to be following Sean's work.

I finally got Super Spy by Matt Kindt (I was waiting to buy it directly from him so that he would stamp it with his little Super Spy stamp), and I started reading it this week. You should read this book. It is smart, subtle, and designed beautifully.

Dinner Friday night was pretty exhausting, and as soon as we (finally) sat down to eat a band started playing, so we couldn't hear each other. I'll be sure to try and plan something a little more low-key for Friday night next year.

Saturday was a long day of buying more stuff, starting in on my original art trading cards that I started selling, and watching Mark Brooks (sitting two tables down from us) work on a beautiful Black Cat painting for the auction that night. The auction itself was way more fun than I ever thought an auction could be. Mix alcohol, smoking jackets, and sexy Zatana chicks parading around original art pieces by excellent artists, and you'll have fun.

Sunday, I sold several trading cards and met and talked to some pretty nice comics enthusiasts. We also met people looking for Tim Sale's booth. It was a really good day that went by way too fast, but I was more than ready to go home that evening.

I'm really looking forward to Heroes Con 2011, gonna have more stuff to sell, including original art, prints, and Play Ball!!

HEY! Don't forget to pick up JAM! on the 23rd (that's just 10 days from now, folks!)!!!! I have a 3-pager in there, and there are a ton of other artists representing the noble sport of Roller Derby. It's gonna be pretty kickass.

I'm just dropping in for a sec to show off a few sketches that I just sent to CB Cebulski at Marvel. I've been putting in most of my time with my Oni book, and little bit of time with Jam! (getting released by Oni in May), and I'm not sure how much I can really say about either of those two projects at this point, so here's some X-Men!







I'll probably upload some creature sketches soon, so keep checking back if you wanna be all up on the awesomes with me.

Post-Heroes Con

I'm sure that we're all familiar with the best (and my personal favorite) comic con for artists, writers, and fans alike: Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC.  Last summer was the first time that I attended this show, and it was a wonderful way for me to dip my toes into the world of comics from a creator's point of view.  I got to feel out how I fit into the industry, and the direction that I needed to take my art and my ambition.  I got to meet Bryan Lee O'Malley, Hope Larson, Chris Brunner, Robbi Rodriguez, and Nicholas Gurewitch, all of whom I am a huge fan (though I totally fan-spazzed all over O'Malley).  I may not have done the best job of promoting myself that first year, but I think that I managed to do an even poorer job this year.

I almost didn't even make it to Heroes this year, due to a severe lack of funds and a lot of discouraging, complicated life stuff.  However, good won out over evil and John and I landed at the Con on Saturday, just in time for Chris Schweizer's panel discussion with Roger Langridge, David Petersen, and (***super-gasp***) Jeff Smith.  After that, I worked the SCAD booth from 2-4, spreading the love of learning about comics to the masses.  I reached out with all my feminine charms and promoted the hells outta SCAD, its awesome students and its double-awesome professors.  At 4:15, I went to check out the line for Jeff Smith's booth (he had a signing scheduled for 5, but I knew that I'd have to be there early to make sure that the line wasn't cut off before I slipped my way into it.  Lucky thing I got there early, too, because I was only about eight people from the front of the line, and they cut it off only about eight people behind me in line.  

Meeting Jeff Smith was the ultimate of awesome.  I held it together, unlike last year when I met O'Malley (still kicking myself for blurting out "I'M A HUGE FAN!"--ugh).  Jeff Smith is such a pleasant dude, and I was really delighted that he recognized me from the crowd (and by "from the crowd," I mean that I was sitting with my fellow SCADians in the front row as close to center as I could, because I didn't want to miss a word of the panel discussion).  He signed my big One Volume Bone and my Rasl issues, as well as issue #4 that I bought from his booth.  While I was in line, I kept eyeing the trade for Monster Society of Evil (I really want it and I really wanted to get Steve Hamaker to sign it, too), but my super-tight budget wouldn't allow for it.  Golly, I also wanted Bone and Beyond so incredibly bad.  And I want The Art of Bone.  And Stupid Stupid Rat Tails and Rose.  Gimme more BONE!!!  

Well, meeting Jeff Smith was obviously the highlight of this con for me.

After that, the con was pretty much about to close, so I think that I stopped by the 12-gauge booth and said hey to some of my Gaijin buddies, then headed to dinner with John and my fellow hungry SCAD folks.  That night highjinks ensued; I had a blast talking to everyone, hanging out with Brunner and Rodriguez again, chilling with John and Rachel and Doug Dabbs, and being slightly embarrassed when a certain chick made a certain comment that made it quite clear that her man was unavailable.  Which was just kinda weird.

It was fun watching Brian Michael Bendis put up with the hordes of fans grouping up to take a picture with him in the lobby of the Westin.  Bendis is someone that I suppose I'd like to meet, but I don't honestly have a clue what I'd say to him. 

Sunday, me and the millions of SCAD girls that piled into our hotel room (Cara, Julie, Erin, Areta, Rachel, Irene, and...I think that was all....) got up relatively early to pack it up and check out of the hotel.  We dragged ourselves to the Con, probably getting there about 11:30 or so, and I hung around with John buying a couple of discount trades, grabbing polaroid art from Brunner and Rico, and trying to get the rest of the books I had brought to the Con (most notably Tattoo; notable because it's like carrying around one of those cement blocks that you prop a car up on when you're ripping it off) signed and stuff.  If you've ever wondered what Eric Powell looks like, he's basically Jonas but quieter.  I still love Stuntkid's art, but was once again unable to buy a print from him.   I hung around the Temple tables, trying not to cramp their style before wandering off again.

John and I left Heroes Con a little after 1pm so that he could make it back to Atlanta in time to celebrate Father's Day with his pops, so I hope that the rest of the Con went really well, and I hope that everyone had a swell time!!

In preparation for next year's Con, I've decided to save money each week that I will save in an "exclusively for HeroesCon" jar, so that I can just spend gobs and gobs of money to my little heart's content.

If you've read this whole thing, you either really love me or you really love comics.  And I love you for that.

I found the best website.

picturesofwalls.com

More Speed Sketches!

A lazy Yoda
Nearly-complete Skydoll


and Usagi Yojimbo!!

Temple Submission from last week!

Tank Girl is the queen of my McAwesome!