Matt-Illustrations

MB 2011 process

2011-12-02T10:58:00.000-08:00

sketch, line, flat grays, scrubby grays, color.

past Minibosses designs I've done have been pretty clean and bright, partially due to working in Flash. This one is done mostly in Corel Painter, with a significant amount of the coloring done in photoshop--but bouncing back between the two as I like some tools in each.

also, as it's for a gatefold vinyl release, I was hoping to do something a bit more detailed than what was done for the MB CD releases.

Minibosses 2011

2011-12-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

The first Minibosses cover I did was in... 2000? eeeek. that's a long time ago.

anyway this time it's for a gatefold record release, which was fun to do--especially in anticipation of the printed finish. A cd case just doesn't compare to a big ol' record cover in terms of the art.

revised labels:

Aidan Baker: The Spectrum of Distraction

2011-09-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

Artwork for an upcoming 2xcd project by Nadja's Aidan Baker.

I was happy to work with Aidan again after contributing art to the 2009 Nadja covers album, When I See the Sun Always Sets on TV.

final sleeve:

disc art (1 of 2)

Barbarian Lord

2011-09-26T20:31:00.001-07:00

Oooops, I haven't been very good at updating this blog...

I've released 2 comic books of my stoic and grim Barbarian Character, Barbarian Lord.

Both are currently available at barbarianlord.com, or more directly at
http://barbarianlordstore.bigcartel.com/

Barbarian Lord Outlaw #1 will not be reprinted as the entire story will be released soon(ish) by Clarion books...

Hopefully will find time for 1 issue length stories before the Outlaw book sees the light of day...

the human resistance

2010-12-20T13:09:00.000-08:00

2 more green avatars--this time is the human resistance...

recycling old stuff 2

2010-08-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

recycling some older artwork

2010-08-11T17:36:00.000-07:00

from stuff I did for the Minibosses for a break from other work. Allows me to try on my design hat, which is much smaller and in far worse shape than my illustration hat.

the bigfoot

2010-08-08T09:01:00.001-07:00

some sketches for a animation project that never emerged from the woods.

Certoons

2010-08-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

From a contest I entered to create environmentally themed cartoons. My ideas were pretty goofy, but the drawings came out ok. Tried 3 different styles, working in Corel Painter in all.

Despereaux samples

2010-08-07T10:07:00.001-07:00

Some older series of images dug up from arranging files. Sample pages I did to get a job illustrating a comic book. Aside from the blatant Mignola style biting, these still look pretty ok to me. An interesting thing, to me anyway, was that the sketch shown here came after the color version. This is as initially the characters were up to me to design--later they had to match style sheets. I don't mean to come across the wrong way, but I liked it much better when the designs were my own...

Derby in the Burbs

2010-07-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

A flyer for a gang of ruthless thugs, um.. i mean nice ladies.

forgot this one...

2010-07-30T09:12:00.001-07:00

might as well get another one in...

Hahahaha

2010-07-30T09:00:00.001-07:00

ok, gotta stop posting just avatars.
But I forget about this one. I should try doing a few where people get a nice new haircut or maybe a fancy hat rather then being zombified or demonized.

anatomy of an avatar

2010-07-30T08:53:00.001-07:00

while i was digging around the ol' drive--found the stages for one of the avatars--often i delete anything but the final jpeg for these images intended to be fast and fun. So to keep up with the showing process idea of this blog...

note: this scary looking man is in reality a nice and talented guy.

avatars

2010-07-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

a common warm-up drawing for me is to draw an avatar for myself or a friend. It's a pressureless way to try out different styles and techniques. Here's a handful of more recent ones...

Abandoned!

2010-07-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

A recent Jus-Tin strip that I lost interest in the plot after page 1. It was based on the Godflesh reunion show this past June amongst other things. I have some other ideas I'd like to try out in this Herge-Broadrick mix.

below: designs for the villains--Warrior, Ain and Giger. Ain was later swapped with Horgh from Immortal.

Barbarian Lord revisited

2010-07-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Whoa.. been a long time since updating the blog. Here are a few recent attempts to simplify the BL designs to the point where I'd get going on a weekly BL comic. Let's see if that gets off the ground soon...

Saturday night sketching

2010-02-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

Trying to get some characters down for an illustration.

Looking at some Ivan Bilibin tonight--this isn't really anything like that--but would like to get some clean lines and relatively simple washes going for this one.

Flyer

2010-01-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

just started drawing without any thought to the text placement. You know, the part that actually matters--the information. It kind of fell in line anyway. this is why i am not a graphic designer.

sketch - corel painter, chalk tool.
line- corel painter, scratchboard pen tool.
color/texture/text - photoshop
texture--old paper scan, desaturated, layer=multiply, set under the linework, over the color layer.

Flash

2009-11-16T12:04:00.000-08:00

Used to use Flash a lot for illustration work. Haven't opened it up in a long time. Used it this past Saturday to whip up some simple graphic-y designs for 2 friends. It's still a quick and easy solution for this kind of thing. Placeholder font in there until a suitable one presents itself.

Some older stuff

2009-11-15T19:02:00.001-08:00

Came across these pages while cleaning up the drive. Done in mostly in Corel Painter. This was the project that spurred me to get a screen tablet. Started the first of 130 something pages with good old pencil and paper--realized quickly I was never going to hit the deadlines at that speed-especially with needing to do do revisions. It was a blur at the time, but seeing these for the first time since working on them, there was some ok work in there.

Tug Hat!

2009-11-13T11:14:00.001-08:00

My talented friend Paul Chun added the Tug Boat to his cork-man hat series.
I am honored and amazed!

Done... and now to bed!

2009-10-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

Combo of NPR and the Dead Kennedys saw me through the final hours.

Bring on the next deadline!

morning and another tugboat

2009-10-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

under-drawing and color version in progress. Can't tell how close I am to finishing this one. Which is usually a good time to stop. Have to tie up the foreground and fix some wonky marks.

2009-10-27T05:21:00.000-07:00

The question is now, will the tug make it to it's destination before this week's assignment deadline?

2009-10-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

Another image in progress from the tugboat story. the statue of liberty waves goodbye as the tug heads down the coast. This one does a little better job in keeping looser and watercolory-ish.

toot toot

2009-10-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

added 10/24

after sketching out the remaining pages, going back to try an tighten the first page up. Attempting to bring in some vibrancy without getting heavy handed and losing the
sketchy vibe. Not quite there yet....

some current work in progress. lots of pages due in short time, so it's been good for trying to find a faster, looser way to go. Here, it's going directly from a sketchy version to color, skipping the "tightening" phase a little--though it's still reworked from initial sketch.

here's the original sketch, tighter sketch w/tones, coloring in progress

Barbarian Lord: Outlaw page 1

2009-07-22T08:13:00.001-07:00

color progress

2009-06-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

not done, but coming along.

trying to get the values right

2009-05-31T19:38:00.001-07:00

a study. Usually, it's the tried and untrue just start throwing color around till it works more or less. Maybe a litte work up front will save some of the usual gnashing of teeth and rolling of eyes. Probably not.

digital crosshatching

2009-05-30T16:38:00.001-07:00

thought I left the days of eye-seizure causing crosshatching behind me...

children's mag piece in progress

sunday morning warm up

2009-05-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

caricature of a message board friend.

Nadja Shirt

2009-03-23T05:49:00.001-07:00

One more Nadja related thing before I retire quietly back to the world of children's art. And barbarians. And trolls.

Picked the hare from the cd art as the crow has become the new skull in heavy music visual vocabulary. Enough crows out there.

1.rough sketch

2.black linework

3.inversed design = metal

4. back design--to be small and between the shoulder blades.

The Garbage Troll

2009-03-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

reworked this early sketch.

one of those "escape from actual assignments" drawings.

roughing it

2009-03-06T20:17:00.001-08:00

friday night random doodling

2009-03-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

exciting lifestyle = at home, sketching and listening to music

the frost giant keeps talking

2009-03-04T19:00:00.000-08:00

another sketchy take.

still avoiding the inevitable.
10 pm now. how late can i put working off...

the frost giant tells a story

2009-03-04T18:20:00.001-08:00

aka sketching to avoid "real" work that has nothing to do with frost giants.

Nadja - interior panel illustrations (process)

2009-02-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

sketch (bottom, yellowish) and final (top, blue) of one of the interior illustrations that hold a loose narrative for the Nadja cd booklet.

Pretty light on color washes--was trying for a more naturalistic watercolor vibe using Painter for the linework and photoshop for the blue washes.

Sketch shows early idea of having all the creatures build from illustration to illustration -- ultimately deemed that too children's booky for this project.

This one is for their cover of Elliot Smith's Needle in the Hay. Great version.

Nadja - when i see the sun always shines on tv

2009-02-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

was glad to get the go-ahead of master-designer Seldon Hunt to give a nod to his Nadja "Thaumogenesis/radiance" mirrored-image designs for the cover interior. He also gave me a solid idea for the next Jus-Tin strip--and for that, I'm working him into it.

Here we have a section of the linework from the cover illustration, mirrored. turned the black lines to an ochre-y color and set it on top of a nice scan of some old paper. This sheet of paper was also the foundation layer of the cover and the interior illos.

coming soonish

2009-02-24T12:23:00.000-08:00

CD of cover songs by Canadian dronegazers, Nadja.

A fine collection of songs by a fine band. A-ha, Codiene, MBV, Slayer, Swans, Elliot Smith and The Cure.

Now to just finish up the layout and not miss another deadline...

shallow grave

2009-02-06T07:14:00.000-08:00

used a photo i took of a squirrel in boston common as reference. he was a brazen
little rodent.

troll

2009-02-03T06:21:00.000-08:00

more warm up drawing sessions...

Barbarian Lord inking

2009-01-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

Corel Painter

find the "scratchboard tool" is the closest to working with an actual brush or crowquill nib.
except--with the ability to "un-do" mistakes, which makes the process less painful.

Will get back to it with some gray wash or color. Also--will flesh out BL's nemesis--Skullmaster Skullmasterson.

The Avalanchers

2009-01-23T17:29:00.000-08:00

Well...a couple of non-Avalanchers who just wanted to be green.
And one or two alternate versions in there.
Aaaand there's one or two more to be done...

[secret Avalancher talk] never a more DAR group of men and women could I hope to meet! Haaaar! [/secret Avalancher talk]

not new...

2009-01-23T07:08:00.000-08:00

but some process-y stuff.

Herge/Justin Broadrick/Lovecraft comic.

Sketches-pencil
line work-Flash for first page (page 1 of 4), Painter for second (page 3 of 4).
used to do alot of stuff in Flash--liked the drawing tools--the way you could smooth out wonky lines,
but came around to Painter--doesn't have that smoothing ability, but more natural feel when working.
color-Painter and/or Photoshop
text-photoshop

more barbarian indulgence

2009-01-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

bear with me.

warm up nonsense monday morning

2009-01-19T11:40:00.000-08:00

Adding goofy sketches as they come...

2009-01-18T12:15:00.001-08:00

regardless of their quality.

moar messing about

2009-01-17T19:36:00.001-08:00

saturday night is aiiight for sketching

2009-01-17T18:12:00.001-08:00

sketchy sketches for sketchings sake.

Man, I'm still doing stuff. Not that this blog is showing it.

2008-12-29T06:19:00.000-08:00

The Tale of Despereaux graphic novel

2008-09-07T11:24:00.001-07:00

Another post not related to digital illustration process...

I just received copies of the Tale of Despereaux, graphic novel
from the fine folks over at Candlewick Press.

It's pretty cool to see it in print.

Thanks to Candlewick Press and co-illustrator/all-around-swell-fellow, Dave Tilton!

http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Despereaux-Movie-Tie-Graphic/dp/0763640751/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220808695&sr=8-1

Weekend Painting

2008-09-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

Had an non-digital painting to do over the weekend.

Would like to work more in watercolor and gauche
when traditional media is called for, but pulled out
acrylics out for familiarity and speed's sake.

So here we go...

Step 1: Sketch.
Sketched it out in Painter and printed
it out.

Step 2: Transfer to bristol board.
Forgot I loaned out my lightbox
and had to use my Wacom tablet for
the job!

Step 3: Gauche wash.
Hit Pencil with a layer of fixative.
Protects pencils, kills brain cells.
Even trade.

Step 4: Begin painting.
Meandered around with no fixed color
plan in mind. Not usually the best idea,
but sometimes it works out.

Step 5: Done and done!
Go find bicycle and get out of the house.

Monday Morning

2008-08-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

quick tests before heading out on vacation!

Spent an hour recoloring the troll sketch from
last night. Posting 2 steps

1. saturating the sketch with color with brushes
acting as wet media.

2. using bushes acting as dry media to bring in
detail. As if scumbling acrylic or gauche over
a watercolor base.

Sunday Night

2008-08-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

Another digital sketch....

Another experiment

2008-08-24T06:58:00.001-07:00

Sketch with an old paper texture dropped behind it
and a little color added.

Again Painter for pencils, Photoshop for rest.

Photoshop brushes

2008-08-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Day 3 -- more playing around with different kinds of brushes.

Scanned paper.

2008-08-22T08:32:00.001-07:00

Still playing around looking for a decent way of working digitally.

Dropped sketch ontop of scanned paper, used chalk tool in Painter to add lighter values.

"watercolor" tests

2008-08-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

Trying to find that natural watercolory sketch look using Painter for the pencils and Photoshop for the color.

Will post as it comes along.