My Wiikend Highlight.

Wii celebrated my future sister in law's birthday this wiikend. After a great meal cooked up by the Fiiancee, wii then played after dinner games. My brother brought his Nintendo Wii system over. The most fun and odd couple playing against each other was my 60 something Dad and his 6 year old granddaughter (niece Devin).


The "smack" talk between each other in heated competition shocked all in the room. It got ugly. The police soon arrived... letting them both off with a warning. Wii think the home insurance company will cover the damage. Wii hope they patch things up and start speaking again soon.

Some pictures before the ugwiiness...


The Fiiancee wanted to have a "boxing" match with me. The crazy look in her eyes made me decline .

50 cartoons and counting.

Today, I'm proud to announce my 50th cartoon on PARA ABNORMAL. If you've not visited yet, please do.

STAR WARS Wednesday (on Thursday): Chapter 6

The story continues with chapter 6 today of my 1980 comic book version of what I thought RETURN OF THE JEDI might be when I was 14 years old. If you need to catch up, chapter 1 is here, chapter 2 is here , chapters 3 & 4 are here and chapter 5 is here (or just scroll down).

As usual please excuse the poor early teenage grammar/spelling and not posting yesterday, just plain forgot. Today's a short chapter leading into the final showdown with the EMPIRE!

Click on pages to enlarge.



NEXT WEEK, The final duel with the dark lord begins!

Random messy file box find.

Character design for kid's TV show proposal.

Rotring art pen and watercolor on bristol board.

Fun projects that don't pan out.

In 1990, Lowell House Publishing liked the work I was doing on other books for them. They asked me to illustrate a new series of "how to" magic trick books for kids called HOPPIN' MAGIC. They gave me a lot of freedom in designing the main rabbit character, inventing his frog assistant and have fun with the page layouts (imagined like a comic strip).

Unfortunately, it was one project too many and I was already falling behind on the other books I was already doing for them. HOPPIN' MAGIC was passed on to another illustrator. I was down about it for awhile, I really wanted to do this series. They did use the characters as I first designed them though.

Original, unused first cover. Pen/ink, watercolor and colored pencil

A few page thumbnails.

TV Work = Hugging.

Getting the job:



First hour:


Last hour:



6 months later at a Starbucks:

STAR WARS Wednesday: chapter 5

The story continues with chapter 5 today of my 1980 comic book version of what I thought RETURN OF THE JEDI might be when I was 14 years old. If you need to catch up, chapter 1 is here, chapter 2 is here and chapters 3 & 4 are here (or just scroll down).

Please excuse the grammar and spelling , it's sad knowing I was 14 and wrote like that. Then again, re reading many of the posts on this blog... nothing has changed.

Only one person tried to guess my Ralph McQuarrie panel homage from last week and he was wrong (sorry Bruce). I'll leave the contest open till someone gets it right.

This week's chapter features Jabba the Hut. This comic was done 3 years before the movie came out. I based my Jabba on the MARVEL COMICS adaption of the first Star Wars movie which included the now famous "special edition" scene with him. Artist Howard Chaykin pictured him like one of the creatures seen walking through the streets of Mos Eisley (click here).

OK, enough "backstory" stuff... here's the promised return of Han Solo. Click on any page to enlarge.









NEXT WEEK: Darth Vader gets angry!

Ollie Johnston

A great artist who's work influenced mine has passed away. I marvel at the ability of animators picking the exact moments that create the illusion of life. I strive to capture the personality of a character in a single drawing as he did.

I referenced his book so often as a student at RISD, it broke the binding and the pages started falling out. That book is still within arms reach from my drawing table today.

Here's a inspiring video with animator Glen Keane about Ollie Johnston's work.

Open letter to the Fiancee.

My Dear Fiancee,

You enjoy making fun of my dorkness. Any given night can be spent in the living room as you team up with your Sister repeating something geeky I say in nerdy voices and tears of laughter. I've grown to accept this little torment.

I was cleaning out some boxes and well, well, well, laugh all you want.

Explain this...


Best wishes,
Dave

Sunday Sketchbook: more CYLONS

I've found even more CYLONS I drew for Vincent Guastini's proposal to create them and other creatures in Bryan Singer's abandoned BATTLESTAR GALACTICA TV series long ago. Read more about this project and see other sketches, here.

I don't think I even showed Vinnie these below. They were part of my process, just doodling, getting ideas on paper. I like where some were going.

What's the most unaction action figure of all time?

I once thought it was the Star Wars Power Droid, but this tops the list. Just click HERE.

I've been watching too many celebrity news shows.

Random Dork Trivia

Via my brother in law Kirk.

The 3rd rat to cross the screen during the song "Making Christmas" in the film NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS was named SNOBBY. Now you know and knowing is half the battle. YO DORKEYNESS !

STAR WARS Wednesday!

The adventure continues with chapter 3 and 4 today of my 1980 comic book version of what I thought Return of the Jedi might be when I was 14 years old. If you need to catch up, chapter 1 is here and chapter 2 is here (or just scroll down).

There's a panel in this installment when I pay homage to a well known conceptual painting from The Empire Strikes Back by Ralph McQuarrie. Can you spot it? Let me know. I'll post the winners names next week! Die hard fans will easily pick it out.

Click on any page to enlarge.



NEXT WEEK, the promised rescue of HAN SOLO! Really.

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE HAS ARRIVED!

My own website address has been a long wanted, needed and overdue career step forward. I've finally created one. Although a poor man's website and not as slick as others, it's functional. I hope to upgrade and redesign in time, but for now, visit...

WWW.DAVELOWEDESIGN.COM

Real Life Adventures!