Creative Inspiration: Comic Giants Drawing Stuff

The three videos below have no music setting a mood, no narration explaining things or overblown editing. The only sounds you hear and the sights you see are the pencils and pens on paper by comic art giants John Romita, Joe Kubert, John Buscema, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave Gibbons and Travis Charest.

Good luck trying not to draw something after watching these...

Sketchbook: Grave Thoughts

Well, it's that time of year when I really begin thinking about new ideas for the Halloween yard and considering I'm almost always thinking about haunted decor for the front lawn (even on Christmas Eve), that's saying something.

As the wheels turn, I also get frustrated with myself because there are so many ideas from the past left unrealized, old props needing makeovers and all are always more than my time and budget will allow.

Then again, what is Halloween if not a great reason to let the imagination have fun. So with that in mind, I doodled up yet another possible character for the yard (and play with my new Sakura pigma brush marker).

Creative Inspiration: Bernie Wrightson

Book trailers on the web are a common promotional tool in publishing today, but here's one from the '80's for the now classic Bernie Wrightson illustrated Frankenstein.

Halloween '10 - Sinister Saint Novena Candles

Awhile back on my web comic, Para Abnormal, I did a series of Saints whose patronages where strange, somewhat sinister and very true (click here). I decided these guys needed their own novena candles to include in my Oct. 31st decor.

I chose two cartoons from the series perfect for Halloween...

Thankfully, living in Los Angeles, novena candles can be found almost everywhere and actually bought mine at the corner mini market for $1.50 each. The original cartoons needed tweaking to be candle ready. Using Photoshop, I got rid of the captions, elongated the panels and adjusted the size overall...

Then I printed on vellum, flipped the computer image and printed again on the back of the same vellum sheet. This helps to keep the colors saturated and not washed out from the flame back light. After cutting out I just glued on the glass. Want to make your own? Feel free to click on the "candle ready" cartoon panel above to enlarge and swipe it. Just keep my credits on there is all I ask.

IMPORTANT: the labels won't hold up well to extended heating from the candles if left lit for a very long period of time. There may be warping, even browning. Glue them down well and far below the glass lip. A good general rule I follow... never leave candles burning out of sight!

Jeff's Big Book

As propmaster for Nickelodeon's BrainSurge, I created this fun giant book used in each episode by host Jeff Sutphen. The one pictured here is the recently filmed second season makeover version of the book currently seen on the air in season one. It couldn't be very different as it's an established prop now. Because the audience only gets a brief moment to see the cover when Jeff holds the book up quickly before opening, the simple overall design and bold wording works well to recognize what it is as opposed to a prop tome of intricate detail.


The book had to be very large, but still very easy to lift and handle, so I made it from scratch with lightweight foamcore board. It's painted and finished using the same paper towel and Mod Podge method from my creepy old book how-to. Although it looks 500 pages thick, there are only 50 or 60 glued in sheets of thin drawing pad paper. I crumpled each page and loosely made flat again, so the book never really closes completely and has the illusion of thickness and weight. The pages were aged with brushed on coffee. The natural warping of the paper after drying also helps the illusion.


The ornate corners on the cover are cut out from craft store fun foam sheets with added brass upholstrey tacks. Like many of my past projects needing old labels, the one here is also done in Photoshop, printed out, glued on and aged with coffee. I wrinkled and tore the edges for the worn look while still wet.

Creative Inspiration: Neil Gaiman & Charles Vess

If this doesn't make you feel like using your imagination creating something in someway today then I have no idea what else could...

Easter Kid Crafting

Three very easy and kid friendly Easter themed craft projects I made for Family Fun. Most of the materials needed are probably already around your house. Click on the project titles to view the "how-to" videos.

Bunny Basket

Cloth Strip Basket

Egg Family

Creative Inspiration: Adam Savage

A funny and fascinating story of obsession leading to new artistic avenues from Mythbuster's Adam Savage. Anyone who likes to make props will especially enjoy this.

Sketchbook: Colored Knotty 'Ol Cycloptic Oak

Woke my still sleepy creative side this morning coloring this graveyard character sketch I posted a couple of weeks ago.

Sketchbook: Old Witch 2

Colored that witch sketch I did awhile back. First with watercolor on a card stock printed copy of the original sketch, then scanned, then played with in Photoshop. Good practice and a way to loosen up before starting work today on some finishes for the Arabian Nights project.

Three Iconic Adventure Heroes

Twenty similarities I've noticed in three iconic adventure heroes beloved by their generation's kids each separated by more than twenty years.

1. Unique hat (brown)
2. Well worn attire
3. Unique weapon that is part of the story
4. Second unique backup weapon always carried
   
5. Right to left hanging strap or belt across chests
   
6. At least one additional piece of equipment or gear which is always worn
   
7. Often unshaven or general scruffy look
8. Wisecracking humor
   
9. Frequently traveling
10. Trouble often finds them
11. Inventive or opportunistic in escape
12. Their reputations precede them
13. Occasional unique coat or jacket
14. Often employed or asked to help
15. Myths or tall tales about them are told
16. Unenthusiastic participants in events of greater good
17. Non-conforming rule breakers
18. Introduced while at the end of a previous adventure
19. Loyal company or sidekick in adventure
    
20. A ride featuring them in Disneyland
    

I'm sure there are many more. Feel free to add to the list via a comment.

Sketchbook: ERG

Magical woodland creatures filled my sketchbooks back in the '80s inspired by the huge craze caused by the Brian Froud and Alan Lee book Fairies and the book Gnomes by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvilet. I haven't doodled fairies very much in recent years but had reason to this past week helping a friend with a project.

This is Erg. He's a bitter fairy. Half goblin and half pixie. His only joy in life is clubbing anything in the head with dried up flower stalks who invade his personal space.

Creative Inspiration: Brian Froud

Sketchbook: Knotty 'Ol Cycloptic Oak

Possible new character for Para Abnormal or a new prop for Halloween or both or will remain just a bunch of doodles in my sketchbook.

Get A Halloween Prop And Help Save The World.

With the amount of coffee I drink, it's always good to have mints handy. I've been an Altoid man for years but after discovering Project 7 sugar-free mints at a Java City not long ago, I switched brands. Why? Well, just look how they're packaged...


For less than 2 bucks, you get fresh breath, a cool Halloween prop and help make the Earth a better place...50% of the profits go to world hunger relief. Visit project7.com for more info and where you might find these near you.

Of course, now I'm inspired to make a test tube holding rack. Look for that project how-to from me soon! These would make a great treat, for a good cause, to give out to the kids this year. Especially being in theme with the Frankenstein's Monster front porch scares at my house. I just might have to start setting some money aside to order enough.