My 24 Hour Comics Day...RECAP!!!

Here is a recap of my first 24 Hour Comics Day Event. What is 24 Hour Comics Day you ask...well it is where a artist is supposed to create a 24 page comic in 24 hours...for myself on the other hand being A INKER and NOT A PENCILLER, I would think that an inker should be able to ink 12 pages in 24 hours since in some cases it takes a tad bit longer to ink a page especially if you have to do any finishes or correct anatomy.

So, on Saturday October 3, 2009 several artist descended on The Comic Monstore in Salisbury, NC for 24 Hour Comics Day...these artist that decided to undertake this challenge are the guys from Vanguards of Comics (Jay Gobble, Charles Underhill & Jason Carr wearing the white t-shirts) and myself (wearing the Batman t-shirt).

My first 24 Hour Comics Day at The Comic Monstore in Salisbury, North Carolina was a blast to say the least...listen/watched ALOT of movies (300, Ghostbusters Animated, Ghostbusters, Spirit, Superbad, The Simpsons Movie, Deathproof, Japanese Anime and a few more that I can't remember), listened to alot of music (Lordi, Distrubed, Guns & Roses, Judas Priest & many more), LOTS and LOTS of laughs. The guys from Vanguard got about 20 pages done EACH, I am NOT a Penciller...I am AN Inker and I inked 12 of Charles Underhill's pages in 23 hours...I think I did pretty good for my first ever event.


Here is one of the pages I inked for Charles Underhill...this is the Ice Princess.



Shane Peoples (Store Manager) from The Comic Monstore (seen here chillin at 8:16am)









who was a really great host...kept suppling us with Bawl's energy drinks for the 24 hours and paid for all our meals (I personally ate Chicken Hibachi for lunch, Wendy's Chicken Club Combo for dinner and Jay bought all of us breakfast from McDonald's at around 6:15am)...all around I had a really great experience, I would do it again.


Here are some pictures of Charles, Jay, Jason & I at the START of the event -


Here are some pictures of Charles, Jay, Jason & I near the END of the event -

Jason & Charles still cranking out pages, me looking for 12 noon and some sleep, Jay and all his BLUE BAWL's...these guys are the greatest, I look forward to hangin' with these guys more often.

Here is an AWESOME Freddy Krueger bust that I picked up during the storewide 24 Hour Comics Day SALE!!! For $30.00, best iconic horror slasher ever...hands down!!!

(This picture of my Freddy Krueger bust was taken later in the day in my studio, after I got home and got some sleep!!!)

North Carolina 24 Hour Comics Day

We at The Comic Monstore are hosting our first 24 Hour Comics Day so mark your calendars because the date has been set! This year's worldwide event will take place at 12:00pm on Saturday, October 3 at 813 S. Jake Alexander Blvd. Salisbury, NC 28146.

If you live in Salisbury, NC or the surrounding areas and want to be a part of 24 Hour Comics Day...please contact Ray Franks or Shane Peoples at 704-636-0049 or feel free to contact me for further details.

My Second Brush Work

Here is my second brush work...I found this Hellboy and wanted to give it a try with my brush, I thought it would be good practice, I am still using the Loew-Cornell Size 2 (White Nylon) for practice.

Side Note
Hellboy was inked entirely with the Loew-Cornell Size 2 brush.

Enjoy and until next time get your draw on!!!

My First Brush Work

Here is my first brush work...I was given this Superman Trading card to practice my inks with a brush.

To start with I decided to practice with a Loew - Cornell (White Nylon) size 2 so that I can get a feel for what a brush is supposed to do and how it moves on the paper before I start using my Winsor Newton or Kolinsky Sable.

I also decided to use a Hunt #107 and a Rapidograph pen.

When I first approached this piece, I was scared to use the brush...I was told to use my pens because that is what I was comfortable with so I decided to build my lines on the big bug looking guy and use the brush to try and stay within the lines that I built to see if I could control the brush.

Next thing I did was ink Superman, I decided to just go with a brush...the ONLY thing on Superman that I DID NOT use the brush for is the buttons, I used a Rapidograph pen for those...again Superman is inked with a brush minus the buttons.

Lastly, I decided to use the Hunt #107 to do the really tight inks (small bugmen).

So, this is my first attempt at using a brush (nylon)...I will post more as I get them done.

UPDATE
I know that alot of the weights weren't the best chosen weights...I was going more for control than anything else and smoothness of the lines and I think I did pretty good at achieving my goal.

Micron Pens vs Brushes & Crowquills

So for all those interested in what I have been doing as of late...I have decided to make the transition from Micron Pens to Brushes after being GREATLY ENCOURAGED by several people that are very close to me (my girlfriend being one of them) and dear friends of mine both old and new alike.

Up until about 2 days ago, I have been using micron pens and markers for everything, so I have decided to start using a brush, so for starters I am using a Loew-Cornell size 2 white nylon brush for practice (so that I can get a feel for what a brush is supposed to do when it moves across the paper)...I wanted to use this nylon brush first before I get into my good brushes...my Winsor & Newton Series 7 size 3 and my Kolinsky Sable Raphael 8404 sizes 2 & 3...I also decided 2 days ago that I am going to start using my crowquills (Hunt #102 & #107) and still use my micron pens but the pens will be used very little...everything will be mostly done in brush or crowquill.

So with that being said, I should have the first piece up for all to see by this weekend, sorry for the delay...I am really trying to feel out the brush and how it moves and what all it can do.

Wish me luck!!!

Heroes Con 2009

Well, another year of Heroes Con has come and gone for me...I attended for my 3rd year as a spectator and MAY consider getting a table next year, but on another note - I had a great time catching up with old friends from last year and chatting with my deviantART friends that were there and making some new friends.

Speaking of new friends, I met writer Todd Dezago http://www.perhapanauts.com and pro inker Nathan Massengill http://www.nathanmassengill.com and Angel Comics penciller Rod Thorton http://www.razielssecret.deviantart.com and pro inker Rick Ketcham http://www.tsunami-studios.com/rick_ketcham

On 06/20/09 ALOT of people looked at my portfolio and told me that I have some great inking skills, I just need to leave the pens alone and start using the proper tools (brushes) and Nathan was the last one to look at my portfolio around 5pm and challenged me to start using brush and improve by Heroes Con 2010.

I have accepted the challenge by Nathan Massengill to better improve myself by Heroes Con 2010 with the use of the proper tools...and the proper tools I will learn to use, I really really like to ink and like I tell my kids all the time, I have black ink in my veins and bleed black.

I also had the chance to meet Marvel Inker Rick Ketcham (pictured above) and talk with him for quite sometime...Rick is a very down to earth guy and a great conversationalist and gave me ALOT of great pointers regarding my inks.

So now is the time to turn that black pen ink to black brush ink.

I will admit, I am afraid to come out of my comfort zone and give my pens to my wonderful and supportive girlfriend Melissa, who wants me to improve as well.

Melissa has told me that I have to ask for my pens when I have technical areas to be inked...I want to do it, I want to get away from pens ALL the time...I want to ink with brushes, I really want to improve...so, I have set my mind to do this and do this right.

So, bear with me if I don't post ALOT of art in the coming months as I will be struggling with learning the proper way to use a brush.

*ON A SIDE NOTE*

If I have promised to ink something for you within the last several months, I will hold to my word and get it inked...SCOUTS HONOR!!!

Until next time...get your draw on :-)

Untold Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan - Heroes Fallen Fundraiser 2009 - Batman Sketch

This is a Batman sketch that was done by Clayton D. Murwin for The Great Sean Taylor.

I also included my inks on top of Clayton's pencils...this was at the request of The Great Sean Taylor.

American Soldier

I attended the "Untold Stories from Iraq & Afghanistan Graphic Novel" Heroes Fallen Fundraiser at Broadway High School in Broadway, VA that was hosted by Clayton D. Murwin aka The Hero Maker (http://www.heroesfallen.blogspot.com)...had a good time hanging out with Sean Taylor (http://www.taylorverse.com) and Scott Rorie (http://comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=8267) had some great conversations with everyone who attended the fundraiser and got to listen to alot of good music.

I had the priviledge of winning a FANTASTIC piece of artwork by a Vietnam Vet named Bobby Kro (http://bobbykro.blogspot.com) which can be seen above.

I also had the opportunity to do a interview for a Military based internet radio show...I will post that link as soon as it becomes available to me.

If you did not attend this fundraiser, you missed a good time...hope to do it again sometime.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!!
TELL THEM HOW MUCH THEY ARE APPRECIATED FOR THEIR SERVICE AND SACRIFICES!!!

Meanwhile back at the Hall of Justice...

Here are the inks on an Aquaman Commish for a client at work...who asked for Aquaman to be at the Hall of Justice making PB&J sandwichs in ode to a scene from the old Challenge of the Superfriends Cartoon from the 70's.

Client : Robert Allison

Pencils : Jose Negron

Inks : Michael W. Kellar

Aquaman (c) DC Comics

Teen Spidey Inks over Jeremy Dale's pencils

On the top we have my inks over Jeremy Dale's Teen Spidey Pencils located below -


Ultimate Spidey and Mary Jane by ~thincage on deviantART

Jeremy has a really great cartoony style about his pencils that I really like alot and I am having a blast inking over his work...look for more inks over Jeremy's pencils in the future

Captain America Collab with Grimbro

Here is a picture of the famed Captain America that I drew in September 2008 and was lucky enough to have it colored by Grimbro from deviantART.com http://grimbro.deviantart.com/
he was offering color comissions and I was lucky enough to get a spot on his list...I offered up this picture and he was kind enough to color it for me.

Inking over Doug Freeman

Here are my inks over Doug Freemans' pencils

Inking over Jeremy Dale

Here are the first of many inks over Jeremy Dale's pencils http://www.jeremy-dale.com/
Jeremy has a really great cartoony style about his pencils that I really like alot and I am having a blast inking over his work...look for more inks over Jeremy's pencils in the future.

Batman by Dick Giordano Digitally Inked

Here is the Batman Sketch I got from Dick Giordano at Heroes Con 2008, I decided to try my hand at doing some digital inks on it to see what I could do for it...and here you have Dick Giordano's Batman inked by me digitally.