Trying something new

This is line art from a on sight commission I did at Connecti-Con. I finished the traditional coloring of this piece, and am working digitizing it. Its been a little hectic trying to work on it between all these conventions, work, and anything else that likes to get in the way. I decided I wanted to use a combination of Cell Style for the main characters and a more soft painterly style for the background so it looks more like a screen capture from a show.

Here is me toying around with soft painterly approach. I am having fun experimenting. So this just a very early start to a new piece I have been playing with to get a break from some of my other work or chores. If it is a successful approach to coloring and looks nice in the final product. I will probably continue to use it in all the rest of my work. I am still teaching myself digital coloring and I admit I safe in my safety zone far to much. But that is going to change.

YES! I know already

So ever since Scott Pilgrim vs. the world movie came out. I must have gotten at least a text a day, or wall post or whatever saying they saw the movie and Roxy Richter reminds them of me. Cesca called that I should cosplay as her in the future. Which wouldnt be hard, I would just dress normal. Mary said she flipped out in the theater stating that "MEGAN DOES IT BETTER" So she wins for the flattery on that one! She told me this AFTER she edited my facebook profile picture. I will share that with you just for the halibut.

I wore my hair like that in Chicago none the less. Its not the first time either. -_- stupid movie.
Well I should'nt be surprised as some Illustration kids were reading the book, or other nerd friends, they would say this character or that character reminded them of me. Apparently I should move to Canada with my own kind? Apparently its full of awesome XD
Well I am going to Canada next week for Montreal Comic Con. I can see first hand the coolness level of these kids. I have never had a bad time in Canada before. I have only been to Quebec, Montreal, Toranto and Ontario. I would really like to go to Vancover sometime. So far Quebec was my favorite...which was odd cuz the worst visit I have had to a country was France. French Canadians NOT EVEN close! Great people. So I'm pretty peachy keen on Montreal Comic Con. I hope that convention is actually more like Connecticon was. Lot of good people there.

Another addition that mary bestowed on me on FB was this lovely doodle of me as a ...gladiator?
Not sure what is going on with my weasel teeth. and yes, go-go boots are highly recommended for battle. No one should question a doodle, BUT she did turn my second broadsword into a machete. Which is awesome actually.
Thats what I get for taking a picture with ma' swords. I lurvs them The next few posts are gonna have alot of sword/costume design pics.
Franky <3's>
I wokes him. LOOK he has both his antanas...this is rare. probebly cuz I made his nightly curfew even earlier. Less night fights. Hes a BAMF

Convention List.

In order of when they are or were. 3 down 2 to go!
Up next Montreal Comic Con. It is Sept. 11-12, 2010. I don't know my booth number yet but once I do I will post it on here. Same goes for New York. I am really hoping to get my toys back in time for Montreal and I know they will be here for New York.
I have still been having issues with my t-shirt printer but hopefully that will soon be resolved.
One of the best parts about having my friends with me in Chicago was I actually got alot of pictures. Normally its just me running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I never have the time to take the pictures. Which is a real shit deal. I am going to politely ask people to help me take pics in Montreal. So I'm in shots. Since so many none believers are out there saying I am not going to these cons. Which is a really weird accusation. What could I possibly have to gain in lying about that? Anyway the good thing about the cons is its advertising. I do need to get out there more as an artist and I have met some kick ass people along the way. New York Comic Con is in Oct 8-10. I am hoping I will have enough time between Montreal on then to Restock everything for that convention. I am sure I will be fine. The only other thing I hate about doing all these cons is that I wanted to open my online store ALONG time ago. And it has been pushed back again and again. :C *sadness*

Chicago Comic Con Wizard World 2010!

Pictures leading up the Chicago Trip.

Dani, Franky, and I amongst a pile Lucky Bones Necklaces and Charms
Brendan working on World of Warcraft portraits.Franky disapproves of jewelry getting his attention.

More Lucky Bones necklaces and charms. Purple sold out.
Space Cat and Moon Cat necklaces.
The Envoy packed to the rafters with crap. Poor Brendan with his magical Space Pod adventure of death. Alot of the other states we passed were at night so we didnt get all the signs -_- oh well. you get the idea.Chicago skyline and Sears tower.


In order Left to Righy, My associates: Brendan Croasdale, Dani Lee Evans, soon to be Mrs. Croasdale, and Myself-el presidente!Another angle of the Booth. Some dude not buying our stuff. lawl.
Jewelry rack: Luck Bones Necklaces, Topsy Turvy Necklaces, Space Cat and Moon Cat Necklaces.
Dani's Bunnehs. Pokemon sketch cards.
An assortment of Stickers in the white boxes ahead, of both of our characters!


A wall of Dani's Hot Cross Bunnies *with the x's* and Bunnehs.
My Space Cat fish balloon water bottles.Her Bunnies are available on her Etsy. Her link is to the right of my page under Illustrators in arms.
Me working...kinda. not really.
Dani snuggling one of her Bunnehs.


SPIRTUS SANTUS DOMINUS BUUNNNEEEH! Bunneh with warcraft mallet gonna fuck u up.My favorite Hot Cross Bunny. Dont worry he went to a good home.

Brendan pulling a Prince of Persia with my broadsword.

THE YETI HAT!

Before I bought the hat, everyone thought I was in costume. I finally gave up and put "I'm Hannah Solo, bitch!" on my jacket. It got even more attention for some reason. I have no idea.
BUT the money I off this con bought that hat, 2 broadswords, 5 comic books, this month's rent, groceries, and supplies for more Lucky Bones purple necklaces.

FEAR THE YETI HAT! FEAAAART IIIT!



Of course, Cosplayers. Would'nt be a con without them. From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bebop, Spedready *as I call him, and the fly dude, whos name I cant remember.
We heard loud booming steps, and ran over knowing it had to be epic. It was Iron Man and War Machine. It was indeed epic.
Dani modeling her Cyber Goth goggles. We both apparently have a head gear thing.


And of course I donated money to the Team Fox foundation for Parkinson's.
I put my money in the Flux Capacitor. You can see how I'm thrilled!
Back to the Future movie poster pose. hells yah Hover board!!!!

YES hover board again. The only way it could have been better is if Micheal J. Fox was there.
Check out my Flux Capacitor button, it flashes.
The picture I got for my donation. @3@ sitting in a Dalorean for a good cause? Tell me why I WOULD'NT do it. I ask you? Cuz I would look nerdy? Oh we have passed that Looooong ago.

Chicago Comic Con

I am currently in Chicago, for the Chicago Comic Con/Wizard World. My two associates Brendan Croasdale and the soon to be Mrs.Dani Lee Croasdale, are exhibiting with me, under my studios name.
The Graveyard Shift Studios booth is booth 1023, for anyone in that area who wants to stop buy and check out our wares. We are selling Toys, Water Bottles, Jewelry, Stickers, Sketch Cards, Original Illustrations, Prints and Posters. Along with doing on site commissions as usual.
A mass update to my DA and Site will be happening of the Sketch Cards, products, and LOOOOOTS of pictures!

Backed up

So I'm back from ConnectiCon.
It was my first time at that convention. It was my second time selling at a Con. The first time was Boston Comic Con. Everything there sold in the first hour. So ConnectiCon sales were slow but still paid off in the end.

Anywho
between my outsource work in Cali, freelance work, trying to get my online store up and running, trying to stock my studio stores inventory as well as getting stuff ready for the next conventions, doing space cat animations, my webcomic and normal wear and tare. I've decided to cut a project.

I am ax-ing my webcomic. I am still going to be doing my Ranting section on Clockwork Island. But I am considering just posting space cat animations or 1 image illustrations or even 3 panel comics of space cat there instead. Alot like how Owl Factory works.
I realized I have far far to many things going on and if I want to really give my work my full attention I can't over load myself with this much.

I did also make a few exceptions recently. I did do one art trade, and several commissions for people. But they were the exception not the rule. So when I post them to DA it does'nt mean anything is opening up. When it does I will notify you. Odds are commissions won't open up on DA back until, probebly November depending on how much more Concept art I need to do for LA Games.

I am however taking suggestions. Since posters/prints actually did really well at the convention..100 prints down to 26 surprised the hell out of me. So I am going to be doing some more posters/prints for the next conventions. I am just debating now on what subject matter or characters I should go with. So any suggestions are open. I will be stocking my sketch card books like crazy for the next conventions. I am bummed I did'nt have any ready for CTCon.

Also slowing down the online store is the fact that my camera seems to be on the fritz. Well..the batter specifically so I'm going to talk to the camera guy tomorrow. I also really need to update this site so bad its painful.

If you Commissioned me, read this!

If someone who went to ConnectiCon this weekend, and commissioned me on Saturday but did not receive their piece on Sunday. You can still get it. First I would like to appologize, I seemed to have gotton food poisoning sometime Saturday night, and laid awake dying on my bathroom floor. So I did'nt get to my booth until VERY VERY late in the day. I did have a wonderful good simaritan help me by sheer chance help me with all of it.

Now as for the Commissions you did not receive, I found LOTS of notes on my table with peoples cell phone numbers and emails. I already callled and contacted those people, if you are one of the people who did not leave an information, and hopefully kept my business card and are READING THIS NOW, then this is news for you, if you email me your home address, I can send you your piece with 2 options to make up for what happened. You can either a. have it framed by me, or b. have it done digitally. I am a very loyal artist, if people pay me for a job, I plan to do it, I don't half ass things like that. Infact there was on commission I especially LOVED, that I would like to digitize, I did not get any of her information, the commission was of Song and Zuko. It came out better then I expected.
So anyone if you who did have commissions done, feel robbed or cheated in anyway, please contact me ASAP, and I will send you your piece, with once again, framed or digitized.

Also, I had some people come to me Saturday saying they would be back to purchase a Dragon Dance Poster. These people infact kept their word to my surprise. Today I found 2 notes from people who wanted to meet up to get a poster. One met me as I was taking down my table, and another met me in Starbucks, who was extremely nice and understanding.
If you too wanted to purchase the poster still, I will be putting them up for sale on my Online store. They were far more popular then I expected. Thank you all for visiting my table, thank you for any purchases you made, and thank you very much for ALL the wonderful compliments you gave. It was wonderful to here. When you live in your studio like a troll under the bridge, you don't get alot of feedback, other then Deviant art...which....is wonderful but not the same as people reactions to your work in person. It was great to see peoples faces light up or the "woah" factor. It made the...haha...it made all the bad events leading up to the con, or the ...rogue illness at the con...seem to ...wash a way. well, sort of..still a little green under the gills. So bed rest then a long as drive home.

ConnectiCon

So I'm currently away at ConnectiCon this weekend. If you are going to the con SEE YOU THERE!
I'm going to take lots of pictures!

Aang and Zuko, Dragon Dance

So I had all the different nations symbols on their each individual structure that matched each nations architecture and so on, In the distance I had the da bad guys in silhouette, honest. After doing some other work, I came back to look at it with fresh eyes and realized it was WAY to much, it was cluttered, it really made me feel claustrophobic. I remember what Gan said in my chinese painting and calligraphy class, DONT KILL PAINTING! infact he would threaten you with it, as well as threatening to do push ups. =_= so...in fear of Gan exploding threw my walls to yell at me about how much I not only killed the piece but could classify it as OVER KILL.
wah la. simplicity.

BTW- THE MOVIE SUCKED AND I TOLD YOU SOOOOOO! I cant believe ppl even bothered to go see it. For shame. Ya know what you should do, go out and buy the whoooooole series and products that line the pockets of the AWESOME ppl that made the show, NOT m.knight shlamakldfjfd...la's Don't encourage him!

In progress

So my printer broke down the other day, Rob came over like a super hero and fixed it for me. It was a simple default setting glitch. Naturally something so easy. But in between getting all the t-shirts, and products ready for the Convention this weekend, I have admitibly been freaking out here and there. Alot of little things build up. So far my only relaxing "break" time event is working on this Last Airbender poster. Normally the entire piece would'nt take very long, But I am just doing it off and on from other work, it gives me a sense of escape from my own projects to work on well, someone else's i suppose. So here is my Zuko and Aang base.I know working on digital work seperately like this is probebly forbidden. However I was taught in painting classes, to treat the WHOLE picture, dont get invested in one area and not address the others. Which is what I am doing, By having them all seperately I have them all up on my screen in different windows and I rotate coloring them. Usually using simular color pallets to eachother. Especially the colors of the dragons and the characters. I did actually work very hard on the background this time. But I actually feel it doesnt add to anything. However I will be able to judge that better once the temples are complete. They were suprisingly fun to do. Normally I hate drawing architecture. I did simplify the buildings a bit, but the only thing I think is a benefit or a leg up is, I am more familiar with "asian" architecture then american. Or at least more comfortable with it. I certainly am going threw homeward bound withdrawls. My parents are currently in the phillippines and I plan to RUN not WALK RUN back overseas to an asian country sometime this fall or winter. I am very home sick for that area of the world. :c I don't dislike the US, its just not where I was raised as much. 2 places shall always be my home, ANYWHERE in asia, and the farmhouse we had in Winsconsin as a child. pretty vast huh?

I refused to give him curly toed shoes. lawl. I refrained from alot of fan girl urges drawing this as well. I stayed good and did'nt over sex-i-fy the characters or age them dramatically to a....non-...stachatory age. >_>