Illustrator News: Dawna Boehmer Exhibit at Sharonville Fine Arts Center

Illustrator News: David Michael Beck's Work now at Miller Gallery in Hyde Park

 David Michael Beck will now have his work at Miller Gallery. We will keep our eyes peeled for upcoming show dates. He says to be sure to check out the Gary Kelley show opening May 18th.
http://www.millergallery.com/searchresults.php?artistname=DAVID%20MICHAEL%20BECK&artistId=10017096

New Character - Claire's Hair

I've been working on this character for a few months now. I have drawn her so many ways, but I'm still not quite sure about her story.

You should see her comb, though.

You can see more of her here.

The Ides of Marge

Big doin’s over at the Zombie Marge Blog ( http://zombiemarge.blogspot.com). There has not been a post there for over a year, so I’ve decided to revamp the site and make it the home for my new web comic, Zombie Marge Comix. Yes, you heard right! Every two weeks I plan to put up a new strip following the exploits of everyone’s favorite undead curmudgeon and her cast of monsters and misfits. Ol’ Marge is set for some wild misadventures. On the in-between weeks I will post comic convention tales, news from my zombie-proof bunker and sneak previews of some of the other books I’m involved with.

So join us on March 15^th for the Ides of Marge, celebrate the premier of her first episode. Sign up, post your comments there, who knows, Marge herself may chime in, if she gets ticked off enough.

Brian Ewing :CCAD Event open to Public

Brian Ewing
Illustrator and Graphic Designer
Monday, March 12
11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Canzani Center Auditorium (map it)
Free & Open to the Public

Brian Ewing is one of the most prolific, iconic image-makers in rock music and pop art. Like his heroes and mentors—Frank Kozik, Coop, and Tara McPherson, among others—he has built his success in poster art into a career that spans illustration, album covers, original art prints, skate decks, and shirt designs. Informed by art nouveau, ukiyo-e woodblock printing, SoCal “kustom” car culture, and the comics, Ewing’s work fuses his explorations of perspective, color, and space with classic imagery from American youth culture. His clients have ranged from Metallica and the Warped Tour to the Strokes and Death Cab for Cutie (not to mention The New Yorker and a number of advertising agencies).

Currently a resident of New York City, Ewing attended the American Academy of Art Chicago for Illustration and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design for Fine Arts. His first monograph, Don’t Hold Your Breath: The Art of Brian Ewing, was published by Dark Horse in 2010.
www.brianewing.com

'Bat Rider'

I was at the Museum Centre looking through a book I purchased for use as bat reference and stumbled across a picture that made me go, '... Hmmmm, this bat needs an evil skeletal rider with a fiery mace! Yes it does! :P I made the drawing a while back, and always wanted to paint it. Tonight it just seemed the right time. Sat down, and three hours later, whapow! Bat rider. Photoshop over a drawing.

I forgot to blow the drawing up so when I shrank it down the painting would tighten up at its normal size. Sooo, this reproduces well at half its size. That's okay, though. It ends up being about 5"x6.5", which means it's nearly cover size. HOWEVER, the dimensions are closer to a magazine proportion. So, in the end, I'm calling this a glorified colour study, lol. Which it is, anyway. It was an experiment and has the little thumbnail I used to layout the final design in the bottom left corner.

A show of Female Artists from the Prerevolutionary Period Through the Romantic era

Just read the article about this new show at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C spotlights under-recognized female artists from the prerevolutionary period through the Romantic era.

The slideshow is amazing... Too bad it is in DC...

http://entertainment.salon.com/2012/02/18/painting_as_paris_burned/

Link to the collection: http://nmwa.org/exhibition/detail.asp?exhibitid=221

1st Cover - 'The Hobbit' Final Cover layout and Detailed Colour Study

Okay, so I just got back on here and checked my last post and saw that Chuck and Christina had gone to the trouble of commenting and I didn't respond! I hadn't visited the site in awhile due to business. However, it seems that your concerns were my own, for now I am come to you with the changes you specified, only I left in the shield.

So, here you go :P Sorry I didn't get back to you guys. I forgot about my post. I've been so worried about the front cover image I spent days changing things (removing mostly :P) but to now avail. Christina, you should have said something on Facebook. I would have checked here sooner :P

Illustrator News: C. F. Payne Illustrating New Children's Book by Gabrielle Gifford's Husband

Saw this today:

From the article:

"Mousetronaut: A Partially True Story" will be published in October by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. According to Simon & Schuster, which released a statement Monday, the book tells of a little mouse chosen for a space mission.

"While in space," the statement says, "the astronauts are busy with their mission when only the smallest member of the crew can save the day."

..."Mousetronaut" will be illustrated by C.F. Payne, who has worked on books by John Lithgow and Steve Martin and has drawn numerous magazine covers.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BOOKS_MARK_KELLY?SITE=WWL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Cool New Series of Illustrator Interviews

I know a couple illustrators around town follow Art Order and they just stared an interview series by Randy Gallegos (a great guy and an amazing illustrator).

Some great stuff! : http://theartorder.com/category/guest-writer/randy-gallegos/

It got me thinking that maybe we should do an interview series on this blog. What do you think?

Scary Harry Quite Contrary

I thought I would post a recent project, since the play opens tonight. I have handled advertising for the Saint Joseph Drama Club's yearly play since 2001. Twelve shows in all, with subjects ranging from super heroes, vampires, mobsters, westerns, the circus and more. This years show is based on fairy tales, thus my heavy Maxfield Parrish influence. My involvement began assisting my wife by doing a one color line drawing for the program. These days it's all my job, I edged her out. (No, she just doesn't have the the time.) The job has grown to full color posters, t-shirts, web ads, billboards and the program. But it's one of the more fun projects I look forward to. I get complete freedom to come up with images based on an early draft of the script. There's only been one instance of censorship, when the priest objected to my rendition of Adam. (Picture Fred Flintstone wearing nothing but a fig leaf.) Enjoy the poster, and if you are in the Highland Heights area, come see the show!

Finished Smaug Drawing and a Recent Front Cover Update

Just finished the back cover drawing of Smaug for 'The Hobbit'. I am working on tightening and making any big changes to the front cover. Here is a recent version with the dwarves all finished. All the characters are famous illustratours that have influenced me in a big way. If any of you have Facebook, you can see who I've tagged there. Otherwise, I'm just going to make a list here.

The Brothers Hildebrandt are Fili and Kili, Pyle is Dwalin, Whelan is Balin, D.K. Sweet is Bombur (he was a big dude), Waterhouse is Thorin, Durer is Nori, Parrish is Dori, Michaelangelo is Ori, Alan Lee Oin, Howe Gloin, Pogany Bofur, and Elmore Bifur. You'll all have to wait to see who Gandalf and Bilbo are :) More to come, very soon. Will probably post the finished cover drawing later today.