San Diego Comic-Con!

Hey guys and gals, in one short week I'll be attending Comic-Con in San Diego along with about 130,000 other people. This year I'm honored to be a special guest of the Con and to celebrate the occasion I finally jumped on the bandwagon and produced a sketchbook that I'll be offering for sale at my table in Artist's Alley (that's table AA-19 by the way). But that's not all! You will also have the opportunity to purchase a limited edition Captain America lithograph for the first time. You following me camera guy? That's right, a 32 page magazine sized sketchbook and a limited edition print. The sketchbook features a lot of art from the past several years including commissions and other rare pieces that have never been published. It was fun putting it together and I hope if you're in attendance you'll come by and take a look at it.

Also, on Friday from 3:00 - 4:00 I'll be holding a panel in Room 8 trying to think of something interesting to say. Come by and help me out by asking an interesting question if you're not already attending one of the zillion other panels going on at the same time.

I plan to be doing sketches at the show, but I unfortunately cannot take pre-orders (for those of you that have asked). I just don't have the time. And while I'm at it, let me apologize for not having time to respond to the email requests that have come my way. If I haven't gotten back to you yet please don't take it personally. I'm still working on catching up.

UPDATE: I'll be signing at the Marvel Booth (#2429) at the following times:

Saturday, July 25th - 5:00pm to 6:00pm
Sunday, July 26th - 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Heroes Con '09 Sketches

(click images to enlarge)






Here's a few of the sketches that were done at this year's Heroes Con. Thanks to all who came by!

The Marvels Project #2 Cover

(click image to enlarge)
Marvel's September 2009 solicitations are now available for all to see, and this time they include The Marvels Project #2. Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

THE MARVELS PROJECT #2 (of 8)
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils by STEVE EPTING
Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
Variant Cover by STEVE EPTING
Variant Cover by GERALD PAREL
The award-winning and best-selling team of Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting bring you CHAPTER TWO in this definitive tale of the origins of the Marvel heroes. As 1940 hits the world is already changing -- The Human Torch is on the run, The Angel makes his masked debut, The Sub-Mariner stalks the surface-worlders who have targeted his people -- and a young soldier named Nick Fury saves a German scientist from the Nazis and leads him to the USA. The battle-lines drawn in this race to create superhuman weapons of mass destruction still reverberate today in the Marvel Universe -- as this epic espionage thriller continues to unfold and reveal new twists!
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

Painting the Human Torch on fire is still a challenge. I probably spent as much time on the Torch alone as I did the entire rest of the cover. Below is the rough sketch that was approved, and this time around I followed it pretty much exactly when doing the final painting.


(click image to enlarge)

Summer Conventions

Hey everyone, I've got a couple of convention appearances this summer to let you know about.


First, I'll be attending all three days at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC next weekend (June 19, 20, and 21). I've also agreed to do two stints at the Hero Initiative Booth. The first will be on Friday, June 19th from 11:30 - 12:30. This means that I won't be at my regular table until about 1:00 on Friday. I know people like to line up early for sketches, so I just want to make you all aware that I won't be sketching at my table when the show opens - but rather at the Hero Initiative booth. A similar schedule will happen on Saturday. From 10:30 - 12:00 at Hero Initiative, and then on to my regular table. Hopefully we can avoid the mix ups that happened with the sketch lines last year (for which I apologize, but it was out of my control).




I'll also be at San Diego Comicon July 23-26. I don't have a specific schedule for that one yet, but I will be doing a panel at some point during the weekend.

If you're planning to attend either of these shows, come by and say hello!

The Marvels Project #1 Cover

(click image to enlarge)
Preview solicitations are out for August 2009 featuring The Marvels Project #1. Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

THE MARVELS PROJECT #1 (of 8)
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils & Cover by STEVE EPTING
Variant Cover by GERALD PAREL
70th Anniversary Party Variant by PHIL JIMENEZ
The centerpiece of Marvel's 70th Anniversary celebration! Who is the mysterious old man who lies on his deathbed in a hospital in 1939, and how does his passing mark the beginning of the first heroic age of the Marvel Universe — and signal the rise of the superhumans? Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting unveil the defining story of the origin of the Marvel Universe, revealing the hidden connections that unite the earliest costumed champions, and whose reverberations are felt dramatically into the present day! It’s a world on the brink of war, and the race is on to create the world's first super-soldier! Witness the first days of the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and many more-- how they shaped the world to come, and how the future they would create in turn shaped them! The must-read event of the season for any Marvel fan from the Award-Winning creators who redefined Captain America for the modern audience!
32 PGS./Cardstock Cover/Parental Advisory ...$3.99

Lots of texture overlays and some different painting techniques this time around, resulting in a slightly different look than the Captain America covers (at least I think so). I wish I had more time to experiment, but the ever present deadlines are relentless, as always.

Invader!

Something a little different this time - a logo I did for a friend's band:



and here are a few shots of the logo in "action":






I have a background in graphic design, but haven't done much of it in the comics industry. I did however, create the logo for one of the books I worked on. Anyone care to take a guess?

Toronto!

Tomorrow and Sunday I'll be at the Toronto Comicon Fan Appreciation Event. If you're in the area come by and say hello!

UPDATE: My flight isn't until Saturday morning so I don't know what time I'll get there... but it's safe to say I probably won't be at the show when it opens. I'm coming straight from the airport and will get there as soon as possible!

Green Girl

(click image to enlarge)
Just for fun I did a very quick copy of a Jack Faragasso painting. The original has a great painterly quality I wanted to try to emulate digitally. I also love the unexpected color choices. It reminds me of something Harley Brown says - that if you get the values right, the eye will accept the unlikeliest colors.

Captain America #600 Cover

(click image to enlarge)
No, you didn't miss 449 issues. After Captain America #50 in May, the book will return to it's original numbering making the next issue #600. Here's how it's described in Marvel's June 2009 Solicitations:

CAPTAIN AMERICA #600
Written by ED BRUBAKER with MARK WAID, ROGER STERN & OTHERS
Pencils by BUTCH GUICE, LUKE ROSS, DALE EAGLESHAM & OTHERS
Cover by STEVE EPTING
50/50 Cover by ALEX ROSS
Where were you when Captain America died? It's the anniversary of the day Steve Rogers was killed, a day of reflection and mourning in the Marvel U...a time to look back on the things Steve did and what he stood for... or is this issue actually the beginning of the most wicked plot twist since issue 25? Yeah, actually it's both. Plus, contributions from Cap creators past and present, including a very special essay by Joe Simon, a classic story from Cap’s Golden Age, a full gallery of 600 Cap covers, and more anniversary shenanigans than you can shake a shield at!
104 PGS./New and Reprints/Rated T+ ...$4.99

A fairly straightforward cover of James Buchanan Barnes in his three identities all under the watchful eye of Steve Rogers. It should be a great issue and I'm looking forward to reading it.

sketchbook 015

(click image to enlarge)
Wow, I apologize for the long absence from the ol' blog. I didn't realize it had been this long. Hopefully you all didn't wreck the place while I was gone. I should be back to my regular 2 - 3 times a week posting from now on, provided I can come up with something to show you. For now, here's another sketchbook page I filled up a while back but just now got around to scanning.

Captain America #50 Cover

(click image to enlarge)
Better late than never (or so I'm told) - here is the cover to Captain America #50. What will you find inside? Here's what Marvel's solicitations have to say on the subject:

CAPTAIN AMERICA #50
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils by LUKE ROSS
Cover by STEVE EPTING
Bucky Barnes, another man out of time, is the new Captain America now...but today he's trapped in the past, because today is Bucky Barnes' birthday. See Bucky's favorite and least favorite birthdays - from the cold winters of the Depression on military bases, to the front lines of WW2 fighting alongside the Invaders, to his new mission as Cap. Oh yeah, and someone's trying to kill him. By Ed Brubaker and Luke Ross.
48 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

This, and the rest of Marvel's product for the month of May 2009 can be found here.

Victorian Detective

I know you're all waiting breathlessly for the cover process step-by-step I promised, and though I am working on it, it's not done yet. So in the meantime here's another old concept painting I did that is either Sherlock Holmes or Simon Archard (or maybe a little bit of both) -


(click image to enlarge)

Captain America #46

(click image to enlarge)
The above image brought to you courtesy of Captain America #46 - in stores today! If you're undecided, you can see a preview here.


(click image to enlarge)

Captain America #49 Cover

(click image to enlarge)
Marvel's solicitations for April 2009 are now online, featuring Captain America #49. Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

CAPTAIN AMERICA #49
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils by LUKE ROSS
Cover by STEVE EPTING
The most important issue of Captain America since issue 25 is finally here! Sharon Carter's dreams are forcing her to relive the death of Steve Rogers -- and her time under the control of Dr. Faustus. But will these dreams also reveal hidden secrets about what she saw and did the day Steve died? By Ed Brubaker and Luke Ross.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

This is my 28th cover painting, and it's certainly not in any way a departure of what I've been doing stylistically. I'm conflicted over my approach to the covers. I want to do more loose, expressive, painterly pieces (note Boba Fett's cape, for example), but I have established a certain look for the covers of Captain America, and I like the idea of keeping the run consistent. For now, this is the side that's winning.

Sketchbook 014

(click image to enlarge)

NY Show = No Go

Despite some previous announcements, it turns out I will not be appearing at the New York Comic Con after all. It's really just a case of bad timing, which is a bummer because I was really looking forward to it. Apologies to all of you who were hoping for commissions and/or con sketches, but I hope to be there next year since it is one of my favorite shows. As for other Con appearances in 2009, I have tentative plans for both San Diego and Heroes Con in Charlotte. I'll post more about any future appearances when plans are finalized.

UPDATE: At the 2009 New York Comic Con, my original art agent Spencer R. Beck of The Artist's Choice will be set up at BOOTHS G - 3 to G - 9 in the Artist's Alley. He will have available all of my artwork currently posted for sale on his website here.

Additionally, he will be premiering some Captain America artwork that has never before been offered for sale publicly - maybe even a cover or two - so stop on by.

Boba Fett!

After ending 2008 with a total hard drive meltdown, I'm back up and running for the new year. I didn't lose everything, but I did lose quite a bit of non-critical data that I was lazy about properly backing up. Lesson learned (the hard way). Anyway, here's a Boba Fett painting I did about a month ago to kick off 2009. Happy New Year everybody!


(click image to enlarge)

Captain America #48 Cover

(click image to enlarge)
Yes, it's that time again: when Marvel leaks out some previews of upcoming books, in this case for March 2009, featuring Captain America #48. Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

CAPTAIN AMERICA #48
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils & Cover by STEVE EPTING
The New Captain America faces the crimes of his past as the Winter Soldier as the Sub-Mariner and the Black Widow struggle to stop a new foe from unleashing a deadly attack on the world! By the best-selling Eisner, Harvey and Eagle award-winning team of Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

This cover presented a new challenge in that I haven't ever really tried to paint fire before (at least not this close up). All in all, I don't think it's quite as successful as another recent painting challenge I had with splashing water, but it's always fun to try something new. Anyway, the focus of the image is the Invaders, and that's always a good thing.

Sketchbook 013

(click image to enlarge)
More of the same. I broke out the old crowquill pen for the three smaller faces on the right side.

These pages are all starting to look the same to me, but you can never get enough practice drawing faces. On the other hand, the same thing applies to figures, so I think I'll try to do more of that on future pages.

Alchemy Space Lizard!

In a previous post I mentioned Alchemy - a free sketching program that is geared toward spontaneous visual experimentation, and since then I've spent the past several weeks slowly transforming an Alchemy sketch into a finished painting. I say slowly because as usual, I only work on stuff like this a little bit at a time - usually 10 or 15 minutes in the morning while I'm trying to wake up.

Here's the initial Alchemy sketch. It's not totally arbitrary in that you can get certain shapes to go in specific directions as you draw, but a lot of what happens is completely random. In this case it is supposed to represent some sort of armored soldier -


(click image to enlarge)
I used this as the starting point for the painting below and as you can see, quite a bit of what was in the initial sketch survived to the finished piece.


(click image to enlarge)
What's cool is that there are dynamics with the shapes and how they interact that I would have never come up with on my own and I think they add a lot of visual interest. On the other hand, none of it looks very practical and I would hate to have to attempt to draw that armor over and over and from different angles.

Also - Alchemy Space Lizard would be a kick-ass name for a band.