Category: Commissions

I got an email from Chris Opperman about doing a CD cover which read, in part:

“…the reason why I am writing you today is because I’m in the preliminary phase of planning my 7th full-length album, Stillewasser (working title), which is going to be a solo piano album and a direct sequel to 2001’s Klavierstücke.

You can check out all my music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4IZRnl6o15sma5z16lDfOD?si=bc48ZNGaR3Gm0GTYWiK5EQ although we’re currently finishing my 6th album Chamber Music from Hell which is neither still nor quiet.

The setting of the album is essentially nature, a frozen pond, a frozen lake by a cozy looking nostalgic house, or the like, but I truly am open to any ideas that you would have (your ideas would likely be better than mine anyway). The music is going to all be very quiet and serene…”

Here’s what I came up with:

…and what the front cover may look like:

I look forward to hearing it!

I was commissioned to draw the Corto Maltese character in a Venice setting.

Here’s the rough layout:

After a requested change in the character’s pose, here’s the final pencil:

…and the finished inks:

That was fun… movin’ on…

Here’s an example of the stuff I’m currently working on simultaneously:

 

So it kinda feels like I’m getting everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

I gotta stop pencilling new stuff. Ink something. Finish it. Rinse, repeat.

From rough to pencil to ink and tone:

(not sure if the movie thing will work or not, so here’s the steps)

I’ve been working on 6 or 7 different projects at the same time.

Problem is, it doesn’t feel like I’m getting anywhere on any given one of them.

Here’s rough pencil drawings of a couple of them:

 

Last week my stomach hurt.

This week, it’s Thor:

Lou assigned me to add a back ground to this sketch that would obliterate the dedication.

Since Lou’s name isn’t Travis.

Ta-Da!

…and now a word from The Inker:

…and here’s why:

I get asked a lot if my hand cramps up.

No.

I hold the pen very loosely. It’s my neck, back and stomach that cramp up.

Just replace “pitcher’s mound” with “drawing board” and this is my life:

Cory sent a Ron Lim Silver Surfer to which I was to add a background:

While trying to figure out what to do, I amused myself by pasting the Surfer onto my scan of the original art for the cover of Cerebus 111:

But what I ended up going with is this:

When suddenly the weather changed and it’s like the middle of a summer heat-wave. Quick! Pencils down! To the porch!

Jeff commissioned me to do a drawing for his sister’s birthday.

If this looks like its head has been pasted on from a different dog…

…that’s because it looks exactly like its head has been pasted on from a different dog…