Alright, fine.

Yes, I know. It's been almost a year and a half since my last post. why?

I'm lazy.
REAL lazy.
If I were as good at art as I am at avoiding work, I wouldn't have time for a blog.

As it is, I have plenty of time. Just all in the wrong parts of the day.
See, I work most nights at Bethlehem Brewworks, a local brewpub here in town. They are actually growing into quite a company and from time to time, have some pretty good beers on tap.
In fact, Recently, I have been comissioned to do a few labels for them.

So, to get out of this funk, I thought I would start posting by putting up my latest labels, and Holy Crap, it's PUBLISHED work! Well, when I say published, I mean it's available for purchase and people can get drunk holding MY PICTURES! So cool!

Anyways, the Incidious label was one I did first back in February, and then the monkey ones came about a month ago and the new sketch is an idea for the latest beer.

I hope you enjoy them, and I hope this isn't my last post for another year.

I'd like to finish by saying thank you to so many of my friends and fans for constantly reminding me that maybe I have something worth showing to people. This post is for you.

The Star and gear logo is theirs, I just have to incorporate it into each label.


The Monkey beers came out as a pair, sort of. Both being saisons it made sense I guess. Actually, the monkey wrench is one of my recent brewworks favorites. I haven't gotten to try the space monkey yet, the government gets all bent out of shape over the dumbest things and takes longer to approve a label. In the space monkey case, it wasn't the image, but the way we had to describe how the raspberries are infused with the beer. (not pictured here)


Different, more classical approach with this one, I'm excited to paint it.

Well now, that wasn't so bad. Thanks those of you still interested.

CRIPPLECON!!!

Aw man. What a weekend. My throat is still raspy and sore...and the fact as I type that I think dirty, sick things means that the dehumanizing effects of the con are still fresh in my mind.

It was a huge party. I mean, three days of drinking and drawing. Met some cool new folks and was reunited with old friends. I got to Kansas City, Missouri on Friday night, where it was as cold there as it was here in Philly. Pretty much a party night...a less sophisticated meet and greet. Saturday was the biggest drawing day, where I got most of my stuff done, and then Sunday was the Eagles game, some final drawings, and a 12-hour bash that took everyone to dawn.

I didn't do a whole lot of work. But I drew. and I liked what i drew. I spent so little time enjoying myself at the NCN, that I vowed I would spend more time partying at this con. and I"m so glad I did. But enough about my excuses, here's my crap:

On the way to the airport on Friday, we were talking about how much we would inevitably drink, and Marlo decided to be more descriptive. It really had to be put on paper.

Hey Nate!! Matt Zitman started this at the NCN, and now it's just kind of caught on. I haven't drawn him in years, so I thought it was time for an update.

Mike Clem...I didn't really talk to him, until I did the picture of course. He's just fun to draw...about every other wall had a picture of him. This is my personal favorite.

Cat Hupp! Came with us from Philly, and it was her first con, I believe. I like this one, and if I feel like it, I'll post a picture of her with this later.


Okay, so the theme of the con was Droppin' a Deuce. So on one wall, everyone who wanted to compete put up a picture based on the theme. Needless to say it was the most grotesque wall in the con. I don't normally go that far with my gross factor, but when in Rome... So this is what I came up with. I'm pretty happy with the drawing itself, and I haven't used watercolors in years, so I think given my recent inexperience with them, it turned out okay. Oh yeah, that's Len Hernandez as the Charmin Bear, and Aaron Philby takin' a dump.

Beau Hufford. I met him for the first time here. Great guy, and a great artist.

Stacy Pierce!! One of the Philly crew. She made all the awesome trophies that were given out at the con. Good stuff.

Well that's about it... it was a great weekend, I was productive and lazy at the same time. Now, even if you don't consider yourself a caricature artist, consider coming to Cripplecon 3 because it doesn't matter how you draw. It just matters that you can draw a penis.

Can't wait for next year. :)

Drawing of the day(s)

Two posts in one day!! I think I saw Satan skating to work this morning.

Okay, so the other day my good buddy, and awesome cartoonist Josh Peters invited me to join a few people in a sketch-a-day 2009. It's as straight-forward as it sounds. A sketch a day. Nothing fancy, just a sketch. Draw something.

Josh is much more on the ball than I am, as are the others. However, I finally got off my ass and did the first three drawings for this. I am REALLY gonna try to keep up with this. With cripplecon this weekend, I won't post until I get back, but even if my sketches are caricatures, they are sketches. Although, I'll try to do something special just for the sketch-a-day.

Okay, here goes.

Yeah, it's a football sketch. Weird choice for my first one, I know, but I really enjoyed the game on Sunday, and since it seems that Akers carries this team, and they wouldn't have even PLAYED a game this week without him last week, I thought he deserved a pic. But I spiced it up with the angry football. Heh.
I shouldn't have to explain this. I was watching Star Trek.

The Progressive cashier. Her real name is Stephanie Courtney, and she's my celebrity crush. Seriously, does anybody else think she's gorgeous? The body was a little rushed, but I like the face.

Well, that's the first three. Tomorrow's will probably be an in-flight sketch. You know, the sketch you do of the sleepy fat guy on the plane? Can't wait. Later!

I am a Lazy Bastard

I know it sounds terribly dismal, but when I say that, I do it with a sickening joviality. I mean, it's been almost two months since my last post. And people actually wanna see some stuff!! I don't feel like typing too much, so I'll keep it brief...I've been drawing less, applying for jobs and not getting any.

But I got unemployment! Free money! In fact, i'm at work right now. Workin' hard, actually because here I am with an actual new post. I don't have anything terribly exciting to share, mostly, it's a bunch of life drawing that I've done over the last two months...at least, some of my better pics.

I'm headed out to cripplecon tomorrow. For those of you who don't know, it's a small caricature convention in Kansas City, Missouri where the attendies are some of the best and brightest in our industry. Also, they're crazy. So I know I'll fit in. Seriously, some sick shit goes down at this thing. I'm really excited to actually be excited about drawing again. At least for a weekend, and to see some of my friends from across the country. Should be good. And it'll be great, because I KNOW I'll have stuff to post when I return. So...two posts in one week!! CaRAAZY!!

Okay, I'll shut up, here's some art.



Five minute sketches...I like how I achieved the whole "this is the same person" thing.
Old wrinkly man...from behind. You know, I made him look a lot less old and wrinkly.
Chad. Cat's roommate. Got naked for free. Very nice of him. ...no, I wasn't the only one in the room.
This woman's last name was also Meekins. Marlo was thrilled, since the woman was very excited to talk to her all night.

Yeah, I know her thigh is too long, I went with a little exaggeration. Looks kinda fun, though.



Two pictures of the same pose. The second is more exaggerated than the first, which I love, but I got a little carried away on the inner shin. Looks too cartoony. Oops.


Well, that's all I felt was worth putting up. Stay tunned for my drawings of the day, and I'll talk more about that in about...five minutes.

Sketchity Sketch Sketch...

Okay, so during my entire tenure with Kaman's, and even during school, I have been about the laziest piece of filth. I didn't draw in my spare time, I didn't sketch, when I should have been drawing at every opportunity. Maybe it's the residual inspiration from the convention, or maybe it's the talented artists that live here in philly with me, or maybe it's just the city's art scene, but for whatever reason, I have really enjoyed drawing lately, and I've actually done sketches.

Nothing you would call finished, and nothing totally outstanding, but the fact that I'm drawing from life and situations is just very refreshing for me. So, as Josh told me, I should be updating this thing, regardless of how little I have to post. So I have some sketches to throw up here. I've been experimenting with markers, specifically grey, just trying to get some simple shadow in my stuff. I've always liked the clean and simple look it gives to life drawing.

Last night, there was a really neat sketch party of sorts. This company, Dr. Sketchy's, is nationwide and does fun drawing sessions. For 15 bux, I get all the alcohol I can drink, and I get to draw hot burlesque models in fun costumes. I couldn't resist, and I had a blast. So these are a few of my favorites from that night. Five minute, and twenty minute poses.

So yeah...fun stuff. My favorite is the Christmas one. Great pose, great colors and costume. It was fun. :) Marlo was there, and won a poster with the model's autographs on it...she didn't want it, so she gave it to me, which was awesome. Thanks, Marlo!

Then, tonight, I went out to the hookah bar with my brother who just turned 18. And it's a perfect place to draw people in fun poses. Or just find a bunch of great fashions and faces. I spent more time drawing than smoking. these are simple, but I like them.






That's all for now, folks. I'll just keep drawing, and who knows, maybe I'll eventually get around to doing an actual illustration. I better just be thankful for this for now...

Convention art

These are the pictures that comprised my wall at the con. A little different from what I usually do, which is why I liked them so much... I figured I prefer drawing cartoons, and wanted to stray from the usual park-esque sketch. I'm glad I did.






















Andrea Gerstmann - Great artist from Toronto





















Bob East (Beast) This was the first picture I did whenI got there. I wasn't sure what to do, or who to draw, so I chose him.

















Ella was another one of the Canadians, and another great artist...she wasn't competing, which was a shame, 'cause she can really draw. She thought it was funny, but I had to reassure her that her asscrack wasn't actually showing...




















I didn't really get to know Liesbeth very well, but she was running around taking pictures, so I stopped her and did this.... she loved it, said it was her favorite one.

















I was so excited to meet Marlo, I've been a fan of her work, and she is very humble for how talented she is. I was going to draw her anyways, but she actually requested one, so I came up with this. She wanted me to make sure I caught her bad posture...this is my favorite one from the whole week. I think the pattern on the dress helps.


















I'm sorry, I can't remember this guy's name. The first day, he wore a shirt covered with Mooses...then the next day he had a huge tie-dye shirt on...he was crying out to be drawn. He loved it.





















Two masters, Jan op de Beeck and Joe Bluhm... during Joe's seminar he drew Jan and spoke of pulling his head from the nose. So. I drew it.
















Sheina is one of my very best friends ever. She and the crew from Tampa came up and I was so glad to see them...after all, I hadn't seen them since April. She was drawn the most out of anybody at the con, so naturally, I had to draw her, too. Plus, I had never actually done a proper sketch of her before, and this was much better than I would have done with park materials.


Anyways, that was my wall stuff. Lemme know what you think. Or if I should include pictures of the people I drew.

Finally!!!

Okay, well after being nagged by many of my artist friends, and after attending the NCN convention last week, I finally got off my ass and created a blog so that I can share my work with everyone without using myspace or facebook.... Now I just have to keep up with posts and draw lots of new things...

I left Kaman's art shoppes after four years, and am not really doing any more retail caricature, so I won't have any updates that include that sort of art. But I will have to keep it up on my own. I just couldn't take retail anymore, I finally felt like my work was worth more than 20 bux a pop. I hope i'm right, and I hope I can get a job.

The convention was so inspiring, it was such a blast, I only regret not going sooner. I met so many talented artists, and even artists who I idolize. I ended up winning third place for best cartoon style, and first place for best body situation. I went there hoping I would be recognized, I hadn't dreamed of winning anything my first time, I was thrilled! :) Everyone was so supportive, and it was just really assuring having so many people compliment my work.

Now I'm back home in Philly, and the job search begins. I'm confident I can find something, but in the meantime I really want to try to stay in touch with all the people I met and I'm going to post my stuff on here to get some feedback. Anyways, I'll post my pictures from the con soon.