Enter the Johnsonverse

Another Drink and Draw piece

2008-06-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is one more Drink and Draw sketch I did awhile ago. For some reason I keep drawing dudes with swords. Maybe I'm working out some deeply rooted emotional issues? Or perhaps they are just plain cool?

Cover sketch

2008-06-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is a cover sketch I did for an independent comic book company. I always prefer my prelim work to the finished product. Mostly because it has the most life and energy but also because after I've done the work of designing the piece, it becomes tedious and boring. Which is one of the many reasons I was mostly just a penciller and not a complete artist.

2008-05-30T05:26:00.000-07:00

This is one of the many Drink and Draw cards I've done this year. I'll say this one took at least four beers to finish but perhaps it was five. The details are a bit fuzzy.

Racer X

2008-05-30T05:23:00.000-07:00

This is another one of the drawing contest characters done by the Spidey crew. Strangely, I was the only guy who put him in a smart car.

Angel

2008-05-30T05:18:00.001-07:00

This is an old illustration I did for the Angel Script books published by IDW a few years ago. I thought the show was great and particularly loved the puppet episode.

2008-05-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a Drink and Draw sketch I did recently.

2008-05-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

This is some pitch art for the Hulk and Wolverine DVD. I didn't get the gig but it was fun to draw these characters anyway.

Another Centaur

2008-05-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a Centaur I did for a for a cartoon pitch.

Big Barda

2008-04-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

Another one of the many Challenge characters from the studio. I'll just mention that mine was not even remotely the best one and that Andy should post his soon. Damn him.

Spidey vs Rhino

2008-04-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

I couldn't post this before because the character of the Rhino was still under wraps but since it aired this weekend, I think it's safe to put this shot online. I did this for fun a while ago. I was pitching the Spider-man photo album (drawn by myself, abetted by Cheeks of course) to Sony animation. I thought it would be a cool addition to the show if fans could go online and see some of the pictures Peter took while fighting as Spider-man.

2008-04-12T06:30:00.001-07:00

Dr, Doom is easily one of the coolest villains ever created. I mean, who else can look so tough in a mini-skirt?

2008-04-12T06:22:00.000-07:00

This is just a guy with a cool sword.

2008-04-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

This is one of the covers I did for Way of the Rat. I wanted it to look like the dragons were writhing within the paper. It seemed like a very good idea at the time but it took me many sleepless nights to finish and I had no one to blame but myself.

Joker

2008-04-12T06:11:00.000-07:00

At Sony there is a ongoing drawing challenge, where various characters are put on a list and everyone does their version of that character. Here's what I came up with for the Joker.

MANTICORE

2008-02-11T03:06:00.001-08:00

I was working on a lion design for the Spider-man cartoon and had spent all day learning to draw lions( I love my job ) and I just turned one of the sketches into a classic old manticore. All I had to do was add some bat wings and a scorpion tail. It was easy!

KOMODO

2008-02-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

This is a fun monster I did for a friend's massive on-line game. Designing monsters is not my strong suit but I find you can come with some pretty cool characters by simply putting an animal head on a buff dude. It's cheap but effective.

2008-02-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

This is an old Quest page inked by yours truly. I inked it myself because of time and financial constraints but it's easy to see that my inking was functional at best. My huge ego would normally keep me from showing off my weaknesses but I think it's important that skilled inkers, like Dan Panosian, Scott Kolins, and anyone who can actually use a brush, get the credit they are due.

Dwindling budgets and near-sighted editors are killing this wonderful art form and we should all lament it's passing. Photoshop is an amazing tool but I miss hand lettering and real finished inking.

2008-02-06T08:17:00.000-08:00

This is an old Hawkeye Annual page inked by my brilliant friend, Scott Kolins. He is currently doing great work over at DC. Check him out if you get a chance.

2008-02-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

These are just some of the Marvel Sketch cards I'll be doing for the next series. I can't help myself, I love the Silver Samurai.

Old Supreme page

2008-02-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

zombie-cowboy-samurai?

2008-02-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

This is a Drink and Draw sketch, pencilled by me and inked with, sadly enough, a ball point pen. My friend and all around bad-ass, Dan Panosian colored it with markers and added the inevitable white-out. So far, this might be my new DND favorite!

Guardian

2008-01-25T02:41:00.001-08:00

Here's a guy I tried to do in the Kirby style. Now, while I may have grasped some of the visual trappings of Kirby I will be the first to admit that I shot wide of the mark. Kirby had balls. Huge balls. And this drawing is merely a platonic shadow of the ideal. But it's still pretty cool.

Wolverine

2008-01-25T02:11:00.001-08:00

Dan is both right and wrong, as often is the case with my old friend. It's true, I have a tons of artwork that I could put up but most of it is hideous. Here's a piece that I thought was semi-worthwhile. I've always loved Wolverine, not just because he's a pure bad-ass but because he hopes for so much more from the world and is consistently disappointed. It seems to me that a true hero is always struggling between dismay and distinction. I feel that Wolverine is popular because he is the zeitgeist for this particular modern dichotomy.

Gatchaman

2008-01-24T10:55:00.001-08:00

This a picture that I couldn't have done without Cheeks. His use of shape borders on mad genius. If you haven't done it yet, you all should check out his various blogs.

Drink and Draw

2008-01-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

Dan Panosian has been on me to update my Blog, so I'm just going to put a bunch of stuff up right now and pretend that I've been doing it all along.

This is just one of the many strange Drink and Draw coasters I did last year. This one was a stretch for me because I actually added a color.

Akuma

2007-10-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

My friend Paul Harmon is trying to teach me to color. This piece is an attempt to apply his lesson on color temperature. Luckily, he's a patient mentor. For some reason Blogger is showing a strange version of the piece in the thumbnail and the actual piece when you click on it. Sadly, I think I like the strange, messed up version better.

venice

2007-10-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

This is a sample I did for The Batman show. I didn't get the job but I had a good drawing in a different style.

2007-10-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

cowboy dude

2007-09-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

Discovering an artist is a wonderful and horrible thing. It's great because a whole new world of artistic history and possibility opens up for you to experience but it's also awful because you realize just how woefully inadequate your own attempts at "Art" truly are. This is something I drew after I was exposed to Frederic Remington. He could also shoot the the wings off a horse-fly at twenty feet and drink straight whiskey from a dirty boot. He was everything I hope to be someday.

cute ass-assin

2007-09-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

Learning to color with Photoshop is going to take forever but I can't even image trying to learn how to paint traditionally. I'm just too lazy. But, luckily, thanks to the magic of computers even my novice efforts aren't terrible.

medusa

2007-09-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

This a Drink and Draw sketch I did in an attempt to compete with Dave Johnson and hurt Dan Panosian's feelings. I'm pretty sure it failed on both counts but I'll keep trying.

WOTR

2007-09-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is an old splash page from Way of the Rat. I though I'd post something good since it's been so long.

2007-03-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Here's an old one from my fight scene book, colored by Scott Kolins.

2007-01-30T09:46:00.000-08:00

This is a shout out to the greatest cartoon since Dragonball Z! Also, I've really been working on understanding the different anime styles. So much to learn...so little time.

2007-01-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

Here's another one-- not quite the next day, but close enough for government work!

finally!

2007-01-23T09:04:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a long time since I posted...sorry about that. My job has taken up all my time and then some. Hopefully, I will be able to post more regularly in the future. But I can't actually make any promises.

Peace out!

(Yes. I work on the Boondocks. And I'm superfly now.)

2006-08-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

This is a loose pencil sketch that Dan Panosian finished in ink and color, which is to say, he turned my vague doodle into something beautiful. He has an incredible flair for barbarians.

2006-06-14T00:56:00.000-07:00

This is something I did instead of the work I was supposed to be doing. So many deadlines...so little discipline.

2006-06-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

This is a character from a science fiction story I've been working on forever. The background is pure Escher.

2006-05-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

This is sample page I did for the World of Warcraft license.

2006-05-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

This is an experiment in pseudo realistic exaggeration.
Learning how to cartoon my basic shapes is very liberating,
if you know what I mean.

2006-05-11T06:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big fan of rulers and french curves but sometimes you have to use them.

2006-05-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Here's another shot at a more animated style.

2006-05-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

Working a day job in animation is exhausting, mostly because I don't get to take my daily nap, but it's an amazing learning experience. Here's me trying to draw in a more animated style.

2006-05-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a cover I just finished for a new comicbook company called Boom! Studios. As a colorist I have a long way to go but luckily I have guys like Dan Panosian to show me how it's done. If you haven't been to his site lately you should check it out.

2006-04-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

Here's one of the Angel scriptbook covers that's coming out soon.

2006-04-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

This is an old two-page spread inked by the brilliant Scott Kolins.

2006-04-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

This is a cityscape I did for Crux while I was at CrossGen. The book was inked and finished by Andy Smith when I moved on to Way of the Rat.

2006-03-29T15:14:00.000-08:00

This is a dragon design that will be on the front of a martial arts character's outfit, for a back-up story I'm working on now.

And it's not Photobucket, so stop your whining.

Dan: This means you.

2006-03-21T09:14:00.000-08:00

This is an old cover Dan and I did for Teen Titans. Years ago.

2006-03-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

Here's something I've done in the anime style, for a comic I'm working on with a friend.

2006-02-27T16:05:00.000-08:00

This is a drawing I did after looking at some Japanese illustrators all night.

2006-02-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

This is a creepy alien I designed for a sci-fi comic. In my opinion, it's usually not good to have your brain exposed but it works for this guy.

2006-02-08T23:23:00.000-08:00

This is a sketch I did in the middle of the night when the cats just wouldn't let me sleep.

2006-02-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

Hellboy. 'Nuff said.

2006-02-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

Here's a Batman trading card I did in a somewhat animated style.

2006-02-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

Best. Villain. Ever.

2006-02-01T08:48:00.000-08:00

This was going to be the first cover to a series that never happened. Again.

2006-01-25T10:38:00.000-08:00

Here's a sample drawing I did for the new Legion cartoon, done in the Moebius style.

I didn't get the job. Oh well.

2006-01-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Here's something I did for a friend's screenplay. The movie hasn't been made yet, but hopefully will be soon!

2006-01-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a drawing inspired by the Gunslinger series.

2006-01-14T15:13:00.000-08:00

Here's the only good drawing that came out of a recent figure drawing class.

2006-01-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

This guy is named Camus. He's from a science fiction project that will probably never happen. But I like him anyway.

2006-01-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

This is a commission piece I did a while ago. It's a pretty cool shot of Vader, don't you think?

2006-01-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

This is one of the color pieces I did for the fight scene book that didn't end up in the published version. Once again, Dan colored most of it. His skills are maddening.

2006-01-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

This is a cover I did for an Angel project. A certain UrbanBarbarian helped with the color. Well, really he did the majority of it. I really like how it came out!

2006-01-05T09:17:00.000-08:00

Here's something I did for the fight scene book:

Art Books!

2006-01-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the cover of my brand new book, which you can get on amazon, and soon, across the nation in stores!

This is the cover design, without the lettering:

And this is my latest sketchbook, which I'll have at San Diego this summer.

I'm really excited to be able to offer both of these books in 2006! Hope you like them too!

2006-01-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

Here's a drawing I did on commission. I always think Wolverine looks best naked.

2006-01-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

Here's a sketch of a batgirl. You have to enjoy those tattooed types.

And here's another hot chick. Happy New Year to you, too.

Welcome to the Johnsonverse

2006-01-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

I thought it was about time Jeff Johnson (aka A Man of Quiet Dignity) entered the blogosphere.

Bring on 2006.