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This video illustrates how I normally approach a drawing. I start with the basic shapes like circles, cylinders, and squares . This forms a sort of wire-frame for my art to go on top of. I do this in pencil so that I may brainstorm without any sort of boundary to my creativity.

In this case, I inked the characters in black while the background was inked in color. I liked how Hanna- Barbera was doing this in their cartoons in the late 80s, allowing for the characters to really pop in front of the settings. I reinforce this by going darker around the edges of each character to separate them from each other. Here I’m using Chartpak markers.

As for the background, I use the Disney technique of outlining the shapes in a darker color. For instance, the yellow-brick road is outlined in brown, followed by a fill of yellow. In this case, I’m using Prismacolor Markers. Learn and enjoy!

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Story Ideas:

I’ve been researching and considering the idea for my first opus. In December of this year, it’ll be 10 years since I graduated from art school. With a BFA in Computer Animation, I’d say it’s about time I create an animated feature!

I’d like to put my mascot, Drawnn and my love of the Oz books into the same project. It’ll take place at the end of the first 14 books and have Dorothy and her friends attending the Wogglebug Academy. In chemistry class, the Powder of Life will have spilled onto Button Bright’s comic book. That sets free embodiments of the 5 principles of design (a nod to my art degree) and the superhero Drawnn. His alter-ego Denslow Neill will coincidentally enlist into the school and know all about comic book tropes.

The players will include (at least in the first episode) Dorothy Gale, Scarecrow, Lion, Oscar Diggs, Betsy Bobbin, Trot, Ozma, Button-Bright, Zeb, Ojo, and Scraps. I’d like to use the lesser-known characters of the Oz. First because they’re awesome. Secondly, because this is not going to be another direct sequel to “Wizard”. Not that I don’t love them, but there just sooo many and that well is dry!!

Our story opens on Miss Mombi giving a lesson in her Magical Properties Class about the Powder of Life. The kids are listening intently. All, except for Button Bright who is hiding a Drawnn: The Defender comic book in his lap. Miss Mombi catches him and confiscates it and places it on her desk.

Miss Mombi demonstrates the incantation used to enact the powder. Meanwhile, Button Bright is sneaking behind her, attempting to snatch his comic back. She trips over him, splashing the entire contents of the shaker onto the comic book. Everyone pauses and gasps in wonder. What will happen now?

Miss Mombi scolds Button Bright and warns him and the class, the dangers of magical properties. Just then, the comic book begins to shake and the pages flip themselves, emanating sparks then slams shut. Everyone ducks for cover and begin to peer from behind their desks. The comic book bursts open with a blinding white light and a loud explosion. This sends a beam from the comic through the roof of the classroom, expelling lightning balls into five different directions of Oz.

Members of the faculty, including Professor Wogglebug, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, and Oz run into the source of destruction to make sure the kids were alright. Miraculously, everyone was safe. Just then, Jellia Jamb came in to introduce a new student, Denslow Neill. A strapping bespectacled lad who immediately catches Dorothy’s eye. End of first episode!

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Dynamics

   In a piece of art, one aims for the “Gestalt”, or something with flow and balance.  It takes a lot of staging and composing to get to that end though.  You really have to look at you’re working with and how to get potential to create something new and fresh.  Something with legacy!   A lot of this was brought fourth in my life with the help of my family.  Whether they knew it or not!

My dad’s 70th Birthday Party!! He survived a stroke and I love him!
I’m the tall one in the back, literally the blackest sheep of the family.

My imagination knew no bounds, as a kid.  With it’s natural wildness, was paired the frame of tradition and patience.  Namely, my family!  My Dad was constantly trying to ingrain patience.  As a kid, I wanted things to be automatic as that age lends to.  We were at odds over that a lot but there was nothing but love at the end of the day. 

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Another Trip Around the Sun!

I’ve been afforded by the universe, a 35th time around.  I find that to be a blessing.  As much as the person looking back at me from the mirror STILL looks nothing like I feel, I’m grateful he’s there.  I felt before the actual date and time rolled around, that I’d put work into completing another traditional 11×14 piece.  However, what would the subject be?

I’d finally applied DC Universe to my home projector system.  I was a bit disappointed at the lack of content until I really started to dig in to what was available.  They have some shows from when I was a kid, like Superboy!!  The one from the late 80s where Clark and Lana go to college.  It also reminded me of the 60s Superboy Cartoon from Filmation with Krypto!  That inspired me on the next piece on my journey!

The night before the 17th, I etched and inked and colored this Superboy Variant Cover (or fan art) as if my 34th year of art depended on it’s completion, lol.  I took to the internet for reference.  The death of adult film actor, Billy Herrington still stung.  He’d died in an auto accident earlier this year and he left monuments in the world of adult film and Japanese Memes (as Aniki or Gamicughi).  Such a mammoth physique was a prime candidate for a youthful and muscled Kon El.

Another thing to take into consideration was the direction for the costume design.  I took cues from the era of the death of Superman in the 90s and some concepts I found online for a capeless Super-costume.

As for Lana Lang, I pretty much drew Kristen Kreuk (played her on Smallville) as a Golden-Era Lana.  I really had fun with her.  I was able to find some BDSM illustrations for ways to position her in a “damsel in distress” pose.  As for her peril, I went with the classic Daphne Blake trope from Scooby-Doo.  I had her placed on a log splitter.

I started with a very detailed sketch, putting all the circles, lines, and squares in place.  Once everything began to take form, I went over it a couple of times more in pencil.  When I was sure I was happy with the line weights in pencil, I went over it with my Chart-pak Fine Tip Marker.  I like using these in combo with 11×14 art foam behind.  More cushion for the pushin’!  It was all held together on a clipbpoard.  This process is great for varying line weights for inking and also works well with coloring in ArtStix (gives it a light air-brush quality).

I started very light with the markers.  I went in lightly on Lana’s complexion first.  I could’ve done a better job at keeping that continuity when it came to her legs.  Instead, I mixed up her base color with her shade color so you can see the legs are altogether darker then her face by just a tone 🙁  On Kon El, I went a bit tanner on his base skin tone and built on that.  I used Billy Herrington’s classic, dimpled half-smile on his expression. 

When it comes to Prismacolor Markers like what I used here, it’s important to take note of which number (each one is numbered) you use for what purpose.  I’ve begun to separate them into different Ziploc Baggies.  For instance, I have baggies for skin-tones, natural colors, and the rest are in a case until I figure them out, lol.

At this point I began to consider the light source.  I’d drawn Superboy busting through a brick wall.  Ten seasons of Smallville has taught me that there is where all the light will stream through.   Creating a picture of inner shadow haloed by a bit of light.

The next step will be to color the background and it’s objects!  I’ll be doing most of that with Prismacolor Artstix along with some colored pencil.  Stay tuned for more!