Crabwalk

SketchBlog returns! I can't believe it's been over a month since the last post. As some of you know, I've been extremely busy with other projects, but I finally had time for some drawing tonight, and I think I'll be posting on a regular basis again now. So here's a new wallpaper for you:

(click to enlarge)


Right-click to save:
Wallpaper for standard (4x3) monitors
Wallpaper for widescreen (16x9) monitors

Oh, and if you hadn't noticed, there's now a pack of iPhone wallpapers on the wallpaper page (they're sized for the iPhone, but they'll work in other phones).

I'll post new artwork soon! In the meantime, if you're bored, you can enjoy some pictures I took of cheap/awesome alien tourist attractions during a recent stop in Roswell, New Mexico - click the photo for the full gallery:

With Apologies To Cesar Romero

I've been pretty busy lately, but I've been slowly chipping away at a couple different illustrations, which should be showing up here soon. In the meantime though, my friend Ollie once again asked me to draw something for her band, The Oohlas (I did this image for them last year), for a poster/flier for their upcoming LA show with Stellastarr*. And since Ollie encourages me to be as weird as I want, I just couldn't turn her down.

(click to enlarge)



The genesis of this image was a series of text messages which went something like this:

Me: Any particular theme I should run with?
Ollie: Idunno dude, just go crazy, but maybe something Ronettesish.
Me: Ronettesish? Is that defined as "related to or involving the 1960's trio The Ronettes?"
Ollie: Yes. I'm really into them lately.
Me: Okay. So, hypothetically, if aliens with paper Ronettes masks were feeding a sea monkey, which celebrity or historical figure's head would the sea monkey have?
Ollie: Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger.
Me: How about a two-headed sea monkey, with both heads? The two jokers. Sea monkeys have built-in joker hats, it was almost meant to be.
Ollie: Perfect! This is going to be amazing.
Me: I feel kind of guilty for excluding Cesar Romero, but at least now I can call the image "With Apologies To Cesar Romero." It has a great ring to it.
Ollie: You're insane.

Headache

I took a few minutes to clean up my horrendously messy desktop yesterday, and decided I wanted some new wallpapers to decorate it with. Here's the first one, which is probably the result of me playing too much Q-Bert lately:



Right-click to save:
Wallpaper for standard (4x3) monitors
Wallpaper for widescreen (16x9) monitors

Also, FYI - the Presents Opening Children print has sold out (thanks, Digg), and Troublemaker is getting very close, with the Mario print not far behind - in case anyone had been eyeing either of those.

Miscarriage

One thing I've learned about myself from doing Sketchblog is that I actually don't like to just sketch. When I see things in my head they're colorful and very detailed, so sketching them - quickly, without color or detail - just doesn't feel right. When I did this sketch a few months ago, it didn't satisfy me because it was so quick and dirty, while the image in my head was much more elaborate. So, I decided to revisit it, and bring it up to its full creepiness potential:

(click to enlarge)


Here's the process for those interested:

Step 1 (sketch)
Step 2 (base color)
Step 3 (skin texture and lighting)
Step 4 (details)
Step 5 (final)

Happy Holidays!

This is my Christmas card this year. Hope everyone is having a great holiday!

(click to enlarge)



This is also available without text as a wallpaper and a print.

I'll leave it up to some intrepid Jewish artist to draw a family of menorahs lighting people on fire.

P.S. Here's the original pencil sketch and the more detailed digital sketch.

Eyeball(oon)

I started this the day after Halloween, hence A) the macabre theme, and B) the lack of updates. I wasn't content to leave it as a mere sketch, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I think I have a weird obsession with gouged out eyeballs.

(click to enlarge)



UPDATE: - I went back for a second pass and cleaned up some little details here and there so it would look better at full print size.

Face Detail

Original Sketch

Incubator

It's an actual sketch for a change!

YesterdayCube

(click to enlarge)



The look of this was inspired by an old metal sign I have - which is also where I got the overlay texture. It's an "Emergency Resuscitation" sign from the '70's - I found it in a ratty old spring factory somewhere in London.

The image itself came from how much I like the word "YesterdayCube," which popped into my head randomly yesterday.

Big Business