Pen and ink using a Kamei brushpen.

This was a sketch from some years back. I wanted to get a group shot of writer Robert E. Howard standing with a sampling of some of his characters. Some like Kull and Conan are well known, others have just recently gotten their tales reprinted after so many years. I didn't really use a reference for REH since this was for placement only.



Photoshop can be one's friend...
This one is a more finished version. Difficult to tell because of the low rez, but I reworked some figures in ink. In fact, this image does not really exist in the real world, by that I mean it is a digital composite of several ink drawings. Some are individual drawings that I'd drawn on separate sheets of bristol, scanned and added to the scene. Some were groups of four or five figures, others composited from several drawings. I scaled up some of the figures so that they weren't all the same sizes. Some figures were pushed to the forefront and others moved slightly to offer more depth.

Of course, these are all personal interpretations based off of what I absorbed from Howard's writings. A few REH fans had helped with comments on who they thought should be larger and what they should be wearing but it's mostly my take. I was also concerned about getting closer to REH's actual appearance. All the above, to make the drawing look all loose and doodly!!!

A high rez illustration of the latter image will be printed in a magazine that long time (Marvel) Conan writer Roy Thomas is putting together. This and many more never before seen illustrations that I did for the Cross Plains Comics line will be featured. I'll post more when the actual print date is known.

This originally started as an ink study of a condemned building in Hell's Kitchen. The walls facing the street were already torn down to make room for the high-rise condos replacing it, and damage revealed this cut-away shot of the old interiors.

It reminded me of war zone photos, or parts of Beirut that I visited where one building would be untouched and another completely devastated. This led to drawing this odd group patrolling this now desolate street... perhaps they are the new condo association checking up on progress.

Cleaning out the ol' studio, scanning lots of sketches into the HD, upgrading applications, setting up the new art tools - getting rid of the old battered pens and brushes, and organizing ref /art files.

Found the above ink drawing in the files and wished I had a bunch of these little helpers to help me clear out some of this stuff.

Writer Fabian Nicieza came up with this short film script based on a female assassin code- named Red Wind.
Fabian asked me to choreograpgh and direct the short film under Jeff Gomez's Starlight Runner banner.
It's always a thrill to work with talented guys like Fabian and Jeff.
The short was a fun exercise, and a great experience in low budget film making.
Above is the depiction of Red Wind in pen and ink. She has this cool raven tribal tat on her cheek that is partially seen from this angle.