ALL WE ARE SAYING IS GIVE ART A CHANCE...

Wednesday is here, and with it comes your weekly shot of Jay Fosgitt news. Roll up your sleeve, this will only hurt for a second...

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

Free Comic Book Day is coming down the pipeline FAST, and I'm going to be in the middle of the tracks (visions of myself frantically untying Nell Fenwick from the tracks and Snidely Whiplash cursing my good name suddenly come to mind)! 

 On Saturday, May 5th, myself and two of my favorite cartooning comrades, Joe Foo and Jay Jacot, will be encamped at 21st Century Comics in East Lansing, MI, selling comics, drawing sketches, and reveling in our triad of nincompoopery (I've taken to referring to our little artist collective as The J-Spot). 21st Century is in my top three favorite comic shops (so as not to offend any of my shop owner pals, I'll only admit that one of the other two is The Beguiling in Toronto). I highly encourage anyone to show up, if not just to see us, then also to dig the fantastic selection of comics and graphic novels that 21st century has to offer. Hope to see you there!

TEAM CUL DE SAC

I mentioned this back in February, but it more than bears repeating. I'm one of about 150 professional cartoonists who contributed to "TEAM CUL DE SAC", a book that celebrates the art and characters of cartoonist Richard Thompson. Richard draws the brilliantly funny, poignant and award winning comic strip, "Cul De Sac". 

 In recent years, Richard was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Taking aim at the affliction the best way he could, Richard and Chris Sparks put together the Team Cul De Sac book, with the proceeds going towards a cure, along with proceeds from the auctioning off of the art produced by myself and my peers. The book will be on sale this June, and you can order your copy now at the Team Cul De Sac website. And you can find out how to participate in the art auction here. I encourage all my followers to buy a copy of the book, or multiples if you're so inclined. I'll personally guarantee that anyone who buys a copy and brings it to me at any convention or signing I'm doing, I'll gladly draw a sketch inside it for you. So waddaya waitin' fer? Order yours NOW!

CONVENTIONS

Though I've backed off a bit from conventions this year--largely due to the multiple projects I'm juggling right now--I do have a couple appearances I'm managed to squeeze in between now and next fall. The most pressing one is The Summit City Con, held in Fort Wayne Indiana on May 12th. It'll be my second time going, and it's worth it alone for the great company of cartoonists that the con houses. Click on the link for further info. And be sure to visit my website, www.jayfosgitt.com, for the latest updates on my con appearances.

DEAD DUCK

I'm heading into part 5 of "DEAD DUCK: One Toy Soldier Rides Away" this Thursday, and it's not to be missed. As I've mentioned, this story is a parody of the old He-Man line of action figures and the gawdawful TV cartoon based on it. So there's plenty of fun winks at 80's culture, and lots of the usual mad cap and macabre mayhem you've come to expect from Dead Duck and Zombie Chick. Be sure to follow the story at the link above, and bookmark the site to enjoy further "Dead Duck" comics!

TUMBLR

My new Tumblr account has been a nice reprieve from wordy blogs and intricately polished artworks. What you get instead with "Unpolished Foz" is a brief burst of sketchy inspiration that sometimes leads to more finished works, and other times goes no further than the tumbleweed of pencil lines that forms it. It's simple, it's rough, it's raw, and it's all me. Give 'er a peek and check back frequently. You may like what you see.

KEEPING ART IN SCHOOLS 

My friend Carla Shaner (wife of my pal, the ever talented cartoonist Evan Shaner and colorist of my upcoming "Bodie Troll"), recently learned her job as a music teacher is at risk, as her school district is considering cutting all art programs. She asked me if I could draw something that she could use to protest the decision, and this is what I came up with...

This is pretty much the first editorial cartoon I've drawn since graduating from Central Michigan University back in 2004. It felt familiar and good to return to this form of cartooning. And for a cause such as preserving arts in public schools, I was more than happy to employ my editorial skills once again.  

COMMISSIONS

I drew a slew of commissions this week, and this one was probably my favorite. I was asked to draw Dead Duck encountering the God of the Internet, a deity that I was given free reign to design. This is what I came up with...

 I made the god a pre-teen girl, based off my young cousins Lexie and Kayte, who are perpetually glued to their cell phones, texting to beat the band (you can tell I'm old because I use antiquated terms like "beat the band"). In the scenario I drew, Dead Duck is totally me. I'd have a better shot at performing a successful brain transplant than I would working a smart phone.

That does it for this week. Take care, my friends and followers, and see you back here next Wednesday!

--Jay

PROCESSED FOZ

Let's kick this off like an old pair of sneakers...

COMICS

• The latest "Dead Duck" episode--"One Toy Soldier Rides Away", is into its second page, but there are seventeen more yet to unfold. It's a doozy of a tale (one of my favorites) filled with 80's nostalgia, pop culture references, and poop jokes, just the stuff you've come to expect from a "Dead Duck" story! Read it now and see what weirdness shakes out next!  

•  I'm still hard at work on my latest book for Ape Entertainment, "Old McMonster's Haunted Farm". I'm 16 pages into it now, and my next task is to design the cover. Here's a sample page from the latest batch I created:
  

• I'm about to begin drawing my first batch of Dreamworks Animation characters for the magazine Ape is putting out about them. Nothing to show yet, but just know that it's still happening, and I should have something to share in the coming weeks.

•  I'm still pumping out my monthly cartoon--"Necronomicomics"--for Rue Morgue Magazine, and enjoying the hell out of it (for a horror movie magazine, that's pretty appropriate)! I'm told my latest cartoon, spoofing The Clive Barker movie "Nightbreed", was a big hit around the Rue Morgue offices in Toronto. Pick up issue #122 this May to see the sick silliness for yourself!
  

• I just completed the first four pages of my "Bodie Troll" comic, and sent the pages off to my pal and fellow cartoonist, Evan Shaner. As I mentioned in my last post, the ever-talented Evan is serving as my colorist for these first few pages, and I couldn't hope for a better collaborator! For now, you can see the final character designs for "Bodie Troll" below:

SKETCH CARDS

I'm working on two different sketch card sets right now--one for 5finity Productions on a set based on the work of my friend and fellow cartoonist Katie Cook, called "Kitty Ditties & Pretty Ladies", and another set for Rittenhouse Archives, which I'm not sure if I'm allowed to talk about. Suffice to say, it's another Marvel Comics-themed set, which suits me just fine. I love drawing Marvel's characters, I love working for Rittenhouse, and I love working for 5finity. So regardless of the time crunch, I'm very happy to be tried up with such great projects and companies!

  

COMMISSIONS

I've had two exceptionally fun commissions land on my drawing board this past week. The first one was for a repeat client who asked me to draw his friend, her beloved dog, and her just-as-beloved Jeep. My initial  suggestion was to have the dog driving the Jeep. When I saw how small the dog was that I'd be drawing, it made it a much funnier piece than I'd previously expected--always a nice thing to have happen:

The second commission was for a lady who asked me to draw my rendition of The Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland (with the stipulation that I draw him as a her with blue hair and purple attire). I was also asked to throw in my interpretation of The Cheshire Cat going after The Dormouse. I decided to make this piece a real process, beginning with a very simple rough sketch to see how I might approach the drawing...

...followed by a tighter pencil drawing that nailed the characters and layout that I had in mind...

...followed by the inked version...

 and finished off with digital coloring...

This was a lot of fun to create, and it allowed me to experiment with color, digital layers, and, as a first, using a texture for the background. I really enjoyed taking my time with this process, though it was a luxury that my work schedule rarely affords. I hope to find more time for such experimentation in the future.

That's it for this post. have a great week, and keep checking back each Wednesday for a new update!

--Jay

I'LL TUMBLR FOR YA...

I want to start this week's update by sharing a very special experience that I had. On Easter, my wife and I had brunch at my grandma's, on as beautiful a day as one could hope for. During a post-meal conversation with my cousins at the dinner table, I looked out the window, and saw a cluster of chubby bubbles float into my view. I immediately bolted out the back door and reveled in the scene--my aunt Karen and my young cousins Kayte and Spence, waving bubble wands into the gusty wind. I took my turn with the wand, and felt the pure bliss of a dollar store novelty as I danced around the yard, waving bubbles into existence. The four of us were laughing, and marveling at the wild ones that wafted high above the rooftops. I realized that I was euphoric, that I was in the presence of real magic. I could see it, touch it, breathe it in. Childhood memories came to mind, but this was more than nostalgia. This was me tuning in to a part of myself that I didn't realize had been absent. It was whimsy and beauty and comfort, and it restored my belief in simple joys. Perfect moments don't come along often, but I'll always remember this one, it all its light, fragile, soapy wonder.

COMMISSIONS

Over the past couple months, I've been doing some work with Hemmeter Elementary School in Saginaw, Michigan. After their annual SPARK Day (an event that brings presenters in art and science to the school) where I taught some of the classes how to draw famous cartoon characters (teaching them to draw Popeye was an especially proud moment for me), I was further commissioned to draw a poster commemorating the event. The artwork below will hang in the school for years to come, and I'm very proud to have contributed to such a wonderful event.

GUEST ARTIST

As I previously mentioned, I had been asked to contribute a guest strip to artist Denver Brubaker's fantastic web comic, "Tales of a Checkered Man". My guest strip just ran yesterday, and I'm thrilled that Denver allowed me to play in his creative sandbox. You can view the comic at the link above, and can also see it below.

BODIE TROLL

After posting my Bodie Troll pages last week, I received some very enthusiastic feedback from friends and followers. This prompted me to do something I've never done before with one of my creations--I'm taking on a collaborator. Though my usual working method finds me being very possessive of my work and the creative process, Bodie is a very special project for me, something new and different from what I've created before. As such, I want a colorist who can enhance my work in ways beyond my own capabilities. Fortunately, I'm very close friends with a talented artist who's perfect for the job--cartoonist Evan Shaner, whose work has been seen in Archaia's "TheStoryteller" graphic novel and in the Dark Horse series, "Dark Horse Presents". Besides being a whiz-bang illustrator, Evan is a deft hand at coloring, and he's agreed to color the four-page Bodie promo that I'm putting together. Evan has colored my work before to fantastic results, which only strengthened my resolve to get him for this. When we have something to show, you can bet I'll post it here. In the meantime, you can see one of our previous collaborations below (and one of my favorites): 

 DEAD DUCK

If you've been following Dead Duck online (and why the hell WOULDN'T you?!), you'll see that I just wrapped up the previous storyline, "Gangs of New Scotland, or Quebec to the Future". On Thursday April 12th, we begin the next storyline, "One Toy Soldier Rides Away", which is an homage to the great 80's toys I grew up with. Bookmark the link above and follow the story over the coming weeks--it's one of my top favorites, and a HUGE fan favorite as well!

TUMBLR

I'm such a lemming. Just as I did with Facebook and Twitter, I followed the rest of my online brethren over the cliff and into the latest social network craze, creating my own Tumbr account. Unlike this blog, which focuses on news of my career told at great length, my Tumblr--tenatively called "Unrefined Foz"--will feature random sketches and doodles. My scribbly side deserves some recognition. So visit the link above and get to recognizing, folks!

My last chunk of update is that, for the past couple months, I've taken literal steps towards a healthier me. I've been walking an hour a day, and even began wearing a digital monitor to keep track of my steps. To date, I've lost at least five pounds, and an inch off my stomach. I've also worked to change my eating habits, making room for more fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes and sweet potatoes have been pleasant discoveries in my meals, while kiwi is a fruit I wish I'd begun eating a long time ago. It's been nice to have a goal outside of my artistic ambitions, and I'm pleased with the progress I'm making. Here's to more progress in the months to come!

That's it for this week. take care, my friends!

--Jay

THE EASTER BODIE IS COMIN' TO TOWN!

I've recently adopted a double-shift workday. During the day I work on projects for my publishers, and In the twilight hours I work on my own projects. I've managed to feign exhaustion for the time being, but it's bound to hit me hard when I least suspect it. So I'll type this blog out quickly before my body decides to shut down...

BODIE TROLL

 I've talked about my latest comic creation on a few occasions, but that was when it was just some sketches and ideas jotted down. Now, almost a year after I first thought up Bodie and his world, I have a complete script, and I've started drawing the comic. Here's the premise:

"Bodie Troll" is an all-ages comic set in a fairytale world where Bodie, a bridge troll, tries to be a big, scary sentry on the bridge to Hagadorn. Problem is, he's too small, cute and fuzzy to have any effect on people, other than inspiring unwanted hugs and cuddles.

Part of the reason for the big push with Bodie is this year's San Diego Comic Con. As I've mentioned, I'll be in attendance for the first time, and "Bodie Troll" is a comic I want to shop around (I'll be pushing "Dead Duck" as well), so I'm making sure I have the first few pages as a sample to show publishers. That's still some months down the road, so before that happens, I want to give you guys a sneak preview. The following are the first three pages of "Bodie Troll" (click to embiggen)...

I hope you like what you saw. The rest of the story is a lot of fun, and I can't wait to draw some more!

TALES OF A CHECKERED MAN

 Just a reminder that I'm doing a fill-in strip for Denver Brubaker's "Tales of a Checkered Man" web comic on Tuesday April 10th. Just follow the link to check it out next week. "TOACM" is a funny, action packed strip, drawn in a 60's Hanna-Barbera cartoon style that blows my minds. Hopefully my take on the strip manages a little of the magic Denver instills in it!

COMMISSIONS

I'm almost never asked to draw Tolkien characters, so when I was asked to draw Frodo Baggins, I jumped at the chance. The short height, big ears and big ears allow me to identity with Hobbits.

That does it for this week. If you haven't already, pick up a copy of Rue Morgue Magazine at your local bookstore to read my latest "Necronomicomics". And keep following my "Dead Duck" comic every Monday and Thursday! Have a Happy Easter, folks!

--Jay