This is your last heads up before Laura and I brave the cross-state traffic for Wizard World Chicago tomorrow morning. I'll list as much pertinent info as I can below:
Wednesday,August 5th: Laura and I will be leaving for Rosemont, Illinois, and will be crashing at the Hilton Garden Inn, hopefully getting well rested for the days that follow.
Thursday, August 6th: The con opens it's doors for PREVIEW NIGHT, which I understand is a sneak preview for special ticket holders only. Laura and I will be in attendance, with lots to show and lots to sell (which will all be listed below). Preview Night will go from 4pm-8pm, after which we'll be free for anyone who wants to find us and hang out.
Friday, August 7th/Saturday, August 8th: The con is open to the public from 10am to 7pm. I'll be manning my table all the doo-dah day, with the exception of a signing I'll be doing at Ape Entertainment's booth (#1140) on Friday and Saturday from 2pm-3pm. As before, our night will be wide open for whoever wants to kick it old school.
Sunday, August 9th: Last day of the con. It'll be open from 10am-5pm. Same as the other days, I'll be at my table most of the time except from 1pm-2pm when I'll be signing at the Ape booth. Then, when 5pm hits, we'll load up the car and head back to good ol' Ann Arbor, hopefully a little richer for our efforts, but more hopefully, safe from any traffic or travel mishaps along the way.
Now, here are some important points you may want to take note of:
--My table number is #4008. I'll have my 6 ft Dead Duck and Zombie Chick banner behind me, so that should make me easy to find.
--I'm staying at The Hilton Garden Inn in Des Plains, Illinois (only a few miles from the con, but they provide shuttle service). If anyone wants to find me and Laura, I imagine you can call the front desk.
--I'll be at my table for the bulk of the time, with the exception of one hour per day where I'll be signing my four-page Dead Duck promo at the Ape Entertainment booth (#1140). Friday and Saturday I'll be signing at Ape's booth from 2pm-3pm, and on Sunday I'll sign there at 1pm-2pm.
--I'll be selling:
* Dead Duck bookmarks for $1.00 each
* Pocketoons (small pre-drawn cartoons of varying subject matter) for $5.00 each. Please note that I will NOT be taking requests for Pocketoons drawings, but will be drawing them at my whim and will sell whatever I come up with.
* 8 1/2 X 11 Prints of Dead Duck and other famous characters for $10.00 each. There will be tons of these, but I'll also have ONLY TWO 11 X 17 prints for sale at $20.00 each.
* Caricatures of con attendees--Black and white only, one person=$15.00, two people=$20.00
* Original sketches done on request, you choose the subject matter. $20 for a single character, no background. $5.00 per additional character, $5.00 extra for color. Be prepared to provide a visual reference for your sketch if asked.
* Original "Dead Duck" and "Little Green Men" pages--$100.00 each.
* Dead Duck buttons/four page promos--These will be free (limit one per customer) and will be subject to availability (since free stuff tends to go fast).
So that should do it. Any further questions regarding the con itself can probably be answered on the con's website, which you can view HERE. I hope to see some of you guys out there. Should be loads of fun, and I'm anxious to unveil Dead Duck to the comic reading public. I'll be back sometime next week (or thereabouts, if I'm still burned out from the con)with photos and news about how it all went down. Wish me luck and talk to you soon!
Much love,
--Jay
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR OBAMA...
We know interrupt your regularly scheduled Internet surfing to bring you Jay P. Fosgitt's "State Of My Drawing Board Address".
As you can see, its state is cluttered, yet vibrantly colored and frozen in the midst of creative output.
---The drawing in the center is a slightly adult backstage peek at Josie and the Pussycats--a commission from a fella who requested anonymity. Nothing to be ashamed of, in my view. Commissions like this force me to refine my anatomy drawing, and help pay the bills to boot. Plus, c'mon, drawing half dressed women ain't the worst way to spend an afternoon. I'm just sayin'.
---In the upper left corner is a book about the making of the Tarantino/Rondriguez double feature "Grindhouse". This was one of the coolest films I've seen in a decade, and it continues to inspire me. Sure, it has its detractors, like my friend Motz. But as he spends his days huffing stale record album covers, I'm apt to think his powers of perception have been damaged. Love ya, Motz!
---Also in the upper left corner atop the book are two signs I made for my table at the con. More on those later!
---And to the right is a stack of old back issues of "The New Mutants" and "X-Factor" comics that I recently bought at a comic and card shop in Ypsilanti. These books were two of my favorites as a kid, and finding these old issues was like unearthing a treasure chest of nostalgia.
So all these things have helped keep my imagination from flatlining as I try to dodge stress and exhaustion. And why would I be stressed and exhausted, you ask? Well….
With a week to go until Wizard World Chicago hits, I'm at risk of my inner needle going into the red of "panic mode". It's my first con appearance promoting Dead Duck (albeit three months before the book's being released), and I've been rushing to get my swag (or merch-- pick your own slang for "stuff I'm sellin'") ready for public consumption.
Much of what I'm producing for the con resides here on my big purple tub (otherwise used for holding anything I don't have room for on my drawing board).
--The stack of Dead Duck bookmarks that I've printed up can be seen in its cut and uncut forms. My most affordable item at the con, if you don't count the free buttons and four-page promo that my publisher is printing up (you can see the button design below).
--You'll also see my gradually growing stack of "pocketoons", small drawings that I'm selling for a lower cost than some of my other works due to their size and lesser difficulty in creating. The trick has been to spend as little time as possible drawing these things so as to justify the low price tag. But when you're having fun creating something like this, you just lose all track of time spent.
Here's a close up of what the bookmarks look like. It's the same design I used for my big banner, but with the addition of my main online ports of harbor.
And here's a close up of some of my pocketoons. As you can see, I'm trying to run the gamut of subjects to appeal to a wide audience. Though ultimately I don't draw anything that doesn't appeal to me personally, so hopefully con attendees will share my sensibilities.
In my mad dash to whip up anything eye catching and funky for my con table, Laura pointed me towards this cardboard skull during a recent trip to Michael's hobby shop. Its paper surface was perfect for decorating, so I bought it and made it into a 3-D ad for Dead Duck:
And speaking of ads for Dead Duck, the tagline I wrote on the skull actually came from another publicity venture I undertook just last month….
This was an idea for a Dead Duck ad that I've had for almost two years now. The model is a friend of Laura's, Sarah "Sid" Szydlowski. Sid is an actress and student at EMU and appeared with Laura in the play "Angels in America" last spring. From my years at CMU and my current connection to the acting talent at EMU via Laura, and can tell you that having creative people around you willing to participate in weird artistic ideas like this is invaluable to a cartoonist like me. And for those wondering, no, Sid didn’t really shave her head for the ad. I simulated it all in Photoshop, a tool that I've gradually taught myself to use in the past ten years. And looking at this finished piece, I can honestly say that I'm proud of what I've accomplished. The piece may see its public unveiling in Chicago, but if not, it'll surely pop up elsewhere as the graphic novel comes closer to its November release.
And also on the ad front, these next two pieces will be featured at the con, one to publicize me, and one to publicize my prices:
The "Jay sign" will be 8 1/2 X 11, and hopefully eye-catching enough to pull in con attendees to my table.
My price sign is tiny yet thorough. Feel free to take notes if you plan on attending Wizard World and want to commission me or buy something.
So that should get everyone up to speed on my creative endeavors. The countdown to the con continues, and I'll post here once more before we leave, just to remind you to be there and what's going down.
But now I want to step away from the drawing board and take you on a little photo journey called "How I spent my summer!" Living in Ann Arbor has had the benefit of having everything I want to do and see within it. Going on vacation is as simple as driving downtown, or walking a couple blocks in any direction, and I'm totally in love with it.
Here's a few photos from the Ann Arbor Art Fair. It was perfect weather the day we went, and it was a really great experience. I best part (and regretfully, the one area I didn't get to photograph) was the animation station, where I got to animate one of my characters. Only in Ann Arbor, I tells ya….
And here's some photos from the Arboretum, a park full of old growth trees and gardens. It's really inspiring to walk through there, and most of the photos I took were chosen because they reminded me of the Shire from Lord of the Rings (the fact that I'm short, hairy and have big feet is only a coincidence…maybe).
Here's Laura adding to the beauty of the flowers….
This picture made me think of Gandalf and a Bilbo talking at his birthday party. I'm a nerd, I know….
Now tell me this doesn't make you think of the hobbits being chased by the dark riders? C'MON!!
We've captured the wild Jay in his natural element. Careful you don't spook him. He's prone to hiss and wet himself.
When you consider that the Arboretum is all of one block off from the city, seeing a fawn up close like this is really an amazing sight. It's mom and sibling were about two feet away from it.
What can I say? I married a girl who digs Hobbits.
How about Laura atop this clunky old Earthen staircase? Kinda reminds you of something….I wonder what that could be…it has a ring to it….
We also finally got a cat this summer. Her name is Goonie (Laura let me name her--my one claim to ownership), and she's the apple of Laura's eye. She also likes me okay, at least when Laura's not around to slather her with attention.
And lastly, here's Laura and I at her dad's in Auburn, MI around the 4th of July. That's my new hat that I bought this summer. I plan on rocking it throughout the year.
Don't know if I mentioned it, but I tend to take all the photos myself, which is why you always see me in such weird pos…OH LOOK! A SQUIRREL!!!
And here's dainty little Laura flanked by the big ol' lumpy bridge troll that is yours truly.
So that's it. Hope I've satisfied those of you hungry for a long and winding update, and hope I've effectively tranqued the rest of you into a blog coma, making the rest of your workday far livelier by comparison. Be sure to read my online Dead Duck comic as we get closer to the book's release in November. And the con countdown continues, and I'll be back once more before the 5th. Be here for the big send off!
--Jay
As you can see, its state is cluttered, yet vibrantly colored and frozen in the midst of creative output.
---The drawing in the center is a slightly adult backstage peek at Josie and the Pussycats--a commission from a fella who requested anonymity. Nothing to be ashamed of, in my view. Commissions like this force me to refine my anatomy drawing, and help pay the bills to boot. Plus, c'mon, drawing half dressed women ain't the worst way to spend an afternoon. I'm just sayin'.
---In the upper left corner is a book about the making of the Tarantino/Rondriguez double feature "Grindhouse". This was one of the coolest films I've seen in a decade, and it continues to inspire me. Sure, it has its detractors, like my friend Motz. But as he spends his days huffing stale record album covers, I'm apt to think his powers of perception have been damaged. Love ya, Motz!
---Also in the upper left corner atop the book are two signs I made for my table at the con. More on those later!
---And to the right is a stack of old back issues of "The New Mutants" and "X-Factor" comics that I recently bought at a comic and card shop in Ypsilanti. These books were two of my favorites as a kid, and finding these old issues was like unearthing a treasure chest of nostalgia.
So all these things have helped keep my imagination from flatlining as I try to dodge stress and exhaustion. And why would I be stressed and exhausted, you ask? Well….
With a week to go until Wizard World Chicago hits, I'm at risk of my inner needle going into the red of "panic mode". It's my first con appearance promoting Dead Duck (albeit three months before the book's being released), and I've been rushing to get my swag (or merch-- pick your own slang for "stuff I'm sellin'") ready for public consumption.
Much of what I'm producing for the con resides here on my big purple tub (otherwise used for holding anything I don't have room for on my drawing board).
--The stack of Dead Duck bookmarks that I've printed up can be seen in its cut and uncut forms. My most affordable item at the con, if you don't count the free buttons and four-page promo that my publisher is printing up (you can see the button design below).
--You'll also see my gradually growing stack of "pocketoons", small drawings that I'm selling for a lower cost than some of my other works due to their size and lesser difficulty in creating. The trick has been to spend as little time as possible drawing these things so as to justify the low price tag. But when you're having fun creating something like this, you just lose all track of time spent.
Here's a close up of what the bookmarks look like. It's the same design I used for my big banner, but with the addition of my main online ports of harbor.
And here's a close up of some of my pocketoons. As you can see, I'm trying to run the gamut of subjects to appeal to a wide audience. Though ultimately I don't draw anything that doesn't appeal to me personally, so hopefully con attendees will share my sensibilities.
In my mad dash to whip up anything eye catching and funky for my con table, Laura pointed me towards this cardboard skull during a recent trip to Michael's hobby shop. Its paper surface was perfect for decorating, so I bought it and made it into a 3-D ad for Dead Duck:
And speaking of ads for Dead Duck, the tagline I wrote on the skull actually came from another publicity venture I undertook just last month….
This was an idea for a Dead Duck ad that I've had for almost two years now. The model is a friend of Laura's, Sarah "Sid" Szydlowski. Sid is an actress and student at EMU and appeared with Laura in the play "Angels in America" last spring. From my years at CMU and my current connection to the acting talent at EMU via Laura, and can tell you that having creative people around you willing to participate in weird artistic ideas like this is invaluable to a cartoonist like me. And for those wondering, no, Sid didn’t really shave her head for the ad. I simulated it all in Photoshop, a tool that I've gradually taught myself to use in the past ten years. And looking at this finished piece, I can honestly say that I'm proud of what I've accomplished. The piece may see its public unveiling in Chicago, but if not, it'll surely pop up elsewhere as the graphic novel comes closer to its November release.
And also on the ad front, these next two pieces will be featured at the con, one to publicize me, and one to publicize my prices:
The "Jay sign" will be 8 1/2 X 11, and hopefully eye-catching enough to pull in con attendees to my table.
My price sign is tiny yet thorough. Feel free to take notes if you plan on attending Wizard World and want to commission me or buy something.
So that should get everyone up to speed on my creative endeavors. The countdown to the con continues, and I'll post here once more before we leave, just to remind you to be there and what's going down.
But now I want to step away from the drawing board and take you on a little photo journey called "How I spent my summer!" Living in Ann Arbor has had the benefit of having everything I want to do and see within it. Going on vacation is as simple as driving downtown, or walking a couple blocks in any direction, and I'm totally in love with it.
Here's a few photos from the Ann Arbor Art Fair. It was perfect weather the day we went, and it was a really great experience. I best part (and regretfully, the one area I didn't get to photograph) was the animation station, where I got to animate one of my characters. Only in Ann Arbor, I tells ya….
And here's some photos from the Arboretum, a park full of old growth trees and gardens. It's really inspiring to walk through there, and most of the photos I took were chosen because they reminded me of the Shire from Lord of the Rings (the fact that I'm short, hairy and have big feet is only a coincidence…maybe).
Here's Laura adding to the beauty of the flowers….
This picture made me think of Gandalf and a Bilbo talking at his birthday party. I'm a nerd, I know….
Now tell me this doesn't make you think of the hobbits being chased by the dark riders? C'MON!!
We've captured the wild Jay in his natural element. Careful you don't spook him. He's prone to hiss and wet himself.
When you consider that the Arboretum is all of one block off from the city, seeing a fawn up close like this is really an amazing sight. It's mom and sibling were about two feet away from it.
What can I say? I married a girl who digs Hobbits.
How about Laura atop this clunky old Earthen staircase? Kinda reminds you of something….I wonder what that could be…it has a ring to it….
We also finally got a cat this summer. Her name is Goonie (Laura let me name her--my one claim to ownership), and she's the apple of Laura's eye. She also likes me okay, at least when Laura's not around to slather her with attention.
And lastly, here's Laura and I at her dad's in Auburn, MI around the 4th of July. That's my new hat that I bought this summer. I plan on rocking it throughout the year.
Don't know if I mentioned it, but I tend to take all the photos myself, which is why you always see me in such weird pos…OH LOOK! A SQUIRREL!!!
And here's dainty little Laura flanked by the big ol' lumpy bridge troll that is yours truly.
So that's it. Hope I've satisfied those of you hungry for a long and winding update, and hope I've effectively tranqued the rest of you into a blog coma, making the rest of your workday far livelier by comparison. Be sure to read my online Dead Duck comic as we get closer to the book's release in November. And the con countdown continues, and I'll be back once more before the 5th. Be here for the big send off!
--Jay
Monday, July 20, 2009
WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO UPDATE!
San Diego Comic Con--the biggest, most important comic con in the world--lands this week…and I won't be there. However, MY first major comic con appearance happens in just a couple weeks at Wizard World Chicago (August 5th-9th), and I'm currently prepping for the journey. For your benefit, you can link to the info on the con HERE.
This is the banner I had made to promote Dead Duck. If you want to find me at Wizard World Chicago, this is the flag by which I stake my comic con claim (and unlike Columbus, I won't screw any indigenous tribes in the process). My table is #4008. Here's a run down of what I'll be selling there:
--Prints of Dead Duck and Zombie Chick, as well as prints of popular movies, cartoons and comic characters.
--Sketches of whatever you guys want--the previously mentions print subjects apply, as well as anything else you can think of.
--Original Dead Duck and Little Green Men pages.
--Pocketoons, tiny pre-made drawings that I'll have for sale.
--Caricatures of yourselves.
Prices are still being determined at this point, but they'll be noted when the con comes round.
I'll also have some free giveaways (redundant, I know):
--Dead Duck buttons
--A four-page Dead Duck promo
In case I haven't mentioned it enough, the actual Dead Duck graphic novel doesn't come out until November. But I'll have plenty of preview material and other goodies at Wizard World to whet your appetite until then. So mark your calendars and plan on seeing me there! I know I do!
--Jay
This is the banner I had made to promote Dead Duck. If you want to find me at Wizard World Chicago, this is the flag by which I stake my comic con claim (and unlike Columbus, I won't screw any indigenous tribes in the process). My table is #4008. Here's a run down of what I'll be selling there:
--Prints of Dead Duck and Zombie Chick, as well as prints of popular movies, cartoons and comic characters.
--Sketches of whatever you guys want--the previously mentions print subjects apply, as well as anything else you can think of.
--Original Dead Duck and Little Green Men pages.
--Pocketoons, tiny pre-made drawings that I'll have for sale.
--Caricatures of yourselves.
Prices are still being determined at this point, but they'll be noted when the con comes round.
I'll also have some free giveaways (redundant, I know):
--Dead Duck buttons
--A four-page Dead Duck promo
In case I haven't mentioned it enough, the actual Dead Duck graphic novel doesn't come out until November. But I'll have plenty of preview material and other goodies at Wizard World to whet your appetite until then. So mark your calendars and plan on seeing me there! I know I do!
--Jay
Friday, May 29, 2009
UPDATES, SNEAK PEEKS, AND A STUDIO TOUR TO BOOT!
Lots to share this time around, kids, so let's have at it….
DEAD DUCK:
Hey, have I mentioned that I have a graphic novel called DEAD DUCK coming from Ape Entertainment in November, and that I currently have an online Dead Duck comic featured on Apecmx.com that you can view right now? I didn't? Huh. Well my apologies. Check it out HERE, and again, so sorry I didn't clear this all up earlier.
COMMISSIONS:
My classic cartoon commission drive has been going great guns and you can view the most recent offerings HERE. If anyone's interested in getting in on this or commissioning me for any other theme or purpose, you can always reach me at fourpanelhero@hotmail.com or send me a note on Deviantart.
CARICATURING GIGS:
I've got 'em coming out of the walls like goblins in Sarah's bedroom (that's a "Labyrinth" reference for you fellow Jim Henson fans). I've got two alone this Sunday, one in Midland at a picnic at Blessed Sacrament Church in the afternoon. Then later that night I have another at Saginaw Valley where I'll draw caricatures all night (10 pm-3 am) for Flushing High's post-grad party. It's my second year doing the church gig and probably my 13th year doing the SVSU gig. Guess I'm doing something right to be getting repeat business.
Though it's a little after the fact, here's a photo from a caricaturing gig I did a month or so back for Eastern Michigan University's theater department at their Notscars awards.
This is just a sampling of the pile of pics I drew that night. Thanks to my wife Laura for getting me this gig and to Austin Tracy for taking this pic.
ARCHIE CARDS:
Evidently my Archie cards went over big with my contact. He immediately commissioned me for 24 more, which I exuberantly agreed to create (though the deadline was really baring down on me at this point). But in between Tuesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon I managed to get them all drawn, colored and in the mail. If you're interested, they should be on sale in a few months, and proceeds from their sale go to The March of Dimes. So be on the lookout for them, and I'll be posting some of them here once they've all been released.
LITTLE GREEN MEN:
I wasn't aware this would happen yet, but evidently the comic I've been writing and drawing for my publisher is now available to read online, which you can do HERE. And as promised last time, I'm ready to show you the cover to the comic that I recently drew. I'd also mentioned that I paid tribute to one of my loyal followers within the artwork, and I can now reveal that person, too (click on image to make bigger):
If you missed it, there's a poster on the back wall that says "Vote for Lexie Cottrell for prom queen!" Lexie is my cousin, and while I've yet to fulfill my promise to create a comic about her called "Spoiled Brat Comics", hopefully this small shout-out will make her smile. It did for me!
And finally, THE STUDIO TOUR!!!
As of last weekend I completed the decorating of my studio, my four-walled mistress that my beautiful wife Laura has to share me with. The atmosphere in here is a perfect mix of eclectic pop culture and childhood abandon, and has fueled my creativity like no studio I've had before. So, let's begin our tour and see what it is I'm gushing about…..
This is the east wall of my studio. Above the door you'll see my Nightmare Before Christmas dolls and porcelain wall hanging, which cover my Tim Burton fandom quite nicely. Below it is a fairly recent poster of the 1983 film "The Dark Crystal." And below that, one of my comedy heroes, John Belushi as seen in "Animal House". Two the left of that is (top) a poster I swiped from Delta College back in the day. It was an ad for The Art Institute of Chicago and shows mugshots of Popeye, Olive Oyl and Fred Flintstone. Below it is a James Dean Poster and below that is a poster featuring buxom characters from comic creator Jim Lee's Wildstorm line of comics.
Moving left along the east wall, you can see my circa 1983 collection of Fraggle dolls. This is the first time I've been able to display them in at least ten years, and they really add to the décor, in my opinion. And to the left of them, is my little shrine to Jason Voorhees, my favorite movie monster and the best Halloween costume I ever donned. That's a mirrored closet below, showing me taking the pic, plus blowing a bit of the surprise of what lies on the west wall.
Here's the nerve center of it all, my drawing board. Above it are various framed and signed certificates and caricatures that I drew of various celebs from Star Wars films and the cartooning world. To the right of all that is a vintage Labyrinth poster and an Alex Ross Fantastic Four poster.
Here's a close up of three of my most important celeb autographs. Laura had me draw Muppet performers Jerry Nelson (with Floyd Pepper), Bill Barretta (with Pepe the prawn) and Dave Goelz (with Gonzo), then got them autographed for me. Best gift ever, I say. I made the frames myself in Muppety fashion.
Here's a bird's eye view of my drawing board, showing one of my current projects…
And here's a close-up. This is a commission for a fella who wanted me to draw the old Hanna Barbera character Jana of the Jungle dancing with the Marvel Comics character Tigra.
Second only to my drawing board is my computer station, equipped with a scanner, printer, telephone and digital camera. Honest to god, without this collection of technical junk, my career would be lost in the woods without a map. You can see my various creative influences in all the posters surrounding the station, and that giant Jessica Alba poster (an influence of a naughtier sort) to the left is from Sin City, a gift from my cousin Todd.
On the west wall we have some more posters (if you look carefully you can see some of cartoonist Evan Shaner's artwork on the lower wall) and my portable air conditioner. To the left of that is a circa 1989 poster of Iron Man drawn by French cartoonist Moebius. Above that is a Frank Frazetta print and above that is my hero, Jim Henson surrounded by his characters. At the very top of the wall is a special possession indeed…
I'd like to say I stole this off a Sith lord that I defeated in battle, but in truth it's yet another wonderful gift from my beloved wife Laura. Does she know me or what?
On the south wall is my library, filled with old and new books of fairy tales, folklore, graphic novels, biographies, reference material, comic strip collections, and all sorts of fun stuff that you’d imagine I'd read.
Atop that is the puppet shelf, where I display the best of my collection (quite a few are still in storage). Those are the puppets I designed and have professionally built of Laura and myself. That's a vintage 1978 Rowlf from my childhood, a "Where The Wild Things Are" beast, a blue fuzzy monster I found in the Swan Valley High School drama class prop closet years ago, Zip the snail (who I named myself) and Chum the seal (who I also named myself).
Here's my toy shelf, which is only partially complete. I still have years worth of old Star Wars toys boxed away in my grandma's attic…..
Top shelf: The Pillsbury Doughboy (a gift from my old boss Shelly), a vintage 1980 Kermit doll (a gift from Laura--still in its original box!), my Hellboy doll, Gumby and Pokey, Jabba the Hutt (another Shelly gift), and a Big Boy bank.
Second shelf: My vintage 1986 Firey doll from the movie Labyrinth, Popeye (a gift from my mom from years ago), Eugene the Jeep (Popeye's little magical sidekick) and Popeye's best friend Wimpy. Next to Wimpy is a very old Popeye Big Little book that I got from my friend Jeanne Schultz years ago. It's from the late 30's I think, too beat up to be valuable but a sentimental treasure for sure. In front of all that are some little clay statues that Laura and I sculpted and painted when we still lived in Midland.
Third shelf:
Collectible glasses from the comic strip BC (a gift from Jeanne again), some Muppet Star Wars toys and a Donald Duck Darth Maul courtesy of my friend Pat Dooley, an Edward Scissorhands figure, and a couple Madballs (a toy from my childhood that was recently brought back). I had three but one of them broke and all his ooze squirted out. And wouldn't it have to be my favorite. Sigh….
And rounding out our tour are a few more posters (left to right, up and down): Kramer from Seinfeld, the 1990 movie The Commitments, Nightmare Before Christmas and the movie Serenity. As you can tell, my likes and inspirations are mixed and eclectic, just the way I am. I'm so comforted by this room. My studio is my sanctuary and is a physical reflection of all that's within me.
Well, thanks for sticking around for all this hoo hah. Be here next time for more news, sneak peeks and unabashed craziness!
DEAD DUCK:
Hey, have I mentioned that I have a graphic novel called DEAD DUCK coming from Ape Entertainment in November, and that I currently have an online Dead Duck comic featured on Apecmx.com that you can view right now? I didn't? Huh. Well my apologies. Check it out HERE, and again, so sorry I didn't clear this all up earlier.
COMMISSIONS:
My classic cartoon commission drive has been going great guns and you can view the most recent offerings HERE. If anyone's interested in getting in on this or commissioning me for any other theme or purpose, you can always reach me at fourpanelhero@hotmail.com or send me a note on Deviantart.
CARICATURING GIGS:
I've got 'em coming out of the walls like goblins in Sarah's bedroom (that's a "Labyrinth" reference for you fellow Jim Henson fans). I've got two alone this Sunday, one in Midland at a picnic at Blessed Sacrament Church in the afternoon. Then later that night I have another at Saginaw Valley where I'll draw caricatures all night (10 pm-3 am) for Flushing High's post-grad party. It's my second year doing the church gig and probably my 13th year doing the SVSU gig. Guess I'm doing something right to be getting repeat business.
Though it's a little after the fact, here's a photo from a caricaturing gig I did a month or so back for Eastern Michigan University's theater department at their Notscars awards.
This is just a sampling of the pile of pics I drew that night. Thanks to my wife Laura for getting me this gig and to Austin Tracy for taking this pic.
ARCHIE CARDS:
Evidently my Archie cards went over big with my contact. He immediately commissioned me for 24 more, which I exuberantly agreed to create (though the deadline was really baring down on me at this point). But in between Tuesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon I managed to get them all drawn, colored and in the mail. If you're interested, they should be on sale in a few months, and proceeds from their sale go to The March of Dimes. So be on the lookout for them, and I'll be posting some of them here once they've all been released.
LITTLE GREEN MEN:
I wasn't aware this would happen yet, but evidently the comic I've been writing and drawing for my publisher is now available to read online, which you can do HERE. And as promised last time, I'm ready to show you the cover to the comic that I recently drew. I'd also mentioned that I paid tribute to one of my loyal followers within the artwork, and I can now reveal that person, too (click on image to make bigger):
If you missed it, there's a poster on the back wall that says "Vote for Lexie Cottrell for prom queen!" Lexie is my cousin, and while I've yet to fulfill my promise to create a comic about her called "Spoiled Brat Comics", hopefully this small shout-out will make her smile. It did for me!
And finally, THE STUDIO TOUR!!!
As of last weekend I completed the decorating of my studio, my four-walled mistress that my beautiful wife Laura has to share me with. The atmosphere in here is a perfect mix of eclectic pop culture and childhood abandon, and has fueled my creativity like no studio I've had before. So, let's begin our tour and see what it is I'm gushing about…..
This is the east wall of my studio. Above the door you'll see my Nightmare Before Christmas dolls and porcelain wall hanging, which cover my Tim Burton fandom quite nicely. Below it is a fairly recent poster of the 1983 film "The Dark Crystal." And below that, one of my comedy heroes, John Belushi as seen in "Animal House". Two the left of that is (top) a poster I swiped from Delta College back in the day. It was an ad for The Art Institute of Chicago and shows mugshots of Popeye, Olive Oyl and Fred Flintstone. Below it is a James Dean Poster and below that is a poster featuring buxom characters from comic creator Jim Lee's Wildstorm line of comics.
Moving left along the east wall, you can see my circa 1983 collection of Fraggle dolls. This is the first time I've been able to display them in at least ten years, and they really add to the décor, in my opinion. And to the left of them, is my little shrine to Jason Voorhees, my favorite movie monster and the best Halloween costume I ever donned. That's a mirrored closet below, showing me taking the pic, plus blowing a bit of the surprise of what lies on the west wall.
Here's the nerve center of it all, my drawing board. Above it are various framed and signed certificates and caricatures that I drew of various celebs from Star Wars films and the cartooning world. To the right of all that is a vintage Labyrinth poster and an Alex Ross Fantastic Four poster.
Here's a close up of three of my most important celeb autographs. Laura had me draw Muppet performers Jerry Nelson (with Floyd Pepper), Bill Barretta (with Pepe the prawn) and Dave Goelz (with Gonzo), then got them autographed for me. Best gift ever, I say. I made the frames myself in Muppety fashion.
Here's a bird's eye view of my drawing board, showing one of my current projects…
And here's a close-up. This is a commission for a fella who wanted me to draw the old Hanna Barbera character Jana of the Jungle dancing with the Marvel Comics character Tigra.
Second only to my drawing board is my computer station, equipped with a scanner, printer, telephone and digital camera. Honest to god, without this collection of technical junk, my career would be lost in the woods without a map. You can see my various creative influences in all the posters surrounding the station, and that giant Jessica Alba poster (an influence of a naughtier sort) to the left is from Sin City, a gift from my cousin Todd.
On the west wall we have some more posters (if you look carefully you can see some of cartoonist Evan Shaner's artwork on the lower wall) and my portable air conditioner. To the left of that is a circa 1989 poster of Iron Man drawn by French cartoonist Moebius. Above that is a Frank Frazetta print and above that is my hero, Jim Henson surrounded by his characters. At the very top of the wall is a special possession indeed…
I'd like to say I stole this off a Sith lord that I defeated in battle, but in truth it's yet another wonderful gift from my beloved wife Laura. Does she know me or what?
On the south wall is my library, filled with old and new books of fairy tales, folklore, graphic novels, biographies, reference material, comic strip collections, and all sorts of fun stuff that you’d imagine I'd read.
Atop that is the puppet shelf, where I display the best of my collection (quite a few are still in storage). Those are the puppets I designed and have professionally built of Laura and myself. That's a vintage 1978 Rowlf from my childhood, a "Where The Wild Things Are" beast, a blue fuzzy monster I found in the Swan Valley High School drama class prop closet years ago, Zip the snail (who I named myself) and Chum the seal (who I also named myself).
Here's my toy shelf, which is only partially complete. I still have years worth of old Star Wars toys boxed away in my grandma's attic…..
Top shelf: The Pillsbury Doughboy (a gift from my old boss Shelly), a vintage 1980 Kermit doll (a gift from Laura--still in its original box!), my Hellboy doll, Gumby and Pokey, Jabba the Hutt (another Shelly gift), and a Big Boy bank.
Second shelf: My vintage 1986 Firey doll from the movie Labyrinth, Popeye (a gift from my mom from years ago), Eugene the Jeep (Popeye's little magical sidekick) and Popeye's best friend Wimpy. Next to Wimpy is a very old Popeye Big Little book that I got from my friend Jeanne Schultz years ago. It's from the late 30's I think, too beat up to be valuable but a sentimental treasure for sure. In front of all that are some little clay statues that Laura and I sculpted and painted when we still lived in Midland.
Third shelf:
Collectible glasses from the comic strip BC (a gift from Jeanne again), some Muppet Star Wars toys and a Donald Duck Darth Maul courtesy of my friend Pat Dooley, an Edward Scissorhands figure, and a couple Madballs (a toy from my childhood that was recently brought back). I had three but one of them broke and all his ooze squirted out. And wouldn't it have to be my favorite. Sigh….
And rounding out our tour are a few more posters (left to right, up and down): Kramer from Seinfeld, the 1990 movie The Commitments, Nightmare Before Christmas and the movie Serenity. As you can tell, my likes and inspirations are mixed and eclectic, just the way I am. I'm so comforted by this room. My studio is my sanctuary and is a physical reflection of all that's within me.
Well, thanks for sticking around for all this hoo hah. Be here next time for more news, sneak peeks and unabashed craziness!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
I WAS HUGGED BY DEATH AND LIVED TO TELL THE TALE!!!
Actually, my wife was too. By god, we're resilient people! Intrigued? Read below to find out what the heck I'm talking about!
MOTOR CITY COMIC CON:
I think this year's con wins for the most fun I've EVER had there. It was Laura's birthday weekend, and I'm very fortunate that my wife happens to love comics!
We ran into a couple friends from our past; my old CMU art pal Adam Talley (and creator of the comic book "Pleasant Hymns") with his wife Kelly and their new baby Scott, and my old CMU theater shop pal Edna Wolff and her wife Lindsay.
We hung around the multiple artist tables of Jeremy Bastian (creator of "Cursed Pirate Girl"), Katie Cook (artist on loads of Star Wars cards, comics and countless other characters) and David Petersen (creator of "Mouseguard"). David was cool enough to give Laura one of his gorgeous Wizard of Oz prints as a gift, and I plan on returning the favor with a drink and an illustration first chance I get. Katie and Dave are also putting me in contact with a guy who creates banners for cartoonists to display at conventions, and theirs are just awesome. So I'm hoping to have my own on display in Chicago this August at Wizard World!
But the number one reason I attended the con this year was to meet my friend and hero, Doug Jones. If you don't recall who he is (and after reading this blog, you have no excuse not to), Doug is the brilliant actor behind so many makeup and non-makeup-enhanced characters. Probably best known as Abe Sapien in the "Hellboy" films and as Faun and Pale Man in "Pan's Labyrinth", Doug was undoubtedly the biggest star to attend the Motor City con (Yeah, take THAT, Carrie Fisher!). Leastwise, he was the guy I most wanted to meet, since he wrote such a beautiful foreword for my forthcoming Dead Duck graphic novel. I was very nervous, but meeting such a warm, wonderful guy just put me totally at ease right away.
Here is me, Doug, Doug's tour manager (I apologize for forgetting his name) and fellow actor John Alexander (in the leather jacket) who played Johann Krauss in "Hellboy II"…
Here's Doug looking at a Dead Duck print I gave him as thanks for writing his foreword…
Here's a closeup of the image…
Discussing Doug's fascinating career….
And the previously mentioned hug from Death (Doug played the angel of Death in "Hellboy II", y'see)! Seriously, I love Ron Perlman, but looking at us here, couldn't I have played Hellboy to Doug's Abe Sapien? Maybe in the third film.
And here's Laura with us. When Doug saw her vintage 50's dress, right away he said, "Oh, she looks just like Laura Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore's character on the old "Dick Van Dyke Show"). Laura countered with, "Actually, that's who I was named after!" True story, folks!
So Doug Jones has won my heart all over again. Just a wonderful, friendly person, and someone I'm proud to call a friend as well as a hero.
Laura also took a quick snapshot of Julie Newmar, who she feels was the best Catwoman ever on film (from the old "Batman" TV series) I still contend that Eartha Kitt was the best, with that awesome growl. We miss you, Eartha.
ARCHIE CARDS:
I completed my Archie sketch cards last week and sent them out to my contact, Steve Frank. I promised I wouldn't show any of the cards without his permission, because understandably, I don't want to ruin the surprise for the people who buy the packs. But I just got an e-mail from Steve this morning who said he received the cards and really loved what I did with them. So much so in fact that he's allowing me to share one of the cards with my fans. So thanks to the kindness of Steve, I'm sharing one of my favorites right here with you guys!
LITTLE GREEN MEN:
I just sent in my cover for Little Green Men, and it got a very positive reception from my editors. I haven't been given permission to show any of the art from the book yet, but if I get the okay, I'd like to show you guys the cover. I'm very happy with how it turned out, and one of you people in my loooonnnng mailing list of friends and fans has been given a little tribute on it! All I'll say is, it's not Laura or Doug Jones! So I'll ask my editors if it's okay to show, and hopefully by next week we'll find out who the lucky person is! Be here to find out!
COMMISSIONS:
My current classic cartoon commission drive is going great guns still, and if anyone's interested, send me an e-mail (fourpanelhero@hotmail.com)or contact me on Deviantart.com, where I'm posting all my commissions. Rob Grabowski, let me know if you're still interested. Your Hanna Barbera dogs playing poker is a brilliant idea!
ONLINE DEAD DUCK:
Last Friday wrapped up the very first Dead Duck story, "The Soul-Taker's Apprentice." Next Friday begins a three-week long story (which amounts to three pages) called "Burn Baby Burn, Witchy Inferno" or "Everybody's Workin' For The Wiccan!" Make sure to check it out HERE, as it's a stone cold hoot, I tells ya!
That's it for now, kids! More news is a comin', and I hope to be back soon to show you the Little Green Men cover. Be here when it lands!
Much love,
--Jay
MOTOR CITY COMIC CON:
I think this year's con wins for the most fun I've EVER had there. It was Laura's birthday weekend, and I'm very fortunate that my wife happens to love comics!
We ran into a couple friends from our past; my old CMU art pal Adam Talley (and creator of the comic book "Pleasant Hymns") with his wife Kelly and their new baby Scott, and my old CMU theater shop pal Edna Wolff and her wife Lindsay.
We hung around the multiple artist tables of Jeremy Bastian (creator of "Cursed Pirate Girl"), Katie Cook (artist on loads of Star Wars cards, comics and countless other characters) and David Petersen (creator of "Mouseguard"). David was cool enough to give Laura one of his gorgeous Wizard of Oz prints as a gift, and I plan on returning the favor with a drink and an illustration first chance I get. Katie and Dave are also putting me in contact with a guy who creates banners for cartoonists to display at conventions, and theirs are just awesome. So I'm hoping to have my own on display in Chicago this August at Wizard World!
But the number one reason I attended the con this year was to meet my friend and hero, Doug Jones. If you don't recall who he is (and after reading this blog, you have no excuse not to), Doug is the brilliant actor behind so many makeup and non-makeup-enhanced characters. Probably best known as Abe Sapien in the "Hellboy" films and as Faun and Pale Man in "Pan's Labyrinth", Doug was undoubtedly the biggest star to attend the Motor City con (Yeah, take THAT, Carrie Fisher!). Leastwise, he was the guy I most wanted to meet, since he wrote such a beautiful foreword for my forthcoming Dead Duck graphic novel. I was very nervous, but meeting such a warm, wonderful guy just put me totally at ease right away.
Here is me, Doug, Doug's tour manager (I apologize for forgetting his name) and fellow actor John Alexander (in the leather jacket) who played Johann Krauss in "Hellboy II"…
Here's Doug looking at a Dead Duck print I gave him as thanks for writing his foreword…
Here's a closeup of the image…
Discussing Doug's fascinating career….
And the previously mentioned hug from Death (Doug played the angel of Death in "Hellboy II", y'see)! Seriously, I love Ron Perlman, but looking at us here, couldn't I have played Hellboy to Doug's Abe Sapien? Maybe in the third film.
And here's Laura with us. When Doug saw her vintage 50's dress, right away he said, "Oh, she looks just like Laura Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore's character on the old "Dick Van Dyke Show"). Laura countered with, "Actually, that's who I was named after!" True story, folks!
So Doug Jones has won my heart all over again. Just a wonderful, friendly person, and someone I'm proud to call a friend as well as a hero.
Laura also took a quick snapshot of Julie Newmar, who she feels was the best Catwoman ever on film (from the old "Batman" TV series) I still contend that Eartha Kitt was the best, with that awesome growl. We miss you, Eartha.
ARCHIE CARDS:
I completed my Archie sketch cards last week and sent them out to my contact, Steve Frank. I promised I wouldn't show any of the cards without his permission, because understandably, I don't want to ruin the surprise for the people who buy the packs. But I just got an e-mail from Steve this morning who said he received the cards and really loved what I did with them. So much so in fact that he's allowing me to share one of the cards with my fans. So thanks to the kindness of Steve, I'm sharing one of my favorites right here with you guys!
LITTLE GREEN MEN:
I just sent in my cover for Little Green Men, and it got a very positive reception from my editors. I haven't been given permission to show any of the art from the book yet, but if I get the okay, I'd like to show you guys the cover. I'm very happy with how it turned out, and one of you people in my loooonnnng mailing list of friends and fans has been given a little tribute on it! All I'll say is, it's not Laura or Doug Jones! So I'll ask my editors if it's okay to show, and hopefully by next week we'll find out who the lucky person is! Be here to find out!
COMMISSIONS:
My current classic cartoon commission drive is going great guns still, and if anyone's interested, send me an e-mail (fourpanelhero@hotmail.com)or contact me on Deviantart.com, where I'm posting all my commissions. Rob Grabowski, let me know if you're still interested. Your Hanna Barbera dogs playing poker is a brilliant idea!
ONLINE DEAD DUCK:
Last Friday wrapped up the very first Dead Duck story, "The Soul-Taker's Apprentice." Next Friday begins a three-week long story (which amounts to three pages) called "Burn Baby Burn, Witchy Inferno" or "Everybody's Workin' For The Wiccan!" Make sure to check it out HERE, as it's a stone cold hoot, I tells ya!
That's it for now, kids! More news is a comin', and I hope to be back soon to show you the Little Green Men cover. Be here when it lands!
Much love,
--Jay