Playing Catch Up

Summer was quite busy and went by in the blink of an eye. I’ve been spending lots of time with my chums over at Biff Bam Pop!, working with writers Andy Burns, David Ward, Ian Rogers and Scott Guest on a new series of Halloween-flavoured comics for this year. Long time friend, Denny Borges, a fantastic artist in his own right, will join us on the project this time around, illustrating one of the stories himself. The comics themselves are more eclectic than last year’s offerings and I think that they are also stronger (scarier, more ominous, more dreadful) works! There was a lot learned during the process of creating these comics last year and it shows in this new crop of material. I don’t mind speaking for everyone involved when I say that we can’t wait to unveil the tales! Biff Bam Boo! 2010 will be released online in late October.

In-between bouts of sketching and painting, I was also busy writing for the Biff Bam Pop! website. As a bit of catch-up, here’s a list of my articles in case you missed any:

Biff Bam Pop Writers Sound Off On A Nightmare On Elm Street 2010 – wherein I add my two cents to the revisited Freddy flick from our youth.

A Timeless Rock ‘n’ Pop Expo – A review of the new Wolf Parade album, Expo ’86.

Across The Universe is a new, monthly column I write for the website that shares my musings on comic books, comic art, comic book collecting and the overall comic book universe.
Across The Universe 1 – Comic Books And Community Resonance
Across The Universe 2 – Keeping Up With The Jones’…Wayne’s And Kent’s
Across The Universe 3 – Simmering Summer Excitement
Across The Universe 4 – Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…
Across The Universe 5 – It’s An East Coast/West Coast/On The Ledge Kind Of Thing

Tales From The Long Box returned with Volume 3 this summer. You can catch up on the (semi)weekly installments at the following links:
Part 1: Hex #1
Part 2: Crisis On Infinite Earths #1
Part 3: The Question #1
Part 4: ‘Mazing Man #5
Part 5: Ms. Marvel #2
Part 6: The Punisher War Journal #1
Part 7: Artist Norman Saunders

OK. That’s it for now. The next posting will be of drawings…

Two New Drawings

Both drawings are conte on paper. A warm up gesture first (thirty seconds in length), then spending a little more time on the figure (just a coulple of minutes, really).

Latest Articles on Biff Bam Pop!

I wrote a couple of articles over at Biff Bam Pop! during the last few weeks. If you haven’t read them yet, click on a link below:

Can’t Win For Losing – Wherein I enjoy the hell out of the movie The Losers and nearly find myself becoming one.

Where Crime Pays! - A review of The Bronx Kill – Vertigo Crime’s latest entry in the pulp graphic novel world.

Two Sketches Doubled and Lost's Eloise Hawking?

Here are a few more recent sketches, once again all drawn with conte. Interestingly, a friend thinks that the woman on the far right in the first double image looks like the character of Eloise Hawking from the television show Lost. I'd have to agree. Maybe it was a subconscious thing as all of these drawings are of the same model, drawn in slightly different "styles" - namely I was loosening up as I went along: in the first series of drawings, the left sketch seems a bit "tight" while the second (Eloise) is a bit more abstract as I purposely went loose. In the second series of drawings, the seated figure is probably more indicative of the real me - but I'm still a fan of Eloise!

A Milestone Anniversary - Twin Peaks is 20!

Since I write for Biff Bam Pop!, a website that appreciates "achievements in the fields of film, music, video games and television," I thought I'd share my latest piece, posted on the site yesterday.

Today is Twin Peaks' 20th ANniversary, a show that, at a young(ish) age, cemented my enthusiam for the surreal. Three other regular writers of the site have also contributed their remembrances of the celebrated television show: Andy Burns., Ian Rogers and David Ward. The links to their pieces are here as well. Enjoy!

Images Were Everything by JP Fallavollita
Coffee, Cherry Pie and the Scariest Hour of Television Ever by Andy Burns
A Damn Fine TV Show by Ian Rogers
Without Chemicals, He Points by David Ward

Some New Sketches

Here's some new work that I figured I'd post while still awake. Some quick gesture drawings and some sketches I took slightly more time with (minutes, really). All are conte on paper.

Strange News From Another Star

Well, not that strange. I've been away, working hard and doing some globetrotting too, just arriving home a few days ago. Right now, I'm living 9 hours ahead of the rest of North America - which makes you wonder what I'm still doing up! Anyway, I got the opportunity to travel to the Middle East for much of March and I suspect that there will be some artistic endeavours that pop up here in the coming weeks that come from that experience.

So, about that "working hard" part: I've written a few pieces for Biff Bam Pop! this year and, in case you missed them here they are:
Top 5 Albums of 2009
Finally! A Bright Day!
Hitting The Mark
The "iPad." Cool. Now What Am I Gonna Do With It?

Also, I've been making some headway (in terms of writing) on both a graphic novel and a series of smaller, interconnected stories that I'll also be illustrating. Of course, that work-in-progress will find its way here very soon. Completed versions will be posted online, probably on other websites but I'll be sure to post that news here.

Some New (But Old) Paintings

Detailed shots of two paintings, oil on masonite board, from the previous year. They are titled Warsaw Sunset and Three Pears.

I'm currently working on a series of new paintings that will, once completed, find themselves here. Finishing the series is a New Year's resolution of mine - and I never make resolutions!

The Old Nostalgia

This is a quick, preliminary sketch I made for an oil painting I'm currently working on. The sketch was created using conte and oil pastel (on 11" x 14" paper) and I was just trying to get an idea of a colour scheme that I'd use for the painting. I'm going for a black and white, nostalgic remembrance - where only certain aspects of an image are in colour, but, due to time and age, that colour is fleeting. Just like many of our own memories.

It's very rough, not much mixing or layering of the pastels and you can even see specks that I didn't care to wipe away.

I love working with oil pastels. Other than charcoal, it's probably my favourite medium: it's tangible and direct and immediate. All things I enjoy since I have so little patience.

Sleep In Your Eyes...

Just a quick ink brush sketch I made the other day of the Golden Age Sandman (8"x8"). I like the pose - kind of pulpy - think I might turn him into an oil painting over the next few weeks.

I started writing up a list of characters to draw out this way over the coming weeks - small, quick, fun sketches (mostly for warm up before larger works or when just killing minutes in the day). Deadman is next and I do take requests (nudge, nudge wink, wink).