This week's been more a week of wrapping up a few projects other than starting new ones. Those freelance jobs I told you guys about last week? This past week I focused on trying to get closer to the finish line with both of them. With the homeschool job, we work in stages. So, while the work I'm doing for the Charlotte's Web curriculum is ongoing, I tried to hit my half way point this week by finishing up some coloring pages and getting everything sent off to the client. The children's book however, will be finalized and finished. Once it's done, I'll be taking a break from illustrating children's books for a while. I'm eager to get that project finished up and done and so I focused on those two things most of the week. |
|
|
Here's a sneak peek at the next autobio comic I plan on posting next week to socials. People have been reacting positively to the autobio comics, which means I'm happy to keep making them! |
|
|
My wife asked me once where my favorite place on Earth is. It's in my bed. Always. |
|
|
Maybe my preference for desolate scenes come from being raised in south Louisiana, where a lot of people's homes and properties are often left to the elements. I was neighbors with a man who moved out of his house into a trailer home that he set up directly behind it. He literally abandoned his home just to move into a mobile one about 20 feet away from the first. And over time, the first just became more and more dilapidated. I love this sort of thing. My jam is abandoned homes, places and locales. I love seeing photographs of it, I love to draw it; and therefore am always attracted to a good post-apocalyptic story. Zombies especially. So, as I'm trying to think of new illustrations to add to my growing portfolio, I was wondering what are somethings I really dig. Like, what's an interesting scene that I can add a ghost to so it fits the brand I'm going for. And then boom, the illustration below happened. |
|
|
Pencil colors will come next which I'm thinking will be all monochromatic. But I love the way this turned out. Both of the cars are around the mid 1990's models. That was done on purpose because who wants a modern apocalypse? I want an 80's or 90's one for sure. |
|
|
What's Making Me Happy This Week |
|
|
Last Sunday my brother and I went to a NASCAR race here. The Texas Motor Speedway is about half an hour from where I live. He drove up from Austin and we went to race day. I'd never been to a NASCAR race ever. It was amazing, we had such a good time. Now that inking is finished on Tourists, I've got to start thinking about coloring. Tourists will be colored digitally (sorry, guys, but if I colored it with color pencils it would take AGES), and I'm still pretty new to approaching effective digital color. But I've been watching videos by this pro comic colorist Kurt who's worked on several top comic companies and taking lessons and tips from him. The dude knows his stuff and really gets in the weeds about storytelling using color. If you're interested in that sort of thing, you might dig his YouTube channel. Check it out here.
|
|
|
Alright you guys! That's all I have left in my caché this week. I know it's not much but, y'know...it's raining outside right now, all of my windows are open and the occasional thunderclap is rolling by overhead and I'm just not in a writerly mood. Eh, it happens. So, apologies if this newsletter is a bit brief. As always, I appreciate that you're here and that you spent some of your time with me. Now go on! Get outta' here! Go enjoy the rest of your day and I'll see you back here next week when I'll probably be in a more talkative mood. ~b |
|
|
If you enjoy this newsletter and want to help support it and my artwork consider hitting one of those buttons below. They're all free to peruse but becoming a member on Patreon or a paid Substack subscriber are the best ways to help me pay some bills. If you don't want a long term commitment, consider checking out my Etsy shop. Or, lastly, follow me over on Instagram. Thanks for reading! |
|
|
|
|
