Ben Templesmith

Xmas Commissions

2011-12-04T12:27:00.001-08:00

**Online commissions are now full. Sorry to those who missed out this time around!**

SO MUCH work is *almost* done & I've got to get a couple things out of the way I am hellishly late on... among them a couple commissions, so if I'm in that mode, I figure with bills to pay as Xmas approaches and a day or so set aside to take on a limited number of online commissions. All to be done & mailed before I flee the country for the sweaty festering heat of Australia.

So, with all the requests I get, now's the time to get something off me if you can never make it to a con.

I'm only taking commissions to be finished & mailed off by December 9th. Very limited slots available as I already have a few to finish. ( Some super late ones I will *finally* get done as I clean up my outstanding commitments from my annus horribilus...oh so much to clean up! )

Details below. email me at bentemplesmith@gmail.com if you want anything.

Grey toned head sketch $100

US letter size grey toned watercolour painted 2 ( usually with a spot colour if it works ) 2 characters max: $250

US tabloid size, 11x17 inches, again, watercolour painted ( usually with a spot colour if it works ) 2 characters max: $400

each extra character: $50

Postage is USPS Priority mail, $15 for US domestic $30 for Outside the US.

Paypal only of course.

BEN TEMPLESMITH DRACULA NOVEL COVER

2011-11-27T10:37:00.000-08:00

Bram Stoker's Dracula

None of that Twilight pussy shit here.

Art painted on an actual book, that came with a blank cover. Damn I love doing them.

& it's my weekly Ebay thing if anyone wants it too.

ZOMBIE SQUID KING THING

2011-11-25T14:50:00.000-08:00

Lord of the Tentacle, his holiness, his toothiness, the cephalopodic despot, SQUID KING. Almost out of time on ze Ebay, spare the world from his squidly wrath before the end of the night. Etc.

Hard at work, oh the things to show shortly.

Textures

2011-11-07T08:50:00.001-08:00

People often ask me if I "paint on the computer" and many assume I do it all digitally. I love the look on people's faces when I tell them I draw everything and all the textures are either like the photo I took below or hand made and painted then scanned for later use.

I do own a cintiq, just never really used it yet since I still prefer to do things by hand.

Maybe one day.

( And huzzah, just got the blogger app so seeing how an update goes while on the bus. It'll make posting WIPs much easier! )

Saint Lovecraft

2011-11-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Phew, so no update for awhile, sorry. Don't know if I'm coming or going! Far too much travel, barely any time for a new home base, though NYC continues to be one of the most amazing cities on the planet, with NYCC being a blast. Cheers all who came out to see me. May the Mighty Space Squid praise you all, etc etc.

Conventions for the year are done. Sadly had to cancel my ThoughtBubble UK plans and all such there. Major bummer....just not enough time left in the year if I'm to actually get work done as well. Of which there is much and many many people clamoring for me to get back to things. Which finally, I am. Yes, CHOKER and FELL will see daylight sometime soonish. Sooooonish. Also a new studio set up ( I'll post pictures when it's habitable ) actually... 2 new studios... as by good luck of being a gracious human being ( or some such creature ) Menton3 will be helping me learn oil painting. If you don't know him yet, check out his new book, ( With Kasra Ghanbari, ) Monocyte, put out via IDW. Not your typical comic.

Working on some stuff I can't talk about too. Not yet, at least. Big stuff. As well as putting a few Ebay auctions up.

You can still find me in all these places, if so inclined.

twitter
facebook
facebook page
online store
cafepress
tumblr
deviantart

So here's a few bits of art I've done lately. I'll try and resume regular updates soon with more WIPs, ( though feel free to follow me on instagram as "Templesmith" if you want to see some earlier. ) Saint Lovecraft up above, by the way, is a con exclusive print I had at NYCC.

France & NYCC

2011-09-06T16:35:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm about to head off to France, for a film festival in Strasbourg I'm actually on the jury for... I know, just a little bit insane. Even more so, it's with George Romero. I'm zipping all about the place, though I've just based myself in the most awesome New York City. Coming up though, is NYCC ( NEW YORK COMIC-CON HUZZAH! ) and it's going to be a big one so.... commissions wise, I'm already filling up fast so thought I'd publish my info for such things at cons. Might want to get in now before I completely fill up. email me at: bentemplesmith@gmail.com if you know what you want after reading below!

I should be in Artist Alley somewhere, almost the whole time.

First off, if you just want a quick sketch at conventions, those are absolutely free, as is the conversation! I just have to draw what I can easily...so kind of my choice so I don't get totally mentally exhausted with requests... and I love to personalize them too.

Currently not accepting commissions via online. Sorry! Got several I yet need to do and other crushing deadlines on main projects.

Commissions at US shows ( Internationally, I just do a rough conversion to euros or pounds etc )

Grey toned head sketch $80

US letter size grey toned watercolour painted 2 ( usually with a spot colour if it works ) 2 characters max: $200

US tabloid size, 11x17 inches, again, watercolour painted ( usually with a spot colour if it works ) 2 characters max: $350

each extra character: $50

I do tend to start lists for shows before conventions, because I'm a trusting soul and can arrange to get some done a little ahead of time to fit more people in. If you know you'll be at a show and want one off me, email me: bentemplesmith@gmail.com pickup and payments at the show though. Huzzah.

Cash only at cons, cheers.

Current shows I *know* I'll be doing the rest of this year.

New York Comic-Con
Some French stuff
Thoughtbubble UK

And on festivals...If anyone wants me out at a show, just drop me a line. Have a nasty habit of usually accepting invites to conventions!

Monocyte #3 Cover

2011-08-23T17:59:00.001-07:00

Finally done with the B cover to Monocyte #3! You may have seen it being done on my instagram lately.

I've just read issue #1, since I've had the privilege to stay and work with Menton3 in his studio the last week or so, along with Kasra Ghanbari, the co-creator. It's definitely a little unique and ambitious book. I describe it as being "like Deadwood being sodomized by HR Giger in a cathedral, narrated by Tom Waits."

Heh.

So anyway, in this day and age where books live and die on pre-orders, definitely check this one out. It's diamond order code is AUG110362, so go tell your local retailer you WANT it, so they order a copy.

You can check out more on the book here and Menton's particular form of the dark arts here.

Wizard World Chicago!

2011-08-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

I'm off for Wizard World Chicago tomorrow, I'll be there for the entire thing. ( And then hanging around Chicago for a bit and maybe doing one other signing, with the amazingly talented Menton3, though details are to come )

I'll be at my booth at the con almost the entire time, find me at booth 3215 with my red banner "T' logo thing.

I'll be doing commissions! Email me at bentemplesmith@gmail.com to get on the list or see me as early as you can at the con. Am likely to fill up. All info for commissions is here.

I WILL HAVE SOME COPIES OF SQUIDGIRLS WITH ME. Yes, indeed, a couple boxes worth should make it to the con by Friday or so. They're $50, come signed and with an original sketch page and fancy, personalized experience with me, idiot supreme. The power of Squid compels you, etc etc.

Also, I'll have a bunch of cheap prints. First come, first served.

I expect 3 very common questions/statements while at the con. Let me answer them for everyone in advance... though apparently nobody checks my various websites aaaanyway... :-P ( Maybe I'll just direct fans to my website here eh? )

1) What happened with FELL?

WORKING ON IT. ( Same with CHOKER )

2) What did you think of the 30 Days of Night movie?

IT WAS GOOD. YAY! I'm all about comics though, not many people get the chance to have a movie made of their work, so who am I to ever diss it? It was lovely. David Slade did a fantastic job.

3) I didn't know you were going to be here!

YES, the most common of statements made to me. I have a website, the con itself has a website, lets all make glorious comic music with each other, yes? I'll be there. With bells on. At least pants. ( I keep saying this now. Maybe one day I'll actually go pantsless and shock you all? )

Being back in the US has been a good time. I nearly didn't come back due to family & personal stuff but bugger it, there's a lot of life yet to live. Seattle and it's surrounds continue to be beautiful, now it's on to Chicago and let's win this thing. ( Just don't shoot me on the way out through the kitchens please ) Oh, and then finally NYC where I hope to loiter for possibly a good few years and mix it with some amazing artists who continue to enthuse me about comics. If you happen to have an amazing NY apartment for rent, let me know. I may also at some point be looking for an intern in said city. But beware, the interview process will be long, awkward and involve knifey spoony.

A special shout out to Julie and Damien Shanahan. ( As well as Gerick, Killian and Emma ) Finer human beings I have not met in my short insignificant life. My pseudo family this side of the Pacific. I'll be back to Seattle next year.

I'm not dead.

2011-07-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it's seemed like it for quite some time but honest, I'm not dead. ( Well, yet. ) Had to go offline to deal with a few things, none pleasant and being offline becomes strangely addicting. Now to actually attempt to pick up the shambles of existence and go find my pink elephant. I'm sure I'll be back to bitch and moan on a regular basis soon but for now, San Diego Comic Con 2011 is upon us, with all it's musky geekery, sweaty crowds of people just there for the free movie promotional trinkets and to offer B grade celebrities the odd blowjob.

I'll be there, thanks to the fine folks of Gestalt Comics, like the poster says. Come say hi. Bring alcohol. ( No, actually, please don't. )

MODOK

2011-05-20T10:05:00.001-07:00

Took a stab. He's a tad grumpy. Original art is on Ebay if you're so inclined too...

Hunter

2011-04-30T22:26:00.000-07:00

Bat country.

Electra

2011-04-24T01:25:00.001-07:00

The red lady. She's up here if anyone wants her.

Whoa

2011-04-22T04:27:00.001-07:00

So, bloody eventful year so far, with more to come. Some of it keeping me from the work I should be doing sadly, so I'm back down in Australia for a bit to focus and get some things back in order. I haven't been putting the work first for rather a long time, so that needs to change. Yes, unbelievably, like a ferret reading braille I'll actually start posting art to the blog again!

Oh, and sadly, I've had to cancel some convention appearances. Comicpalooza in Houston, Calgary, Heroes Con in Charlotte and Albuquerque Comic Expo. Which sucks but had to be done. Hopefully I'll do them next year. Instead, if the Squid God is kind, ( mostly he isn't actually ) I should be at the Sydney and Perth Supanova's instead. So I'll still be about.

And still planning on hitting San Diego Comic-con.

I recently did a BUNCH of conventions though. Chicago, Kansas, Melbourne and Brisbane. All of them quite fantastique. Here's a bunch of art/commissions I did during them.

I *might* actually take on a few online ones soon, but a lot of other work ( and several promised commissions I'm behind on ) have to come first still!

Want more? Then check out my ComicsPipeline.com account for the special stuff. Going up momentarily.

C2E2 Ahoy

2011-03-17T10:01:00.001-07:00

Alrighty! I'm off to C2E2 today. I'll have Squidgirls, some Wormwood, Hoxford, original art and of course sketches and commissions! All the info you need for those can be found here on my other blog.

I'll be spending the entire time of the con ( well, except for a panel on SATURDAY AT 1PM and bathroom breaks, ) at the COMICS PIPELINE BOOTH 617. NOT artist alley this year. I'll be right by Marvel and stuff. Rather new experience for me.

So come by, say hi, I'll sign anything you got and enjoy the chats with the people insane enough to buy my work!

When you work on your own comics, how do you work? Do you write a script before you start drawing, or do you do both at the same time?

2011-03-16T00:02:00.001-07:00

I write a basic plot outline, then write pure dialogue, all by hand, then layout the entire book, then draw it, then finally after all that, I actually type up the dialogue and cut it up so someone else can actually letter the thing, because they can't peer directly into my head.

Ask me anything

Emerald City Comic-con And on to C2E2

2011-03-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

Huge thanks to everyone who came out for the always awesome Emerald City Comic-con. Between the stresses of still only being half moved with all my proper con stuff in boxes, a longish commute to the con and sickness and lack of sleep it turned out really well and I hope everyone had a blast. ECCC is always so comics focused and friendly and the live art event thrown by Molly McIsaac on the Friday was really a highlight... and looks to become some sort of annual thing now for the show.

Next up I'll be heading to C2E2, assuming I make it through a mountain of things I need to get done first!

Here's what you need to know...

C2E2

I'll be there all three days.

I'll always be located at the COMICSPIPELINE BOOTH: booth #617 ( So scream that as loud as you can at the internet for everyone because I get so many questions and later, at con, so many people saying "I didn't know you were even going to be at the show!" Huzzah etc! )

COMMISSIONS INFO can be found on my blog. Yes, email me anytime now and I'll put you on the list/try to get ahead so I can fit as many people in as I can.

I'll sign as many books as I can, obviously, so don't feel bad if you bring a bunch. Don't limit yourself to just one. That's horribly thoughtful of you nice folks but I can sign a few more than that.

Quick sketches ( of vampire heads/zombies/skulls/my choice only so I can stay sane ) are always free, as is a quick chat. ( Though I tend to get loopy at the end so witty humour may start getting lost to me on Sunday! )

Live Art at Emerald City Comic-Con

2011-02-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

Commissions and San Francisco!

2011-02-19T14:52:00.001-08:00

Yup, I'll be up in San Francisco, most importantly doing this live art thing for the Noisepop Festival with DJ Samsupa and ALSO... this here thing below for ISOTOPE COMICS, only the best store I've basically ever been to.

This year, I *won't* be at WONDERCON sadly ( I'll be on another continent instead ) so if anyone wanted a commission off me, I'm taking some in advance of the SF trip and can deal with them at the Isotope event, where I'll be chatting/sketching/drinking the whole time. I'll also have a very limited number of SQUIDGIRLS: EROTICA TENTACULA on hand, for personalizations and sketchings in. This'll probably be the only time I'll be up to SF for the foreseeable, so come on out and see how great sequential art and the people who love it can be.

Details for commissions and such can be located here and drop me a note about what you want at bentemplesmith @ gmail.com. I really need to consolidate lots of info into something manageable, I know. When I eventually get time to breathe...

New Wormwood!

2011-02-16T17:13:00.001-08:00

Ok, almost new...the really really new stuff is coming too. Yet again, Wormwood Volume 01 has sold out, so it had to go back to print and it's finally back in stores today. And yes, retailers can actually order it again too. PLUS, with a new Wormwood miniseries out eventually this year, there's new life in the old corpse yet I hope.

I even did a new cover for it. Got really sick of the old, first cover I ever did for a Wormy trade. Hope people think this one is just as good. A bit more in sync with the others.

You can buy it from all the usual places, IDW, and Amazon as well. Support your godly local retailer first if you can though.

Curse of Four

2011-02-08T20:23:00.000-08:00

So I did this image for a book cover for Caitlin Kittredge's new thang, "Curse of Four" from Subterranean Press. One of my favourite images I've done in a long while actually.

It's up on her blog now, so am guessing it's all right for me to plug it and of course, check out her website!

Plans for 2011 so far

2011-02-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

Alright you lot, apologies for lack of updating. Been off doing things, traveling and making so many plans, including moving city/state to Seattle. And it's not over yet so things may be a little sporadic for awhile. BUT...

In response to a lot of queries and questions, this is what's going on and I'm going to point you all here for the info.

WORMWOOD: BINGO NIGHT IN VALHALLA

Is coming! Got to work madly on it now. Will be solicited for July, more info to come and there's already a sneak peek on my tumblr.

FELL

Yes, amazingly, there's a new, full script for issue 10 and it's a spiffy one from Warren. I'm starting on that this month too. Right now it has to fit in with all the other crap I've got going on but it'll get done soonish. It feels really good to finally have a different answer to the classic "So when will there be more FELL?" question. The answer is SOON.

CHOKER

WILL be finished, Ben is working on the final script for issue 6 right now.

BLACK SKY

This one I'm getting into now too, script is coming along and I'll be fitting it around the other stuff. Yes, I'm a busy boy. Really got to get my arse moving on this one.

CONVENTIONS, FESTIVALS AND COMMISSIONS

Ok, so here's how the first half of the year is looking so far. Still doing a lot of travel and hopefully meeting all the cool people who amazingly support my work.

NOISE POP- February 27th I'll be down at the festival, doing some live art, specifically of FELL, along with DJ Samsupa. It's a free event at the festival, so come on down. and YES, wil be doing a signing/event thingy at Isotope comics with the insanely good James Sime and co. there'll be a signing and some Squidgirls for sale. I can do a small number of commissions to be picked up/paid for at the signing if there's demand as well. Email me to get on the rather short list for such things. ( bentemplesmith @ gmail.com )

EMERALD CITY COMIC-CON!

Yes, I'll be there. Yes, I'll be doing commissions and should have some Squidgirls for sale too. I'll be found in artists alley somewhere, wherever the big red banner with my "T" is basically.

C2E2 CHICAGO!

Yes, I'll be there. Yes, I'll be doing commissions and should have some Squidgirls for sale. I'll be able to be found at the COMICS PIPELINE booth the entire con.

And further on, all these cons are ones I'm pretty much committed to for now. Because I am insane, apparently. International stuff to come:

Planet Comic Con, Kansas City

Supanova Comic Cons, Brisbane & Melbourne

Comicpalooza, Houston

Heroes Con, Charlotte

Calgary Expo in uh, Calgary

Albuquerque Comic Expo

ZomBcon, Seattle

San Diego Comic-Con

New York Comic-Con

Superman "hasn't done anything to his hair since the 50's." Are you forgetting the Super Mullet of the 90's?

2011-01-28T18:13:00.001-08:00

Umm... You think mullets count? I do not.

Ask me anything. Typing actual english words helps though.

Is there such thing as "pretentious" artist?

2011-01-09T21:46:00.001-08:00

Yes, absolutely.

You see it in "fine art" especially with the recent spate of them ripping off commercial artists and calling their "reproductions" "found art" or some such. Meaning in art is a lovely thing but honestly, it's really about how pretty and aesthetically pleasing something is at the end of the day. I miss the days of actual technical proficiency that'd go along with the long winded "explanations" for their art too. I appreciate most art, as I appreciate the beauty, even in the ugly side of life... but I really wish decent figurative art would make a come back.

Banksy, now, there's an artist who at least for awhile had real meaning and social commentary to his work.

In my opinion, the worst offenders of "pretentious" artists are some musicians, who rate their own work far too highly and go on and on in such serious ways...when the intelligent people in the room know they're simply derivative of many a musician before them, or even worse, are a creation and simply a front for corporate blandness sold as "edgy" and "new" when it's been written by committee and the singer mimes the words and looks pretty. People who don't even write their own music are not musicians, they're taking part in some shallow commercial karaoke business. Yeah, musicians, when you've written a piece that captures the mood of the times and affects a generation or becomes their voice, then you can take yourself uber seriously. Odds are though, those talented folks are just humble and like to write and acknowledge that it's luck of the draw as to what sticks. You're not all David Bowie. You're not all Nick Drake. ( Nick Drake impersonators are the funniest to me. )

To me, art, all art should first and foremost be a creative outlet that makes the creator happy. Sod anything else. Sod all the extra layers of meaning you want to add to try and make yourself "serious". Just have fun, make something beautiful and
hopefully many others will also agree. And by beautiful, I don't mean happy. By al lmeans, share your sadness with the world too. Don't fluff yourself up as if it's some deep thing. It's not. Unless you watched your heroin junkie parents parents die in a burning car wreck and were then raised by an abusive step uncle named Jeff, living with the demons he got while off fighting in some war that damaged his brain and the depleted uranium shriveled his testes and made him a eunuch...then you're probably just a middle class effete bastard play acting at such things. Don't take yourself so seriously. Because I won't. It's either pretty to look at/listen to or it isn't. "Meaning" ( pretention ) is too often used to cover up for lack of quality. I crack up when I hear musicians get interviewed and droll on and on about the importance of a certain piece or blah blah blah. Especially when they've got a 100 million in the bank. Yes, you have it so tough, please share your troubles with us. Same for you, Damian Hirst.

End angry old man rant. I tend not to like pretentious holier than thou types. Or as we call them, wankers.

Ask me anything. Typing actual english words helps though.

DOCTOR WHO

2011-01-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

Not entirely sure if this one'll see print but here's a bunch of work in progress shots as it shaped up.

& yeah, the Christmas special was rather sappy & spiffy at the same time, wasn't it.

CHOKER 5 is almost here

2011-01-04T18:44:00.000-08:00

Image have a large preview up so go check it out!

Yeah yeah, I know the book has slipped... it's been the bane of my existence in 2010, constantly on my mind, constantly *almost* done, just with other crap coming up that pushed it back just a little further. Ben should have #6 script finished soon so I can get cracking on the last issue hopefully and then it's going to make a mighty fine TPB. It'll be big too. I usually only stick to 4 issue miniseries, because a 6 month slog is a lot more draining than only a 3rd of the year commitment... and I've set myself the goal of 3 miniseries this year, plus some smaller projects. ( So at least 10 issues worth of stuff, plus if all goes well, a whole bunch of paintings for things. )

Just need to get settled, get contented and get focused on working again. Huzzah!

Last Year...

2011-01-03T04:16:00.000-08:00

Sort of started off shit, & decided to stay that way for much of the year. Between being T-boned & being incredibly lucky to walk away with just really bad bruising, missing out on an international acting role in an advertising campaign playing *myself*, divorce, finances being all locked up, lost cats, losing pets for good, complete loss of privacy on some correspondences, temporary paralysis ( *thankfully* temporary! ), having people threaten to sue me ( Nothing real that couldn't have been defended easily enough but who needs the headache ) generally arsing up my deadlines and plans because of the other things and crazy stuff like a mentally unstable fan type claiming the last 8 years of my life have all been a sham & about ulterior motives... yeah, it was fun. You certainly find out a lot about yourself.

But there was some good stuff too... I did get asked to be part of a campaign, as myself, to flog a cellphone of some kind, even if I couldn't do it due to US visa travel restrictions...I should really add that to the "good" column. WORMWOOD was basically the biggest thing on the Sony PSP on the comics front for the longest time, constantly being in the top ten and at times being number 1. CHOKER did amazingly well ( and will eventually be finished, I'm currently waiting on the final script and the second last issue is about to hit stores ) I self published my first art book, Squidgirls, I stood on the shore of the Arctic Ocean, where my career began at a place called Barrow, I got to travel to so many places, like the UK, Spain, France and had my first ( hopefully not last ) real exhibition, in Paris. And I met a girl named Molly, whom I'd met a few times before and fiiinally decided to remember... I also met some amazing new friends, & learned the value of some older ones, so there's that too. And of course, I owe a huge thanks to fans and new readers alike who picked up anything I did last year. Cheers guys.

Slowly getting back to the work, hopefully under control soon. ( Yes, I know I've been horrible at getting back to people and getting on top of things, ) As with the rest of life. I always bite off more than I can chew ( or draw ) ....and a lot of interesting things are planned this year More travel is planned for this year, with conventions and festivals in Australia ( where I am right now ), the UK, Poland and obviously, around the US, though not as many as last year at this point. Moving to an entirely new city and new life in the US and if I don't like that, well, being a hermit on the side of a mountain in NZ or Tasmania sounds good too.
So come on 2011. Show me your worst. 2010 didn't break me, so let's see what you've got.

Art and stuff on the blog again soon, oh yes. ( And that pic? It's from my French gallery Exhibition at Gallery Maghen )

Do you have any advice on how to encourage your kids to get into art? You say you got the art gene from you mum & grandfather; did they teach you how to draw/paint, or take you to the gallery?

2010-12-24T15:24:00.001-08:00

Well, you can only encourage so much I guess. Either they take to it or they don't, in the end I guess. I was always happy to sit in a corner & get my imagination out onto paper... It was really just something I *had* to do. It came from within.

I'd say just show them fantastic art that enriches their imaginations. That doesn't have to be galleries, it could be as simple as a comic. ( which worked for me) & showing them amazing visual things like dinosaurs & space things. ( which also got me drawing! ) When I said I got the art gene from my grandfather & his daughter, my mother, they didn't teach me, I just knew they had artistic skills above the norm.

Ask me anything. Typing actual english words helps though.

What did you like to draw the most when you were a kid?

2010-12-22T14:56:00.001-08:00

Dinosaurs. Always dinosaurs.

Until I reached 13 or so and then it was drawing naked wimins. Well, tracing them off comics ( they weren't naked initially in the comics mind you, that's where I got *creative* obviously )

Ask me anything. Typing actual english words helps though.

Name a book, a movie and an album that would introduce someone to "who you are."

2010-12-14T20:51:00.001-08:00

Book: "Millennium: The End of the World and the Forging of Christendom. " by Tom Holland

Film: "Mad Max2."

Album: "Mule Variations." by Tom Waits

Ask me anything

Another Squidly Girl

2010-12-13T00:33:00.000-08:00

If you saw me work on this as I tweeted, well, it's now up on ebay. Actually quite like how this one turned out. Done on a piece of paper nicely borrowed from the great Dave Johnson!

Comicspipeline

2010-12-10T16:05:00.001-08:00

If you've not heard me scream it yet, or seem my tweets, I'm actually part of this Comicspipeline thing.

What is it? Well, a bunch of really good and some quite well known comics artist types are doing a sort of private site where we show off exclusive and never to be public images, our process and sneak peeks on new things coming up.

Me? Well if you sign up and check my bit out, you'll see a bunch of original art commissions I'm doing but won't be making public as well as a complete behind the scenes process on a new zombie book I'm putting together. From rough sketches and writings to the final actual book ( if all goes to plan! ) It's a sort of horror comedy thing, tell the story of...

Well, sign up, stick around and find out. I'm a teasing bastard that way.

I do a lot of work in progress type blog entries, and give a lot of content I generate away for free online... I'll still be doing that, but the real good stuff and the more frequent stuff? Well, that's likely to wind up in my pipeline in the future. For a small subscription fee, you can see a whole bunch of us mad buggers doing our artistic thing.

LOBO

2010-12-04T15:28:00.001-08:00

Had to get this image out of my head and try to stay sane amongst the mountain of real work needing to get done. Always had a soft spot for Lobo. If you dig it, the finished result is also up on ebay.

SQUIDGIRLS: EROTICA TENTACULAR is now available online!

2010-12-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, after what feels like forever, after many many email requests and queries too... and just in time for Christmas... I've put the first batch of SQUIDGIRLS: EROTICA TENTACULAR up online in a new online store. Eventually there's going to be much more in the store but for now, just the first batch of Kraken Editions. So get them before they're gone. Once sold out, I'll do up another batch and proceed until supplies run out. Humboldt and Colossal Editions will eventually be online also, just not yet. If you're interested in purchasing all three at once for some reason, best to hold off for now. Otherwise, get them while they're hot!

BLACK SKY

2010-12-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

The first teaser trailer is out, from the very fancy chaps at Halo-8.

Trust in the power of the Squid.

I could go all Mark Millar on you and make a ton of claims about this being possibly the first truly game changing "illustrated film" where only paltry half arsed motion comics have come before, that it'll crack the internet in half, cure lung cancer, give everyone free unlimited energy and solve hunger world wide... but I won't.

Once I'm working properly on this thing ( Which I can't wait for, ) things will get very interesting. We've got to do voice casting and deal with the animation and all that stuff. I find the story telling possibilities fascinating. It's going to be a real journey of learning for me.

So let's see if I don't arse this up!

Black Sky Teaser - 120110 from Halo-8 Entertainment on Vimeo.

I'm on French bloody TV!

2010-11-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

I'm on French TV.( France 24, their culture show ) Arsing it up & yapping comics & horror.

Way better than the Fox "news' bit I did a few years ago. Their studio was third world compared to the French one & they were completely disorganized. France 24, by comparison was slick, ran smoothly and the set/studio was state of the art. Was awesome. Skynet controlled the entire studio, all cameras were handled from some room elsewhere in the building.

And apparently we shared the green room with one of the biggest musicians in France... but he's unknown in english so, he was just another hobo looking guy to me. Forget his name anyway. Ah well.

I'm All French And Stuff

2010-11-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

Further info

The Gallery website

Hope it goes well. If you're in Paris drop on by! Contrary to what many believe, I don't "paint on computer" at all. Come see the originals before they hit photoshop. This will be a pretty big retrospective of my work. Pretty much all the best stuff I've still got. Over 100 art pieces including FELL, WORMWOOD, WELCOME TO HOXFORD and oh yes, some 30 DAYS OF NIGHT ( But only RED SNOW, since the older stuff isn't fit for exhibiting I think )

Delcourt France Trip 2010

2010-11-08T23:52:00.000-08:00

I'm going to France, again, to work, drink wine & draw things for fantastic French people. ( And a few Belgians too ) thanks to my French publisher Delcourt and Galerie Daniel Maghen. I'll be all over the place but here's the details I've got for now. Most excited for my first ever Paris exhibition...well, not that I've done many exhibitions before but people are coming out of the woodwork wanting me to do more internationally so who am I to argue?

Anyway, if you're in the area, come on out and say hi and I'll chat and sign anything you want!

I'll be at:

November 13th-14th
Bédéciné - Illzach

November 16th

Signing session
« Multi BD » bookshop
122 – 124, boulevard Anspach
1000 BRUXELLES

November 17th

« Album Comics » bookshop
67, boulevard Saint-Germain
75005 PARIS

November 18th

Exhibition opening night
Galerie Daniel Maghen
47, quai des Grands Augustins
75006 PARIS

CHOKER FIVE

2010-11-08T21:58:00.000-08:00

It's been an age since I've posted much about CHOKER...but it *IS* coming! Here's some WIP's on the cover to next issue.

Why I'm still on Livejournal

2010-11-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

Awesome comments like this. I like the way I draw women too. Thanks Skullyflower.

" I really like your female characters. They are still sexy (as is required
by the world) but they also always seem like they could really do a
person harm as well. They also seem to have a little depth to them. Some
mental illness, maybe. Anyway. I like it. "

Batwoman

2010-11-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

A Batwoman I'm actually quite happy with.

Put it up on ebay too, after people were complaining I didn't have anything up for a day. Bloody hell! The public must be sated.

I won an Eagle Award! And Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

Apparently I won an Eagle Award for "favourite Colourist" the other night, over in the UK. The ceremony for the Eagles being at the MCM Expo which I try to hit at least once a yeah but already did in May so had to miss this one, bugger!

Huge thanks to everyone who voted. Means a bit since it was a more public vote, so *you* crazy people actually think my colouring is somewhat interesting. Cheers!

Congrats to the other winners too, Especially happy about Warren Ellis ( Favourite writer ) and Jamie McKelvie ( Favourite new artist )

I Thank Squid for us all.

Oh...now, it's also Halloween and I just got sent this by Bryce ( or Spider, that's the name I have ) Many, MANY thanks man! So have a happy one. I shaved Marvin so I can be a 10th Doctor Who tonight. I now have the RIGHT sonic screwdriver and Psychic paper, so I'm set thanks to an awesome guy who GAVE me these things at ZomBcon, which I'll be at all day today.

Have a good one guys.

Templesmith at ZomBcon

2010-10-28T01:32:00.000-07:00

I'll be there at ZomBcon! All 3 days, most of the time. Come say hi to Stephen and I! Don't eat my brain please. I'm saving it for later.

The Death of Marvin.

2010-10-27T19:16:00.001-07:00

Due to Halloween, he sadly had to go.

But he will return.

Like a phoenix, rising from the ashes, soaked in unicorn blood, he will be back in full bloom soon.

I miss my beard. The things I do for Doctor Who.

Darth Vader

2010-10-26T14:03:00.001-07:00

It's been two weeks without a Templesith Tuesday, due to travel crap and the fact I really need to finish some comics... but it's back with VADER.

And he's for sale if you want to help fund the project too.

Abusing a Lomo Camera for Charity

2010-10-26T04:02:00.000-07:00

A tentacled menace.

Yes, the kind Lomography folks gave me a Diana to abuse. So naturally, I added some quickly sculpted tentacles & tumours. Wanted to take a lot more time on it but between the travel, work & general life stresses, I had to be quick because I'm so behind. Completed this in about a day & a half.

Part of an exhibition I was asked to participate in. This thing is actually at auction now, proceeds going to the Humane Society. So have a look!

A new Squid Girl

2010-10-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

And I'm releasing her into the wild via ebay too.

MONKEY!

2010-10-22T00:48:00.000-07:00

So....yeah.

Oh Yeeeeeaaaaaah....that article...

2010-10-13T23:38:00.000-07:00

I made it back from NYCC alive. Had a grand time. Will talk about it in a bit. So much work to do. Am so behind. Cannot apologise enough.

HOWEVER.

I just got shown this:

I had a good chuckle.

*** UPDATE: Yes, they've now taken down the image of me ( awwww ) and privately apologised to Aaron, who took the photo. I still had good fun though.

I have to address the author of this fine piece of literature. Alex, I am the guy in the top picture you chose. I'm guessing you got it from a comic book related website, since that's what I generally do. So you're probably a geek. And a girl. I admire that. Geekdom needs more ladies. Embrace the geek. Even if you have no idea who the hell I am. ( I don't really know some times myself, ).

I am Australian. I have no idea about American frat boy culture, douchey or otherwise, apart from what I see on TV and movies. To me it's quintessentially American and rather cro-magnon. The most I did in university was stay at the bar too long when I should have been attending a lecture. No frat parties or these clubs men all go and rub their half naked bodies over each other while consuming kegs of cheap nasty toilet water ( What Australians call American beer ) Frat boys and their little clubs always came off as rather homosexual to me. Not that there's *anything* wrong with being homosexual, I might add. It's all a bit US military contractor for me really. Since that's what they actually do with US taxpayer dollars, over at Xe ( Blackwater ). Not really my style. Just give me a few tequila shots and I'm likely to leave amusing messages on other people's phones because they think my accent is funny.

So, to address some of the finer points up for discussion in your article:

I wear suits. ( As in that image you've used. ) They are custom made for me, by a tailor. I also have cobra skin shoes custom made from a cobbler, if you're interested. I've even appeared on a fashion blog. Go figure. Life is strange that way.

I drink GUINNESS. This is not Coors Light, or Bud, or any of that pissant crap "macho" dudes can actually get drunk on. I mean, I drank shit beer at Uni but at least it wasn't that filth.

I DO smoke cigars. With guys. ALSO, with women. Women smoking cigars is AWESOME by the way. Sometimes Most of the time, they are also CUBAN. ( The cigars, not the women ) and yes, I do slightly consider myself of a little more class and means than the average young pup American frat boy who likes to get blind drunk and poke anything that moves with his probably less than average flacid man-meat in the brief period between drinking too much light beer and passing out with his shirtless, probably pantless piece of pudge lying on the floor ready for his friends to shave the eyebrows off of.

In short, you picked the perfect person to headline your article. Great job! I'll be posting this, or some other snarky type of rant, over on my blog. Because this has amused me no end. I apologise for all the traffic this article may get. It's not because it was particularly popular or anything. Obviously, it's because of the photo of me. I tweeted it because I think it's awesome. Which it is. And now I'm blogging about it because, well, I never in my life thought I'd wind up on a site like "College Candy" which already sounds soft porn enough to me. Please feel free to use any other pictures of me you may find. Many are taken by fans. And yes, I am in bars a lot, so there's plenty of fodder if you want to write anything on drunken artsy Aussies who draw comics and such.

But, you see, that picture was taken by my friend, Aaron Munter. He'd love a credit. Maybe you got it from his flickr even? Cheers. I'm kind of miffed you couldn't find an image of me for every single catagory you wrote about. The sad thing is, you probably COULD. I've stood on top of school buses while flipping off passers by. I've danced in front of "God Hates Fags" types in a suit & I've had my arse painted on in front of a large group of people.

Mucho love, please make me your frat boy mascot or something. It'd be a lot of fun. Maybe I can even tour South Carolina, riding a giant keg? think of the possibilities. You'll have created a monster, Alex.

I am actually sorry if you think I'm being mean, Honest, I'm not. I'm just having the most fun in ages fun pointing out how non frat boy I am and how much I loathe that sort of culture. And maybe check which pictures you use next time.

TempleSith Tuesday

2010-10-05T11:09:00.001-07:00

It's Templesith Tuesdaay! ( Ok, I just made that up but Tuesday is a good time to always put a couple up. )

Won't be any next week though, since I'll be on my way back from the New York Comic-con.

And yup, they're on Ebay again. I'll put most of them up as I go. Go here for the Storm Troopers and here for the Rebel Fleet Troopers. Many thanks to all those who already bid on the droids!

Me in an Exhibition! Direct from Lomography.com

2010-10-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

Taken directly from their website. Sadly I can't attend, though I'm participating but head on down and support some good charities. I'll blog the making of my custom Lomo at some point soon.

The Diana World Tour has finally made its way to Los Angeles! Come to the Lomography Gallery Store LA on Thursday, October 14 to catch a glimpse of the world-famous Detrich Collection, feast your eyes Vignettes from the City of Angels photo exhibition, and start the bidding on our Custom Clones and Vignettes being auctioned off for charity. Team that up with a month of Diana F+ inspired workshops and LomoJourneys, all the greatest deals on Diana F+ products, and you’re in store for an all out Diana F+ riot!

The Customized Clones exhibition is a collection of Diana F+ cameras customized by some of the most interesting artists, illustrators, creative types, Lomographers and philanthropists that Los Angeles has to offer!
Participants include:

Ben Templesmith
BLIK
Brook Dalton of 86 Gallery/House
Courtney Riot
Dale Dreiling
Dave King & Bridget Regan of Flogging Molly
Emily Burton of Fireball Ministry
Jason Bentley
Jonathan Cathey for The Loyal Subjects
KILLSPENCER
Melissa Auf der Maur
Szandora LaVey
The World Famous Comedy Store
The Roxy Theatre
The Viper Room

So many of our Custom Clone collaborators wanted to be included in the Vignettes from the City of Angels exhibition, that a select group of artists have submitted Diana F+ lomographs to be auctioned off to a charity of their choosing.
Participants include:

Seth Rogen
Shadowscene: Ellei Johndro
Noah Webb
Matt Sharp
Lluvia Higuera
Courtney Riot
Dale Dreiling
Dave King & Bridget Regan of Flogging Molly
Emily Burton of Fireball Ministry
KILLSPENCER
Szandora LaVey
The World Famous Comedy Store
The Roxy Theatre
The Viper Room

“Vignettes from the City of Angels” features Lomographs captured with the plastic lens of the Diana F+ inspired by Los Angeles… be it our favorite people, places, or things; or an image that represents how LA makes us feel and the way of life it promotes.
Check out our winning entries!

By tirelessly searching its many hidden nooks and crannies – and by placing a hell of a lot of Ebay bids – Mr. Allan Detrich was able to amass what must be the most incredible, diverse, and mouth-watering collection of Diana cameras and Diana clones in the entire world.

Live entertainment c/o The Petrojvic Blasting Co. and DJ Jack Hughes, free gifts, delectable snacks and liquid libations await as well, culminating in a night sure to satisfy all your senses and truly kick off the month-long celebration of all things Diana with a bang!

The Petrojvic Blasting Company

RSVP: shopla@lomography.com
Thursday, October 14, 2010; 6:00 – 10:00 pm
Lomography Gallery Store LA
7998 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 301.1414
Open Hours
Monday – Saturday: 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
As always… don’t forget to Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of our LomoHome!

Me at New York Comic-Con

2010-10-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

What the image says!

Come by, say hi. I will have stuffs.

The TempleSith Star Wars Project

2010-09-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

The first in a series of quick character sketches of every single half decent Star Wars character that appears in the original trilogy... in the order they basically appear in the films.

Yes, I'm nuts, but always wanted to collect all the figures when I was a kid, and now I'll just bloody draw them myself instead!

These first two are up on ebay as well. Huzzah! C3PO here and R2D2 here.

Aviles Festival

2010-09-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

Aviles. So much foooood, and talking, then more food, then more talking, and lots of drinking. In fact, drinking only seems to start at the festival when LAST CALL would be called in San Diego.

Diego and Jorge, Aviles supremos

The actual festival. You sit at the cafe, you draw, they buy you drinks. Repeat.

Jock. Or at least the man formerly known as Jock.

Meeting the mayor of Aviles. She thanked us for coming over. Wonder if the Mayor of San Diego actually gives a crap Comic-con comes to town.

Award Ceremony. I actually won 2 of the "fun" awards.

I kid you not, "Most handsome guest" and the George Perez award for "Coolest guest".

I didn't bribe anyone. Honest.

This is not America.

Streets of Aviles.

Roman bones.

The Amstel Cometh. PROPER APPLES. Cheers Jock.

I made it into a Spanish newspaper.

CBR TV

2010-09-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

It’s meeeeeee talking the usual bollocks about what I do, on CBR TV. This is from Comic-con International, on a BOAT.

Aviles Spain

2010-09-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

Had a great time over in Spain for the Aviles festival. Got a bunch of photos of things and art I did on the trip, that I'll post up eventually. Just got to get far too much work done as well before New York Comic-con!

Needless to say though, it was fantastic to meet/and or hang out and spend some real time with the likes of Jorge, Diego, Molly, Jim, Wendy, Gary, Vy, Jock, Mark, Irma, Marc, Rodney, Tim, Essad, Ramon and a slew of people I forget right now.

Le Batman

2010-09-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

Done to get some kinks out of my system.

Le Batman.

I always like getting messy and dirty using watercolour and acrylic on thin, photocopy paper. It just creates a roughness and randomness I dig. Like my old 30 Days of Night art really.

Shamelessly put it on eBay. ( It's better than having it fester on a pile of art any day if someone wants it! )

Off to Aviles, Spain

2010-09-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'm shortly off to Aviles, Spain, for a festival. Not exactly sure what the go is though apparently there's a lot of sitting around in bars and drawing for fans on a very casual basis. Yes, it sounds like a lot of horribly hard work.

Anyway, I'll be there, with some art and the capacity to do some lengthier commissions if people want more than bar drawings. I'm getting a few enquiries already so figured I'd get it out there. 160 Euros for A4 and 240 Euros for the larger ones.

I'll have a veeeery small number of copies of SQUIDGIRLS, my hardcover art book I on;y sell at cons, with me. Things are way more cultural over in Europe ( I love that ) instead of sitting at a table all day and hawking your wares but figured I'd bring a few since they're hard to get a hold of until I put them online...

Quick Wolvie+Psylocke

2010-09-09T22:17:00.000-07:00

Banged out a quick one, since I think I'm becoming addicted to drawing Psylocke & Wolverine as a form of stress relief between the other stuff!

Since the other one went down so well, this one has become my semi-regular eBay auction too.

The 13th Doctor WIP

2010-09-09T04:45:00.000-07:00

Forgot I had these, so may as well show. My ideas for the "final" 13th incarnation of Doctor Who for the rather popular thread on Warren Ellis's Whitechapel. ( see a recent previous entry below for links and such to all the Dr Who art since I'm lazy and it's 4:22am )

Psylocke WIP

2010-09-07T03:56:00.001-07:00

Still Life, with Sentinel 2

2010-09-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

Got around to painting it all up, before I do anything on computer to it. And yeah, it's up on eBay if anyone wants to take a look!

Any ideas on when we can get our hands on squidgirls via the Internet?

2010-09-03T22:14:00.001-07:00

Hopefully next week I'll have a batch up. ( And if not then, then by the end of the month )

Ask me anything

CHOKER 4 & Crazy Times

2010-09-03T02:56:00.000-07:00

Alrighty, so I was out in LA for a bit for a signing and shennanigins at The Secret Headquarters with the delightful Brea Grant for her book WE WILL BURY YOU. Crazy night ending with playing HALO: REACH in a special room below a trap door with Nathan Fillion teaching me how not to suck too much. Very weird. But awesome. Caught up with old friends and new including Todd Stashwick, Dennis Calero, David and Erica and a fair few more.

I even got a sonic screwdriver as a gift.

But what else happened? Wondered where CHOKER got to? Well, it's BACK. Hopefully more or less on schedule. ( Ahem, *more or less*. ) Personal apology from me for the lateness in the back of it. All my fault.

Issue 4 hit store shelves wednesday this week.

Still not sure if it's worth it? Well, Image Comics have sent out a huge 9 page preview of the issue...if you like what you see, let your retailer know and they may just have copies of 1-3 as well. It got pretty popular and went to multiple printings but there should be some still lurking about.

And of course, you can always wait for the trade if you're so inclined.

Really happy with how this book is turning out. Some of my best work and of course, Ben McCool is going places because of his obvious talent.

So give it a looksee and get down to your local comic store.

May the Squid be with you.

The 13th Doctor

2010-08-31T16:58:00.000-07:00

For Warren's WhiteChapel Remake/Remodel. ( freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=882... )

The good Doctor is now in a vague military type jacket with a T-shirt underneath, that ideally changes logo/style each episode, showing off something cool and British or, I don't know, Sciency.

And he's addicted to sucking on lollipops.

K9 is now a know-it-all cyborg Pomeranian.

Still Life, with Sentinel

2010-08-30T17:08:00.000-07:00

The line work before I paint it up myself. If anyone wants to take a stab at colouring it the REGULAR way ( ie, not trying to ape my own style, ) go ahead!

It should be at high enough resolution...

Baltimore Comic-con

2010-08-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

What the thingy says.

Wolverine WIP

2010-08-22T19:12:00.000-07:00

Nothing fancy, just a basic arms outstretched pose with blood splatter everywhere I had to get out of my head late one night as an exercise.

Next to his leg is actually a little of my *own* blood, so it's a DNA enriched.

Whacked it up on Ebay since so many people expressed interest in this one. ( And because paying rent is fun )

One

2010-08-21T22:57:00.000-07:00

Wolverine Sneak Peek

2010-08-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

Painting I did last night in the wee hours. It's even got a little of my own blood in it.

Boba Fett

2010-08-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Finally done! ( If you saw an early version on twitter. ) Yeah, I put it up on ebay too if anyone is interested.

Wouldn't mind doing a more substantial Fett piece if I ever get the time.

Wouldn't mind doing a more substantial Fett piece if I ever get the time.

New CHOKER is coming

2010-08-13T01:08:00.000-07:00

Honest. It is.

I wrapped issue #4, finally. Now it's just needing the lettering and it's off to the printers with the bastard. Promise you won't be disappointed with it. The second half is the better half...and that's saying a lot with what's already come before from Mr McCool.

Are you planing to come in Europe ??? And when SquidGirls will be available in France because I WANT IT !!!!

2010-08-13T00:46:00.001-07:00

I think so. Possibly a bunch of times to various countries. Got things going on though, so we'll see. Stuff is being organised so I'll believe SPAIN-FRANCE-IRELAND when they actually happen right now.

Squidgirls will only be in France if I bring some when I go or if I finally put some up for sale online... which I will eventually, promise.

Ask me anything

how many life drawing/anatomy classes did you take when u were at the university?

2010-08-11T22:11:00.001-07:00

I did as many as the degree I was taking gave me...so not too many.

Then again, I started life drawing of the naked ladies when I was 15. ( Not that it actually shows much in my art at times! )

Ask me anything

Commission

2010-08-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

Finishing up a mail-in commission left over/paid for at SDCC.

Pretty sure, if memory serves me, it may well end up being a tattoo on a lady. Hope she likes!

Praise Squid!

And yes, I'll be doing commissions in Baltimore at the end of the month!

9x12 are $200
11x17 are $300
Sketchcards $50

Already got a small list, happy to mail some out post convention if I fill up during the show for a small extra amount.

What social networking site do you prefer and or use the most? Do you use one as a personal account too? Like if you have friends and family say on facebook would you have clients on there too?

2010-08-10T11:53:00.001-07:00

Twitter & Facebook mostly.

No, I have no "personal" ones, they're all just me. I tend to put a lot of myself out there publicly really. I also find dealing with actual family on social networks to be very bleh.

It's not for "clients" unless you'd consider anyone who buys my books a client. I like to be accessible. Publishers and people with jobs don't often mention where they find me though, they just do!

Ask me anything

Of note to artists on DeviantArt

2010-08-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

How NOT to find an artist:

Do not look for either professional artists, or an artist that has done a lot of game design work in the past. The problem with artists who do this as their full time job is that they’re usually expensive. Compared to what you can find through art sites, these guys tend to cost an arm and a leg. Artists who have done a lot of game design work are also bad for a similar reason, they know how much flash games can earn so they expect a decent percentage of the profit. It’s ridiculous to pay something 50% of a sponsorship when you can find someone else who would accept $500 for the same job. When your game sells for $10,000, the difference in cost is a multitude of 10.

Instead he recommends hiring people fresh off DeviantArt, paying them a fraction of their worth, cutting them out of any royalties on the success of the game and deliberately keeping them in the dark and screwing them as much as possible…

Check the link for the rest of his brilliant advice on how to flush ethics down a toilet.

How I Work

2010-08-07T01:28:00.000-07:00

When you have a deadline do you get started right away, wait until the last minute, or switch back and forth between projects?

2010-08-05T06:01:00.001-07:00

I switch back and forth though sometimes go super long on just the one. Like right now, on CHOKER, which I will finish or die trying. It's *almost* there.

Ask me anything

SDCC: The Photos

2010-08-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

During the whole con it seemed I was surrounded by photographers. Which, well, I was. I get asked for photos a lot ( no idea why, I feel a bit like an exhibit half the time, ) but usually people tend to use flash and the like, so for someone who's already basically the palest boy-man in southern California, well...

Big props to Aaron Munter ( @Munter ) and Molly McIsaac ( @MollyMcIsaac ) for getting the images I always like the most. Their pictures are always pretty and I usually end up begging to have them take photos of me licking men ( Yes I do that, well only to Rich Johnston, shut up, ) and doing stupid things in the name of art or alcohol. Often both.

You can find a slew of Aaron's images, of me and other pros etc here, and Molly's, ( who also shoots for iFanboy ) are here. If you see these guys at cons, ask them to take your photo or arrange proper shoots with them as I believe both are available for lots of this sort of thing. They be good.

That'll take awhile to scrub off...

2010-08-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Probably the most impressive tattoo of my stuff I've seen yet. That's a lot of ink on Keijo's chest there.

That's art from Welcome to Hoxford by the way, combining a bunch of panels into one big piece there. Was kind of stunned at first when I got the email. Flattered and humbled to say the least.

Tattoo was done by Emil Wingburen of Wingburen Tattoo. Skin canvas by Keijo Lach!

Should look amazing when it's finished!

Black Sky Concepts

2010-07-31T18:20:00.001-07:00

Gestating rough ideas in a mad rush before San Diego Comic-con. This is the next thing I'll be putting time into after I finally wrap CHOKER for awhile. Post-apocalyptic "Band of Brothers" type thing...with volcanic squid.

For more info, check out the MTV blog, Splashpage.

Kane & Lynch #3 Cover

2010-07-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

The third and final cover I'm doing for the Kane and Lynch game related comic.

Got more stuff coming, oh so much more, just completely buggered with work and playing catchup after SDCC right now.

What is a typical work day like for you?

2010-07-30T18:09:00.001-07:00

Currently there are no typical work days for me.

If I had to say, they'd mostly involve being sat at a desk, in front of the computer/drawing area in front of it, where I peer out to the internet to keep sane while drawing/inking/painting/photoshopping until the small hours of the morning, stumbling to bed then repeating soon as I properly rouse myself the next day.

Ask me anything

RACKED LA

2010-07-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

I made the RACKED LA fashion blog! Apparently I'm some sort of slight fashionista now, ( Or just a pretentious prick in a suit...yeah, probably just that ) but I do the clothing enough that it's worthy of a fashion blog to cover me & a few of my friends.

They got it slightly wrong though. My suits are tailor made, so are the shirts, in Asia, as copies of an original Ben Sherman suit that was off the rack ( and thus nowhere near as well fitting ) Wish he'd got me on another day when I was wearing my custom cobra skin shoes though. Dang it.

It's definitely nice that someone was there willing to put media out there that not all comic types wear star trek outfits all the time. It's nice to break stereotypes instead of enforce them ( which is what mainstream media usually does in my experience, ).

I know you don't get much sleep, and you're always overworked, and you're life is crazy and hectic, but on those rare occasions when you are able to relax, step back, and look at it all, is it all worth it?

2010-07-27T23:08:00.001-07:00

When I look back on all I have done, it's all because of comics. It's all because I would work through the night sometimes, if need be, when everyone else was out having fun on a friday or saturday night.

Is it all worth it? I have am amazing live. Even during the down times, I wouldn't trade it for anything. And I thank every single person who ever bought a book because I drew the silly little thing.

Ask me anything

San Diego Comic-Con 2010

2010-07-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

It's OVER. Regular sleep ( somewhat ) can resume.

Drawing. Oh so much drawing.
Shaking hands.
Meeting new people.
Meeting old people.
Making dirty jokes.
Drinking.
No sleep.
Selling SQUIDGIRLS.
Shaking more hands.
Remembering why I do comics.
Destroying my brain trying to remember people's names after since meetings over the previous year...
More drinking.
Learning my place has about a 4 guest limit before we enter Bangledeshi illegal immigrant worker dormitory territory.
More drinking.
LIVE ART and suit abuse!
Even less sleep.
Remembering what's important to me.
Walking like an old man for 4 hours.
Saying goodbye to old friends and new.

Huge thanks to all you lovely people who came out.

More pictures...like this...soon.

Yes, I am an utter tool. I never said otherwise.

Signing off...

2010-07-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

For about a week I guess as the geek rapture that is San Diego Comic-con starts tomorrow night (but drinking & being busy starts NOW )

So just a reminder on where to find me, since one of the most common senstences I ever hear at a con is "I didn't know you were here!"

If you're going to the con, have a good one, be safe, drink/eat some things other than alcohol once in awhile and enjoy.

Kane & Lynch SDCC

2010-07-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

Am told via Ben Abernathy that there's going to be a special fancy lithograph available at San Diego Comic-Con with one of the covers I did. Only 1000 of them, I'm guessing at the DC comics booth. I'll happily sign any that come my way, so just bring them over to the Image Comics area, where I'll be rooted to when not in meetings/panels/interviews/tomfoolery with my new chums, the Westboro Baptist Christian fundamentalists.

SQUIDGIRLS at SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON

2010-07-18T21:42:00.001-07:00

Unlike 2001 A Space Odyssey, it's not full of stars.

It's full of tentacles.

Cyberman Work In Progress...

2010-07-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

A few shots of how the Cyberman I did for my San Diego Comic-con promo looked before it came about. ( & yeah, for those that sadly miss out on the con, I put the piece up on ebay too. )

Forgot to take pics in the pencil only stage. Here he is, all inked and I've been adding pencil tones.

More pencil and I start with the watercolour washes.

After a lot more layers and washes, I work back into it with a white pen.

How it looks as an original piece of art before I whack it on the computer.

I layer some previously painted textures and such into the image, do a bit of darkening up parts of the armour and highlight a few others. A little lighting for kicks before I add some tonal colour to get the final image that becomes my promo piece for San Diego Comic-Con. Huzzah!

5 Days to Die... with a Cyberman

2010-07-15T14:44:00.001-07:00

You will be deleted.

Cyberman without all the text on it. I want to do all the Who villains, old and new versions, one day.

5 Days to Die

I recently did a cover for Andy Schmidt's 5 DAYS TO DIE and right now is apparently a good time to order it and as with all smaller titles, every order counts! Tis a good little book, I've read the first issue and the art suits it perfectly, by the artbot known as "Chee". It's from IDW.

Here's all the info you need, have at thee.

Andy on twitter: @comicexperience

Link to CBR article about 5 DAYS: www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26937

Podcast with me about 5 DAYS and a bunch of other stuff on Comic Book Geek Speak: www.comicgeekspeak.com/episodes/comic_geek_speak-1124.php

And here are the Diamond Order Codes:

Issue 1: JUL10 0331

Issue 2: JUL10 0333

Issue 3: JUL10 0335

Issue 4: JUL10 0337

Issue 5: JUL10 0339

Where I'll be this San Diego Comic-con

2010-07-13T23:52:00.000-07:00

What the poster says basically!

Click for the larger version.

are you going to be at NYC comicon?

2010-07-13T21:55:00.001-07:00

Yes, I'm apparently a guest this year, because the NYCCC crew are awesome.

Ask me anything

Vale Harvey Pekar

2010-07-12T13:17:00.001-07:00

"I think comics have far more potential than a lot of people realize."
1939-2010

Fresh Brains

2010-07-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

Between CHOKER pages and general life stuff, to stop myself going insane I did up a few zombie sketches on some cards I found. Here's the results! Yeah, I whacked em up on ebay afterwards too:

Zombie card 1
Zombie card 2
Zombie card 3
Zombie card 4

Here's a bit of a step by step on them:

Zombie card 1 inks

Zombie card 1 watercolour

Zombie card 1 finito

Zombie card 2 inks

Zombie card 2 watercolour

Zombie card 2 finito

Zombie card 3 inks

Zombie card 3 watercolour

Zombie card 3 finito

Zombie card 4 inks

Zombie card 4 watercolour

Zombie card 4 finito

Where I am on the web & Wormwood: L'invasion des tentacules

2010-07-09T23:43:00.000-07:00

L'invasion des tentacules !

From the fine folks at Delcourt.

You'll be able to grab it here from the French Amazon site soonish.

Expect proper news on new Wormwood in english around October or so. Yes, I'll be at San Diego Comic-con. Copies of Squidgirls, Fell & commissions ahoy!

Also, if you weren't aware of just where I infect/people tolerate my presence on the internets... check out whichever one works for you most.

My Deviantart
MyTwitter.
My main site.
My myspace.
My books!
MyTumblr.
My blog.
My Livejournal
My Flickr
My Cafepress

Ghengis Khan's geneology.

2010-07-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

From an exhibition out in San Jose

Ghengis sure did a lot of f***ing.

Ever going to update your cafepress store?

2010-07-09T10:48:00.001-07:00

Just for you, I did. Slightly. May The Squid Be With You. ( In mug & water bottle form just for now )

http://www.cafepress.com/templesmitharts

Ask me anything

A little bit of Cobra

2010-07-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

Done a ways back for Cobra: Origins.

A little bit of Wormwood

2010-07-07T18:44:00.000-07:00