Hello, I'm Brian Edward Miller

Happenstance

2012-01-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hiking up a hill early this morning with my dog, I happened upon a scene much like this. I love the light of early morning winter here in Colorado because it draws dramatic attention to objects which summer's light would render mundane.

Hope the New Year is treating you right.

Alone In The Wilderness

2012-01-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

"It was good to be back in the wilderness again, where everything seems at peace. I was alone, just me and the animals. It was a great feeling - free once more to plan and do as I please. Beyond was all around me. My dream was a dream no longer. I suppose I was here because this was something I had to do - not just dream about it but do it.

I suppose too I was here to test myself, not that I had never done it before, but this time it was to be a more thorough and lasting examination. What was I capable of that I didn't know yet? Could I truly enjoy my own company for an entire year? And was I equal to everything this wild land could throw at me?

I had seen its moods in late spring, summer, and early fall... but what about the winter? Would I love the isolation then? With its bone-stabbing cold, its ghostly silence? At age 51, I intended to find out."

-Dick Proenneke

Decisions Made

2011-12-15T10:04:00.008-07:00

We finally made the decision.

Its been a crazy month since the studio I was working at closed down. I've been on a number of interviews, done a ton of thinking, praying, and discussing with my wife and close friends - all in an effort to figure out what my next career move would be.

After it was all said and done, it turned out that the best and most exciting option for us was for me to start my own business.

I got my start in graphic design and 7-8 years into it, fell in love with illustration. I made a conscious decision to pursue illustration as much as possible within the boundaries of providing for my family - but design was always the means to be able to do that. I spent a lot of time pondering the conflict I felt between doing design and illustration, especially when it seemed as if they were diametrically opposed. What amazes me about this whole thing is, with my new company, I'm essentially going to get to use all the skills I've developed over the years. Graphic design, Illustration, concept art, typography and font design, writing - you name it! Its as if all the separate ingredients that I'd been developing over the years finally came together in a single dish.

Things ramped up quickly once we decided to pull the trigger and go with this decision. Projects have been lining up, opportunities have been presenting themselves, and I now have a viable way to provide for my family in a way that excites me creatively. Win win win.

I'll do my best to keep you all up to date on what's happening. As an added treat, here's a screenshot of some of the branding I'm working on between client projects. Hand made fonts are one of my secret passions (not so secret if you know me as a designer).

Meet Baby Bear

2011-11-18T11:55:00.003-07:00

I finished this illustration up not too long ago for my friend Justin. He's going to be using this as the header image for his blog. Sure was a fun one to work on!

In other news, my tenure with the LEGO Group came to an end a few weeks ago when they shut down the studio I was working for here in Colorado. It was surprising news as we were all preparing for the work that was to come the next year, but I understand why Lego did it. Its sad I won't get to work with the team I was on anymore, but ultimately I'm excited about the opportunities in front of me. Sometimes forced change can be a blessing in disguise.

I've been talking with a number of game shops in California and Seattle as well as considering the notion of starting my own boutique shop. Its strange having to consider all these kinds of decisions now that my wife and I have 2 kids... definitely ads more weight to the choices I make, but in a very good way. Having kids makes me focus on how my skills can serve others as opposed to figuring out how they'll serve me (I've heard that's the difference between commercial art vs fine art). Its a strange thing - but its helpful.

I'll keep ya posted on what ends up happening!

Robots

2011-11-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

Just fartin around.

Concept 2

2011-11-02T06:59:00.001-06:00

Here is the 2nd of 3 comps I did for an illustration project for a friend. This one was a quick iteration on the forest scene - but I wanted to have a cave with shafts of light and streams of water helping to create the most idealistic version I could.

Concept 1

2011-11-01T06:43:00.000-06:00

This was a rough paint concept I put together for a project for a friend this weekend. I ended up doing 3 concepts to give him options and he chose 1 of them on Sunday. I can't wait to get to work on the final image - its a fun idea and the challenge of executing it well is helping me to grow.

I find that one of the ways I learn to do things is by actually doing them for someone else. When I'm left to draw on my own, I typically gravitate to the same topics, the same poses, and even the same drawings over and over and over again. With client work, however, I'm forced to draw things I've never drawn in angles I've never attempted with color combinations I've never used. Its amazing for growth!

Anyway, here's the first of 2 comps that weren't selected.

Cold

2011-10-28T09:22:00.001-06:00

Mood study this morning. We cold!

Cave

2011-10-27T06:48:00.000-06:00

Another iPad painting using Procreate. I have a project on the side that entails me potentially drawing a cave in a forest... filled with bears. Yum.

Snow Day

2011-10-26T09:49:00.001-06:00

One of the perks of living in Colorado is the ever blessed snow day: a day off from work thanks to father winter's smite. I painted this one in Procreate on my iPad as a warmup, inspired by our backyard view, as I sip coffee with a smile in the comfort of my home. Its gonna be a good day!

iPad Sketches

2011-10-25T11:08:00.002-06:00

Found a new app for the iPad that makes painting fun! Its called Procreate.

These were the first tests I did. The first one started off with me saying "What does this brush do?" followed by "That looks like a tree... How about a hill? And how about a road? And how about a castle?" Before I knew it, I had a quick painting done.

The values are all over the place - but it got me really excited about the app! Its my favorite option for painting on the iPad, but it may just be I was approaching the whole idea of painting incorrectly with the other apps. I kept trying to take a lineart approach when it seems like the app is better suited for value studies and full paints.

Paper Wings

2011-10-04T11:28:00.001-06:00

This is my last 'text only' post, I promise (for a while at least). I listened to a podcast today and jotted down notes that I thought were extremely helpful. Give it a listen - you won't regret it.

http://www.paperwingspodcast.com/2011/09/pwp-14-how-to-pick-your-next-personal-project/

My Notes:

Choosing Your Dream Project

· Choose the project that most closely represents your dream goal. If you dream of being an animator on a cartoon network kid's show, then don't pursue goals that take you away from that (like writing and drawing a horror comic or adult fiction).

· People hire you based on your last completed project. If you've done a number of horror comics, don't expect to get work as a children's book illustrator.

· Flip through your sketchbook to see what kinds of things you're naturally drawn to. Chances are you're already drawing the things you're interested in.

· Ask yourself if this project is truly a personal desire or simply a reaction to life's circumstances. A person who is deeply passionate about a project vs someone who is doing the project simply because they're trying to work themselves toward success looks very different. Don't play wack-a-mole with your projects!

· Be intentional about the length of your project as well as clear about your intentions. If you're doing an animation demo to get a job in the animation industry, don't create a 2 hour feature length film - it'll take you forever and it won't move you toward your goal!

Look at your ideas and figure out which one has the greatest success potential.

· What are you trying to accomplish with your idea? Are you trying to get work? Are you trying to break in? Define success and determine which one has the greatest success potential.

· Is there already an audience out there for your project? If there is, there's a greater chance for success. Now look at which medium this audience generally uses as your guide for format.

· What unique opportunities and resources are available to you right now that can help the project be more successful? For example, if you're already doing web design / flash animation, then making a book app would be a breeze for you. Are you time rich and money poor? Go for the cheaper alternatives.

· Is what you have an actual story? Which of your ideas is the most unlike anything you've seen before? Which one is original? Which one is unique? What are you going to do to stand out with your work? What is it that you can offer and contribute to the world with your story? Why would someone want to read this one as opposed to the countless other stories out there?

Big Question

What am I trying to accomplish with my goal?

Reading List: Updated

2011-10-04T08:15:00.002-06:00

My updated reading list for this year.

I just started The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and I am absolutely starstruck. I'm about 25 chapters in and this book already has the potential to be my favorite fantasy series of all time. I'm listening to the audio version (because I really don't have a lot of time to sit down and read) while driving to work, running, or spending time on the white throne. Its been amazing so far (the reading, not the throne time).

The War of Art, by Stephen Pressfield
Firstborn, by Brandon Sanderson
Sometimes The Magic Works: Lessons From a Writing Life, by Terry Brooks
On Writing, by Stephen King
The Shining, by Stephen King
The Sword of Shannara, by Terry Brooks
Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Orson Scott Card
Elements of Fiction Writing: Characters & Viewpoint, by Orson Scott Card
Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn: The Well of Ascension, by Brandon Sanderson
Mistborn: The Hero of Ages, by Brandon Sanderson
The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkein
Different Seasons, by Stephen King
The Goonies, by James Kahn
The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World, by Robert Jordan

New Layout and Inspiration

2011-10-04T08:05:00.001-06:00

I'm trying out some of the newest features Blogger has to offer as a means of better delivering content. Pretty impressive stuff they've been rolling out! You'll most likely see some changes in this blog over the coming weeks as I experiment with what Blogger has to offer.

I came across artist Chris Oatley's blog and found it very inspirational. He's got boat loads of content on his blog and for any aspiring or professional creative, its pure gold.

http://chrisoatley.com

These are some of the notes I jotted down while reading his posts - hopefully they inspire you as much as they inspire me.

· Take at least 1 challenging course per year to facilitate growth and learning

· Establish a routine, whether its working in the morning or at night at the same time, every day, without fail.

· Establish tangible goals. Goals such as "I want to get better" are no good because they focus on the negative and they are intangible. Goals such as "I want to write and draw a 10 page comic in 3 months" focuses on the end product and gives measurable results.

· Stay positive - abandon complaining. Complaining is doing nothing but focusing my time and energy on garnering sympathy where its undeserved. I have a good life. I have goals. There's work to be done to meet those goals. That's that.

· Do not be frustrated by the weak areas of your illustration game. Be thankful that you can see the areas that need to be improved!

· You have to really want it. "Wanting" = "Working" (not wishing)

· My work is a living logo. The more I create, the more I publish, the more people will see it. Once the quality level hits where it needs to, opportunities are bound to arise.

· Projects are the new resumes. -Seth Godin

Assignment 2: Jekyll & Hyde

2011-09-07T09:19:00.002-06:00

Two posts in one day? Two posts in one week? Two posts in one month? What's going on here!?!?!

This is my entry for our second assignment, which was to do sillohette studies of a new take on Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. You know I went for robots - why would that even be in question?

Assignment 1: Walter Chipwitther

2011-09-07T09:16:00.003-06:00

The company I work for has been kind enough to put any interested employee through the online Character Design classes by Stephen Silver! Our group gets together every Wednesday at lunch to watch the video, eat, and draw. Its been a great experience so far - and we even have weekly homework assignments which have been really fun. You can follow our work at http://playwellartists.blogspot.com

Our first assignment was to design a character named Walter Chipwitther. This is what I came up with:

Influence Map

2011-07-22T08:48:00.007-06:00

These things came out a while back (couple years ago) but I never took the time to fill one out until today. I tried limiting it to current influences but that list is giant so I just picked the heavy hitters.

I'm sure there will be artists I'll think of throughout the day and think "How could I have forgotten to include that one!?" Two I can think of are Disney and Chiptune / Video game music. Oh well.

So on this list I have (and I think it goes without saying, but all the artwork you see there is theirs, not mine):

Lesean Thomas
Capcom & Alvin Lee
Mike Mignola
Gurren Lagann (or anything Gainax)
The Goonies
Robotech (a staple of my youth)
Samurai Champloo
Hayao Miyazaki (/bow)
Takeshe Koike
Hethe Srodawa

All wizards in their own right, and all having a profound influence on me. Anyway, fill one of these out yourself by grabbing the original template here: http://fox-orian.deviantart.com/art/Influence-Map-Template-174550753

Sketches

2011-07-13T22:19:00.003-06:00

Just some sketches I've been playin with. Nothin more, nothin less.

Beautiful

2011-06-05T21:37:00.002-06:00

Updated Reading List

2011-05-14T19:04:00.001-06:00

Got a few more books under my belt as I continue my leisurely reading. Give some of these a try - I'm sure you'll find some good ones on the list. And if you have any suggestions on books you love, send them my way via the comments section - I'd love to check them out!

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
Firstborn: A Tor.Com Original
Ender's Game
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy
Elements of Fiction Writing - Characters & Viewpoint
Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set

The War of Art
I'll probably do an entire blog post with quotes from this book. The quotes will do a better job of selling this read than anything I have to say.

This was a very quick and inspirational read suggested to me by my friend Matt Curtis. I purchased it and read it in one sitting and had mixed reactions while reading it. I'd say the first half of the book is the most helpful. Steven Pressfield is extremely acute in his diagnosis on why many of us (myself included) fail at the creative endeavors we dream of. We're writers who don't write, painters who don't paint, and many of us fall victim to vices that derail our productivity as we willingly give ourselves over to them.

Pressfield is great about pointing these things out and his solutions are simple and practical. Writers, you need to write. Painters, you need to paint. Creators, you need to create. He goes into some practical analysis of why we say we want to do these things but never follow through. Its very poignant.

I was a turned off by the 'spiritual stew' approach to the 2nd half of the book. It felt very much like a postmodernist approach to solving age old problems dealing with human nature. There were also some ideologies put forth that seemed like he was saying 'creativity and pursuit of craft at all costs'.

I know these complaints sound nitpicky, but I would have enjoyed more practical application for the second half, or even more anecdotes from his journey as a writer (the few examples he did have in there were great).

Firstborn
You can actually read this short story for free on Tor's website I believe. I didn't know that until I'd purchased the digital version for a dollar. I honestly didn't lament the purchase even after finding out I could have read it for free. I love supporting good creators, and this short story by Brandon Sanderson was well worth the price and the read.

Its a quick sci-fi story that has some great twists and an interesting ending. I'm always impressed when a writer can tell a captivating story in short form. Ever tried it? Its hard!

Ender's Game
How have I not heard of this book when its been out since 1985? I must have been living under a rock. I found out about this book the way I find out about most books: by first reading the author's book on writing, liking their approach, and then reading the work they produced using their methods. This book, as far as I've read, has been rated one of the best scifi stories by fans of the genre. I'm about halfway through it and so far, its been a great read. Very fun ideas, great character development, and an interesting plot line that has me thoroughly enjoying the ride.

How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy
Orson Scott Card has a lot to say about writing in the scifi / fantasy genre. So far, I'd say this is one of the most practical books I've read on the topic. He delves into lots of specifics that are crucial for aspiring authors to understand. Card spends a good amount of time articulating the definitions and differences between the 2 genres which I found very helpful.

Elements of Fiction Writing: Characters & Viewpoint
Another very practical book from Orson Scott Card. In this book, Card talks about how to write strong characters, character arcs, and fills it with enough detail to make you an expert in theory. The viewpoint aspect of the book was also very interesting to read about.

Mistborn Trilogy
Brandon Sanderson is a very interesting writer. He was named as the author to continue and finish the Wheel of Time series after Robert Jordan's passing. I've only just begun reading the first Mistborn book, but so far its great! I love the premise of it too: Ocean's 11 meets a world in which the ultimate evil rules. Imagine if Frodo failed to destroy the ring or if Harry Potter was killed by Voldemort. What would those world look like after the bad guy wins? That's the type of setting Sanderson uses for his Mistborn series. Its a great twist on the fantasy genre and it keeps his work feeling fresh when so many authors at best manage to be derivative.

April Reading List

2011-04-15T08:18:00.000-06:00

I'm hoping my schedule will settle down a bit so I can start posting on this blog with more regularity. For those of you who inquired, I'm officially working for the LEGO Group now! Its a really fun company so far and I'm slowly becoming addicted to building (when they hand you a set of LEGO to play with during meetings, its hard not to!).

This year, as I push forward with my new avocation at home, part of it entails me reading as much as I possibly can. My reading list so far includes:

The Two Towers (Tolkien)
Sometimes The Magic Works: Lessons From A Writing Life (Terry Brooks)
On Writing (Stephen King)
The Shining (Stephen King)
The Sword of Shannara (Terry Brooks)
The Dark Tower (Stephen King)
A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin)

The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien
I've been impressed by this series so far. I was first introduced to the Tolkien world through the animated versions of these books way back in the day. The most current film versions of the series have taken up more playtime on my ps3 than any other movie. When I finally forced myself to take the plunge and start reading them, I was enamored. Yes, Tolkien can be long winded and yes, they are very meaty books. But when I get home and am in need of something relaxing, I head straight for these books.

Tolkien has a writing style that enchants me. Everything in his book has this feeling of magic and splendor, from the rich history of the races down to the rocks, trees, and environments he describes. Everything feels alive! One thing I love about him is that he doesn't use physical descriptions for his environments so much as he uses feelings and impressions so that you know exactly how you'd feel walking into a room. Often those feelings are so romanticized and full of splendor, you can't help but wish you were there. That's when his details become a feast of words you never tire of consuming.

Sometimes The Magic Works: Lessons From a Writing Life, by Terry Brooks
I think I've read this book 4 times now. Its inspiring for anyone with aspirations of writing, no matter what the medium. Terry Brooks has been a favorite author since high-school and the man knows fantasy. In this book he gives you his biography and how he got into writing in the first place. He talks about inspiration, motivation, perspiration, process, brainstorming, world building, etc. He gets very specific and practical without being overly wordy. After reading the book, if you have any aspirations of creating / writing, you'll be motivated to create. Great read!

On Writing, by Stephen King
This is where things get interesting for me. Stephen King is an excellent writer and his book on writing is absolutely worth the read. What amazes me is how starkly different his approach to writing is when compared with Terry Brooks. Brooks is a planner. He details out the process he uses to write and it entails a lot of thinking, a lot of dreaming, and very basic (but practical) methods for outlining. King does the opposite.

King starts off by coming up with a simple premise, usually stated as a, "What if..." question (i.e. what if a hotel were haunted, what if a car was possessed, what if a teenage girl possessed telekinetic powers, etc.). He comes up with a brief character sketch, detailing a bit about the characters past (usually in only a few paragraphs) and then BOOM! He starts writing. This 'free writing' approach means that he rarely knows how the story is going to end. He throws situations at his character and imagines how they'd respond. He talks about his writing process being more of a reporter or that of a paleontologist who is slowly discovering a buried skeleton.

Miyazaki uses this approach in his storytelling, often citing that he's merely a tool the story itself uses to record. Sounds wishy washy to me - but I've tried it a handful of times and its surprising how your story will take on a life of its own when you let it.

The biographical information included in King's book is interesting as well. I always enjoy finding out where artists come from, what they're background is, and why they do what they do. I think if you read it, you'll come away with the same inspired feelings I had when I finished it.

The Shining, by Stephen King
The first book I read by Stephen King was his book on writing. Everyone who read it had glowing reviews. After reading it, I decided to download the first few chapters of The Shining as a sample through iBooks on my phone. I read the sample in one sitting and couldn't help but buy the book (curse you marketing - you got me again!).

I really enjoyed The Shining. King's pragmatic approach to writing had me captivated. It felt like I was reading a book with the literary qualities of some of the great American works of fiction with a dash of sci-fi and horror mixed in. The relationships he wrestles with in his writing were stunning, guttural and real.

I'm not going to talk at all about what happens in the book - go read it for yourself. I will say that I watched the movie afterward and was sad at how little was translated to the film. If you've only seen the film, you've only seen a shell of a story, or as King describes it, you've seen a beautiful Cadillac with no engine and no functional parts.

The Sword of Shannara, by Terry Brooks
This was the first fantasy story I read (or can remember reading) as a kid. I loved it then, I still love it today. If you like Lord of the Rings and serial adventure stories like Indiana Jones, you'll enjoy TSoS (The Sword of Shannara). Brooks is very good at creating a world with a rich history while maintaining an interesting pace. His stories don't often drag and the action can be really fun. I think my main motivation for reading this book is it sets up the foundation for his sequel, a book that is in my all time favorites list, The Elfstones of Shannara (holy smokes, that book is fantastic).

The Dark Tower, by Stephen King
I'm only a few chapters into this book. Spaghetti western meets Lord of The Rings? Yes please.

A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin
I've been told this series is our generation's definitive work of fantasy. I'm about 100 pages in and so far, its decent. I'm having trouble keeping track of the sheer volume of characters he's introduced in the first few chapters - but I'm hoping once I start tracking, I'll enjoy it more. His writing style is similar to King's in that they're both very straight forward writers, something I definitely appreciate.

So now I ask you... what are some fiction books (preferably Fantasy - but I'm open to others) that you'd rank as your absolute favorites? I'm a reading machine right now, hungry to get my eyes on as many good works as I can.

Pro Advice: Skottie Young

2011-02-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

Great advice from Skottie Young regarding style (taken from his twitter feed):

"An email question I get a lot "How did you find your style?" It's a great question but it's so tough to answer. I'll share a few thoughts.

I feel that when drawing starts to feel effortless, then you've probably "found" your style because you're not struggling to force anything. A lot of artists-me included-start by trying to do their version of their favorite artists. This is a tricky area to play in for too long... You may think that no one will notice or compare you if you tweak it enough, but they do. It becomes hard to shake that connection. I tried many times to do Bachalo but I paled in comparison and the reactions reflected that. And drawing always felt labored because of this. It's ok to be influenced but if you are trying to "do" another artist chances are you'll get lost in their shadow. There's already 1 of them.

I knew I was getting somewhere when I stopped needing 50 books by my favorite artists laying on my desk at all times (yes, I had those too).

The only secret to finding your own style is drawing A TON. Put away all the books and just fill up sketchbooks with lines and shapes. Soon you'll start to notice that you'll see less of Mignola, Charest, Bachalo, Mad, Ramos, and more of yourself. It just takes time. Drawing will feel less labored, but still be hard work because you're drawing naturally and not forcing yourself to copy others. That's the best way I can explain how to "find" your style. Oddly enough, it's already there, you just need to stop hiding it behind others."

Pwnd.

Compare Your Life To Pixar

2011-01-31T21:58:00.000-07:00

Phew, taking a quick break from 2 hours of anatomy studies. I've been hitting the anatomy books hard for the past 2 weeks. My plan is to fill up a sketchbook between each short comic I do and to focus on the things I'm weak at. I've been flying through the pages of my sketchbook and have about 10 to go until its finished. Then I'll start my next story - which is already written, 10 pages, and fuuuuuuun! You're gonna like it, trust me.

Until then, let this video serve as inspiration as you continue to keep your nose to the grindstone.

Reference Studies

2011-01-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Did these 2 based off 2 photos I found on google of Marlon Brando. Old school black and white photos of actors and actresses are great to study for inking. I'm still trying to figure out what style I want to use to spot blacks within the figure...

Lifting Weights

2011-01-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

This is what it looks like to lift weights with ink. Just put on a good album, and start pullin and throwin those lines!

We Were Hunters: Black and White

2011-01-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

Had a request to see the black and white version of this - so here it is!

We Were Hunters...

2011-01-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a one page comic I worked on over the break and just manage to wrap up this morning. Telling a complete story in 1 page is an interesting challenge - but one that I enjoyed.

My plan this year is to absolutely attack sequential art and inking. I'm calling it the Year of the Craft. I've been devouring books by the old masters (Hail King Kirby!) and drawing and writing as much as possible. I've already started my next short story (this one will be 5-10 pages) and its gooooood...

For you process junkies: I started this one doing the thumbnails digitally, then printing it out, lightboxing it to my bristol board, finishing the pencils traditionally, inking with a brush and nib, and then back to the computer for colors and corrections. I'm still working hard to achieve the fidelity in my linework with my brush and even though I didn't hit it in this page, it was a fun process inking a full page for the first time in my life.

Bot!

2010-12-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun desktop! This started out as a quick brush / nib ink sketch and then just kinda blew up. But that's what robots do... the blow stuff up!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Valhalla Rising 2

2010-12-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Another warmup study from a still of Valhalla Rising (mixed with a little zombie meets Ashley Wood styling). These warmups are fun - but I'm gettin hongry for a finished piece...

1 hour | Photoshop

Valhalla Rising

2010-12-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

Just got done watching Valhalla Rising for the first time. Crazy movie. This was a quick mood study from one of the scenes in the movie. One day I'll get back to posting more regularly...

1 hour | Photoshop

Back from the Dead!

2010-11-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

Wow this blog has fallen into a major state of disrepair! Trust me, its not because I'm slacking off. I've been hard at work on my professional and personal projects! I'll get back to posting work shortly - but for now, enjoy my new portfolio site! There's still quite a bit of work I can't show on the site yet - but when I'm able to they'll be up there in a flash.

Hope you're all hard at work!

http://www.brianedwardmiller.com

'True Grit' Trailer HD

2010-10-11T19:08:00.000-06:00

Yes plox.

Vacation!

2010-09-29T12:03:00.000-06:00

Just got back from a 10 day (and much needed) vacation! I have a renewed sense of creativity and energy as well as some fun stuff going on that I'll fill you in on shortly. I still plan on moving forward with doing a documentary of sorts for the graphic novel - but I want to put some serious effort into it without sharing so much I loose my motivation for telling the story.

More soon!

06

2010-07-09T09:32:00.000-06:00

Made a desktop out of this one.

05

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04

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03

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02

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01

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Sweet Resource

2010-07-01T10:18:00.000-06:00

This fun little site lets you pick color swatches which will pull up photos that have those colors. You get some really interesting results when you combine some of the colors.

http://labs.ideeinc.com/multicolr#

Scumble 4

2010-06-22T23:12:00.000-06:00

Another scumble today - tried some different techniques with this one. I bet if I do 100 of these things I'll make some good headway... hmm... well, call this number 4.

I'm including a slightly larger resolution than normal on this one - just for poops and ha ha's - that way you can see how messy things are up close.

Scumble 03

2010-06-22T10:12:00.000-06:00

Another quickie - focusing less on rendering and more on color palate and mood.

Scumble 02

2010-06-21T09:11:00.000-06:00

Morning warmup. I didn't get to paint at all this weekend other than Friday night. That's how it goes with holidaze!

These hour long scumbles are fun though. I never really have a clear direction - I just kind of pick a location I want to paint, grab 5-10 reference images, and away I go. I have some really fun ones I'm gonna try this week... hopefully they'll come out right.

Scumble 01

2010-06-19T01:21:00.000-06:00

Watched a few Dylan Cole tutorials today to learn about his painting techniques. I found the tutorial to be extremely informative and very practical. Granted I'm no master at it yet - but I tested the waters out on this piece - just a little over an hour on it. I have a lot to study and even more to learn... but slowly I'll get there!

Hope you're doing well with your projects!

Burr

2010-06-18T12:58:00.000-06:00

The topic for this challenge was A wounded hairy officer.
Here's my take:

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

Daily Grind

2010-06-16T10:42:00.000-06:00

Here's some more junk I've been working on. Nothing fancy, just more studies.
The guy in the mud / grass suit was my quick take on the speedpainting challenge "A straw and mud hideout." I'm not a very speedy painter at all... so when my time limit was up and all I had was a figure, I decided to throw an old painting I did a day earlier into the background, alter the colors, paint over it quickly, and blur it out to give it some depth. Meh.

The next set of drawings were just some head shot drawings I did this morning to warm up - finishing with a really fast paint of a knight. I was studying another Leyendecker piece for this one - and again managed to botch the skin tones. After that I quit trying to match his mastery, added armor, and just played until my drawing time was up.

I have now reached critical mass on drive / inspiration / motivation. My eyes are bloodshot with bags under them and all I can think about is how much I want to get through the day so I can get home and paint some more!!!! (well... technically I want to get home to see my wife and daughter - and then when they're in bed, PAINT SOME MORE!!!! But as this is a blog about painting and drawing and not my family, I figured its ok to talk about the painting)
BLARG!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

Island Of No Focus

2010-06-15T11:44:00.000-06:00

This study was inspired by these paintings - http://one1more2time3.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/beach-art/

These paintings capture a complexity of color values that I am nowhere near mastering yet. I mean look how many colors are in those things and yet they all work together! Just beautiful. I use cheap tricks like color washes and palletizing - which have their place - but I want to develop my color sense to be as sophisticated as these paintings are.

I didn't have a lot of time to finish this one off, or do a better study of color ranges, or to add something like... oh, I dunno... a center of interest? lol

I spent way too much time vacillating between the use of scatter brushes vs. a single brush with strong, definitive, powerful strokes. The result is a somewhat schizophrenic study - but hey - that's how it goes sometimes.

Onwards!

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

More Studies

2010-06-14T08:49:00.000-06:00

Tons of studying this weekend!

All these are done from reference.

· The first set of gestures were just quick studies done from a fashion photography blog.
· The 3 paintings are studies as well - 2 from the fashion blog, and 1 from a Leyendecker painting.
· The last 2 environmental images are this morning's studies of a few background pieces from the animation, Bambi.

All in all it was a great weekend. I've been studying as much as I can and trying to retain what I'm learning - but there's a ton of ground to cover. Its been extremely helpful moving back and forth between photographic studies to classical illustrator studies (like Leyendecker - that guy blows me away). Its really good to attempt to represent something in a way that comes naturally to me - and then to see how the masters do it. This method of study allows me to ask specific questions of the masters like: how do you paint realistic looking skin? What's an good method for implying detail? What's the minimal amount of information I can put in the rendering of folds and still have them read?

Its been great doing all this - and I think it'll pay off in a few weeks. I'm also working on a more finished illustration of my own that I think you guys will like (that is, if you like giant robots destroying cities...)

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

We Ride In Robots

2010-06-11T17:22:00.000-06:00

Theme for this one: "a damaged steel shuttle carrying troops"

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

Not Speedy

2010-06-10T22:29:00.000-06:00

So we're doing this fun challenge at work where a topic gets emailed out and we all throw together a quick illustration. I didn't really realize until tonight that everyone else on the blog is getting their paintings done in 30 minutes... I'm getting mine done in 30 minutes... x4. Oops!

Oh well - I am by no means a 'speed painter'.

The concept for this one was "A cautious hat-wearing Geek"

Here's the pencils I "quickly" threw together last night - followed by some "quick" paints I threw on it tonight. It was fast for me - but 30 minutes fast? Nope.

Psh. Fail.

You can follow the madness at the blog they set up: http://drypixel.blogspot.com

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

Work Challenge: Day 1

2010-06-08T00:47:00.000-06:00

I was invited to do some daily painting challenges at work by Nate Storm (check his work out at http://natestorm.blogspot.com/ ). Basically he'll email out a topic in the morning and by the end of the day, all the participants throw their piece into the lot. I can't remember the exact wording for this challenge - but it was something like "an overgrown stone castle". There was a time limit of 30 minutes, which I definitely broke just in getting photoshop set up at home (I haven't done any real painting on my new setup and I forgot all my brush sets at work).

One of the things I want to try to be mindful of when doing these challenges is to create some sort of story within the challenge. For this one, as I was driving home thinking about it, I started wondering why the castle would be overgrown... what caused it? An image of a half eaten piece of fruit popped into my head and I liked it enough to throw it in as the cause of the growth.

Stylistically I've been pushing towards a sort of 'paint dab' method of rendering (I don't know what else to call it). You see it in lots of old school animation background stills and a handful of concept artists who have mastered it. Since describing it would be futile, here's an example of what I'm talking about:

http://cghub.com/images/view/21001/page:1

The lighting is so solid - and the strokes are so intentional. You get so much detail but a lot of it is really implicit. I love it (check out the rest of that gallery - stunning work). I'll get there one day... oh yes... I'll get there.

If I had more time to spend on my piece I'd definitely push the growth on the castle more as well as making the lighting more solid. Other than that, this one came out ok - nothing great.
Nighty night!

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

Daily Studies

2010-06-04T08:14:00.000-06:00

I started back on my drawing regiment this week and its been nice getting back into the swing of things. I kicked it off with a marathon drawing session on Memorial Day where I spent the majority of my day off drawing on the patio, enjoying the weather. I was drawing on paper there so I'll have to scan those in to show you.

I used the fun drawing experience I had on Monday to launch myself into my old school drawing regiment:

· 2 hours of studies in the morning (figure drawing even days, environment drawing odd days)
· 1 hour of drawing at lunch where I apply what I learned in the morning
· 2-4 hours of drawing for my comic at night

As ambitious as all this sounds, its not the easiest schedule to keep. I miss my lunch sessions and my night sessions the most because there's a lot going on during those times. And as much of a morning person as I am - its extremely difficult to wake up early in the morning to draw after staying up late trying to work on my comic. But, I'm getting some drawing time in, staying motivated, and working hard.

Here are two quick paint studies I did this week - the first is from an image on google, the second is a really loose study of a background painting done for the movie Brother Bear (check these things out, they're gorgeous - http://animationbackgrounds.blogspot.com/2010/06/brother-bear-part-two.html ). When I do studies with paintings, I don't hold myself to 100% color accuracy or pixel for pixel copying. If I do that my brain turns off and when I wake up, I have a good copy of what I was looking at, but I haven't learned anything. I'll make little changes here and there to the colors or the composition - just enough so to keep my mind engaged.

Anyway, hope you're all doing well with your projects!

Posted via web from Brian Edward Miller

Street Fighter Fan Film

2010-05-11T07:20:00.000-06:00

Epic. Why can't the big studios do something of this quality?

Posted via web from Brian Edward Miller

Robot 13

2010-05-02T17:38:00.000-06:00

This may be old news to some, but if you haven't had a chance to check out Thomas Hall and Daniel Bradford's Robot 13 series, you're really missing out! I had the good fortune of getting a copy of the first 3 issues and really enjoyed reading them! I'd been waiting for the comic book store I frequent to get them in but it seems they never get any of the good comics (I still haven't had a chance to read Viking because that comic never shows up on the shelves despite my repeated requests). The great thing about this series is that if you have an iPhone, iPad, or any other device that runs PanelFly you can get the digital version of the comics for a small price and BOOM - you're in!

The story of Robot 13 is a very interesting blend of some great genres - and though I usually don't get down with the 'mystery' style stories, I actually found myself very intrigued by this one. I love a good character trying to discover their roots - and that discovery only happens through an action packed journey. It feels a lot like a road trip style story with plenty of action to make each issue exciting and interesting.

From an artistic standpoint, I can't help but admire Daniel Bradford's work. The inevitable comparison to Mignola is usually one of the first things that comes up in conversation about his art - but that comparison is quickly dispelled just by reading the first few pages of issue 1. Bradford isn't actually imitating Mignola's style - he's innovating within it. Think of all the incarnations of 'anime' done by so many different studios that many people write off as 'all looking the same'. But to the fans and people who appreciate the anime genre, the differences in each studio's work, though they all share similar qualities, becomes so prominent that you come to appreciate each studio's nuances. The same thing happens with Bradford's work. Within a few pages of reading, I started appreciating not how similar his stuff was to Mignola, but how different it was (his addition of textures for one). I guess I'm a sucker for seeing people take chances moving from inspiration to innovation.

One of the reasons I was compelled to do a writeup of this series was the great story behind the creators. I've had the good fortune of writing back and forth with Thomas Hall and his willingness to share "insider secrets" is humbling. He's got a series of article's he's putting out just for creators (THIS MEANS YOU, ASPIRING COMIC ARTIST / WRITER) that you'd be a fool to not read if you're serious about your craft.

Check them out here, they're titled, "Indy Comic Book FAIL Lessons" and so far there are 9 of them:

http://www.backroompodcast.com/category/backroom-comics-content/

Inspiring stuff for those of us struggling along, burning the bulbs of the lamps on our desk as we toil outside our day-job to get this stuff created.

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

The New Deal

2010-04-18T11:41:00.000-06:00

Life's been crazy the past few months! It seems when our little girl learned to crawl, my drive, motivation, and energy crawled off with her. For all the work I've been doing, I have very little in the way of art to show - but, that's the way it goes.

So here's the deal - I was really hoping to have a good chunk of my comic finished by the San Diego Comic Convention. Yes, I'll admit that trying to do a 120 page graphic novel for my first foray into this industry was a lot to bite off... arguably too much, but that's not important. Whats important are the next few steps.

I'm putting my graphic novel on hold so I can knock out a handful of short stories to get my feet wet. I've already got my first 10-12 pager underway. Its a fun one, trust me - and the script is pretty much done. With the limited amount of time I have right now between family and a full time job, this goal should be a little easier to hit. The best part is it'll mean I won't be walking into this years Comicon empty handed! I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Anyway, this is where I left my first page. Still unfinished, obviously, but it was a fun first try. Its nice to know that once I have a little more experience at telling some of these short stories, I've got a monster 120 pager waiting for me, complete with a script, a style, and the first 10 pages thumb-nailed.

Posted via email from Brian Edward Miller

Posterous Blogging

2010-02-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine started using Posterous for blogging and as soon as I checked it out, I had to sign up. Its amazing how well connected posterous is - allowing you to network your existing blogs, facebook, twitter, and mail accounts (plus a bunch more that would be good for people up to date on all the web 2.0 stuff). I like it just because I can post to one place and it'll update everything I post on seperately.

Anyway, this post is less about news and more about testing the functionality of posterous. If it works like I think it should, this post will appear on my blog, my facebook page, my twitter account, and any other account that is magically linked through this site.

Good times.

Posted via web from Brian Edward Miller

Question for Creators

2010-02-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get sick of working on a single page of a comic?

That Damn Sword!

2010-02-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

I had a very productive weekend. Finally. Here's a sneak peak of page 1 of my first graphic novel in the works - with quite a bit left to do (as you can tell with the blank panels or figure-less cityscape).

Oh yeah, and I have a working title that's been sitting well with me for the past few months so I guess now's as good a time as any to tell you 2 or 3 readers!

My first graphic novel is called, "That Damn Sword!" and its gonna curse your eyes!!

Here's the summary:

When Ojin, a poor ceaselessly harassed fisherman, finds a mysterious sword that gives him the power to judge those who have wronged him and the ones he loves, he quickly finds the sword's hunger may be too much to handle...

Product Review: iMac 27"

2010-01-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

With all the crazy hype that's going on right now about apple's new iPad (major name fail btw - how many tampon jokes have you heard so far since it came out a few days ago?) I figured I'd take a brief intermission to post a review about the iMac 27"... you know... the last 'big thing' apple made before the iPad craze.

Instead of a point by point pros and cons list, I want to explain the entire experience I've had. I'll let you pick out the pros and cons.

I ordered my iMac 27" shortly before Christmas. My wife and I have been looking for a new computer (especially in light of the wake of destruction I've left behind with all the other broken computers in our home) and this time we wanted an all in one machine. The price was great, the size was alluring, and the speed this machine promised was so enticing, I couldn't resist. So we pulled the trigger and ordered the machine.

It took 2 weeks for the order to finally ship - and a couple days for it to arrive once it did. During the wait time, I decided to go read some reviews of what other consumers thought about the much anticipated machine. I began finding more and more threads complaining about the screens being faulty - some flickering, some banding, some having dead pixels, and some experiencing a dramatic color shift in which the screen gets progressively warmer (and more piss yellow) towards the bottom. Well the second I read that I knew what was going to happen. I've had enough bad luck with machines to know that mine would be broken on arrival.

The day comes when I finally get my machine and I unveil the thing during my lunch break. It looked glorious. The packaging was amazing as usual (seriously, the packaging team at Apple deserves major thumbs up for everything they've innovated in that experience) and it took mere minutes to set the machine up. I went through the normal process of getting my username and accounts set up - and all was well... except...

I had to check my screen over and over and over to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing... I asked everyone who came over if they could see it... everyone said with a resounding, "yes" that they could... my screen had the color shifting everyone had been complaining about.

I went to multiple sites that postulated theories on what the problem was, what the fix would be, and what apple's response would be. I really didn't want to send the machine back but when I thought about the fact that I just dropped 2k on this thing and it can't even show me colors correctly, I got pissed. I called customer service the next day.

Customer service was decent... they seemed surprised by the problem which only fueled my anger because literally EVERY review of the computer I'd come across complained about the problem and gave accounts of them calling Apple's customer service. But even with the patronizing call and the obligatory 'turn off your machine - shock the PRAM - restart - double check' process, they finally put me through to a manager.

The manager was nice enough - gave me his number should anything go wrong with the return process, all that. They agreed to take the machine back and replace it - and because I didn't want to go without a computer during the return and reship process, they charged my credit card for a 2nd machine, shipped that, and said that I could return the current computer once the new one got there. I agreed to it and continued to use the piss yellow screen one.

During the waiting period, I got to test the machine out with illustrations, design, etc. All the normal situations that I'd use the computer for. I must say, the speed of that machine is nothing short of amazing. I haven't been able to choke it out. My first test was to open an 11x17" 300dpi canvas in photoshop and scribble all over it to see if there was much brush lag. There was none. It was amazing.

So two weeks go by... then three... I start to wonder where the hell my new machine is? I check order status online and see something peculiar... There are 2 computers that look like they've been ordered and are due to arrive at my house on January 12th... Why are there 2 there? I thought maybe the system was messed up or possibly showing the computer that had already been delivered in addition to the new one...

July 12th gets here and no computer shows up. July 13th... no computer. I finally decide to call customer service after checking the online status and seeing that somehow the order had been CANCELED... wtf?

I call customer service and they have no idea what happened to my order. All they know (or all they tell me) is that the order was messed up and there is in fact no computer coming as a replacement. I voice my frustrations to them and they politely tell me that they'll expedite the shipping of a new machine to me and, for my trouble, they'll knock off 100 bucks from the total price. I figure that's decent of them so I accept. I'll have a new machine in a few days, 100 bucks cheaper, and hopefully the screen problem will be fixed.

BTW Apple released a firmware update during this time which I installed on my piss yellow machine - but it didn't resolve the problem. Everyone else I spoke with or read reviews from said the same thing. It fixed flickering screens here and there - but it did nothing to improve the color accuracy.

So, to make a long story a little longer, here we are, January 29th... and I still don't have my replacement computer. Its been weeks. I need to call them again when I get home from work today. I'm definitely discouraged with the whole experience - a feeling that jaded any excitement I would have normally felt for the release of their iPad. I'm hopeful that the replacement iMac they're sending will work as intended... but I'm not holding my breath. Multiple sites posted their second and third replacement machines were no better than the first.

Here's hoping...

Style Guide

2010-01-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a bunch of illos I threw together in a document to use as a sort of style guide. Enjoy.

Create!

2010-01-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Great summary from Stand To Reason:

Nailed to the top of Jesus’ cross is a “certificate of debt” to Caesar, a public display of Jesus’ crime: “King of the Jews.” When punishment is complete, Caesar’s court will cancel the debt with a single Greek word stamped upon the parchment’s face: “tetelestai.” Finished. Paid in full.

Being king of the Jews is not the crime Jesus pays for, however. Hidden to all but the Father is another certificate nailed to that cross: ours. In the darkness that shrouds Calvary from the sixth to the ninth hour, God the Father unleashes His fury upon His sinless Son who has taken upon Himself the crimes of the world as if guilty of all.

At the last, it is not the cross that takes Jesus’ life. When the full payment is made, when the last of the sin debt melts away and the justice of God is fully satisfied, Jesus simply dismisses His spirit with a single Greek word that falls from His lips: “Tetelestai.” It is finished.

Colossians 2:13-14
John 19:30

O God our loving Father, help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. May Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake, amen.

—Robert LouisStevenson

Omm Writer

2009-12-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ommwriter from Herraiz Soto on Vimeo.

A friend of mine suggested a writing application called Omm Writer too me not too long ago. We're both fans of Writeroom, which is an application that takes over your full screen and allows you to write on a completely black screen with a single color text. Its meant to help clear your mind of distractions so you can write in peace.

So when he suggested Omm Writer, I knew it must be something similar because he was raving about the concept just from the video they use to explain it on their site.

I downloaded it, opened it up, and was absolutely stunned. Its one of the most epic creative writing applications I've ever used. Its super simple, relaxing as all get out, and most of all its a clear example of how technology can actually help as a tool.

Omm Writer basically takes over your entire screen and plays ambient music while you write on a serene background (one of three). It purposefully limits the amount of options you have so that it can achieve its purpose: simple writing in a serene setting.

They have a few different ambient soundtracks you can choose from (seven to be exact) with sound effects for your typing as well.

Its really amazing. I'm actually writing this blog post on Omm Writer (which I'll then copy and paste into blogger) and I feel like I'm in the most serene setting on earth. Short of actually going to a serene location, Omm Writer is the next best thing.

Digital Comics

2009-12-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine sent me a forward with an html email from Sony advertising their catalog of digital comics that are available to read and download on their mobile device, the psp. This brought to mind some questions and thoughts I've been having about the whole digital vs print notion.

As we move further and further into the digital realm, we have devices that are capable of pulling up information anywhere at anytime. Information we have stored on our computers is just a few touches away on our phones and other portable devices. This means that for people who are downloading comics, they can carry them anywhere: airports, school, work, etc. Its a lot different than when I was younger and had to smuggle comics into my text books to read them in class.

So my question is, how many people are actually into this? Will this digital medium become the replacement for printed works?

The problem I have in answering this question is that, as much as I hate to admit it, my answer may be tainted by my age! I'm 29 right now but I gotta tell you, I really don't enjoy reading a full on comic book online. I enjoy daily 3 panels in the digital medium - like Penny Arcade or The Abominable - and I'm not sure what's so different about those that makes it a better viewing experience for me. I just know that when I went to Marvel's site and tried to read a digital comic, I quickly lost interest.

For me there's merit and value inherent in holding the printed pages of graphic novels. I think its because it feels like it has more tangible value. I can see it, touch it, smell it, store it on my shelf, and unless there's a fire, I know it'll always be there. With digital, I can't hold it. Its kind of like a friend who shows you a comic they bought but they won't let you hold or touche it. You have to read it over their shoulder as they flip the pages. It never really feels like you own it. I get that same feeling with digital.

So I may have dated myself there because my guess is there's a good chance younger generations who are growing up immersed in this technology won't care like I do. If that's the case, it'll be interesting to see where things end up.

What do you think?

Morning Inspiration

2009-12-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

The more I ink, the more I realize just how much inking is the art of knowing when to say when... I always end up taking it just a few steps too far, adding just too much black or too much splatter, and I ruin the piece.

That experience informs a sense of suspense while I watch these videos because I find myself watching for that exact 'moment you went too far' as the masters work. And just when I think that moment came and went, thinking, "Ooooh - that was a mistake - there's no way its going to look good now..." they suddenly turn into something amazing!

I think that's part of why I like these videos so much. It gives me a small taste of all the emotions I'd experience watching some epic motion picture, but it all revolves around an artist and a piece of paper.

365 Samurai and A Few Bowls Of Rice

2009-12-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

I just got the graphic novel 365 Samurai and A Few Bowls Of Rice in the mail and read the entire thing in one sitting. Its a fairly quick read with very minimal amounts of text even though the graphic novel is 392 pages.

What was really interesting about this comic is that its creator, J.P Kalonji uses a single panel per page layout to tell his story. Basically, every page is a full illustration, containing one beautiful giant panel.

I've never read a graphic novel that used full page panels to tell the entire story - but as an illustrator and lover of art, I really enjoyed it. Its one of those comics that I'll go back to over and over just to appreciate a different page each day. I think the decision to go with full page panels was ballsy and effective... my only gripe with it stems out of my own fears. I basically read the thing in under an hour... and when I think about how much work went into this graphic novel (392 pages is crazy!) compared to how fast I went through it as a reader... it makes me sad. I think that's one drawback of the full page panel is how fast someone can get through it. Breaking up the panels and putting more than one on the page slows the pace of the story down and gives you a better chance of having the reader spend some time in there. But, in all fairness, others may read the story slower than I did. And doing the full page panels was unique. So who knows?

The story will take a bit of mulling over for me to understand I think. But the visuals... mmmmm the visuals... they're right up there with Jeff Smith's Bone.

Give it a read if you're looking for a great, brush inked samurai epic.

Cargo Collective

2009-12-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

I've been noticing more and more designers, photographers, and artists looking for one stop solutions for their portfolio sites (because lets be honest - as designers, when are we ever more fickle about design than when it comes to displaying our own work?).

I'd seen a few friends using a service called Cargo Collective - and after talking to my friend Eric Lim, I decided to email them and get a beta account to give it a go.

I've used a few different sites and CMS products to display work - whether its wordpress or Deviant Art's new portfolio feature. I have to say that I am very impressed with the way Cargo works. Its very intuitive, simple to alter, and it does the job in displaying the work. I think the best part about it is its 0 maintenance, and easy to upload pieces to your gallery. I also like that you can tag pieces of your work and essentially create custom pages to show people.

For instance, if I want to show people only my design work, I can send them here:
http://cargocollective.com/brianedwardmiller/filter/Design

Or, I can change the last word of that URL to Illustration, and it'll take viewers to a page with only my illustration work on it:
http://cargocollective.com/brianedwardmiller/filter/Illustration

If I had to suggest one feature they could add, it would be the ability to create password protected galleries. That's always a nice feature for someone working on stuff they either can't or don't want to show the world.

So far, Cargo Collective is free for people who are approved to use a beta account, but from what I read, there are plans to charge once the product is finished. I'm not sure what they'll be charging for or if I'll be up for paying - but if the features are good enough, I'm down.

Anyway, here's my page. Start one of your own and we can follow each other and be bestest internet buddies!

Inking Supplies

2009-11-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

This post is mostly for the many many times I'd wished I had a single source to go to to find out which tools people were using to ink their work. I purchased a bunch of "how to" books, read interviews, blogs, and forums until my eyes bled, and finally I was able to compile a list of tools that actually worked for me. Now one thing I found is that every artist, in all their self proclaimed idiosyncratic lunacy, has tools they cling to and swear by. I haven't been in this game as long as many of them so the method I used in selecting my tools was to find inkers whose work I liked and figure out what tools they're using to achieve that look.

My who's who list is comprised of: Bill Watterson, Doug Tennapel, Sean Gordon Murphy, Paul Pope, Frank Miller, Klaus Jansen, and Tim Sale.

There are a lot of other inkers I admire - but in general - those are the guys I go to when I have questions about process.

Ok, lets get to it. This is a short list of what I'm using based off what a lot of my heroes are using.

Winsor & Newton Series 7 Brushes
These brushes are simply amazing. I've owned 2 of them so far (one died because I didn't take care of it) and they never fail to amaze. One thing I'm constantly surprised by is just how fine a line you can pull with these brushes. I'm using a size 3 and I can pull hairlines that are thinner than what I can do with some nibs. Selecting a good quality brush is something that I am very keen on because there are some inkers out there who can do everything in the panel using just the brush. I love me some simplicity! But the versatility you get with these brushes is awesome.

Speedball Super Black India Ink
Now this is the black magic. I've used a few different inks (mostly higgins stuff) but Speedball has been by far the most impressive I've touched. It goes on really black, works great for ink wash techniques, and so far hasn't faded with erasures. Some pros say that when you get a new bottle of the stuff, you should open the lid and let it sit overnight to thicken up a bit (they say its a little watery at first). I did that with my first bottle but not my second - and honestly I didn't notice a difference. Either way, this stuff is worth getting.

Strathmore 500 Series Vellum Bristol Board
Now we get to some quality paper. For some reason it took me a while to find out what the exact paper pros were using - but everyone else seemed to know this information with ease. From what I understand, DC comics uses this paper for their pros. Other guys like Sean Gordon Murphy said they use this paper - so that's enough street cred for me. Now the biggest descrepency I found in my research was the weight of the paper pros are using. Some guys (like Tim Sale) say they use 2 ply while other guys use 3-4 ply. The thing is, the heavier you go, the more expensive the paper gets. I bought a sheet of 3ply at my local art store and a single sheet (I think 20"x30") cost 7 bucks. 7 bucks for a sheet of paper!!?? You wanna talk about having fear of drawing - try drawing on a piece of paper that costs 7 bucks and see what that does (although I hear guys like James Jean draw on pieces of paper that cost 10x that).

Anyway, for my money, I'm sticking with the 2ply. I may go 3ply if I can find it cheaper... but the 11x17 vellum bristol 24 pack works great so far.

I inked on this paper for the first time a few days ago and the experience was amazing. Keep in mind, up until this point I was drawing on cheap copier paper that way I had no problem tearing into it, messing up, and having 0 fear of ruining anything expensive. So when I switched to the 2 ply bristol board (made from 100% cotton) it was a night and day difference. This paper drinks down the ink and holds it firmly in place so that it doesn't bleed all over the place. I also really like the toothy finish of vellum (vellum is a rougher finish, plate finish is smooth). It adds a lot of texture to the inks and for ink wash techniques, its really stellar.

Rolling Ruler
I've had this thing since the 6th grade - and I love it. You still have to be careful when you use it with inks because it doesn't have a raised edge (at least mine doesn't) so if ink gets under it, it'll smear good and hard. But I still love this thing.

Ok I think that's it for now in terms of supplies. I posted a link to my amazon store so you can find the supplies you need online - but hey if you find a local art store that has this stuff cheaper, go for it. My art store unfortunately is a 40 minute drive to the downtown denver area - and its a whole lot easier for me to click my mouse and order it than it is to make the trek.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you all had a good holiday spent with family, friends, and lots of good food. I had a great time visiting our family with our 4 month old daughter. Its crazy to see all my cousins running around and realize that the next generation is being raised up... My wife and I lamented the idea that we're going to be taking the place of our parents and our parents will move to the position of grandparents (the older generation). Yet another reminder of how fast time flies.

I've been busy working ever since I got home from the CTN Animation Expo in California. When I got back, I felt really inspired to work - but it wasn't a burning crazy desire to produce like I usually get with something like the Comicon. The passion that followed the Animation Expo was easier to hold onto though and hasn't burned off as quick as the comicon passion did.

I've been spending a lot of time with inks lately. I don't know why I had to try inking for a while, give it up, move to digital with the purchase of a cintiq, try it for a while, give it up, and then move back to traditional inking in order for me to fall in love with it like I have - but that's the way things worked out and I won't complain about it. Inking has opened my eyes to so much and I've been seeing a lot of growth just doing the basic inking exercises each day.

I think one of the things I like the most about inking is that it offers you a chance to transform the style of your illustrations in ways that are as unique as the pencils themselves. You can define your style with your pencils and then redefine it with the inks. Its crazy. I guess I never realized just how much of a difference inking styles can make on drawings. Its definitely given me a lot to think about because for as many influences as I find myself gravitating towards for my pencils, I have at least that many for my inks.

Guys like Bill Watterson, Sean Gordon Murphy, Tim Sale, Paul Pope, Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Mike Mignola, and Toby Cypress have all been wowing me lately. I've got their books scattered all over my house (thank goodness my wife is understanding) so that anytime I have a question, I can pull them out and get an answer.

Needless to say, inking has really changed the look of my art (at least in my eyes). Working digitally, I was going for that whole 'cell from an anime' look. But as I've learned more about what the brush and ink can do that you can't do in animation, I've started craving it and wanting to use more of it in my comic.

Anyway, all this babbling and I finally get to the exciting news: I purchased the Strathamore 500 series 2 and 3 ply vellum bristol board that I'll be using to pencil and ink the first 7 pages of my graphic novel. My plan is to get started on these pages and have them finished in the next couple weeks just to see where I am with everything. I may scan a few of those and let them be the artwork I use on my new url when I announce the title of the book!! Ahhh - I can't wait...

CTN Animation Expo

2009-11-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

I just got back into town from the CTN Animation Expo. Think of it like the Comicon only instead of comics, its all for animation. This conference was geared more towards the professionals already working in the industry or people who were trying to break into it and less towards the fanboys (didn't see any cosplay or stereotypical displays of nerdiness that typify comicon). Seeing as I'm not actually in the animation industry, I guess I'd have to consider myself a fanboy for now...

It was a really interesting experience. Because this is the first year the expo met it was a very intimate venue. You get to talk with every professional you see there as opposed to settling for a mere sighting on a stage. What's more, the opportunity to get critiques on your portfolio from some of the biggest hitters in the game is encouraged. Almost every professional who had a booth had on a button that signified they were available for portfolio reviews. It was amazing listening to what they all had to say about some of the portfolios people brought. The big studios also had booths with recruiters to check over your work, give feedback, and, assuming you fit the bill on what they were looking for, offered a chance to formally submit your work to apply for a position.

I didn't bring any of my illustration work to get critiqued though... maybe next year. I really wanted to go as an observer and a student. They had a bunch of lectures and workshops that were fascinating and applicable to any creative position - whether you're involved in animation, video games, movies, comics, etc.

Some of the most notable seminars I went to were ones with character designers from Disney and Pixar, interviews with Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, demonstrations by master toy makers and sculpters and character designers. Seeing a top of the line disney character designer draw is something I'll never forget... its inspiring to watch them effortlessly bring a character to life on a piece of paper with nothing more than a marker in less that a minute. And listening to most of them talk was a real joy - I don't know if they were characters before they started drawing or if the characters they draw just rubbed off on them after all these years... either way, it was a great time.

So the fanboy in me got to meet a few of my heroes... and I still can't believe it. Meeting Mike Mignola face to face and getting to talk with him about some of his work, his insecurities, and his future plans was something I valued more than anything. Of course meeting Sean "Cheeks" Galloway and Ryan Benjamin was just epic. Sean is one of the most genuinely nice artists I've met - I saw him give heartfelt, sincere, and honest feedback to many people who idolized him and showed him their porftolio. I also saw him give away a book to a young boy (5 or 6 years old) who was with his mom visiting as a fan. Ryan Benjamin was great to talk to - and the sketch he did for me was crazy. Ben Balistreri was inspiring to meet and talk to - and his book Seaweed is amazing (I'd say almost half of that book is dedicated to a sort of 'making of' section where he breaks down his process).

Listening to, meeting, and talking with some of the animators who created and breathed life into the cartoons and animations I grew up on was an experience I'll value for a very long time. It really helped me to see that as a working creative professional, I'm not really all that different from these guys I've idolized for so long. They struggle just like I do and succeed not because of luck (although there is a bit of that) but because when it comes down to it, they're passionate, hard working, and inspired to go beyond average. They all bring so much to the table that listening to each of them speak for a weekend was enough to give me plenty to think about as I continue to develop as an artist, writer, and aspiring creator.

There were quite a few sobering moments at the convention. The animation industry has really been hit hard by the economy. There were a good number of concept artists, character designers, and animation students there who were all starving to get their foot in the door. While there were a lot of studios present to review portfolios, it didn't seem like a lot of them were in the position where they could actually pull the trigger and hire people even if they liked what they saw.

Its interesting because I think the general vibe there was that the animators are finally starting to wake up... kind of like the tree ents from lord of the rings. They've all lived under the thumb of 'industry' (in this case 3d animation) long enough and no one is hoping "the mouse" will bring back traditional 2d animation in any substantial way (or if they do, in conditions artists are willing to work in). Since they can't hope for some huge studio to bring it back it means if they want it, they're going to have to go out and make it happen on their own.

I got the sense that a lot of people in that audience have not only the talent and energy - but the passion and drive to make it happen. I'm excited to see what happens when they finally do... and who knows... maybe someday I'll be a part of it too.

Awesome

2009-11-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Hethe for sending this to me. Hilarious!

More Inking Inspiration

2009-11-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

I came across this video this morning as I was searching for solutions to inking challenges I'm coming across. What amazes me is how every artist holds their brush in a different way. Some master a single directional stroke and spin the paper 360 degrees so they can always make that same stroke... and then you have guys like Jeff Smith (Bone)that keeps the paper in one spot and just wields the brush like its an extension of his arm, hand, and fingers. Amazing.

I have no idea why the star wars music is playing in this video... except that its oddly appropriate. He is the emperor...

And if that's not enough for ya, here's a fun video of Jeff Smith going over some details of how he works.

I love process.

Process Changes: Part 2 (Inspiration)

2009-11-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

These are some of the videos that have been inspiring me lately. I don't know what it is about watching masters ink but I could seriously watch them all day.

Process Changes

2009-11-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about my illustration process a lot lately, considering things that I'd previously never thought of before. Throughout my time as an illustrator, I've vacillated between digital vs. traditional over and over and once again, I find myself ready to make another change.

I started off years ago drawing on paper and then going to the computer to correct, ink, and color my work. What I was drawing at the time wasn't full page sequential art but simple spot illustrations with the purpose of using them in marketing pieces (web, print, etc.). At the time, that process worked ok, but I hated having to scan things into the computer. Eventually I graduated to working 100% digitally. It really helped me to grow as an artist. I could erase or correct things when they were off (which they frequently were) and actually see what 'right' looked like in terms of illustration. This boosted my confidence and helped me develop in ways that I was unable to with traditional tools.

At some point, for whatever reason, I decided to try my hand at brush ink. I've always been in love with the work of artists who roll traditional (Tennapel, Mignola, Sean Gordon Murphy, Bill Watterson, etc.). I actually really enjoyed it. It was expensive getting all the materials and it was a pain in the ass trying to learn how to use them but ultimately it seemed like a fun and relaxing craft. I loved that, when it was over, I had a tangible work of art to physically hold in my hand.

The problem for me came when I would start my drawings because I had become dependent on penciling on the computer. I always make foundational mistakes when I draw and end up having to go back and correct so things look right... but working with a pencil, a piece of paper, and a lightbox really started to wear on me - especially when I knew that after all of that was said and done, I still had the inking to labor through.

I decided to go fully digital. That road took me all the way up to this point in my illustration career. Digital illustration opens up so many doors if you can master it... concept art being the one I started to pursue. But for comic book art, while I was putting out single illustrations that looked cool (going after that whole cell shade animation look), I always felt like it was missing the power and life of traditional inks. There are so many things that happen when you ink traditional and even the mistakes themselves can turn into really great stylistic signatures.

So I think I know the route I'm going to be taking from this point forward (until I end up needing to change again). My process is going to be penciling on the computer so that I can arrange and compose and erase and redraw as much as I need to. Once that's done, I'll print it out and work some traditional inks and washes (which I'm ecstatic to work with again). Then it'll be back to the computer for corrections and color if I go that route.

Its kind of a complex method and I have a feeling that at some point I may go fully digital if I fail to produce results with a brush that can't be replicated with a computer. I wish I could show you some of what I've been working on but its not quite ready... soon though.

Have A Good Day

2009-11-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already seen this, then smile, because your day is about to get good.

An artist named Bobby Chiu (really cool guy from what I can tell in all his youtube video talks and tutorials) started a new blog called Chiustream. He basically interviews artists and does lots of cool stuff that is very helpful for those of us trying to create.

He has 2 interviews on there that I've listened to so far (and will probably listen to again). The first is will famed creator of Hellboy, Mike Mignola. This interview was fascinating... if you're a fan at all of Mignola, go listen now! The second was with one of my favorite street fighter artists, Alvin Lee.

If you're lazy you can watch the Mignola interview here, just make sure to go check out Chiustream because he has other interviews on there that are very worth the watch.

Celtx (Freeware)

2009-10-27T10:44:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine recently pointed me to a freeware script writing application that he came across. I'm usually pretty sceptical of freeware apps just because... well, its free! How good can it be?

I was definitely taken aback when I downloaded and played around with Celtx. Currently, I'm using Scrivener to do my writing - but I think I'm going to give Celtx a try for my next script. They have a ton of built in features that would have made my life much easier in this comic.

Things like:
· Document sharing so your friends or editors can make notes on your script
· Collaboration tools
· Character lists and profiles (this feature is epic)
· Multiple templates for scripts, production lists, comics, etc.
· Easy to use interface (biiiiig plus)
· Simple exporting options (many of which work with the bigger more expensive script writing apps)

I don't have time to go over all the features - but take a look at it and see if you like it. I'm all for apps that make life easier (No, Adobe Photoshop, you don't make my life easier... I hate you... but need you...)

http://www.celtx.com

No Turning Back Now!

2009-10-20T07:33:00.000-06:00

Well, my friends, I've registered the domain with the title of my first graphic novel!!! No turning back now... its on!

I've yet to decide how I'm going to handle the site - whether I'll make it a blog similar to this one that shows the process of creating the comic - or if it will just be a simple information site that houses some drawings as I finish them. We'll see.

I'll link you the name of it soon and very soon, once its up and running. I may even have a few character model sheets to show you at that point... Mua ha ha!!

Onward and upward!

Process Site

2009-10-16T07:49:00.000-06:00

This site is blowing my mind.

http://www.artboxforum.com/wip/

Character Designs

2009-10-12T07:26:00.000-06:00

By the end of this month, I'm going to have a massive update for you all. I've calculated it out, and basically I'm going to be doing 20 original character designs for my graphic novel in about 25 days. I started this weekend and got some really fun stuff goin. I'm excited! I wouldn't mind showing what I have now but its all done on paper and I haven't hooked up my scanner yet. The method I've found that works best is to do all my concepting on paper then, once I've learned what the character looks like, I can go digital with little to no problem.

So 20 characters by the end of the month... which means as early as next month I'll be starting on the page layouts.

0_0

Why have I not been preparing!!!!!!!!!?????!?!!!!

lol - jk. I'm ready.

Simply Amazing

2009-10-08T08:44:00.000-06:00

I've seen 2 different versions of this commercial, the difference between the two is the musical score. This one is by far the best one.

For those artists out there who know what it means to hear a song and suddenly have a vision in your head of a new story or graphic novel... well this song is what I hear when I picture mine... particularly the climax of the story.

It was composed by a guy named Rob Persaud (all the other music samples he has on his site are really really good). I sent him an email and am hoping that he can point me to a full version of the song... cause the clip I hear in this video is nothing short of moving.

Click here to watch it on Rob Persaud's site.

Dangit, I'm Old School

2009-10-06T08:02:00.000-06:00

I just realized this week that I'm old school. For the past month I've been trying here and there to get into the character design for my graphic novel. Theoretically, this should be the least difficult entry point for me. I LOVE creating new characters and envisioning how they'll look, move, act, speak... its really one of the driving reasons I got into this game to begin with. So naturally when it came time to design the characters after the script was locked down, I turned on my computer, grabbed my cintiq pen, and tried to go to work.

The results were disappointing.

Granted, I had a lot going on in the last few months and I've been a stylistic schizophrenic trying to figure out how to go about this comic. But for whatever reason, I just couldn't get anything good to stick. All my stuff was looking stiff, boring, and lifeless no matter what I tried.

The real game changer for me happened on numerous occasions when photoshop (my drawing app of choice) would suddenly shut down, demolishing everything I had worked on for the last hour. And that's when it hit me...

One of the reasons I was having so much trouble brainstorming on the computer was I was fighting my tools. Every time my computer stalled or glitched or shut down, it would pull me out of the creative mode into technical mode (or seething with bitter bitter rage mode... either one). That's why everything was feeling so stiff. It was being approached not from the freedom of an artist who was unencumbered by his tools, but by a man who was being destroyed by the machines (curse you machines!).

My solution was so basic, it bordered on remedial. I grabbed a pencil, grabbed a piece of copy paper, and went to work.

Ahh, its been pure bliss drawing on paper. There's just something about sitting at my drafting table with some music or anime playing as I pull and drag the pencil (col erase blue baby) across a nice piece of 11x17 piece of cheap copy paper. I don't mind messing up because its cheap paper, and the worst that happens with my tools trying to battle me is that my pencil tip will snap (I gotta stop pushing down so hard). But a quick zip of the pencil sharpener and I'm back to creating. I love it.

This doesn't mean I'll be working all traditionally for my graphic novel. I make no qualms about the fact that, using the computer, I can accomplish things that I'm unable to do with a pencil and paper. Call it a crutch, but that's the result of me spending gaudy amounts of time on the machine for my career. So as it stands, my process is to brainstorm on paper, finish on the machine. Who knows... I may end up finding that traditional frees me up in other areas too, but for now that's where it stands. I can't wait to show you some of the characters I've been creating. My lineup right now stands at a cast of 20 for this first graphic novel. Should be fun!

Women In Comics

2009-10-05T08:59:00.000-06:00

I came across this video on one of my favorite blogs and thought it was pretty interesting. Its a 4 minute clip of a 30 minute video that raises some interesting points. I haven't watched the full 30 minute video, but what the guy brought up in the 4 minute clip was definitely thought provoking.

So let me ask you who are creating comics at this very moment, whether its professionally, or in your spare time...

How are you portraying women in your comics? Or men for that matter? Is that something you think about?

Its definitely something I think about, especially when it comes to how I am drawing and representing women in my comics. Because I'm approaching my comic from more of a shonen manga perspective (where typically the women are thought of as buxom babes to be shown off alongside the hero), I'm definitely aware that there is a standard method of representing women. But this is one area I'm not looking to be 'standard' or 'conventional' in.

I don't like the idea of representing women (or men for that matter) in such a way that I am helping to establish a marred standard for what women should be like in the minds of male readers. It may sound like I'm putting too much weight in a simple 'cartoon book'... but come on, no one is naive enough to believe that what we're creating isn't going to at least influence the readers (even if it is in a small way). Otherwise, what's the point of doing them?

Strange rant, I know. The main point is - be aware of what you're doing and why you're doing it...

Names and Anime

2009-09-29T08:10:00.000-06:00

I finally settled on a name for my first graphic novel. I was using a placeholder name up until a few days ago but I just managed to shut out the fact that at some point it would need to be reworked. I started trying to name it over the weekend. I went through every naming exercise I know, went down every road I could, and at the end... nothin.

It really drives me crazy when the only thing separating my creative drive from my end goal is the lack of a good name. I couldn't focus on anything once I realized I didn't have a good name for this thing. I couldn't do anything, no drawing, no writing, no brainstorming, until I had the name.

I spoke with a friend yesterday who knows a very very rough synopsis of my story... and when I asked him for suggestions, it literally took him one or two minutes and BOOM, he had a suggestion that fit perfectly. So Matt, thank you!

Once I have the domain registered and some basic junk up on the site, I'll post the link for you all. I worked on the logo last night and came up with something quick that I think works. I can't wait for you all to see it...

And with that, I'm fired up about getting this thing underway!

In other news, I've been watching lots of anime lately. I should specify that I've been watching 'good' anime. I'm not one of those illustrators who will throw any anime on there because 'any anime is cool anime'. No, I am very very very picky when it comes to anime. I grew up on Robotech (which I loved) but very seldom came across anything else that caught my eye. So coming back to the genre for inspiration has been a mix of pure joy and pure frustration. Lemmie tell you about some of the anime I found that, if you're like me, you'll enjoy.

Sword Of The Stranger
All I can say about this one is WOW. The animation quality is superb, the fight scenes are something I've never seen done before in any other movie, the music was spectacular, and the overall story was great. Its a real testament to what can be done by masters of that industry. As far as content goes - its pretty bloody - but not the bloodiest I've ever seen (Fist of the NorthStar - holla!).

Gurren Lagann
Ok, so I've been on this Super Robot genre kick for a few months now and I have to say, Gurren Lagann is the best in its class. Its made by studio Gainax and its evident that these guys are the best at what they do. Its kind of funny because this studio made Neon Genesis Evangelion and I didn't actually like it that much (hate all you want) - so I was skeptical of this anime's quality. I couldn't have been more wrong. Its non-stop action, really funny moments, and a genuinely good story. One of the episodes in season 1 almost had me welling up... almost. What's the story about? Go read for yourself. Content wise, there's not really much blood, there is violence, and there is the bizarre Gainax obsession with bouncing boobs and sometimes awkward camera angles (like between girls legs looking outward - wtf is that about?). If you can get past that though, the rest is stellar.

Robotech: Protoculture Collection
This is what I grew up with... amazing story, great old school art, and characters that you'll love and hate. I've been going back to this series because of its nostalgia and it just flat out inspires me.

That's it for now - I'll post more of what I've been watching and reading soon...

5 Years

2009-09-25T06:54:00.000-06:00

Today my wife and I are celebrating our 5 year anniversary! I can't believe its been 5 years... its absolutely staggering. On the one hand it doesn't seem like it has been that long - but on the other, it feels like its been longer (in a good way).

I don't think there's any way I could have predicted the outcome of my life in the context of marriage. Never did I fathom that it would be something God would use to make me into a better man. It took a while for my mind to wrap around that idea, that God uses marriage to make us holy (refined, reshaping our character, making us stronger, more like Christ) and not to make us happy ('happy' in this case being culturally defined as 'an emotional high or feeling of bliss'). I'm definitely not saying I'm not happy, but I would say that the definition I'd use for the word is more in line with how people used it 50-100 years ago instead of how people use it today (that happiness is the contentment that comes from a life well lived). Anyway, I'm getting off track...

Days like today serve as a great reminder for me of what is important, what's not important, and everything in between. My wife is more a blessing to me now than I could have ever hoped she would be. Even in my wildest dreams and fantasies before I was married, I could never have imagined someone even a fraction as amazing as her. And seeing her now as the mother of our daughter only served to increase my sense of awe and love for her. She's got such strength and integrity and without her, I'd be lost.

She's got such a great way of dazzling me - whether its seeing her pour her talents into difficult tasks that most people are reluctant to take up, expending what seems like endless amounts of energy to make sure our baby is taken care of, listening to and encouraging me when things are rough, caring for others, investing in relationships, seeking God, or just looking ridiculously hot doing anything... I am completely and wholly enchanted with her.

This 5 year anniversary marks a point where we've settled down in the state of our choosing, established strong roots in a church that has become our family, pursued jobs and careers that allow us to use our God given talents and desires, and most recently, we brought life into this world with the birth of our daughter.

Beautiful, I can't wait to see what the next 5 will bring. I love you!

Why The Lull In Posts?

2009-09-23T19:49:00.000-06:00

BAM! That's why!

My Giant

2009-09-11T09:02:00.000-06:00

Here's my morning study. Technically its a night and a morning study because I did the pencils for it last night after we put our baby girl to bed. I have had anime / robots on the brain lately.

I'm glad I was able to get this one out so quickly even in its unfinished state (I'm still calling it finished though cause I gots to move on). I've been experimenting with a bunch of different styles lately in an attempt to nail down the look of my graphic novel. This gets me closer - but still not quite there.

Lunch Bots

2009-09-10T14:07:00.000-06:00

Quick lunch paint. What can I say... I like robots.

*btw - if my colors are looking way off lately, I promise its not because I have horrid color theory. I've been having major problems with my monitor calibration at work. If only what I saw on screen was what you could see... but a lot of colors are looking really blown out when I look at them on other monitors. Gotta figure out how to get that fixed...

Mornin Study

2009-09-04T08:39:00.000-06:00

Morning study of a photo I googled.

That Place...

2009-09-02T09:44:00.000-06:00

Don't look like a place I wanna go!

Mornin!

2009-08-31T08:48:00.000-06:00

I thought about what I was going to paint this morning all during the car ride to work. When I got here, I still had no idea... so I drew a tree on a hill in front of some mountains. I don't know. The colors are a little garish but I don't care. My Miyazaki phase still hasn't run its course.

I'm likin the new painting method I've been adapting with the last few. I figured out a way to get my final piece tighter - not so loose and blobby. And all it took was a single adjustment on my palate knife brush! Mmmm... how I love my palate knife.

Anyway, this was done in photoshop start to finish, 1 hour, no reference.

Lazy Sunday

2009-08-30T20:18:00.000-06:00

New junk I've been working on. I'm calling it quits on that pirate piece - I wasn't able to do with it what I wanted... but I'd still call it a piece that was worth doing because it helped point me in the right direction of where I need to focus my studies.

I'm really digging this modified palate knife brush. Its fun doing environments with it.

Inspiration

2009-08-28T08:04:00.000-06:00

My favorite parts in this video (aside from the incredible inspiration I feel when watching a 99 year old artist still working on his craft):

When he says, "Don't ask me what I'm doing, I haven't the slightest idea."

And the fact that he would have kept going forever had it not been for his wife stopping him to remind him, of all things, that it was time for their date.

So good.

More Studies

2009-08-27T09:55:00.000-06:00

Well after yesterday's somewhat dreary post, I'm happy to report that I finally have a direction. A friend helped me pinpoint both where I was getting stuck as well as how I could solve the problem. So from here on out, I'll be doing more figure studies (starting with a bunch of portraits) trying to nail down that painterly look I've been trying to get.

This was my morning study. I've made it the header of my blog not because I'm proud of it, but because its the first one and I expect to be able to demolish it in a few weeks / months time with lots of study. It'll serve as a reminder of where I'm starting and hopefully motivate me to get movin. This guy is also important as he just might be making an appearance in my graphic novel...

Brutal Times

2009-08-26T08:59:00.000-06:00

It definitely has been a brutal week in more ways than one. Stress at work, stress at home with our baby hitting the 6 week mark (also known as the time when they're at their most fussy). To top things off, I feel like I've lost my direction as an artist and am having a rough time finding my way back... mostly because I don't want to go back, I want to go forward.

The more and more I study and learn, the more I've been realizing how hard I've been leaning on crutches. Once I decided to knock those crutches out from under me, I barely have artistic legs to stand on. It feels like walking for the first time again. My paintings look atrocious right now - and the best and worst part is, I can see that. Its good that I can see that but its difficult because I can't really force my way out of it until I put in some crazy hours to get back to the point where I'm at least satisfied with the work.

This is all a good thing, don't get me wrong. But growth is a painful thing sometimes. The worst part is I don't know what this means for my graphic novel. I'm at the point now where I don't want to start working on it until I have some of these core issues resolved... but at the same time I don't want to procrastinate things as I quest for what may seem like perfection. I'm not at that point yet thankfully. Right now its just a learning game. I'm hopeful that in a few weeks - maybe a few months - I'll be producing stuff I'm more comfortable with. Tough things to figure out - but well worth it. I can honestly say that for the most part, I'm enjoying the journey.

Limits

2009-08-23T21:49:00.000-06:00

I didn't get much time to work this weekend thanks to a wedding and enough sleep deprivation stacked against me to keep me slumbering like a bear in winter... that plus the intense 'W.o.W. fever' that was brought on by the new Cataclysm trailer and streaming coverage of blizzcon's arena tournaments.

I almost fell to that game again. I had my mouse cursor over the sign-up button and was ready to go... but it was a funny thing that stayed my hand and ultimately broke my desire to play.

The very concept art they used to promote the game was what stopped me from signing up. It wasn't that the concept art was amazing (which it was) or that it was promoting changes for a game that had everyone foaming at the mouth (which I was). It was that there sitting in front of me was a piece of art that had me so excited it was all I could do to keep myself from acting (even if 'action' in this case was simply signing up for a game). It amazed me that there are opportunities out there for concept artists to be the makers of visuals that are seen by millions. And who knows when an opportunity like that is going to come around? But if it does, the artist has to be ready for it.

And that's what made me shut down the browser and open up Photoshop to spend my evening painting. If I'm going to suck as an illustrator or concept artist, its going to be because when I pushed myself, I found my limit. It will not be because I was too lazy to put in the time.

Anyway, enough typing. Here's the progress shot of my pirates piece. I had a different idea for telling a story simply using color which I think will work well. My big exploration this week will be figuring out a good way to finish this one.

Pirates 1

2009-08-21T08:29:00.000-06:00

I was getting bored doing the 1 hour studies so I figured I'd take the next step and see if I could go for a slightly more complex painting. What better subject to paint than pirates!

I'll be working on this one for a few days me thinks... but I figured I'd give you a glimpse into the process. Here it is in its most ugly incarnation.

Yarrrr!

Windy Up Hur

2009-08-20T08:01:00.000-06:00

Mornin! Here's my 1 hour painting this morning. I know you think its windy in this image - but what you can't see is the giant creature off screen that just had some after effects of a breakfast burrito. That's right. I went there.

Mountains Gandalf! Mountains!

2009-08-19T22:17:00.000-06:00

I'm obsessed with drawing mountains right now. I won't stop until I get them right. This one was drawn with reference from John Cleare's glorious book of mountains. I think I'm going to start doing formal studies at night - and then leave the morning and lunchtime for made up stuff.

Lunchtime Drawing

2009-08-19T13:23:00.000-06:00

"Dude... I told you playing golf this close to the edge was a dumb idea."

Morning Study: Bayou

2009-08-19T08:33:00.000-06:00

Mmm, nothing beats a quick morning painting of a creepy bayou.

And not that its that interesting, but here's a quick glimpse of how I started this one. This is the part I'm still trying to figure out - the best approach to start.