Chris Houghton's Blog

Covers! Covers! Covers!

2011-12-29T13:21:00.000-08:00

(whoooosh!) That is the sound effect of me blowing the dust of this blog.

It's been a busy last couple of months. October was mostly spent traveling and promoting Reed Gunther while working on the comic. November was a month full of drawing comics. And December has been full of Reed Gunther comics, freelance work for Boom Studios, and going back to work at Nickelodeon. (phew!) That is the sound effect of me wiping sweat from my brow.

I'm doing a bunch of covers for Boom's "Adventure Time" comic book series (I'll post some soon). It should be a lot of fun and I'm having such a fun time with these covers. As for the work at Nickelodeon, I'm back to doing storyboard revisions but I'm now working on a new show called "Robot and Monster." The show hasn't aired yet but look for it (hopefully) around the spring of 2012.

Here are some recent Reed Gunther covers. Josh Ulrich is doing the colors of these issues (and doing a gorgeous job) but I'm still coloring the covers:

(meow) That is the sound effect my cat makes.

Have a Happy New Years!

Convention Sketches

2011-10-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

Shane and I got back into LA yesterday after a long weekend in New York for the big NYCC. Wow- what a busy con! It was a lot of fun though and we met a bunch of East coast Reed Gunther fans. What a blast. During the con, I drew a bunch of sketches and commissions. Here are some of my favorites:

(Photos from my totally high-quality camera phone)

One of the Crogan Adventure characters:

The Spirit:

Scott Pilgrim:

Reed and Sterling:

A reader's original character named, Lou:

The Juggernaut:

Hip Flask:

A caveman:

Shane and I will be at the Long Beach Comic Con as well as the Comikaze Con in the next few weeks. Other than that you can find me huddled up at my drawing desk trying to finish a bunch of Reed Gunther issues!

Reed Gunther at APE!

2011-09-26T17:29:00.001-07:00

If you're attending APE this weekend, be sure to stop by table #647 to say hi! Both Shane and I will be behind the booth selling issues #1-5, prints, buttons/magnets, and more! I'll be drawing sketches too. We'll have lots of goodies so swing by table #647!

TruDefender Comic Strip

2011-09-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to work for a company that makes high-tech instruments that can detect the exact chemicals that make up a specific material by simply pointing the instrument towards the source. Wow! That's the kind of wacky stuff you see in comic books, right?

Apparently, the marketing department for the TruDefender instrument thought the same thing and hired me to illustrate a comic strip showcasing the instrument's newest feature: text messaging. Hazmat teams often have trouble communicating the results of the chemical tests to their Incident Commander (I.C.) who is not in Hazmat gear and away from the danger zone. This frustrating communication problem must be solved by having the Hazmat officer go through the decon process, take off his suit, and physically show the results to his I.C.... until now! Now, the Hazmat officer can simply text the instrument's results to his I.C. saving time and energy.

What an exciting project to be a part of. Here is the final strip with pencils and inks below:

Pencils:

Inks:

"Harvey Hammersickle Presents" Animated Clip

2011-08-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a short animated shot from Shane Houghton's and Justin Lazernick's Channel 101 pilot, "Harvey Hammersickle Presents!" This is my first contribution to a Channel 101 pilot and it was a blast seeing it on the big screen last Saturday at the The Downtown Independent in Downtown LA.

You can view the full 5 minute pilot here.

Goodbye Fanboy and Chum Chum!

2011-08-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was my last day working on storyboards for Fanboy and Chum Chum. I came in half way through the second season and finished out the season having a great time. No word yet if the show will get a third season or not but until then, I'll be working on drawing more Reed Gunther issues for Image Comics.

I had a great little desk area in a room where Ray Morelli, Kyle Carrozza, and David Gemmill all worked. Eddie Trigueros's office was connected to our room as well which was a lot of fun. Here's a photo of my desk:

And here's the wall next to my area that was slowly covered in post-it drawings.

Post-it drawings were soon started to take over our office! Hide the kids!

I was greeted by these Fanboys each morning drawn by Eddie:

Here's a favorite of mine that hung over my desk drawn by David:

Here's a marvelous massive post-it of the character Kyle by the one and only Eddie Trigueros!

A terrifyingly cute BatChum by my crazy talented director Brandon Kruse:

Some Wonder Woman post-its by me. I've got a whole slew of post-it drawings to post in the near future.

And look- Kass and I made Fanboy and Chum Chum sugar cookies for my last day!

Reed Gunther at SDCC!

2011-07-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I'm a bit late to announce that Reed Gunther #2 is now out on comic book stands wherever fine series are sold! If for whatever reason your local comic shop doesn't carry Reed Gunther, no problem. Just tell them you'd like them to carry the series and most shops are happy to oblige.

Issue #3 should be out on stands August 3rd so keep yer eyes pealed for that one!

Also, this upcoming week is the big San Diego Comic-Con! Shane and I will be set up at the Image booth all weekend selling comics, new buttons and new magnets, RG sketch cards, and a brand new limited edition prints! The 11" x 14" prints are limited to 100 copies (hand numbered) and will be sold for $10 each (cheap!) Here's the artwork:

The original artwork for this print will be auctioned off at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s annual auction at San Diego Comic-Con July 23!

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST! If you've spent all your money on great books like Usagi Yojimbo, Chew, or Forever Freshman and you're broke by the time you get to our booth, never fear! We'll be debuting a BRAND NEW FREE Reed Gunther mini comic! Yowza!

See ya in San Diego!

Cleopatra in Spaaace!

2011-06-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

My buddy, Mike Maihack has another BIG issue of "Cleopatra in Spaaace!" coming out soon! It's a super-fun web comic that Mike does weekly (in full color too!). He just released the cover for his newest Cleo book and it is absolutely outstanding:

Pre-order the book here!

Mike asked me to contribute a pin-up for the book which I was very excited to do. He was nice enough to provide Shane and I with a pin-up for Reed Gunther a while back so it was cool to have the chance to return the favor.

More Work Doodles

2011-06-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

The release of RG #1 was success! Shane and I did multiple signings and have received some really great feedback on the book. You can read more about it on the Reed Gunther blog by clicking here.

Here's some more work doodles!

Reed Gunther #1 Available Today!

2011-06-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Reed Gunther #1 published through Image Comics hits stands today! Shane and I couldn't be happier to see our monthly schedule starting today. The first Wednesday of each month will be the day a new Reed Gunther issue shows up on comic store stands nation-wide.

Not sure where your local comic shop is? Check out ComicShopLocator.com!

If you'd rather buy your comics online, there are also plenty of online comic shops to support as well. Here are just a few:

iFanboy.com

ForbiddenPlanet.com

ThingsFromAnotherWorld.com

PaperWindows.com

Many thanks to everyone who has been supporting us over the years as we self-published. And thanks to those who continue to support (especially those who have told us they'll buy the colored editions although they already bought the b&w versions!). Your support means the difference between indy comics surviving or dying out. Thank you!

Mojotown Ad

2011-05-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

I recently finished up another ad illustration for Mojotown. A quick but fun job, they wanted to go with a very friendly vintage feel depicting their Mojoman in a classy 1950s gas station attendant's uniform.

Here's my initial sketch:

The clean-up vector illustration done in Adobe Illustrator.

And a rough design showing how they might be able to incorporate text (and which fonts to use) into the illustration. Ultimately, they came up with the final copy and finished with a nice ad.

Thanks Mojotown!

Update!

2011-04-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I've been meaning to post lately because I was lucky enough to have another spot illustration in the newest issue of MAD! Check out MAD #509, it's a really fun issue.

Here's a little preview of the illustration I worked on:

Last weekend, Shane and I were at the Long Beach Comic Expo and had a great time. This weekend, we'll be at the Anaheim Comic Con starting tonight, Friday until Sunday May 1st. Stop on by and check out our table (#3219) of Reed Gunther goodies!

I've been busy with work during the day and doing comic book work at night. Although, I try to venture off to doodle and do little paintings as much as I can.

Later guys and dolls!

Comic Projects!

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

Hey y'all! Here's some work from some recent assorted comic projects.

I had the pleasure to do a cover for Bluewater's Vincent Price Presents issues a while back. Spooooky!

I also got to step out of my comfort zone a bit to do a pin-up for David Server and Jackson Lanzing's Freak Show! They're great guys!

I also finished a short Kung Fu Panda comic a couple of months ago that should be out soon through Ape Entertainment.

Lastly, I inked one of Kyle Corrozza's "Frog Raccoon Strawberry" strips on Dumm Comics a couple of weeks ago. Lots of fun! You can see my inks here and the finished strip here.

Heeby Jeeby Comix #2!

2011-04-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Heeby Jeeby Comix #2 is out! Yay! Many thanks to the fellas, Bob Flynn, Dan Moynihan, and David DeGrand. Again, Bob took the reigns and put together the issue and sent it of to the printers. Thanks Bob!

It will be debuting this weekend at MoCCA where Bob Flynn and Dan Moynihan will be set-up up. Check em' out at booth B21!

Shane and I will be at a couple of upcoming comic cons and along with our Reed Gunther gear, should have copies of Heeby Jeeby Comix #1 and #2.

We'll be at the Long Beach Comic Expo on Saturday April 23rd as well at the Anaheim Comic Con Friday April 29th to Sunday May 1st. Stop by and say hello!

Day 29!

2011-03-29T12:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it's happened. I've completely fallen off the "Daily March" horse! All well, here's some post-it note doodles from work.

Day 18!

2011-03-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I missed yesterday's sketch. Whad are YOU gonna do about it?!

Day 16!

2011-03-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Somehow I managed to draw this on the bus this morning despite the shakiness. I like to think of it as extreme drawing! Next up is trying to sketch while skydiving or maybe bull-riding.

Day 15!

2011-03-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

Day 11!

2011-03-11T16:23:00.001-08:00

Just some fun drawin's!

Day 10!

2011-03-10T13:43:00.001-08:00

Whoops! Missed yesterday's sketch. All well, I'm back on the wagon!

Day 8!

2011-03-08T12:12:00.001-08:00

Just some random weirdos for today. Be sure to check out all the other participate's work here!

Day 7!

2011-03-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

Day 4!

2011-03-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

Big News for Reed Gunther!

2011-03-03T09:47:00.001-08:00

If you haven't heard yet, there's big news for Reed Gunther over at the Reed Gunther blog!

Day 3!

2011-03-03T09:44:00.001-08:00

I drew and inked this on the bus which gave me a really shaky line. I kinda like it!

The Daily March!

2011-03-01T09:36:00.000-08:00

March is apparently sketch book month so I might try to post a daily sketch (M-F) for the month.

Updates!

2011-02-12T12:56:00.000-08:00

Hey guys and gals on the WWW! I've got some updates, so get your reading eyes ready!

First up, I'm delighted to say that I did a spot illustration for the latest issue of MAD magazine! Wow, what a treat! It's a dream come true to play a small part in something that has provided a huge foundation for me as an artist and lots of inspiration and laughs through the years. Many thanks to the great Ryan Flanders for art directing me!

Here's a sneak peak of the illo. If you wanna see the whole thing, go buy an issue, you clod!

Next up, it's Valentine's Day over on the Reed Gunther site! Although I've been busy working on Fanboy and Chum Chum over at the "Sponge-Factory" (read: Nickelodeon), Reed Gunther is still going strong! The RG blog has been pretty quiet the last few months but never fear, Shane and I have been working on a lot of Reed Gunther stuff and should have some very exciting news on the horizon!

There's also some big news over at Heeby Jeeby Comix! The 2nd issue is off to the printers and we're all anxiously awaiting seeing the comics in "hard-copy." This issue features a great front cover by Dan Moynihan and a hilarious back cover by the one and only David DeGrand!

It was Bob's idea for us four Heeby Jeeby fellas to draw monster self-portraits for the inside front cover of this issue. Fun stuff! Here's mine:

That's all for now! Hope everyone's doing swell!

Work Doodles

2011-01-20T09:24:00.001-08:00

Hey-o! Work at Nickelodeon is going really well! My job's pretty fun and I'm learning a ton of stuff about makin' cartoons. I work with some great people too which is the most important ingredient of any environment.

I usually spend a little time in the morning each day to get warmed up so I thought I'd share some of those goofy drawings here. Hope you like 'em!

Sheena!

2011-01-12T22:56:00.000-08:00

This was a fun job! I recently did a few Sheena sketch cards for 5finity. Here were my favorites:

Nickelodeon

2010-12-27T16:53:00.000-08:00

Hey internet surfers! I recently took a job as a storyboard revisionist on Nickelodeon's "Fanboy and Chum Chum" which I'm really excited about. It'll be strange hanging up my freelance hat for a while but it'll be a refreshing change I'm looking forward to.

And if any of you are wondering, Reed Gunther will still continue. Things have been slow but the 5th issue is still crawling along and should be out shortly. We've got some fun stuff in the works!

Even More Commissions...

2010-12-27T16:45:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Thanks so much to everyone who ordered commissions. Work during the Fall was a bit slow for me and I'm very lucky to have so many great people commission me for a drawing, many of which were given as Christmas presents which makes me super happy.

However, things have gotten strangely busy very quickly in my life (all good things!) so I'll have to close down commissions for a while. Perhaps later in 2011 I'll be able to open them up again. Thanks guys and gals and I'm sorry to the recent requests I've had to turn down.

Another Commission

2010-12-08T14:48:00.000-08:00

Commissions

2010-12-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

I've had quite a few commissions rolling in the last couple of weeks. I'm willing to take a few more before the end-of-the-year craziness. So if you'd like one, speak now or forever hold your peace!

Commissions are 9"x 12" and in B&W. If interested, contact me at chrishoughtonart(at)gmail(dot)com

Thanks!

Temporary Tattoos

2010-12-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

Here's another fun job I did for Mojotown: temporary tattoos! These were a ton of fun.

Pretty basic job, I sketched up a few ideas based off of the creative director's notes. He then chose 4 designs to carry through to final vector art. The 5th tattoo design was actually created off of the pose of Mojodude from the last panel of the one-page comic advertisement I posted earlier.

I also hand-drew that intense-looking logo. Look out!

Another quick turnaround on this one- but fun!

Reed Gunther in Freak Show Showdown!

2010-11-23T09:44:00.001-08:00

Here's the cover (a wrap-around!) for the upcoming 5th issue, "Reed Gunther in Freak Show Showdown!"

Christmas Coloring Page

2010-11-20T12:33:00.000-08:00

I was happy to again supply the art work for Canfield Jenkins' Holiday Coloring Page Contest this year! I also did the artwork for last year which can be seen here.

I'm selling the original 11"x 14" inked drawing for $60. If you're interested, email me at chrishoughtonart(at)gmail.com

Animation Stuff

2010-11-16T16:16:00.000-08:00

I'm going to the CTN Animation Expo and wanted to beef up my portfolio a little bit with some newer animation-based pieces.

Have you ever played StarCraft? Cause I have... a lot. Here are some designs for a fake "StarCraft: The Animated Series" show.

I'm especially excited to meet my buddies Bob Flynn and Renee Kurilla this weekend as we've never met in person!

See ya at the CTN Animation Expo this weekend in Burbank!

Some Misc. Drawings

2010-11-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a spattering of drawings!

First off a sample for a book project about a woman "holding her horses" (haw haw!):

Here's a drawing I did for some friends who just had a baby boy. They asked a bunch of artists to contribute a piece for a book that the boy can look at later in life. Fun!

I got to meet Matt Groening a couple of months ago and figured it'd be silly to show up without a drawing for him. I always liked the first few seasons of The Simpsons where the characters were drawn real wacky and fun.

And last but not least, here's a drawing I did for my pal, Joe Foo. Joe does a great web comic called Desmond's Comic. Check it out here!

Lately, when I'm not plugging away (slowly but surely) on the 5th issue of Reed Gunther, I'm working on samples upon samples for jobs as well as pitches for various projects. Shane and I have a couple of things in the works right now but nothing solid just yet. We'll let you know when we've got good news!

Zombies Vs. Cheerleaders Artist Exclusive Sketch Cards

2010-11-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is a little different than the work I usually post here buuut... I recently did a bunch of sketch cards for 5Finity's "Zombies Vs. Cheerleaders" sketch card set. I've got 5 Artist Exclusive cards that I'm selling on Ebay. If you're interested in one, click on the link below the card.

Bidding starts at $30 a card!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120642280020&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120642279867&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120642279728&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120642279575&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120642279400&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Thanks for looking guys!

Long Beach Comic Con!

2010-10-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hey guys and gals!

I wanted to mention that from Friday (today) until Sunday (Halloween) Shane and I will be set-up at the Long Beach Comic Con! We'll have Reed Gunther comics, mini-comics, drawings, Sterling plushies, our super spooky comic, "Blood Brothers" and more! So stop on by booth #2006 in the Artist Alley section and say howdy!

Stay Spooky

2010-10-26T07:42:00.001-07:00

Heeby Jeeby Comix is posting new Halloween-themed comics every day this week! My comic, Stay Spooky is up today! Shane even helped me put together a video:

Freakshow Pin-up

2010-10-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

A while back I was asked by the great fellas, David Server & Jackson Lanzing, who are the creators and writers of the new comic book series, "Freakshow" to submit a pin-up for their upcoming trade paperback.

David and Jackson are two completely genuine, nice and super funny guys so I'd be silly to say no.

How To Train Your Dragon

2010-10-24T23:51:00.000-07:00

Recently watch HTTYD again. I got dragon's on the brain!

Moon Gloom!

2010-10-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

THIS JUST IN FROM THE REED GUNTHER BLOG!

We're going to take a moment to steer away from Reed Gunther, just for a moment, as Chris and I would like to present to you a brand spankin' new comic book...

MOON GLOOM!

When the Earth is destroyed, the lonely Moon must find a new planet to orbit. Filled with gags, adventure and silliness, this 14 page comic by the creators of Reed Gunther is a goofy ride for all-ages.

Here's the only catch... we're selling digital copies of Moon Gloom for $0.99.

Why you ask? (Here's where I bring it back around to Reed Gunther...) Chris and I are very hard at work on trying to create as many Reed Gunther stories as we can. Issue #5 will be coming out this winter which means the first story arc of Reed Gunther will be coming to a close which means... trade paper back collection! Since we don't want to sell you the same thing twice, what do you think about seeing Reed Gunther in COLOR?!

With the funds we raise from the digital downloads of Moon Gloom, Chris and I are saving up to hire a colorist so all of our adventures can be in glorious and exciting CMYK (color, that is)! Check out the colored example posted above and tell me a whole issue of Reed Gunther looking like that wouldn't be AWESOME.

Plus it's only 99 cents for 14 pages of fun comic adventure, plus 5 extra pages of sketches, concept art, and our rough sketched out "script"! So instead of buying that new Lady Ga Ga song today, buy a comic!

Still not convinced to check out Moon Gloom? Here's a 4 page preview to get you started!

Download Moon Gloom right now for only $0.99 via paypal and help us get Reed Gunther in color!

Me

2010-09-20T11:14:00.001-07:00

Sgt. Rock!

2010-09-15T21:09:00.001-07:00

A few months ago I was lucky enough to meet the legendary, Joe Kubert!

Man, is that guy talented. I wanted to give him a simple small gift so I gave him this drawing of Sgt. Rock. He invited me out to his school next time I'm in his neck of the woods and I'll definitely be taking him up on that.

Settling in...

2010-09-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well Kassandra and I found a great apartment in LA and are finally settling in. Ahhh, it feels great to have a place to call home!

So now, we've just been searching for more work while continuing to work on our portfolios. I've been getting a bit more interested in digital painting especially after looking at the work of Cory Loftis. Wow is that guy talented! I loved his dino designs and had to try one out myself.

Have a good week everyone!

Star Wars Empire Strikes Back Cards!

2010-09-06T12:27:00.001-07:00

Well, Kassandra and I made it safely out to LA and have been spending the last few days apartment hunting. Shane and his friends have been nice enough to open their house to us and we can't thank them enough! It's good to have nice family and friends.

Last Spring, I did a bunch of sketch cards for Topp's Star Wars Empire Strikes Back set. I currently have 6 cards that I'm allowed to sell online and have recently put them up on Ebay. Here are the 6 available:

Here are the links to the Ebay auctions:

LUKE

REBEL PILOT

DARTH VADER

OBI-WAN

C-3PO

LEIA

Things are going well here, hope all is well with my Michigan pals!

Ice Cream Envy

2010-08-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

My new comic, "Ice Cream Envy" is now available to read at Heeby Jeeby Comix! Check it out here!

Usagi Yojimbo Pin-Up

2010-08-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hey internet surfers!

The San Diego Comic-Con was completely awesome. Shane and I had such a fun time meeting new readers of Reed Gunther, selling comics, doing sketches, and overall acting like big goofs.

We were able to be interviewed a few times at the Comic-Con; one of which was the Meltcast Podcast. You can listen here if you'd like.

The following Monday, we all hung out in LA at Shane's house reading comics and napping. We were so exhausted but we made a short video expressing our thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth. Thanks guys!

Kassandra and I spent last week in LA visiting friends and studios. Many thanks to Matt Daigle, Sherm Cohen, Ray Friesen, and Matt Whitlock for being genuine awesome people and showing us around various fun places in the city.

Also, I'm honored to say, Stan Sakai recently told me the pin-up I did of Usagi Yojimbo is in this month's issue (#130)! Wow! I'm a happy fella.

Now it's back to the grind!

Blood Brothers!

2010-07-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

Recently, Shane and I created a short 8-page horror comic called "Blood Brothers." Ooooh, it's spooky! It was a good chance for us to work on another genre and step out of our comfort zone a bit. We've actually decided to get a bunch of them printed and will have them available at the SDCC for $1 each. What a steal!

The final cover is posted above but I thought I'd also show a second version (below) that we didn't go with but still thought was fun.

Here's the original:

I'm Back!

2010-06-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a busy and fun time the last 2 months have been!

I graduated with a BFA in Illustration from the College for Creative Studies in May. What a whirlwind that was. Between finishing final projects, working on Reed Gunther, and working freelance, I was booked. Somehow throughout this madness I was awarded 'Senior Select' for the Illustration Department which I was super honored to receive. Because of this, I was given a big ol' wall to hang a bunch of my artwork at the end of the year CCS show.

More comic pages than you can shake a stick at!

Plus, someone at the school thought that it'd be a good idea to have me speak at the graduation ceremony (Don't worry, I'm sure this person is already fired). Again, I was honored and tried my best not to completely screw this opportunity up. Here's a photo of me trying not to throw up in front of all of my colleagues, friends and family, and professors whom I owe a lot to:

What can I say? CCS has been my life day-in and day-out for the past four years. I learned to call Detroit my home and met some amazing friends whom I will miss dearly. I mean, look at these hams!

I've learned an incredible amount by studying at a 4-year art school. Although, I'm ready to move on and am excited to start a new chapter in my education! I owe many thank-yous to my teachers who are some of the kindest, hard-working, and knowledgeable artists I know.

Funny enough, I even started this blog my first week of school 4 years ago!

Two weeks after graduation, Kassandra and I hoped on a plane to NYC for the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Awards. What an experience! Last year, I was lucky enough to win the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship and the NCS was nice enough to fly us out for the Reuben Awards. The NCS was also nice enough to make me an official NCS member so Kassandra and I were able to visit all of our friends at the Reubens this year and in many future years to come!

To sum it up, the Reubens were once again, spectacular. With guests like Bill Plympton, Joe Kubert, and Steve Brodner lecturing, you know it'll be a good weekend. But the really priceless events of the Reubens are the off-to-the-side chats you're able to have with some of the biggest names in the industry. I put some of my personal highlights in a little comic I drew on the plane ride home:

Then, it was back home to quickly finish the latest issue of Reed Gunther titled, "Reed Gunther in Fish Out of Slaughter!" It's our fourth issue and is available Wednesday, June 30th for purchase here!

Oh, and did I mention Kassandra and I were trying to plan our wedding throughout all of this? Needless to say, we did it and the wedding went off wonderfully! We had a gorgeous day and it was such a treat to have so many of our close friends and family there.

Our photos aren't back from our photographer yet but I'll share this photo my teacher Dave Chow happened to capture right as we were walking down the aisle. Too cool- what a day.

So now I'm working freelance full-time and have a few projects in the works. We're gearing up to head out to the big San Diego Comic Con in a few weeks which will be a lot of fun. If you're there, stop by the Reed Gunther booth!

Thanks for reading and thanks to all of our blog/online/cartooning pals and gals who have sent their letters, messages, and best wishes our way!

Messed Up Fairy Tales

2010-05-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

Hey guys and gals! How are ya? Seems like everyone's pretty busy this time of year gearing up for the Summer. Things are pretty busy here, Kassandra and I are getting ready for graduation this Thursday so that's exciting. The College for Creative Studies was even nice enough to let me speak at our graduation ceremony which can only mean one thing: the people in charge of making this decision are completely insane. Nah, I'm pretty honored by the whole thing!

Okay, now onto some drawings!

A few weeks ago, Draw Sucka Draw (a drawing group I participate in as much as I can) put together a really fun little book called "DSD Anthology: Messed Up Fairy Tales." It consists of a bunch of short stories and gags on everyone's favorite old tales and I was happy to participate. Here are my contributions:

Show's over kiddos!

Convention Heads

2010-04-29T05:43:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! How's everyone holding up? Things are well here just busy, busy, busy.

My brother Shane and I had a GREAT time at the Small Press Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE) last weekend. We sold out of all the Reed Gunther issues we brought with us and left the weekend wishing we would've packed the car with more comics to sell. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth!

I love drawing caricatures and couldn't help but work on a drawing during the lulls at the booth based on some people I saw walking around.

CCS Caricatures

2010-04-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

Recently I was asked by my pal Adam Ris to do some caricatures of our Senior Studio teachers here at the College for Creative Studies for our yearbook that Adam was gracious enough to put together.

Although I've doodled caricatures of most of these guys before in notebooks and on bathroom stalls (kidding! ...kinda), it was fun to work up some more finished caricatures and really try to make them as goofy as possible.

Apooka: The World's Cutest Zombie!

2010-04-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

I was honored to be asked by my pal, Mike Roll (or Miker as we call 'im) to do a pin-up of his character, Apooka: The World's Cutest Zombie!

Sadly, Apooka doesn't have a website but you can be sure to see all of her books at Miker's booth at the SPACE Con in a couple of weeks!

Speaking of pin-ups, the pin-up I did for The Astounding Wolf-Man was printed in the current issue, #22! Thanks a lot to Jason Howard and Robert Kirkman for fitting it in. Seeing how the series is wrapping up at issue #25, they don't have a ton of page space for goof like me! So it was nice of them to squeeze my piece in.

Another great cover by Jason Howard!

Happy Birthday Scottie!

2010-04-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

It was my good pal, Scott Daly's Birthday last week. I'd be a fool if I didn't make fun of him!

Currently on the Drawing Board...

2010-03-26T12:10:00.001-07:00

Workin on a really fun project right now!

Reed Gunther in 2010 SPACE Comic Anthology

2010-03-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

Hey guys and gals!

The Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE) just realesed the "SPACE 2010 Anthology" free for download!

Shane and I have a 4-page Reed Gunther story called "Animal Intimidation" included in the line-up; the first Reed Gunther story in full-color! Sadly, you'll have to go through the whole song and dance of creating an account in order to "place an order" for the free download over on the ComicsXP site but hey, it's free! ;)

Here's a sneak peak panel from our short story:

And if you're in the Columbus area the last weekend in April, swing by SPACE and say hi to both Shane and I! We'll be signing and selling issues as well as original pages, buttons, posters, and as always, free mini-comics!

Self-Portrait

2010-03-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

I had to do a quick self-portrait for a recent project. I thought this portrayed me pretty accurately.

Kassandra's Hidden Sketches!!!

2010-03-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

Bwahaha, I've STOLEN Kassandra's sketchbook! (Okay, maybe she left it in my apartment...)

Anywho, I was flipping through it, because she's got gorgeous work, and found some sketches she did at the bottom of a page notes from her Philosophy class (I actually recognize a couple of the students she drew). They're incredible so I decided to scan them in and post here.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... a lost page of sketches from Kassandra Heller!

Projects, projects, projects...

2010-03-10T06:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a little sneak peak of a project Shane and I just finished up. It's a real eerie short story that we hope to be able to share in the near future! ;)

ReedGunther.com: REVAMPED!

2010-03-02T08:29:00.000-08:00

Hey crime-stoppers! Man oh man, can you believe it's March 2nd already? Soon, it'll be March 3rd and even 4th! ...Maybe, I can't predict the future.

I've been working on a whole bunch of weird and wacky stuff lately, a lot of which I won't be able to show for a bit sadly. Although, I can definitely show some of the artwork I've been doing for the Reed Gunther website. If you haven't been over there recently, check it out! ;)

Kassandra's "100 Girls in 100 Days!"

2010-02-20T07:32:00.001-08:00

Be sure to check out Kassandra's ongoing "100 Girls in 100 Days!" They're looking really fun so far. Best of luck with the next couple months Kass!

New Reed Gunther Covers!

2010-02-05T08:54:00.001-08:00

Hey guys!

Shane and I are happy to announce that we needed to do a second printing of issues #1 and #2 of Reed Gunther! With the new printing, we decided it'd be fun to offer new covers. They were a lot of fun to do and the more I draw Reed and Sterling, the more I feel I get to know them. It's a pretty bizarre and fun "relationship." I can't imagine how syndicated cartoonists must feel towards their characters after drawing them for decades; probably like family!

The second printing of the first two issues with new covers won't be available for another week or two but I'll post here when they are.

Wohoo! It's Friday!

New Heeby Jeeby Comix!

2010-02-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

I've got a new comic up on Heeby Jeeby Comix called "Good Stew." It's kind of gross so obviously it was really fun to draw. ;)

Signing at Green Brain Comics!

2010-01-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

I'll be doing a signing at Green Brain Comics in Dearborn, Mi on February 10th from 4-7. I'll have Reed Gunther issues, buttons, and free mini-comics. So if you're in the area, stop on by!

Some Reed Gunther News!

2010-01-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody!

Issue 3, "Reed Gunther in Trains, Reigns, and Pains!" will be available tomorrow! To kick it off, Shane is doing a signing at The Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach, CA this Wednesday (the 20th) from 6-8. So if you're in the area, stop by to say hello!

From the Reed Gunther blog:

Come hang out, snag the latest issue and chat me up! I’ll have free mini-comics to give away, Reed Gunther posters for sale, as well as Reed Gunther back issues!

EXCEPT! We have sold out of issue #1, Reed Gunther and the Steak Snacking Snake! Chris and I have decided to return to the printers for a second edition, complete with a brand spanking new cover! Once we receive those new #1’s we’ll be sure to let you know and have them back on the website for sale.

Thanks to everyone who bought an issue from our first run!

Also, issue 3 has received some nice reviews from The Comic Book Bin and The Pullbox. Thanks reviewers! Andy Frisk from The Comic Book Bin even included the Reed Gunther series in his "Frisk's Picks: 2009" as the Best Small Run/Indie Series!

Here's what he had to say:

A Bear Ridin’ Cowboy, a Steak Snackin’ Snake, a Stalac-Tight Spot, and some Trains, Reigns, and Pains combine to comprise the best quirky, off beat, funny, and all around enjoyable indie comic since mutated, pizza chompin’, teenaged turtles proved that off the wall characters and stories, if well drawn and written, can be more fun than a barrel full of “dead” Batmans.

Thanks to everyone for their continued support and be sure to drop by reedgunther.com tomorrow to order your copy of issue 3!

Revamped Website!

2010-01-10T08:02:00.000-08:00

I recently revamped my website and it's now up and running! Give it a look-see and hopefully everything will run smoothly for you. ;)

Many thanks to Bob for helping me out with some last minute glitches that had me completely stumped.

Hope you guys like the new look and if all goes well, you won't be seeing this message very often:

Green Brain Comics "Covered" Show!

2010-01-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

Hey internet surfers!

Green Brain Comics (the coolest comic book store around!) is doing another gallery show, based on Robert Goodin's popular blog, "Covered." Here's the write-up on the show:

Green Brain Comics is proud to announce the opening of a new art exhibit entitled "COVERED" on Wednesday, January 13th. The exhibit will be on display in Green Brain Comics's recently named gallery, HEADSPACE.

Inspired by a similar theme at the Covered blog (www.covered.blogspot.com) HEADSPACE curator Dan Merritt has assembled several pieces by artists that have brought their own touch to famous and infamous comic book covers from several different decades. "The theme for this exhibit has really sparked a creative flame." says Merritt "Each of these pieces has been lovingly recreated in tribute to the original art and the original artists that created them."

Featured in the exhibit will be works from Michigan based comic creators Paul Sizer, Matt Feazell, Sean Bieri and Chris Houghton. Joining them will be other well known local artists Eric Millikin, Bryan Durren and Heather Hansma. As well as many others, including Lizz James, Jesse Hughes, Jennifer Rose Evans, and a piece by Masheka Wood from New York.

The opening reception for the "Covered" exhibit will be Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 from 7pm to 10pm. The art will be on view until Saturday, March 6th.

HEADSPACE is inside Green Brain Comics which is located at 13210 Michigan Avenue in East Downtown Dearborn. More information is available at www.greenbrain.biz or by calling 313-582-9444

I contributed my Milton the Monster cover I did a couple of months ago as well as a more recent adaptation of Airboy #27. Did anyone else read Eclipse's Airboy series from the 80's?

So if you happen to be in Detroit next Wednesday, stop by Green Brain Comics!

The Astounding Wolf-Man Pin-up

2010-01-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

Here's a pin-up I did for Jason Howard of his (and Robert Kirkman's) Astounding Wolf-Man! It's a pretty fun series but it's sadly ending with issue #25. It had a great run and some wild art by Jason, who just so happens to be a super nice guy to boot.

Big News for 2010!

2010-01-02T17:41:00.000-08:00

So, I've got big news... it's a little over-due but we didn't want to be premature in announcing anything on the web before all of our close family and friends heard but...

Kassandra and I are getting married! Woo!

We figured with 2010 here and our June date just around the corner, there's no better time to shout it out than now. We're doing a nice "small" wedding at my parent's house in the country-side of Mid-Michigan and it should be a lot of fun. My brothers will be home, family and friends will join us, heck I even coaxed my long-time roommate Scott into being my best man. You remember Scott, right? ;)

Kass and I are super excited and have promised each other that once we get through this upcoming busy Summer and get settled into our new place... we're getting a cat.

Illustration by Kassandra

...I'm a lucky guy.

Some sketches to end 2009!

2009-12-31T09:07:00.000-08:00

Hey guys and gals!

Spent a great week visiting my parents with Kassandra, eating and sleeping too much... nah, that's impossible!

Last night I gave the blog a bit of a different look. What do you guys think?

Kassandra's been filling up those little moleskin sketch books like a speed demon and she got me inspired to get going on one. It's great drawing in a sketchbook so small and it's been a little too long since I've drawn just for drawing's sake. Of course, that's the great thing about blogs; they can give a home to otherwise pointless doodles! ;)

I hope everyone had a great holiday and will have an even better New Years! Thank you to everyone who continues to follow my blog. Whether you comment or just check the work out, it means a lot to me and your support is much appreciated!

Holiday Coloring Page

2009-12-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

The other week I was able to do a fun assignment for a great photo studio in my hometown, Canfield Jenkins. They're having a coloring page contest for the holidays and I was happy to provide the artwork. Now it's just up to the participating kids to finish the illustration and add some color! ;)

Botobit Book, Epidemic!

2009-12-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

My buddy, the super talented Wes Eggebrecht and his brother Ryan have just recently self-published volume one of Botobit, "Epidemic." Here's the write-up on the book:

"Botobit is a collection of illustrations by select artists from around the world. In each volume, different artists will take on new topics. Volume One the artists were given the task of creating an illustration of an epidemic. The piece is tagged with the Botobit logo. Following each artists
epidemic illustration are three more pages with their work and an interview."

I was lucky enough to be included in this great line-up of illustrators but don't let that sway you from buying the book! Each illustrator featured was asked to create a specific illustration for the book's theme, "Epidemic." Here's mine:

The Eggebrecht brothers are some smart fellas and I can't wait to see more Botobit books come out or new products by their company, Savant Wear. Very cool stuff.

Check 'em out!

Kassandra

2009-11-29T21:24:00.000-08:00

Drew a quick sketch of my lovely lady the other day.

What a Goon!

2009-11-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

I was one happy guy on Wednesday when I was able to skip out to Green Brain Comics and buy a copy of The Goon issue #33. Eric Powell and the Dark Horse folks were nice enough to print the pin-up I did of The Goon in the back of the issue!

Be sure to pick up The Goon #33 not because of my goofy pin-up but just because the series is great. This issue is a little different in the fact that it is completely wordless which is a lot of fun. And as always, the artwork is absolutely gorgeous!

Thanks again to Eric and Dark Horse!

Man Talk!

2009-11-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here's a couple of illustrations I did about the "Language of Men!"

They were done for my editorial class taught by the incredible Cathy Gendron. The assignment was to illustrate a humorous article on slang from Esquire Magazine. Fun stuff!

Some Thoughts on "100 Drawings in 48 Hours"

2009-11-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

I got this nice comment from DB Dowd the other day and figured I'd share my response here:

Hey Chris, congratulations on your set of drawings. I'm the source of this obnoxious but wonderful challenge, via Bob.

So what did you ultimately get out of the experience? As a more-or-less fully formed professional with a coherent style, did you learn anything from it? It tends to work pretty well as a diagnostic tool for students (who often devalue or overlook what they naturally do well) but I haven't seen someone like you actually do it. So I'm curious--what did the process yield for you?

Bob Flynn asked me some of the same questions and overall, I think I did learn something (way to be vague, Chris!). It wasn't so much the amount of time I spent at the drawing board in two days, but it was the amount of different illustrations that this exercise forced me to do in such a short amount of time. I learned far more about my thinking and creative habits than my drawing habits (although I still learned a little about those too!).

Often times, because I was only able to spend about 5-15 minutes per drawing, I wouldn't have the luxury of being able to work out a solid idea that I was pleased with. Instead, the exercise is all about gaining confidence and going in guns a blazin', which is great! It forced me to completely throw out any insecurities I had about the 100 drawings. There's simply no time to try and be a "perfectionist" (not that my regular work is anywhere near "perfect!").

The whole experience was very liberating and I urge any artist to try it once, if for nothing else, the excuse to draw a lot of drawings that if they come out terrible, who cares? The important part isn't the end product as much as the experience and getting through the 48 hours learning a thing or two about yourself (which is pretty valuable knowledge!).

Again, many thanks to DB Dowd for creating a really great exercise as well as Bob Flynn for turning me on to it.

That's enough ramblin' for me. I promise the next post will have some drawin's in it!

Inking a Reed Gunther Panel

2009-11-11T05:16:00.000-08:00

Thought it might be fun to film me inking some Reed Gunther work from the upcoming issue, "Trains, Reigns, and Pains!" Play it in reverse to watch me erase the ink with my magical brush!

Bum Painting

2009-11-09T22:17:00.001-08:00

In the last couple months I've been able to bust out the ol' acrylics a bit and have been playing around with mixing paint and colored pencil. Here's a quick exercise playing around with this technique.

Other than that, I've been busy with all things Reed Gunther! Over on the Reed Gunther blog, our newest zine, "Cactupuncture!" has been posted. Check it out here!

Have a good one everybody!

Reed Gunther: Trains, Reigns, and Pains!

2009-11-03T06:07:00.000-08:00

Hey guys and gals!

Shane just posted up a sneak peak of a page from the third issue of Reed Gunther, "Trains, Reigns, and Pains" over at the Reed Gunther blog here!

The issue will be available in January so keep your eyes peeled!

Heeby Jeeby Comix!

2009-10-29T08:37:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, Bob Flynn, David DeGrand and myself have started up a goofy blog that features fun and bizarre all-ages comics! It's called Heeby Jeeby Comix, so check it out!

Here's some process work from my one-pager, "Sick or Treat."

For the final colored version as well as Bob and David's hilarious comics, be sure to check out HEEBY JEEBY COMIX!

Happy Halloween!

Covered!

2009-10-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago I did a remake of an old comic book cover for Robert Goodin's blog, Covered. It's a really neat blog where each day there is a new post showing a contemporary artist re-drawing an old comic book cover. The object is not really to parody or completely change the old cover but rather pay homage to it. Kinda neat!

I did this remake of the obscure 1966 Gold Key comic, "Milton the Monster" by an unknown artist:

Robert and I were both pretty stumped on the creators of the comic, story, etc. I do not own my own copy but does anyone have more information on "Milton the Monster?"

Thanks for letting me participate Robert!

No Matter Which Way You Slice It... Cartoon Violence Is and Always Will Be Funny.

2009-10-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

I actually did this over the Summer but I figure now with Halloween closely approaching, it's more than appropriate to post now. ;) What is everyone going to be for Halloween?

Well... Do ya?

2009-10-19T21:21:00.001-07:00

Long live Green Brain Comics!

Smack/Reed Gunther Pin-up!

2009-10-13T07:26:00.001-07:00

My good buddy Sean Mack (better known as Smack) and I decided it was darn falooten time we traded us some pin-ups! Smack is the cartoonist behind the web comics, "The Smack Chronicles" and the newer "Revolutionary Times."

Smack's one awesome guy and got Shane and me his Reed Gunther pin-up about 3 days after we first talked about the idea of trading pin-ups. Jeesh, he's fast! It's an awesome pin-up and totally hilarious. You rock Sean! His pin-up will definitely be in the back of Reed Gunther issue 3...

And here's the pin-up I did of Smack's "The Smack Chronicles." I tried to incorporate a lot of the characters from the strip along with Smack's love for Pepsi and cleavage. Hope you like it Sean!

Here's the inks:

And the final Colored version:

Thanks Everyone!

2009-10-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give a big thanks to everyone for all the nice comments and messages I've received about the 100 drawings project! It's much appreciated!

Also, I've updated a bunch more of these drawings on Etsy here.

Thanks again guys and gals!

Finished!

2009-10-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

So, last week my buddy, Bob Flynn turned me onto a crazy drawing exercise he was "lucky" enough to do in college: The 100 figures assignment. You can read all about the actual assignment from the man who I believe created this crazy project, DB Dowd, here. Bob Flynn also did a GREAT retelling of his own experience here.

I was really intrigued by the idea of doing so many different illustrations in such a short amount of time. I'm always up for a fun challenge and it just so happened that from this past Sunday to Tuesday, I had the opportunity to clear my schedule and do absolutely nothing else but sit and draw.

Now to be fair to everyone that has done the actual assignment, I had a full week to prepare my schedule and as goofy as it sounds, mentally prepare for this thing. A big part of the 100 figures assignment is that it's supposed to be thrown at you but sadly, that was something I couldn't do to myself, obviously. So to try and make it somewhat fair I gave myself 48 hours instead of the approximate 68 hours the assignment usually allows for.

Needless to say I had a lot of fun with this! It was challenging at times but overall, it was incredibly invigorating while being somewhat mentally exhausting. I'd highly recommend doing it!

Today, I scanned all 100 drawings in (something that I swear took an additional 48 hours... ;) Thanks to Kassandra for the help!) and put them together in a pdf to view. Feel free to download it here!

Also, I'm starting to post many of the 100 drawings on my new Etsy store for $20 a pop! Check that out here!

Ok, that's enough links to click on. I leave you with this.

100 Illustrations in 48 Hours!

2009-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys and gals!

So my buddy, Bob Flynn recently blogged about a college assignment he did where he had a weekend to create 100 11"x 14" illustrations with at least one figure per illustration. What a task!

I really wanted to try this out myself because of how much I thought I'd learn doing so many pieces in such a short amount of time. I'm always up for a good drawing challenge, so I told Bob I'd try his old college assignment. I'm in a little different position because the assignment hasn't been thrown on me like it was Bob and his classmates at the time. I've been lucky enough to basically clear my schedule for 48 hours.

I started yesterday (Sunday) at 4:00 PM and will finish Tuesday at 4:00 PM. I only finished 20 last night so I'm hoping to do 60 today and 20 tomorrow by 4:00. HA!

I've been "tweeting" (I always try to say that with my pinky in the air) throughout the event a bit. If you're curious, feel free to follow me @choughtonart I'll also be sending some cell phone photos of drawings onto my blog throughout today.

Wish me luck! It'll be a long one!

Doodles!

2009-09-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just gotta draw a lot of goofy quick drawings, you know?!

Reed Gunther in: "Stupid Cows!"

2009-09-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun Reed Gunther zine that was just posted on www.reedgunther.com!

Open publication - Free publishing - More western

WOO! FOOTBALL! YEAH!

2009-09-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick football illo I did for a Sports Bar ad. I'm not much of a football fan myself, but football season means that Fall is here and I LOVE Fall.

Monkey Girl Fan Art

2009-09-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

Barth is an incredible illustrator and has been doing some amazing drawings of a character he calls, Monkey Girl. I've been so inspired by his work that I've been eagerly looking forward to each new drawing he's been posting each day.

He recently posted on his blog that he's looking for some fan art if anyone was interested in submitting some. I couldn't help but try out a Monkey Girl myself. Thanks for all the inspiration Barth!

300th Post!

2009-08-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

Wow, not really sure what that means but in any case, here's a drawing of Poison Ivy for this week's DrawerGeeks submission. I'm not too crazy about her design or pose but I do like playing around with hand lettering and want to learn/practice it more!

Rat Rod!

2009-08-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

My oldest brother is an all-around super talented metalsmith and has recently gotten interested in the Rat Rod culture. After recently talking to him, he convinced me into working up a couple of samples for some rat rod magazines that might be interested in this sort of work.

Not sure if it'll lead anywhere but if it allows for me to draw stuff like this for a job, then I'm a happy guy! ;D

People sketchin'

2009-07-29T05:27:00.000-07:00

For longer than I'd like to admit, I've really neglected drawing in my sketchbook other than doing thumbnails and brainstorming for bigger projects.

Lately, it's been a rarity for me to head outside and sketch people walking their dogs, sipping coffee, etc. I miss doing that! It's fun and it's a great way to brush up on drawing from life. I haven't done it much this Summer either but I did head out to the DIA lawn with Scott not too long ago to sketch people coming home with my new "Pentel Pocket Brush Pen" (Thanks for the heads up Bob!)

"Dragon Ale" Painting

2009-07-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a painting I finished up a couple months back as my final project for the "Sci-Fi and Fantasy Painting" class I was in. This last assignment was to paint anything you wanted as long as it had a castle, a dragon, and a knight in it. It was a great class!

Mez-It Links and Goon Pin-Up

2009-07-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

Hey all!

Thanks to those who have left all the great comments on all the cartooning students' work. I'll make sure they all see them. I know it means a lot!

Before it gets too late, here's a couple links I received about the SDCC Mez-Itz Art Show:

http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11344.shtml

http://splashpage.mtv.com/2009/07/15/check-out-mezcos-customized-toys-before-their-comic-con-debut-hellboy-michael-jackson-more/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RwaxQiJjqk

Should be cool! I have to say, I'm SUPER bummed to be skipping out on the con this year. Hope everyone has fun and gets some cool stuff!

Also, I did a pin-up of Eric Powell's "The Goon." A great comic!

Hope you like it Eric!

Reed Gunther Mez-it

2009-07-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

I was recently lucky enough to be asked by Mezco Toyz to participate in the Mezco Mez-Itz Art Show at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con. There's a bunch of artists participating in making a custom Mez-Itz vinyl figure (much like a Munny or a Mighty Mugg).

They sent me a blank figure and after doing some research on how to customize one of these bad boys, I decided to make a Reed Gunther doll.

The blank figure each participant starts with

After adding some super sculpey.

I was visiting my parents over the weekend but really needed to get this done that Friday night. So, it was back to the kitchen counter just like the old days (look my Mom even made me put out comics to protect the counter from the paint!). Dad was gone so Mom and I hung out into the night and she took most of these photos. Thanks Mom!

Yey! Painted!

We called it a night but decided that the next morning we needed to take Reed outside for an adventure...

He climbed high into the Rocky Mountains!

Discovered strange and disgusting creatures! ...and killed them of course...

Will Reed ever be safe? Will his bear-counterpart ever be made in vinyl form so that Reed can actually stand the chance against horrible vile monsters like my brother Shane's annoying cat, Lucy? Time will tell, time will tell...

Thanks again to Guy Davis for recommending me to Mezco and many thanks to Mike Drake for letting me participate. Best of luck with the show Mike!