Whoever said a teenage princess couldn't lead an intergalactic rebellion, obviously never met this whip-smart, bun-coiffed darling of Alderaan. My favorite incarnation of Princess Leia has always been her look on the ice planet of Hoth. I think my appreciation is directly tied into some early crush I developed during my childhood winters in Buffalo, NY. So this is my homage to the baddest babe with a blaster, this side of a Wampa cave.
Also, just a reminder: this piece is available for sale, along with the others in my "SNIKT! POW! BAMF!" series of art based on pop culture action icons. Check out the other works via the links below. Contact me at hiredmeat@gmail.com if you'd like to make a purchase. Serious inquiries only, please.
Way back in spring, my friend and colleague - Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Wormwood) - invited me to do a pinup for his new miniseries with writer Ben McCool -- Choker (Image Comics).
I took my sweet time finishing it... snatching moments here and there, painting it in between other projects and deadlines. But I was finally able to put the kiss of completion on this puppy, a few nights ago. At 2am or so, I called it like a doctor in an OBGYN, and my Choker pinup was born.
This piece will appear in either issue 5 or 6 of the Choker miniseries. Hell yeah.
"Oh, Ramona! If there was only something between us... other than our clothes." - King Gum.
This is the finish on a quick, mixed-media piece I started in my notebook, a weekend or two ago. It was a nice exercise in letting a piece come together "naturally"... just trying to tap into my creativity, without over-thinking every step of the process.
"Little fish, big fish, swimmin' in the water. Come back here, man. Gimme my daughter." - Gum.
This is one of a few Wild West-themed paintings that I started awhile ago. I was taking some photos of it for a prospective buyer and thought, "What the hell? I'll post these for On The Slate."
I've got stacks of paintings-in-progress, spread out in my studio space. And I'll invite collectors over to look through them. It's fun and allows me to indulge the "gallery artist" side of myself, I suppose. It's also a nice way to trick people into visiting me in my Fortress of Solitude. Sometimes, art can be an awfully lonely endeavor!
"You get the ankles, and I'll get the wrists! Ya come down ta this!" - Dave
It's been a busy weekend, aboard The S.S. Helen! Above are a couple shots of my workspace, taken during a printmaking session earlier this evening. These little cuties are the rubber block prints that will come free with each pre-ordered copy of LIONSEATYOU, the third of three limited edition sketchbooks I've released this year.
If you missed out on the pre-order, don't fret. The block print will still be available for a reasonable price. Look for an update on that, this week!
Haven't rocked an On The Slate in awhile. This is the beginning layers of a little warm-up painting in one of my sketchbooks. There's something exquisite about painting and drawing on a slow Saturday afternoon.
For almost a year, I've been scheming and dreaming of moving back to Los Angeles, California. And now my beautiful dream is about to become science-fact. Because in January 2011, I'm packing up my Oakland studio and moving the entire Hiredmeat operation down to The City of Angels!
Even though leases have been signed and notices have been given, there's still tons of logistical hoopla for me to deal with. The upcoming move - combined with Holiday travel - has me pressed like a childhood memory in Jack Donaghy's mind vice (for any 30 Rock fans out there). And with the Herculean tasks at hand, I'm doubly in need of support from my fans, friends and collectors.
There are several ways you (Yes, you!) can help me make all this happen; including: investing in original artwork from my "Pick Up The Pieces" online art sale, pre-ordering my new sketchbook LIONSEATYOU, and/or purchasing various items from my online store.
I've had a fine time providing you folks with all sorts of weird eye candy, during my years in The Bay Area. And I'm excited to reach whole new levels of visual vibrancy in sunny SoCal.
I do hope you'll stick with me for this next chapter of the grand adventure that has been my career!
With ink stained fingers, - Dave "King Gum" Crosland
With the premiere of my new sketchbook - LIONSEATYOU - on the horizon, I thought I'd whet your appetites with a little preview. Below is the image I'll be using for the rubber block prints (free with each pre-order), plus four new drawings that will be featured in the book. Enjoy!
LIONSEATYOU art for rubber block print
"Winged Doom" / 8.5 x 11" / ink on paper
"Huntress" / 8.5 x 11" / ink on paper
"Pursuit" / 8.5 x 11" / ink on paper
"Watching. Waiting." / 8.5 x 11" / ink on paper
* To pre-order your copy of LIONSEATYOU, visit my online store.
* Due to time constraints, pre-ordered copies (with free print) will ship on Monday, December 13th.
"Fall down on the world, before it falls on you." - Dave "King Gum" Crosland
This Friday night, the King Gum/Food One collaborative print - "Booty & The Beast" - will be on exhibit in the 1AM Gallery's year end show, PRINT PRINT PRINT. This exhibition is a gathering of original art prints from some of California's finest, including Mars 1, Julie West, Reuben Rude and more. All works will be for sale, and many of the creators will be on hand during the opening reception, including yours truly.
1AM Gallery presents: PRINT PRINT PRINT Reception - December 10th / 7 - 9:30pm / 21+ 1000 Howard St @ 6th St / San Francisco CA www.1AMSF.com
Dave Crosland (aka King Gum) is an American illustrator whose stylized art is a harmonious collision of traditional aesthetics with modern sensibilities. His art has graced the walls of galleries in the USA and abroad, comic books, album covers, apparel, concert posters, and beyond. Most recently, Dave spent a year working as a designer on Disney XD's Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, at Titmouse Inc. Crosland's other notable works include Yo Gabba Gabba! Comic Book Time and Scarface: Scarred For Life, art for the pop group Gym Class Heroes' gold album "As Cruel As School Children", and illustrations for the Kick-Ass video game for Sony’s PS3. His clients have included MTV, Warner Brothers Animation, Ride Snowboards, Atlantic Records, IDW Publishing, Walt Disney Animation, Oni Press and more. Dave can currently be found living in Los Angeles, toiling away at book projects, animation concepts and a body of new fine art works.