"Thrills"

"Thrills" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

Yet another drawing, from one of my recent scribble sessions.

- Dave C.

"Cadet 13" and "Mad Dash"

"Cadet 13" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

"Mad Dash" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

Here are a couple more warm-up drawings to feast your peepers on!

Cheerio!
- Dave C.

"Sci-Fi Quarterback" and "The Inspector"

"Sci-Fi Quarterback" / 9 x 12" / acrylics & ink on paper

"The Inspector" / 9 x 12" / acrylics & ink on paper

These are a couple warm-up drawings, in between painting & inking a few recent assignments. Enjoy!

- Dave C.

Sketch, Sketch, Sketch!

These are a couple acrylic sketches I rocked, recently. They're pretty layered for warm-up drawings. But I find that going through something a bit more involved than quick sketching helps crack open different parts of my imagination, and prepare me even more for the creative tasks of the day.

"I'm on a plain. Mm-mmm. I can't complain. Mm-mmm."
- Dave C.

"Ole One-Eye"

I did this one as a little warm-up piece. It's on an 11x14" sheet of sketch paper, so it buckled like crazy, while I was layering on paint. But the battered look of the paper's surface definitely played into the haggard look of this character. Also, between Blade of The Immortal and Valhalla Rising, I have a strange fascination with one-eyed protagonists.

"You're so fine. And now you're mine."

- Dave C.

"Hither"

"Hither" is one of many pieces I started about a year or longer ago. In going back and finishing up art commitments from my days in Oakland up to now, I've really been clearing out the creative sinuses.


It helps that, as I work through this incredible pile, I'll come across old sketches like this one. They make a great foundation for a quick warm-up piece. Late at night or early in the morning, a blank sheet of paper can be pretty daunting. But a scrap of board with a sketch already in play can be just the spark my imagination needs.


In addition, with the drawing already roughed out, I'm able to move on to paint, ink, etc. So I can get even more of my creative muscles going at full throttle. RAW!


"I like to swim, into the mosh! Kickin' & stompin', so I don't get squashed!"
- King Gum Crosland

Eerie Warm-Up Sketches....

I've been doing these washed-out, sometimes creepy warm-up drawings. Thought I'd share a few with you honest, hard working folks out there.

"Hikky-Burr-Burr-Burr!!!"
- King Gum

Print Progress

Just over a month ago, an illness and some traveling forced me to postpone work on the series of Seasons prints I'd planned on creating this year. Well, after some schedule juggling and sacrificial slaying, I'm digging in once more!

I was originally going to kick off the series with "Spring," but we're now well into summer. With that in mind, I've decided to release these first two prints together as a set. Above, you can see the early drawing stage of "Summer" and a revised version "Spring."

Look for the finish on these Monday. In the meantime, have a badass weeekend!

"Below the streets that steam and hiss, the Devil's in his hole."
- King Gum Crosland

Drawing In Zee Werks

Above are some progress shots of one of this weekend's drawings. This started off as a warm-up sketch. But once the ink started flying, I had to make it a full-on piece. The image I had in mind was larger than the paper I'd started on. But once I taped on that additional sheet, there was no turning back.

"Fraudulent foe with the strength of Hercules. The way ya on my dick must really hurt ya knees "
- Gum.

Who Needs a Dining Nook...

... when you can have a painting nook, instead? Sometimes, when I hit a rut with something at my drawing desk, working on painting or big, live art-style pieces helps me kick out the kinks.

On The Slate - Farmer Bling & Black Dragon!

Today's offerings are some warm-up pieces... a cash-money farmer, and a dragon piece for my Dad. Been doing so much computer work this week, it feels good to move my arm around on some wet-media art!

"How you like me now?"
- Dave

Face Fifteen

This is the finish of a small painting from the past weekend, titled "Face Fifteen." It's approximately 9" x 14", on a delightfully soft paper stock. I've got a stack of different printmaking and watercolor papers that I've collected throughout my travels. Canvas is a lovely beast, but I've really gotten into painting on paper, this year. I'm starting to prefer it over my usual go-to surfaces.

"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."
- David Gum.

On The Slate - Cowboys & Custom PUFFED

Whew! Things have been crazy this week, with NYCC coming up fast! Today we've got snapshots of a lil' warm-up cowboy painting I started. Stuff like this is nice to get my mind set on "draw and paint" mode. More and more, lately, I've been trying to intertwine both disciplines into one form/style/aesthetic. Forcing myself to hand paint as many of my current jobs as possible is helping. Nothing like a deadline to make you lock down a technique and haul ass!

Second, is a customized copy of PUFFED (written by John Layman, illustrated by myself) that I just sent off to a collector in San Francisco. I derive an odd pleasure from drawing all over the books folks order from me. I think it goes back to my childhood, when writing in library books and textbooks was absolutely forbidden. Well take that, Sister Mary Margaret! Look at me now!

"Treat it like boxing -- Stick and move! Stick and move!"
- Dave Gum.

Black Eye Beastie

I guess even lippy demons get smacked in the eye, sometimes!

This little ditty came from my morning warm-up sketches, before diving into a stack of comic page layouts. Up and down, and one and two, and sketch and paint!


Your art-fitness instructor!
- King Gum Crosland