This weekend marked my sophmore effort at Spectrum’s Live show. What an
experience. Unlike last year though, I was somewhat more prepared, yet
all the more overwhelmed by the level of unpreparedness that I found
myself in. More because of the time frame getting the best of me, and
quite frankly, still trying to recover sold inventory from both NakaKon
and Planet Comicon.
Normally, I try to get as much art out the door as possible for a show, but I had made a decision that I needed some larger works to showcase and draw people in from a distance. Now, as some of you have already seen on Facebook, I had shown some of the steps that I did to create a diptych of Iron Man and Iron Patriot. So, this will be just a quick review of what I went through in making these two illustrations.
First, of course came the basic layouts, and thanks to the proliferation of images because of the recent movie release, it’s never been easier to find reference for these two. With most illustrations that I plan on taking to full color, I always start with a very light pencil layout of shapes and placement, which builds to tightly refined linework like what is apparent on Iron Man (on right), and then transitions into me laying in my inkwork, as shown on the left with Iron Patriot.
Now in some cases, I don’t finish all of the inking all of the way because I tend to be too eager to jump into color. This has sometimes proved to be the undoing of many an illustration in the past for me, but I found in this larger board dimension, it freed me up quite a bit.
Jumping forward to all of the inking and color being applied, I have to have a way to make the work more durable and resistant to damage from oil on fingers, from water damage (really important in transporting and displaying outdoors), and to enhance the colors. To some of you, this may look like I have completely messed up and spread elmer’s glue all over the two of them…
Instead what I have done is applied the first of a number of coats of Modge Podge to the surface. This will dry clear and give a very textured but clear finish to the works as is evident below. Now even below, the are not done as the edges of the birch panels need to have designs drawn out and finished on them, and then they will both be sprayed with gloss enamel for a very high light reflective and damage resistant overlay on the artwork.
I got a lot of compliments and great reaction to these two works. They are in my more midrange pricing, as the set of the two of them goes for $500 together, and are certainly not the norm for the price range or art that I will carry to shows. The one reaction I got most was surprise that this was marker work. I dabble in watercolour, but rarely nowadays, and markers have just become my standard that is easy and fast for me to work in.
This show is very much more of a laid back kind of affair. Which is a nice contrast to many of the other shows I do from art fairs to comic and anime conventions. That’s not to say there is not a plethora of lively discussion and interaction going on, in fact that’s one of the things that makes this show so unique. The Fenners helped create a venue show that can only get bigger and better, not unlike the creation and introduction of the Spectrum Art Annual.
This year, I saw more and more physical and three dimensional representations of artwork taking the floor. In recent years, even with the strong presence of 3D animation and modeling, there is still a dignified and powerful aspect of art that crosses all kinds of mediums. This to me, as a traditional 2D illustrator, is a profound and wonderful thing to experience and when you add in the fact that I can talk to these top notch creators along the way. Not even exhibits at the Nelson Atkins can beat that.
And like many other shows dealing with art or various sorts of things, there were panels to attend to get inside looks at the industry, at the pros that work in it day to day, and in the case of the Hobbit/Weta panel put on by Paul Tobin and Nicholas Keller, I was most excited to see this.
No photos were allowed because of the sensitive nature of so much of what was on display and being shown, but aspects of weapon and culture design, to subjects on zoology and anatomy, to what is expected and how far concept art is pushed when you work for Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor, were all part of the discussion.
Some panels where held out in the main stage area, which I am not really a fan of as the acoustics in that part of the building are terrible. But something that is NOT terrible are the wonderful people that stop by and help keep me afloat and my sanity intact by letting me know that what I make does not suck, even when I am in the same building with people like Brom, Manchess, Whelan, and Donato.
Brandi Miller and friend were the some of the last showgoers I got to
talk to on Sunday, and talk about a small world, we are both UCM alumni
and know a lot of the same people. Very happy the little white fox has a
home now, as well as AstroShaggy. Thank you ladies.
Of course my mind is so tired I cannot remember anyone else’s names
really from the previous part of the weekend, but everyone else that
picked up my stuff and came by the booth to say hello, thank you. thank
you, THANK YOU. Ed, Mike S, Chris Willey., Felipe, Sara, Calvin, Kevin
Keil, Steve Daniels, Damont, and others I know I am forgetting, thanks
for all the kind words and conversations. Life goes so fast and I never
get a chance to slow down often enough to appreciate so many great
people.
And to the fellow here below, I can still knock out the color of course on your Harley Quinn (the one show I DON’T lug my markers to, and look what happens. :D), thanks so much for letting me cut lose on that.
Now many of you may know I have a HUGE fanboy appreciation for Brom. He was integral to so much of what I knew as fantasy art when I first got into Dungeons and Dragons early on, especially the Dark Sun world. So needless to say, when he was bestowed with the phenomenal honor of becoming our latest Grand Master, I was beside myself with the kind of excitement that makes you get a headache and want to dance like a man possessed only could. Thank you Brom for the inspiration, for being such a humble and nice guy to talk to, and for being utterly kick ass and uncompromising. Also for signing my latest copy of Spectrum!
Friday evening, there was a great figure drawing session in a huge room filled with what looked to be a good 200 people drawing from the poses of two models. I was stunned to be in a room not only with so many talented people from all kinds of backgrounds, but also because it brought back memories of my times in college and the countless days spent drawing the figure. I gotta get back into that.
The awards show was held in the magnificent and beautiful Midland Theatre near Power and Light, and this year had even more people in attendance, and free Jack Stack’s BBQ. If the fact of being part of a group of people that are the movers and shakers of the gaming and fantasy industry was not enough, the food was fantastic. Granted, I think $3 for 9/10th of a can of soda and too much ice in a glass was a bit much, I could handle that.
The Midland is one of those older theatres that you just have to see in person to really appreciate. It’a a shame that so many of today’s major movieplexes don’t aspire to look at good as this one.
I didn’t get a lot of the ceremony recorded, but between my phone and camera, I was able to get some of the awards highlights and some of the performances from Quixotic. The main part I was happy I caught was Brom becoming the new Grand Master.
But for all the spectacle and coolness that was the awards show, the quieter one on one times getting to meet the people that influence me was what makes this show so overwhelmingly important to me.
To be able to talk to my art heroes like Brom, Whelan, and Monge (below), to being able to talk to art directors first hand (THANK YOU for your time Jon Schindehette, your advice and input was wonderful and you will be hearing from me very soon!), to meeting so many other artists that I find I have so much in common with is the apex of my appreciation for what this show is all about. Someday, years from now as this show grows and more people attend and become part of the show, I hope this does not change. It’s the human element and the powerful imagery of the art that is so very important to all that Spectrum is, has been, and will become for years and years. I mean, to stand there as Jean-Baptiste drew out a wonderful quirky character in my book of his work? You cannot put a price on that.
And I controlled myself a bit this year. I did not get Dorman to sign my Darth Maul comic as I kept forgetting to BRING the damn thing, but there’s always next year, or some other convention I can track him down at.
My pride and joys below (including Monge’s autographed book above, thank you so much for that Jean!), my twice autographed by Brom copy of Spectrum 19 (hope you had a good flight home to Seattle regardless of the Kansas weather going all tornado on us), an autographed book of the ever awesome Mouse Guard stories (I had no idea he had released the RPG for this as well – and a congratulation to you David for your award!), and a kick ass book of art by Felipe Echevarria (his art… man, someday I HOPE to know figure like he does).
Until next time, support your local artists, be kind to your fellow beings, and always take the path less traveled!
- Mario, the Artisan Rogue Illustrator, Podcaster, Writer, Toy Collector, and Animal Rights Activist
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