24 Hour Comic Book 2008

This is my 24 Hour Comic Book from 2008. This was the first 24 comic that I successfully completed within the 24 hour deadline. It's a nice little story about Grody the Cockroach pestering an anonymous man. There's also a 4 page back-up gag involving Grody and a bum. Originally, the bum story was planned to be the main story, but the artwork was too laborious for a 24 deadline. It took me about six hours to finish four pages of pencils and inks.

I decided to start over, using only a felt tip pen and NO pencils. If I made a mistake, I would just throw away the drawing and start over. Using this method, I averaged about six pages an hour. I decided to use the bum story as a back up story since those pages were already drawn. When you've only got 24 hours to finish a comic book, you learn not to waste any drawings. It may be rough around the edges, but I'm very proud of this little comic.

Handy-Capped

I am not very handy around the house. Unlike the guy in the drawing, I don't need a manual to screw in a light bulb. I can turn a screw and drive a nail, but beyond that I'm pretty much lost around a toolbox. On this illustration, I used a different approach. First, I did the pencil drawing using very clean lines. Next instead of inking, I scanned in the pencils, cleaned it up in Photoshop and colored it. By scanning in my pencil art, it retained some of the freshness and energy of the sketchy pencil lines. Click on the pencil sketch to see a larger version and you can see the sketchy line quality.

Bonus sketch: I recently found the original sketch for this illustration in one of my mini-sketchbooks in my office. I often will draw a sketch and flip it when I do the final illustration.

The Great Outdoors

If you ask me the Great Outdoors is WAY overrated. There's bugs and pollen and weather and wild animals that will eat you. But even a radical indoorsman (a term I'm hoping will catch on) can even see the beauty of nature. This is a still life I drew of a tree trunk. I think the sharp textures of a tree trunk are just as beautiful as a delicate flower. I also love the medium of charcoal pencil on sketch paper.

The Biggest Loser

I did this illustration for an article about New Year's resolutions and losing weight. For the past few years, I've made this resolution and failed. I've lost weight before, so I know I can do it again. I'm trying once more this year, but I'm not going to be so hard on myself. The key is to take your time and don't rush things. And stay away from scales.

Weird Sketch Wednesdays

This weird sketch is an oldie. It's from my high school days. I recently found it when I was cleaning out my closet. I love finding old sketches. It's like finding an old photograph. Miss Bandy was one of the resident bus drivers at my high school. She was also occasionally a substitute teacher (which says a lot about my high school's educational standards). She was crabby, cranky, but mostly crazy. Nobody liked her, but we all loved to make fun of her. This sketch of her was a big hit among my peers. Thanks for the memories, Miss Bandy.

Punch Drunk Baby

These days it seems everyone I know is having babies. On Dec. 30, 2009, my good friends Kenny & Ro Keil had a bouncing baby boy. This illustration is dedicated to Kenny Keil IV. This drawing in NO WAY represents Kenny's baby. He's much cuter and less drunk.

Cartoonists Assemble!

Drawing can be such an isolated experience. The artist usually shuts him or herself away from the world in order to imagine a funny idea or picture. However, this weekend (Jan. 16) I met with 3 other Shreveport cartoonists in an attempt to revive the defunct Cartooning Club. It was so much fun gathering, socializing and drawing together. This is a sample of a "jam comic" that we did. Each person drew one panel of the comic strip and passed it to the next person. Then, that person drew the next panel, etc. etc. This was the first time I ever did this and it was a great experience. I can't wait for the next meeting. (I drew panel 4.)