Friday, December 31, 2010

Who Needs Sleep When You've Got Sweet Arts to Make?

Against my better judgement, I attended the 24 hour comic day event in October. I had a blast as usual (6 years in a row, what what!?!) but it really messed with my school schedule. But it was way worth it and I got a finished comic out of it so yeah, awesome!

I did the comic at the hospitable and awesome-possum comic store Happy Harbor and everyone there had a grand ol' time making fun of me for being a snooty art student now, which I totally am, as evidenced by my use of various medias and paper types for this comic, from rice paper and watercolor paints to coffee and china markers. Snoot snoot snootie.

Anyways, here it is, complete with my usual themes of sleep deprivation, aimless trips through the human psyche and poop jokes.






Happy New Years everyone!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

ACAD Year One: The Awakening

Ahhhh, winter holidays, how I yearned for your warm and gentle touch. And the ability to get a normal amount of sleep. And time, sweet time. What will I do with all this free time? Work of course :)

At long last, I have posted some of my first year work, featured in the portfolio I used to get into VC this year. It had the sweet gimmick of having a comic introduction hosted by a cartoon me who also popped up throughout the portfolio to divide it up and ass some personal flair. Always with the gimmicks.

Hurm... looking at it now, after my first semester in Year 2, I cringe at some of the work already, but some of it holds up I think. A lot of important principles and ideas can be seen taking root in this early work and I'm really getting a chance to explore that now which is very exciting.

My teachers really pushed me to explore graphite rendering and realism because I am stuck to my cartoony style like a Siamese twin but you can see that I have a long way to go. I'm really feeling that in this year as well, probably moreso.

There's alot to say about all the art that follows but I don't have the time to write a full-on essay and I don't like the prospect of boring anyone who reads this to the point of weeping or leaping from buildings from the sheer boredom it would cause. Instead, enjoy. Gasp in horror! Laugh in wonder!

More posts on the way!

And a happy New Year if I don't see you!














































Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Rock Out with Your Chalk Out!

My second year at ACAD is well under way and it is every bit as insane as I was told it would be. The good news is that I'm taking some sweet classes with some awesome projects, good teachers, and I'm sure I can already see a difference in my art.

Anyways, the first week of school also brought with it the annual Chalk Walk. I almost didn't enter because I was pretty busy but I'm glad I did. My first day at Chalk Walk was tons of fun, Natasha was a fun chalk buddy and I managed to pull in second place for the competition. I basically just did my take of American Gothic: cartoony, chalky, saturated like a mushroom trip.

Below are the pics of my work in progress. It's not very comprehensive. And I threw in a pic of me looking like a maniac. And Natasha flashing some gang signs or something.












Took part in 24 Hour Comic Day last month. Hoping to have that scanned soon.

See you, Mary Lou.

Monday, August 16, 2010

When James Joyce Gets an Eye-full of Flaming Junk...






It's felt really damn good to be hitting Drink n Draw over the summer since I missed so very many while at school. I'm starting to actually produce a few sketches too, which is nice. The subjects for the sketch dump today range from the Comic Con Eye Stabbing to possible REACTIONARY designs to James Joyce (whose book DUBLINERS I am currently enjoying.)

I even through in a work doodle for good measure. Speaking of...

NICK: Guess what, kids!?!

OVERPAID CHILDREN ACTORS WHO THINK THEY KNOW EVERYTHING: What is it, Mr. Nick?

NICK: I have a week of work to go and then I'm off for school! That's the greatest news in the world because another month at a job site that had nothing to do with art would most-assuredly have driven me to the point of debilitating madness!!!

OVERPAID CHILDREN ACTORS WHO THINK THEY KNOW EVERYTHING: Ha ha ha!!!













Talk to you soon...

GO SEE SCOTT PILGIM!!!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Because Cute n' Crazy Pay the Bills...




Looong time since my last post, but the Summer is busy with work, trying to pay back debts incurred during school and in preparation of upcoming debts for next year.

Debt shmebt, school starts in less than a month! YES!!!

Anyways, art wise, I've been mostly busy with commissions which always seem to focus on subjects who are atrociously cute or ridiculously crazy.

This first pic is yet another piece for GRIMZEN who now have quite the recurring character on their hands. Buddha dude is so much fun to draw and every pic seems to get a bit better than the last. I really fucked up some of them trees though... and in some sort of Freudian display, I accidentally rendered what looks like a pot leaf right smack in the foreground.

"I never inhaled..."




This piece was for Puttin' On the Foil and is modeled after the band's front man, Kevin. He actually does look like this character, although he looks a little crazier in real life:)




This is for the local Calgary band TRUCK and is an obvious reference to Mr. Prime, and will be gracing some T-shirts for the band some time in the near future. I love seeing my work on people's chests. Some people more than others...



And finally here is a pic for a pitch that a friend is making for a potential kid series. Giving a dust fleck personality and cuteness? Why that's a challenge and a half.

The secret?

Huge eyes and the slightest gap between his two front teeth.

Some past Drink n Draw sketches are on their way...

But first, I',m gonna go see Scott Pilfrim! Hell yeah!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

My Horrible Debut



A Study in Horrible-Ness

So, I made my first unofficial stage debut this week as part of an intro video for the first professional stage production of Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog! So I wasn't technically on stage as part of the play, but my face was pretty huge. (Click above link for the goods!)

Shooting at Good Earth was fun, though we really got on the Barista's nerves by the end of it and they asked us to leave. So I rattled off the last line and bolted! It was pretty awesome. And Jason Mehmel did a great job putting the video together. Same for the rest of the cast and crew.

Best part of the day was when I was waiting for my shot, dressed as a Barista, standing behind the counter and some dude asked me "Hey, can you get me started on a couple breakfast paninis?"

To which I replied "Oh, I don't work here... I'm just an actor."

Sunday, May 30, 2010

The Square's Burden












This comic was inspired by a great many things. I imagined a scene on my way to school, whilst sitting on the c-train, and the rest of the story settled rather quickly.

Influences:
  • 1984 and Animal Farm by George Orwell
  • Exodus by Anti-Flag
  • Flatland by George A. Abbott, although I've never read the book, I was aware of it and I'm sure its influence crept its way into this story.
I wrote the script at 24 Hour Comic Day last October, penciled it on my Christmas break last December and wrapped it all up this evening. Feels good to have finished another story!

Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Heads, I Win...






Here are some random pics, some drawn months ago, another drawn today, all of them tightened up with a splash of ink and color.

The first pic features my next big project, an 8 page comic featuring Andrew Foley's The Absurdist. I read the script again after abut a year and I love it even more than before. It's gonna be a gooder, folks.

Have I mentioned recently that Daredevil is the Bees Knees!? Well, he is.

That two-headed dude is from a novel I've been working on for the last year.

And the Joker was drawn today at my new job: I am a scan monkey for Riley's reprographics at the moment, working during the summer to survive as an art student. It didn't take too long for me to remember why I spent loads of money every Friday on food and booze after working in an office all week.

Just helps reaffirm that going back to school was the right thing to do.

It appears I have been accepted into the 2nd Year Design Program at ACAD, but I'll only allow myself to get excited when I'm holding the actual letter in my hot little hand. Once I get the portfolio back though, I'll post the whole damn thing online. A shining testament to an entire year's worth of hard work.

Ooooooh...

Saturday, May 22, 2010

The Simple Joy of a Frightened Child



This comic started off as most of my inside jokes tend to: a misunderstanding on my part. I misheard my friend Katherine say the words "fountain in the front yard" and instead heard "phantom in the front yard." And that's all it took for my brain pan to concoct this spooky little story and its hero, a proper young English boy, Quincy.

People will probably ask "But why, Nick? What's the point of this story?"

"We've all got phantoms in our front yard," I'll say, as my cold eyes stare into nothingness, lost in my own dark memories, and sipping away at the tumbler of scotch that I fully intend to chuck into the fireplace to add to the dramatic tension.

It's going to be glorious.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Tank-ety Tank-ety!


GRIMZEN, the unstoppable Metal Machine of Malice from High River, commissioned me to do another piece featuring their War Buddha dude. The tank was way fun yet kinda tough to draw and I actually got to use some of the perspective and color theory knowledge that I unwittingly gained from my first year at ACAD.

At least that's where I think it came from. The CIA doesn't beam sweet-ass knowledge directly into the brains of the random public anymore, do they? Cuz I suddenly know how to dis- and reassemble an M-16 too.

Here's a sneak peek at a one page comic I'm working on. It's an inside joke that got wildly out of control. (Thanks Katherine.)


His name is Quincy. And he needs your help.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Expo Peep Show


Not only did I attend the spectacular Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo last April, but I also had the good fortune of being featured in their beautiful art souvenir book. The theme was sci-fi, so I fell back on the only sci-fi story I've ever done, Space Ninja Monkey Face, from Rocket Juice.

Like with all my pinups, I tried to mash as many characters and story points onto one surface as possible, I guess to ensure that people always get their money's worth and are able to spend some quality time with the page.

Quality sexy time.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Summer Dresses and Job Distresses


I have officially survived my foundation year at ACAD! My portfolio for the VC program has been submitted and I now have stories, and scars, and stories written in scars to tell all. I had to drop off the grid to finish things up, but once I get my portfolio back, I plan to scan the beast to show what I've been up to throughout the year. And to see if I've improved. At all.

But until then, summer is nearly here! And I need to get this art blog back on muthafuckin' track, right?

SCORES OF ENTHUSIASTIC CHILDREN ACTORS: Right!

A FRESH FACED AND REINVIGORATED NICK: Go team!

So while I'm looking for some work this summer to keep my bad self fed and off the streets, I'll also be updating more regularly. Let us begin with some Drink n Draw sketches:


(This character was created by Fiona back in High School.)

And now, because Fiona and Rebekah have started a revealing Show-All of High School Art via Facebook, I have decided to bare all and reveal my knobby kneed illustrations from junior to high school. I wear my influences on my sleeve:



(These 2 were my first full length comic, The Mist, drawn in Junior High.)



(And this was High School!)

That's all for now. Updates soon!