goats and buildings

Yes, more goats. Plus a bit of my nonsense art notes. Sometimes I learn things, or think I learn things, sometimes I remember things, often I think I know something and then it changes on me. Funny how that works. Writing down notes helps me track where I am and where I've been. The truths of the now always change the truths of the past. Often frustrating and often intriguing!

I am watchin' Baccano!

goats and dandelions

I bought a Zebra G Nib off Matt last week and have been LOVING it. It's a nib that doesn't catch on paper, no splattering!, and holds lots of ink. It doesn't get quite as fat a line as I like, but still has a wide range of line width. I turned some dandelions into dragons and enjoyed making some hoary looking goats.

Sword and Sorcery is out! Wooo!

I've been waiting for this game for so long. I may not sleep tonight. I may need to make fan art. I will destroy you BEAR!

BUY IT!!!

Ipad Sketch Club Quickie

More Sketch Club Here

lizard sketches

paper mouse

1.5x1.5 in

paper and pencil on canvas

I wish I were dreaming.

Tsunami Project for Give2Asia

If you are an artist looking for a way to help raise money for relief in Japan please consider donating artwork to the Tsunami Project. I've shared the links below through google translate.
You can go to the untranslated page here.

Information on how to participate here

Tsunami Project Art Blog is here 

Moon Gazing has been donated to the Tsunami Project. I hope it promotes some peaceful feelings.

moon gazing

6x6 

wood panel, paper, acrylic

Art Blocks opening sketches

I flew down to LA over the weekend and hit up the LAAFA open house and also the Art Blocks for Ghana LA opening at Nucleus. Being socially backwards I hung out by the observation window and drew people mingling below. Earlier in the day I was playing with shapes and had some fun with a softdrink container.

Hanging out in Alhambra I wandered into a comic shop and happily found the second hardbound Castle Waiting book. It's a great comic. Enjoyable characters and excellent world building. I can hardly wait for more. Seriously, I began swearing when I finished it.

Also, a great interview with Terryl Whitlatch has been posted. I love the sensitivity of her creature design. It's rare. Part One and Part Two

Art Blocks for Ghana auction is go!

The Art Blocks for Ghana auction is now live!
You can find my contribution here.

Part of the auction proceeds will now go to Give2Asia in response to the mega tsunami which hit Japan last week. You can also donate directly to Give2Asia.


Please help if you can, things are desperate.

ECCC sketch comission

I drew this gobliny fellow during the con for Ian. For some reason most of the sketches I did during ECCC have an up to no good smirk on their faces. :)

Thanks for sending me a pic Ian! It means a lot.

ECCC sketch

I did this sketch for a couple of great guys over at Sofawolf Press. I didn't bring a camera with me so most of the creatures I drew are undocumented, but Trevor snapped a quick shot of these critters before they headed off on their adventure. I wish I had a picture of this book's cover because it was a gorgeous graphic image of a running fox and wolf. Reminded me very much of the background images in Samurai Jack.

ECCC sketches

I did a number of commissions during the con and in between those I did a lot of people watching and sneaky drawing. Here are some of the people watching sketches. I was sitting across from Bob Schreck, who looked like a fun guy.

ECCC 2011

Trevor over at Kraken Studios took this rad photo while I was rescued by Spiderman. What are the odds!

The Seattle con this year was amazing. It felt like a condensed version of the the Sand Diego convention. Large enough to be on the verge of over stimulating, but small enough to be personable and super rad. I wasn't at the same table as my friends this year so I was fairly nervous about the convention, but then I met so many wonderful  people! I talked so much I forgot to drink and eat. I must be better about that aspect in the future. Dehydration is no ones friend. A few people compared my work to some artists I admire which was very kind of them and I was flattered to the point of embarrassment. I was pretty busy and didn't make it to see as much of the show as I would have liked, but I did obtain some prints from Chris Turnham, Kevin Dart, Brittany Lee, and the coolest sketches ever from Derek Monster and Doug TenNapel. I was hoping to glimpse William Shatner, but never had the opportunity. I love me some Boston Legal. I had plenty of coworkers, friends, even a few Guild Wars fans who managed to track me down, stop by and that was elevating and joyful. Many many costumes passed by my table and I loved each and every one. A: Having the guts to wear a costume in public is ballsy even in the relative blanket of the con and, B: making a costume is whole art unto itself and varies wildly from theme to theme. More happened than I can really relay at the moment, my brain is pretty fried, but it was so fantastic. If you missed attending this year try not to miss 2012. It's so much fun!

Heck, just hang outside the convention for free an watch the awesome costumes parade by. :)

More art posts soon I promise!

ECCC Table Stats 2011

I think information about the business end of art, even the poor record I keep, should be open for others to know about. Outside of commercial art it's kinda rough out there making a living. Well, maybe I'm just bad at it (likely). Anyway, have a peek!

Here's the business: 

Inventory:
1 in buttons Fitty cents
red dragon prints 20 bucks
mini octopus prints 5 bucks
super mini prints 2 bucks
sketchbooks tres 20 bucks
sketchbooks dos 10 bucks


Expenses:
Artist Alley Table 187 bucksish (I paid for it last year and don't remember exactly the price)
100 Sketchbooks 836.49
Postcards 103.11
Scanning 200
(I didn't need to pay for extra things like pens, business cards, and displays because I had them from last year.)
Total 1326.60

Intake: 1145 bucks
Minus Sales Tax Total 1041.1 
Loss of 181.6

I'm in the RED! Plus next year I will get hit for additional income tax as well.
I came real close though. Keep in mind I'm not including expenses like parking and food yet. Since I only do one convention a year I don't itemize my taxes. Probably a financial mistake, but a hassle I can live with for now. Go go day job!

Compare this year to previous years with similar wares.

Intake 2010:
997 bucks
Loss of 38.56 bucks

Intake 2009:
322 bucks
Profit of 104 bucks

Intake 2007:
456 bucks
Profit of 334 bucks

Interesting that I take in more money each year, but am financially less successful every time. The failure seems to compound annually so far too. Not that the convention is about financial success, but it would be nice.

Super Punch Tarot Show in Florida

I've got a piece showing soon at the Bear and Bird Gallery as part of the Super Punch Tarot show. There is a ton of wonderful artwork. Please check it out!

Bear and Bird boutique and gallery

The Super Punch Tarot

On exhibit: March 5 - April 23, 2011

Curated by Super Punch blogman John Struan!

Check out his blog

Opening Night Reception: Saturday, March 5, 2011 • 7-10pm

ECCC here I come!

I'm heading out the door to the Emerald City Comicon right now. My friend's tables aren't near me this year, so my blanket of comfort is no more. I'm very excited and nervous. I've got my creatures with me so at least that's some good company.

If you're there be sure to track down Trevor Howell of Kraken Studios, Matt (M.C.) Barrett, Doug (Dougbot) Williams of Undead Labs, James Phinney of Undead Labs, Richard (Flaptraps) Anderson, Dana McDonald of Custom Kingdoms, and particularly Chris Turnham and Kevin Dart of Fleet Street Scandal. They all have beyond killer art and the styles vary wildly.

Hope to see you soon!

-Katy

P.S. Stuart Ng is going to be there this year. There goes my monees.