Hey all, I was interviewed by a great guy at http://www.whodidthewhatnow.com the other day, and the interview is now up on his site! It’s a pretty good interview, even though I’m in it. We talk about sketch cards, art, life the universe and everything! Go check it out and let me know what you think!
http://www.whodidthewhatnow.com
So, It’s Official:
I looked askance at Otis Frampton when he announced it, and I thought Tom Hodges was Crazy. But after some reflection, some bad experiences working with both companies I’ve done work for, and 3 big card sets, I’m announcing that I’m now semi-retired from doing official sets. That is to say, I’m not going to actively pursue any sets from here on out with the exception of any further Legends & Lore sets. I have so many other things on my plate with commissions, other illustration and design work and my day job, that I just can’t afford to take a month and a half out of my work schedule to do official cards anymore. this will also help free me up to work on my new book, which I’ve been putting off for the past couple of years.
Most of you probably don’t care about that, tho. “What about commissions?” I hear you say (well, some of you). Fear not! I still plan to do PSC commissions. I still love sketch cards as an art media. I love drawing on these damned things, it’s just a lot of fun. And I’ve always felt that I’ve done my best work on commissions vs. sets. (keep your eyes peeled, I’ve got a sale opening up soon)
So, yeah, don’t worry: You haven’t gotten rid of me that easily. I’m still a scoundrel and hope to stay one for the long haul. Thanks to all of you who who have bought my cards, commissioned or official.
Hey all!
I have some t-shirts available at my Redbubble.com profile. Go there and buy some! Also, if you know of something I’ve done in the past, and Don’t see it in there, let me know and I’ll see what I can do about putting it in there.
Woo!
So this past weekend was the Emerald City Comicon. It was great to meet and re-meet those of you I got to see! (Misty, Jason, Allison, Dan, Dawna, Joe, I’m looking at you!)
While I met some awesome people and got some great feedback, I gotta admit, I was a little underwhelmed by this show. We got our table late, so we got stuck in a really weird spot, in the back of the hall. Since I missed the registration for Artist alley, I was lucky enough to have a retailer friend that was willing to share his booth with me. Which was super-awesome (Thanks, Steven!). All the other reviews I’ve read about the show talk about how busy it was, but most of those people didn’t make it back to my end of the hall since all of the artists and other creatives were closer to the entrance. The ones that did were fabulous, though. Even the ones that didn’t buy anything were great to talk to. I did do a few sketches, and a couple of commissions for some guys that wanted me to draw their characters from a comic story they are working on. That was cool. Basically, I designed their characters (and I feel really bad for the artist they find to draw their book: I designed a really crazy character with a lot of detail. Drawing that character for 22 pages is gonna be a pain! LOL! ) took in a D&D character commission and a piece of my take on Baba Yaga. Hopefully, scans will be available.
I got a little down on myself over the weekend. Partially, because it was just a really big show, and I don’t think I represented well there, with a third of a 6-foot table in the corner of a 10×10 booth, hidden behind a sign. And partially because I think that I need more and better work. Apparently, “Sketch Card Artist” doesn’t hold as much sway at a big convention like this.
Some highlights: Sunday: My awesome friend Jason took my copy of the ECCC art book, Monsters and Dames, around and got a bunch of autographs in it, including a head sketch from Mike Mignola! I’ve been haunting Mignola for 4 years now, and have never been able to get a sketch, so the fact that he got me one was awesome! EEE! I also got to talk to my good bud, Dan Davis of Steamcrow.com and Monstercommute.com for a while on sunday, and I told him my idea for a story book I wanna do. He and his wife, Dawna gave me some awesome encouragement (which was greatly appreciated because the show depressed me a little). super cool peeps. A highlight related to the depressed-weirdness I had going on n sunday: Sunday afternoon, I went to the Subway to get my wife and I some food. I’d been feeling down all day, and was having one of those “I give up” moments we all have sometimes. somehow made worse by the news that Adam Hughes had swung by the table and looked over my stuff while I was gone. So, while I was talking to my wife, telling her that I was just about done with all of this stuff, a long-haired, red-headed gentleman walked up and started looking over my work. He gave me some suggestions and a few compliments and told me to ‘Keep it up’. I was floored. Just utterly shocked and dumbfounded. I managed to gurgle out a thank you to this man as he was walking away. My wife, noticing the stricken look on my face, asked “Who was that?” “That,” I replied, still unbelieving “was Joseph Michael Linsner, the creator of Dawn.”
HOW F-IN COOL WAS THAT?!
Needless to say, that helped me get out of my funk and get me through the rest of the day. I’m coming back next year, but this time I’m doing it bigger. My wife and I are sharing a booth of our own. I’m aiming to have my first all ages story book done by that time, so keep your eyes peeled. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! ———————————————————–
Portlanders!!! Drink and Draw tomorrow!!! At the Hillsdale Brewery and Pub.
1505 S.W. Sunset Blvd. Portland, OR 97239
Be there!!!!
Figured I’d post up some of my recent commissions:
This is a Silver Surfer Commission I did last week. This is a Sketch Card Commission and it measures 2.5″x3.5″. Drawn in Micron Pen and colored in Prismacolor markers.
The Rapahel card was done for my book that I take around to conventions. Mainly just because I wanted to. I may do the other 3 at some point in the future. The Phoenix was a commission I just finished. Both measure 2.5″x3.5″. Drawn in Micron Pen and colored in Prismacolor markers.
Hey all,
This weekend (4/4-4/5) is the PNW’s biggest Geek Prom, Emerald City Comicon!!! Be sure to swing by and say hi! I’ll be taking commissions for sketch cards, and larger pieces as well. We’ll be at booth #1014 in the main hall.
emerald city
This is a piece I did as a promo card for the upcoming Legends & Lore card set from Sadlittles.com. I’m doing a few more base cards for the set and a slew of sketchcards, too. I’m really excited about this set. the entire premise of the set is to get artists to do their own spin on classic characters of fable and myth. There is some awesome work being done on this set. The promo set is available for purchase at sadlittles.com/store, and includes art by me, Nate Ohlendorf, Justin Vandemark, Rich Molinelli and more! Go Get It!
What’s new? Just finished with my cards for Rittenhouse Archives’ Wolverine: Origins card set. Whew! The most cards I’ve ever done on one set and ALL IN COLOR! Crazy! Now, I get to start on my base cards for the upcoming Legends and Lore card set from Sadlittles.com. Got one design down, just gotta throw it in the computer, and then do the next 4 (burly men in loincloths, anyone?). Then, I’ll get started on commissions I owe people. Got a few outstanding, but I should be able to whack them out – just gotta do it!
I’m going to try to make some updates to my site here in the next few weeks leading up to Emerald City Comicon. Mostly in the store section. Keep your eyes peeled!
http://blip.tv/file/1797965#
BAM! I was fortunate enough to impress the guys at the I have Issues Podcast during the Phoenix Comicon last month, and they were nice enough to do an interview with me. (My interview starts at about 13:22)
Check it out! There are also interviews with Daniel Davis, Ben Glendenning and many more!!! Check it out and let me know what you think about my inane rambling!
WOO!
This wednesday is Draw night here in Portland!
What is Draw Night, you ask? Well, Draw Night is a night where artists of all shapes, styles and kinds can break away from their drawing tables and venture out into the big, scary world to socialize and talk with others of their kind.
Here in PDX, we do it every SECOND Wednesday of the month at Hillsdale Brewery and Public House
Map!!!!
Questions? Post them here!
