So, with the convention season starting and the release of “Captain Dan vs. The Kraken,” I’ve been asked to write up a blog post explaining how I drew the arts for the new book. Now, I don’t often do this kind of thing (and I didn’t plan ahead for this one,) so bear with me and here we go! We’re going to tear apart the “Cantina Scene” from the beginning of “CDvTK.”

STEP ONE: The sketch.
Seems obvious, doesn’t it? All of my arts start out about like this. Blue and/or red pencil on paper. Seems counter-intuitive, I know, since all of my artwork is finished digitally. “Why would I draw it out on paper instead of working completely digitally?” Well, part of it is that I have much better control  over a pencil when sketching than I do a stylus, the other part is that I just really like drawing on paper. I think it makes my art seem a little more alive than it would be if I did it all digital.

STEP TWO: Redrawing it all.

So, the next step (and the one that takes the most time) is redrawing the entire image in Illustrator using the pen tool, patience and a lot of self-loathing. The idea here is kind of similar to inking a traditional comic book page; take the unusable scribbles from the pencils stage and make it readable. Here I tried to keep the general squishiness and life from the pencils, but even out and clean up the curves and make each character distinct. I also spent a lot of time dividing the image into separate layers for reasons that might become apparent at a later date. Doing this also makes doing the next step MUCH easier.

STEP THREE: Flat Colors

This step is probably the most “normal” step in the process: flatting colors. So, when I draw the art in illustrator (step 2), this makes each item a separate shape. So, this step is all about assigning colors to individual shapes, making them jive together within the character and with the whole image. I’m trying to sell the setting and characters as belonging in that setting and the colors are what help me do that.

STEP FOUR: Off to Photoshop/Art Corrections

Basically this step is me making sure that everything works. I noticed that there was a visibility issue in the lower left corner where the foreground character and bg character kind of melted into one. So, I had to adjust that a bit before continuing on.

STEP FIVE: Texturizing.

In this step, I attempt to better separate the important characters from the background characters, as well as give a sense of depth by applying a light texture over everything except the two foreground characters. I used a gradient set to dissolve on a multiply layer. (Was that too inside baseball? It was, wasn’t it? Sorry.)

STEP SIX: Shaping up.

Well, now things are starting to take shape! The nice thing about the flat colors is that I can use the wand tool in photoshop to select areas I want to apply shading to without it affecting anything else, which allows me to keep my art clean and neat. TECH STUFF: For the most part, I worked on a multiplied layer using a soft brush set to dissolve at a mid-low opacity. I used it kind of like an airbrush letting color build up by sweeping over it lightly. It’s a pain to get the technique, but I like the results.

STEP SEVEN: Shedding some light.

The last step for me is adding the lights/highlights to the image. I used basically the same technique on this step as I did for step 6 above, except instead of a multiplied layer, I used a screen layer and a brush with a light cream color. Aside note: I rarely use white or black to shade images. For shading, I try to use the color I’m darkening or a blue shade on an multiplied layer. For the lights, I try to use the lightest color that exists in the image, this way the bright spots don’t seem too out of place.

And that’s it! Fun, huh? Now you can go out and make art just like me! (please don’t, I’d never forgive myself for ruining your life)

So, I guess that’s about it, this week! Reminder: Don’t forget to order your copy of Captain Dan vs. The Kraken! There are still some free sketches available to the first 30 orders. Get yours today! Here are a couple of samples from some books that have already gone out the door: A cute commission of The DoubleClicks (who have a CD coming out that I did the artwork for) as Time Lords and a very proud Captain Dan (when you look as good as old Dan here, you can preen a bit, too). Anyway, so that’s it this week. Bye!

As you probably know, if you’ve been following me here or on twitter, the past few weeks have been completely taken over by work on my next book, Captain Dan vs. The Kraken. Well, good news on that front: I’m done! (with the artwork, at any rate) YAY! So, let me regale you with a new preview image from the book. Be sure to let me know what you think over on twitter or on facebook.

Today, I’d like to announce my candidacy for Pres… Oh wait. I’m getting ahead of myself. I can’t do that for a minimum of 5 more years. No, what I’d really like to talk to you all about is THIS:

Yep. This is the cover of our newest book, Captain Dan vs. The Kraken! It’s set to be debuted at Emerald City Comicon at the end of March. I’m just about done with the final art and then I gotta do the final text edits, but we’re close! I’m so excited! This book is going to be great! It has everything that you loved about the FIRST Capt. Dan book, plus MORE! We’re also going to have pinups by some of the illustration world’s greatest (and my friends), including Spencer Brinkerhof III, Robin Robinson and Rebecca Hicks!

So yeah. Stay tuned for more info (and maybe some more preview art, if you’re nice)

The Hobbit warmups I did for the past week or so combined into one big piece.

The Sauron piece is a new Valentine’s Day Card that is available RIGHT NOW

I am sad to report that I do not have much to report this week. I know, I know – I’m sad, too. This week was a week of playing catch up, trying to get ahead on this book we’re working on, in addition to other projects. This week, I did finish up a T-Shirt design that you can check out here and here, if you’re into that kind of thing.

This week also saw me do some more warmup sketches. However, unlike weeks past, these I did digitally. I may turn these into a print or something at a later date, but you can check them out individually right here.

Also, I wanted to remind you guys and gals that this is the season of lovin’! In that vein, we here at MMP want to faciltate the nerd-love and are offering a GREAT DEAL on our Zombie Valentine’s Cards! They’re available here and here, so go get them before time runs out!

So, I don’t have much to say this week, to be honest. I am severely behind on the next Capt. Dan book (shocking, I know) because I spent a lot of my time out and about working on something really big that I can’t share yet. Murph.

So, instead let me share with you this:

HOBBITSES! I’ve recently been re-reading the Hobbit at night before I go to bed and for my warmups this week I decided (inspired by my friend, Robin) to draw some scenes from my favorite kid’s book. Yeah, I said kid’s book. I know a lot of people want to see great big Boris Vallejo pictures based on this book, but it was initially meant as a children’s book. So, I wanted to do some Hobbit sketches with my kid’s book style. I’ve re-read the Hobbit every year since I was 10. I freakin’ love this book. I might work these up digitally once I get caught up on the next Capt. Dan book, just for fun. Is this something you’d like to see? Let me know in the comments.

Well, that’s all I have for you this week, minions. Go outside and have an adventure this week. Keep in mind that you can get a hold of me on Twitter or Facebook or buy stuff from me at my Store! (Don’t forget the Zombie Valentines Card sale going on RIGHT NOW!)

I’ll be honest, today being Friday COMPLETELY took me by surprise. This week just sailed by without so much as a ‘by your leave.’ Just rude, I say.

Anywho, today’s blog post is gonna be short. It’s not that I don’t have a lot to say (because I do), I just can’t spill the beans on most of it just yet. Suffice to say that there are big plans afoot for MMP this coming con season.

One thing I CAN spill the beans about is that today is a pretty special day. (No, not Friday the 13th, altho it is that) Today is my mom’s b-day! Yay! A little while back, I wrote a post about my dad’s b-day and how he is such a big influence on why I do what I do. Well, my mom’s the other big part. While my dad may have inspired me with his work and ability, my mom was my main source of encouragement and drive. My mom drummed into me at a young age that if I set my mind to something, then I can make that happen and that’s been my guiding light for my whole life. It sounds cliche, I know, but it’s one of the few I put stock in. So, if you like what I do, make sure you thank my mom, because a lot of it is her fault.

“Onto the pictures, Monkey!” I hear you saying. Ok, ok. Here you go. These are the warmups I did this week.  (The Avengers pic was a little more involved than a normal warmup, but I liked where it was going, so I followed it.) For the most part, I’m trying to spend less than an hour each on these every time I sit down to draw. Again, if you have ideas for characters you’d like to see me sketch, let me know on my Twitter, FB Page or brand-spanking new Tumblr!

So, I have AN ANNOUNCEMENT! For the Valentines Day holiday we’re having a sale on all of our Zombie Valentine’s Day Cards. Yay!! I’m fixing the prices in both my Etsy and Storenvy stores and this should be live by about 2pm (Pacific) today!

So that’s all I have for you this week. I need to get back to work on the next Urban Wild strip and the second Capt. Dan Book.

Dear Mr. President,
Recently the Obama for America campaign ran a design contest “Art Works” that asked designers, artists and illustrators to submit designs and ideas for posters that, once chosen, would be sold through the OFA website to help raise funds for your re-election. This contest provided no compensation to the artists. As a self-employed designer and illustrator, I found the idea of a design contest distasteful, but after receiving the email from one of your campaign staffers which basically told everyone who spoke out angrily about the ‘contest’ to shut up about it, I mostly did. Then the contest kind of faded away (as so many things do in the political arena), and I didn’t think too much more about it.

Today, I was reminded of your campaign’s disrespect for (and willingness to take advantage of) artists when I got an email from Josh Higgins announcing the “winners” (I use that term loosely) of the design contest. Winners who, in the email, aren’t even identified by full name. Winners who, on your website, aren’t even given the dignity of a link back to their portfolio or website. The only incentive these people had for entering this SHAM of a contest in the first place was recognition and the ability to use this to gain themselves PAYING work. Paying work that Art Directors and ad agencies might give these artists if they had a reasonable way to find them. Since you didn’t even link to these artist’s websites, how will any ACTUAL job-creators find these people to give them work? You called these artists “winners” and that’s not true, and you know it. These people were marks to your campaign. Your campaign conned artists into giving you the fruits of their labor for free with the carrot of recognition. They didn’t do this for the signal honor of getting your autograph. They didn’t do this for the heady pleasure of seeing their work on the President’s website. They did it for exposure. Exposure your campaign can’t even deign to give them.

Writing this wasn’t easy for me. As a staunch liberal, a supporter of your 2008 campaign (I was a volunteer AND donated money), and a working artist, seeing your 2012 campaign’s complete disregard for the artistic profession (a profession that your candidacy greatly benefitted from in 2008, as I recall) hurts me personally and professionally. This “contest” (and all others like it) only serves to further the idea that artists and designers aren’t true professionals and that paying them for their work is largely irrelevant. It hurts more since, as the President, you are spectacularly influential. Your example shows the rest of America that it’s ok to benefit from the work of a talented designer or illustrator, but it’s not necessary to pay, or even properly credit, said artist for their artistic contribution. People are going to see this as the President’s tacit approval for ripping off creatives across the board. This is not “change we can believe in”. This is the prelude to a very bad time in America for artists, designers and illustrators. A time that you could help prevent just by giving the people who worked so hard for you credit on your site (since paying them is obviously out of the question). Please do the right thing by these people.

Sincerely yours, Dane Ault – Monkey Minion Press

Doc Letter

This second letter is by my wife, Ashlie.

Dear President Obama,

I am writing today in response to the choice made by your campaign to run a contest soliciting free poster designs. As a supporter of your last successful campaign, I am appalled at what is being done in your name. As a thirty-something American who isn’t totally ignorant about the state of the economy and the jobless rate here in Oregon, I am outraged that this contest preys on people looking for work by paying nothing. As a craftsperson married to a freelance graphic designer and illustrator, I am personally insulted that your campaign calls this contest “Art Works.”

So you understand where I’m coming from, let me tell you a story about us, Mr. President. My husband and I are in our thirties. We’ve been married for more than seven years and both have college educations that we are still paying for. We’re normal people with some pretty normal goals and plans for our futures. This fall, after signing a mortgage on a very modest condo, my husband quit his job with a local ad agency and went freelance. It was the next step on a path leading to his dream and our long-term goals. Times are harder than we originally planned, however this isn’t a poor me or us letter.

We are young, tough and smart. We have savings and plans and my husband is excellent at what he does. We are going to succeed. But this is where you and your 2012 campaign comes in and sort of crashes the party.

Designers and illustrators depend on people understanding that art has value. Not just historical or museum-type value, but real, honest to goodness, yea-I-get-to-eat-now value. By creating a contest where people do real work for no return, you are telling the world that Art has no monetary value. You are saying that even really good artists, people who create work that is excellent enough to stand for the President of the United States, should be the starving kind.

Worse, by calling this contest “Art Works,” you are letting us (artists, graphic designers and the people who depend on them to bring home the bacon) know that you understand that Art indeed works for you. You know that the art on those posters can create an instant rapport with those you are trying to reach and communicate with. It can crystalize an idea more clearly than ten speeches. But you know who that art didn’t work for, Mr. President? All the artists and creators who provided you art in that contest. They got nothing for the real work they provided. Not only did they all work for free, but your campaign couldn’t even be bothered to pay the winners. They don’t even get credit in a way that will help drive other (hopefully paying) work to their inboxes.

Mr. President, every single day my husband and I are working to convince people and businesses of the value that our work, creativity, and yes- ART provides. This entire contest episode has left us with a bad taste in our mouths and a very poor idea of you. While there is no way to change the contest (and I doubt your campaign will suddenly do the right thing and pay a decent wage to those artists who have certainly earned it), there is one thing that can and should be done. It would be easy and cost you nothing.

Mr. President, please make absolutely sure that the artists whose work you will be making so much money from get proper credit. A name and home state doesn’t cut it. Please ensure that the dubious “honor” of working for you for free at least allows them the hope of future paying jobs. Provide proper credit by announcing their full names, email addresses, or perhaps a link to a website so that the Art can Work for them too.

Letter to Obama

In other news, this week, I started a new tumblr page at http://monkeyminionpress.tumblr.com/. There’s not much there, yet, but I’m working on it.

As far as art goes, I only have this picture of a kitty playing with a 20-sided die I drew for The DoubleClicks for a concert poster. Let me know what you think! That’s all I have for this week. Next week, I’ll be in Kansas for the holiday, but I’ll try to post something, provided the internet cow doesn’t wander too far east. Since I won’t see you before I leave, have a happy holiday, Minions!

So this is a few day’s late, and I apologize for that. Unfortunately, not much happened last week, so there wasn’t much to talk about. Still isn’t I suppose. Today’s my dad’s 63rd Birthday, though so I guess there’s that.

A bufflehead duck my dad mounted.

It’s a little crazy to think of my dad being 63. My dad, for those of you who don’t know, is a big part of why I do what I do. My dad is a taxidermist by trade and all through my childhood, I got to watch my dad create life-like sculptures from these birds and animals and breathe a new kind of life back into them. Even after helping him do it for a number of years, as a teenager, it still seemed like magic to me. The level of realness that he’s able to achieve is pretty amazing. My dad drew throughout my childhood too and it’s because of him, that I was drawn (get it) to the pencil and paper. He also instilled in me a love for the outdoors, which has recently been helpful in my work on the Urban Wild webcomic. Anyway, so yeah – My dad’s old. Which is awesome. Happy Birthday, Dad. If you’re into that kinda thing, swing by his website and take a look around.

So what did I draw this week? Well, I did this thing, I suppose. I calls it Jurassic Cluck! Inspired (obviously) by my deep and abiding love of the original JP book and movie and an article I read recently about a Chickenasaurus. I thought it was pretty funny.

So, that’s it this week. While you’re here, go check out the Press Page and see what kind of nice things people have been saying about the stuff we’re doing. If you have a blog or podcast and want to fill some space (and Wil Wheaton isn’t free), I’m always available.

On the art front this week, I want to share a drawing I did recently. It’s of Jean Grey as Phoenix. I don’t do a lot of large-scale drawings anymore, but every so often I get an itch and need to scratch it. This is 11×17 drawn in ink. she’s not quite done yet, I might color her. I’m trying to start doing more sketches to take to shows, so if you have a character request, let me know (in the comments, perhaps?), and maybe your idea will make it onto the blog.

Be sure to keep checking out my new webcomic, Urban Wild, which updates bi-weekly.

PS – The last day for (as close as I can get to) Guaranteed Before X-Mas Delivery of stuff is Monday, Dec. 12. I’m mailing every other day in preparation for the holiday rush, so PLEASE get your orders in soon, so you don’t have to be mad at me when your posters/books don’t get to you before X-mas and your kids are all disappointed (that’s happened).