Surrounded in Color.

I grew up watching Science Fiction, Horror and Adventure movies and TV shows on a small television set.  I enjoyed arts in color and in black and white. I strongly prefer the monochromatic palette with it's rich blacks, varying shades of whites and grays.  I am learning to appreciate color and it's uses in establishing mood and creating depth. I once read that "cool" colors recede while "warm" colors come forward. That's been the extent of my training in coloring. Anything else I've learned has come from the ongoing observation of colored artworks from a variety of artists and mediums.  I color with markers, colored inks, watercolors and a variety of colored pencils and China markers. I find that smooth and semi smooth Bristol board responds well to my techniques. It would perhaps be more sensible to use digital coloring as it offers an astonishing array of colors, tones and gradations as well the ability to undo errors with a mouse click.  I suppose this is the point where personality and temperament guides my creative choices.  There is a great deal of excellent art produced digitally. Similarly, there's a great deal of traditionally created artwork that's considerably enhanced by digital means. I enjoy the unpredictability of working with traditional tools.  I'm a product of a more tactile era; books had weight and volume while the paper had the texture of it's age. I frequented hole in the wall used bookstores where the promise of a undiscovered gem mingled with the smell of books. I need to feel the physical aspect of art and thus my attachment to traditional methods of production.  I applaud the ongoing advancement of digital art tools and I admire the work produced with them. In order for art to survive the human hand must always be at the helm in all of it's imprecise, uncertain and bold ways.

Wrestler Zero and The Last Cross.

Wrestler Zero images.

Two commissions and a pin up.

Luchador Zero

Hello one and all. I've not posted here for a while so here's a six pager I recently completed:

A new page.

Still at it.

Hello friends. It's been quite a while but I'm still out here.

Two new ones.

 

 

Hello friends. I want to share two pages from the revised and expanded Wrestler Zero (Luchador Zero)  number one. I felt that the story needed to be expanded so as to include more characterizations and to give the reader a better sense of the world these fantastic characters inhabit.

 

Where I started.

Hello friends. I apologize for my sporadic posting schedule on this blog. I've been regularly posting on Twitter, Facebook, Behance, Tumbler and DeviantArt but this blog is where I started my online presence and I don't want to abandon it altogether. As you can see from the pieces above I'm still working on my artwork and on new story pages. I will keep you all posted on the latest.

A little from column A, a little from column B.

O.M.A.C. created by Jack Kirby.

My favorite Jack Kirby creation is O.M.A.C.-One Man Army Corps. It was a short lived series but it was replete with great concepts.  This is my less than "Kingly" rendition of Kirby's creation. Pencil, brush pen and marker on copy paper.

Hello friends. I apologize for the long interval between posts. I appreciate your patience and support.

Luchador Zero

Greetings amigos. After much thought and consideration I've changed the name of my character from "Wrestler Zero" to Luchador Zero which is Wrestler Zero in Spanish. As regular visitors to this blog know, I love Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling) and the masked Mexican wrestlers (Luchadores). The MexiLuchaHero ( a term coined by Keith Rainville) as seen in the comics and movies starring El Santo, Blue Demon and Mil Mascaras is the biggest influence on my work.  Every artist has his/her own preoccupations with a specific genre. Mine is the MexiLuchaHero. I wanted to be more culturally accurate and true to the Latino roots of the genre and characters I write and draw. It's still the same character and concept now as it was before. I didn't restart with a new number one. Geek culture has been global for some time now so I hope you'll stick around for more Luchador Zero.

Revised cover layout for Wrestler Zero number three.

Since I'm revamping Wrestler Zero number three a new cover was in order. This is what goes on the lightbox prior to inking. I used pencil and some ink on 11x14 copy paper.  I'm not going to have the lengthy career of my artistic heroes because I started decades after they started their paths. Because of that I want to make sure that I don't just put out work for the sake of having something out there. I want to take the time to do it to the best of wherever my abilities are at that moment.

Enter 2014

Happy New Year to one and all. Thank to each of you for sticking with this blog and supporting the work.  Big shout out to Manny Dejesus.  I've expanded my social media use into Twitter, Tumblr and DeviantArt.  Of course I'm still on Facebook  too.  Onwards and ever upwards friends.

Wrestler Zero versus The Human Bats.

 

 

A pin up on 11 x 14 Bristol board. Inked with a Pentel brush pen, dry brush and Micron Pigma pens.

The ongoing saga of Wrestler Zero number three

I managed to finish Wrestler Zero number three in time for the 2013 RI Comic Con but not in time to actually print it. I was terribly disappointed in myself and still am but it turned out to be a good thing. The climax was rushed and the opening was too truncated. This is the result of rushing the work and not budgeting my time correctly. I'm reworking the climax of the story and expanding the opening as well. The result will be a better reading experience for you and a less cringe inducing memory for me.  Above are two pages that I am keeping in the finished version since they occur storywise in the first third of the comic.

Hammered.

Hello everyone. It's been far too long since I published a new post.  I have my reasons but reasons aren't excuses. 2013 has been a very challenging and instructive year to say the very least.  I've posted both the pencils and the finished piece so you can see some of my process and choices.  The character is "The Hammer" created by Kelley Jones to whom all rights are reserved and respected. I ran this piece by Kelley and he graciously gave his blessing for me to publish it here and on my other social media sites such as FB and DeviantArt.  I very rarely draw any established characters. I honestly don't know what I could say with well known characters than hasn't already been said by a legion of far more talented folks than myself.  However, I did enjoy drawing "The Hammer".

Two more from issue three.

More from Wrestler Zero number three.