In July I will be doing a drawing everyday based on Dick Tracy. The Hope is that this will help motivate me to do more drawing each day. I have done this before with Monsters and Robots, I will see if I can dig those collections out of my old harddrive and post them sometime this month as well!

Day Three - Junior Tracy - The adopted son of Dick Tracy and later a police forensic artist. First appears in a Steve the Tramp episode. In 1937 The Blank episode he is 10 years old. It was learned early on that he was originally named John "Jackie" Steele, and that his birth father was wealthy prospector Hank Steele and Mary Steele, both who appeared in the strip. (from Wiki)

In July I will be doing a drawing everyday based on Dick Tracy. The Hope is that this will help motivate me to do more drawing each day. I have done this before with Monsters and Robots, I will see if I can dig those collections out of my old harddrive and post them sometime this month as well!

July 1st - Dick Tracy
July 2nd - Flattop

I have deceided that the 25th of June is Draw a Duck Day and that everyone should take a moment or to to do their version of a famous duck...

Here are the ones I can think of:

Howard the Duck
Destroyer Duck
Donald Duck
Uncle Scrooge
Duck Dodgers/Daffy Duck
Darkwing Duck
Herbert the Duck from the Dungeon
Yakky Doodle from Hanna Barbera
Plucky Duck from Tiny Toons
MingMing from the wonderpets
Count Duckula
Deadeye Duck from Bucky O'Hare
Baby Huey from Harvey comics
Quacker from Tom and Jerry
Ace the Pilot from the TMNT cartoon

And that list does not even include any of the Ducks from Disney's Duckville!

If you draw one be sure to post a link so I can check it out!

Did you know I have a facebook fan page? This is cross posted from there! http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-art-of-House-of-Duck-Geek-Show-Ink-comics/120900747939924

So the first Springcon has come and gone and Microcon is no more (unless they change Fallcon’s name to Microcon since it is now a one day show!) and let me tell you it was a great show.

When I got to the con on Saturday morning I found my table with the help of the wonderful volunteer staff I was sitting with my good friends Josh Brown and President Nelson to the left of me and to the right was Evan “DOC” Shaner and the guys from Johnny Recon! I don’t think that anything will ever top the year that I found myself sitting right next to Don Rosa at Fallcon, but sitting next to these guys takes a strong second place!
So before I even unpack my bags and set up my table I went over and said Hi to Mitch Gerads and Scott Dillon. I wanted to pick up a copy of Johnny Recon #2. I really didn’t need to buy a copy of JR#2, I have a special edition coming from having taken part in their Kickstarter fund drive, but I didn’t want to wait to read! Plus since Doc Shaner and Kyle Latino where there I was able to get it signed by all the people who had worked on it! Not to mention that I want to keep supporting these guys as much as I can! There comic is great, it has that fun feel that I think the industry in general has lost.
Having got that out of the way I got myself back to my table and started getting set up for the day I still have no finished comic to sell so It was mostly just sketchcards, drawings in my portfolio and my sketchbook.
Then it was time to wait…
I think the set-up time in the mornings are my favorite time to be there. Once you are all set for the day there is time to wonder around and talk to the other artist from the area. I was able to see and chat a little with Grant Gould, Jessica Hickman, Michael May and Alex Ness before the day started. I never did make it back to Jessica’s table to pick up her sketchbook, guess that I will have to order it from the internet…
I managed to pick up three new sketches for my Duck collection Both Mitch Gerad and Scott Gallatin did a DarkWing Duck for me and Brent Schoonover did me a Duck Dodgers.
I sold a number of sketchcards and artwork to some great people. Their was one couple in particular who were repeat customers. They picked up a couple pages of uncut sketch cards this time after having bought my 88 Faces (http://houseofduck.deviantart.com/art/88-faces-113458781) from me at Fallcon last year. I didn’t think to get their names, but they did take my contact info so that they could have first chance to buy the piece that they saw me working on at my table!

I managed to slip away for awhile to visit Scott Gallatin at his table and Matt Kaufenberg at his. I give Matt’s art (http://skutterfly.deviantart.com/ ) a lot of credit for reminding me it is ok to try to make the art fun and has played a major part in me swinging my drawing style back to the “double circle style” I started with! Joe Combs swung by our table on Sunday so I managed to talk to almost everyone that I wanted to this weekend. The one exception being Jim Keefe from the Flash Gordon comics. Jim is a great guy and a real trip to talk to for anyone who is into the old school heroes and style. I just never managed to track down his table.

For the most part I hung out at my table talking to Bill Josh Brown and President Nelson (AKA Kemo Shaw) and being a geek… I started a number of drawings for various people and need to get them finished up this week. Josh is a great writer and was selling some of the comics htat he has had stories appear in as well as writing custom Haiku’s for a quarter at one point even offering free quarters with the purchase of a Haiku. Prez of course was a very popular fellow with his pin up prints of the various super-heroines and way low pieced commission pieces!

One the coolest things of the weekend though was getting to sit and watch as Doc Shaner drew sketch cards and commissions for people. I found myself seeing him doing amazing ink work and creating full images from just some very simple rough line sketches. It was a blast getting to spend time getting to know Evan and Carla and look forward to seeing them at more conventions in the future. Carla was amazing and I got a kick out of watching the way she interacted with the geeks that came up to Evan’s table. She did a great job in engaging the fans!
And I can not forget to mention how great it was to finally meet blogger Sharyn Morrow in person with her son and to have Michael Waite and his son stop by for a visit!
All right… I know I am forgetting to mention someone or something that happened but it is time to wrap it up….

Oh Jeff Parker! Almost forgot about him… Have to say that he is one of the friendliest pros that I have ever met and that it was a trip meeting him!

Links to people and things from the con that I mention in order of appearance in the post:

Josh Brown:
http://josh--brown.deviantart.com/

President Nelson:
http://presidentnelson.deviantart.com/

Evan “Doc” Shaner:
http://www.evanshaner.com/

The Johnny Recon boys:
http://www.popgunpulp.com/

Kyle Latino:
http://www.ktino.com/

Grant Gould:
http://grantgould.blogspot.com/

Jessica Hickman:
http://jessicahickman.com/

Michael May:
http://michaelmay.blogspot.com/

Alex Ness:
http://www.popthought.com/

Scott Gallatin:
http://www.madscottcomic.com/

Brent Schoonover:
http://brentschoonover.com/news/

Matt Kaufenberg :
http://www.skutterfly.blogspot.com/

Joe Combs:
http://www.businesscasualcomic.com/

Jim Keefe:
http://www.keefestudios.com/

Sharyn Morrow:
http://www.massdistraction.org/weblog/

Jeff Parker:
http://www.parkerspace.com/

Nothing new here... just sick again... big surprise.

First of a reminder that I have a new art blog that I am using for my art post and in the future a series of ongoing webcomics.

Next up is question time I have jumped the Twitter Bandwagon and created a Formspring page where you can ask me anything and I will answer.

and finally a little self-promotion :

If you want to follow me in person on the internet, you can find me on

Twitter
Facebook
Deviant Art

If you want to see me in person I will be at the following Cons this year :

SPRINGCON (Formerly Microcon)
May 15 & 16 2010 – 10AM to 5PM Both Days!



Then at Minneapolis Indie Xpo
The Soap Factory August 21, 2010

And then finally at Fallcon
October 16, 2010 – 10AM to 5PM

I went down to the Minneapolis Institute of art last night as part of one of my classes. We were supposed to go see the Foot in the Door opening, but upon seing the line we thought better of that and wondered around the rest of the exhibits instead. So as a follow up this morning I thought I would post some links to some of my favorite pieces from the various collections.

The Promenades of Euclid by René Magritte - This is by far my favorite piece of everything at MIA. I first saw it in elementary school on a field trip. I love the concept of the canvas on the easel matching perfectly with the view out the window. I actually have a print of this piece that I keep to stare at when I need some inspiration.

The Intrigue by James Ensor - I am really not sure what makes me like this one so much. There is something a little morbid in a crowd of what I think is a crowd of dead or dying people (most of there eyes are rolled to the sky and if you look at the large version you can see death peaking in at them from the left hand edge of the painting.)

View of Dresden: Schlossplatz by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - I can sum this one in just one word. Color! I love the color scheme here, which is kind of funny seeing as how I do not see full spectrum on Blues and Greens.

Channel to the Mills by Edwin M. Dawes - this is a new one to my list of favorites. I don't remember ever having seen this one there before. I love the color pallet but more then that I love the way the crack in the ice leads the eye into the painting and up to the cityscape.

London: St. Paul's Cathedral seen from the Thames by André Derain - Another piece that can be explained in Color alone.

City Night by Georgia O'Keeffe - This is another new one to me. I dont recall having seen it before. What is really amazing to me though is that it is a Georgia O'Keeffe. I don't recall having ever liked anything of her's that I have seen before. I really like this one though. Again for the color scheme and also for the use of perspective in the piece.

The Denial of St. Peter by Gerrit van Honthorst - I love the darkness of this piece. Fitting for the moment of the story. I also like the intense warm glow in the center. Something about it just speaks to the scene and what is going on. Even though Peter is denying Jesus in this moment the light still surrounds him in a protecting glow.

Job and His Friends by Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps - From a book of the Bible I have read more then once. I think what I like the most about this one is simply how the artist has laid it out. I thought it was a good use of the space. Of course again While Job is in the darkness during his bad times the light lingers in the background waiting.

I have to warn you this next one is a little on the gore side.

Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist by Onorio Marinari - I can't even think of away to explain why I like this one. There is something about it that just moves me.

so there you have it. Some of my favorite things that I looked at last night.

Haven't been posting a whole lot as of late. Not really sure why, just haven't.

The first thing I need to do starting off this post is to issue a great big Thank You! to a number of people...

First off the wonderful Moggy! Not only did she donate to me when I was trying to raise a little bit of funds to keep my FLICKR account going but she cross posted it to her blog! Which I am sure where a couple of the others came from.

Another Thank you to rono64 from Livejournal and the other three people who donated annonymously for giving! rono64 does a webcomic called Project Auberdem that I have been enjoying. It is the kind of comic that I have been trying to create. A story with that old school Flash Gordon type feel to it.

And of course to my Sister, Billsand Nathan. Who always support and encourage me in my drawing!

Oh and I almost forgot in addition to the funds to keep my account someone also sent me some items from my AMAZON wishlist. Darwyn Cooke's new GN of Parker:The Hunter and a couple other trades! Who ever you are thank you as well!

You guys are the greatest!

All right now on to geeking on cool stuff I have seen of late!

The first piece of art is this amazing drawing of The Creature from the Black Lagoon done by Brent Schoonover . This piece is actually bound for my collection. I asked Brent to do this picture for me back in May with the understanding that it would not be started until he got a lot of other projects wrapped up. I am hoping that since he has posted a scan of this piece that that means Volume 2 of Astronaut Dad has been wrapped up and we will be seeing the book on the shelves soon!

This is a great piece and will make a great addition to my Creature collection! I can not wait for it to arrive.

Next up is this really cool looking one by Zack Giallongo AKA Soggytoast on LJ Zach does a great little comic called Novasett Island (I have the issues, next time I have some money I might have to get the collection.) I really like the feel of this piece. I have been on a real fantasy kick lately and this fits in perfectly. Matter of fact I think I might break out the issues and read them again!

Ok. I was going to post more, but time has run out... so maybe I will be back later...

joined a challenge at the YMCA, The Challenge runs from July 6th until August 6th.

Have to walk/run 26.5 miles, Swim 2.5 miles and Bike 118 Miles in the course of 1 month.

By this time next month I will
a.)be in better shape
b.)In a ICU ward at the local hospital after my heart gives out.

I think I will try to keep a progress report going here on the internet, that way if you all see me slacking or falling behind you can yell at me or encourage me (which ever fits your personallity better.) to get going and get caught up.

Having said all that I should probably get up and stop being lazy and get to the Y.

Starting Weight : 248.2 Pounds
TOTALS SO FAR:
Week One Walking : 1.2 Miles
Week One Biking : 1.4 Miles
Week One Swimming :

Week Two Walking :
Week Two Biking :
Week Two Swimming :

Week Three Walking :
Week Three Biking :
Week Three Swimming :

Week Four Walking :
Week Four Biking :
Week Four Swimming :

Week Five Walking :
Week Five Biking :
Week Five Swimming :

Have a lot of free time on my hands and I am willing to draw pretty pictures for anyone who wants them...

I really dont have anything to say TV wise right now that I can think of... So I will just post this, itis a really cool video of Jim Lee kicking out a 8 minute drawing of Gambit. He had done a contest for his followers on Twitter and this is what the winner got!