Painting for fun!

So, this one's called "Torture Tech" It's a piece that started out to be part of my ZOMBIEMAN ZERO story but just didn't work. I finally decided to let it run and it became a piece that anyone with a PC can relate to... Friggin' Trojans, viruses... dang popups! Anyway, the lesson here is, if the painting doesn't want to be something, chances are it's supposed to be something else!

IDIOT ENGINE Ep 43: Working for a Publisher VS Self-Publishing... And the winner is?

A big "Thank You" goes out to Artist/Podcaster Peter Palmiotti for cohosting the latest ENGINE! We discuss the blessings and curses of working for a publisher as well as the challenges of self-publishing. It's a good one folks, take a listen!

IDIOT ENGINE ep 42: Violence and how it's used in storytelling

Join Me, Journalist/self-publisher Michael Aushenker, and Teacher/self-publisher Javier Hernandez as we tackle the topic of "Violence and how it's used in storytelling!" We discuss violence and how it's used in works from the Godfather to the Three Stooges in this one folks. I'm not going to lie to you, it's a big one, just shy of 2 hours, but it's also a Good one, so give it a listen if you get a chance!

ZOMBIEMAN-MONSTER ATTACKS! Finished piece

Here's the finished ZOMBIEMAN-MONSTER Attacks painting. I kept much of the original loose rendering on the tanks and background to help focus attention on the figure who is the center of interest for the piece.
It's interesting to compare the rough and final... I lost some gesture and energy of brushstroke, but gained detail and definition. Walking the line between gesture and detail can be precarious indeed.

ZombieManMonster Attack Painting: Preliminary pass...

Here's the first pass for my latest ZombieMan-Monster painting. It's very loose and rough and fluid, which is what I look to establish in this early phase.

Another character painting from ZOMBIEMAN ZERO Super ManMonster!

Here's another character painting from my latest project, ZOMBIEMAN ZERO Super ManMonster! (title subject to change) I arrived at this design after customizing an old action figure I had, so by combining two of my favorite "Tastes" ( action figures and painting) I got something that I think "Tastes great together"! Man, I want a peanut butter cup right about now!

PWG TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT 2011!

I went to the PWG tag team tournament last night, and had a blast. I got to see wrestlers from the east coast, Japan, Canada and all around. The crowd was great, the wrestlers were great and everybody was very cool.

The coolest moment for me was when a wrestler accidentally spit on a guy in the audience when he was yelling at his opponent in the corner. During the match he went over and sincerely apologized to the guy. I dig wrestling because of its contradictions. Guys are fighting, but actually they are working together making each other look good. It's fighting and violence, but nobody gets hurt.

I understand that sometimes in life we have to fight, and make a stand. I understand we have to defend ourselves and our loved ones and what we believe in with violence sometimes. But I don't feel the "Glory" of true battle. It has to be done, and blood has to be spilled, but it's not glorious.

WRESTLING can be glorious in it's violence, because it's pretend. It's Play and Drama and everything you loved as a kid chasing Cops and Robbers and Cowboys and Indians. I get plenty of "Reality" from real life, and I prefer to enjoy and relish my violence and hate and anger when it's pretend.

To pass the time waiting for tickets I made a comic you can check out here!