rotating logo

I am trying to show this spinning logo

okay this is a little buggy- but you get the picture- created with an svg in html

I can even type around this
object and use as a part of the
article- possibilities

space;

Milestone and breakthrough

This has been an inspiring weekend for me to say the least.  I was in a creative hole for a while trying to find out where to go next.  Do I stop drawing completely? Do I finish my comics books that I have been sitting on in partial state for years? Or do I try to go a different direction into internet  comics and limited animation. All the while I was getting better in my drawing skills and have started using digital tools a lot more in my finished products.  Do I really look at comics as business or just a hobby.  It took the lost of two really important people in my life to get me to  start moving for myself. I understand I am that kind of person that moves only after confirmation from multiple sources- this is hinderance as well as a virtue. You don’t seem to move fast enough for most. But when I do it’s more deliberate and thought out.  I have gotten two different sources of inspiration to complete the unfinished work I have in my possession.  In the start of 2017, Arvell Jones  (Art director for books 2 and 3 of FX Mulrooney Series) encouraged me to start building my audience and just get the work, that I have been sitting on, finished and then build from there .  After the loss of my parents ,in mid year 2017, Darnell Sealie , ( the background design artist on the books) also encouraged me to to continue on that journey.  So as I go into 2018, with the new skills of digital inking and coloring I plan to embark on the great journey for finishing what we started almost 20 years ago.  My goal is to retouch my pencil work with better designs and digital art tools…. This will also be the year to solidify the Trademark status for the FX Mulrooney brand before April  24, 2018- so Here is retouch- mock up of FX Mulrooney Issue three less color and copy — a colored version will be used for the Trademark Specimen…

Open source image???

I decided to try to create more open source images- ie images made with software that is open source or free to use and obtain- I have downloaded copies of Blender 3d, Gimp, Inkscape, OpenToonz and Synfig Studio and Scribus.  I have only really played around with OpenToonz, Synfig  Studio and Scribus.  I have spent the most time with Blender3d  and have presented at seminars about the program, but still believe I am only a novice. Hopefully I will remedy that in 2018.  But today’s illustration was completed using Inkscape.  I initially was cheating by using a drawing completed in Sketchbook Pro from a photograph… I  realized that some features are best laid as copies from the photograph itself- So I ended up using a photograph of a friend to create the image…. I have done similar images in the past with Adobe Illustrator. And I figured using an alternative to the program might give similar results…. There are a lot more images to create and utilize these programs to push the art- Here is looking up in 2018….

Just as a comparison:

Blender Vs Maya and 3dsMax

Gimp Vs Photoshop

Inkscape Vs Adobe Illustrator

OpenToonz Vs Toonboom studio 

Syfig Studio Vs Flash or Adobe AnimateCC

Scribus Vs Adobe Indesign or Microsoft Publisher

I can not rate comparisons, because the pro versions , linked above, have either been in the market longer or have followings that can’t be denied- I used most of them before, myself, and really like them- I am just trying to be cheap and small business budget demands small business expenses- who can beat free???

Note you can also get a download of these programs  in links attached:

Blender

Gimp

Inkscape

OpenToonz

Synfig Studio 

Scribus

So Long live the Open source generation- or until my business explodes and my expense budget can warrant the more established software

new color posts

I needed to create some color posts again- so here are a few pics.  I am getting more comfortable using this new technology- so the I-pad Pro will be making a dent in my production pieces from now on-- I used #sketchbook App  to create these pieces.

Rendering via iPad Pro- Sketchbook- app

I wanted to update my drawing skills for accuracy, I failed miserably but learned how to use my eye and to improvise trying to ink over some pencil work of comic artist that I still marvel at (no pun intended) so I decided to do some ink overs of Jim Lee and John Buscema. I like the energy of both, I will be working to translate this energy to my own art in the near term- stay toned