a lady, a gentleman, and a monster

From my bigger sketchbook, which I have recently started using again.  The lady in the lower left corner is based on a photo from a book on Victorian & Edwardian fashion.  I didn't quite capture either her sardonic charm or her amazing dress (which seemed to consist mostly of dark, lacey material).

getting in the Halloween spirit

Someday I'll have to use this design for something.  Quick sketch I did on break at work.

Also file under: Jack-o-lanterns with stuff coming out of their eye holes.  I actually drew this in August, I think.  I know, I'm terrible.

cemetery at sunset

Here is a panel from my upcoming Halloween 'zine piece, because I feel it is one of the best panels I've done so far, and (unlike most of the panels, or most of my work in general), both the penciling and inking seemed oddly effortless. I know I've been talking a lot about this comic, especially considering the fact that it's only six pages, but the thing about doing comics is that it's ridiculously time-consuming.  For much of the past few weeks, this story has been occupying my thoughts, because I've been working on it for hours nearly every day.  In the end, people are going to read the whole thing in a minute and be like, "Is that all?"

the wise walrus and pals

more than style

I recently did this drawing of Tavi G. of The Style Rookie, and I debated putting it up here (would this come off as weird?), but what the heck.  I dig her because she is intelligent and isn't afraid to have (or change) opinions about stuff, and she has dealt very gracefully with the fact that some people want to treat her like a dancing bear.  I only wish I had been so sharp when I was in high school.

Also, though this is based on a photograph, I did make up the outfit.  In the immortal words of Bobby Brown, that's my prerogative.

period pieces

I am currently working on a little (as in only six pages) period piece, an adaptation of an old folk tale.  In these sketches, I was just trying to get the appearance of the characters and their clothes.

Now in COLOR! Sort of.

I came up with the idea of adding color to this because I figured, rightly, that this would make it easier for the viewer to see the two faces separately (also:drama!).

For this one, I just thought that the bubble had to be pink, then decided to do the girl's hair as well.

These were drawn, as usual, in pencil, then I did the details in color pencil.  I still have a huge much-loved set of aquarelle pencils that I used all the time when I first bought them... in middle school.  They have been rather neglected in the intervening years, and I think I should use them more.  Also, the creamy background color is the actual color of the paper in my sketchbook.  I'm now thinking about scanning all of my sketches, even the ones in plain ol' pencil, as color files.