Illustration Friday - Voices

"I've made friends with the voices in my head." Sometimes the voices bring inspiration.

A quick one for this Holiday week's Illustration Friday challenge. A loose pencil sketch, colored in Photoshop. Tried to experiment with color combinations, even though time was tight. This is © Chris Chuckry.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Holidays!

I finally finished this year's Christmas Card. I used to do cards with a snowman theme, but lately felt uninspired to follow that line.

This idea I really fell for. I also wanted to do something with a more painterly feel (one of my New Years resolutions should be to paint with oils again). The pair of doves (stylized, I know), symbolize peace and love. The winter berries suggest good fortune. So, Peace, Love and Good Fortune over the Holidays and the New Year!

This started as a loose pencil sketch of the doves. It was then finished in Photoshop. This image is © Chris Chuckry.

Thanks for stopping by.

Illustration Friday - Balloon

"When night fell, they used the balloon to make their observations."

Finally found some motivation to do another Illustration Friday challenge. I've been feeling kind of tired and uninspired when it comes to illustration these days. Maybe the cold weather and snow are having some effect. However, I'm really happy with this piece! I will still do some work to it, since I was distracted by some jobs, and couldn't finish it in time.

This is a pencil sketch with some texture and color in Photoshop. It is © Chris Chuckry.

Thanks for stopping by.

Vacant - work in progress

Here's a piece I'm working on for submission to the juried art show at the World Horror Convention. The convention will be in my city (Winnipeg) in late April 2009. I thought I would try to take advantage of the show, and hopefully make some new connections. At the very least, I'll have some portfolio pieces in the horror genre.

This started as a very loose pencil sketch, with painting and textures added in photoshop. The textures I added include photos, and ink--blown with a straw, and painted wet on wet. This is my second piece of art exploring a horror theme. The first one was the drowning piece I posted earlier.

Thanks for looking. Art is © Chris Chuckry

Baba Yaga - Work in progress

Here is Baba Yaga, flying with her magic mortar and pestle, through a misty Autumn forest.

I thought I would post this now, in case I didn't finish it before Halloween. It's a work in progress version of Baba Yaga, a mythological figure from Slavic folklore. The figure started as a pencil sketch, with Photoshop color. The background was painted directly in Photoshop. I need to tighten up some areas of the illustration, and add some small details. A test print would help me see where the work is needed. I'm happy with the loose feel and the subdued palette--I'll definitely do more pieces in this style. Perhaps I'll do her chicken-legged cabin next.

Thanks for stopping by.

This illustration is © Chris Chuckry

Illustration Friday - "Late"

"As the shadows grew, she began to regret her decision to make a late visit to Grandma."

My entry for the latest Illustration Friday challenge, on the theme of "Late." This image came to me at the Feist concert. It's not quite what I had in mind, but it will do for now. This is a pencil sketch, inked and colored in Photoshop, with scanned paper texture applied. This is also the second time in about ten years that I've drawn Little Red Riding Hood. This illustration is © Chris Chuckry.

Thanks for stopping by.

And the winner is . . .

. . . Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. Well, the Canadian election is over, and we're basically back where we were before the thing was called. Three elections in four years!

Anyway, someone recently reminded me of my interest in political cartooning/illustration. I thought this was the perfect time to see if I could make some headway in that field. Hopefully, this will be the first of several post-election, party leader portraits.

The 63% on the box he is standing on, represents the percentage of votes cast against him, and for the other political parties.

Thanks for looking.

"Every night I have the same dream."

"Every night I have the same dream."

I think this is still a work in progress. I'm happy with the way it's coming together, but not convinced that I'm finished with it. It is a rough pencil sketch, with painting in Photoshop. © Chris Chuckry.

thanks for looking.

Best selling Convention print

I was at the local Comic Book & Science Fiction Convention over the weekend, at a table in the artists alley. Had a great time and met a lot of people, along with new and old friends. I was also selling prints, original art and comic books that I had worked on. Nothing went faster than the free buttons I had for the crowds. Next year, I'll have to get more.

The best selling print was this piece on Love/Hate, that I originally did for "A Paw in My Face," issue two. I posted the grey tone version some months ago. Here's the color piece. It is © Chris Chuckry.

Thanks for visiting.

Spookeasy!

Here's a promotional poster for a personal project of mine. Printed size is 11' x 17". I'll be selling these at the upcoming local Comic Book/Science Fiction Convention, along with other goodies and some original art. Send me an email if you are interested in a copy of your own.

This is © Chris Chuckry

Young Q. Modo

Formal portrait of young Q. Modo, not long before the incident that forced his carefree, happy go lucky life to detour down the road to tragedy.

Another in the monster portrait series. This is a pencil sketch, finished in Photoshop. It is © Chris Chuckry

Illustration Friday - Packed

"Froggy went a' courting and he did ride, a sword and pistol by his side." Although he was looking for love, he was packed for trouble.

This week's under-the-wire submission to the Illustration Friday challenge, on the theme of "Packed." This started as a pencil thumbnail sketch, that was finished in Photoshop. It is © Christopher Chuckry.

It's nice to finish another IF challenge. There were a few good ones that I recently missed, to my regret. These certainly help pad my portfolio.

Cyril

"An unfortunate incident left Cyril a shadow of the man he once was. Though he wore his Purple Heart with pride, he secretly longed for his lost, true love, Ethel, who came to the conclusion that she could not love a man with zipper lips."

© Chris Chuckry

Frank

"Frank had it all together for his senior year photo at SCI. That year, he got his varsity letter, and was one of several big men on campus."

© Chris Chuckry

I can see it coming!

Hallowe'en, that is. This is another in my series of monster portraits, based on original characters I've created. These greytone portraits are intended to provide some contrast to the crazy, color versions of these monsters.

Poor guy! Looks like he's caught in the headlights. Over the years though, he does become comfortable in the spotlight, and goes on to a fabulous career in showbiz.

This is a pencil sketch, painted up in Photoshop. It is © Chris Chuckry

Bear vs. Bull

Just in case you missed it. This is what's been happening in the financial markets lately. Might take the Bull a little while to recover from this one.

This is a marker and oil pastel sketch, with Photoshop finishes. It is © Chris Chuckry

Illustration Friday - "Routine."

"By the looks of this rain, today's commute will definitely not be routine, Monsieur Lapin decided, as he continued on to his little shop."

I think this guy needs a story. I'll have to see where he takes me.

This is for the most recent Illustration Friday challenge on the theme of "routine." I wanted to try some loose pencil lines with watercolor style painting. Not real watercolors though, since this is finished in adobe Photoshop. I love this type of illustration. Lisbeth Zwerger and Greg Clarke are two of my favourite practitioners of this style.

This illustration is © Chris Chuckry

Illustration Friday - Detach

"Every night she would detach my heart from my head, with a smile."

I was a little too ambitious, and so, ran out of time for this week's Illustration Friday challenge. I hope to finish this piece one day soon, since I'm rather fond of it. My initial idea was to make it look like an old circus side show sign. However, that will have to wait until later. I do have a spot waiting for this piece in my portfolio, though. Maybe that will push me to finish it, before I'm distracted by the next shiny thing, forgetting about this one.

This was a very rough thumbnail sketch, which I painted up in Photoshop. It is © Chris Chuckry.

Thanks for visiting.

Illustration Friday - Sail

I think I'm a little late in submitting this for the latest Illustration Friday challenge. I wanted to try something a little different from what I've been doing lately, and it took on a life of it's own. I'll call this a work in progress submission, since I do hope to polish it up a little more and add it to my portfolio.

This started as a rough pencil sketch, with painting in Photoshop.
It is © Chris Chuckry.

Dr. Octopus

"He's back, and he brought a friend!"

A fun interpretation of Doc Ock, or Dr. Octopus. A quick pencil sketch, painted in Photoshop. Dr. Octopus is © Marvel Comics.

Illustration Friday - "Poof!"

"Puff went 'Poof!' at the slightest provocation. It became a source of embarrassment on more than one occasion."

I'm very early on this piece for Illustration Friday. This cartoony puffer fish, started as a quick pencil sketch and was painted in Photoshop. © Chris Chuckry.

Illustration Friday - "Canned."

"The Terror, once canned, is now unleashed! Feel his wrath!"

I've never been a fan of canned pork and beans. This is an image I've had kicking around for years, and have sketched a few different times. I did a new version for this week's Illustration Friday challenge, on the theme of "canned." It's a quick pencil sketch, painted up in Photoshop.

It is © Chris Chuckry.

"A Paw In My Face - Hate" submission 2

Here's my second submission for a local zine "A Paw In My Face." This second issue is on the theme of 'Hate.' This illustration is an interpretation of self hate. Although the zine will be printed in black and white, I decided to do a color version as well.

This started with the floating body, which was a rejected idea for a mystery novel cover I did a couple of years ago. It was just a quick sketch, but I was happy enough with the way it turned out, that I decided to save it for use in another illustration. No pencil sketch for this one, just painting in Photoshop. This image is © Chris Chuckry.

Enough - Illustration Friday

"He'd had enough of working the fields and tending the cattle for one day! He needed to move, to express himself!"

Another piece for Illustration Friday. The theme is "Enough."

This one is kinda rushed, but I had to finish this guy. He was bugging me too much. A very rough pencil sketch finished in Photoshop. It is © Chris Chuckry.

Foggy - Illustration Friday

Another Illustration Friday challenge. "The morning fog cleared with his first cup of coffee. Getting the coffee though, was sometimes a challenge."

I do love having a good cup of coffee in the morning, although this is not a self-portrait.

Painted in Photoshop--the night before it was due--from a pencil sketch. This is © Chris Chuckry.

Diversionary portraits

To unwind the other night, after a long day of painting comics, I whipped off these two quick portraits. Nothing fancy, just some time in Photoshop. "The Thing," and "Man-Thing," are © Marvel Comics.

Poison Ivy

I haven't been posting as often as I like, since I've been very busy the last month, but, here's a little distraction. I did this illustration as a step-by-step example for the Gutterzombie.com forum. You can see the steps I took to create this in my sketchbook thread, on Gutterzombie.com. Just click on the title of this post to take you there.

Poison Ivy is a Batman villain (villainess?) :\

She is copyright DC Comics Inc.

Illustration Friday - Worry

I was finally able to do another Illustration Friday challenge. This one is on the theme of "worry." Once I decided to pursue this meaning of the word, the idea came quickly, along with a rough thumbnail sketch. However, it took a few days to free up the time to paint it.

Worry can be paralyzing, and depressing. I'm sure most of us have felt this way at one time or another. This is a pencil sketch, painted in Photoshop.

Boba Fett

Here is some pro bono work I did for the local Comic Book Convention--some Star Wars, Boba Fett fan art. I was going to do this illustration in a more cartoony and irreverant style, but decided that something less out of the ordinary would be more suited to this advertisement. I'm also taking blame for the design--it's not a strength of mine.

This entire piece was done in Photoshop, over a couple of days. Boba Fett is © Lucasfilm.

Thin Line Between Love & Hate

This is a piece I'm submitting to a local b/w zine. The theme of this second issue is 'Hate.' The first issue was 'Love.'

The top element is an older illustration that I've been pushing along as I feel like it. The bottom is painted out of black directly in Photoshop. I might tweak the eyes a little yet--I don't think they say 'hate' as well as they could.

Human Torch

A quick grey tone sketch in photoshop, finished with some simple color tinting. About 30 minutes of work at the end of a long day. The "Human Torch," is © Marvel Comics.

Mr. Fantastic

Playing around with some default Photoshop brushes at low opacity, alternating between black and white ink. I wasn't sure if this portrait was going to be anyone at all. As I went on though, I decided to make him into Reed Richards, "Mr. Fantastic," from the Fantastic Four (© Marvel Comics). I'm getting the urge to paint, but this is all I have time to do now. Too many comic pages to color.

I guess that this was about an hour's worth of distracting fun.

Taboo-The Thing from the Murky Swamp!

Yet another Marvelous Marvel Monster. This time it's "Taboo! The Thing from the Murky Swamp!" Appeared in "Where Monsters Dwell #2." Story by Stan Lee, art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers. I guess that the design of these blobby monsters, like "Taboo," and "The Glop," made drawing the story a little quicker. This, along with the other Marvel Monsters are © Marvel Entertainment.

This began as a 20 minute pencil sketch, with another 20 minutes, or so of painting in Photoshop.

The Glop!

Another Marvelous Marvel Monster, from the "Monster Masterworks" collection. "The Glop! . . . My very life depended on learning it's fantastic secret!" This guy appeared in "Where Creatures Roam #7," with art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers. The story was by Stompin' Stan Lee.

This is a 20 minute pencil sketch, with some Photoshop color.

Illustration Friday - Primitive

Something a little different this time around--traditional media! This is a quick sketch of a Navaho, "Haschebaad," mask. I used a picture from the book "Hidden Faces," by Edward S. Curtis, and Christopher Cardozo (Bulfinch Press), as reference. It's got a lot of great photos of Native American masks, and nice little descriptions of each one. This one represents a benevolent goddess.

I did it on 9"x12" 80 lb. Strathmore, Gray Scale textured paper, with a Pentel brush pen, a large black marker, 6B pencil, white charcoal, and a paper stump. About 30 minutes, or so.

Illustration Friday - Save

"And then I saved my Mother by stomping the poor earthworm into oblivion." I must have been around two years old or so. I don't remember the incident, but I've heard my Mother tell it more than once, so it must have been something special--my first heroic moment.

My illustration for this week's Illustration Friday challenge, on the theme of "Save." As usual, a pencil sketch, finished in Photoshop.

Illustration Friday - Homage

Another Illustration Friday challenge, another reason to finish an illustration. This one is on the theme of "homage." This is my homage to Lorenzo Mattotti, and Billie Holiday. Mattotti opened my eyes to the possibilities of color and simple shapes--especially in comics. The first work of his I came across was a translated reprint of graphic novel called "Fire." His work continues to inspire me.

Sometime in my late teens, Billie Holiday opened my ears, heart and soul. I had never heard a voice like hers or, felt a voice move me like her's did.

This piece is a simple line drawing in pencil, with color and texture overlays in Photoshop.

Tim Boo Ba!

Another old Marvel Comics monster, from Amazing Fantasy #9. Tim Boo Ba! He was an evil, war mongering, ruthless dictactor. He was the mightiest warlord of them all, and mercy was unknown to him! Too bad he was microscopic in size, and lived on a scale model planet in a pre-teen boy's room. His world was washed away by a careless drop of water, by Tom, the boy's brother.

Tim Boo Ba was originally drawn by Steve Ditko. I've been doing these monster sketches during afternoon breaks from coloring comics. Usually, they coincide with periods of low energy, on my part, hence the break from work. Unfortunately, Tim Boo Ba fell victim to my tired state. I gussied him up in Photoshop, but still failed to fully capture his terrible awesomeness.

IF- Pet Peeves

The latest Illustration Friday challenge is "Pet Peeves." I'm sure that I have more than a few--the tardiness of Spring is definitely one. The most recent, and trivial, pet peeve for me is the thievery of bird seed by the local gang of squirrel hooligans. They steal it right in front of my window too! The nerve!

Here, a furry thief is making off with some tasty sunflower seeds, while all the birds can do is watch.

This illustration is a pencil sketch, finished in Photoshop.

Groot - The Monster from Planet X!

This is an old Marvel Comics monster, originally appearing in "Where Monsters Dwell," issue six, in a story by Stan Lee, with art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers. I discovered it in the Marvel Monster Masterworks collection. I hope to do portraits of all the monsters in the collection. This is the first.

It is a pencil sketch, with Photoshop color.

Pro Squid Clown

Here's the enterprising squid, trying to find gainful employment as a clown--since squidding has gone down the tubes. He's still got some practicing to do before the big audition though. I hope he survives the colour storm.

This was an older ink drawing, that I finally felt inspired enough to finish with color and texture, in Photoshop. Most of the texture is scanned, greyscale brushwork on paper and box cardboard, layered over the image and set to color burn or overlay. Playing with the color was a lot of fun.

Illustration Friday - Heavy

Latest image for the IF challenge, on the theme of "Heavy." There are heavy decisions and responsibilities facing working mothers, who quite often run too low on energy to get everything done.

I wanted this to look like a wind up tin toy, unable to reach the winding key. I came up with the idea in a life drawing class a few years ago, and filed it away in my head. It tossed and turned until it was ready to come out. This week's IF challenge was the excuse I needed to complete it. It's a pencil sketch finished in Photoshop.

Now I need to do an illo depicting working dads in a similar predicament.

Thor - For Funs

Another cartoony interpretation of a comic book character. In this case, "The Mighty Thor," (Marvel Comics ©). Done in a similar style to the Spiderman vs. Venom, I posted earlier. Just trying to get more comfortable with this style and to have a little fun in between jobs.

Illustration Friday - Garden

"They knew it was time to leave the garden when the whispers began. Suddenly, the world did not seem enchanted anymore."

I decided to use this IF topic to finish a sketch that I had done in late October. It wanted to be finished, and kept bothering me until I relented. A pencil sketch finished in Photoshop.

Illustration Friday - "Leap"

"On her third attempt, and with a mighty leap, Bossy finally jumped over the moon. Much to the moon's relief."

Another quickie for Illustration Friday. Pencil sketch, colored in Photoshop.

Beasts Vol. 2 submission - Gougou

Jacob Covey, from Fantagraphics issued a call for submissions to round out the second volume of "Beasts!"

Being a fan of the first volume, and of beasts in general, I decided to give it a go. I only had a couple of weeks to do the research and the illustration around my other work commitments. After some research, and false starts, I discovered something I never new existed-- the Gougou.

Gougou, or Gugwe - According to the traditions and beliefs of the Micmac Native American people of the northeastern United States, the Gougou is a monstrously large female humanoid-shaped cannibal with a hairy face, giant hands, and scale covered body. She was so large that she could wade into the river to pick up an entire boat, and put it in a pouch slung about her body. She was said to live on an island off the Bay des Chaleurs, in the Saint Lawrence River. The French explorer, Samuel de Champlain, wrote about the Gougou in his journals during his voyages in what was then known as New France.

I found out about the request for submissions at Drawn.ca. I guess I should visit Drawn more often to keep on top of these things. However, I know I'll be tempted to spend too much time there.