New Year looks to be even better than the last

Their is my palette at the end of 2012. Its seen some action but not as much as I would have liked. 2013 will turn that around thought. I've got a huge art order (80+ color images) that will have me painting a ton of new stuff. I cant say what it is until its been announced later this summer. I'll just say I have lots of monsters to paint and leave it at that (happy dance). It came at a good time as I just wrapped up my work on the Family Vacation board game that Im very pleased with. That should be hitting kickstarter in the next few weeks. Cant wait.

As if Im not busy enough already, I've added another blog to my weekly task. Ok, this blog has not been a weekly task but Im going to try to make it more frequent. The new blog kicks off January 1st at isskethyatbest.blogspot.com. Its sort of a self imposed drawing class. Each month I will be working on a challenge to help push and improve my skills. It will be updated 3 times a week and once a week on facebook. Feel free to follow along and join in.

All for now. Happy New Year everyone.

Chop sketch

Lots of fun work stuff going on at the moment but can't post any of it. So here is a something just for fun, well, err not fun for that guys face anyway. I was going to paint this guy out before years end but looks like I will be starting on a LOT of art for a famous tentacle faced cosmic monster from the 30s. I'll post more on that once I've got started, assuming the designer and publisher are cool with it. The Family Vacation game should be hitting Kickstarter in a few weeks as well. I'll be happy to see that get printed and placed in my personal stash.

Oh, and its nearly Christmas! Happy Holidays all!

Look what I found at Barns & Nobel

Ah, thanksgiving! Lots to be thankful for. Good visiting with family and taking a nice break to get recharged (and stuffed).

There it is, printed and sitting on the shelves at Barns N Noble. It never gets old seeing your work used on something your already excited about. Mike Whicker is a great author and I can't wait to read this!

While I was in BnN, I also picked up the new Spectrum 19. So awesome! Incredible work all the way through. Im looking forward to Spectrum Art Live next spring.

Im putting the finishing touches on the Family Vacation game and should have it up on Kickstarter in a few weeks. More on that soon.

New and (updated) old work

Here is an old image that I recently finished and was part of the Arts Council of Doom show "Space Madness". I started this guy, "the grub scout", two years ago and somehow lost him in the flat files. Im working on another piece for the up coming Doom 12 show opening on December 21st at Angel Mounds. More to come on that.

Other projects are moving along. I recently completed a few more images for a Thousand Suns book. This inked piece was my favorite out for the bunch. If I find the time, I may paint it out for fun. Im also nearing completion of the Family Vacation game. The box cover is wrapping up and the other parts are starting to come together. It will be up on kickstarter in a month or two. If all goes well, I'll be making some additional game boards.

Aside from work projects I have been working on a slew of sketches to paint. What can I say, I just want to paint all day! And what helps painting for hours on end? A good audio book! Im half way through book three of George R. R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice and cant stop listening.

The only thing left to be said is that I wish I could be in Altoona, PA this weekend for Illuxcon V. I hope everyone is having fun. Im going next year!!!!

Family Vacation has a game board.

Family Vacation board (complete I think)

Family Vacation game board is nearly complete and looking good. I'll be starting the cover later this week and we'll be off to kickstarter in a month or so.

The Arts Council of Doom art show, "Space Madness" was a huge success from what I hear. Wish I could have made it there for the opening. I was at Gen-Con gawking at art so I was doing more or less the same thing. Still, my first show with the "Doom" and I was missing. Maybe next time, aye.

Also found out that the Return to Valhalla book by Mike Whicker (with my cover I might add) should he hitting Barns & Noble in October. Its already out on Kindle if you cant wait but if your like me, nothing beats having the actual book... with my cover on it : )

Gen-Con 2012

GenCon was great. Its always great getting to catch up (non-facebook) with old friends. I was attending with some friends who were showing off their game Zombie High and had a blast playing that numerous times over the weekend. I also was able to meet a lot of the artist whose podcast and blogs I have recently found and been following (Ninjas, Awesome Horse). Lucky me, I snagged a Ralph Horsely WOW piece and a few prints from Aaron Miller, Christopher Burdett(.com), Jeremy McHugh. All these guys were kind enough to look over my work and talk shop with me.

I bought this Ralph Horsely World of Warcraft art!

Its safe to say I was there more for art than games this year. And with every year it feels like new years (artistically). I come away inspired and reflective each time. One common theme that I have seen run through many illustrators is, "the year I got serious". This year feels like that year for me. Over the past several months I have been approaching things differently or at least trying to. Here are a few things I've learned/am learning.
Do less work, better work and focus on improving your craft. I have been very guilty of taking on more than I have time for and rushing things thought. Shame shame, that ends now.
Focus on your chosen direction and don't take every job that comes along. I have a day job and family so time is limited. I can afford to be picky about what jobs I take.
Build the portfolio that I want, not the one that I have. In other words, only show the kind of work that I want to get from clients. And also have several portfolios that cater to individual companies when hitting the cons or sending out solicitations.
Find time to work on your weaknesses. There are basic problems that I have seen in my work for years but have not made an effort to correct them between projects. Its time to start using reference photos and doing little color studies before painting the image and as always work on human figure.
Community - Im starting to get plugged into the community in a way that I had not before. I have been an observer in the past but this year I have been actively seeking advise and building friendship with other artist and people in the business. The fantasy/sci-fi art community is incredible! Everyone wants to help and share with little thought of helping "potential future competition" for that prized job.
Enough yapping. Happy labor day everyone!

Just saw one of my books, GURPS Horror (has a hand full of my illustrations inside) is up for "Product of the Year" ENnie award among others. Go vote over at, www.ennie-awards.com/vote/.

For anyone in the Evansville area, I have Parsec books at Comic Quest and Comics Unlimited. I've only heard positive feedback on it so Im pretty happy. I should be starting the next book by end of summer.

In the middle of working on a gameboard with a little help from a little helper named Leo. No AC and its over 100˚ outside. Fun day.

Back from another great year at Origins. This year I was able to stay for three days and spent a good deal of time in the Jolly Roger booth meeting with game designers, other publishers and gamers. Lots of stuff coming down the pipes from JRG and Im doing a good deal of it. Parsec is at the printers right now and the next TWO supliments are about ready for me to start doing art and layout. Im also ruffly 1/4 of the way into Philip duBarry's Family vacation board game. It will be going on Kickstarter in the coming months. If it does well, I'll be adding a second board on the back of the first... it it goes really well then we will be adding another two sided board.

And the image above was something I did at the hotel room and fiddled with on lunch today. Nasty grub wurm!

Cover for Return to Valhalla

I recently finished the cover to Return to Valhalla, by Mike Whicker. Im super excited to read it (and re-read Invitation to Valhalla and Blood of the Reich). This is great stuff! Im very happy to have worked with Mike again. He is a very nice guy and good at his craft.

Parsec is 99% complete. Mostly just waiting for the Kickstarter campaigne to be complete. If you haven't seen it yet go to kickstarter. Go!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2072399402/the-parsec-rpg?ref=users

Also working on the "Family Vacation" board game by Philip duBarry. This thing is fun. Im eager to post some pics and get the prototype to a decent stage.

Well now. Back to it.

Oh the neglect!
Big dry spell here as most blogs go through. Its a new year and Im already covered up with projects that Im eager to start. Im wrapping up the last bit of the Parsec RPGs core book (images above). Below is a link to the Parsec blog which is loading on the content in anticipation of its launch and kickstarter campaign. As with any project the end is the most fun as all the parts fall together. The first expansion is already written and should hit my inbox soon. Yeah, no rest for the wicked... or illustrators either (thats the unspoken part, right). Well, off for more sci-fi goodness.

jrg-parsec.blogspot.com/

Aside from the worlds of Parsec I have a fun board game that Im getting started on right now. Its a good cross-country adventure as families compete to have the best vacation. Having a family now, I can really see the humor/horror of selecting a destination and being in the car with hours with restless kids. This game looks like it will be lots of fun to play and create.

Breaking away from gaming, I have a book cover lined up for Mike Wicker, and author and fellow Evansville resident. The cover will be for his third book about Erika Lehmann, a German spy during WW2. I met Mike back when he was publishing his first book, Invitation to Valhalla (truly awesome book). Im super excited to get a chance to work with him again. Who know, maybe I can do new covers for the first two books when they are up for their next printing. Well thats just wishful thinking.

Lots to do, better get to it. This is going to be a good year!