robotengine

Reworking an old project and making it new...

2012-01-25T08:20:00.001-08:00

Here's a painting I did some months back that I was never totally happy with. I decided to go back in and here's what I came up with. I'm happy with the new one, but thanks to the digital medium I still have the first version, and that's pretty cool!

First version...

Second version...

QuickSketch!

2012-01-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick sketch using Cintiq and photoshop. I remember initially going digital and just trying to mimic my "Traditional" techniques. That was very limiting and frustrating. Once I got familiar with the digital tools, I began to find a new style suited to the medium. And I'm still "finding" it! Keep your eyes open or the future will be lost to the past!

IDIOT ENGINE ep 49:DEATH in Storytelling!

2011-12-23T10:19:00.000-08:00

Join me and self-publisher Javier Hernandez as we talk about how Death is used in storytelling. Now, it may sound like a down beat subject, but take my word for it we're absolutely animated! As a matter of fact, I'd say we were Alive about Death! Take a listen... if you DARE!
*note, I couldn't remember the name of a film I referenced that starred Eliot Gould. Well, thanks to the internet I have it, it's called LITTLE MURDERS (1971).

Watching Pro Wrestling Guerrilla live is... Awessssome!

2011-12-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

I had a great time at the latest Pro Wrestling Guerrilla live show. The crowd was awesome (I was in it, yeah!) the wrestlers were awesome so ie the show was awesome! Here's a quick drawing of my favorite moment at the show when KEVIN STEEN executed a fall away power slam on Nick Jackson of the YOUNG BUCKS!

DAILY SKETCH! SPIDEY'S SUPER SWINGIN'!

2011-10-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

SKETCH DAY! Batman!

2011-10-01T11:39:00.001-07:00

Zombie Badge Zero and friends!

2011-09-27T23:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a pic of Zombie Badge Zero and friends!

SKETCH DAY! Wonder Woman!

2011-09-15T14:21:00.001-07:00

SKETCH DAY! Ninja Turtle!

2011-09-13T22:44:00.001-07:00

SKETCH DAY! I Dream of Jeannie!

2011-09-13T22:43:00.001-07:00

SKETCH DAY! Incredible Louie!

2011-09-13T22:42:00.001-07:00

SketchDay! Javier Hernandez's COMA!

2011-09-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

Designing characters doesn't always mean drawing them

2011-09-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

I've been designing characters by customizing and remodeling old action figures for a while now. It seemed to come naturally for me since I collect toys and figures anyway. I'll sit at my desk and just look at a toy, watching the light and shadows fall across the sculpt as I move it under my desk lamp. Here's a group shot of some characters in one of my current projects. I know it's not the your typical way to design characters for comics, but you might want to give it a try!

just a Day Sketch...

2011-07-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

Inspired by artist @rvbelzen (on twitter) here's a sketch...It's a day sketch!

Dan Dane the ditch digger danced down the driveway and dwelled on the dynamics of driving his drill down a deep dark dank dent. He's a driven dude!

Spending my time wasting it...

2011-06-11T18:46:00.001-07:00

I've been spending my extra time experimenting with stop motion film making. Will it help me be a self-publisher? I don't know, but I do know that we don't have all the answers either. Sometimes, doing something that doesn't seem the most practical, is just what the doctor ordered! So, I'm off to take my medicine!

Experimenting with Format!

2011-05-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

I'm experimenting with formatting my next project "Widescreen" as I did with Super Monsterama. it's tricky, since I'm more acquainted with traditional comic book "Portrait" format, but that's what makes it so much fun. And if I find that sweet spot, well then I've mastered another "Trick!"

Staggering the gutters makes all the difference in terms of guiding the viewer along the panel grid...It's feeling pretty good to me, tho the text will have to be larger since final size is roughly only 5.25" by 8" ...

I Think I just had a Mid-life Crisis!

2011-04-21T23:46:00.000-07:00

So I just bought a cool Tinieblas doll that came with an even cooler Tinieblas mask and I had way more fun wearing it than anyone has a right to. Tinieblas is a famous Lucha Libre Masked wrestler I used to watch on AAA wrestling. Does this have anything to do with Art? Nope, so what's the lesson? One does not live on Art alone! Now pardon me while I play with my Tinieblas mask some more!

Warm Up Sketching!

2011-03-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a new Supermonster Coloring Book project for an upcoming craft fair, so first up is a Warmup! It's CAP!

WATERCOLOR PAPER fun!

2011-03-10T22:39:00.000-08:00

Some buddies gave me a pad of watercolor paper, so I went ahead and had a little fun with ink wash and a little red acrylic paint AND some photoshop adjusting of colors. I don't use watercolor paper much, so this was a great way to become acquainted with a new friend! Hiya Watercolor paper, nice to meet you!

FIRST OMELETTE OF THE YEAR!

2011-01-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

I make lots of omelettes, LOTS of omelettes. And like most anything one does you can find an Art to it. Sure, most times I just crank 'em out and shovel 'em down, but sometimes I do make an especially good one, from a flawless execution(meaning it doesn't stick to the friggin' skillet) to a really tasty finish(when it has that crispy-not burned-crispy edge and that light almost cotton candy-like body).
This one came out pretty good, and it's the FIRST OMELETTE OF THE YEAR!

Merry Christmas Flashtoon!

2010-12-25T17:11:00.001-08:00

Here's a quick li'l flashtoon I put together between shopping and chores, Cheezy Christmas fun!

Hope Everyone is having a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!

BDAY Sketch!

2010-12-22T11:36:00.001-08:00

Happy B-day Man!

Sketch Comics hit the Spot!

2010-12-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

I just finished up my latest SKETCH COMIC late last night. It's even better than a glass of warm milk, especially since I'm lactose intolerant! It's fun working on a project that's actually NOT designed for reproduction... You can focus on the MOMENT of art much more, since the exact piece you're working on will be what your audience will experience. It's like the difference between looking at a painting and a photograph of a painting, it's very different!

This is THE SMILING KING, which I'm especially happy with. The story is tight and I think the piece holds together really nicely...

Man, I dig activating my creative art endorphins... Eye of the Tiger and gettin' the PUMP on, Baby!

Latest Sketch Comic!

2010-12-12T09:57:00.000-08:00

Here's pages 10 and 3 And 8 and 5 of my latest Sketch Comic I've been working on. I like doing these "done in one take" comic projects. For this particular one I grabbed like 4 sheets of heavy (legal size) 8.5 by 14 inch paper and started inking with some cheap black ink from the bookstore. I'm not doing any pencil roughs, which keeps the brush stroke pretty bold. After the pages are done, I'll go and paint the cover right on the book in acrylic. This is a great exercise, forcing you to compose and be adaptable with the execution of your strokes. It also ends up as a nice piece of original art!

who needs cold medicine? I've got art!

2010-11-20T16:15:00.000-08:00

I've been sick, so what better reason to make a webcomic... This is a result of lots of public television, dvds and trying to get comfortable with pillows.

FINAL Vampy!

2010-10-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Just finished my custom for the AGIMAT gallery show! It's essential to know when a piece of work is done, believe me!(I've OVERworked many a project to the point of NO RETURN)And for VAMPY, he's done! We had some good quality time together, but now it's back to AGIMAT COMICS. (sniff!)

DEEGO TOY CUSTOM for AGIMAT!

2010-10-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

The Wonderful folks at AGIMAT COMICS are having a Gallery show with DEEGO toy customs and I'm fortunate enough to be a part of it! Here's my first pass at VAMPY from their E-VILLE game app! The figure itself is great to work on, large enough with a simplified shape design to really work the acrylic paint comfortably and creatively. Doing a cute version of a vampire is a challenging proposition, I'm trying to find my particular balance of cute and horrific in this one... Think I'll sit on this first pass for a while and possibly work into it some more later.

SuperMonster robot zombie vs diecast plane!

2010-10-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here I combined a diecast plane on my workdesk with a little SuperMonster painting. This time around ZombieRobot was done real fast, but I like the freshness of it... Like an inexpensive breakfast steak done quick with no muss no fuss. MMMM... Breakfast.... I'm gonna make some of that too!

ONE THAT GOT AWAY.

2010-09-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

I find that sometimes the art just gets away from you. This is a painting that I worked for probably like an hour and it just got away from me. There was one point where it was okay, but it wasn't up to snuff so I kept going, and going, and going, and voila! it's "Gone!" Yup, it's going in the trash, but I have no regrets. It was fun and challenging and a great exercise wrestling with this one, with the colors, the brushes, the canvas... all told, it was a good workout! It got away from me, but maybe YOU can catch it!

And just cause It was in the previous post...

2010-09-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest painting in progress...

CURSE OF THE PHARAOHS Neat Stuff!

2010-09-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Just got Mark Rudolph's latest comic. Full color, premium format... I'm liking how he presents his work. Having a limited artist edition run available where you get his comic AND a full inked original sketch is a good idea. He really gets me thinking how we as creator/publishers can make product as inexpensive as possible so as to pass the low cost down to customers, OR make product higher quality and price accordingly and PRODUCE accordingly (with an obviously lower print run). Thanks for the Cool comic, sketch AND food for thought buddy!

Man, I dig that heavy cardboard envelope, great way to store the book.

And as always, beautiful deep rich color and a wonderful ink sketch! NICELY DONE Mark!

in touch with my feminine side...

2010-08-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm just testing the water when it comes to paint. And here's my "4 toe" water test. Can't wait to jump all the way in, or at least go waist deep!

COLLABORATION BETWEEN ME AND THE MEDIUM

2010-08-21T17:31:00.000-07:00

Man, I'm enjoying traditional painting... Here's a study I did earlier today. They look to be some sort of Morlock like Monster-men. It really is fun working with the paint medium, trying to dominate the paint, but being thwarted by it and then ultimately coming to terms with it. funny, but for me right now, painting is like a collaboration between Me and the Medium, good job Paint and Canvas, glad to work with you!

Lesser known Master of the Universe?

2010-07-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

It's BURN-ZOR! And it's also an acrylic sketch I did last night, kinda posed out like those old HeMan action figures... So, BURN-ZOR it is! Yeah, He's a bad guy, tho he might have a heart of gold... or rather Molten Lava!

Inspired Painting!

2010-07-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a series of paintings with acrylic and canvas board and having a blast with the medium! It really is amazing how the limitations of practical painting can lead to inspired artwork! Thank you Paint Medium for being so fun to work in!

From the workshop of Ted...

2010-07-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

I'm working on making figurines based on some of my characters: ZOMBIEMAN ZERO, The Guy with Wire on his head, MONSTER MONOLITH, and SUPER ANDROID FUSIONMAN. I'm pretty happy with them so far, just a few tweeks and they'll be ready to challenge the next show I do! This is a great project, combining my interest in comics and Toys, Yay!

MONSTER colaboration!

2010-06-26T16:23:00.000-07:00

I just did a drawing collaboration with the amazing MARY BELLAMY! And I've gotta say, Monsters never looked so good! I provided a rough sketch with no color indications and Mary finished and colored it masterfully. It's always exciting to see how other artists interpret my rough layouts, and how their choices differ from what I would choose to do. Great work, Mary!

Mary's going to have some great new books and buttons and sketch cards AND plushies(Whew, that Lady's been Busy!) this year at the San Diego Comic Con, so I encourage everyone to check out her site and her DeviantArt page for more info!

Is Pro Wrestling Lame 'Cause it's Fake?

2010-06-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

Only if Real Violence is cool 'cause it's real...

This is the Coolest Moonsault variation I've seen to date! The Double Moonsault! There's nothing much better than a perfectly executed Wrestling finisher... Well, a perfectly executed comicbook splash page maybe... A really good piece of pizza too, maybe a... Okay, I'll stop now.

CAKOR-X

2010-06-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

I was totally delighted and inspired to get a handmade card from some friends of their very own Monster, CAKOR-X! (pronounced CAKE-OR-X) I just had to do a version of their monster to keep Their version company! Thanks Guys, the cake was Monsterlicious!

Cool Art from Mary Bellamy!

2010-06-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

I just received a REALLY Cool piece of Art from MARY BELLAMY. She's a pretty astounding Artist with a fascinating style and I highly recommend you check out her comics work and illustration. She also co-hosted an episode of the IDIOT ENGINE where we discussed creating characters, fascinating talk from a fascinating lady! Thanks Mary!

IRON-FIST-MAN

2010-05-30T23:29:00.000-07:00

Scanned and colored my latest ink sketch in photoshop. Yup, no easy way to get back up to drawing steam, just got to keep drawing, and making mistakes and relearning past lessons.

Saying "Hello" again to pencil, Ink and Bristol

2010-05-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

Got my hands smudgy with cheap ink and bristol after WAy too long. Here's a warmup with a cartoony THOR! And here's me trying to get back in cleaner tighter mode (a la my early BILLY COLE work) for a sketchbook I'm putting together. It was pretty friggin' tough getting clean again, Man sometimes I feel like I'm gettin' too old for this stuff! But then I remind myself that I can just "Feel too old" after I'm dead.
In answer to his question, Nope We're not done yet!

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK AND JUST DRAW!

2010-05-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's good to just draw. Focusing on an art career takes dogged determination and discipline and sometimes it's easy to feel compelled to only draw what's practical and useful for your career. I find myself thinking this more often than not, but sometimes... Sometimes I remember why I started drawing, I remember how much I enjoyed expressing myself with pencil and paper and ink. I remember how much I like the feel of scratching letters on paper with a bowl pointed nib or unloading a big watercolor brush full of black ink on a clean white sheet of bristol board. Sometimes it's nice to look at a new sheet of paper and see its emptiness as your opportunity to be yourself and say anything you feel or fear or want. Knowing there's a place you can be truly free to express yourself is empowering. So, like I said sometimes it's good to just draw.

Inspired birthday illustration...

2010-01-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

It's selfpublisher / podcaster Mark Rudolph's Birthday and I've been looking for an excuse to do a daily sketch. Great exercise! Elapsed time: 20 min... Cintiq in photoshop cs2 . If you are so inclined, for more cool daily sketches check out GOGO ILLUSTRATION, those guys are makin' some sweet sketches! Happy Birthday Mr. Rudolph, you Bionic Bro!

SUPERMONSTERS COLORING BOOK!

2009-11-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

Here's the first of the Monsters in my SUPERMONSTERS COLORING BOOK!

SKYWALD NIGHTMARE magazine!

2009-11-01T07:45:00.001-08:00

I picked up this cool skywald mag yesterday in the bargain bin at the comic shop! Neatest cover I've seen in a long time. Aug 1973 cover date. Friggin' Cool...

SELF-INVOLVED sketches...

2009-05-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

Feels good to ink from the "Gut" sometimes. I recommend it.

Mark and Ted's FUSIONMAN Adventure...

2009-02-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

Here's a Fusionman Turnaround that I penciled and Mark finished (Cleanup and inks) Great take on Fusionman!

Superstar Tag Team Workout with Mark and Ted...

2009-02-28T08:21:00.000-08:00

Me and Mark Rudolph just finished a really cool drawing exercise where we both finished(cleanup&inks) each others pencil drawings.

I followed his lead on this one and printed it out at 8 inches by around 10.5 inches. And I lightboxed it
(Redrawing it like he did is a really good idea. It helped me understand the forms and volumes and composition that he penciled that much more. When I normally ink(right over someone's original pencils) and I don't understand the drawing thoroughly, it shows... IT SHOWS...)

onto a regular sheet of paper
(I'm into inking on reg bond paper right now, the paper gets wrinkly, but seems to scan alright. I actually did the final version of "The Devil's Hand"the minicomic I did for the MINICOMICS DUMPTRUCK run by Badass Kevin Cross! ... on 11 by 17 inch regular paper)

Then I inked it with the inexpensive brush ink I bought at the Japanese grocery store
(surprisingly good blacks from it).
I then scanned it and threw on a tone in photoshop by making the tone layer a "multiply" layer.

This was a really good workout and I gotta say finishing Mark's pencils was a pleasure, there was so much to work with!
BTW this page is from Mark's superb JOHN OXBOW minicomic available here!
What can I say, the guy is "Classy" like Freddie Blassie! Ohhhh YEahhhhh!

Some GREAT Children's books that stand up to the WATCHMEN graphic novel any old day!

2009-02-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

STANLEY by Syd Hoff is GREAT!
GROVER The monster at the end of the Book is GREAT!
TIMID TIMMY Where a timid tiger has to overcome his fears to help his sick Mother! GREAT!
THE FIVE CHINESE BROTHERS Like the XMEN only way WAY better!
ANDREW HENRY'S MEADOW Great story of kids that make their own neighborhood in a meadow!

FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC SHORT DOCUMENTARY ON THE COLORFORMS OUTERSPACE MEN!!!!!

2009-02-06T00:53:00.001-08:00

BRITISH GI JOE (ACTION MAN) COMMERCIAL

2009-02-06T00:21:00.000-08:00

GI JOE SEARCH FOR THE STOLEN IDOL COMMERCIAL '70S GREAT!

2009-02-06T00:20:00.000-08:00

GREAT Toy commercials from the BRONZE AGE '70s HENSHIN CYBORG!

2009-02-06T00:13:00.000-08:00

2009-01-26T08:29:00.000-08:00

Muggin the cam

Yup, more dolls...

2009-01-25T16:39:00.001-08:00

A TOY STORE STORY...

2009-01-24T16:17:00.001-08:00

Here's an old story I did some years back for the fanzine CALLING MONSTER ISLAND...

BIONIC BIGFOOT VS DEATH PROBE!

2009-01-15T00:39:00.000-08:00

It's the BIONIC BIGFOOT VS the DEATH PROBE! My entry in the STEVE AUSTIN BIONIC CLUB. Proud members include "Mighty" Mark Rudolph, "Killer" Kevin Cross, "Jammin"Javier Hernandez and "Tough" Ted Seko!

New to the neighborhood again

2009-01-11T20:14:00.001-08:00

yet MORE pics of the neighborhood

2009-01-11T18:44:00.000-08:00

yup, more neighborhood pics

2009-01-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

More pics of the Neighborhood...

2009-01-10T19:41:00.001-08:00

New to the Neighborhood...

2008-12-25T10:30:00.000-08:00

CLOVERFIELD... CLEVER COOL

2008-01-26T09:55:00.000-08:00

So I find out surfin' on the NET that there's some extra stuff at the end of the movie (couple of things I won't mention-let someone else go into the spoiler details) that enhance the story. I gotta tell you, those little tidbits really made the difference for me. I went from being mildly disappointed in the flick to being pretty happy with my ticket purchase.
It's interesting how JJ made this movie to be so interactive, the viewer doesn't just watch it, but you have to "Find" the clues to really get the whole picture. Yeah, it's kinda gimmicky, but for a B monster matinee movie it really works. Even the pov of the movie makes it feel interactive, kinda like a virtual reality ride or something, being shot from the pov of the camera guy. Cool stuff.
Now all those big wigs in Hollywood have to do is make the "Hand held SUPERHERO" movie we're all waiting for! Like what Marvel did with "THE MARVELS" 4 issue comic miniseries. Make the live action feature Hollywood! 'Cmon!

FORCE FIVE'S GAIKING IS FREAKIN' BAD ASSSSSSS!

2008-01-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

I recently finished watching the FORCE FIVE GAIKING tv series (I got it off the net, if you're interested just check ebay or google it, it's out there) and that cartoon is GREAT. Really, it's great. It's kinda cheezy, like Gigantor, but it's totally done straight. Not cheezy for cheeze sake like the old Batman TV series. Cheezy but straight like Inspector Blooper, Dick Strong GIGANTOR straight.

Great story utilizing probaby for the first time a super flying battle fortress (The SPACE DRAGON). Cool story concepts and primo character designs. And I just dig the American dubbing and writing for the dubbed version.

See it!!!!

CLOVERFIELD?

2008-01-22T19:57:00.001-08:00

CLOVERFIELD was kinda disappointing... I mean, heck at first I was all into it, I really dug the scene where the main characters were on the street and the military was shooting up at the monster. I really felt like I was at ground zero in a real life godzilla movie. I thought, "Heck now THIS is a real giant monster movie, like old school! The old time Toho monster movies would focus on regular people (Like Raymond Burr, in the original American Godzilla movie). But then, at the end, UNLIKE the old time movies, there was no resolution of the monster storyline. I did like the romantic way the human storyline was resolved, but the monster storyline was not addressed. What kinda freakin', cop out, lazy, lamo ending was that?Awwww, maybe JJ was implying that the monster storyline wasn't important, and it was ultimately a love story... Okay, I'm good.The monster did look kinda lame though... (Heck, if you're makin' a monster movie, you gotta have a cool looking monster OR just DON'T show the freakin monster.)All I can say is I'm not runnin' off to watch HEROES or anything...