C2E2 & THE ITALIANS_commissions

[9 x 12" - blue pencil, brush & technical pen, COPIC marker on 300lb bristol board]

 [9 x 12" - blue pencil, brush & technical pen, COPIC marker on 300lb bristol board]

[9 x 12" - blue pencil, brush & technical pen, COPIC marker on 300lb bristol board] 

[9 x 12" - blue pencil, brush & technical pen, COPIC marker on 300lb bristol board] 

 [9 x 12" - blue pencil, brush & technical pen, COPIC marker on 300lb bristol board]

[11 x 14" - blue pencil, brush & technical pen, COPIC marker on 300lb bristol board]

I'm back from Chicago and C2E2 convention. I had loads of fun, met many of my talented and revered contemporaries, and tried to buy as much as their works as my small piece of luggage could hold for the trip back home. Also, maybe because of the fatigue, I feel like I'm drunk. At least I don't feel sick as a dog as I was when I got back from Emerald City Comic Con. Yikes.

Let me say 'Thank you!' to all the people who dropped by the table. The experience was even better than last year, and with MATTEO SCALERA sitting with me, I couldn't have enjoyed the show more. Also, Matteo introduced me to his friend ALESSANDRO VITTI. I'm saying this as seriously as I possibly can - there is something in the water over there in Italy that's making these guys draw like monsters. After seeing Alessandro's originals, I was immediately impressed with his output quality and the amount of issues he's done in ONE year working for the big companies. I gained respect for him on many levels - he's a funny guy, he's a disciplined illustrator and he's a giving individual. So between me, him and Matteo, we had a great time talking about art, technique, design, family, words/phrases I should learn before I visit there again - the entire gamut. Like I said, I had a very enjoyable weekend. It's also safe to say that these boys know how to drink. And fart.

Have a great week.




PS - In case you're wondering why there's been a lot of marker rendering in my recent commission work (*Note: these marker renderings are not standard operating procedure for me. So please, future commission peeps - don't get used to nor expect it. Thank you), it was simply to explore and see for myself what the big deal is all about whenever I see other commissions elsewhere that are done in the same fashion. My conclusion is that, if you'll pardon the analogy, you can cover a cake with the best icing in the world but if you've baked it using 'poop' as a key ingredient, all you'll have in the end is Poop Cake...with icing.

Simply put: I gotta stop baking Poop Cakes, man.