Illustration Friday - Cracked

The Race Across The Rotundra

There's a little-known race that features an even littler-known group of giants referred to as "Der Biggins". In exchange for large quantities of sustenance (mass needs to amass mass to stay massive), Der Biggins agree to participate in the Rotundra Race.

Using bobsleds as skates, Der Biggins are pushed along by four men (two per "skate"). There must be some cooperation between all parties, since guiding any Biggin over a frozen lake would result in, well, mucho crackage. Everyone, including Der Biggins, must be on the lookout for any obstacles in their collective paths.

The race is about thirty miles, or until appetites flare up.

Paper, Spock, Scissors

Here's an illustration of Mr. Spock spocking some up-and-coming Vulcan students. "Spocking" is the Vulcan equivalent of "owning." FYI. Since Paper/Rock/Scissors is a game that can't really be won by logic, Spock ensures victory by playing his might trump card: the Vulcan salute.

The pupils, not willing to say that paper nor rock nor scissors are more powerful than their cultural symbol of prosperity, have no choice but to admit defeat. They may have lost this round, but they have gained a valuable lesson of thinking outside-the-box.

I'm actually going to include the black/white version. I love how it looks sans color; you can see how the illustration started off. This one was all pen (brush and Micron) and then colored in Photoshop.

Illustration Friday - Contagious

"Beware of the Zimebie! By far the most deadly of zombie archetypes, the miming undead are a silent threat to the living. They do not emit longing moans for 'brains,' instead simply pantomime their craving for a cranial gray-matter platter.

Be on the lookout for any shambling individuals, especially those wearing berets, striped shirts, black stretch pants or face paint. If you or any of your party were to run out of ammunition or weaponry, quick thinking will allow you to corral the zimebie in an invisible holding pen, or block his path with a barricade of invisible rubble.

May the Force be with you."

See that twist I threw in at the end there? I just introduced zimebies into the Star Wars Expanded Universe! Woo!

The Underground Man - Booksketch

Here's a thumbnail of my latest booksketch, inspired by Mick Jackson's The Underground Man. If you aren't familiar with my Booksketch site, please check it out. It is a site that is open for anyone to join and submit illustrations based on literature he or she has read.

I don't get to post there as often as I do on Draw, Burt Draw!, so it is nice to have friends and supporters contributing. I appreciate all the comments and fans that have been checking out my illustrations. Thanks, everyone. You are all great! :D

Here's a link to the full illustration: No Boats About it - Booksketch

Illustration Friday - Parade

As for how I came up with this idea, your guess is as good as mine. Just sit back and enjoy the ride!

Thought Process: "Parade?" I'll draw a fat guy with a chain of rollerbladers in tow!

Seriously, that's it. And I'm not ashamed at all. Well maybe a little. The drawing took about two hours and the photoshop work afterwards about another hour.

I went back to using my brush pen for this entry. I'm still a fan of it, of course. Micron pens for the smaller details. The interesting composition (if you don't think it sucks, of course) is a result of the confines of the moleskine in which it is drawn, haha.

My moleskine is going to be full of strange + interesting little things, isn't it?

Illustration Friday - Hierarchy

Even comic characters can fall upon hard times.

Help a fellow out, won't you?

There's a joke/pun in there if you look for it. You may have to mispronounce something on purpose.

This entry's thought process: My first idea was to draw an old king and a line of unprincely princes behind him, each brandishing some devious sort of weapon. Such as poison, dagger, tennis racket, etc. Each son would be intent on usurping the family member directly ahead of him (in the line to the throne).

But not long after that I decided I wasn't in the mood to draw backstabbers and this pun popped into my head and demanded that it be drawn. And besides, I thought it'd be fun to draw Archie.