Brand ReVamping

Here's my new Side Stitch design comic. For those of you who aren't familiar, BBR Creative encourages its employees to take turns doing a blog on the BBR website. When my turn comes around, I draw a design-related comic and post it. And now, about the comic:

Had the Vampire Empire survived their initial brand meeting, they would have realized that it’s best for an agency to get to know a client before diving head first into the image-revamping process. This would have ensured that the designers knew that vampires and sunlight don’t really mix well. And if the logo didn’t immediately vaporize the Vampire Empire’s council, it would have eventually driven a stake into the club’s image.

Maybe the “online agency” was afraid of vampires. Or clowns. Or vampire clowns. Maybe they were werewolves! Or, maybe they were just trying to make a quick dollar. Don’t only do a job quickly — do it right. Though, I’d imagine trying to make the denizens of the night “more appealing” would be a daunting task. Perhaps some things are best left alone?

Notes about this comic:
I omitted a pun out of spacial necessity, but I thought I’d include it in this section: “No members means no revenue! We’ll have to get day jobs!”

I always have fun with the silly logos I do for these comics. The “existing” Vampire Empire logo was a “V” & “E” shaped to resemble vampire teeth. And the “revamped” logo features a rejoicing figure whose cape is forming a sun. Well, maybe he’s writhing.

I had a few Vampire Empire tagline options on the table. Here are some that were frontrunners:
“Eternity, for life.”
“Eternity now.”
“A brighter nightlife.”
“Live long and party.”

OH, and if anyone knows a decent comic lettering font, please let me know. I hand-drew all the lettering in Photoshop and it was quite a task.

-burt

Goodbye, Old Friend.

I knew that this day would come. I've had the same reliable old Samsung phone since 2002. It was my first and only cell phone until now. Monday I decided it was time to get an iPhone. And that I did.

So, to honor Sammy's memory, I spent thirty minutes in silence drawing this little scene. I laid the phone to rest atop the image and took a picture with my iPhone. It shall be sent off into the blog and Twittersphere.

RIPhone.
"You were always near my side, day or night. No text will truly do your memory justice."
2002-2010

-burt

Wingthings

Last night at Drink & Draw, I proposed the theme of "wings." And this is the quick illustration I produced. Some bird-lizard creature with hip-butt wings. So you can imagine that he flies hunched over. He does have a long neck so he can nod down and snatch up small (or maybe even large) prey. Such as nerds!

Luckily, there were no "hipwings" prowling around the Sketchgroup last night.

What should I name him?

About the illustration: This one was composed entirely of Copic markers.

Pony Up

The other day I was talking with my friend Lauh-ren
about how she was going to quit her current job in an epic way. We were trying to find the mostepic route she should take. This ended up involving her riding a pony into the place, dressed as a pony, wielding a megaphone.

Then I said "Now, that'd make a funny illustration." And then it was agreed we'd both draw our own versions. So, here's mine!

A pony-costumed person riding a pony, drinking a pony-size beer and listening to the Deftone's White Pony album.

Drawn at sketchgroup with a black Copic marker and White-Out.

Oldschool Wrap Voting

My design (see post below) just went up for scoring. It'll be up for a week, so please go vote when you can!

Thanks a ton, everyone! :D

-burt

Oldschool Wrap, Resurrected

Hey everyone! I finally got around to finishing up the submission process for my Oldschool Wrap shirt design for Threadless. They months-long delay was due to the fact that I did not own a brown shirt. I'd always think "I need to go get a brown shirt so I can comp up my design and submit the entry," but I'd always forget instantly afterwards. Until this weekend! So, finally, I submitted the design to Threadless.

The description I included with the design was along the lines of "Represent the Middle-East Side," in addition to the actual ink and shirt specs. Because, really, one can't have enough mummy puns.

Haha, doing silly things like this is really fun. I should do more. Hopefully, one of these days a submission will get printed!

I'll post a link to the shirt when it goes up for voting. Thanks in advance for the support! :D

RoBatman / Cyborg Batman

Woooo, it's been a while since I've posted, eh? SORRY DUDES. Lots of busy + crazy + busy crazy. I have been drawing, but mostly concepting stuff for an upcoming COMIC. Yes, you read that correctly.

But enough about THAT. Let's talk about THIS. RoBatman was drawn MONTHS ago at a sketchgroup meeting. It begged to be colored, but unfortunately coloring this puppy took a while. But, at long last, it is finished.

Someone asked me "Why does he only have two settings: Sleep and Murder?" To which I responded "Does he really need anything more?" If you would happen to run into RoBatman in a dark, conveniently-wide alleyway, be brave. You'd be a cartoon, after all, and not a real person. Throw a pie at him!

There's a little bit of everything here. Drew Brees and the O RLY owl. The "Pie Slide" from What Would You Do (in the golden age of Nickelodeon), a whale wearing a sombrero and even a couple of Star Wars references (for good measure.) Robin is in there. I just realized that he couldn't be a cyborg because his name would confuse his status: RO-bin? Robobin? Rocybin? None of it works!

Totally worth staying in on a Friday to finish!

Abstract Portrait?

Earlier this week BBR had a couple of job shadowers sit in with the Creative Department. John, a seventh grader, and Stephaine (I think that's how she said her name is spelled), a sixth grader. I guess. Kids all kind of look a generic "young" to me. Anyway, we showed them the design/illustration ropes and had them working on personal logos. Eventually their minds wandered and they teamed up on an illustration.

They informed me that it would be "loosely based on Mr. Burt," and would incorporate elements from objects around the Creative Department. So, I was told it has my hair (??), our monkey mascot's face, my Yoda plush's ear, a deer's hooves, and some owl parts.

I'm going to go ahead and consider this fan art. This is me, as portrayed by junior high students. I think. Use the Force!

Is Tammy There?

Here's an illustration I penned back in July during Comic Con in San Diego. I was in line for a Legend of the Seeker panel. Wooooo, Bruce Spence! Hahaha.

Anyway, here's an explanation for the insanity: For the past couple of years, an Anonymous number has been calling me and asking for "Tammy Clause." Now, you'd think that after the first few times, they would have followed my request and taken me off the list. But no. They've called me at least 200 TIMES. At first it was an actual person, but now (or, at least the last time I bothered to answer) it is just a recording. So there is no hope to plead my case that I am not actually this "Tammy" lady.

I think the record is 6 calls in one day. They've since calmed down a little. The flood of Tammy-seeking calls has reduced to a sporadic trickle. Every now and then though, I'll get a couple or three calls a day. I'm going to enjoy this waning cycle while it lasts!

Waterwash

Sorry for the long break! My dad has been in the hospital for a while, plus things have been really busy around here. I have been drawing, but haven't had much time to actually color, finish or post illustrations. Fortunately, my dad is starting to feel better. Thanks to everyone that kept checking on his status.

This is an illustration I did for my friend Lauh-ren, up in Utah. I have been liking her art for a while now, and requested to be FRINZ on Facebook. And we just traded zine/sketchbooks through snail mail. Fun!

So I drew this random picture and wrote a random exposé to go on the back of the artwork. I was quite entertained by it. I believe she was, as well! Here's the accompanying note:



The illustration was done in pen and colored with Prismacolor pencils. Classic Burt Snail Mail.