Saturday, December 31, 2011
Sherlock Holmes: The Napoleon of Crime
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 4:25 PM 0 comments
Labels: Sherlock Holmes
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sherlock Holmes: Colonel Moran
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 1:27 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sherlock Holmes
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wizarding Wednesdays: Is that a FANG, Professor?
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 1:46 PM 0 comments
Labels: Harry Potter
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sherlock Holmes: Mycroft Holmes
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 6:18 PM 2 comments
Labels: Sherlock Holmes
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sherlock Holmes: Lestrade
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 3:24 PM 1 comments
Labels: Sherlock Holmes
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Sherlock Holmes: Wiggins
It's a Christmas miracle! Well, not really, but I am posting twice today! Presenting the fourth in the Sherlock Holmes character series: Wiggins!
Wiggins is the head of Holmes' urchin intelligence squad, and I picked him for today because he's so adorably Dickensian. Also, it looks like I've found a way to print these and make them available as a "Paper Figures" set by mid-January! MERRY CHRISTMAS! And God bless us, every one.Posted by Chris Schweizer at 10:09 PM 2 comments
Labels: Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes: Mrs. Hudson
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 3:02 PM 0 comments
Labels: Sherlock Holmes
Friday, December 23, 2011
Sherlock Holmes: Dr. Watson
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 10:38 PM 2 comments
Labels: Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes: The World's Only Consulting Detective
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 12:39 AM 2 comments
Labels: Sherlock Holmes
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Wizarding Wednesdays: The Boy Who Lived
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 12:54 PM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches, Harry Potter
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
TRUE GRIT #7: There were more men in the country at that time who looked like Cleveland than did not
The last o' the bunch! Perhaps I ought to have included Colonel Stonehill, or the Original Greaser Bob, but there's only so much time in the day. And so, I conclude with everybody's favorite character, the one-eyed fat man himself, Rooster Cogburn.
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 10:07 AM 0 comments
TRUE GRIT #6: A methodist and a son of a b****
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 12:19 AM 0 comments
Monday, December 19, 2011
True Grit Drawing #5: A saucy manner does not go down with me
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 9:06 AM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches, True Grit, Westerns
Sunday, December 18, 2011
TRUE GRIT #4: It is a waste of time and none of my business
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 1:36 PM 0 comments
Saturday, December 17, 2011
TRUE GRIT #3: I intend to kill Tom Chaney with it if the law fails to do so
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 10:42 AM 1 comments
Friday, December 16, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
TRUE GRIT #1: Everything is Against Me
This week: TRUE GRIT! Also, probably, Sherlock Holmes. I did a bunch of Sherlock Holmes drawings, and as I'll be seeing the new movie tonight with a batch of comic folk I may be in a Sherlocky mood. But I've just read Charles Portis' TRUE GRIT, then reread it as an audiobook (wonderfully narrated by Donna Tart), and am on road to reading it again, between rereading my Annotated Sherlock Holmes. TRUE GRIT is a darn fine book, and I'm not ashamed to say that it was the Coen Brothers' excellent adaptation that finally got me around to reading it. It's becoming a favorite, and my first pick as a gift for any preteen girl relatives who like reading (I just gave up one copy, and ordered a couple more in reserve).
Anyway, I did a batch of pictures of some of the characters, based as close as I could to the descriptions offered in the prose, and figured on posting them up.Posted by Chris Schweizer at 12:37 PM 2 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches, True Grit, Westerns
Monday, December 12, 2011
Wizarding Wednesdays: Hagrid (a 20-Minute Color Sketch)
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 8:57 PM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches, Harry Potter
Friday, December 9, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: Teen Boxer T.R.
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 1:44 PM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Thursday, December 8, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: Sherlock
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 3:04 AM 1 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: Santa
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 1:11 PM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketch: Jenkins 352
While finishing up the art for Crogan's Loyalty, I listened to quite a few audiobooks, and as an upcoming Crogan story takes place during the Zulu Wars I thought it appropriate to try and find some books set during that conflict. My favorite of these was the first book in John Wilcox's Simon Fonthill series. I've listened to the first two (I had the first in print, but hadn't gotten around to reading it manually) and am now moving through the third.
As is probably clear from the genre in which I generally work, I'm a sucker for good historical adventure. My favorite character in the Fonthill series (and I'm sure I'm not particularly original in this regard) is Fonthill's batman and brother-in-arms Jenkins 352 (referred to by the last three digits of his serial number because his unit had fifteen fellas named Jenkins), and it's clear that Wilcox loves writing him as much as I love reading him. It's all but impossible for me to not draw prose characters when in the thralls of good fiction, so it was natural for me to light on Jenkins for today's 20-Minute Color Sketch. Also, some folks in the comments section asked a few days back about the release date for Crogan's Loyalty... it's June 6th. I'll be doing a small book tour that week, I think, including Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and possibly Ohio. I'll be sure to post details as I have them.Posted by Chris Schweizer at 2:32 PM 0 comments
Monday, December 5, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: Mudman
Today's 20-minute color sketch took 23 minutes. Sorry. I gotta get back on the ball, and quit being so ambitious with the compositions.
Today's sketch is of MUDMAN, Paul Grist's new comic series. It's fun so far, and I have high hopes for the series. Grist has two other projects with which I'm familiar - Jack Staff and the oh-so-very-very-good police drama Kane - and they're both top notch, leading me to always want to check out what he's working on. He also did a great story in that Anniversary issue of Captain America last year.
Click image for a slightly bigger versionAnyway, I don't know if Mudman has the power to thrust his arm into the mud and make a giant mud hand come out and grab people, but I sure hope so. Also, as some folks asked for it, here's a group shot of the ewoks from last week.Posted by Chris Schweizer at 5:56 PM 3 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches, Star Wars
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
CRAZY, CRAZY HOLIDAY SALE!
Though I've always turned up my nose at the TV sales ads where people are going CRAZY slashing prices, that's exactly how I felt when I was doing the prices for this sale. CRAZY! Laughing with glee and incredulity at my own prices! Have I gone Crazy? MAYBE!
CLICK HERE FOR CRAZY PRICES!!!
For the next 9 days, all of the original art for sale on my website is marked WAY, WAY DOWN! This is the first time I've ever done this (I'm usually not a fan of this sort of thing, because I feel like it's kinda rotten to the folks who payed full price for stuff, AND I don't want people to think "well, I should wait until he has a sale." But the people who paid full price got one-of-a-kind items that they hopefully really wanted that likely wouldn't still be available to them now, and as for another sale? This isn't gonna be a regular Christmas thing or anything. As far as my plans go, barring any horrific unforeseen financial disaster that requires shortsighted penny-counting, this is the one and only sale like this I'll have for the next few years. We certainly could stand to fill our family holiday coffers, and also I want to make sure that I have plenty of room for the original art for Crogan's Loyalty when it comes out.
The prices are CRAZY! The original drawings and pinups are marked down anywhere from like 80 percent of the original price to something around like 30 or 40 percent (I'm bad at math! I don't know! Like I said, these prices are CRAZY)!
Original Crogan Adventure pages are a staggering FIFTY PERCENT OFF! That's right. Instead of $100, they're only $50! If I knew how to make flashing 90s' internet text, this is where I'd do it. THESE PRICES ARE CRAZY! If I had the time, I'd make a commercial.
If you have ever wanted to start collecting original comic art, or if you know someone who likes the Crogan Adventures and want to give them THE VERY BEST GIFT EVER, Now's the time!
The sale goes from now until 11:59PM, Eastern Standard Time, On Sunday, December 11th. I'll mail all packages out on December 12th! Have 'em by Christmas!
Here's where you get the original Crogan Adventures Pages
Here's where you get original drawings and pinups
Just a reminder - these are ONE-OF-A-KIND items. That means that someone may beat you to the piece that you want. Whoever's payment comes through first gets it, and anyone else will get a refund. If you want things personalized, please leave me a note or shoot me an e-mail!
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 5:07 PM 0 comments
Thursday, December 1, 2011
ADULT BARTENDER KANEDA FOREVER
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 3:58 AM 2 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Ewok Week: TEEBO
I was going to do some EWOKS for theis week's 20-minute color sketches... But they ended up taking like twenty-thirty minutes apiece to color. So I can't classify them as being 20 minuters, but I can show 'em anyway! None of those weird tv ewoks, this stuff is straight up ROTJ, yo.
First up: Teebo!Posted by Chris Schweizer at 9:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: Ewok Week
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Too Many Trees
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 11:22 PM 2 comments
20-Minute Color Sketches: Robocop
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 9:06 AM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Saturday, November 19, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: Some Old Cowboy
Speaking of old cowboys, I watched the second episode of AMC’s “Hell on Wheels.” The first episode was truly awful, but the second one was not too bad. I’ll give it four episodes, I think - if it continues to improve, I’ll likely keep watching. I’m a sucker for Westerns.
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 9:22 AM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Friday, November 18, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: Watchmen
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 10:50 AM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Thursday, November 17, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: He-Man
Today's sketch: The Master of the Universe...
Today's the last day of school for the year. I love teaching and I love working with my students, but I also love uninterrupted studio time and wearing shorts, so these breaks are always welcome.Posted by Chris Schweizer at 6:03 AM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: Wolverine vs Sabretooth
When I was a kid, I had Marvel trading cards and some of 'em depicted "famous battles." This is like that, only quicker.
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 5:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
20-Minute Color Sketches: Abe Sapien
Here's another of those quick sketches. Drawing and coloring both, I'm putting a cap at twenty minutes max for these. That'll ensure that I can produce at least one a day without infringing on my CROGAN ADVENTURES work. So know that you can check in every morning (barring the ones where I'm out of town at cons and the like) and there will be a new drawing up, like this one, ABE SAPIEN:
Abe is, of course, from Hellboy and B.P.R.D., hands-down my favorite serialized comic.Posted by Chris Schweizer at 6:13 AM 0 comments
Labels: 20-Minute Color Sketches
Monday, November 14, 2011
MAD, MAD, SCAD Weekend
I went to Savannah, Georgia for our National Cartoonist Society meeting this month. It was quite the big to-do, as it served as a big reunion for pretty much all of the original MAD MAGAZINE guys - Al Jaffee, Jack Davis, Paul Coker, Nick Meglin, and Sam Viviano - plus current MAD caricature guy and NCS president Tom Richmond, in addition to all the great Southeast chapter folk and the ones who flew in for the shindig. It was great seeing some of these old dogs again, and even greater meeting the folks who I hadn't yet had occasion to.
I did a couple of sketches during a workshop that Sergio did, and figured I'd post 'em up.Posted by Chris Schweizer at 6:17 AM 2 comments
Friday, November 11, 2011
Gambit and Rogue
Another colored sketchbook sketch - Gambit and Rogue, from the X-Men. Given Rogue's hair, Alabama upbringing, and general all-around 80sness I thought she should look like she stepped in Spandex out of Steel Magnolias, so she's halfway between Julia Roberts and Dolly Parton.
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 7:56 AM 0 comments
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Justice League, HO!
While most of my comic work is done with a brush (and most of the stuff I post up here, for that matter), I generally sketch with fixed-line pens. I even do my "pencils" with them. It's much more intuitive and quick for me to work that way, but I've always been hesitant to try it with actual pages. But you know what? The brushy stuff automatically gives my stuff a cartoonier look, atop already cartoony designs. I love it for the Crogan books, and will continue to use it there, but I'm thinking about trying to use this for other stuff, which I feel might be a little more "mainstream friendly." I don't know, maybe I'm crazy. So I figured I'd color one of my classroom sketches from today, these justice league guys:
Either way, it takes me like ten minutes to color something like this, which took five minutes to draw. That's a BIG difference from working with a brush, and I kind of like how it turned out. Since I sketch a ton each day, I may color 'em and post more regularly. What do you guys think? Like it? Hate it? Also, Liz Enright brought bacon brownies in to school today and THEY WERE SOOOOOOO YUMMYPosted by Chris Schweizer at 4:06 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Schweizer Guide to Spotting Tangents
Comic art is, as a general rule, a line-based medium. I know, I know, there are plenty of artists whose work is painted, or who depict their subject in ink using solely light and shadow. But these folks are unquestioningly in the minority, as the history of printing technology originally dictated the use of line to depict form in the early days of comics. This became a stylistic expectation, and it’s an expectation that I enthusiastically embrace, as have many others. But using line to draw the world invites chances for that cardinal sin of composition: the tangent. A tangent is when two or more lines interact in a way that insinuates a relationship between them that the artist did not intend. It can create confusion on the part of the audience as to what it is that they’re looking at. It can cause the spatial depth that one attempts to cultivate through the use of planes to become flattened. Most of all, it creates a decidedly unwelcome aesthetic response: tangents are just plain ugly. There are a lot of different types of tangents, as least according to the way I define them. In order to make it easier on my students when giving critiques, I’ve categorized them and named them. This may have been done before, but I’ve not encountered it. My hope is that, by making this “spot-the-enemy” guide, fewer artists will fall into the tangent trap by knowing what to look for.
Posted by Chris Schweizer at 6:39 PM 16 comments