Art Challenge 4: Samurai Princess of Edo

Our third art challenge is much over due and I blame myself. I've been wickedly bogged down with the final art of Labor Days. We're canning that monster of words and pictures this month in time for SPX in oct. Check out the LD blog soon for more updates on schedules and production art.

For the latest Art Challenge, Sean chose the Last Samurai Princess of Edo as a topic. This is brush and ink straight to paper. I've been practicing drawing more with the brush and letting the image take shape naturally. I've done that with these last two posts and I'm happy with the outcome.

Batu

I just finished reading Shaman Warrior. A 6 volume manhwa from Park Joong Ki. Who has just become one of my favorite new artists. Now, I'm about to use my big words to talk about this book so hang on to your knickers. Shaman Warrior first caught my eye with its dazzling watercolor cover of the the wolf-endowed shaman Yarong, the androgynous looking and fated warrior of book one. This series was amazing. Sprawling Korean landscapes. Gorgeous, detatiled character art and non-stop action that didn't disapoint for 200 pages. Any fan of burdened warrior epics, like myself, should check this out. Though I may be a bit late to the table with this one since it has 6 volumes out and you all might have read most of it already.

My only hang up is the translation. But perhaps I'm missing the mark on this one since I can't read Korean and the dialogue is a straight trans. The dialogue in parts is a bit awkward and sometimes I was waiting for some dude to yell "warriors 4 ever!" Wink. Nod. And scuttle off. But that didn't happen.

So check it out. A definite fun read and the book is sprinkled with Park Joong-Ki's original character designs.

The above drawing is my fan art of Batu. Yarong's faithfull apprentice. Straight brush on paper.

I want to read Secret Invasion.

cover painting by Gabrielle Del'Otto
There. I said it. I don't normally read the superhero stuff that Marvel and DC put out. Its overwhelming and most of it is crap and BM fodder. And since these "Marvel Events" started, I've been getting the itch to pay them more mind. I completely missed the House of M event when it launched so my desire didn't start until Civil War. I put off reading Civil War for ages. It came and went and Marvel was well into its spin off series by the time I gave in. But I had to read it. Because, ya see, I was just devouring as much as I could on the internet about it. I had to purge the need.

And purge I did.

And I liked it. OH! I did. Then I started seeking out the spin offs.

And we were back to crap. And then Cap died.

So, I then turned to House of M. Which I enjoyed immensely and Copiel's art on that was stellar. Dude's awesome. The story was very captivating and Copiel's panel choices and pacing were great. A good source for inspiration.

I was happy after that. I just started poking about the Wolverine section and playing with the idea of going back to X'Ecutioner saga or picking up the Whedon run on X-Men.

I didn't :P

NOW THERE IS THE SECRET INVASION AND ITS HAPPENING ALL OVER AGAIN!!!

The above cover is amazing. Nick Fury looks sick and I think thats Tetsuo behind him.

"Logan"

Eduardo Risso's "Logan" is fantastic. Risso's gritty style really mixes well with the charater of Wolverine. Cut on, bloody, drinking, fucking and nonchalantness toward an otherwise overtly aggressive scenario. Ya can even feel his X-Suit on him. Uncomfortable and torn. I highly recommend his 3 issue mini with Vaughan. Try to find the black and white versions. It's nothing pivotal in the Logan history, but does pit him against a nasty, war-made foe and puts him at the heart of one the worlds most devastating moments.


On the other hand...

WTF IS THIS? Did his shoulder just throw up a backwards...arm? Can someone plz explain this anatomy to me...? Eff it. I dont even care.


I've been trying to read up on the more interesting plots of Marvel's leading man here (though i normally stear clear of the "supers"). Next up will be Bianchi's run on Wolverine and then (unrelated) Monster Zoo by TenNapel, which looks like a hoot!

P.S. This is not awesome at all.

Oh Cool.

Would you look at the size of Nick Fury's gun!

WTF! Its like a giant sized childrens key-tar. No way he can shoot that thing and still stay standing. Thanks Marvel. Thanks for big guns.



If Nick Fury were standing there, smokin' a fat stogie and laughing at the rubble, that've been cool. But we get Return of the White Circus and their Moon Canon.

Art Challenge 3: Girl han Solo

You got it. This latest art challenge was to draw a girl version of Han Solo. This is such a psychiatric goldmine. Check out Sean's too (and his Crusader, which, due to his scanner being murdered, is being posted out of order). It came out wicked cool and I love the heart tatoo. Maybe too much.



And I just got around to see Kung Fu Panda, and it blew my mind! The art direction is obviously fantastic, but the animation and humor is also great. And the opening 2d animated sequence is worth the whole movie!