Wild Thing

A quick archive rescue this week after coming home to chaos as youngest kid ill again. (Had actually done some new drawings this week but haven't had the time to scan and sort , that was tonight's planned job so that's next week sorted already). This was the cover to a personal project that for one reason or another never really got further than the first chapter in a small press anthology. It might resurface at some point as it has a whole universe mapped out around it and quite a few episodes written and sitting in a drawer somewhere.

45.

My page for the Com-X book '45' written by Andi Ewington. Thanks to Andi for the photography and for making this piece stand out from the normal mock-up magazine covers usually seen. Delighted with this.

For more details check out the link below.

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gi

d=44939182256

Sketchup

I think Jon has posted about Google Sketchup before, but a few months back I used the simple but effective 3D tool to build the basic blocks of a city scape I had to draw for some cover art. It was very handy to help me with perspective and depth issues, and is certainly something I'll use again in the future. And sometime in the future, I'll be able to post the cover art when it is out of NDA restrictions. Here there is a shot of the broader model, and the angle I used for the artwork.

The Hurt Locker

Winner of six Academy Awards and six BAFTA Awards the film 'The Hurt Locker' follows a US Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team in the Iraq War. It is a well made film with lots of great performances and no doubt hits the western publics thoughts surrounding the continuing activity that many nations forces are involved in. There are some very memorable moments in the film and the opening scene where Staff Sergeant Thompson (Guy Pearce) attempts to set a radio controlled explosion to clear a bomb sets the tone for the whole film.

This was another 'experiment with colouring' piece for me much along the lines of this piece here. Not so much in the main figure which I wanted to jump out and be a stronger element but with the background which I wanted to have a level of detail but not be overly painted.

Jonday - Anglerre

A cover for Legends of Anglerre RPG from Cubicle 7 Entertainment, done back in November 09. There's been some shuffling backstage, and I'm currently working on a new version of this, but hey. This one was released as a preview...



Bigger:

Not sure if I've ever Blogged this before. This was from the story that really introduced Lulu Romanov to Dante . It was called 'Hellfire' and took place in Venice. I was reminded of it as I had to draw Lulu in Venice again recently. This particular illustration was special because it's one of the very few things that an Editor has ever insisted be cut from Dante. In this case the Ball Gag was considered unacceptable and in the final piece I replaced it with a Baby Dummy instead. No biggie.
The original unedited artwork for this is now hanging on the wall in Robbie Morrison's office...because he REALLY wanted it.

Where are the costumes?

A 'real drawing' this week a portrait of a brother and sister commissioned as a gift. I had to rewind my brain to draw real recognisable people, but i think it still has touches of how i draw comic art in it. Probably a halfway point between my comic art and my 'realistic' drawings. Shrunk to this size, one bit in it bugs me (which i didn't notice at full size on the original) would kill to go back and change it but as it's in a frame on somebody's wall that's highly unlikely.

Miscellaneous future-war chick.

Miscellaneous future-war chick. Needs a little more work and TLC. Just playin' around with some props. There's a Mad Max thing going on with the older pistols and probably worth a re-visit soon.

The Vault

An image which I came across the other day when going through some old archives for potential further uses. And everything from the last 6 months (some up to a year) is still under pesky NDAs, which is particularly frustrating as you can imagine. New work needs to constantly be in the public eye, I think to show that you're still working and producing better works. Still, in a month or so I'll have a gigantic backlog of works to show and will blow my trumpet like no tomorrow.

This was an early pencil and digital experimental pic, when I was still finding my feet with regards to the technique. Even older than last week's post. OMG. If I go much further back I'll be producing work from high school...

War is hell...

Here's a sample piece I did for a job that... well that's all I'm allowed to say at the moment. The client is happy to let me show the piece as a sample so many thanks to them for letting me share and if anything develops with the project I'll hopefully get to show you more at a later date.

Again for those who like these kind of things here's the pencil stage.



© 1010 Usborne Publishing

Jonday: Moar Owlbear

You have to love owlbears. Close followers of my posts on Scotch Corner will be aware of the owlbear saga I've been doing. The guys at Paizo just unveiled the next installment:





See moar, and bigger here:
http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/tags/jonHodgson

Whedonverse

Here's a bit of linework I did last year for HEEB Magazine here in NYC. It was to accompany an interview they did of Joss Whedon. He was just about to launch DOLLHOUSE at the time. I liked DOLLHOUSE, it wasn't afraid to follow through on it's ideas.

Rik Rollin'

From a couple of years ago - another early attempt at pure digital colouring using photoshop directly over my pencils (at the bottom of the post). This was done as the cover for book 1 of a 2-set collection of Activist (an e warrior earth witch) stories by Rik Hoskin ( seem to be pimpin Rik's work of late, but hey if you can't do that for your mates - so while i'm at it check out his current novel at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Infinity-Breach-Outlanders-James-Axler/dp/0373638663/ref=pd_sim_b_16 )

I also did the cover for number two so i'll probably post that too at some point if i can dig it up. Click on the images to view larger versions.

Silencers. Miscellaneous sketch.

A sketch for a miscellaneous Silencers character. Was trying out some colouring techniques for the costume. A reasonable success.

Exalted Comic pages

A couple of comic pages from White Wolf's Dragon Blooded supplement for their Exalted game line. Instead of doing fiction for the chapter openings it was decided to use a couple of comic pages to tell a short story, or at least begin one. I was absolutely trying to channel Kim Hyung-Tae and Final Fantasy in this one :)

Looking back, there's some contrast issues which I'd address differently a second time around, but it remains a favourite job from my back catalogue.

Monster Savings!

Back in 2007 I did an illustration for a shopping centre called 'Ocean Terminal' in Edinburgh. They where promoting the student savings scheme that operated in the centre and wanted posters, leaflets and various other bits and bobs to highlight this. As you can see they went for the 'Monster Savings!' route and I was happy to get the chance to draw 'King Kong' looming over the Edinburgh skyline and grabbing a student who needed reminding to save while shopping.



Sometimes when you work on a job you can produce something which will mostly be overlooked by everyone but you'll be particularly happy with, in the case it was the Edinburgh skyline. I cheated slightly and reduced the gap between the castle and the top of the High Street that actually exists so that we could fit more into the picture but overall I liked the little view I produced. Of course as soon as you draw a huge gorilla and girl your eye kind of gets drawn away from the skyline :)

Jonday: Scottish Beach Holiday Weekender

So I'm crazy busy with work just now winding down the business to focus on just one client for the next few months. I'll be doing a few bits and bobs for other people just so that all my eggs aren't in one basket, but by and large Im going pretty exclusive on The One Ring, the new Lord of the Rings rpg from Cubicle 7, illustrated by the mighty John Howe and little ole me. It's going to be interesting to see what I can produce to show here in the next few months!

Anyway:
This weekend the sun came out for the first time in about 10 months, so we headed up to St Andrews. It was a glorious day until we got within a few miles of our destination and a really heavy fog descended. Only in Scotland! But hey, the nipper had a great time, the atmosphere was awesome, the rocks are perfect ref material for LOTR, and I took some photos:



And here's dead crab:


I'll try to you know, draw something for next week.

Old Stony Face

When I drew the BLOOD CADET story ( written by John Wagner ) which introduced the Rico clone to the Dredd family, I had to rethink my Dredd to a certain extent, because I was essentially drawing the same man , one at 18 years old and the other in his 60s. They had to be obviously related, but the older Dredd should wear his years a bit more heavily than in a normal Dredd story to emphasize the difference and Dredds own feeling about meeting his potential replacement and therefore his own mortality. So this is one of the sketches I did to establish this older, more worn Dreddy. It's very hard to get Joe Dredd to emote in any recognisable way, this is the closest I could get.

Hey, buddy

Some random Marvel characters done (more or less) in the style of the wee yellow emoticon buddy dudes this week - for use as avatars on messenger, social media sites and anywhere else that need a profile head-shot i guess. Thinking of creating a few more sets (when time allows) based on Star Wars, Doctor Who and possibly some horror characters - any other ideas welcome. Running out of ideas for different styles to play with so i think it will be back to 'normal' comic art for the next few weeks.

Neneh Cherry. Sketch. 1988.

This sketch was done in 1988 when I was first starting out and building a small portfolio (while still working in Forbidden Planet Glasgow) Using a brush for th elineart and zipatone (old Letraset) for the texture. Kinda old school manga approach, all done by hand. None of your digital nonsense here. Quite pleased with the end result and occasionally enjoy using the brush now and then (mainly for the keylines)

March competition winner!

cAnd the winner of the pencil and print of Victorian oddness is.....

Mr John Wilson, the Gent with the most obvious joke, but the one which did make me laugh; "Ahh, you said dragOOn!". John, we will be in touch, and hope that you enjoy the prize!!!!

Squadron 40! DIIIIIVVVVE!!!!!!

Our Hussar and Wyvern make a come-back today to remind me to announce the competition winner. The partner piece of the March prize, we have our champions in action against an airship incursion by dastardly pirates in Cubicle Seven's Victoriana RPG.

Food of the Gods

Hope you all had a chocolate filled, egg painting/rolling weekend. Whatever your beliefs I'm sure we can all appreciate a creme egg or two.

Most illustrations I work on are started and completed within a reasonably short space of time but sometimes the 'for the fun of it' illustration can be worked on over a number of months and even years. This Easter image was started over a year ago and has been tweaked and fiddled with on a few spare days here and there and finally finished in time for this Easter (although you get to see it after the main event). I think the longest I spent on one illustration was three years, pencilled it one year, inked the next and coloured the following.

The Mayan's worshipped the Cacao Tree (Cacao meaning 'God Food') and the Latin name for the tree is 'Theobrama Cacao' meaning 'Food of the Gods'. So there you go. Remember to click on the image for bigness!

Jonday :Not Late!

Good morning all, hope you've recovered from the choccy fest and made appropriate thanks to your deity of choice for your chosen multi-denominational Spingterval Holiday/thank-science-that-winter-thing-is-over-for-another-year-please-gravity-keep-on-going fest.

When a book comes out, I get to show art. Here is some!

(C)Paizo Publishing LLC
Click for embigination:

The Case for Life Drawing

Ok , so all this Life Drawing I do....there's a reason for it.
It's so I can do stuff like this without reference.

Those who have been following my webcomic, LILLY MACKENZIE over at ACT-I-VATE will recognise this arse.
This page is the new page #1 of the 'MINES OF CHARYBDIS' story that will shortly be appearing in the Judge Dredd Megazine. It might even be THIS month! Seriously , go and check will you...then buy it.

Easter Bunny time

Easter Bunny time in my household so this weeks doodle had to be bunny related - so ended up doing a sketch of Captain Carrot. Even as a kid i was never really a fan of 'funny animal' comics (even in the Superhero genre) and remember the introduction of Captain Carrot and his Zoo Crew teaming up with Superman as being one of the strangest comics i read as a youngster. So i thought this would be a chance to draw something a bit different again.

Decided to use a bit of artistic license and get rid of the muscular body and make the characters anatomy, posture and movement a bit more animal like and less Superman like - could only take this so far though before it would looks like a completely different character. Never really understood why comic book 'animal characters' and aliens / monsters always have to look so humanoid in structure - loads of lost opportunities for wacky designs.

The Thing. Paris Manga. 2010.

Okay. Looks like I had posted the Captain America portrait before. No one noticed (except Dominic and Graeme who are now ribbing me for the screw up!)

Here (as way of an apology) is a Parisian Thing. Same event. Like this a lot. Don't think I have posted this earlier but I am sure someone will remind me if I have. Comments welcome... just not cheeky ones.

Captain America. Paris Manga. 2010.

This week I have included a Captain America sketch from the Paris Manga event last February. Always a popular character. The recent Italian trip proved how well loved Captain America is all over Europe. The enthusiasm continued last week in Inverness at the Hi-Ex weekend.

Sometimes I put the shield in for completeness but this still works well. At least I remembered the wings on his head this time! Drew the whole of America the Beautiful without them a couple of years ago. Doh! Thankfully the art department put them in before printing.