He is the One!

This is just something fun I wanted to do.....so I did.

I think that it turned out pretty well, and we're hoping to have it made into a print come the Central Canada Comic Con in November.

Fun with lines

Sometimes you start making a new brush with the idea of using it to change the way your art looks, and instead settle on something comfortable and doodle away for hours on end.

This is sort of a mixture of the two.

I needed a new digital brush for my inking for my web comic so I started to play with the settings and custom brushes and such.

Then when the time came to test it out I really didn't have anything to try it out on, so instead I did a quick sketch of Colossus from Age of Apocalypse....and then I HAD to colour it because...well because I had to.

What can I say, I'm sort of a completionist when it comes to my art.

Either way, here's the final product. Not super refined, but I think it turned out quite nicely.

Later days,

-Ben

A little doodling

After much fighting and...well cursing, I finally got my Bosto tablet up and working at optimum capacity! To commemorate this joyous occasion, here is a little doodle of my character Wil from our current Mutants and Masterminds campaign!

Enjoy,

-Ben

Phone doodles

I recently acquired a stylus and Sketchbook for my phone so I've been playing with it a bit.

Here are the result.

Enjoy!

-Ben

Finished Animals

Here I have all three finished animals but no names added (no stalking anyone...)

I think they turned out pretty well if I do say so my self!

Enjoy!

-Ben

A freebie

I've gotten into the habit of handing out commissions for free to the people I love and this is no exception.

I've been commissioned to do no less than 3 cubicle name tags with animals on them for my girlfriend and her two co-workers. I think I can do this...

Not totally done (duh!) But here's the roughs for the first one (a tiger for a girl named Roma).

Hope you like it!

Later days,

-Ben

Productivity, yay!

Finished a brand new comic, and it is live over at Downe and Owte.

I also recently got my new Bosto Kingtee tablet, and aside from some issues with Windows 8 (forcing me to set up a Windows 7 computer) I love it.

It's all the functionality of the Wacom Cintiq but at almost a third the cost! For those that are looking for an alternative I would strongly recommend looking into it!

Anyway, no art today but I promise to have something new in the next little bit!

Later days,

-Ben

A work in progress

Well, here's the latest comic page I'm working on. I still have to do like, 98% of the colours and the dialogue....and the backgrounds, but yeah! The page goes live on Friday at Downe and Owte

Still more!

So, I know it's been a while since I've posted anything. Real life has a funny way of messing up even self induced schedules.

However, it's not like I haven't been working. I've been working non-stop in fact. Albeit some of it was done for the comic (over at Downe and Owte) so that I could get some more updates done. Going to conventions always lifts my spirits.

I've ordered my new tablet, and I'm hoping it gets here in a timely fashion. My faithful old Wacom Bamboo just isn't cutting it anymore.

I've also begun to use Autodesk Sketchbook Pro as a means of creating the comic, and I must admit it is easily one of the best programs I've ever used. From roughs, to pencils, to inks and colours I think it looks pretty great and it also FEELS the most like actual sketching compared to anything else I've been using so far.

Case in point the latest addition to the random pictures of my two stars:

Later days!

-Ben

Some new work

I've been working with Autodesk Sketchbook for the last few days and I have to admit; I'm totally in love with it

It's an awesome app with some incredible power. I'm most impressed with the way that it simulates *actual* sketching. The look and feel of it is just incredible and it saves me the hassle of having buy am uber elite scanner to get the same effect traditionally.

Here's the "pencils" of a piece that went up over at www.downeandowte.com

Enjoy!

Back from Calgary!

So, I was off at CES this year with my good friend and writer Will promoting Downe and Owte.

Ran a booth, sold some commissions and MET MY FREAKING IDOL Sean "Cheeks" Galloway. That was SO unreal.

But aside from that it's been pretty normal over all lately. I also have managed to get some very solid drawing and sketching in so I thought I'd share that here so I hope you enjoy!

The characters are from a Mutants and Masterminds campaign I've been playing with some friends lately.

And the penguin dressed as Han Solo....is just a penguin dressed as Han Solo. I don't know what to say about that one.

Later days!

Progress? Progress!

So, I've gotten a few more scripts from Will for the comic, and I've actually turned one of them into a REAL script, and actually created some physical panels to work on. Like a REAL artist or something....I know, right?!?

That aside though I've been working on a new poster to go along with the new character addition and the new styles I've been working with. I'll post more as it comes along, but for now? Courage.

Later days!

Some fresh work

So, since there's a new convention coming up the inevitable conversation that we have over with the boys from Downe and Owte is "What can we come up with that might be new and worth some coin to people?". Well this time around we've come up with a new poster idea.

Or rather, I came up with a new poster idea and ran with the idea until I suddenly realized that I hadn't discussed this with anyone else and had to hastily take a screen cap and email it out in the hopes that everyone else would approve.

I tend not to make my best decisions at 4:47am in the morning, but it would appear that I do some of my best inking work then so meh, I'll take what I can get at this point.

Anywho, here's the picture of the work in progress. If the boys green light this then I'll finish it up and post the final version as well.

Later days!

Could new work be on the horizon?

In answer to the title of this post, yes. Yes there is a new project working its way forward although at this point it really is just a work in progress.

I've been thinking about trying out a new coloring style and with a new convention coming up I figured this was the best time to try out some changes as well as a nice big splash piece...or poster. Whichever you prefer.

I don't have too much else to say on the topic so I'll just show you what's come so far.

You may also notice a distinct change in art style. I like to mix it up and keep everyone on their toes.

Later days!

What DAY is it?

So, I definitely forgot that I had this page, and a big ol' shout out to +Google for adding it to the Chrome drop-down bar otherwise it may have been doomed to obscurity forever.

That being said, I think that for the time being keeping a daily art journal is going to be tough. Sleeping through the day, working nights, and working basically all the time limits what I have for availability on the projects I have running as it is over at www.downeandowte.com and jowte.deviantart.com as it is, but I certainly can't think of a reason NOT to post here. Especially whenever I have something new to bring to the table.

Moving on from there with the addition of www.downeandowte.com I suppose that I really do have some new stuff to show off. And sadly too much to exhibit here on this page, but I assure you I do intend to showcase some of the new material that's a cookin' up in my brain here as a sort of first look, and historical documentation (I'm counting on you digital back-up legitimacy!).

The Calgary comic con (CES) is almost upon us, and my friend Will, lady-friend Sheena and myself will all be participating as exhibitors over in the fan favorite of Artists' Alley. Downe and Owte has actually attained some level of popularity despite my lack of updates in the last few weeks. The comic itself is going to be receiving a fairly serious overhaul as well as some major workings done to it. As well as a secret project for the boys that I simply lack the funding to make a reality at the moment. (Again, as soon as I have anything solid, it will more than likely be posted here before anywhere else so stay tuned...ummm...me?)

I've moved twice in the last year which is a toll in and of itself, but there have also been some other *ahem* extenuating circumstances that have drawn we away from the joys of drawing in general. Not the least of which has required some medical attention, but that is neither here nor there so we'll stop that strain of thought before it really gets going.

Calgary is not the first or the last con Will and I will be attending, so you can certainly to look forward to us coming to your hometown at some point (assuming it doesn't cost me a minor fortune to travel and move merchandise that is).

I've started this new project of drawing a monthly themed penguin for my lady as she both loves penguins and my art style. So far there are only a few available to view over at jowte.deviantart.com, but I am in the midst of trying to make them all available since they seem to be pretty popular even outside of people that are seeing me in a romantic setting.

I don't really have anything else to say at the moment and have realized that I started to fall asleep twice while writing this. (Made even worse by the fact that I'm blogging from work....must stay awake regardless) So I suppose at this point I should sign off and wait until I actually have something new to say before I do one of these 3:00am verbal dumps again.

I feel bad simply rambling on and on so I'll add a picture here as well. That seems like a good idea. So here's two Age of Apocalypse inspired images and one of the aforementioned penguins. Enjoy!

Later days!