A little WIP action...

ARR! Deadline be creepin' up mightily, so I be hoisting me mains'l, and catchin' the wind! In other words, "Crap, crap, CRAAAP! Time's running out, so I better get my ass moving!" LOL

Since I started conceptualizing the brawler class, I haven't been able to get this picture of an old-timey boxer out of my head, so I decided to run with it. Thought it would be fun to take a lot more scans along the way, and just update this post with progress pics, so here goes!

Gentleman Jim, at your service! =)

A little more complete...

Almost there...

And that should do it for the pencils...on to inks!

Sketch o'the Day...brawler concept

Worked on some concept art tonight. Did a new character design for a melee class (Brawler) for the new Carmine expansion. I envision this kind of character with medium to heavy armor on the arms and from the knees down, in order to be able to block edged and blunt weapons effectively, but with minimal armor on the core part of the body in order to facilitate fast movement.

Rough pencils, followed by copic multiliners & markers, Final highlights with white ink pen.

SO as to the lack of posting...

So, man oh man, have I been busy. We've started work on the new Carmine book, which is always challenging, even when you're NOT art directing the project! New long-term projects take a little while to gain momentum, and you generally have to drag everyone and everything along by sheer force of will, kicking and screaming, until the ball begins to roll, and then it tends to almost take on a life of its own. Inspiration strikes in one form or another, and then you just can't STOP working! Being swept up in that wave is where I like to be. =)

I've been slowly picking up more and more freelance design work, which is great! It's a really nice feeling when go from trolling craigslist looking for opportunities, and begin the transition to people approaching you out of the blue looking to see if you're available to hire. God forbid, Google+ has turned out to be a great resource for exposure and has actually led to a couple opportunities in the short time that I've been on it! 

Still looking for a regular day-job at the moment though, just to keep the bills paid and all that. Not quite at the level where I can do my work for a living full-time, but it sure is nice to see some movement in that direction. 

I've picked up what looks to be a big opportunity on the near horizon, but it's like Fight Club - I can't talk about it, at least not yet LOL. Things are just starting to get rolling, and I don't want to tinker with that momentum. ;)

Have I mentioned that I freelance?

So that may seem like a goofy question, but it is actually quite valid. I honestly don't think that I've ever mentioned other than in passing on my Google profile that I will absolutely accept inquiries about work for a new or existing client! God forbid, I figure that it might be a good thing to mention.

I accept both design and illustration commissions. I generally charge $35/hour, billable by the quarter hour, unless it's a project that I can easily quantify into a set amount, like a business card design where the art elements like the logo are already provided. If you have a particular project in mind, but the budget is tight, I've been known to take work at a (slightly) reduced rate if it piques my interest enough. The very best thing to do is to drop me a line with the particulars, and we just might be able to work something out. =)