Forgoing the last piece.

So the last piece is giving me some issues so I'm moving on for the moment.

I got inspired after seeing Regina Spektor live in concert last night to go back to a concept I had way before this show idea. I've always wanted to remake the Queen of Hearts. This is the culmination of that idea and probably the fourth of the pieces.

The idea for them goes as follows.
Alice follows the White Rabbit.
Alice encounters the dead flowers frozen in winter.
Alice finds her way to the tree shortcut to the Queen's kingdom.
And finally the unforgiving Queen herself.

So without further adieu, the Queen herself in pencils.







I'm flirting with the idea of doing some tattoos on her arm to modern her up. Not sure what I'll do with that negative space at the top there.

That's all for now!
Peace
Zak

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Roughs of the new piece.

As promised I update this when I update my feed. The 2nd piece for Alice's Winter Wonderland show will be Alice surrounded by the faces in the flowers. Except since it's winter they're all dead and she is astonished - if not horrified.

I got the composition idea from my friend and former coworker Lauren Michaels. My model for this piece is my dear friend Ann Flynn. A talented actress and singer whose talent I can't describe in words.

So here's the two images - the first being the reference. The second being the rough of the image. Hope you enjoy!








So as you can see it's nowhere near being done or polished but you get the idea. I may mess with the facial expression a bit too.

Anyhoo that's it for me!
Zak
-- Posted from my iPhone

Finally the scan!

Ok so here's the scan of the full completed piece! The first of four and I actually quite like this one. The first one of "Alice's Winter Wonderland" theme for December. I'm really excited for this show - we had a great time at the last one, and this one should rock too! If you're curious about the progress of this one or the ideas behind it I posted a blog earlier today so feel free to scroll down and dig it out!

These will be hanging up at Luxe De Vil Salon in the heart of Denver! My friends over there have done a smashing job of combining great art and amaaaazing hair stylings. Talented ladies to say the least and I'm flattered to be included in this show, and hopefully many others as they're right on the Santa Fe Art Walk downtown.

Their next show will be "X-Ray Sex." this Friday night Hosted by Sid Pink, X-Ray Sex will feature artworks by Michael Payne, with music provided by DJ Rockstar Aaron. I'll be down there throwing down with the cool kids - hope to see you there!

The next night we go to see Regina Spektor at the Fillmore. I think it's fair to say we're super stoked! Hope everyone out there is doing well!

zak

Keeping with this being constant.

I had the same issue as fellow creator Skottie Young has been describing on his blog - being quite busy we don't have the drive to constantly update our blogs with the indepth stuffs that we'd like to describe our work with. A quick blurb about a cover I did here. A few sentences about this page or that. Whatever right?

So here's my remedy. I keep my facebook feed constantly updated so whenever I feed into that it'll go here as long as it's an image with a description. Whenever I have a major project come out I'll do a few posts oriented around it so I can be a little more in depth. So that's what I'm doing in regards to this blog.

My schedule for the next few months is going to be quite hectic so I will be breaking it down for you here:

I have a gallery show at Luxe De Vil running the month of December. I'm doing 4 pieces for them and it revolves around "Alice in Winter Wonderland" as the theme.

I have one last page that I need to uplaod for the Zoroaster series. I'm sure Richard wants to kill me by now cause of that!

December will be the point where I start pencilling the series I've written this past year called "Tokens Only." I am also hoping to start work on "Squared Circle" that same month. I believe I'll be working with Mike Hance on his publishing venture sometime in the next 2 - 3 months as well.

During the month of January I'll be taking a little time off. I'm trying to go see my brother in Texas for a bit. Or I'll just hang around here and do whatever. Out usual downtown tomfoolery.

February sees me in another show at Luxe De Vil which will be centered around a "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" theme. I may go politically motivated on that one - not sp sure yet.

March I will be heading to Seattle for the first time to attend and exhibit at Emerald City Con. Matt, Gerhard, Rod and I are getting some artist's alley booths! Ann & Austin may come along.

Nothing for April - yet. I am hoping it'll be an all comic book drawing month.

May will see a sequel to our October show Til Death. And as far as I know we'll be at San Diego again this year doing our thing at the Squidworks booth. I got a great reaction from Oni Press last year and have been in contact since. They're great folks there.

So that's a look at things to come, God willing. I'm super stoked and hopefully you are too! If you're at either of those shows this year make sure you stop by!

Anyways so I need to do some of that work I was on about.

Much love!
Zak


-- Posted from my iPhone

The Anatomy of My New Piece

So coming off my "Til Death" show I was invited to a couple of other shows. I have one in December themed off of Alice in Winter Wonderland. This is my first piece for that show - Alice looking for her white rabbit.




Pencils up first. I got my reference on Sunday for this. I got to use my friend Ann as my model - one of the most fantastic friends I've ever had. You'll get to see a little more of her influence in further pieces.




Inks are up next. I use a Windsor Newton Sable series #3 brush & Windsor Newton waterproof black ink. This is my favorite part and goes by waaay too quick!




Starting the coloring process. Since I'm using traditional media I've gone with my personal favorite - the Copic Marker. I have tons of blues and grays so I decided to play up the winter theme through those colors.




And I'm done! I kept Alice's hair blonde as the only warm color in the piece so the eye would be drawn in. Hopefully it comes across well! Let me know what you think! I'll have a scan up of the piece very soon here!

Peace
Zak

-- Posted from my iPhone