My first coloring book is complete and off to be printed! I’m so excited!

It’s been over 10 years since my last publication, which really has me nervous, but I’m also extremely proud of this work. There has been an out-pouring of support from my friends, family, and community that’s really helped encourage me to get this done and printed in time for BikeCraft. I struggled with a few things along the way, but it’s all coming together.

Today, I took the final version of the coloring book file to the printers and should have it by Friday to sell at BikeCraft. Here’s a sneak peak at the final proof, but I promise the new version will have much better color reproduction.

If you aren’t sold on my book yet, please feel free to download my free sample of a few pages to print out at your leisure and coloring entertainment.

Download Sample Coloring Book. (PDF 573KB)

See Ya’ll Soon!

It’s very flattering how much I’ve been asked to show how I’ve drawn something. All the way back in the late nineties when I started showing my drawings at comic book conventions I was always given positive comments about my ink-work and attention to fine lines. That reputation still comes about me today as other artists on Reddit and DeviantArt have left comments about my black & white and color works.

Find Reference:

I wanted to base the drawing on the Reddit Coat of Arms as a sort of a tribute to the site that’s brought me so much fun these last couple of years with funny cat pictures and exposure to artists I might have never found on my own.

The Reddit Coat of Arms was on the XKCD merchant site as a poster so this was all the reference I needed to get started.

Pencils First:

I did some light sketching on a sheet of watercolor paper to set proportions and placement of elements before darkening some of the lines and finalizing the details.

Inks Next:

I then go over the organic elements like the narwals and banner with a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen
. The brush tip allows a more organic, fluid feeling to the lines that is faster than trying to get this effect with a regular nib pen. On this time around, I don’t worry too much about all the line weights and variation.

Clean Up:

After I’ve inked all the elements of the drawing, I use a white hi-polymer eraser to get rid of all the pencil lines and smudges. The white erasers tend to be far easier on the paper than kneaded or pink rubber erasers and don’t cause nearly as much pilling of the paper.

More Inking:

This is where I go over the outside of the drawing with a pen using a slightly thicker nib to add weight to line and make it pop. This also adds some depth to the drawing and can really help make a mediocre drawing highly improved. I also fill in any black areas (not much on this particular drawing) using a brush or larger black marker.

Add Watercolors:

Unfortunately, the step-by-steps photos didn’t really turn out too well so all I have to show is the finished piece. But, I did all the light colors first and built up to darker shades like the blue on the narwals backs using thicker coats of color.

All the color was applied with Niji Waterbrushes and Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolors. It was all in a nice little travel set that has worked very well for me.

and that’s pretty much it.

I’m always glad to answer questions if you inquire.

Cheers!

It’s now been one full month without a regular “job” and I’ve been going through all sorts of highs and lows.

BUT

I’ve been doing a fair amount of drawing, painting and just generally getting stuff done! Thanks to the ever AWESOME blog “Hyperbole and a Half” and her post about the adventures of depression, I feel compelled to…

DRAW ALL THE THINGS!

and I’ve starting drawing the things that have brought me many hours of joy like one of my favorite games from the late nineties called “Crash Bandicoot”.

One of the sites where Iv’e killed FAR TOO MUCH time but have found so much awesome is Reddit. So, here I present my version of the Reddit Coat of Arms. You can find me there as “Tomascosauce”

Now, it’s on to a bunch of bike-related pieces that are due for December.
Cheers!

I’ve been sitting on this news for a couple of weeks before finally posting it, but I might as well get it out there since it’s now common knowledge among my friends.

Yet again, I’m without a “job”.

I was doing some web authoring work for Intel through CDI, but our project ended and I was laid-off. I enjoyed my time working with HTML & CSS far more than all the years of working with e-mail servers, workstations and general tech support. I’m a bit sad to see it end, but there is still the possibility that I may someday go back again.

Alas, this brings me to a recent revelation that’s been YEARS in the making.

For years, friends, family, and co-workers have been asking me: “Why aren’t you making a living as an artist?”

I’ve always been drawing on white-boards, doodling in my notepad at meetings, and occasionally doing a real art project or two. But I’ve never accepted myself as an artist. I’ve always thought of myself as an IT guy that happens to do art on the side. Such thoughts have been interfering with finding my passion and following my calling in life. I’ve had a few stuttered starts over the last couple of years, but feel like I’ve finally made the acceptance and have started to make moves in the right direction.

I AM AN ARTIST.

Gazing over shelves of art supplies makes me swoon, drawing a smooth line makes me smile, painting a funny character makes me feel pre-orgasmic. I must continue to pursue these euphoric feelings in creating art.

To paraphrase the blogger, Stumpuous, this idea that I must be an artist “must be protected as a starving dog protects his steak“.

Koala aren't known for protecting steak

My first “show” as my newly accepted self will be at BikeCraft on December 3 & 4. I will have some of my works ready for sale as prints and hopefully some T-shirts!

You can follow new art posts on Twitter, DeviantArt and Flickr!

Nyan Cat makes me smile

Any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated.

-Tomas