Sketchbook Monday - Happy Halloween

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

Work, work, work = Sketchbook Day. I should be back on Conventionless Convention Sketches in a few days. In the meantime, Happy Halloween!

This is Post #1501

Sketchbook Sunday

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

Work, work, work, today = Sketchbook Sunday.

This is Post #1500

Echo - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Echo © DC Comics

Once again, thanks to the Conventionless Convention Sketches, I learned something new about the Legion. This character is Echo. My main memory of him is being a member of the Legion of Super-Villains during an Adult Legion story from the 1960s run of Adventure Comics. And then most recently he showed up in the Superman/Batman "Absolute Power" storyline, again as a villain. But thanks to Michaels request, I found out he has been a good guy too. And part of the Legion! It just depends on what timeline your in or what pre or post Crisis you have experienced. Thanks Michael!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1499

Kid Psycho - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Kid Psycho © DC Comics

"The Sacrifice of Kid Psycho!" (Superboy #125, 1965) is the story that introduced this would-be Legionnaire. His turban hide his extra-large brain. This brain is able to create and project force fields. After his world was destroyed, Kid Psycho made is way to Earth to join the Legion. When he was rejected, Kid Psycho went back in time to the 20th century to show Superboy what he could do. Superboy was convinced that Kid Psycho would be a great Legionnaire and pleaded his case to the Legion. It was then that Superboy and Kid Psycho himself found out what the medical exams the Legion ordered revealed...every time Kid Psycho uses his power, he shortens his life span by about a year. With this new knowledge, a heartbroken Kid Psycho understood why he was rejected but said he would be there for the Legion if they ever needed him, regardless of what it does to him. Impressed with his willing sacrifice, the Legion made Kid Psycho a Legion Reservist and their Secret Weapon No. 1.

Thanks to Michael for this commission!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1498

Spider-Man - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Spider-Man © Marvel Entertainment

Charlie asked for a Steve Ditko version of Spider-Man. While I cannot draw like Ditko, there were a few things I noticed when doing the research for this piece. The shape of the eyes, the spider on his chest and the webbing under the arms, were distictive. So using the only Spider-Man reference I forgot I owned and is filled with Steve Ditko Spidey art, the Marvel Special Edition "The Spectacular Spider-Man" treasury sized book from 1975, I got started. Above is the result. Thanks Charlie!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1497

First 40 Conventionless Convention Sketches

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

Today marks 7 weeks of Conventionless Convention Sketches. I thought it would be fun to see the 40 sketches done in those 7 weeks all together.

Thanks to all that commissioned a sketch or multiple sketches. It was a lot of fun to do these for you.

I still have 7 more to go, with one pending and the list is still open for requests. Anyway you can spread the word would be great! Thanks again.

New art later today.

This is Post #1496

Sketchbook Wednesday

Gotham City Sirens © DC Comics

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

It's a sketchbook Wednesday folks. Wednesday's seem to be the toughest day between work, this blog and the other weekly blog I do with Joe Pekar. I didn't have time to finish anything for today's post here but I thought I would still share the roughs for the piece I did for our theme blog.

The theme was Gotham City Sirens. And one thing I am trying to do on the other blog is break my normal style a bit. Stretch some muscles, new and old. The top image is the final rough I did for the finished piece. The bottom represents an idea I had, but not the time to execute. I thought it would be fun to show a group of Batman villainess' playing Batman: Arkham City in Wayne Manor. Catwoman would be messing with the wall safe of course and Alfred would be serving. Bat-Signal in the sky would show through the window. Fun stuff. :)

Head over to the 2-Point Perspective blog to see the finished piece.

This is Post #1495

Spazzy of Gryffindor - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

Spazzy requested a sketch of herself as her Pottermore character. Spazzy was placed in Gryffindor by the Sorting Hat and of course she has a cat. Thanks for the commssion Spazzy!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board

This is Post #1494

Sketchbook Monday

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

Busy day both professionally and personally so it's another manic Sketchbook Monday. Back tomorrow with a Conventionless Convention Sketch.

This is Post #1493

Magik - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Magik © Marvel Entertainment

I always enjoy drawing Colossus' kid sister Illyanna, aka Magik. So when Joshua requested her, you know I was happy to do it. Thanks Joshua!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1492

Lucy Lane - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Lucy Lane © DC Comics

Lucy Lane (Lois' sister) in her classic stewardess outfit. Yes, they were called "stewardess'" back then. :) This is the girl that Jimmy Olsen fell head over heels for, but Lucy always wanted a bit more than a cub reporter could afford. Don't be too hard on her though, she always felt more for Jimmy than she let on. 

This one is for Royce. Thanks Royce!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1491

Superwoman - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Superwoman © DC Comics

Royce is extending our visit to Metropolis with his second request, Superwoman! I had no idea that this version of Superwoman is Lois Lane's sister, Lucy. Which will segue nicely into tomorrow's Conventionless Convention Sketch. Thanks Royce!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board

This is Post #1490

Toyman - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Toyman © DC Comics

I am not sure I have drawn Toyman before but I had fun drawing him and is friends today. This would be the Toyman from the 1970s. The one I remember as a kid. Thanks Royce for the commission and for getting back over to Metropolis!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board

This is Post #1489

Sketchbook Wednesday

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

It has been a loooooong day. I didn't start anything for this blog until 6pm. It was a Conventionless Convention Sketch that I finished but I'm not sure about it yet. I'm going to sit on that one to see if I like it later. My eyes were just too tired. I also had to do a piece for the blog I do with Joe Pekar http://2-pointperspective.blogspot.com/. So no rest for the wicked.

Instead of the CCS, I am posting the ideas I had for the piece for the other blog. The theme this week was Sword and Sorcery. After your done here, drop by and see what we did over there.

Pencil in sketchbook.

This is Post #1488

OMAC (Modern) - Conventionless Convention Sketch

OMAC © DC Comics

Travis wanted my take on the classic OMAC, yesterday's post, and the newest incarnation of OMAC in the DC Universe. I thought it would be cool to make the pieces have the common element of rocks. :)

Thanks Travis!

Late last night I got two more requests for Conventionless Convention Sketches. Looks like we are gonna continue these for a while longer. Have you got yours yet? :)

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1487

OMAC (Classic) - Conventionless Convention Sketch

OMAC © DC Comics

This one is for Travis. OMAC in his classic form. Tomorrow I should finish up OMAC in his current form. Thanks Travis!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1486

Digital Sketchbook Sunday

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

Sorry to those that stopped by to see a Conventionless Convention Sketch. I had too many errands to do today and knew I probably wasn't going to finish any pieces today. I also knew that at a couple of locations I was just going to be sitting for a while, so I thought enough ahead to bring my iPad2. I am still learning my way around Sketchbook Pro on the iPad but I like the program. And I am finally getting used to the iPad's limitation of not being pressure sensitive. Would be nice if it was, but it's not, so why whine. :)

This is Post #1485

Phoenix (Rachel Summers) - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Phoenix (Rachel Summers) © Marvel Entertainment

Shane requested this particular version of Rachel Summers as Phoenix. It's a costume I've always liked as well. Thanks Shane!

Ink on 11" x 14" Strathmore Bristol Board

This is Post #1484

Educational Comic

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

I'm afraid I have to skip today's Conventionless Convention Sketch. I had a perfect storm of deadlines today and while it wasn't a problem meeting them, something had to give and that was today's sketch. I'm almost done inking it but I'm feeling a bit exhausted. Really not a good time to ink or ink well. So Rachel Summers will have to wait until tomorrow for her debut.

In the meantime I will show you want I did work on. A few months back I showed some pencils for a comic book that will be used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I just finished the first pass colors on the book today and here is a detail of one of the panels.

Back tomorrow with baby Phoenix. :) Have a good evening folks.

This is Post #1483

Mandalla - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Mandalla © DC Comics

Mandalla is another Legion Academy Cadet I never knew existed. But she was requested by Michael and by doing so, with this one and some of the others, he has increased my knowledge of Legion Lore. In reading up about her, I found out that she can project "thought spheres" that engulf her target. These spheres can call hallucinations and interfere with the targets bioelectrical system. Hence the circle shapes in the art. :)

Thanks again Michael!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1482

Laurel Kent - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Laurel Kent © DC Comics

Another Legion Academy cadet for Michael. Laurel Kent's background has been through more changes than a minor character should have to go through. For me, the original tale that explains that she is a descendent of Superman (and Lois) is the version I like best, in spite of the creepy part where she has a crush on Superboy. Can't blame Superboy for being attracted to her though, she supposedly looks a lot like the woman he would marry. The only super power Laurel has is invulnerability. Thanks again Michael!

Conventionless Convention Sketch Update

Doing all these sketches has been a lot of fun. Thanks so much to all of you that have been on the list, sometimes more that once. Just an FYI, I am still taking requests. Please let anyone you know that might be interested to check out the blog and sign up. I am down to the last eight of the list and will probably have them done by the end of next week. In no particular order, they are:

Madella (Legion Academy)

Phoenix (Rachel Summers)

Spazzy (Hogwarts)

OMAC (classic)

OMAC (new)

Lucy Lane (Stewardess uniform)

Superwoman (Recent Lucy Lane version)

Toyman (Silver/bronze age)

Thanks again everyone.

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board

This is Post #1481

Westerner - Conventionless Conventionl Sketch

Westerner © DC Comics

I've always thought I was a Legion Super Fan. I really did. But I am learning about corners of my favorite super group that I never knew existed. Most are corners in the Legion Academy. Case in point is today's post. I have no recollection of the Legion Academy cadet, Westerner. He has been referenced to me twice during these Conventionless Convention Sketches but only Michael requested him. Always fun to try new characters. And always fun to visit the 31st Century. Thanks Michael!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1480

Shadow Kid - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Shadow Kid © DC Comics

Another Legion Academy cadet for today's Conventionless Convention Sketch. Shadow Kid is the cousin of Legionnaire Shadow Lass and he shares the same power. Both are able to cast absolute darkness. Thanks Michael for another fun Legion request!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board

This is Post #1479

Lilith 2 - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Lilith © Marvel Entertainment

I wanted to take another crack at Lilith. Not knowing the character I went in the direction of cute. After looking at some more images I did this second one sexy and evil. Maybe she is just a multifaceted character with a wide range of looks and emotions. Yeah, I'm sticking with that. :)

Have a good Sunday everyone!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board

This is Post #1478

Visi Lad - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Visi Lad © DC Comics

Michael has requested some more Legion Academy kids and I'm happy to do them. First up is Visi Lad. He has a variety of powers that he emits from his eyes. But you probably could have figured that out by yourself. :)

Thanks Michael!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1477

Valkyrie - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Valkyrie © Marvel Entertainment

We are back with Conventionless Convention Sketches and this Valkyrie in her classic outfit is another one for Vincent. Thanks again Vincent!

This is ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1476

Digital Sketchbook Thursday

Artwork © 2011 Gene Gonzales

We are having a brief intermission from the Conventionless Convention Sketches today. Only because I had a day that turned my brain to mush. And I really didn't want to finish the piece I am working on with a mushy brain. That can lead to bad things. Nobody wants mushy brain sketches.

I have had this image sitting on my computer for just over a year. It was done in Photoshop, based on a photo I took. I open the photo file in one window and do all the drawing and painting in another window. Every so often I come back to it, work on it, throw away all I did, work on it some more, keep some of what I did, save and put away. While sitting here waiting to hear back about something, I opened it up and put some more work into it and set it aside when I got the okay on the work I was doing. Once that work was done, I thought about inking the sketch, but then thought better of it. (Remember the whole mushy brain thing at the beginning of this post?) So instead I noodled with the above image some more, to the point where I will say it's done. I don't think I have ever shared this piece at any stage so here it is complete. Unless I mess with it some more. :)

We will return to the Conventionless Convention Sketches tomorrow.

This is Post #1475

Lilith - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Lilith © Marvel Entertainment

Thanks to Vincent for his request of Lilith, Daughter of Dracula. I probably made her a little softer looking than some of her appearances but then isn't evil supposed to be enticing? :) Thanks Vincent!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1474

Firehawk - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Firehawk © DC Comics

This is the second of two for José. I never read Firestorm but I do remember seeing Firehawk in one of the "big event" series way back when. And I remembered that I liked this costume. That and the fact that I don't think I have drawn her before made this a fun piece. Thanks again José!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1473

Vampirella - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Vampirella © her respective owner

This one is for José. It's been a long time since I drew Vampy and never with the high boots and gloves. A look that I like for that matter. You can never go wrong with high boots. Thanks José!

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1472

Rainbow Girl - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Rainbow Girl © DC Comics

Another of the Legion of Substitute Heroes for today's Conventionless Convention Sketch. This was requested by Travis. I have to admit that I really don't know much about this later addition to the team. She seems to have replaced Color Kid and seems to have the combined power of the various colored power rings. And each particular color affects her mood and personality. Sounds like a very complex character and a fun one too. It's too bad that there are certain characters that need color to really be effective. Not sure about it? Read the classic Superman-Red/Superman-Blue story in the black and white printed Showcase trade and try keeping up. Anyway, though most of Rainbow Girl's costume is a solid color, she does have rainbow accents on her boots, belt and chest. Plus her "aura" is usually the color of the power spectrum she is using. Thanks Travis!

This is ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1471 

2-Point Perspective - New art blog announcement

2-Point Perspective

The tag line and title says it all. Joe and I will tackle the same subject once a week. Not a contest, not a dream, not an imaginary tale, this is real.

A subject or theme will be established and we will post the artwork every Wednesday. Every Friday a new subject will be announced. We will be taking suggestions in the comments section for each week. All the art created will be original done in traditional mediums and will most likely be offered for sale or auctioned.

We thought this would be fun for everyone to toss out ideas and see what we produce. And it gives us a chance to try new things and possibly branch out of our normal styles from time to time.

Our first post will be this coming Wednesday, October 5th.

The theme: Universal Monsters (suggested by Royce).

 I hope you will join us for the fun.

Gene

This is Post #1470

Double-Header - Conventionless Convention Sketch

Double-Header © DC Comics (really)

Some more love for the Legion today thanks to Travis. Here we have Double-Header! These two will eventually split into two identical beings, but it's a slow process. And that is really the only thing they brought to the table when they tried out for the Legion. The lack of a real power and their constant bickering lead to their rejection. From there they joined the Legion of Substitute Heroes. I think the real ability they have is their staying power. They were introduced in Adventure Comics 323 (1964) as a throw away Legion applicant and forty seven years later they are still around. And they still don't get along. Thanks Travis!

Later today I will be posting info about Joe Pekar and my new blog.

Ink on 11" x 17" Strathmore Bristol Board.

This is Post #1469