So I'm left with quite a daunting task: to sum up an entire year of my life in one blog post, on the anniversary of the previous post. Here's my attempt.

So immediately following Fan Expo 2008 I fell into a DREAM opportunity, literally a life-changing experience to not only be the lead artist for a new video game, but also to work along side the incredible people behind the web show Pure Pwnage (soon to be on TV). So began a wonderfully frantic process where myself and Jarett (the creator) would meet on a very regular basis and painstakingly sculpt every facet of what will hopefully soon become a genre-resurrecting online game.

While helping build Jarett's game I did some freelance work for a Facebook gaming company known as HitGrab, creators of the hit game "Mousehunt". Following is a selection of images I did for the game. ALL ARE COPYRIGHT HITGRAB LABS.

  

 

Fan Expo 2009 came and went with a bang, netting record sales and tons of fun! Despite the exhaustion involved I love conventions, as well as the process of meeting and talking to hundreds of people each day.

Lots of crazy updates in the near future. I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT until I can show images from our game. It's literally consumed my life for the last year and I truly believe it's going to be huge! Be sure to check www.purepwnage.com for updates on the game and other projects they have on the go, some of which I'm a part of.

 Also, revamped my website ENTIRELY! Check it  out: www.chromachine.com

Huge Update!

Well it's been an absurdly busy month filled with tons of art, exhausting events, exciting new projects, and tons of other chaos.

So we'll start with good old Fan Expo, the mecca and hub for just about everything I care about as an artist. Using all of the knowledge I acquired from running a table last year I was able to DELIVER. An absolutely awesome, exhausting weekend that I won't soon forget.



Immediately following the insanity of Fan Expo 2008 was the [Re] Remix Show at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. If you've been following my blog for any amount of time you probably know all about it by now. All 10 artists produced a painting, then each artist chose 3 or more of their favourites and "remixed" it, creating a new piece that echoed the original in some way. It was an incredible success with a very nice turnout as well.

(photo credit Nick Hanekom ) Notice my cowboy painting in its epic frame on the far left.


One of my remixes. Extra points for the space invader on the cell phone.


Last but not least I've snagged a freelance gig in the ever-elusive world of video games, which I am incredibly excited about. I don't know many of the details except it's steampunk-themed and I get to do character art, which is always sweet.


Much more to come so stay tuned.

Something a little different...

A piece for the upcoming Remix show. (see last post) Took quite a different approach then my usual work, but I'm really enjoying the results. Notice how the woodgrain shows through the paint? I avoid priming wood only because I love the texture of the woodgrain, so instead I stained it a few times which added so much life early on that the painting came together effortlessly. More stuff like this in the future.

[RE-] :: Remix!

The final version of my first submission to the [RE-] :: Remix Show at the Gladstone Gallery in Toronto. I'm quite pleased with the results.

Chaos Layout

A page layout I'm working on for Chaos 2. Still lots of work to go but I'm enjoying the 'cluttered desk' look so far.

More Chaos...

It's been far too long without an update.
Just another panel for Chaos.

On the easel tonight

Another piece for the upcoming "Square Foot" show at the AWOL gallery. Fans of my art might recognize this as one of my staple characters.
This is the first time in a very long while that I've painted on an actual canvas. Gah! Wood is a million times easier, especially where fine details and mixed media effects come in to it My local art store had been ransacked for its 12X12 wood panels (I wonder why...) so I was forced.
I must say it turned out quite nice though.

Ogre Punch

The ogre looks like Shaq.

On the easel tonight

Staying diligent with the blog: This is a painting for the upcoming "Square Foot" show in August. I've put 2 sessions into it, and after the first I almost abandoned it. It's a stage I (and most artists) go through where after about the first hour you want to burn the painting and take up accounting. But I just edged past that point in the second session and now I'm starting to enjoy it.

Biggest piece of advice I can give about any sort of art? Get back from your work! Your eye will make more sense of everything if you step way back and view it as a whole. I haven't been doing this enough but now I do it constantly and it makes all the difference in the world.

Oh and practice. That helps.

Another Chaos teaser...

On the easel tonight...

A piece I'm working on for a very special gallery show. Details to come soon...

Absolutely AWFUL photo quality but you get the idea.

Buy my art!

If anyone out there is interested in buying my original oil paintings from the "Ode to Edo" samurai show, you can find them here. You will also find paintings by many of my idols throughout the land of fine art. I encourage everyone to take a look!

On the easel tonight...

My half of a collaboration with my buddy Peter Chan for the Square Foot Show in August. I'm not quite done (lots more detail to paint) but I was enjoying it enough to share with you.

12"x 12" Oil on Wood

Red

She'll have NONE OF THAT.

Ode to Edo a Success!

My first major group show was an incredible success! The art looked unbelievable, the space was overwhelming, and the people were plentiful. Photos to come soon!

In the meantime, here's a sneak preview of my submission for "Chaos 2".

Zombies on a Ladder

Just a quick drawing for the "Square Foot" gallery show in August (I think?). It'll end up being an oil painting, but for now enjoy the ridiculous sketch.
I've been doing tons of art every day so there's more to come.

"Ode to Edo" sneak preview!

I can finally say I'm ALMOST finished... aside from a few finishing touches my submission to the "Ode to Edo" Samurai show is complete! When I was invited to take part is this gallery show I was deeply honoured and BEYOND intimidated. I decided I needed to pull out the big guns if I was going to live up to such a task. I can confidently say that I used just about every trick and technique at my disposal and really pushed the limits of my abilities.

Below is a horribly lit, grainy photo of the work I'm doing for the show. Along the floor are some of the drawings I did for the bargain wall; art jam-style drawings that will be for sale at a very low price (art can be affordable sometimes). =)


PS. It's wonderful that the glare in this photo fell right across the dragon's head.

ODE TO EDO!

Wow, this blog is in terrible need of an update.

So I'm in the most intense gallery show of my life featuring 19 other AMAZING artists. I just finished school and I'm displaying with several artists that are on my top ten list! Intensely inspiring, yet unbearably intimidating.

More info on the gallery show soon, but just know that it's all about the Samurai! There could be no better subject for my first major show.

Here is a sneak peek of a few of the pieces I'm working on. Pardon the quality of the photos as the lighting in my studio at night is quite sad. These are all just works in progress.


I'd like to point out that the dragon painting is 6 feet tall.

Website Overhaul!

Well, it took WAY to long but I've rebuilt my website...entirely, from the ground up. I feel intensely accomplished, though I'm watching the sun rise right now so I should probably think about sleep. Back to work in a few ours...

www.chromachine.com

Another teaser

It's ALMOST FINISHED.