Nordvik the Goat Boy

A small sketch utilizing some new, painted textures.

Ghosts of Autumn

A very small sketch, but I need to do more small things.

That rhymed. How amusing.

You can't run away from your own head

Finished this up a little while ago, but I've been too busy to post much. Started a new job two weeks ago, and I'm having a blast.

Composition and Color Study

Got a chance to play with some shapes yesterday and built this weird little flower. Amanda and I have a small amount of flowers around our townhome, some planted by the association and some that are ours in pots. We've been spending a lot of time tending them recently, removing dead blooms, weeding and pruning the herbs. The biggest surprise this year has been how well our herbs have done. I really should have had more uses for thai basil in mind before I planted it, the thing is monstrous.

Earlier in the week I went to the Farmer's Market by the University and picked up a bouquet of wildflowers for Amanda and delivered them to her during my lunch hour. (Because I'm smooth like that.) I've had flowers on my brain this week, so it's really no surprise I drew this.

"...and we'll settle up underneath the old hanging tree."

I'm not sure which one I trust least.

Don't I?

Trying to get back into the swing of things. My goal in the next few months is to establish a coherent, beneficial relationship between my digital and organic, hand-drawn work. Recently, I have begun to feel that one style will suffer over another, and as a result I end up unable to concentrate and produce meaningful output. By regaining a sense of play and experimentation I hope to make strides into increasing my ideas for editoral illustrations and comics.

Plus draw more wicked cool robots.

Caption This

Award-winning horror writer Mike Arnzen is having a caption contest over at his blog. The best captions for my illustration above can net you autographed horror novels, comics, and Respect from the Internet.

Sketchdump/Mixed Emo

This sketch has been stagnating for a while. Initially, it was part of a larger piece, with plenty of complex background elements and weird color choices. I would peek in on it every few months to see what I could do to make it workable. Eventually I realized that all of the background (and some of the character) was crap. So I just decided to toss the background and re-work the character into something I liked. I tossed his formerly stumpy legs and gave him a lankier frame with a little bend to it. It worked, I dig him now.

Sketchdump/Small House

I have a lot of unfinished sketches and illustrations I want to complete. This is one sketch that I always liked but never finished up until tonight. I need to make myself draw things I don't usually draw more often. The simplicity of this house really makes me happy.

The Red Mask

Created for the Noir theme running through SFG! right now. I'd like to draw a scene or two from this imaginary film if I have time.

Return to Flatland

Been having a good time sketching lately, here's an editorial doodle.

Weight of Seeing

An editorial spot doodle put together on a rainy Sunday with the help of too much coffee.

And as a heads up, I'm now on twitter.

PROVERBS FOR MONSTERS Wins a Bram Stoker Award!

PROVERBS FOR MONSTERS, by Michael A. Arnzen has won a 2007 Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in a Collection. This is Mike's fourth win and am I thrilled to have played a small part in his victory. Creating the cover and interior illustration was a return to my hand-drawn style after a long hiatus in the digital realm. I do foresee more hand-drawn, organic work on the horizon. (Maybe even some comics...)

Accessories is still available!

It may be off the homepage, but my Woot shirt from yesterday is still available for purchase. Follow the friends, family, and Internet Acquaintances link.

Accessories is available today at http://shirt.woot.com!

I am thrilled to announce that “Accessories” is the shirt of the day at http://shirt.woot.com. This six-color, screenprinted garment is printed on an asphalt American Apparel t-shirt and is available for the low price of 10 US dollars during the first 24-hour period. Shirt.woot.com gets around 75,000 visitors a day and the initial printing runs can and do sell out. This artwork is licensed exclusively to Woot and will not be reprinted anywhere else.

I had a lot of fun working with Woot on this design and I'm really pleased with the result. It makes me smile and I hope it has the same effect on you.

I will have a “friends, family, internet acquaintances” link to send out after the initial offering, but the shirts cost a little more after that, so I advise you to get the deal today.

Hole-in-the-Head-Ed Returns!

He's kind of weird,
But not insane,
Just a little bit odd,
For he has no brain.

Oh Ed, you're a goofy fellow. Never fails to make me smile.

A simplified version of this image is available as a t-shirt from Bountee. Along with a few other of my designs.

PROVERBS FOR MONSTERS Nominated for a Bram Stoker Award!

PROVERBS FOR MONSTERS, by Michael A. Arnzen has been nominated for a 2007 Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in a Collection. Having illustrated the cover and the interior pieces of this collection I cannot express how pleased I am for Michael. He has not only been an excellent teacher but an inspiring collaborator over the years.

Mask Study #1

Go ahead, try it on.

KLOR the Space Neanderthal!

It's not easy being a neanderthal...from space...even if you have an atomic club.