Vulcana

For Christmas, I got photoshop (for my home computer - which I somehow managed to get by without for so long) and a scanner. And voila! My first attempt at digital coloring. I've been watching a lot of Star Trek during my Christmas vacation.

I have a bit of a problem when it comes to drawing figures. I never have enough room on the page for feet.

wishing you a very

I think Chill Alien needs a new TV for Christmas.

hair designs gone wild

I started these sketch pages with the intention of coming up with a hairstyle for a character in a new comic I'm working on. I had started with a couple of heads, copy and pasted a few times on the page, and then just made copies of that template. On the first few heads, I started with hair, and then added outfits to the next ones, and then as I went on, I added almost full bodies. I went completely off track and the drawings have nothing to do with what I was supposed to be doing, but it was really fun! I love drawing crazy hair and costumes.

Notice my Lisbeth Salander inspired girl at the top middle of this page.

BCGF: Say Yes to the Fest

The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Fest was pretty awesome. It was a 9 hour marathon of comics, art, hanging out, meeting new people, meeting internet people, people watching, reuniting with friends, geeking out, eating hot dogs, eating pizza, and good times. I'm pretty sure I was smiling really hard the entire time.

the Traditional Comics table

Aleks & Pete

me and Ben at the table (via Robot6) 

(l to right): Progress Quest by Jon Vermilyea; Ghost Heat Up 3 by Anthony Meloro; Zack Soto’s Study Group Magazine; Bowman by Pat Aulisio; Gaylord Phoenix #5 by Edie Fake; Pantropic #1 by Aleks Sennwald; Leah Wishnia’s Happiness Comix; Chameleon #1;Ladies Night by Lizz Hickey; Skin Deep by L. Nichols, Kid Mafia #1 by Michael Deforge; Sad People Sex 3 by Heather Benjamin; and in between Happiness and Chameleon is the greatest business card ever made, by Pete Toms.

I was really sad that I was too late to pick up Chameleon #2, but I made it to all the tables I wanted to, met a lot of cool people, saw some friends, watched Lizz Hickey rub glitter all over her face, took my previously purchased Forming book to Jesse Moynihan’s table for an autograph in which I nervously told him how much I love his comic, and ate an Asia Dog. But I was so overwhelmed just walking around, that I totally missed out on some really awesome stuff. Oh, comic conventions…

I'm also really sad that I didn't take more pictures!

I forgot to add that on Sunday I went to the satellite event Pictures and Performance: A Melodrama, which was really great. Shana Moulton did a performance, which I was really excited for, and it was amazing. I also really liked Matthew Thurber's scroll performance and Peter Burr's video Alone with the Moon.

Scepter Gem IN PRINT!

Scepter Gem: Magic Universe (Part 1) will be available at the Brooklyn Comics & Graphics Fest this Saturday, Dec 3. I'll be the table girl at Traditional Comics (downstairs, table 24). Come find me and grab a copy! You can also read Part 1 in its entirety here.

Vampires, etc.

Here's a drawing I made for a friend for her birthday. She loves vampires and pugs.

Vampirella, Edward Cullen (Twilight), Jacob Black (Twilight), Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood), and a pug puppy

Ultraviolet Dancing

Every year, on the night before Thanksgiving, a local dance club throws a Black Light Party. It's become a tradition for me and my friend. Besides dancing to some of our favorite kinds of music (new wave, post-punk, synthpop, industrial, goth) we get to express ourselves through the creative art of UV reactive body paint! Here's a picture from last year:

Simone on the left, me on the right

This year, I want to do a little more planning with my makeup. I want it to be simple, but more substantial. I'm going for a futuristic, 60's space-age vibe. Here are some of my (terribly photoshopped) ideas:

UPDATE: Here are the results of last week's black light makeup... I think I turned out looking sort of Daryl Hannah in Blade Runner (or TMNT as one friend just pointed out).

me, being so black light Blade Runner

Christina and Simone

showing off my epauletttes

Simone with some massive drip action

My lil sis looking way Picasso

The Things People Don't Know About Themselves

More Tee's

I added a few more prints to my shop! They look great as t-shirts, check 'em out.

Chill Alien goes to the fridge

halloween times...

Good Garden, Good Website

Here is a very botanical drawing. Also, I made a new website.

Something New

http://mygreattravels.tumblr.com/

Cigarette Man

I drew this yesterday during my nightly Mad Men marathon. There's something about that show that has got me hooked. I've been watching it on Netflix, episode after episode. I don't think it's a show I would be able to watch weekly, and with seasonal breaks. It's pretty slow moving, and I need to know right away what's going to happen next.

shades

Cheerleader Witches (in high school)

Here's a comic to celebrate some of the great things about fall: back to school, football, beer, and occult practices.

Ancient Warlock Nightstalkers

to be continued... 

New Shop

I started a shop on society6. You can buy some t-shirts. Or some art prints. But t-shirts are way cooler, right? CHECK IT OUT.

Insect Mind Readers (in space)

raunchy monster stuff!

My copy of Junqueland #2 arrived today. Damn, this is some crazy sexy crazy dirty dirty monster fun times. I was also really excited to find a little note to me on the inside cover. Thanks JFish-ers!! <3

whatever: not really

Volcano Witches

Death on a Motorcycle

I feel autumn slowly approaching, which means I start craving sweaters, lipstick, and anything vaguely goth. There's something about the fall that makes me want to take on a dark, witchy alter-ego. In celebration of this, I've been making some weird, off-the-top of my head short comics to express my mood. I'm also using a brush pen for the first time. However, the brush on my brush pen is kind of busted, which makes everything scratchy and ugly. But I kind of like it.

artist of interest: Carly Waito

Smokey Quartz, 2011

Carly Waito is a Toronto-based artist who is obviously in love with gemstones. Her oil on masonite paintings of crystals and minerals are gorgeous and so realistic. They are also quite small, some only 7 x 6".

Sphalerite, 2011

Check out her blog, where she writes about her work and her nature travels.

 (images via Narwhal Art Projects) 

the ultimate space crystal: Diamond Planet

This week it was announced that a diamond planet has been discovered in our very own galaxy. The planet, believed to be the remnants of a star, is comprised mainly of very dense carbon. It's basically the perfect conditions for diamond formation, and astronomers believe that planet is mostly crystalline. Read more at Reuters.com.

I hope one day humans get to travel to and explore the diamond planet. Until then, I'm going to be inspired and draw pictures. I kind of want to write a story about it now.