Artists I Like: Matthew Allison

This week, take a peek at the art of Matthew Allison, whose work is so deeply associated with his comic Cankor that for a very long time I thought that was his name.

I don't know much about Allison. This Comics Journal piece goes into some detail, in it's own way. I do love the phrase "What Allison seems to share with so many of that first generation of alternative cartoonists is a fixation on the mortification of the flesh."

Anyway, I like the way he draws meticulous, worrisome shadows and lines on these weird loping forms. I do not currently own any of his comics but I am going to remedy that and try to get me mitts on some Cankor issues or a collection. I'll take anything.

Sketchbook vs. Sketchbook

Articka vs. Vanrtto = Articka wins.

I picked up a Vanrtto square hardback sketchbook. I thought it would be BETTER than that Articka, which I love. This feeling was based on the fact that the paper weight is 200 GSM for Vanrtto vs. 180 GSM for Articka.

But paper weight is not the only factor you should consider. Of course, I know this. I strongly prefer smooth paper, such as Bristol. And if you go looking for the Articka book, you will be recommended the Vanrtto book for some reason.

But when you peel off the shrink wrap you'll find an overall flimsier book with very toothy, disappointing paper.

This book is not good for inking.

It's fine for pencil drawing, though. And you can play around and get some nice dry brush effects since the paper is so toothy and rough.

I don't like it. I already bought 2 of them in a set so I'll use them. But god dammit, this is a step down.

Here are a few doodles I did in the new book. Like I said, I'll use them. And I'll enjoy it because I love to draw. But I'm disappointed the paper isn't smooth. I wish sketcbhooks like these would tell you on the cover if they are smooth or not.

Red Sonja ala Frank Thorne

Fat Freddie's Cat from Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers

Cherry Poptart

RIP David Lynch

Storm

Black Pudding Thoughts

The covers to all 8 existing issues of Black Pudding.

Black Pudding issue 1 was published November 28, 2016. In a little under a year, it will celebrate its 10th anniversary. And that blows my mind.

The reception of this zine in the indie RPG and OSR gaming world was very warm. It received a lot of positive reviews and excited replies of "nice work!". That sort of positive feedback made me feel very good about what I was doing. And it still does. I am not an artist who makes a living at art. I create things because I need to and because it keeps me from losing my mind. It's a compulsion to go on a journey and the feedback is part of the journey.

So, thanks for all the kind words over the years. I love hearing your stories of getting copies in the mail and I love seeing the pics of them. I love hearing about the classes and monsters in the books being using in gaming tables in places I've never been and probably will never see. It's uplifting in a way I can't express with words.

From the moment I compiled the first 4 issues of Black Pudding into a single volume, I knew there would a volume 2. But beyond that... I had no plans. Literally no plans. No plan to stop, no plan to continue.

But I love creating this zine. It allowed me to explore ideas and explore this weird world I had in my head all these many years, stretching back as far as the first time I ever played a roleplaying game.

I'm not entirely sure where things go from here. I have ideas. I've been quietly working on a standalone Black Pudding (or Doomslakers) RPG, which is loosely underpinned by the mechanics and game system of my other game GOZR. This is a departure from B/X D&D rules, but I feel strongly that it is a necessary change.

And wouldn't it be kind of cool to have a such a game finished for the 10th anniversary? Just an idea.

I'm also thinking about Black Pudding comics.

But these are topics for a later time. Thanks again!

Artists I Like: Glen Brogan

This week's Artists I Like is Glen Brogan, with whom I am entirely unfamiliar other than seeing his work on Instagram.

I don't actually know anything at all about Glen Brogan. But based on what I've seen, he is drawing digitally in a clean, flat style. And it's awesome. Check out that mothman drawing below! Good stuff.

Looks like he has an art book out there maybe, but the copy I saw was like over $100 so I'm not sure.

Artists I Like: Shawn McManus

Shawn McManus is one of the many artists I discovered via Instagram. I know he has done work for Marvel and DC, I believe, but since I don't keep up with Marvel or DC I would have no idea about that. I just stumbled on his work on Insta and fell in love.

In fact, I went in on his Kickstarter for an Inktober book or two and they were incredible! Expressive, fun, cartoony... his art is inspiring and kind of what I strive for in my own, in many ways. It feels free and relaxed while also being precise and competent. No mean feat.

1970 Gremlin

I was born in 1970. And my first car was a Gremlin. I paid $100 or so and my mom pitched in $100 or so. None of the gauges on it worked. Gas, speed, temp, nothing. No stereo either. But it ran!

I put a little tape deck between the seats and that was my stereo. Loved it. And people kept trying to buy it from me.

I had it for maybe 6 months, then I traded it for a 1980 AMC Spirit and paid $400 difference. That was 1990. Drove that car for about 3 years when the front wheel fell off and I had to get another vehicle.

Ahh... cars. Honestly, they are SO MUCH BETTER today than ever before. In many ways. Tires, for example... night and day. If you didn't experience tires prior to the mid 1980s, consider yourself lucky. I had so many blow outs and leaks it was crazy. These days? Very rare.

Anyway, here's a drawing of a 1970 Gremlin. I'll tag it "hot rod" because that's just what I'm gonna use for all car art posts. Which will probably be rare, as you know.

10 Years

Oh yeah... this blog is over 10 years old. In fact, I missed that anniversary because it happened on April 20th, 2024. Here's my first Doomslakers post ever.

I started this blog purely as a vehicle for talking about RPGs, particularly D&D, Labyrinth Lord, DCC, etc. OSR type shit. But it's also a place for my art and comics and for basically any other thoughts I happen to want to share. Thanks for being here if you are a regular who checks in.

 

Hymla

I posted a bunch of Hymla art here in this Blood Red post.

Considering a Hymla art book. If anyone thinks this is a good idea, comment here or there if you can.

Obviously I love drawing this character and I'll keep doing it no matter if anyone likes it or not. But it would be nice to share the art in a meaningful way, such as in a book.

 

Raven's Dojo Fanart

Every once in a while I get in a mood and want to draw fanart of other peoples' characters. I did that recently with Raven's Dojo, one of the longest-running webcomics of all time. It is an adults-only comic, so beware of that.

Raven Perez is fantastic. 

Dornail the dragon

Rodney, little hero.

Sadie the Princess of Darkness, daughter of Satan.

Here's the bw original of Sadie.

Hot Rod Girl

I love hot rod art. Remember that magazine CarToons? Love that shit. But I suck at drawing cars. So I'm gonna try to draw more of them this year.

Here's one I did a couple weeks ago.

 

Artists I Like: Kaja Foglio

I don't know as much about Kaja Foglio as I would like to. Somehow I knew the name Phil, but Kaja slipped under my radar for the longest time. Which is a shame because she also strikes such a perfect note with me. Cartoon art that ascends to levels of bliss I only strive to achieve in my own work.

Kaja is an artist, writer, and publisher. Her writing includes a great deal of work on the Hugo Award winning Girl Genius comics. But I know her mainly from drawing some lovely Magic: the Gathering cards. I certainly used that Sorcerous Queen quite frequently when I was playing between 1994-1996.

Bodé's Sunpot Fanart

In 1977 Heavy Metal Magazine launched. It was the American version of the French Metal Hurlant. And it included a Vaughn Bodé comic called Sunpot, which was about a spaceship with pot leaves on it.

Here's a little fanart of the Sunpot, for fun.

Brush pens, Posca markers, alcohol markers. Some bits bled black into gray. I find that the tools I use don't bleed much but when they do they really do. Hard to predict it. The only way to fully avoid it is to let the shit sit and dry for hours. But I tend to go from inks to colors within a few minutes, which is why I prefer using ink that dries fast and is water resistant.

But alcohol markers are not water and they behave a little differently.

Here's the original page by Vaughn Bodé that inspired me to doodle this. BTW, even though Bodé has an accented "e", Mark Bodé (Vaughn's son) says it is pronounced "BOH-dee"... which is how I have always pronounced it anyway so that's cool.