It's (Not Really) Almost Christmas Morning

OK, so 2017 may be behind us, but that doesn't mean we have to forget everything that happened! Case in point - Happy Holi-Dakes Vol. 7 was released with a pretty great cover, along with an awesome original tune called Almost Christmas Morning that will get stuck in your head.

Anyway, more about the letter-&-brush-work. Let me explain the animated GIF below for you...

(1) I usually try to draw a cover that encompasses everything contained within the album. This year that just wasn't working. Sorry, Santa.
(2) New idea - keep it simple. Like an album cover of old, just show the performers and information about what they're playing.
(3) Refine #2. Note: My brother doesn't quite look like that. But he also doesn't have a beard or glasses, so it's his own fault I can't draw him.
(4) We need some color in the background. This dullish blue will do.
(5) We need some drama! Enter the spotlight...
(6) We need information about what's inside, along with a note about my dear grandmother who left us earlier in 2017. Hi, gramma!
(7) And this was the key. Instead of leaving the players cold and white, they needed a warmth. But not TOO Christmas-green. So this key lime does the trick.

And that's that.

(It's a slow burn GIF. Relax.)

Who Is Norwood Viviano?

Holy smokes, folks. It's been a w-h-i-l-e. But a local spot, The Workshop Brewing Company in Traverse City, recently started hosting a Drink & Draw. So here's my first stab at a new post. Basically, I randomly selected a note on my phone that I have no memory of, and drew a comic. Info on the real deal is below. Cheers!

(Click on the image to get up close and personal.)

Turns out Norwood Viviano is an artist that makes some cool stuff. In 2012, my girlfriend (wife now) was telling me about him and we looked him up. You can see his work here. And here's what he actually looks like:

Get Back

In case this blog ever reboots, here's some Letter & Brush work from last year's Holi-Dakes album. Always a chance there's more to come! (Not to mention I failed to post my wedding invite work.) Sounds will be found at: https://jamesdake.bandcamp.com/album/happy-holi-dakes-2016

TIME IS AN ILLUSION

I really meant to get back to this place sooner than today. And I don't know I can guarantee this is the beginning of more regular posts.

But I do have some things to share...

Happy Holi-Dakes Vol. 5 - available here. See if you can figure out the track listing based on the artwork (or cheat and read the track listing).

And here is last season's card we sent around to the family and friends. Maybe someday you'll get one too!

I will post more about my recent adventure in designing a wedding invite of my own (or of our own, soon).

Happy Holi-Dakes!

Here's the newest cover illustration I did for Happy Holi-Dakes 2014, as well as my design for a new EP from my brother James and me. You can find both of them, musically, at jamesdake.bandcamp.com. Thanks!

 

(Click on the covers to turn up the volume, and dance!)

Process & Progress

Recently, Studio 360 opened up a listener challenge involving drawing or doodling in tandem with cartoonist Alison Bechdel. This was just the kick in the pants I needed to do some drawing. I started more realistic, but eventually floated more to the realm of the ambiguous and abstract.

 (Click on each image to smell the progress.)

Infinite Corpsey

I finally got around to producing something for the website, Infinite Corpsey, which is a version of exquisite corpse - the game where you add things to a drawing without seeing the whole until it's finished. Infinite Corpsey follows a three-panel comic format with the skeleton character, Corpsey. Check it out!

(Click the image to get a better view.)

If Then, Go To

I was reading on a sunny afternoon at a local coffee shop. Then something happened, so I made a comic about it.

(Click on the image to smell the booze.)

A Shoe In

An occupation: Cobbler

A room in your house: Attic

A child's toy: Plastic lawn mower

(Click the image to pop the top.)

Meditater-Totter

A state of being: Zen

A state in the USA: North Dakota

A state of matter: Plasma

 (Click the image to light your fire.)

Tailor Maned

Animal: Maned Wolf

Article of Clothing: Vest

Scientific Principle: Archimedes'

(Click the image to float your boat.)

4,000 Year Old Practical Joke

(Click on the image to get that new car smell.)

Super Bowling

For fun, I offered a chance to win a postcard related to the Superbowl. But as a consolation prize for everyone who entered, I created another digital postcard of sorts. Each person was provided a link to a hi-res version for their 'records.' It includes the first-ever fully realized seabronco, a rare creature only spotted in the depths of the deepest, darkest, most magical ocean.

(Click the image to tame the beast.)

Method, Man

I don't do this often, but I thought it would be fun to show some of my work (like 5th grade long division). So here's the process for the latest Happy Holi-Dakes album cover. Summarized and simplified of course. You can download the album for free here: http://jamesdake.bandcamp.com/album/happy-holi-dakes-2013.

 

(Click the image to feel the jingle.)

 

Note: All work done with Wacom Bamboo Capture in Manga Studio 5. GIF made with GIMP.
(1) Rough sketch in black.
(2) Copy sketch layer and change it to blue; increase opacity.
(3) Draw final black line drawing.
(4) Flat color on new layer beneath line drawing, with movement lines on another layer. (6 layers total at this point, with white background layer.)
(5) Background created in two layers: the first with two brushes to create texture, followed by a diagonal gradient from left to right. I changed the colors around until I settled on the pink salmon color.
(6) Time to add glow! The star glows on its own layer with a trail of flashes creating more movement.
(7) Based on the light source of the star, I added highlights and shadows on a new layer, using mostly yellow and purple respectively. This adds much needed depth to the image as you can see in the animated GIF. I repeated this step in the animation to better show the difference.
(8) Added text. (In total, there were 11 layers counting white background.)

Happy Holi-Dakes!

Cheers!

(Click the image to feel the cheer.)

Huffing Post

I recently picked up some new software. Here's my first comic using Manga Studio 5:

(Click the image to pump you up.)

Autumnal Voice

(Click the image to hear it yell.)

Dearly Beloved

I forgot to post this sooner. This weekend was my brother's wedding, and a while back I created their invitations (minus any text which was added by a calligrapher). It was very much a collaborative process with them giving me a lot of initial magic. I ended up drawing and designing entirely on the computer, making it a lot easier to change colors, hues, saturation, etc. If you think you might like me to design your invites for a special day, feel free to drop me a line. Here is the final design:

 

 Cover

Inside

(Click the image to feel the love.)

Follow the Money

(Click on the image to taste the crown jewels.)

Dog & Tricks

A bit long and late in posting, but I've got two in a row to make up for it. The first is a quick sketch from a recent open mic night:

(Click the image for pop-up action.)