Small Business Saturday

 So, yeah. Small Business Saturday. Here's my Etsy store with original artwork: https://jasontheartist.etsy.com

Saginaw is the last stop

 This Saturday is the Saginaw Comic Convention at the Saginaw Marketplace. This is the last convention for me this year. I'll have some fine arts and illustrations, as well as drawing cartoon, comic book characters and Caricatures. The link to the event is HERE .

No monkeys will be there (that I know of).

Last Con for the year

 I've just signed up for the Saginaw Comic Convention at the SVRC Marketplace in Saginaw, Michigan. It takes place September 28th, 2024 from 11-6. Here's a link to their Facebook event page. I'll be displaying and (hopefully) selling original artwork, and drawing caricatures, comic book and cartoon characters. This is one of the drawings I'll have available. It's an 18x24 graphite drawing. 

This is the LAST comic convention of 2024.

Best of all worlds

 So, Sammy Hagar has embarked on a new tour to celebrate and honor the music of Van Halen, as well as his career, and the careers of his band members, which right now consists of Michael Anthony of Van Halen, Jason Bonham, and Joe Satriani of Chickenfoot with Sammy and Michael Anthony. This friday, August 2nd, the "Best of All Worlds" tour is going to be hitting Pine Knob music theater in Clarkston michigan, where I and my brother will be going and taking artwork to hopefully give to Sammy and the band. I have not done this and a long time, because I didn't want to put my brother through that again. Since 1997, I've been taking artwork to concerts to try to give to musicians that I admire, and feel as though my brother and my wife have had to suffer through me trying to finagle a way to get backstage over get to the front of the crowd or get to security to try to get the artwork to the bands. So for the last almost 10 years I've given up on bringing artwork to musicians, and that includes Sammy Hagar. But my brother just kind of hinted the other week that the reason he gets tickets so close is so I could try to get artwork to the band on stage, which means that he's always intended for me to do that without actually saying anything! So this concert I'm going to try it again, which works because Van Halen is one of the biggest reasons I got in to music and Middle School, particularly the Sammy Hagar era because that's when I got into music was around the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album, which is my favorite album of all time, and not just favorite Van Halen album. We were lucky enough to see Van Halen in 1993 and twice in 1995, that's the last time we saw Van Halen. The 2004 tour was too expensive for us to go to, but we've seen all but maybe three Sammy solo tours if you include the Chickenfoot shows. Here are some of the pictures that I created for the band members. Wish me luck on giving these to them face to face!

Con Job

 

This weekend, August 3rd and 4th, I will be in the artist alley at the really cool comic convention in Flint Michigan at the Dort Financial Center. I will be displaying and attempting to sell my original artwork that I've created, as well as drawing cartoon and comic book characters by commission, and caricatures. 

I have found that I don't sell a lot of original artwork, so I have a plethora of artwork to display. The only money I really make at the conventions is for drawing caricatures, which is fine and good because that is something that people enjoy and I thought it would be a nice addition to events.   I have reasonable prices for my artwork and for caricatures and commissions because I know what it's like to go to a show and not have any money to buy anything. I'm also not a celebrity or a published artist, so I don't charge published artist prices. I also feel as though I'm in my element at Comic conventions, because I am fully immersed in comic books and pop culture and can find conversations and interests with other people easily at these conventions, which not many people realize when they think of a comic convention. It's not just about superhero comics. It's sci-fi, it's television, it's movies, it's fiction, anime, cartoons, video games, wrestling, music, all wrapped up in one building for one or two days. There's comic books of course, and a lot of the comic book culture, but it's more than that. That's one of the reasons why I advertised caricatures at the events is for people who aren't into these kind of subjects like people who are being dragged to the show, like as a sister or wife or a brother or a cousin who isn't into any of this kind of stuff, but they can sit down and get some original artwork that's more personal that they can have hanging in their house. It's a personal experience from an event that you may or might not have enjoyed, but you found something out of the ordinary that you enjoyed.

You can find the information about this convention at http://www.reallycoolcomiccon.com 

Art for cons

 I've been working on some artwork for the comic conversations I'm participating in.  My next show is in Flint at the Dort Financial Center in the Really Cool Comic Con . I'm also at the Bay City Comic Convention at the Bangor Township Hall in Bay City, Michigan.

Here are a few of my newer pieces:

Price change for events

 As of June 1st, 2024 my rates for caricatures, cartoon and comic book character sketches at events will increase. I actually did the math and I've been under selling my services. Any agreements made before June 2024 will remain the same.

Heroes and influences

 June 5-June 28, 2024 I will have an exhibit of my HEROES art series at Art Reach of Mid-Michigan in Mt Pleasant, Michigan. The opening reception is June 13th from 5pm-6:30pm. 

This show will have parts of my series of artwork of the people who have inspired me and are heroes of mine. Portraits of Sammy Hagar, Sergio Aragones, Jack Nicholson and more will be on display and some for sale. Please come check it out. 

Drawing Sammy Hagar, pt 3

This is the progress I've made. I'm 13 hours into the drawing (most of that time on the friggin' background!). I need to get this done before the end of May so I can add it to my solo art exhibit in June at Art Reach in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. 

 

What I've been doodling

 I've had some free time lately, so I've been drawing some smaller sketches.

DrawIng Sammy Hagar, part 2

"My Heroes" series on Exhibit!

 I don't remember if I've mentioned it here yet, but I was told a couple of months ago that I will be having an exhibit Mount Pleasant, Michigan and in June of 2024 of my heroes series. These are two pieces that I'm working on the charcoal is basically done, the painting of Sergio Aragones  is not done yet. This series is made up of sub sections of some of my heroes, including Sergio Aragones, Jack nicholson, Sammy hagar, popeye, and Mel Brooks.

Update

 It's been a while since I've posted anything on here, but I was just recently informed that I will be having a solo exhibit in Mount Pleasant, Michigan at Art Reach Art Gallery June 5th through June 28th, I do believe. I can't remember when the reception is, but the focus of the exhibit is my My Heroes series. Here are two works in progress that I'm adding to "My Heroes" series. The black and white drawing is charcoal of Jack Nicholson in "The Last Detail", and the painting is an oil painting of cartoonist Sergio Aragones.

I INKED!

 I'm pretty happy with how this turned out! I NEVER go straight to paper with ink, let alone for a realistic drawing OR with dipping pen and ink!! This took over an hour. Can you tell who it is?

If the video above doesn't work, try THIS LINK

Figure attempt

 I've struggled my whole life with drawing figures. I can fake it when I'm looking at reference material, but when I try to draw picture-free, I'm reminded how little I know. This drawing was inspired by the "Black Widow" movie, but I'm drawing the comic style. Just... don't judge too much. I'm a7 delicate friggin' flower.

Drawing Metal Gear Snake, LIGHT SPEEDish

NOW IN COLOR! From the Panels of THIMBLE THEATRE...

 I used ink and alcohol-based markers to add color. This might not be the final, or only, version of this concept.

"From the Panels of"THIMBLE THEATRE..."

 

I felt some inspiration the other day (which doesn't happen as often as I'd like), and drew this homage to the Late Dave Cockrum's iconic cover of the legendary Giant-Size X-Men that introduced the world to Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Thunderbird, and brought Wolverine into the fold.

If you know me, I'm obSESSED with Popeye and comic books. Popeye was introduced to the world in January 1929 in a 10 year old comic strip called "Thimble Theatre" by E.C. Segar. This strip began in 1919 with Olive Oyl, her boyfriend Ham Gravy, and her family: Castor, Cole and Nana Oyl. When Popeye appeared, readers loved him and asked for more. He took over the strip, and Ham Gravy disappeared! 

In this drawing, the original Thimble Theatre crew take place of the original X-Men, and the "Deadly Genesis" era consists of the 1st looks of the "Popeye" generation. 

The drawing isn't done, and I might make a better one. 

....maybe make a variant of it....🤔

Etsy Store

 I have a number of drawings and paintings in my Etsy shop for sale. Here's the link:

https://jasontheartist.etsy.com

The Eddie Van Halen painting is priced low due to a small tear in the canvas. It's 14x11. The Rolling Stones painting not damaged, but is discounted from the regular price for an 18x24 painting.

Only one way to rock

 I started a series of artwork of Sammy Hagar era Van Halen after Eddie Van Halen passed away. His death hit harder than I'd expect. I'm always doing Hagar portraits, so I've accumulated a small series of artwork of Sammy Hagar. I was hoping to share my work with fellow Redheads (fans of the Red Rocker Sammy Hagar), but I don't see it happening. So, here's my tribute to Sammy Hagar and Van Halen 

I had to make a couple Popeyes in the VOA outfits!!

The drawing below is a drawing I did in high school around 1994, 1995