An Artist's Journal - By Harold George

The Funnicks: Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T00:00:00.001-05:00

I'm not really a sappy Valentine's Day kind of person but maybe I am. I just like the fact that everyone is all hyped up on it (not really). Everyday SHOULD BE Valentine's if you really love the person you're with. Or maybe it should be Christmas, cause all I see is people giving each other presents. I'd rather spend some alone time with my loved one than receive presents on Valentine's, although I would also love to go shooting zombies with her. Her presence is my present and frankly, that's all I need. But you go ahead and pass on your gifts. I'll be fine. Unless of course you want to give me one. You can send me money to paypal to g@gstinglabs.com. Even a dollar will do. Happy Valentine's everyone!

If you don't want to give me money then catch The Funnicks at www.thefunnicks.blogspot.com

The Show: Page 2 Redone

2012-02-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

I took a little time to practice my craft. What with all the practice I get with the Funnicks and I Hate My Kids, I decided to see how I fared with an old page from The Show. This upgrade took me about 2.5 hours. Not bad if I may say so myself. From blue lines to lettering... not bad at all. All this was done in Photoshop. I have actually managed to get a lot faster at it than I used to be before. I eaten managed to get rid of the other programs I used and concentrate on just one. It beats switching programs just to do lettering and layout. For now, this is a good thing. Let me know what you think of the update. Do you like it, do you think the old one is better?

I Hate My Kids: That’s A Lot of Hugs

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to give my thanks to all who have been following my blog and also this comic strip as well. I hope that you guys can spread the word about it and if you know anyone who is in need of a comic strip, I am available for commissions. Also want to thank Tony Digerolamo for the excellent material he has been providing and the marketing he has done to promote my artwork as well.

If you like this comic strip, don't forget to check out The Webcomic Factory and click on our sponsors too. Every little bit helps us keep these comics going. The best places for Web Comics.

Tony Digerolamo Interviews Yours Truly

2012-01-31T17:18:00.000-05:00

I have only been interviewed once before and it was for a school project. Stephanie knows how that turned out. Other interviews I've had have been for jobs, but I don't count that. This interview was actually for something I actually love doing; DRAWING. Click here to check it out. Thanks again to everyone who has been reading my craziness and checking out my artwork.

I Hate My Kids: You'll Get Yours

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

This year and I guess every day, I am grateful to have my mother around. I can see now, with my own so, all the crazy things I put her through. So, I would like to dedicate this particular comic strip to her. Thanks mom, for being there for me whenever I needed you. For being that pillar of support when my whole world was at a stand still. It is thanks to you that I have found the strength to be the father I am. I know now what you meant when you told me to stay still and do my homework. I appreciate everything you've done for me and my sister. Don't know how you did it alone, but I commend you for it.
If you like this comic strip, don't forget to check out The Webcomic Factory and click on our sponsors too. Every little bit helps us keep these comics going. The best places for Web Comics.

Gtoons: Jose

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

Jose, a very good friend of mine and writer of The Show, is depicted in this Gtoon here. Jose is the creator of Super J as well, you can see him wearing the Super J logo. You can order one for yourself. Jose was very happy with his Gtoon upgrade. If you paid for a color Gtoon back when I started them (last year), you have a chance to upgrade them to the NEW Gtoon Color. Just leave me a comment here or email me at g@gstingtheart.com and I will search for yours and upgrade it. Thanks

Gtoons: Carla

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Here is yet another Gtoon color created for Carla. You can view a gallery of all the Gtoons I've created by visiting the Gtoons Page.

I Hate My Kids: Street Scholarship

2012-01-04T16:52:00.001-05:00

I like video games, but I only play some times. I have friends whose entire life is pretty much devoted to playing video games. They don't actually work in the field, but if they did, I bet you they would be making beaucoup money or at least doing something they enjoy. In any case, the last game that I watched them play was the DC Universe game where we created our childhood super heroes. It was amazing and kind of reminded me of City of Heroes. I wish they would have made a Matrix game like that for the PS3 platform. I'm sure I'd be playing that right now if I could.
If you like this comic strip, don't forget to check out The Webcomic Factory and click on our sponsors too. Every little bit helps us keep these comics going. The best places for Web Comics.

Gtoons: Danielle

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

This Gtoon was created for Danielle Clooney. Unfortunately not many people were signing up for the game on Facebook so I had to discontinue the FREE Black and White Gtoons. But you can still order a Gtoon by visiting the site.

Gtoons: Kat Facebook Winner

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

November's winner of the Free Black and White caricature that I call "Gtoons" was Kat Pickering. Thank you Kat for playing. You're a true sport.

As usual, If you wish to win a free Gtoon Classic, just comment on this month's winner. Make sure to leave a comment as liking it will NOT get you an entry. We have a winner every month. Come play and join the fun. Use your Gtoon as your Facebook profile and let's make it viral. If you know anyone who is interested in playing, share our Facebook link with them.

Please let me know if you would like to make this contest biweekly instead of monthly. Leave me a comment below.

I Hate My Kids: Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Dilan and his family would like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas. Don't forget to catch I Hate My Kids on the Web Comic Factory and click on our sponsors so we can keep bringing you great comic strips like this one. Share them with your friends too.

Merry Christmas!

Inspirations: Super J on Water Fountain - Colors

2011-12-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

Once again, this week I decided to show you the finished piece. With this style, things are fairly loose as you can tell by the backgrounds. This allows me to finish pieces a lot faster and it gives that painterly quality to them.

First and foremost, I establish my light source. Being that Super J is sad in this piece, I decided to make the light source come from behind. Gives him a feel of turning away from the sunshine (which is some cultures, symbolizes hope). I use a 20% opacity layer and a black brush to accomplish this.

Once my light sources was established, then I moved on to the coloring. Starting with a different layer called "COLOR", I started coloring the figure first. I referenced my character profile to match the colors exactly. You should always have a character profile handy for coloring and even drawing purposes. You want to make sure you are consistent with the character. As I have no editor, I have to do everything myself.

I then added some highlights on his costume using a feathered white brush with a 20% opacity. This gave the desired effect of a bit of light shining from behind him.

I moved on to the background (a new layer), where I used a scattered brush and loosely colored the stones where he is sitting.

I left the water for a separate layer as I needed it to be translucent and not have the hard black outlines as the rest of the piece. The water sprits was created with the same scattered brush, this time instead of smearing as I did with the stones and background, I dabbed to create the effect of water spraying.

Write me a comment, or email me and let me know what you think of this piece. Did you like it? Do you have any questions?

If you are interested in comic books, then head over to The Show Comic, and check out Super J and his band of superheroes.

Inspirations: Super J on Water Fountain-Inks

2011-12-13T13:00:00.000-05:00

My process usually involves a program called Sketchbook Pro for inking, but for speed's sake I decided to use good ol' reliable Photoshop. I scanned in the image that you saw on my last post and decided to very loosely ink keeping a lot of those haphazard lines I created in the pen sketch.

Here is a small break down of what I did:

Scanned image at 300 DPI.
Opened image in Photoshop and created a separate layer to start the inking process.
Created a separate layer to create my inks on.
Started inking with a tapered brush on my Cintiq.

If you are interested in comic books, then head over to The Show Comic, and check out Super J and his band of superheroes.

I Hate My Kids: Symmetry

2011-12-07T11:38:00.001-05:00

It's a well known fact that some of the teenagers nowadays and even back when we were young are into the wacky tabacky. Greg and his best friend are always getting high. Know anyone who gets high on a regular basis and has made them as dumb as a doorknob? Write to me and let me know.

If you like this comic strip, don't forget to check out The Webcomic Factory and click on our sponsors too. Every little bit helps us keep these comics going. The best places for Web Comics.

Inspirations: Super J on Water Fountain

2011-12-06T12:11:00.000-05:00

This is a sketch I did of Super J sitting kind of sad by a wishing fountain.

Super J is outgoing, a bit dramatic, overzealous, loud, obnoxious, and egotistical, but he has feelings. After all, he is human. The one thing that brings down his spirits is when his fans stop believing in him. When this happens, he starts doubting his every move. I guess you could say that's his weakness. So here he sits, alone, contemplating his life and his ability to do good and protect those people he swore to protect. One would think a big guy like this would have a heart of steel. Apparently, THAT is NOT the case.

You can catch Super J in action by clicking here.

Who is the hero in YOUR life? I'd like to know. Leave me a comment below. Follow this journal to get updates when I post a new entry.

I Hate My Kids: Boys Shouldn't Do Dishes

2011-11-30T09:55:00.001-05:00

Do you have a teenage boy that you keep from doing creation chores around the house because he is just not going to do them right? These two are again coming up with crazy ideas on how to get their stuff done faster. Why? I don't know. After all, they are teenagers and they have a whole lifetime to catch up to. What's the rush?

If you like this comic strip, don't forget to check out The Webcomic Factory and click on our sponsors too. Every little bit helps us keep these comics going. The best places for Web Comics.

Inspirations: Ugolino and His Sons

2011-11-29T12:14:00.000-05:00

I used to love going to the museum and sometimes taking in the art. Other times I would site there and actually start drawing it. Here is an unfinished piece I did in 2006. I have not gone back to finish it but I would love to. It's just been hard to find the time to do it lately. So, the last time i went to a museum was 5 years ago. Is that sad? What do you think, should I finish it or start it over?

You can find "Ugolino and his sons" by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC.

I Hate My Kids: Mom Finally Wins

2011-11-23T12:16:00.001-05:00

Do you have a teenager that has been pulling a fast one on you, or trying to? Meet Deborah, she's always trying. This time I think the joke's on her. Leave me a comment and let me know what one of the silliest things your teenager has tried to trick you with?

If you like this comic strip, don't forget to check out The Webcomic Factory and click on our sponsors too. Every little bit helps us keep these comics going. The best places for Web Comics.

Gtoons: Harry Facebook Winner

2011-11-22T14:02:00.000-05:00

October's winner of the Free Black and White caricature that I call "Gtoons" was Harry Parraga. Thank you Harry for playing. You're a true sport.

I've realized there are certain things I love doing digitally and Gtoons seem to be one of those things I don't. I rather get the features and the essence of the subject on actual tactile paper rather than on the screen. Although I use a cintiq, I find it better for this particular piece of art to do it the "old school" way. I do jump on the computer to add the color. You can check some of my colored Gtoons here.

As usual, If you wish to win a free Gtoon Classic, just comment on this month's winner. Make sure to leave a comment as liking it will NOT get you an entry. We have a winner every month. Come play and join the fun. Use your Gtoon as your Facebook profile and let's make it viral. If you know anyone who is interested in playing, share our Facebook link with them.

Please let me know if you would like to make this contest biweekly instead of monthly. Leave me a comment below.

I Hate My Kids: The Decoy

2011-11-16T11:46:00.001-05:00

Teenagers are something else, aren't they? If you have one you can probably relate. Jordan here is always taking advantage of his dad.

You can view some of Jordan's other misdeeds below:

If you like this comic strip, don't forget to check out The Webcomic Factory and click on our sponsors too. Every little bit helps us keep these comics going. The best places for Web Comics.

Doodle: Alberto, The Mexican

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

One of my clients asked me to do some quick sketches of this Mexican character. He wanted me to recreate the character in different poses so that he could pitch this idea to HIS client. His client owns a Mexican restaurant and MY client wants to upgrade their signs in and outside the stores. This includes, menus and all. This is my take on the little guy. I will keep you posted if this project goes any further, because it will mean that I will be doing much more polished version of this little character.

I'm always curious to hear what you think, leave me a comment below. I'm also aiming to get more followers, so if you know anyone who loves art, please share this blog with them or have them sign up here.

Inspirations: I Saw The Sign!

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

I was in the passenger's seat in my girlfriend's car and took a chance to pay close attention to all the beautifully designed signage. One of my favorites was the deer crossing sign. It just looks completely different than the other generic "curved road", "intersection", "railroad crossing", etc. The Deer Crossing sign like like a true artist took their time to depict a deer in mid jump with intricate detail, as far as silhouettes are concerned. At 60 miles an hour I could still tell the detail. Other animals get the same treatment; kangaroos, moose, skunks, ducks, chickens, and the list goes on to animals I've never seen on land. Why don't they not portray humans with such intricate precision? Or cars for that matter? And who names these signs? They're just silhouettes. People can read them differently. I could read the deer as "Prancer", or "Dancer", or "Blitzen", or "jumping buck". you get the idea.

Take a look of some of these signs and leave me a comment as to what you think they could possibly mean.
Here are some signs I would like to see on the road.
I'd love to hear your ideas as what you would call them.

Inspirations: Do you see what I see? Part 2

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Just like I promised. Here is what I saw. If you were among the ones who saw what it, then consider your imagination and creativity intact! Excellent. Thanks for tuning in. I hope you guys continue to follow my journal and don;t forget to leave me snot on what you think of it. I appreciate your feedback.

You can check out my other artwork by clicking here.

Inspirations: Do you see what I see?

2011-10-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

I've looked up the definition of the word "Artist" and found numerous attempts at defining us as people who are experts at drawing, painting, acting, singing. Yes, this is all true, I guess, but we are more than that, aren't we? We see things that others don't, hear things that many fail to, notice things that to the normal person doesn't. We even see things that aren't there. That's how we create. I often see faces and other things on the patterns on tiled floors. I find similarities in facial features or skeletal structures between people from different races while other people I point them out to, don't. Some call me crazy, others pretend tonsee what I see.

On that note, here is an inspiration that came from clouds passing by. What do YOU see? If you see something, leave me a comment below. I'd like to know what you see. Next week I will post what I see.

Comic Strips I work on!

2011-10-18T14:16:00.001-04:00

For those of you who didn't already know, I currently work on two comic strips. One is called The Funnicks and the other I Hate My Kids, written by Tony DeGerolamo.
I hope you take the time to visit both strips and give your comments and spread them. Let me know what you like and don't like about them. I would love to hear from you. Thank you so much.

Gtoons: Gtoon Color Comission

2011-10-11T10:00:00.001-04:00

Here is Gtoon order from one of our Facebook followers. Yes, I changed the logo slightly. It needed an upgrade. Do you like it? Tell me what you think. Write your comments below.

Gtoons: Robin Facebook Winner

2011-10-11T10:00:00.000-04:00

This month's winner was Robin Seeber. Thank you Robin for playing. If you wish to win a free Gtoon Classic, feel free to visit us by clicking here. We have a winner every month. Come play and join the fun. Use your Gtoon as your Facebook profile and let's make it viral.

Deep Thoughts: R.I.P. Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T22:47:00.003-04:00

Today one of the most influential men in the world has passed away. the man was pure genius and has been a source of great inspiration to me and many others. From great innovations to great leadership, he has done both it is sad that his life was cut short because I am sure he had more ideas and inventions to show us. I admired his vision and I hope that one day I can grow my company as big as he made his. He will definitely be missed. Thanks for the inspiration Steve.

You can send your memories of Steve to rememberingsteve@apple.com

Deep Thoughts: Birdie

2011-09-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

I can still remember the times we used to watch birds through our apartment window and you learned to say "birdie, birdie" as you pointed at them. Everywhere you went you wouldn't hesitate to make sure everyone knew that you now knew the word. I was so proud of you.

I remember your first day of school and how adorable you looked in your little uniform. You gave us a hard time staying at school that day, but you soon stopped crying and started playing with your new friends. You soon forgot about everything else and you stayed at school for the whole day. You said you had fun that day and told the story of how wonderful your day was. "When can I go back?" you asked. I was so proud of you.

I remember how hard it was for you to catch a baseball. But I remember how excited you were when you finally caught one, and I was so proud of you.

I remember when I first let you cross the street by yourself. I was so scared. I walked a few steps behind you to make sure that you did exactly what I taught you. The thought of a car hitting you while I was watching you a few feet away was my greatest fear. But you did it. You crossed three streets without me. I was so proud of you.

I remember when you first learned how to ride a bike. I remember we went shopping for a bike that same day and I was not coming home until you learned how to ride it. You fell, almost cried but, I reminded you that it was okay and you that you had to get back on it. You did just that and that day you rode your bike all the way back home. I was so proud of you.

I remember all the times I've seen you perform. Whether it was dancing, singing or just giving a presentation. My eyes get All watery when I think to myself: "That's my boy!" I'm so proud of you.

Seeing you graduate and knowing that you are off to high school makes me just as scared as I was when I first let you cross street on your own, but I'm so proud of you. I'm scared though, that I may not have taught you everything that you need to know. I'm scared I'm losing you.

I remember when you used to text me, call me and constantly tell me you miss me. Now you can't wait until I leave. I remember when we used to sing "Just The Two of Us" by Will Smith and oh, how you knew all the words. I was so proud of you. We haven't sang that together in a while. I wonder if you still know the words. It feels like I'm losing you.

You used to always ask me: "Are you proud of me?" I could always count on getting a hand-made Christmas, Birthday, Father's Day card, and any other event you could think of in which it allowed you to make one for me. I still have them. I read them sometimes and remember all the wonderful things we did together. Still, I feel I'm losing you.

Remember when we used to play thumb war on the subway whenever we went somewhere? I remember how you used to laugh. It was infectious. I remember how people around us would also laugh. When I think of those moments, tears just flow and a smile adorns my face. Still, I feel I'm losing you.

I sometimes wish I could go back to those days when you just learned the word "birdie" and we can start all over again. And we could watch birds again and I could teach you things all over again, this time better. I wish I could, and I don't want to lose you.

Gtoons

2011-09-20T15:47:00.000-04:00

Every month I choose a person from facebook to create a FREE BW Gtoon for them. If you want to be picked, just leave a COMMENT on THIS picture and you will be entered to win one. This month we had a special winner who got a color Gtoon. Congratulations Chester!

If you'd just like to bypass this whole thing and order one you can do so by clicking here.

Gtoons: Gaddafi

2011-09-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

This one was a commissioned Gtoon.

If you would like to order one of your own you can do so by visiting us at www.gstinglabs.com/Gtoons.html

Gtoons: Jordan

2011-09-09T12:25:00.024-04:00

Gtoons are fun to do and people tend to be liking them. Here's another one of my nephew. If you love these, join our Facebook group by clicking here, and if you want to win a free one, play the Facebook game. If you want to purchase one, which by the way are fairly cheap, you can do so by visiting us here.

For those who don't what a Gtoon is, well, it is merely a caricature and for those who haven't quite grasped the definition, here it is:

A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.

Caricatures can be insulting or complimentary and can serve a political purpose or be drawn solely for entertainment. I like to think mine are not that insulting, but there is a critic in every dark hole. Caricatures of politicians are commonly used in editorial cartoons, while caricatures of movie stars are often found in entertainment magazines. Caricatures of the average Joe are done by me and are usually distributed in person, or via the internet in a printable file.

So, what are you waiting for? Get one! Ask me how you can turn your Gtoon into a greeting card with your own words.

Gtoons: Lidia Soriano-Tejada

2011-09-07T12:53:00.000-04:00

Every month I choose a person from facebook to create a FREE BW Gtoon for them. If you want to be picked, just leave a COMMENT on THIS picture and you will be entered to win one.

Congratulations to Lidia Soriano-Tejada, the winner of this month's Gtoon. If you want to win one just comment on this picture and you will automatically be entered.

So, start playing. You could be next month's big winners.

Entries end on September 21st and the next winner will be announced on the 22nd. One entry per person, but feel free to comment as many times as you want.

If you'd just like to bypass this whole thing and order one you can do so by clicking here.

Gtoons: Shamell Gadson Commissioned @ $29.99

2011-09-02T10:00:00.010-04:00

This was a commissioned Gtoon. If you would like to get one please visit us at Gsting Labs

Gtoons: Charlie Sheen Color

2011-08-26T10:00:00.007-04:00

Here's a caricature I did of Charlie, Tiger Blood, Sheen. Hope you like it.

You can see more on Facebook. Join my Facebook Group to enter to get a free one, I usually post the contest instructions every month and there is a winner every month. With more people playing, I might have more than one winner a month, so join and play!

And if you wish to order one for yourself, click here. The prices are reasonable.

Inspirations: Quicksilver from SilverHawks

2011-08-19T20:04:00.000-04:00

In the spirit of revamping and remaking and even re-featuring 80's cartoons, I decided to draw Quicksilver from the SilverHawks. I'm not sure how many of you remember the SilverHawks, but they were right up there with ThunderCats.

Inspirations: Beast 2

2011-08-12T18:55:00.002-04:00

Here are two versions of Beast. The one with the chair I did first and have thus been very unhappy with it.
The other, I did completely digitally and experimented with loose style similar to the way I drew before my cartoony style. Let me know what you think.

Gtoons: Derek Jeter Color

2011-08-06T08:11:00.000-04:00

Just thought I'd add a color version of yesterday's Gtoon. To order your very own, you can always click here.

Gtoons: Derek Jeter

2011-08-05T21:11:00.000-04:00

I decided to go ahead and start doing some celebrity Gtoons on my spare time. If you wish to order one, please click here. To view my gallery, please click here. Thank you so much for your support.

Bush's Chess Game

2011-07-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

Today I decided to go back into my art-hives and talk a little about a painting I did a while back and its progress, since it seems that a lot of people love the though process behind paintings.

1. I came up with an idea for class. It was something controversial at the time, and I love stuff like that. I eat it for breakfast. My idea was to create just what a lot of conspiracy theorists were already thinking... that Bush was part of this elaborate cover-up that was responsible for the 9-11 events. I know this is a touchy subject for most of you, but please bare with me as I go on.
The idea first came in small blotches of comparing Bush to Hitler. Please don't ask me how, it is just the way I was thinking at the time. These ideas sometimes come without any labels or coherency. So, I decided to create some thumbnails, as I often do with everything that will eventually be a painting or a comic book page.

2. After choosing my idea, which happened to be the chess game, I decided to fish for some reference. Who in their right mind knows how to draw Bush without any reference? Well, there may be many of you who do, and I won't judge, but I for once was not part of that crowd. I settled on this picture because it kind of had the same angle as the next picture I chose for the game.

3. I came across this picture at the same time as I did Bush, but I just numbered it second only because it had the angle I wanted. I used Getty Images as a search for images as you can tell by the watermark that they love to put on their $700+ pictures.

4. Of course, my idea was to have BinLaden as one of the chess pieces and so here I was again, hunting for more references. With all the hype about him at the time, I was bound to find some, and man, google yet again was my savior.

5. Once I got all my pieces together, it was time to familiarize myself with the figure by sketching it out as a tighter render than the thumbnails. This process is not necessary but I like to do it because it allows me to experiment with the features before I jump on to the masonite board which I was going to use to draw the image. I chose to do this freehand on the board as opposed to projecting it, just so I can add a little bit of my personality to it. Sometimes projecting a photograph and outlining it can become a bit mechanic.

Final. I tackled this painting in oils using a series of different sized brushes. The painting is 18x24 and it is on masonite board. I chose this color palette because although this was a very dark subject I wanted to convey the ironic feeling of warmth and trust behind the image. Using contrast colors through out, I finished the piece in a about 2 weeks time. You can view the full image by visiting my site here.

For more you can catch me on my facebook page, or my website.

I Hate My Kids: Detention Has Its Benefits

2011-07-27T14:43:00.000-04:00

Here is this week's I Hate My Kids. Visit the site for more. If you wish to contribute, please click on the ads when you visit the site. Thank you for your support. Hope you like it.

More Franko

2011-07-26T10:00:00.002-04:00

In may I wrote a journal entry about Franco The Great. After that, I received an email from him with this article. It is a great read. Check it out. If you know any tourists, and even if you just want to see his amazing artwork, check him out on Sunday mornings at around 8:30am on 125th Street by the Apollo. You won't regret it seeing the beautiful art done on the actual gates the he uses as canvases.

Well, Franco, my hat off to you for being an inspiration. Keep it going, man!

The S.H.O.W. Page 8 Thumbnails

2011-07-23T01:08:00.001-04:00

Here are the first sketched thumbnails for page 8 of The S.H.O.W. Comic I am working on with a couple of friends.

As with my latest learned technique, I...
1. Sketched a small rectangle about 2" wide by whatever length proportional to the final.
2. I blew up the thumbnail to 11x17
3. I then traced it onto an 11x17 paper using my light box and at the same time adding some details.

Don't forget to catch The S.H.O.W. Comic by clicking here. Written by Jose A. Gomez and illustrated by me.

Thanks for your support.

Gtoons: Christine Torres

2011-07-22T10:07:00.002-04:00

Every month I choose a person from facebook to create a FREE BW Gtoon for them. If you want to be picked, just leave a COMMENT on THIS picture and you will be entered to win one.

Congratulations to Christine Torres, the winner of this month's Gtoon. If you want to win one just comment on this picture and you will automatically be entered.

This month, two lucky winners will be chosen. The 1st prize winner will get a Color Gtoon, and the 2nd prize winner will get our regular BW Gtoon. So, start playing. You could be next month's big winners.

Entries end on August 21st and the next winner will be announced on the 22nd. One entry per person, but feel free to comment as many times as you want.

If you'd just like to bypass this whole thing and order one you can do so by clicking here.

I Hate My Kids: You Have to Be This Tall to Annoy Me

2011-07-20T15:42:00.000-04:00

Here is this week's I Hate My Kids. Visit the site for more. If you wish to contribute, please click on the ads when you visit the site. Thank you for your support. Hope you like it.

Give and Take

2011-07-19T15:03:00.000-04:00

So, I was just emailing back and forth with Eric Nocella from Xmoor Comics and he tells me that my pin up will appear in their 6th issue of Galtow. I'm excited to see it in print. Eric is a really decent guy. When I met him at one of the conventions he had nothing but great positive energy to send my way as well as some guidance in the right direction when it comes to this comic book industry and how to break into it.

In order to run the next two arcs of comic printing for Galtow (#5, and #6), Xmoor is asking readers for some funding. Here is a little intro into the story of Galtow:

The year is 2015. It has been almost twenty-five years since the conclusion of The Second Vietnam War started by the impeached president Klaus Johnson. The United States of America has not been the same, Terrorist attacks, homeland revolts and global resentment has isolated the U.S. And the plight of the everyday man has fallen since the start of a recession that has lasted for almost a decade. The primary way of life has taken on vast changes. These events have lead to a drastic change in the way man has evolved and altered to survive the radical upheaval of everyday life. Read more

Hopefully you guys can spread at least $1 to help print these. For those who choose to give a little more...

If you donate:

$15 will get a Black and White Gtoon.
$29 will get a Black and White Full Body Gtoon.
$40 will get a Color Gtoon.
$100 will get a Full Body Color Gtoon.
$101 and more will get 2 Full Body Color Gtoons.

Click here to donate.

Just send me a copy of the confirmation with the subject Free Gtoon Xmoor on the subject line and send me the picture you want me to use.

Thank you so much for your support. Looking forward to seeing those emails

The One Part 2

2011-07-14T10:00:00.004-04:00

Using the DC Universe game is a great way to get the juices flowing when you are stuck. Creating a character from scratch requires a bit of creativity. I usually do my research based on the character's personality and background. This time around with The One, we have little to go on. I'll get more into detail s soon as we hash out a story line for him.

We created a semblance of my initial sketch. The colors yellow and black (dark gray) are my friend's favorite colors or at least those are the colors he chose. We tried to match my sketch as much as we could, but went a different way as far as the leg wear. We thought the army fatigues were a bit more appropriate. We really wanted to stay away from The whole tight (bulge showing) costume. Let me know what you think of it so far.

I Hate My Kids: Saying High To Dad

2011-07-13T09:13:00.000-04:00

Here is this week's I Hate My Kids. Visit the site for more. If you wish to contribute, please click on the ads when you visit the site. Thank you for your support. Hope you like it.

The One

2011-07-07T14:35:00.000-04:00

I've been playing around with my friend's character. He calls him The One. We still have some kinks to work out, but I'm sure that the finish will look awesome. Here's a quick bust finished in Illustrator (vector). I'll continue work on some more ideas with his feedback and will post the finished piece when I'm done. Let me know what you think of this so far.

Comic Strip Posts, every Wednesday

2011-06-29T11:34:00.001-04:00

Every Wednesday I publish two comic strips. One is called:

The Funnicks and it is based on ideas that I get from my readers. Write to us on our Facebook group.

The other is called:

I Hate My Kids and this one is published and written by Tony DiGerolamo.

Check them both out and support the arts. :)

2011-06-23T16:19:00.000-04:00

About four months ago I started to give away free caricatures on my Facebook page. The catch?, well, there IS actually a catch. You have to comment on the previous winner's picture. But that's it, I promise. Entries start as soon as the winner for the month is posted and end on the 22nd of every month. So, if you have always wanted to see yourself as a cartoon, then here is your chance.

If you are interested in purchasing one, you can always visit us at www.gstinglabs.com/Gtoons

Enjoy.

I Hate My Kids: Life Sucks and Then You Have Kids

2011-06-15T12:08:00.000-04:00

I Hate My Kids: Life Sucks and Then You Have Kids

This is a comic strip that I have been working on for the last month or so. This strip is featured every Wednesday like The Funnicks. Subscribe to it or just link to my blog. I will try to put updates as soon as they are up. Thanks for all your support.

Really Real

2011-06-03T16:54:00.000-04:00

A while back, a cool artist and had this great idea to write a children's book. We got the inspiration from, believe it or not, three ladies on the train. Well, we came up with some cool concepts and some great ideas for it. Here's a quick study of one of the characters. We haven't yet decided what style to do the illustrations in, but I was just playing around with it. I have to admit, it as fun rendering something realistically for a change. I took shots of the progress. This was done in graphite on a gessoed illustration board and the little model was my niece. Hope you guys like it.

Let's be Franc-o

2011-05-25T12:05:00.000-04:00

About a year ago I met a great artist on the train. I was sketching on my notebook with my son and Franco saw me. He asked me if I had a card and of course I did. (This is a good thing to have on you at all times aside your drawing pad, it has actually come in handy. I usually use a little case holder to house a bunch of them. Makes me feel more professional.)

Anyway, it's been a year and I got a chance to visit him again at his place. He was showing me exactly what he did. He paints store gates and has been doing so since the late 60's. He's very well known in Harlem. I got a chance to see his work while walking through 125th street at 8am in the morning. His work is breath-taking.

You can usually find him on Sunday early mornings on 125th street by the Apollo, a place that has been coined "Franco's Boulevard" because of the exhibition of his works on all the gates. Now, if you walk by in the middle of the day you might not get to experience the grand paintings.

Franco is great, down to earth and has a lot of experience under his belt. He gave me a few pointers of the art business. You can find what Franco is all about on his site www.francothegreat.com.

Truthfully, it is my dream and goal to be a successful artist like him. Thanks Franco.

Inspirations: Super J

2011-05-01T12:43:00.000-04:00

Here is a on oldie but goodie. My friend Jose created this character when we were 9 years old. Well, we decided to bring him back in a feature web comic that we are trying to get off the ground. Jose is the writer or the story, and Lorenzo and I are providing the art. With YOUR help, we can make Super J and his gang a household name. We want to make the comic as interactive as possible. This means, that the story and where the characters go will solely depend on you, the reader, but we need your feedback, so please leave comments, ideas, impressions, letters to the writer and/or artist, death threats, subpoenas, love letters, etc.

In this drawing that I did as teenager I can see how I over exaggerated some muscles. I guess I am still doing the same old thing but with much more simplicity than I did back then. I had fun redesigning this character.

Check out Super J and his gang and sign up so we can send you updates when the blog is updated. We look forward to making this story a great one with your help. There will be great prices for the winners. Don't forget to spread the word to all your comic loving friends. Thank you.

Best Friends

2011-04-24T19:53:00.000-04:00

My best friends. I met them early on in my life and now we are inseparable. I remember when I first met them. My cousin actually introduced us and it was kismet at first sight. There was no shyness, no hesitation, we hit it off quickly. I brought them to my room to play that day. That night I couldn't sleep. I was so excited to see them again in the morning. It was an amazing feeling, a feeling that I still get to this very day.

I sometimes wonder where I would be, what I would be like and how my life would have turned out if I never met them. That thought easily subsides when I think of all the wonderful times I have had with them through out the years.

This entry is to let them know that if I wasn't for them I would not be the man I am today. Thank you for being in my life. I love you.

PS. I drew on you and with you! Click here if you want to see more artwork.

Gratitude

2011-04-06T21:49:00.000-04:00

I am grateful to have the gift of being able to see things differently; being able to change my perspective on everything I place my eyes on. I have been blessed with the "eye" to view things past the particles that actually make things and see another dimension of whatever it is that I am watching. Furthermore, I am in debt to the one (or ones) that have endowed me with the gift of allowing me to place those visions, the different perspective, whether it be from a different angle or a different state of mind, that I so frequently see.
This entry is to commemorate all those who see things differently. All those who are able to listen, see, smell, touch, taste and feel something an experience something different every time, I hereby commend. Because it is those who can place a different meaning on the most mundane things each time they look at it, that make the world the most beautiful place there is to be. I am honored to be a part of this group.

Whether you are an illustrator, graphic designer, fine artist, graphite artist, musician, singer, rapper, poet, chef, interior decorator, exterior decorator, t-shirt designer, 3D artist, mom, dad, this passage is for you. stay creative an thanks for the inspiration.

Inspirations: Pepino

2011-03-20T18:18:00.000-04:00

Pepino is a night hunter. I'm not sure of what his background or origin, but I do remember having fun when I created him. There was a level of detail that I used to apply to everything I drew. Now, I go for a little simplicity as I do in my design work. Pepino means cucumber in spanish. It's a long story... You can see a slice of cucumber on his left pec. I guess that's going to be his symbol. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

Inspirations: Argus

2011-03-12T17:06:00.003-05:00

This drawing is not that old but it's old. I know it's old cause I can tell I don't draw like that no mo'. I think I was a little bit obsessed with this character. It took me ages to get her finalized with the right look. This was the final form. I was a little inspired by Lauren Hill and Storm. If you'd like to see more, you can check out my Deviant Art Gallery.

Leave me a comment. Let me know what you think of the old one and/ or the new one. I love your feed back. Thanks.

Inspirations: Windsmite

2011-03-04T19:32:00.001-05:00

This time around I went into my friend Lorenzo's "Book of Dreams" (the name he gave one of his notebooks). Makes me wonder why I never named mine (not really). Lorenzo has been drawing with me for a long time. Lately he doesn't draw but he would like to. Maybe you guys can help me motivate him to get back into it. I thought if I maybe I started drawing some of the characters in his book, he would feel compelled to start again and give you guys something to look at. You can help by going on to his Facebook page and leaving a comment letting asking him to draw again and ideas on what to draw. It would be very helpful. We'll be monitoring the comments and if he draws your idea, I will personally make sure to email a 8x10 high resolution file, signed by Lorenzo, so you can print. Thank you so much. In the meantime, enjoy and catch Lorenzo's Balance character on The Show.

This character's named Windsmite.

Inspirations: Ardour

2011-03-04T17:57:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I was caught up again going through my notebooks and archives of days of old and found this character called Ardour® that I created a while back to be featured in one of my fictional comic books. At least at that time they were fictional, now they are actually going to be come a fact (the comic books that is, not the character). Everyone dreams of super powers or superheroes to be a part of your team. I always wanted a group like the X-men but never really wanted any of their powers, except for Telekinesis. I was really intrigued by Firestorm from DC, and I remember looking at a match one day and seeing how it burned and said: "Hey, why don't I make a character that looks like a match?" Enter Ardour®.

It's a been a very long time since I created this character and since then I have actually began to publish pages of my own Comic Book in which some of these characters from my old notebook are featured. Ardour® won't be featured in The Show but he sure as hell was fun to re-draw. Oh yeah, that's another thing I like to do, is redraw things that I find in my old notebooks. As you can tell, I have really changed my style. I have applied everything I have learned about design work and implemented it in my drawings. Simple designs seem to work better and thus, simple drawings tend to give me more freedom when I create and draw a character over and over and over again. I hope you guys enjoy this image and please comment. Don't forget to sign up for this blog if you want to be updated. Thanks

The Funnicks by Harold L. George (Gsting): The Funnicks #39

2011-02-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

I have been having a lot of fun with the comic strip that I started a while back. I just came across some old character sketches of how King Fried looked in the beginning stages to now. The suit never really caught on. For some reason I didn't really like it. It was too rigid for the character.

Just to shed some light on this character, King Fried is the heir of Hell. He has taken over and has really no skills to manage it. Most of his time he spends in the crapper, or trying to entice people to join him by pitching ridiculous perks. He is often found stalking celebrities and claiming they are his best friend.

Catch King Fried every Wednesday on The Funnicks and if you want to be notified when the next post is up, sign up and we'll be sure to send you an email.

Matter Boy

2011-01-11T22:17:00.000-05:00

I was just playing around with a sketch I did for my son who has these wonderful cool characters he created about 6 years ago. This one, as the name states, was labeled Matter Boy. His power is to assimilate any form of matter by touching it. One hand absorbs, the other transforms. I thought the idea was pretty nifty so I decided to work with him in designing them. I did this with just a regular pen, brought it into Illustrator and auto-traced it to clean up the lines somewhat, then colored it in photoshop. It took me about an hour to finish the process. Enjoy.

Operation: Endgame

2010-10-20T15:56:00.000-04:00

Wow, one of the best things to actually see is your name on credits, even if it is at the end of a movie. So, I was watching a movie I worked on for DRS and saw some of the credits and voila!, there it was, my name, just like I write it. You could not imagine how it changed my mood. It was amazing. Well, hope you guys can take a look at the movie. It's pretty funny.