Tattoo Story Page One Pencils

I drew this about a month ago already...time sure is flying. I have traveled more this year than all previous trips before this year combined, I think. I am really happy to burrow into the studio for the winter and do some printing. The guy at the top right of the page is John Haywood, a great talented tattoo and fine artist from Kentucky who I had the pleasure of meeting in passing in Newport. He plays all sorts of instruments really well, too.

Jenn in Cincinnati

This past weekend, my sister Jenn and I went to Newport, KY (via Indianapolis and Cincinnati) where we visited The Southgate House to see a benefit show, To Sing With You Once More. Here's a very quick sketch I did of her sipping some wine and looking at the second issue of Suspect Device (not pictured).

Status Quo Ante Bellum Accepted in Illustrators 54 Annual/Show

Woo hoo! The judges were super awesome this year, it is a huge honor and one of my biggest dreams to get into the show and annual. Keep on drawing!

Driving Page One

 

A pencil sketch for page one of the Tattoo Story, where Clifton Hicks travels to Whitesburg, KY from Boone, NC to get a really cool tattoo.

John Hicks

 

This is a drawing done from 60's era passport photo of Clifton's father. I am a big fan of the paisley tie, the fabric was really fun to draw. 

I Tossed And Turned All Night

 

This is a drawing for the Tattoo Story. I couldn't wait to do the layout for this particular scene, I just had to copy a drawing right from the photograph. It's very lovely. I am excited to get to this part of the story.

Tattoo Story Cover

Etching Round Three

Only thing left to do is some aquatint, I hope you're not tired of this thing. It's getting pretty!

Stormy Night

A page from the sketchbook, about something I remembered from the North Carolina trip. There was a really windy storm that woke me up the second night I was there in the cabin, I thought for sure I would blow away. I saw the clouds outside make what looked like two condensation funnels (ack! tornado!) and asked myself what I should do. I settled on going back to sleep and woke up to an absurdly gorgeous day.

Etching: in Progress

Always a work in progress...going to put this in the acid one more time, and add aquatint to the outside border. I like the original drawing better, since it was more delicate. I'm learning a lot of things about how to get that delicate quality in etching and feel the etchings I do later will benefit from all of this stumbling around in the print shop I've been doing. Working on more fun stuff like the actual interior-- story. I think I'm at the point where I am over-thinking and just need to make it. Kinda feel silly making the cover before the inside pages. Onward we go!

Sketchbook Pages

John Haywood, tattoo and fine artist.

Boots.

Me in a field in Vilas, NC.

Plate

Putting this old thing in the acid tonight.