#INKtober 2015 No.17: Peanuts Confidential

This INKtober image is yet again inspired by my thoughts as a young kid. It always bothered me that the adults in the Peanuts cartoons were never seen. I was freaked out whenever the teachers spoke on the cartoon shows. Sure it was funny . . . but also quite eerie, especially when as a child one would try to envision what those teachers + parents looked like whenever they spoke.

INKtober image #17: Using a SB brush pen on Canson marker paper and digitally toned in Photoshop.

So this was my conclusion . . . a very rare skin disease that occurs during puberty. I would imagine the entire Peanuts' community was under quarantine and under the watch + care of the U.S. military. If fact, I'd imagine it was the US military that gave these sick people the cruel and heartless code-name: "PEANUTS".

The inked version sans all the type

With this theory, it all made sense. It explained why the adults were never seen on the cartoon shows and why all of the adults spoke so strangely due to their enclosed and hardened mouths. Makes total sense to me . . .

The original pencil sketch

#INKtober 2015 No.16: Moon Ride (Halloween in 2 weeks)

No joke today for INKtober #16.
This was an image I sketched quite some time ago for a Halloween Trick or Treat bag. It was a very rough idea that I decided wasn't going to work for my client. I have made many sketches like this just laying around. Even though this might be a nice concept image - it just doesn't fit into what retailers want to sell on the market.

INKtober #16 using a very soft bristle brush pen and Photoshop digital toning

 I used a much softer bristle brush pen for this image. Notice how the lines are more flexible and loose since the bristle tend to bend much easier with the slightest pressure. The result is a more interesting line that feels much more playful and relaxed. Just for added effect, I decided to add the burst of orange tone in the background to make the image stand out.

Inked version of the image

The original rough sketch that was done in pencil (and bit of gray marker on the hat)

#INKtober 2015 No.15: Pumpkin Head

For Inktober image #15, I wanted to do something a little different.
I wanted to demonstrate how the meaning of words can be altered by associating them with an image. In this case, the lyrics from a popular Christmas song, which in my opinion always had a creepy vibe.

So the next time you hear that Christmas song, maybe you'll remember this little experiment -- and hopefully I haven't ruined that song for you . . . (snicker).

The original image sans words.
Inked with a SB brush pen on toned paper and colored with markers and highlighted with a white opaque pen.

The original pencil sketch

#INKtober 2015 No.14: Godzilla OOPS!

Continuing with this year INKtober images and my childhood thoughts about monsters.
I LOVED giant monsters! I can still remember rushing home after school with my best friend Joe to watch the 4:30 movie on ABC (Channel 7.)
Several times a year, Channel 7 would run Monster Week. Sometimes it was the classic Universal Pictures monster movies like The Mummy or Frankenstein -- but the best was Giant Monsters week!

One thing that confused us as kids was why in some movies Godzilla was good and in others he was bad. In the original Godzilla movie - he's bad. In Destroy All Monsters - he's good. In King Kong vs. Godzilla - he's bad. Godzilla vs. Ghidorah - he's good. So confusing . . . 

So my friend and I came to a conclusion that Godzilla is never bad, he's just misunderstood. His size is threatening and causes damage, so the military has to step in. If Godzilla just stayed home on Monster Island, none of this conflict would have ever happened. So he is basically guilty of having a curiosity that has made him wander -- which got him into a whole lot of trouble.

One last note: If you haven't heard -- there is a re-make of King Kong vs. Godzilla in the works and set for 2020. I'm not a fan of re-makes . . . But I have to admit that is something I would like to see.

#INKtober 2015 No.13: Dracula - Sans Cape

Next in my line of INKtober 2015 submissions is good ol' Dracula. Like many of these inked cartoons I have been doing, this one goes back to my childhood where I wanted to absorb all stories about monsters, aliens, mythology and the unknown. I believe it's what drove me to be creative, to ponder and question the impossible and somehow make it seem like it could be real.

INKtober #13: using Ink brush pen and digitally toning in Photoshop

I still remember images of Bela Lugosi's Dracula holding out his cape and transforming into a bat. It was a very impressive visual effect for the time. But then came the questions . . . so the cape melds and becomes a part of his biological bat form? What is the cape made of? Can any cape be used in this fashion? What if Dracula decided to transform into a bat but forgot to wear his cape?

Inked version without gray toning

Notice below that I changed the angle of the original sketch. I felt rotating the bat so that he was looking and facing downward was better to convey that he was in fact falling.

Original light pencil sketch

#INKtober 2015 No.12:T-Rex Hand Satnd

Here's submission number #12 for INKtober. This one I had in the back of my head for some time. It simply follows the comedic formula of T-Rex + Small Arms = Funny.

INKtober 2015 12th submission, draw with a pen brush and digitally shaded

I wanted to add a prehistoric background, but I have been very busy with work. I might return and update this image when I get the time. This image needs just a little bit of background to give it proper placement which will help identify the character better.

The Inked version without shading

The original pencil sketch. Notice the tongue was left when I was inking since
its placement was not the best for the composition (and just didn't look right.)

#INKtober 2015 No.11: Pumpkin Spice

Almost didn't post this one. It didn't turn out the way I imagined it. Somehow it seemed funnier on my head. I feel this could have been better, but my workload is getting very heavy lately - so it shows in this INKtober submission.

I like the character, but my idea of a joke is definitely weak. If I had the time, I'd do this one all over again.

#INKtober 2015 No.10: Half-Lit Lantern Fish

This No. 10 image for INKtober is inspired by one of the creepiest looking fish in the world: the deep sea Lantern Fish.

I've always imagined that a lantern fish would probably lose its mind having a bright light shining in front of its face, deep within the dark ocean depths.

INKtober #10 submission with digital shading

INKtober #10 submission with just the Ink

Original pencil sketch, notice the fish looked too long, so the height was adjusted when inking

#INKtober 2015 No.9: Hunchback of Dingleberries

INKtober submission #9:

Thinking of monsters from my childhood past, I started thinking about the popular breakfast cereal monsters of the time . . . Count Chocula, Frankenberry, Boo Berry, etc.  So I started to imagined what monsters were rejected from having their own cereal.

 INKtober's submission #9 including some digitally coloured grey shading via Photoshop

Just the inked image for INKtober's submission #9 using a brush pen

Those paying attention might start to notice the repeat appearance of the little space gnat/fly. I'm planning to use this little character in about 1/3 of the images throughout the month and then end the event with an image feature this little insectoid character. 

The original pencil sketch (including the written text)

#INKtober 2015 No.8: King Kong + the Empire State Building

For those keeping counts . . . Here's INKtober No.8!
This one goes back to my childhood memories of watching all the big ape movies around Thanksgiving. King Kong is often portrayed hanging from atop the Empire State Building -- that image is as iconic as the film itself. But let's face it, the radio antenna on top the Empire State Building is not made of titanium people!

INKtober 2015 image #8 inked then gray tones added in Photoshop

For creating this image, I needed to work in several steps.

First, I needed to make a picture of the Empire State Building in cartoon form. The goal here was to try and capture the characteristics of the building that make it instantly recognizable. If the building is drawn too stiff, detailed or mechanical, it doesn't work with the cartoon. Inking the lines freehand (without a ruler or straight edge) gave the Empire Building a more playful look.

The original inked image without gray tones.

Once the building was sketched, adding the cartoon of King Kong became easier. I also tilted the building to the right to give a better perspective, movement, and energy to the overall image.

Original pencil sketches. Originally two separate images which were combined to create this look.

#INKtober 2015 No. 6: Darth Vader Gnat Force

No. 6 for this month's INKtober drawing is good ol' Darth Vader. Vader is alway fun to draw since he is such an iconic figure of evil. So this image shows Darth in one of his weaker moments, dealing with an annoying insect.

Inktober 2015 image #6 inked with a brush pen and digitally gray tone coloring

This image above is just the inked lines without digitally coloring

The original pencil sketch

#INKtober 2015 No. 5: Zoobie-Dang

The 5th image for INKtober 2015 is a character I've have been developing for a long time. I wanted to develop a character that was so disliked and hated, not because he's evil, but simply because he's boring.

Zoobie-Dang is a leader of the cave dwelling people called Mucklugs. Zoobie-Dang is terribly boring, slow talking and people generally find him incredibly annoying. He's been the default leader for over 5 decades because none of the other Mucklugs wants his job as the leader.

Inktober 2015 image #5 inked with a brush pen and digitally gray tone coloring

Zoobie-Dang might even be a good leader, but his people just can't stand listening to him. There have been many attempts to kill Zoobie-Dang, but the killers always stop, realizing there is no one to take his place as leader.

The inked image without any of the digital coloring

It's worth mentioning that Zoobie-Dang dabbles in magic. His mystic iStick gives him the ability to see people's true emotions, reads minds and can tell when someone lies. So Zoobie-Dang knows everyone's thoughts about him and how much he is disliked . . . which just makes him even more annoying because he acts like he knows EVERYTHING!

The original pencil sketch

#INKtober 2015 No.4: The Swoop

Continuing the INKtober fest . . . here's #4. Getting a little political here, but it's all in good fun. Hopefully, this helps clear up some of the confusion to what's really going on . . .

Inktober 2015 image #4 using a Faber-Castell brush pen and some digital coloring to help define the character.

The original pencil sketch

#INKtober 2015 No.3: Frankendad

The third image for Inktober is keeping with the Halloween monster tone. This one is a typical morning for good ol' Frankendad. Alway fun to take popular outrageous characters and just drop them into a normal everyday lifestyle.

Inktober 2015 image #3. created with two types of ink pens. 
(Didn't care for the coverage of the first pen and went over those lines with a darker black pen.)

I feel the sketch version below is better than the inked version above. I overdid the inking, making it too "muddy" with so much stippling, (those little dots of ink for shading).

I also prefer his relaxed right arm pose in the pencil sketch much better. It helps gives a more tired/lazy look. But I kept the lil' were-baby in for the added humor.

The original pencil concept for Frankendad.

You can also see how I didn't like the first mug sketch, so it was cut and replaced by the Happy face mug.

#INKtober 2015 No.2: Toadasaurus Rex

Continuing with Inktober and my wacky creature/monster theme: The Toadasaurus Rex.

Inktober 2015 image #2. created with a LePen fine point permanent marker (w/some digital coloring.)

Had this idea in my head for some time now. The dinosaur character still needs more tweaking - but for now, it's good enough to play around with for Inktober. I picture this little guy snapping and leaping around at prehistoric house flies.

Ink only version

Original pencil sketch