Mecha!!!!

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

I know, I know, only three days in and I already missed a couple of days. I'll try not to let that happen again.

I absolutely love Mecha - there's something about big honkin robots that's just so cool. I loved them ever since I was a kid - Transformers (naturally), Voltron, Voltes 5, Gundam, Go Bots(uh...), Power Rangers (wha... uh I was just, uh.. kidding!!...haha.. uh...Kimberly's hot...). One of my absolute favorite toys was Centurions! Those toys were so awesome!! And there was a Monkey!!! Too cool... I owned Hacker, Doc Terror and Jake Rockwell. When the 80's boom was going on in comic books recently, I was waiting for someone to pick up that license - never happened though. Maybe I'll do a pin-up when I get some time. Won't be for a while though...

I'd like to let you guys know about a project I'm working on. It's called "Dawn of the Dread Force". A way cool project I'm working on with some really talented guys, namely Rob Armstrong, Damnation, Kurt Hathaway and Gerardo Sandoval. It will be a new comic book series that will be dropping in the Fall. Above is a pic of the cover drawn by the Mighty Gerardo. He's ultra talented and I absolutely love his style. Check out his work here: http://gordotote.deviantart.com/

It's not you're mother's Mecha! Check it out and keep your eyes peeled here: http://www.jaranstudios.com/ for updates. I'd love to show you the work I'm doing on it right now - I'll post them when I'm allowed to :)

Pics today

1) Dawn of the Dread Force cover done by the amazing Gerardo Sandoval

2) Centurions!!!

3) Transformers: Infiltration #1 cover

4&5) Some pics of the Hulk and Abomination for Marvel Comics

gavo2o from the boards at Gateworld.net asks:

Got any tips for an aspiring artist?

Practice, practice, practice!!! That's what it's about. Draw everything!! Don't just draw your favorite characters, draw a tree, or a bench or a house or a cat or anything you see. Draw everyday, let a sketchbook and pencil be as common as a knife and fork to you. Just like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get. If you get the chance to go to school - take the opportunity - especially life drawing classes - once you get over the initial shock of having a naked dude posing in front of you, you learn so much about anatomy and drawing in general - even if all you want to do is draw robots, this will help you.

hxcpunk23 asks:

Any advice or tips on drawing huge transforming robots?

I like putting little details in my work - especially around joint areas - great places for gak and little things like hoses & gears. But when it comes to big robots, put emphasis in the shoulders and the lower leg areas. It adds so much to your drawings.
And most of all learn the basics first before doing the detail. learn perspective - if your perspective is off, you can tell right away in a robot drawing. Detailing up a bad drawing is only putting flowers on some poop. It won't mask what it really is.

Nic asks:

Where there any Transformers you have a hard time drawing or just don't like to draw?

I love drawing all transformers. Drawing them more than once however is a different story. Armada Megatron was a pain to draw the 1000th time, because of drawing all the treads on his shoulders. But I love detail. The satisfaction of having a cool drawing always outweighs the labor to get there.

Well that's it for today. Some fun stuff tomorrow!

James Anthony Raiz

Stand Up Joke of the Day from the late great Rodney Dangerfield:

My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.