Digital Paint

Inspiration Tom

2012-01-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Hello people in internet land!
Lately, I have been writing and working on getting my novels completed. I know I'm not the best at grammar, using the correct verb, or making a complete sentence, being that I am partly dyslexic, but there is something that my college English professor told me about.

For our final project, we were to write a story that effected us and it had to be five pages. At the end of class I asked him, "Does it have to be a true story?"
He took a moment and looked at me, seeing that there was some creativity I was asking for, "No, it can be fiction." he replied.

That night I went to my dorm and began writing, my first draft was meaningless. I then took a moment to myself, relaxed, searched my head for something that effected me.
I was being artistic, and decided to write about being inside my own head.
Walking down long halls that were lined with several doors. Each door representing a different memory and then something came to me and guided me through my own head. Smoke, a figment of inspiration told me what my head was filled with. Informed me about the doors, about how it works.
For five pages I explored my own mind and at the end I asked the smoke, "How do I wake up?"
He replied with, "Stop writing."

When I was done, I felt I had drawn the most beautiful painting and all I used were words and poor grammar.
I was hesitant to take my final to him, I was nervous that he'd think it was rubbish.
He read it, and was so interested in it, that he proof read it, gave me words of advice and told me, "Now, I don't know from experience or anything but this sounds like an LSD trip."
I laughed but then he said something else that sparked excitement in me, "No I'm serious, this is actually a great story, I'd like to see it fleshed out more."
Even with the bad grammar, incomplete sentences, and all around poor use of the English language, I was able to convince him that I was a writer at heart.

A few days went by and I corrected my mistakes and handed in my final and got an A.
He was giving a speech in the class about the different finals and looked right at me, "You don't have to be good at grammar to be the greatest writer."
I smiled, and those words will remain with me forever.

Tom Lewis, you were the best inspiration to me in my life and I'll always remember you.
R.I.P.

- Jasen

Where have you been?

2011-12-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted on here in such a long time.
I have been busy at my day job which this time is a very good thing as I will be having my design work showing up overseas.
Everything I've been doing for the company is going to be used in power points and as examples throughout the entire company.

To the right is an image I did for my team. I have been on this team twice now and each time I create a new "logo" This time I added all the previous logos hidden within it because, once a Regulator, always a Regulator.

Besides being busy at work I have always been working hard on my novel. Takes a lot of time and effort to write in a novella format. Plus, I have been adding a lot of history, basically taking notes of my own world that I created, this way I can't contradict myself.

Of course, there were the holidays that came up and usually during this time of year it seems I am extremely busy and by extremely I mean that I have been playing Skyrim.
Ever since Skyrim, I have not really done much else but write, work, and games.
I will say though that it is providing great fuel for thought as I am writing my own fantasy series...not that they are close to the same story.

Anyway, hope everyone has a great holiday and be safe out there.

- Jasen

Batman: Arkham City

2011-10-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

Ever since I heard they were making a sequel to one of my all time favorite games I have been on edge. The time is here and let me tell you, they did a great job.

New Arkham City inmate and rising warlord Two-Face devises a plan to publicly execute fellow prisoner Catwoman after she tries to steal back some of her ill-gotten gains from his hideout. Meanwhile, Gotham City itself has degenerated into a police state managed by Mayor Sharp, where citizens with the slightest trace of a criminal record find themselves shipped to the prison district. Those who dare to challenge Sharp's policies are the target of arranged disappearances, becoming political prisoners trapped behind Arkham's walls. Among these is Bruce Wayne, who holds a rally attacking the proposal of turning half his city into a walled-off reserve for criminally inclined persons. Segregated from society, he argues, they have become responsible for their own survival in an anarchic urban hell which is characterized by bloody gang wars.
Wayne, as the latest focus of Sharp's vendetta, is kidnapped by Tyger Security operatives working for Hugo Strange, who is privy to his dual identity as Batman. Strange intends to unveil new plans for Arkham City before the night is up, an operation codenamed Protocol 10, which will establish himself as supreme ruler of Gotham. Now an inmate, the Dark Knight manages to have Alfred Pennyworth deliver his crimefighting equipment to him directly via an airdrop, and he prepares to save Catwoman from Two-Face for the sake of their past relationship while uncovering the true nature of Protocol 10.
Hacking Tyger communications, Batman overhears a report indicating that Catwoman is being held in the old city courthouse. Making his way there, the Dark Knight comes upon her standing trial before a kangaroo court, with Two-Face as judge and executioner. The mock courtroom is promptly crashed and the villain's gang defeated. Believing that the Joker, as one of Arkham's prominent gangleaders, may know about Protocol 10, Batman then proceeds to track the Clown Prince of Crime to his hideaway within a steelworks mill. Inside, he uncovers a doctor kidnapped to treat his enemy, who claims that Titan’s unstable properties are mutating in Joker's blood, slowly killing him. The latter is subsequently able to capture Batman and perform a blood transfusion, thereby striking him with the same potentially fatal disease. He uses this as leverage against the Caped Crusader, forcing him to find a cure for him or they perish together.

Batman deduces that Mr. Freeze is the only person who has the knowledge to develop this cure, and so hurries to secure his assistance and the necessary elements for the antidote while consistently coming into conflict with Ra's al Ghul, the Penguin, Solomon Grundy, and Freeze himself, who is at best an unwilling ally. To complicate matters, Harley Quinn steals the formula once it has been completed, leading to a head-on battle with the Joker, who wishes to stabilize his own condition while allowing Batman to die.
Hugo Strange, meanwhile, initiates Protocol 10: A scheme to wipe out the entire inmate population of Arkham City and thus, "save" Gotham from its criminal element. Tyger troops, who have been brainwashed to serve only Strange and his insane interests, begin mass executions of political prisoners while launching air strikes on Arkham from attack helicopters. The last hours of Batman's life are ticking away but he decides that saving innocents is more important than his own welfare. When Protocol 10 is finally deactivated, however, the hero has a surprise confrontation with Ra's al Ghul, who mortally wounds Strange for his failures while revealing that he is the mastermind behind Arkham City; Protocol 10 was to be the first stage of a plan to 'cleanse' the Earth by killing undesirable inhabitants. With his dying breath, Strange then activates a self-destruct program for his command center, and Batman escapes while Ra's commits suicide rather than risk capture.
Batman learns that the Joker is hiding inside Arkham's old Monarch Theater and enters it searching for the antidote. There are two Jokers present, however, and the real twin explains that his double is Clayface, who has been impersonating him all along. In the struggle that follows the theater is destroyed, although Batman is able to retrieve the formula and save himself. Joker attacks him, allowing the remaining antidote to spill. He succumbs to his illness while Batman looks on, maintaining that he would have saved his foe. Soon after, the latter carries Joker's corpse out of Arkham City into a breaking dawn.

From Wikipedia

First off, I got to say, flying through Arkham City is amazing but not as amazing as the villains. Just like Arkahm Asylum, Batman's rouge's gallery sports some of the greatest boss battles ever.
My favorite was Mr. Freeze.

As you can see from the video he is one bad ass looking opponent and smart to go up against as he destroys objects you use against him once use them against him.

Not only are the bad guys fun to fight but your combat skills are far better, good thing too because the villain's goons got some new toys to play with as well.
Story wise I didn't feel as captivated as I did in Arkham Asylum and as can be expected when taking a game and redoing it into a new environment can cause some bugs.
With that said it doesn't even come close to ruining this great game.

The graphics in this game are done very well and brings you into the world of Batman. Little things like finding the Alley your parents were gunned down in and paying your respects are what makes this game better.
After collecting the character trophies you can get up close and personal with the character models to really see the details the creators put into it.

The play control fits perfectly though I don't recommend playing Assassin's Creed and then jumping over to this one, you may find yourself running into walls and feeling stupid. From using your combos, or devices in combat the buttons are in the perfect spot.

The music is also spot on, with a sound that seems to mix Hans Zimmer from the Nolan films to that of the animated series. It's dramatic in places and sad in others setting the mood nicely for levels or during casual play.

Something new they added with this was putting Catwoman in the game allowing you to switch between Batman and Catwoman in the campaign. She has her own story that ties in with the main story. She also has her own arsenal like bolas, her whip, and something similar to Batman's vision. She is an awesome character and I think this shows that they can make this work with other heroes like say maybe, Superman.

If you like Batman, platforming games, or liked games like Assassins Creed and Metal Gear then you must try this game out. It is a must have and will take a long time before you complete it with 100% as the Riddler has once again hidden his trademark green questions marks all over the city.

- Jasen

Harley Quinn

2011-10-28T15:39:00.006-07:00

I saw this while searching online awhile back and never got around to posting it.

The original was done by David Messina who is an amazing artist.
I used what he already made and added my own take on it.
I kept his color scheme after searching for a different one. Purple didn't work as we lost Harley a bit, green seemed like too obvious a color, yellow made pieces of her fade into the back ground, and blue made it too nice, giving the wrong impression.

After locking onto this beige color and finishing the foreground Harley I went ahead and colored the background one. After getting the shapes on her and did work on the color holds.

It was more of a learning experience on my part to help understand cuts and apply it. I felt it worked out great and looks nice.

As always, thanks for looking.

- Jasen

OCCUPY WALL STREET

2011-10-16T16:15:00.001-07:00

As some of you know, I hate our current governments and the whole N.W.O thing, regardless if you believe there is or isn't, it's there.
On September 17th, 2011 people marched on the streets of New York and began to make history. I didn't find out until days later because of the media blackout, but thanks to You Tube I was able to get more and more info about it.

On October 1st I made this propaganda poster about anonymous and then several more as the days followed.

I'm amazed at these people and how they were able to stand up for what they believe in for such a long time and now the entire world is following in those same footsteps, though some violently.

Even the governments are paying attention and for once in 10 of years the American government is losing its control over the populace and must scramble to either meet the peoples demands or let it grow completely out of control.

After making the posters I also made a video showing what these people are doing and what's been happening up to that point.
I may need to make another since the world is joining in on this and things in America are changing drastically. Numerous people still don't even know about this or how big it is.
You can find out more from the wiki page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Wall_Street

Here is the other posters I made for the protest.

From Propaganda

Here is the video I made.

From Propaganda

- Jasen

Hendrix

2011-10-16T15:58:00.000-07:00

Made a couple new brushes for another project and figured I'd try them out on a new painting.

I used a photo to start out with. At work right now or I'd post the photo. Not sure who took the photo either so if any one knows drop me a line.
Any way, started out with a photo and since it was black and white I added my own colors to it by painting over the photo on a new layer.

Close to the end I duplicated the layer and added a noise filter and using a layer mask created a nice grainy texture.

Step 1: Paste photo onto layer 1 and use smart blur filter a few times.

Step 2: Create new layer to add base tones grabbed from the smart blurred photo and set it to a low opacity.

Step 3: Create a new layer and start creating shapes. (Nose, eyes, etc) Set it to low opacity.

Step 4: Repeat step 3.

Step 5: If needed repeat step 3 again each time bringing out the highlights.

Step 6: Throw away layer 1, the photo, and merge the other layers.

Step 7: Start blending.

Step 8 : Add smaller details, highlights.

Step 9: Add texture.

Step 10: Make any adjustments needed.

This is usually what I do, it depends though on the image.

Here is a close up of the details.

From My Art

- Jasen

Gorillaz

2011-10-11T20:12:00.001-07:00

Lines by: Irene Strychalski
Colors by me.

Stumbled on this while browsing the nets and love the style.
Love the band and realized I'd never colored anything of theirs before and decided I'd go ahead and give it a shot.

The Gorillaz are a colorful bunch, from Murdoc's funky skin pigment to Noodle's hair and of course 2D's color hair too. Plus we have cool effects and multiple light sources. So I started out with coloring 2D to establish the orange color he'll be putting out. Then I started on Noodle's Inviso-powers and started casting a blue on them. After getting the light sources in place I went on to start my highlights and finishing with effects.

Of course last but not least to really make it pop I put some rad color holds on our funky band and brought them to life.

Thanks for looking and sorry it's been so long since I last posted on here, I promise I'm still alive.

From Colors

- Jasen

Android Panda

2011-07-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

James Abels is creating a comic called, Android Panda.

Good guy, so I figured I figured I help him and color his cover for him.

More info here: http://androidpandablog.blogspot.com/2011/07/first-finished-art.html

Pencils and Inks: Zak Hartong

Colors: Me

- Jasen

Power Girl

2011-06-11T22:03:00.001-07:00

I couldn't figure what exactly I wanted for a color scheme. I tried darker but it didn't have that fantasy look I wanted for this. I was very hesitant to make it so bright but each time I changed something I'd go back and redo it in this bright white color.
I wanted the red cape to pop out more than the white but didn't want to do just by using a complimentary color for the background. So I pulled the greens back giving them more of a yellow/green color.
I also wanted to give this a very classic look since DC comics is rebooting all their characters I made this to give homage to those we'll miss.
Also, I'm not a fan of lens flares but I did put on on here.

Here it is anyway.
Powergirl!

From My Art

Little Mermaid

2011-06-08T20:58:00.002-07:00

Yesterday while I was working on a logo for the company a girl walked by and said I needed to do more girly stuff. I said I've done girly stuff, then I looked through over 100 images and found a Unicorn I did for the Last Unicorn draw off on these boards...and that was it.

So I was browsing the nets Disney related stuff and thought, it'd be pretty cool to paint a Little Mermaid image.
Little did I know that I'd be painting this for around 10 hours.
However, I think it looks pretty damn cool.

From My Art

Babydoll

2011-06-04T17:26:00.002-07:00

I always wanted to do a Sucker Punch fan art type of thing and decided to go ahead and paint Babydoll from a wallpaper I saw online.
Wasn't as bad as I thought it was gonna be. Created a few brushes for the snow, filtered some extra snow, and blurred some bullets.

From My Art

Supergirl

2011-06-03T12:51:00.001-07:00

This took me over 8 hours. Since it was my weekend I decided to just color all day.
I got the palette down while working on this and watching WW2 in HD. That old timey film look just appealed to me and influenced the look of this.

Always liked the Supergirl look but never the character. She always seemed to a female Superman and they never knew what to do with her.
Well DC, I have a great story for her that would appeal to newer audiences and old ones alike. No confusing timelines, alternate dimensions, and no stupid multiple Supergirl characters in one dimension thing.

From My Art

Poison Ivy.

2011-06-02T23:16:00.000-07:00

Been wanting to do a Batman character for awhile and decided I'd do it in this new style I've picked up.
Found a cos player picture online as reference and changed her skin color, eyes, and lips in the painting.

From My Art

Blondie Juno Temple

2011-06-01T15:11:00.003-07:00

Tried using unnatural colors in this one because it was very white. Not as clean as I'd like it but still came out nice looking.

Used a Juno Temple picture as reference.

From My Art

Gingerbread

2011-05-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

Been playing around with just painting in Photoshop and think I'm finally starting to get the hang of it.
Used a Lily Cole pic as reference.

From My Art

Dolphin

2011-05-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

Just another speed painting I tried. I think I'll just keep doing these until I really get a hang of it and then start getting more detailed. So far I like how this and the turtle turned out.

From My Art

2011-05-30T11:57:00.001-07:00

I love the Psylocke character. Growing up she was always my favorite. A sexy female ninja with telekinetic powers, what's more to love.
Big thanks to Sean Ellery for providing the flats on this.

Pencils by Harvey Tolibao
Inks by Julien HB
Flats by Sean Ellery
Colors by me

From Colors

I like Toortles

2011-05-29T11:57:00.001-07:00

Never just painted something in photoshop. Usually I have a guide with line art that I go off of. So I figured I'd give it a shot and just paint something.
After about 2 hours I came up with this little guy.

From My Art

Shadowland

2011-05-12T00:48:00.000-07:00

Never colored a John Cassaday piece...don't think I will again. I love his art a lot, one of my favorite artists but his style and mine don't belong together in my opinion.

From Colors

Kiani: Fathom

2011-05-05T16:59:00.000-07:00

Art by Talent Caldwell.

I have searched forever for some art by Talent and it's pretty hard to find. Found this online and thought I'd give it a shot to see if our styles worked together. Did a lot of things I normally wouldn't do...use a a lot of filters.
I think it came out nice, did find out that I need to calibrate my monitors though, on one the contrast is high, on the other the colors seem to wash out.

Thanks for looking.

From Colors

Secret Invasion

2011-05-01T22:08:00.000-07:00

Secret Invasion
Pencils by Leinil Francis Yu
Inks by Victor Moya
Colors by me.

My good buddy Victor posted his inks of this up on Facebook and was nice enough to send it my way. I love coloring his inked work. Since seeing his work I now know what a great inker is and the man has serious talent.

From Colors

René Descartes

2011-04-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

I read a lot of things about space, the mind, and spirit. I feel these are the things we know little about even when we have a grasp on it.

Some may argue that we know our own oceans less than we know the Universe but the Universe is far bigger an unknown than our tiny ocean.

I wanted to know more on what the third eye is and came across the pineal gland. After reading about it, I now want to tell people about it. From what I have read, the pineal gland is who we are. It's what makes us who we are.

I then came across this man, René Descartes.

Descartes in his Passions of the Soul and The Description of the Human Body suggested that the body works like a machine, that it has the material properties of extension and motion, and that it follows the laws of physics. The mind (or soul), on the other hand, was described as a nonmaterial entity that lacks extension and motion, and does not follow the laws of physics. Descartes argued that only humans have minds, and that the mind interacts with the body at the pineal gland. This form of dualism or duality proposes that the mind controls the body, but that the body can also influence the otherwise rational mind, such as when people act out of passion. Most of the previous accounts of the relationship between mind and body had been uni-directional.

Descartes suggested that the pineal gland is "the seat of the soul" for several reasons. First, the soul is unitary, and unlike many areas of the brain the pineal gland appeared to be unitary (though subsequent microscopic inspection has revealed it is formed of two hemispheres). Second, Descartes observed that the pineal gland was located near the ventricles. He believed the cerebrospinal fluid of the ventricles acted through the nerves to control the body, and that the pineal gland influenced this process. Finally, although Descartes realized that both humans and animals have pineal glands (see Passions of the Soul Part One, Section 50, AT 369), he believed that only humans have minds. This led him to the belief that animals cannot feel pain, and Descartes's practice of vivisection (the dissection of live animals) became widely used throughout Europe until the Enlightenment. Cartesian dualism set the agenda for philosophical discussion of the mind–body problem for many years after Descartes's death.

"My view is that this gland is the principal seat of the soul, and the place in which all our thoughts are formed. The reason I believe this is that I cannot find any part of the brain, except this, which is not double. Since we see only one thing with two eyes, and hear only one voice with two ears, and in short have never more than one thought at a time, it must necessarily be the case that the impressions which enter by the two eyes or by the two ears, and so on, unite with each other in some part of the body before being considered by the soul. Now it is impossible to find any such place in the whole head except this gland; moreover it is situated in the most suitable possible place for this purpose, in the middle of all the concavities; and it is supported and surrounded by the little branches of the carotid arteries which bring the spirits into the brain."

He says the pineal gland is the only thing in the brain that is one. However, the answer I feel was in front of him all along and the other part of the pineal gland is our body. It can control our mind as our mind can control our body.

The Incredibles

2011-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Colored this for fun. I liked how the art was open and no crosshatching. Always fun doing Disney stuff and cartoon like art.

From Colors

Deadpool and Thing Cover

2011-04-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

Pencils by Jim Calafiore
Inks by Peter Palmiotti

Colored this for a challenge on Gutterzombie. Glad to see these come back because I hate flatting and these come pre flatted :P

At first I wasn't going to use a green color for the background and was going to go with purple but when I did that I felt I lost Deadpool in the image.

Then I changed the color around a bit until I stopped on green. After that I just went with my gut and desaturated the greens until it felt right. Can't wait to see other's posts on this one.

Also, after I found out Peter inked this, I had to color it. It's been awhile since I did anything of his.

From Colors

Free Comic Book Day

2011-04-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

Don't forget boys and girls. Mark your calendars, push back any appointments you have made, skip work, and tell your wife in labor you had a tire blow out and the only reason you took pictures of stormtroopers and was holding onto slave Leia is because they were helping you change your tire.
I have only ever been to one...had to work everyday and just got my new schedule and again I have to work that day. It's a damn shame but hopefully I convince my wife to take the kids and get some comics. Usually, Atomic Comics is good about giving me some extras because they like me.
To all that will be attending, remember, keep your hands off of Hit Girl this year or she'll kick YOUR ass.

To find out more click here.