Hey everyone – just a quick update to say that I’ve been doing a LOT of art work lately, but a lot of it is unfinished. So, Works in progress it is for this post! So have some sneak peeks at some upcoming art: Boba Fett, Mandalorians, Bo-Katan, a Wizard concept design, a tiefling bard, Daredevil, a poster for some friend’s Pathfinder Outlaws of Alchenstar game… SO many things. Stay tuned for more!
Recently, I started to stream on Twitch; having my screen displayed for anyone to come along and view as I draw and work on my art projects. And I discovered something that surprised me. In fact, I found it surprising, yet powerful enough, to write this out in the hopes it will help other artists. Let me quickly explain why I decided to try streaming, and then I’ll let you know the new, and I think better, reason why I continue.
First, why did I start streaming my art? Probably for the same reasons that other artists would try it: hoping to expand my audience through a different website, let those who already know me watch my process, and maybe earn a little extra money. Simple, and straightforward. I’ve seen other artists be on Twitch, and know that it is a place that artists can be seen, so figured I would go for it.
However, so far, none of these have had the same impact as this next effect of streaming: my productivity went up. This is for a very simple reason. People are, or may be, watching. And since my channel is an art channel, when I know people could pop on at any time, it helps me to maintain focus on my art for longer than I often do otherwise. Not getting distracted by anything else, or even being bored. The idea that I am on here, and people (in theory) are here to watch me, helps me keep at the thing they would be here to watch. And I’ve found it helps even when I have no viewers – as I said, someone COULD pop on. Plus it helps my time to be more set aside for art, rather than just “when I feel like it.” Once I have the stream, I personally felt more accountable to myself and those who follow me.
Someone might wonder if the chat can be distracting. In one sense, yes. But I found that I can look up, see what people are saying, and talk in response, while continuing to draw.
So that’s it. Streaming helps me be productive. Or it has in the couple of weeks I have been streaming for. While the reasons I started are valid reasons, and I certainly hope my streams will grow in those areas, this productivity surprised me, and is the reason I think artists should consider streaming.
If you’re interested in my streams, you can find my channel and see old streams (or catch the live ones!) at Twitch.tv/MichaelHoweArts
Have you ever wondered how to improve your comic art? Or really wanted to draw a comic of your favorite character? I have wanted both of those things and wanted to tell you about a neat idea that my friend Keenan came up with.
That idea is to redraw a comic book page in your own style.
I had tried this idea YEARS ago but had pretty much forgotten about it. Then Keenan reached out online for artists to collaborate on redrawing an entire comic- specifically, Amazing Fantasy 15, known for being the first appearance of Spider-Man. His idea was for all the artists involved to do one page each (or contribute if they were specifically pencilers or inkers). the final product would be a diverse collection of people’s styles.
Keenan assigned pages from the script he reverse-engineered from the original comic to each artist based on their strengths. I got the wrestling match between Peter Parker and Crusher
So here are some process pics and the final page!
Benefits of this are: simply practicing making a comic page. As Jake Parker and others [art and fear?] have brought up, making things over and over and learning from them will help you improve more than trying to make a big perfect thing. So one page, already scripted, is a good practice piece.
Redrawing something that already exists allows you to point people to it as connected to that thing they are familiar with. It’s like fan art: people are more likely to find a picture of Spider-man by searching on the internet than a character that no one has heard of before.
I want to be better at actually doing art themed to holidays, so when I realized I could draw Captain America for Independence Day, I jumped at the chance! I did it over free time (or made free time) on July 3rd-4th.
When designing Captain America’s outfit, I tried to combine the movie outfits with a bit of the classic comic book look.⠀It took about 4.5 hours in Procreate in the iPadPro.
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While America has many, many, many problems, there are many good things there too. So I am grateful for the good today.⠀
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” – Gal 5:13, ESV.⠀
Hello everyone! Happy New Year!
(New Year’s Day is totally in March, right? Right? Oh, ok…)
I have a lot of information about this last year and what I’m planning and hoping for 2019!
I received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration, with a focus on Sequential Design. It was a long haul, but so glad to be done. I was so happy to be with the graduating class I was in! We had a big show, with many amazing pieces!
I think it was one of my best years financially, but I know it was some of the most fun I’ve had there. Learned to focus on talking with people, and making my art, and having fun, not worrying about making sales. Had some fun commissions at the Con, and with my sister-in-law helping at the booth, my wife and I were able to wander more and go see panels and David Tennant!
This was such a neat opportunity to get to work with Marvel and X-Men characters in some sort of official capacity. These original sketches were distributed randomly into the Fleer Ultra X-Men 2018 card packs.
You can see the full collection of 50 cards on my previous blog post.
My friend Chad Beninati (http://handicapehero.com/) wrote out the beginnings of a fantasy story and I drew it. You can find what we got done here (it’s better on mobile devices): https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/the-knight-and-the-rat-king/list?title_no=220795
It was a bit of a personal challenge since the contest went on for a few months, but with school, I worked on it for only about a month, max. It was fun, but the speed certainly shows. Still, I think it was a good start.
My wife Emily and I had been planning a trip to Scotland for after I finished school. We went at the end of October/beginning of November 2018.
It was amazing and incredible: the place, the history, the locale, the exploring, and getting to spend so much time with each other without going to work or school. We stayed in Glasgow and Edinburgh, explored both those cities a bit, as well as traveled to Stirling and Loch Ness!
I’ve uploaded some art and logos I’ve done to a RedBubble Store!
I love the printing they do on their shirts – my wife and brother both have one, and they hold up really well and have quality printing done, not just a cheap iron-on. So go check it out!
to finally get some hand and wrist pain I had been having for months looked at. They said they suspected a strained flexor and actually had me stop drawing for about a month and on disability from my workplace for two months. It seemed like would be a problem, but was actually kinda nice, to take a step back from the art and my job. I got to spend the holidays with my wife and family without anything really pulling me away, and I was able to spend time praying, reading, refocusing and reconnecting with people. It reminded me that I am a person apart from my artwork and job, which is something I need reminding of.
My entry is one of the comic projects I’ve been working on for a little while, called The Artist and the Half-Orc.
The winner receives a job and payment to work on their creative, career-pushing project! So IF I were to win, that would become a huge thing, and of course, modify the plans I have for this year.
My interpretation and variation of Killer Wolf, a public domain script created by Justin Prime, which you can find details on Here.
Here’s some progress pics from a commission I’m working on of my brother’s Bard/sorcerer character from DnD.
I hope this “New” Year is going great for you! I’d love to hear what things you’re up to, excited for, or planning for the future, so please shoot me a message!
“May you always have light for your feet.”
Tales of Warriors and Wanderers Issue 0
Michael Howe
In 2018 I was one of the artists making some original Marvel sketch cards for Upper Deck’s Fleer Ultra x-Men 2018 collection. These 50 original sketches were distributed randomly into the Fleer Ultra X-Men 2018 card packs.
I had a lot of fun doing them, but it was also a great honor and pleasure to get to draw Marvel characters in a somewhat official capacity. I was SO excited when I got the email asking me if I would be willing to do it. Sketch cards are actually easier for me – I think the small size and idea that it’s a “sketch” help me to relax and let my creativity show. So I had been doing some sketch cards of my own characters and superheroes, which I think helped me get picked.
“I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT. He spoke this last word so loudly and suddenly that everyone sat up…” – JRR Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring.
I have been accepted back to Denver Comic Con 2018! This is not that I have been refused from being there, just that they have moved away from a guaranteed spot like it was for returning artists like in previous years.
Are any of you all going?
Denver Comic Con 2017 has come and gone. (Yes, 3 months ago…) Like last year, I had my own table. This year, however, I and my wife got things organized much more in advance. This really reduced the stress of packing and getting ready, and increased my confidence going into the show. Emily was amazing in plotting and planning out which products would go where on the table and backdrop. Granted, a lot of that got thrown a wrench when we had to adjust our backdrop for the table space we had, but even that went pretty smoothly! 🙂
As far as business went, the Con was actually rather difficult and a little disappointing. Not many people were in buying moods, perhaps because of the crowds that were there. But we did have some people come and look at the art and chat, and that was pleasant. All the art I had for sale there can be found at my gallery, and the comics I was selling are available at Indy Planet.
Some other perks that happened:
Several friends came by and hung out around my table.
I got to enter the Line Webtoons Vertical Story contest and get my portfolio reviewed by Tom Akel and Zach Howard. The feedback was constructive, giving me things to push towards in my art. I also was able to go to the Line Webtoons panel about their platform and monetizing web-comics, so that was interesting and exciting.
I also got to meet Mark Morales, Crystal Sully, and Stephen McCranie and his wife Kristal! And I also met and sat next to Michael Matsumoto. Having already been following Mark, Crystal, Stephen, and Michael online before the con, it was great to get to meet them. All were really nice and willing to chat and share advice. Artists are real people, don’t be nervous to talk to us!
Finally, I got to spend some time just drawing out a Star Wars sketch cover, which was really pleasant, both as a relaxing thing and getting to draw Star Wars.
Overall, the Con was difficult, but a good thing for me to have gone to.
Just wrapped up my entry for the Reckless Deck/Art Order Figures Competition.
http://www.infectedbyart.com/contestdetails.asp?cid=32
The Reckless Deck is a cool card deck to help prompt creativity. As part of the Kickstarter the creator did for Volume 2, there was a reward of miniature figurines. And there is a contest to use certain cards from the decks to create characters for a chance for one’s work to be one of those figurines.
So here is my entry. I started it a while ago but felt overwhelmed with other work. So I dropped it. But then I saw that it was ending this week, so I spent a couple days refining and finishing it.
The Northern fields are some of the most dangerous places in the country of Dleosu. There are of course the lava flows and chasms, but the worst thing is the dragons that inhabit the region. Unfortunately, it is still a strategic location, which is why the Defensive Reconnaissance Attack Knights Elite Force dispatches their Scouts to the region.
Equipped with insulated armor, heat-reflective cloaks, helmets with heads up displays and armor based on the biological protective properties of dragon scales, these lone snipers guard the fields against all intruders. The spikes on the Scouts’ shoulder pads are actually dragon teeth. These are a mark of rank and status among the troops, but also have the bonus of making dragons more… respectful of the trooper.
A Scout’s weapons are a Claw – an extendable one-edged sword, and the CLY-1318 DragonBane Sniper Rifle. The DragonBane is a heavy-hitting piece of equipment, because not only do the D.R.A.K.E.-S need to be able to disrupt any military force from a great distance. One also never knows when one of the dragons may decide to get too close.
My comics are available for purchase on the IndyPlanet site, both as physical and digital copies: http://www.indyplanet.us/brands/michael-howe-arts/
Current titles available: