Airsoft Dragon

This is a dragon commission I did for a client. He's into Airsoft, a recreational activity in which participants eliminate opponents by hitting each other with round non-metallic pellets launched via replica firearms.

Fun job for a fun client!

Ghostbusters Dragon: In Color

A while back I posted the black and white line art for a Durkin's Dragons Ghostbusters tribute. Here it is in color.

Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes- Available for purchase!

Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes is now available for you to purchase from IndyPlanet. 

 The book is chock-full of dragons paying homage to some of the most well-known and beloved characters in pop culture. Last year, I compiled a book, and sold out of it at MegaCon. This year, I've added to the book, more than doubling the amount of dragons I had in the previous edition. To order, click here, or click the book on the right-hand column on this blog.

Ghostbusters Dragon

I'm currently finalizing the listings for Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes and SCRAPS on Indyplanet, so they will be available for purchase online. I was given a lot of new Parodies and Tributes ideas at MegaCon, so I guess it's inevitable that a new edition needs to be made. Here's a sneak peek at the first entry: The Ghostbusters Dragon.

Pictured here is the line art. When I get it colored, I'll post it here. Stay tuned!

MegaCon 2011: Wrapup

MegaCon 2011 is OVER! I don't know whether it's the fact that I'm getting older, that I'm desperately out of shape or that the convention was, in fact, incredibly demanding in every way, but I'm EXHAUSTED. I had fun though! I did manage to snap some pics on the last day.

Here's a partial view of the convention from the walkway overlooking the hall. The bottom right-hand corner has cots set up for a blood drive. Above that is the LEGO area. The area with the large black partitions is the celebrity area. The middle of the con is all of the vendors. Artist alley is in the opposite end. I was set up in the upper right-hand corner.

This is D'Shay, one of my new friends and easily my favorite vampire.

Tie Fighter head. How he makes it into a bathroom stall, I"ll never know.

One of my favorite games, Plants vs. Zombies!

"Wish", did somebody say "wish"? It's Jambi!

A study in contrasts.

Alex wore his DinoBoy shirt (designed by himself). He managed to accumulate all kinds of stickers, pins and badges, some of which you see here.

After the con. That's Michael McElroy, Alex, Cary Bivins and Big-Head Kenny.I do happen to have some books left over. As always, you can order all of my books by clicking the links to the right. I'll get the new ones up there asap.

Megacon 2011: Day 3...tomorrow

MegaCon is over, and I am WIPED OUT!

I had a great time, but I'm exhausted. So come back tomorrow for the MegaCon wrapup. See you then!

Megacon 2011: Day 2

For the second day of Megacon, I was joined by Alex, (who will be with me tomorrow as well). Apparently, it was "Bring your kid to the convention day" (otherwise known as "Saturday"), because all my fellow artist friends brought their kids as well. They even dressed up!

 That's Mike "Locoduck" Duron's daughters Hailey, as Hitgirl and Maya as Poison Ivy with Alex as Voolvif Monn, the wolfman Jedi.

 

Later Alex met up with Barry and Jenny Gregory's kids, Fox as Cap'n America, Molly as Wonder Woman and Chloe as a mummy.

 Alex's friends from school stopped by too!

I sold a bunch more books, and did some sketches in a few people's sketchbooks. A lot of people have "themed" sketchbooks in which select artists are asked to draw whatever they wish within the confines of a particular theme. The theme is usually of a certain specific interest to the customer.

In this case, the sketchbook's theme was "Fat Animals". I drew a fat cat on the beach. He looks like a distant cousin of Kit's dad in Black Cat Bone. (If you haven't read the book, BUY IT NOW! Just click the link to the right).

 This person's sketchbook was themed "Priests and Nuns" The rest was open to interpretation, so I went with a rocking nun (with a ruler fretboard). Unbeknown to me, the customer was a huge Sister Act fan, and loved the drawing I did.

 It's not a party until Gonk shows up.

 He's alive, and in perfect hibernation.

 

This guy looked just like a young Christopher Reeve.

 End of day exhaustion. Could I have bigger bags under my eyes? Time to go rest up, I have one more day of the con to go!

Megacon 2011: Day 1

 Day one of Megacon was tons of fun. I sold some books, caught up with some old friends and met some new ones. My day started out rough, I had some strange stomach complaint going on. I was shaky, sweaty and dizzy. I couldn't keep down Pepto Bismol, or even water. It took me a while to get out of the house. As far as I can tell, I think it was a prepackaged Boars Head Turkey and Swiss sandwich that I ate from the grocery store the night before. Eventually I was able to drive my way over to the Ka-Blam office and pick up my books. Then I went to the convention center and set up.

 This is one of the signs at the entrance to MegaCon.

There I am in the Burgundy section. I love the sight of having my name shown for all the world to see. Right up there with Stan Lee!

 This is my booth setup.This year I've added the shelving units and the banners. I have a 4 foot banner on the front and a 3 foot banner on the top. Next year I'm going to get displays to go behind the booth, and possibly expand to an 8 foot table.

I spent most of my time at the booth today, so the only other pics I was able to take were of the costumed attendees walking by. I love seeing fans dress up, and so many of the costumes and makeup are incredibly authentic and professional.

Here's HellGal.

Tygra.

Does it matter?

Okay, I'll throw a guy in there. Asian Marty McFly.

I'll have assistant photographer Alex with me the next few days, so I'll have better pics of the remainder of the con. In the meantime, I've got to get some SLEEP! Stay tuned!

MEGACON in one week!

Megacon will be in Orlando next weekend, and I'm going to be an attending artist. I'm just going down my checklist of things that I need so that I'm fully prepared.

 

Get banner printed: Check

Get new Scraps book printed: Check

 

Print updated version of Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes: Check

   Order more Durkin's Dragons books since I sold out of them last year: Check

 Make sure I have enough copies of Black Cat Bone: The Blues is Born: Check

Order more copies of Black Cat Bone: Flood Water Rising: Check

Okay. So I wasn't able to finish the third chapter of Black Cat Bone in time for Megacon this year. But I still have a lot of  merchandise to sell. I still have to design my table space and get some shelving and fixtures to make my area look cool. I have to say, this is the most prepared I've been for a convention yet!

Blog under construction.

I'm re-designing the Durkinworks blog, so you may experience some unusual quirks when you visit it over the next few days. But it might be entertaining to leave it on for awhile and to keep hitting the refresh button to experience me stumbling and floundering my way through the upgrade in real time.

In other news, Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes (the revised edition) is being sent off to Ka-Blam today, the Durkinworks banner art is being finalized and "Scraps" the book is almost finished being assembled. Whew!

Rocketman!

And I think it’s gonna be a long long time,
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I’m not the man they think I am at home
Oh no, no, no. I’m a rocket man.
Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone.

Captain Kirk dragon in color. 

To boldly go...

This is the last dragon for the updated Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes book. It's Captain Kirk from Star Trek.

 

I'm not a big Star Trek fan, but I have so much Star Wars representation, I figured I have to balance it out a bit. Color coming soon!

Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes-Updated with new cover!

The Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes book I did last year has been updated. 16 new dragons have been added to the book, more than doubling the amount in the previous edition. I've revised the cover art as well, making it a parody of a certain famous album cover.

 Over 40 Photoshop layers at one point. Whew!

I'll be adding this book to the IndyPlanet website and you'll be able to order it online soon. I'll also be selling it at Megacon this year. See you then!

Elvis Dragon: In color

A while back, I posted the line work for an Elvis tribute dragon I was working on. Then I forgot about him. But in assembling the updated Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes book I realized I hadn't colored him yet, so here he is.

I am now one dragon away from more than DOUBLING the amount of dragons that appeared in the first version of the book. Hmmm...who's it gonna be?

Updated Durkinworks logo: Final

I think I'm finished with the updated Durkinworks logo. I just punched up the color a little bit, and gave myself a maroon shirt per everyone's suggestions. I kept all the fonts the same and added a dragon and Kit "Blue-Eye" Baxter, the main character from my story Black Cat Bone. This will be my new blog header when I revamp the blog and get my website going, and it's being prepared for printing on a banner. Thanks to everyone for the input!

Bowling Dragon: Color

The other day, I posted the line art for a bowling dragon. Here is the final piece in color.

 

Bowling Dragon: Line

With all of my bowling talk lately, it's become obvious to me that I simply HAVE to make a bowling dragon. Here is the line drawing so far, color is next.

I regret that I was unable to do a football dragon in time for the Superbowl today. Perhaps in a celebratory frenzy, I'll draw one after the Packers clobber the Steelers tonight! Good luck gentlemen!

Team Durkin's Dragons: Logo

Since we plan on attending as many DS fund raising events as possible, I thought I should design a Team Durkin's Dragons logo and have it on shirts and Jerseys for us to wear at the events. Here is the working logo.

 

I'm sure I'll have to redesign it slightly if there are ever any "additions" to the team in the future!

2011: The Resolutions

At long last, here are my resolutions for 2011. As you see, they're very similar to the resolutions from 2010:

1. Lose weight/get in shape. Ahh, the old standby. Everyone has this one, and no one does it. Thing is, I'm turning 40 this year, and I'd like to be in the best shape I've been in for years, if not my whole life, at that point. I still need to lose about 20 pounds, and I'd like to run more than 50 feet without having a heart attack. I have my nutritionist/art director/publicist/wife working on a plan for me, and with her support, I should soon be seeing some results.

2. Publish MORE: Black Cat Bone issue 3 has been taken out of mothballs and dusted off, The book of Scraps is being compiled as is the expanded version of Durkin's Dragons: Parodies and Tributes. All three will be available at Megacon this year. I'm sure there will be other projects cropping up this year too.

3. Conventions: I'm locked in to Megacon, and I have no excuse not to attend the ISCA convention as it's in Florida this year. I think two cons a year is plenty.

4. Expand the Durkinworks empire: Online I mean. It all hinges on my new computer, which I will be getting soon. When that happens, expect a major overhaul of this blog, Cafepress, Zazzle, Deviantart, and Durkinworks.com and .net which have been lying dormant for so long. Look also for live shows via Ustream and maybe even a podcast.

5. Continue posting regularly on the blog: Now here's the one I need some feedback on. I've been posting every single day. But sometimes it's not easy, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it done. I don't mind posting daily, but is that too much? Or do you visit every day to see what I'm up to? What do YOU think?

I think that's about it. Again, I have some personal resolutions as well which I'm not sharing here, but as I said before, I have some great feelings about 2011, and I'm off to a terrific start.

"Papa"razzi

My father, referred to as "Papa" by his grandchildren, has always been an avid photographer. Those who know my dad are fully aware of his hobby. He's always walking around with his camera, taking pictures. We've started to call him "Paparazzi".

This year for Christmas, I decided to make my dad a t-shirt with a photographer dragon on the front and the word "Paparazzi" on the back.

Here's a the rough sketch of the dragon.

This is the inked version. Then I scanned it and colored it digitally.

This is the final art in color.

Just in time for Christmas!