A Day Long Remembered

The 12 inch Darth Vader was the only thing in the world I wanted for my 5th birthday. We looked and looked and could never find one. I sat on my bed looking out of the window waiting for my dad to come home that day. I remember seeing my dad pull into the driveway carrying a present wrapped in green shiny paper with a big white bow. 

When I was a little kid I would draw Star Wars pictures. Darth Vader with a glowing lightsaber or TIE Fighters chasing X-wings. Big space battles with a Death Star and explosions everywhere...with the sound effects of course as I drew them. My mom and dad always told me one day maybe I would draw pictures of Star Wars for new movies and books and all kinds of stuff. They planted a seed in my head.

It's always been a dream of mine to draw Star Wars officially in some way shape or form.

Last August my wife and I attended the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando. She is the best and has always supported my art. When I saw Troy Alders from Lucasfilm would be reviewing portfolios, I had to go for a day or two, and she said lets go for the whole event. She is amazing! We were first in line for portfolio reviews!

As events unfolded going to see Troy reminded me of Neo going to see The Oracle in The Matrix. My only expectation was to see what advice he would give and hope he wouldn't tell me to keep my day job.

He was a super nice guy and had encouraging advice. He suggested I stop by several of the companies at the show and have them take a look at my work. He said my work was clean and very stylized and should be able to find work with someone there. That my style was suited for comics, t-shirts and also to maybe work on a larger scale (very cool cause I also paint murals).

Among the companies at the show, Topps was one of the ones he really suggested I go see. I was so stoked he said Topps. You see, I collected Topps Star Wars cards since I was that little kid in the picture above. Lots of Star Wars cards and lots of bubble gum. Two of my favorite things as a kid! I also collected the Galaxy card series religiously and was inspired so much by all of the artists on the set. I was fortunate to meet many of the artists at the Celebration and learn how they got into the industry. Super cool people and very kind to share their experience and advice.

My next stop at the Topps booth started to bring things full circle. It's all really too much to write in this entry but another encouraging portfolio review and some emails later...I have completed my first set of sketch cards for Star Wars Galactic Files Series 2.

When I got the invitation I read it like fifty times before I woke up my wife. I actually thought I clicked on the wrong folder. I thought it was an old email and I wasn't looking at my inbox. I thought it was also just a notification the series was coming out. No, it was an invitation to be a part of the series doing sketch cards. I ran downstairs like a little kid at Christmas. I told my wife. I called mom and dad. This was real. For real, real. I was going to draw Star Wars. I couldn't stop shaking for the next three hours. I also couldn't sleep that night.

I could not have done this with out a lot of people behind me along the way. Mom and dad are the best for encouraging me and believing in me. My wife is the best for being there to support me. My best pal Roger [link] who taught me so much I can't even say, has always been a huge inspiration. I also have to say thanks to Joe Hogan [link]. Dude has inspired and encouraged me along this path the last year. Joe's journey really made me think I could do this. Allen, your time is coming man. Thanks so much to all of you who have followed and supported my artwork and all of the kind words and inspirations you have shared.

It's been quite a journey to this point. I can't thank you enough and can't wait to share more of the journey ahead. 

So here are two sets for Star Wars Galactic Files Series 2:

That kid in the picture above. That's how I feel right now. Today I finally get to tell the world I drew Star Wars. 

It will be a day long remembered.

-Chris

GRIZZLY GHOULS FROM EVERY TOMB

Zombies.

Rotten dead bodies, severed limbs or any kind of gore disturbed me on a level I can't explain as a child. I think because to see stuff like that wasn't right in a certain way. I mean, your intestines go inside you. Not outside of you and certainly not for someone to eat. Same with blood. That goes on the inside, not on the outside.

When I was a kid I remember seeing Michael Jackson's Thriller video and it really freaked me out. Seeing these dead people dance around was a kind of contradiction I couldn't wrap my brain around. These were things that scared me. It was creepy but they were dancing crazy and it was pretty cool. Those two things weren't supposed to go together.

In recent years the whole zombie thing has grown in popularity. While these creatures run around with their shirts off or shredded they aren't the pretty people like werewolves and vampires have turned into. A shirtless zombie probably has torn flesh, a lung hanging out and a broken bloody protruding ribcage.

I know everyone is nuts for Walking Dead and I've tried to watch it. Only problem is every time I turn it on it's just a bunch of sweaty, dirty people making mean faces at each other trying to figure out how to avoid the zombies. From what I have seen it should be called Talking People, not Walking dead. Out of the six times I have tuned in, I saw one five minute segment with actual zombies in it. It was a barn full of zombies that all got shot in one big group. Some chick stuck a scythe in a zombie's head and that was awesome! But then they all started talking and arguing again and I got bored.

So, if you like zombies, whether they are the dancing kind or the kind that eat your brains, or got infected by some virus, or are the ones people just talk about, here are some recent sketch cards I was working on. For me, I just like to draw them. These creeps are drawn in pencil and inked on a 2.5 x 3.5 inch sketch card.

I hope you dig...dig, like you like them...not like dig them up.

You Have Taken Your First Step Into A Larger World

I think maybe I have seen Star Wars way too many times in moments when I hear Obi-Wan in my head saying things. Of course I don't think that's possible. Seeing Star Wars too many times. Besides hearing Obi-Wan in my head is perfectly normal.

In recent weeks I've jumped into the world of sketch cards. I usually work on a 5 x 7 inch size so it isn't a giant leap to the standard 2.5 x 3.5 inch sketch cards. As an artist it's pretty rewarding creating pieces on such a scale when you make some you really dig.

The biggest challenge really so far was not working on a smaller surface. Finding the right cards and pens to get these images out of my head has been the tricky part.

I've tried cutting my own cards but like having the consistency of pre-cut blanks. I went through several card types made by Strathmore before settling on the 42 pt lightweight vellum finish artist trading cards. They are a bit thicker than what appears to be the standard, but for my own cards is just right, for now. The other cool thing is I can paint watercolors on these without the warping you get from the watercolor cards made by Strathmore.

As for inks, I have used a variety of pens and markers but settled on the KOH-I-NOOR Rapido Sketch 0/.035 and 1/.50 Art Pens. I get the solid blacks without the marker streaks. Of course I discover this about 70 cards down the road. All good though. I still dig em. Oh, and I scored some Copic markers on the cheap so that's been another fun set to play with.

With all that said here are my latest cards. Well, sorta. I've been doing so many I have lost track of what order I've done them in.

My first step into a larger world. Or should that be a smaller one?

Star Wars Sketch Cards