This looks like a job for ...

So, I've been working on my Superman illustration for the Shuster Awards next month. I wanted to go for something that showcased Clark Kent more, since everyone will be drawing the classic Superman in costume. I started out with this rough:



But then I realized I needed to do something vertically oriented (to fit the rest of the Superman illustrations). So I think I recreated the same feeling with this sketch:



And then, the inked, larger final version.



I added just a bit of colour -- his costume underneath the suit is red and yellow and blue and his eyes are blue. But the final is otherwise black and white. But my scanner is really lame and keeps crashing when I try to scan it in colour. What do you think?

Lobster Goodness!

Here's the latest illustration I did for The Canadian Sportsman. When I was working on this piece I wasn't enjoying it, I don't know why. Maybe because I was busy working on my comic. But I really like how this piece turned out in the end and in print it looks great!
Check out my process:

Sketches

Linear

Inks

Robowatermelon

Another robot for the monthly giveaway. This little guy loooves watermelon. Too bad about the rust!

Close Encounters

What's going on ...? This is the recent printed illustration I did for The Canadian Sportsman. I had a lot of fun with this piece and again I didn't have to draw any horses! Brilliant!

Here's the first sketch I did:


And the second one:


As you can see they went with the first sketch, check out the inks:

Quarter Life Crisis (more!)

More sketches, including robot designs, the streetcar the protagonist brothers travel around in, the Bay Street Thugs and more. Suggestions and ideas are heartily welcomed.

Quarter Life Crisis

Some sketches from the new idea I'm working on, Quarter Life Crisis, that post-apocalyptic Toronto sci-fi thing. I think you've seen all these already. The last sketches are of the paramilitary tribe in Toronto.

Failed Catalogue Ideas

We're working on our fall catalogue at work, and were in a rush to get a cover done. They asked me to try some stuff out, but didn't like either of them. They were to be wraparound covers in two-colour.





They're both kind of rushed (I worked on them while I was in Montreal this weekend for a book launch). In the end, we went with a Michael Cho illustration.

Canadian Joe Meet donation

The Canadian Joe Meet is this Saturday with Larry Hama is the guest of honour, along with Hasbro Canada. As part of the door prizes, I've donated this piece of all the exclusive characters from the past Can Joe Meets.

City State

I just finished my first illustration for Toronto Life. Its the banner for blog on their site, 'City State.'



After sending a bunch of sketches, they selected the one they liked best. Pencil sketches above.



I kept the people separate from the subway wall, so I could easily move them around, if need be.



As it turns out, they did want the 'City State' more centred, so I moved the standing hipster. (They also wanted her magazine to reflect the new cover design of the magazine, even though you can barely see it.)

my first post! jason loo's "awol'd".

Voodoo Child

Hey check it out ...
I finished another illustration for The Canadian Sportsman. I really like how this one turned out, probably because I didn't have to draw a horse this time, heh. Here are the stages I went through.

Ink stage

Sketch stage

Introducing: SNOWBANK! GIJoe Meet exclusive figure

For the past several years I have illustrated/designed the exclusive GIJoe figures to the GIJoe meet/con in Hamilton. This year, Larry Hama (GIJoe: A Real American Hero creator/comic writer/artist) will be the guest of honour and he was kind enough to write the filecard for this year's figure "Snowbank". In a way, I was part of a collaborative effort in creating a new GIJoe character for the GIJoe universe with Larry Hama's blessing (along with GIJoe meet organizer Michael Heddle).
The Canadian GIJoe Meet takes place on April 19th at the Marriot Courtyard on Upper James, in Hamilton, ON.

Robotic disco inferno

Here's another robot who comes equipped with his own dance party. These robot paintings are fun little exercises inspired by my nephew Owen. He goes crazy over them! I'm curious to see what's going to happen when Pixar's Wall-E is released. I'm sure his room will be overflowing with merch.

Robot and kitten

Not even big angry robots can resist the cuddly love of a cute widdle kitty!

This mini-painting was created for my March 31st facebook group giveaway. There's still time to get your name in the draw - visit Alana McCarthy Illustration Group for more details.

I love doing these paintings. They give me an excuse to create some work for myself. They also help to expose and promote my work to a brand new audience.. and sell some prints in the meantime. Speaking of prints, if you loved some of the past paintings, but weren't the lucky winner I will be making them available as prints and selling them at the conventions this summer.

2008 See me at the...

June 7 - 8 MoCCA Art Festival 2008 - Puck building, lower Manhattan, NYC

July 12 - 13 Paradise Comic Convention - Holiday Inn on King, Toronto

Aug 22 - 24 FanExpo - Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto

Sept 28 Word on the Street - Queen's Park, Toronto

Box Lunch Promotion

My rep, Three in a Box, has an editorial and book publishing promotion coming out called The Box Lunch. The theme of the promo is "duality." For my spread I decided to focus on parallel universes, and put it in the context of a children's book.

I would love to do more children's books. The last one I did was in 2006 for Scholastic. It was about the carousel in North Bay and how the whole town came together to create this gorgeous hand-carved carousel. It was really labor intensive, but so much fun.

I frequently drop by the children's book section of Chapters. There are so many inspiring books there. My favorite at the moment is a wordless picture book called Flotsam byDavid Wiesner. The imagination and creativity that went into the creation of the illustrations and story is just mind blowing.

AWOL'd : Chapter One REDUX

It's been a long while since my last blog. I've been pretty busy working on AWOL'd and recently completed Chapters 01-02 for the graphic novel.
Here are pages 6-8 of Chapter O1. If you happen to own the first draft/print of AWOL'd issue 1, hold it up and compare those pages with these. There is an improvement.

Chick + Crazy = GOOD!

Hey, just finished this illustration for The Canadian Sportsman.
Instead of a horse going wacko like the last time, it's a girl.

-Ty

Observational drawing - Deadwood style!

I miss observational drawing. I haven't done any for so long. So I took a bit of a break from my assignments and picked up my pencils.

Tyrone and I just finished watching the first season of Deadwood. I love the costumes, characters and palettes. I've never been one to get into westerns, or period pieces, period. But I'm really digging this show.

I did a bit of re-watching and decided to draw Seth Bullock, played by Timothy Olyphant. Not only is he VERY easy on the eyes, but Seth also hails from my 'hood - Etobicoke, Ontario! (I wonder what Etobicoke was like back in the 1870's)

In the background is Alma Garrett the widow and the orphan Sophia. She's a bit of a homewrecker but I was totally rooting for them to hook up. Can't wait to see what the next season has in store.. especially when Seth's wife arrives to the camp.

February's giveaway painting

Lately I've had a lot of assignments with choppy water or stormy skies. I've really enjoyed them so I decided to repeat these themes in my Facebook group giveaway painting. Poor little mouse.

A Horse of Course

Yep, it's another horse illustration. This time around I was asked to do a logo for Grand River Raceway in Elora. The logo is for their new promotion Geek Squad which is trivia questions for horse racing geeks. The more questions you answer the more points you receive and then you win a prize.

Panic! at the Lab

Here's an illustration for an upcoming issue of This Magazine. It's about the dangers of genetically altering bacteria to become antibiotic-resistant. The art director wanted to give it something of a B-Movie feel.

Ed Pages Inked

I inked it.
Here is a sample.
On to the coloring.
Any words?

The princess and the peacock

Here's a new promotional piece. I had a bunch of peacock reference from a trip to the zoo that I had been itching to use.

Latest Creation

Hey dudes ...

I just completed this piece for the Canadian Sportsman. Ch-ch-check it out ...

-Ty