Christmas Card 2012: Barn Owl linocut!

4" x 6" unmounted linoleum; cutting begun on bench hook / inking plate.

I can turn the linoleum as I work for easier cutting.

Closeup on the owl's face!

Linoleum scraps. They add up quickly!

Detail of the number 5 Speedball cutting tip, which I used to
remove the large background areas.

Background fully cut! Now adding the details.

The owl gains its feathers.

Different lighting, just for fun.

Sketchbook drafts and finished linoleum side-by-side.

Two sketchbook test prints and inked linoleum.

Closeup of inked linoleum.

First Christmas card printed! I made eight in total.

BRAINSICK: Alliance of Disregard revamp mock-up!

In addition to mocking up a large Christmas gift in Photoshop (of which you will hear nothing until it's completely done), I've created a rough revamp for another Brainsick illustration.

Sketchbook roughs in preparation for new piece.

Alliance of Disregard began as a glorified sketch in my sketchbook. I transferred the sketch to marker paper for the final piece, then inked it with Pigma Microns. The solid black areas are stippled.

Alliance of Disregard sketch (2006)

Alliance of Disregard (2006)

Alliance of Disregard digital mock-up (2012)

NOTE: the final illustration will not include type; "Alliance of Disregard" will be handwritten, just as it was in the 2006 rendition. The new piece will be inked on 14" x 17" smooth bristol paper.

The composition is fairly set, but if there are any glaring tangents that pop out, please feel free to mention them. As it is, the bottom-right quarter of the mock-up has more neutral space than I'd like. I may fill it up with some tendrils as I did in 2006.