Thursday, October 25, 2012

So what's up with the Haunted Hotel








Goodness it's been too long since we talked about Haunted Hotel hasn't it? Well know I'm gonna let you know why it's been so long since I've updated.

Part of the point of this blog is to post my ideas for my own record and to pitch these ideas to other people. I usually come up with an idea, a story or a new character with a background I want, and writing these bits out help me remember my thoughts. I try to keep the blogs short so I'm not writing full blown novels here, cause it is quite a chore to get people to read what I have to say. Another nice thing about blogger is that I can put pictures INTO the text and make it like reading a picture book.

So I've have 4 parts of the Haunted Hotel story up for about a year now and it halted a bit of a critical part in the story. I left you hanging unintentionally for a few reasons:

For starters, Haunted Hotel is different from my Eddie Eel stories, in that Eddie Eel's stories are more episodic, and events that occur in his life can only happen in that small time frame and don't necessarily effect the end of his life. Haunted Hotel does have a bit of a time line to fallow and the main thing I'm worried about is spoilers. There is a bit of a twist at the end of the lead story arch that if I spoiled it here, and I wanted to pitch it to other people, why would people want to read all the stuff in the middle?

Example: Remember when you 1st found out that Darth Vader was Luke's dad? It was pretty darn shocking and it hurt. There was an emotion that came from that 1st viewing experience that you don't get by watching the prequels or multiple viewings of the original 3 movies. If you tell a casual viewer that Darth Vader is Luke's father, they might have no reason to go in and check out the films. (Harry Potter Book 7 Spoiler) A prime example of this is that I KNOW the reason why Professor Snape didn't kill Harry Potter because Harry has his mother's eyes, who Snape had a huge crush on back in school.  I haven't even seen the 7th movie or finished reading the book, but I have little drive to do so because the internet spoiled it for me (end spoilers).

So another reason for the delay is just that, do I really want to tackle this head on? Am I prepared to produce a comic about this story? How much research should I be doing to make it seem like a real thing? What style, what direction. I have to nail down the rules for myself 1st. I can't make it into this GRAND idea and end up falling to cliches or tropes that already exist. I still feel like there is so much I need to develop and prepare people for the lead story...but in the end I think I'm preparing myself.

When you want to make a comic, you REALLY have to like making comics and that's where I feel like I'd be missing the mark. I'd end up getting lazy about 3 months in and then I give up on it cause I got a whole new idea and passion to keep me going, and I've left people in the dust again. So I wouldn't want to get into something I can't handle and writing these ideas for the blog is just enough.

SOOooo cause I've yapped at your ear long enough about it, Let me tell you what I'm GOING to do with Haunted Hotel right now;

  1. The whole first story arch is written, but I won't be releasing much more of the 1st arch. I'll probably release one part and then save the ending when I think it's ok to release that. I will also go through and edit the 4 parts I've already written, and add in the new ideas I've developed, and fix up typos I've seen.

  2. I'll keep posting new ideas and possibly mini comics and little gags with the characters. Just concept ideas and doodles that come to mind. If you're fallowing any of my other art accounts such as Devianart, you'll see some things pop up there. There is a sub arch about Grunder and Demion that won't really add anything to the main plot...also don't think it's a bit of a spoiler to say that he's destined for hell is it? Well either way I do a lot of art of the two of them together, so I might post some of those things around. If you see them, trust that it doesn't spoil anything from the main Hotel plot.

  3. I'll possibly be writing up a 2nd story arch for HH, which would be the events in the 1970's that would explain how a lot of the ghosts and how the hotel became MORE haunted over time. This is not a spoiler by my saying there are three main arcs in the 'Living life time' of the hotel. The lead arch is Milly and her new ownership, then we jump back in time to the 70's where we learn about one of the previous owners, and then a 3rd where we fallow up on Milly and her life 4 years later. The 3rd arch won't be published on the blog as far as I can tell but writing up the events of the 2nd would help create a mythos and atmosphere for the readers that might get them interested in the 1st arch...if that makes sense.
So just wanted you all to know what's been going on with the HH story ok? I surely hope that those of you truly interested aren't too upset and will keep checking out the blog. And those new to the blog Go check out the Haunted Hotel parts that are written up now if you haven't already. Leave your comments and thanks for stopping by.
Haunted Hotel:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Design Showcase: Moxie Sozo

Ok doesn't seem logical to make a post promoting other people's artwork but when I've TWICE bought a product based on how the package looks alone, then I gotta talk about it. At least to show other people some cool artwork.

Moxie Sozo is a Design Company from Bolder Colorado. 1st product I bought of theirs is Late July, which was a rather tasty brand of chips.
Finding high quality images of the products is rather hard, but look at the color combinations, the font, and the vector graphics which have the right level of gradients because if you go too far with gradients, then it looks cheesy (cheesy here meaning not good). There is a very wholesome appeal to this packaging that does lure you into the product. The sweet potato one is the one I've had and it's as good as it looks.  
Late July WebsiteMoxie's Late July Portfolio

 So Today I picked up a box of Snackle Mouth Granola Nut Clusters.






 The patterns, the gradients, the font details, and the deep rich colors: each box has a different design to show off their ingredients, like the men on the boxes are kings or ring masters of some sort of fruit and nut kingdom. Their circus/ cracker jack like designs have so much detail and yet they're very nightmareish. Most certainly the Bacon and Maple box, which has a man with a pig nose. They stand out like a sore thumb say at a Safeway or Walmart, but one of the local markets in my town had them and I was drawn to them like a magnet.
Moxie's Portfolio for Snackle Mouth.


While I've never tried the fallowing products I can only say that these are worth a try just based on the wonderful graphic work alone. How ever I'm not very impressed with some of the more, commercial work featured in their portfolio, there are obviously different teams that tackle certain products. However, there is someone with great skill at that company, and I could just stare at these packages for hours looking at how they did it all. Great work!


 


 

  

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

A few little things about Eddie!


Eddie Eel loves carrots
But doesn't like to eat other fish. Even if he had to he'd rather starve.


Even though he has teeth and jaws like a real eel he does his best to eat a vegetarian life style.  If Eddie HAD to eat a fish he'd ask first, to make sure the fish was ok with being eaten, and if the fish said 'no' Eddie would let them go and apologize deeply for asking something so offensive.
Like most eels and carnivorous fish like sharks, they search for food with their sensitive smell. Often at the smell of blood Eddie will get sick and run off to avoid contact (if he doesn't feint first). Shark has a harder time avoiding the luscious smell of blood, how ever Eddie is completely tolerant of other carnivores eating meat. Sharks need meat to live but if he can get his friend to eat a salad every once in a while it makes him most happy!

I think that's the most I can say for now. Enjoy some new sketches!
So lets see I have a few pics of the characters without cloths. Shark never wears cloths very often I guess cloths don't work on a shark's rough skin. Then a bit of some other Ed and Jen pics. He's always swimming around her trying to make her feel good, but she's such a troubled girl. They got a Forrest Gump and Jenny relationship.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Spooky Postcards for Sale

That's right I designed a whole new set of post cards that I plan on selling around. Once again I used Moo.com to print these out, as I've just enjoyed using their set up and their company for their other products. These postcards have a photo glossy finish and the opposite side is empty which allows you to write or draw something of your own when you go to mail it.

As for price I'm still not sure. I can send you two for 3.00$ which covers shipping to you personally (prices may change over time). You get two designs that you choose to keep as just art cards or actually use to send through the post. I do like to consider these as art cards more then post cards, but really do what you like. I will be selling these in person as well, like at shows and events that I'm attending...If I CAN, I'll find a shop in my home town that I can sell for me. Either way, just showing you all what I got. Enjoy. 





Tuesday, September 25, 2012

ADVENTURE TIME We Love Fine contest- Vote for me please

There are only a few days for the voteing of the Adventure Time We Love Fine t-shirt contest. I didn't want to post it much here cause this is a fanart peice but it is something that could help give me a little boost of attention. Here are my three entries to vote on.



 Choose Goose Juice 
»» VOTE


The Adventure Time Trio 
»» VOTE


You Want to Slump These Lumps »» VOTE

Saturday, June 30, 2012

June Progress

Hello folks. Been a while since i blogged last. I've handed out a few of the business cards I've made so I'm sure some of you have come around to check out what's here.

Gonna say now that the way the image lay out works on this new google blogger is a bit annoying. I tried to make a new actual article blog and it wouldn't stack images next to each other very well. I'll figure it out I guess in time, but it was easy to do in the old blogger.

Anyway, I've been going to school, finishing up my AA degree, which is basic college, but I've been getting enough work without a BA degree cause I've just had the work experience...So trust me with my skills...Do I need a little paper from the State of CA to say I'm smart?
Gonna lay down some drawings that I've done since last, mostly sketchy but just keeping you informed of what's going on.





Tuesday, May 1, 2012

New Buisness Cards and Stickers

It's been a while hasn't it. Blogger has made some big changes without me, and it certainly needs some work fixing up it's image inserting methods. Had some trouble figuring it out, and had to make edits in the HTML section before it got to look the way that I wanted to.
Well Good news either way. make up some new business cards AND sticky labels. I used a company called MOO.com and the quality and presentation is so unique. It's a bit to expensive for convenience but it makes your business cards look like real art pieces rather then just a piece of paper with your name on it.I used Moo to get their sample cards and buy some stickers, which are still available if you want to get some Eddie Eel stickers.

Here below you can see the new pieces of art I made for the back of the cards with new lineart for some of the older designs. The only NEW character is the cactus guy, who I would like to try and draw a whole new set of fun little cactus men like him. Sadly the monster contest with the Cyclops girl didn't turn out well, but people love her so much I put the design to good use. She's the only girl on the cards.


 
Also I was able to make some sticky labels, that I will sell for 1$ also if you're interested. The difference between the labels and the cards is that I have Ozzie instead of Demion and I have my logo and email on them.

So to finish up, letting you know that I won't be syncing my blog with my Google+ profile yet, but there's no real good way of hiding my different profiles any more.  My Google accounts are the more professional accounts, and I won't be doing the same things I do on my DeviantArt Account and my Tumblr account. It's just all original here, with some highlights of my fanart.

Also thank you to the people who have google image searched my stuff. Thank you for stopping by, I hope I have done something that interests you in hiring me. Don't be afraid to leave a comment with Questions.