Commission: Rocketeer to the Rescue

I've said it a hundred of times, and I'll say it a hundred more times…I never get tired of drawing the Rocketeer.

Here's the description for today's commission:

"Here's what I was thinking, a scene where Rocketeer comes crashing in through a window (skylight? etc) while Betty is tied up or chained to a wall (like girls in pulp books tended to be), maybe in torn clothing, however you want to have fun with it."

This one presented a challenge in that it's tough to fit in both figures, and the setting, AND create a sense of dynamicism. My solution was to put the point of view on one of the characters. Obviously, having the hero big is best, but the compositions I was came up with him in the foreground were shots over Cliff's shoulder or behind him, which makes for a great shot of the jetpack—but not a good shot of the Rocketeer.

Putting Betty in the foreground gave us a dynamic composition, and a front view of the Rocketeer—even if he was smaller. I tried to punch him up by adding some dynamic blacks and having all of the breaking glass radiating around him. Hopefully, this creates a focus on him, even if he's not the large figure.

I usually stay away from any implication of sex/bondage in commissions, but the "bound Betty" in this piece works for two reasons: (1) as the commissioner says, it reflects the pulps of the era, and (2) it's a winking acknowledgment of Betty Page's actual background (which Dave Stevens acknowledged throughout the series).

And the Buddy Commission Surgery Fun Drive continues! Information below:

PRICING

$40 for an inked single-character piece on 8.5 x 11 (or 9 x 12...depending on what I have lying around). Additional figures, email me for a quote. Plan on $5 for Priority Mail shipping if you won't be picking up the piece at the show.

Order a 9x12 Commission NOW!

$80 for an inked single character piece on 11 x 17. Again, for additional figures, email me for a quote. And again, $5 for Priority Mail shipping if you won't be picking up the piece at the show.

Order a 11x17 Commission NOW!

(ink wash added at artist's discretion...let me know up front if it's something you really, really, really have your heart set on.)

I can bring the piece with me to Wizard World Chicago, if you plan on attending, or mail it to you.

More examples of my commissioned work can be found here.

Thanks!

Commission: Athena Voltaire and Friend

Here's another commission; this time around, it's Athena Voltaire and the gear of a friend. ;)

And I'm still actively seeking commissions!

Additionally, I'm accepting preorders for Summit City Comic Con (June 18, Fort Wayne, Indiana). I'm not sure if I'll be doing more than penciled headshots at the show (stagefright), so please consider lining up a commission before the show. If you're an art collector that prefers to have commissions done in your themed sketchbook, you can mail me your sketchbook and I'll be glad to bring it to the show.

PRICING

$40 for an inked single-character piece on 8.5 x 11 (or 9 x 12...depending on what I have lying around). Additional figures, email me for a quote. Plan on $5 for Priority Mail shipping if you won't be picking up the piece at the show.

$80 for an inked single character piece on 11 x 17. Again, for additional figures, email me for a quote. And again, $5 for Priority Mail shipping if you won't be picking up the piece at the show.

(ink wash added at artist's discretion...let me know up front if it's something you really, really, really have your heart set on.)

Fallen Angel

I had the opportunity to contribute a pin-up to an upcoming Fallen Angel collection. J.K. Woodward, the incredible artist on the series, has set the bar high, so it was a fun challenge.

Shown here are my original rough, a couple of work-in-progress camera phone shots while I was inking, the finished inks and the colors, courtesy of my ever-amazing collaborator, Jason Millet.

Commission: The Rocketeer

I've drawn the Rocketeer for more commissions than any other character, with the exception of my own creation, Athena Voltaire. And it never gets old.

I would love, love, love to draw a Rocketeer comic adventure one day.

And I'm still accepting preorders for C2E2 in Chicago. I'm not sure if I'll be doing more than penciled headshots at the show, so please consider lining up a commission before the show. If you're an art collector that prefers to have commissions done in your themed sketchbook, you can mail me your sketchbook and I'll be glad to bring it to the show.

PRICING

$40 for an inked single-character piece on 8.5 x 11 (or 9 x 12...depending on what I have lying around). Additional figures, email me for a quote. Plan on $5 for Priority Mail shipping if you won't be picking up the piece at the show.

$80 for an inked single character piece on 11 x 17. Again, for additional figures, email me for a quote. And again, $5 for Priority Mail shipping if you won't be picking up the piece at the show.

(ink wash added at artist's discretion...let me know up front if it's something you really, really, really have your heart set on.)

Email me at atomictikistudio at gmail dot com

IDW announces The Complete Rocketeer

...taking a break from my artwork today, for some great news...

It's no secret that Dave Stevens is one of my all-time favorite artists (in fact, I'll be talking about him more later this month). I was thrilled to hear the announcement yesterday that IDW will be publishing The Complete Rocketeer in October.

The entire book will be digitally recolored by Dave's hand-picked colorist, Laura Martin (whose spectacular work has graced such titles as The Authority and Planetary). The first piece of artwork from Stevens and Martin is shown at left.

My favorite part?

“Sure, the regular hard cover will be great, but the Deluxe Edition will be incredible,” Editor Scott Dunbier said. “Oversized, about 8 x 12 inches, and loaded with unpublished Dave Stevens Rocketeer art. There will be tons of drawings, sketches, cover roughs—100 pages of them! How’s that for the ultimate Rocketeer collection?”

Between this and their forthcoming reprints of Alex Raymond's Rip Kirby, IDW will be getting a whole lot of my money in the latter half of this year.