This post is showing my process for the latest Red Sonja cover. I've included the 3 thumbnails I submitted in the beginning of the project. As you can see I took a few liberties with the one that was chosen but still stayed close to the original idea. Most of the line drawing and value were done traditionally with pencil on bond paper and Rives bfk paper. I drew a lot of it in sections and merged them together digitally. Because the values in the drawing were so strong, it made it very easy to color. It is mostly flat colors with a bit of digital painting on top, also taking advantage of the Burn and Dodge tool in Photoshop. The background was all digitally painted, then I added a bunch of scanned in textures on top. The final step was to flatten the entire image and refine values and add little bells and whiles here and there. And there you have it!

These are covers for the Pathfinder comic series These were done digitally, with scanned in ink wash textures that I created (That's how I did the stones and the clouds). The background, branches & skulls were done with ink and acrylic on Rives bfk paper. This digital process Ive been doing recently takes a bit longer but I'm really enjoying the polished look I'm getting from it

Hunger Magazine

Here are a series illustrations I did for Rankin's Hunger Magazine. It's a biannual music, fashion, culture and lifestyle magazine. A 500 page mag full of everything artistic + celebrities (actors, musicians). Pretty cool stuff. It's available all over Europe now and hits the States next week (late May, 2012) These are painted on Rives bfk paper done with: Watercolor, Prismacolor Pencil, Acrylics, Water-Soluble Oil Pastels, I did some digital stuff, including helping mask off painted shapes and color correcting. Really fun project Original photograph for reference provided by Rankin. creator/owner of Hunger Magazine

Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones) - Canvas Print

Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones) Canvas Print - 16 x 24" artwork (18 x 26" total) Limited to 6, Signed & Numbered $150 plus shipping, $10 US or $20 International Buy it here: http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=891429&GSub=128783

Little Red Riding Hood: Tattoo Commission

This was a tattoo commission I did recently for a client. I also ended up doing a really big mural of it at the cool little bar in the lower east side of NY called The Library Bar. More on that soon at: www.theirison.com This illustration is of the Little Red Riding Hood story. It's not my typical "style" so I started researching to get inspired and found some tattoo artist that I absolutely love! Rachi Brains, Cris Cleen, Richard Smith, and Regino Gonzales to name a few. Ive been doing a bunch of tattoo commissions recently and I'm gonna post a "commission" bottom on my site where you will be able to see them all, here" www.theirison.com If anyone is interested in a commission, let me know! email me: erik@theirison.com

Introducing Pol Duxun, a collective apparel line focused on bringing you HOT HOT T's. This new Label is being unveiled with the popular Vara design, via SheKills! ( men's S, L, X-L ) Buy it here: www.theirison.com This is printed on an Alternative Apparel men's white V, 100% cotton. These are super soft and have a great fit. This is a very limited print so get it as soon as you can. I had these shirts at C2E2, so unfortunately I'm running low. As of now, I'm out of mediums and drastically low on smalls (FYI) Buy them here: www.theirison.com I'm printing new shirts with new designs, including girl shirts (sorry it's taken so long, ladies) More to come soon!!

Daenerys

This is a painting of Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones

It's 15"x23"
Watercolor
Colored Pencil
Water-Soluble wax pastel
Nue Pastel
Acrylic
On Rives bfk paper (white)

The frame for this is really cool.
It mimics the dragon scales on the eggs! You can see pictures of the original painting in the frame on my site, here: http://theirison.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=28
Prints are available in the commercial section and The original is available here http://cadencecomicart.com/art.php?page=15565 "

This piece was done for The Ashcan Allstars blog.

A weekly blog where some of the top comic artist in the industry come together and illustrate a common weekly theme.
Very cool stuff, I'm honored to be apart of it this week.
Check out the blog here http://ashcanallstars.blogspot.com/

Like me on Facebook please! :) http://www.facebook.com/ErikJonesArt

Blu Magazine Cover art

This is the latest issue of Blu. It features a lot of my newer work, including a new piece for the cover and has a great interview in there as well.

This was painted on Rives bfk paper
done with: Watercolor
Prismacolor Pencil
Water-Soluble Oil Pastels
Acrylics

You can check out a digital version of the mag here: http://issuu.com/blumagazine/docs/blu_14?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222

Here is where you can purchase it!: http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/361361/

Also check out my new site: theirison.com
boom.

Rose Systyla

Here is the final piece along with some of the process.
(you guys said you like seeing those shots so I'll try to show more of it from now on)
I used water-soluble wax pastels, prismacolor pencils, nue pastels and acrylics, on Rives bfk paper.
In the process shots, you're seeing more of the flower process.
I hadn't intended on painting the bees in there until the last minute. So I made some in photoshop, printed them out, cut them up and moved the cut out bees around the painting to try and find nice spots for them to be painted in. When I found a fitting place, I took a yellow pencil, sketched the bees in and used mostly the wax pastels to paint the bees on there. In the 4th panel of the process shots you'll see the cut out and the painted bee
I used Prismacolor nue pastels and acrylics to dirty up the flowers.
I really enjoy that process, it feels good to "mess up" the painting after spending so many hours trying to make everything perfect.
This and the other painting "the Pride" will be shown at the Supersonic Electronic show at Spoke Art Gallery on the 5th of January. If you're around those parts, check out the show, it will be a good one for sure!

Follow me on twitter( http://twitter.com/#!/theIRISon )to see more process shots and to watch me mess up more pieces in the future. You know what I'm talking about if you followed me on this piece for the last week.... uuuuhhh so frustrating but it all turned out well... both pieces.

The Pride

Here are some process shots, and environment shots.
Its all done with water-soluble wax pastels, prismacolor pencils and acrylics, on Rives bfk paper.
I looked forever for a frame for this, then stumbled across the perfect one at a Brooklyn 2nd hand store.

This will be shown at the Supersonic Electronic show, January 5th in Francisco. here is the show info, check it out: http://supersonicelectronic.com/invitational

Follow me on twitter : http://twitter.com/#!/theIRISon for update info and current process shots!

More Process

Here is another piece coming at you.
So far it's just colored pencil and I'm super happy with how rich it's coming out
Follow me on twitter to see more progress: http://twitter.com/?lang=en&logged_out=1#!/theIRISon

The paper I used is Rives bfk printmaking paper.
So far it's only prismacolor pencil, just Poppy Red on top of the paper.
Then white for the highlights and Rouge Toscan (red) for the darker values.
All nicely blending with that blending stump.
I went trough about 3 Poppy Red pencils to get that base down.
I usually would start with a watercolor background.... but I forgot, ha. seriously.
The next step is adding Water-soluble wax pastels (Caran D'Ache) on top of the color pencil.
This is a new step in my process.
The pastels are freakn amazing though, I strongly recommend using then over your pencils

I'll keep you guys posted on more process.
I wanted to try and do a video for this one but had to start it faster then I intended.
Soon though guys, soon!!

Progress

It's been a while since my last post, especial something painted.
Well here you go!
This piece is kicking off a new serious of paintings inspired by vintage poster/tattoo art, while keeping my love for the "painterly" look.
The mediums used thus far have been:
Watercolor Pencils
Colored pencil (Prismacolor)
Acrylic
Water soluble oils (Duo Aqua Oils)
On Rives bfk paper (great stuff but I think my process might be pushing it to the limit with this particular piece)

So far I really like the outcome. I'd say its about 75% done.
I'm starting out by blocking in color with watercolor and acrylics. I've got the skin tone built up to a point that I like. The next step is to bring some life into it by dirtying it up a bit. I'll do this with Oils (water based), some matte medium, and Nue Pastels. Should be very interesting.

OH! This will also have hand done script incorporated in that bottom area I haven't finished yet.
Should be cool if I don't botch the hell out of it!

This piece and a few other will be in a show January 5th in San franCisco along side a number of other outstanding artist. The show is being brought to you by Supersonic Electronic, a fantastic art site. Check it out if you don't know it:

http://supersonicelectronic.com/

The show is being held at Spoke Art gallery
I'll post more on the show VERY soon. Stay tuned

Bad Talk

Just having some fun

The Sea Widow

I was in an oval mood for the last two pieces I did for the POP-OP show at Redletter in Hyde Park
This piece is 24"x39"
Watercolor
Prismacolor pencil
Acrylic
NuPastel
Water based oils
On Rives bfk paper

Perspective

A piece I did for the RedLetter show that opened last weekend 6/3/11
The show was awesome! People really seemed to like this one a lot, so I'm excited to show it!

Its 24"x36"
Watercolor
Prismacolor pencil
Acrylic
Water based oils
acid free, trimmed artist tape, bight white
On Rives bfk paper
(By the way, those lines....not fun to do)

more to come from this show!

Witchblade

Here is a cover I did for Witchblade
This character is so much fun to do, Looking forward to possible doing more work with her in it.

This is the Witchblade #145 HeroesCon exclusive issue.

hope you guys like it!!

POP-OP

Here is all the info for my show coming up June 3rd.
It is also the opening of the NEW RedLetter 1.
Very excited about this show! Did a bunch of new work for it and will have high end Giclee prints available there.
I you can t make it to the event I'll post the new works after the show.
Keep your eyes open!

34"x39"
Done with
Watercolor
Prismacolor Pencils
Acrylic
Water Soluble Oil
Prismacolor Nupastel
Artist tape (for the thin white lines)
On Rives bfk paper

BIG Thanks to the model ,Sara Hnatiuk!!
Hope you like it Sara

New piece in Progress

This is a new piece (In progress)for the show coming up in June 3rd at RedLetter Gallery in Hyde Park, Tampa FL.
So far it's watercolor, nupastel, prismacolor pencil on Rives bfk paper. 25"x40"

Patriot

40"x40"
Watercolor,
Pencil,
Acrylic,
Nupastel,
Oil, Rives bfk paper.
This is the first piece completed for a show that's coming up June 3rd in Tampa. More to come on that soon!!

DOMINGO

Working with 2 other guys and writing and illustrating a graphic novel called Domingo.... Ba Ba BOOM
This is a concept "sketch" of the main character, Jackson.
The background is done with ink, the character is digital.

Oh!! by the way, just completed a DVD digital tutorial for ImagineFX.
if you guys want to get a good perspective on how I do my digital work, check that out.
I believe it will be for issue 71
COMING SOON!!