Your Neighbor Totoro

A quick pencil sketch for another beloved Crooked Finger Press customer.

Your best pal ever,
Shannon Smith

When you buy my comics I mail you random sketches.

(As they say on teh intronets, click to enlarge.)

As long as time allows, I try to throw in a free sketch with the comics purchased on my online store. The image above is a pencil sketch I did this week based on a couple of images in a Jack Kirby 2001 comic. It's basically just an exercise in copying The King's style. There is absolutely nothing original about it but it was fun to draw.
This is a random sketch of Saul from the Old Testament. I think he is one of the most interesting people in the Bible. If I ever had the time I would like to do a comic about him so I've played around with what he should look like several times over the past few years. I don't think this is it. Far too handsome.
To get your own free sketch you can either buy my comics or play Mailcon. Getting stuff in the mail is awesome.

Your best pal ever,
Shannon Smith

You will believe a marmoset can win the derby.

This drawing was by request. Well, actually the request was that the marmoset would be riding a chihuahua but I can't read and totally missed the chihuahua part. Doh! This was done with pencil on plain old paper (no inks) then photoshop colors.

Here's a look at the plain old pencils. Don't forget that I am available for commissioned art/illustrations/comics/etc. Just send me an email and we'll figure it out. I'm also available fore free quick sketches through MailCon.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

Draw something everyday.

(1940's Wonder Woman pencil sketch drawn 01/01/09.)

It is hard for me to find time to draw but I've made a resolution to draw something every day this year. Most of that should be drawing on comics I have in the works. I probably will not post much of that here because I want to save it until the comics are finished. I will however try to post a lot more random sketches this year. The above pencil sketch was drawn on the couch during the last quarter of the Hokies victory over Cincinnati last night. It is Wonder Woman in the 1940's style. That is my favorite Wonder Woman look. I prefer the tight shorts to the skirt or the wonder panties she usually wears.  The drawing is not that great.  The arms and hands are all wonky and I got bored and drew big square Frank Miller looking chains instead of making a real effort.  Hey, it's just a quick sketch.  The tears and chains are from the source image I was aping.

Here is the panel that inspired my drawing. I found it in Jules Feiffer's book The Great Comic Book Heroes. It is drawn by H.G. Peter. I do not have many Wonder Woman comics and don't know the history but I like Peter's version of Wonder Woman as much or more than any other. She is movie star beautiful but big and athletic. In the comic Wonder Woman beats up a guy that had just beaten up an elephant. As you can see in the panel, Wonder Woman is chained. There sure was a lot of bondage in those old comics but that's a different discussion.
Don't forget, you can be the owner of a sketch like this just by playing MailCon.

Your best pal ever,
Shannon Smith

MailCon: Betty, Veronica and Rudolph for Robyn Jordan.

Here is a Christmas themed pencil sketch of Betty and Veronica... and Rudolph for Robyn Jordan.  Sorry this took so long!  Robyn also makes comics.  Check out the site.  I promise to review them soon at file under other.    

Don't forget, you too can play MailCon.

Double don't forget, if you have any special art you would like in ink or color I am happy to do commissioned work.  Just email me and we will work out a price.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

MailCon: Invisible Girl and Wonder Woman for Kurt Beaulieu

(Click the image to watch it grow.)

I drew this during lunch today for my Canadian pal Kurt Beaulieu.  (Sorry it took so long Kurt.)  I've been reading a lot of Essential Fantastic Four and I recently watched the New Frontier DVD so I've been wanting to put 60's Sue Storm (aka Invisible Girl, aka Invisible Woman aka Sue Richards ) and 40's Wonder Woman having a "girl talk" session.  

Have I mentioned how much I love decorated envelopes?!?

Kurt is a very good cartoonist.  You can check out his stuff here.   I like his comics and his style a lot.  I'm grateful that he sent along these cool drawings of his own.

Yes.  All Canadian women really look just like that.  It's true!

You too can play MailCon.  How you ask? Do I have to explain everything to you people?  Do I have to explain the whole dang introwebnet?  Okay, here is what you do.  First you reach behind your computer and make sure all the cords are plugged in... no silly, it's not that hard.  Just click here to find out how to play MailCon.

Thanks Kurt!  Be on the look out for a flying squirrel to deliver your MailCon sketch soon.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

p.s.  This drawing got posted in Stan Lee's MySpace and Facebook galleries.   Yeah, Stan Lee is all intronet 2.0 and he's like 138 years old.  Take that John McCain!

Patrick Dean mailed me stuff.

What's better than getting stuff in the mail kids?  

No really.  You tell me.  What's better?  I can't think of anything.

Patrick Dean took playing MailCon to a whole new level and mailed me the awesome drawing/inking/painting pictured above.  Ain't that awesome!?  Visit his website to see more fan-frickin-tastic-ness.  I drew Patrick a picture of Ant-Man.  Thanks to the magical power of the introwebnet, you can see my drawing by clicking your mousy thing on these very words or by scrolling down a bit.

Hold on kids!  I just figured out what is better than getting stuff in the mail!  Getting stuff in the mail with a cool drawing on the envelope!  Ain't that cool?!

Exclamation point!

Patrick also threw in this picture of strangely familiar fellows.  I think they played the homecoming dance when I was in eight grade.

Now I know you are thinking, "Man, why does Shannon get to have all the fun?  If Shannon used up all the fun will there be any left for me? Why is my life so miserable?  Where is the nearest bridge and if I jump will it end my sorrow?"  Well cheer up Sad Sack.  You too can play MailCon!  Just click these words to find out how!

Exclamation point!

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

MailCon: Ant-Man for Patrick Dean

Here is an Ant-Man drawing I did for my pal Patrick Dean.  I know Patrick is a fan of the absurd so I wanted this drawing to be over the top.   I ignored all laws of anatomy and ignored the notion of drawing the ant the way actual ants might look close up.  This drawing was a lot of fun.  I've been working on a color version of it but I can't figure out how I want it to look.  Maybe I'll post a color version of this when I figure it out.

Here is a look at the pencils for this drawing.  

You too can play MailCon.  Click here to find out how!

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars: The Clone Wars

(As they say 0n the introwebnet, click to enlarge.)

I like the Ahsoka Tano character from Star Wars: The Clone Wars so much that I drew this up. It is just pencils and photoshop. As a dad of a six year old girl I am painfully aware that there are very few female action characters a girl can be interested in so Ahsoka is pretty cool to me. Other than Kim Possible or Hermione there isn't much adventure for girls once you outgrow Dora the Explorer. I really like Ahsoka's character design and the color pallet. I like that she looks like a girl. If American mainstream comics artists had designed her she would have huge breasts and would not appeal to young girls in anyway.

I thought Ahsoka was probably the coolest thing about the Clone Wars movie (well, Obi-Wan was pretty freaking cool too) and I'm looking forward to the TV show if for no other reason than my daughter will have a girl character that she is interested in other than Hannah Montana and Barbie.

This drawing is a bit of an experiment. I'm often disappointed in my inked pages and find myself lamenting that the pencils looked better. On this image I'm playing around with just using the pencils in photoshop. It's not quite there but there is potential. I'm not very happy with the lightsaber. When I was a kid I loved the monthly Marvel Star Wars comics and each artist would draw the lightsabers in their own way. Now in the Dark Horse comics everything is "on model" and the sabers always look the same. Granted, they look right and I'm sure that is what most fans want but I like the idea of mixing it up. That being said, this lightsaber is a bit of a mess. I wanted to show it like a huge broad sword in a big sweeping motion but it comes off more like a baseball bat or a giant lollipop. (Not to self: Invent girl manga character that fights the bad guys with a giant magic lollipop. Get rich. Rinse. Repeat.)

Here is a look at the pencils before I started the photoshizzleing.

Hey Star Was fans (especially the kids) you can get your very own free sketch of a Star Wars character (or anything else) by playing MailCon. It's free! (Sort of.) Click here to find out how!

Exclamation point!

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

MailCon: Dawnstar for Aaron Cullers

(Click the pic for a larger image.)

This is a pen and pencil sketch of Dawnstar from the Legion of Super-Heroes for Aaron Cullers. She was originally drawn by Mik Grell who is one of my favorite artists so this was fun for me. It's a simple but neat character design. Native American meets angel meets cheesecake. Like most of Grell's designs, she has lots of hair and feathers and things that look good in motion. I thought about going with the style they used on the Legion cartoon but eventually decided to just start drawing and see what happened. (Man, why did they cancel that cartoon? I loved that cartoon!)

You too can play MailCon!

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

MailCon: The Doctor vs. The Demon for Paul Salvi

Here is a pencil MailCon sketch for Paul Salvi. The character is The Doctor from a graphic novel I'm working on called It's Never Easy But Sometimes It's Hard. Paul did not ask for a specific drawing. If you play MailCon there is a good chance you will also get one of the many characters from this project. Play MailCon now before I go blind or lose my thumbs.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

p.s. Click the pic for a larger image.

MailCon: Judge Dredd for Tom Spurgeon.

The first contestant on MailCon is none other than Tom Spurgeon. For successfully mailing a SASE, Tom has won the wonderful prize of an original sketch of Judge Dredd and some girl from some obscure comic strip. The original is in the mail Tom!
You can be the next contestant on MailCon. (Well, not exactly "next" there are already a few people ahead of you in line but...) Just click here to find out how.

Your best pal ever,
Shannon Smith

p.s. As the say on the intronet, click the pic for a larger image.

MailCon

(Drawing of me and my precious SASEs by Joe Kletz.)
I had so much fun drawing things at HeroesCon that would have never occurred to me to draw if not asked by the fine folks in attendance that I've decided to invent MailCon. The idea is that I'll draw free quick sketches just like I was at a convention and then I'll mail them to you for free. That's right, free! Of course, there is always a catch with that free word. I don't have mind powers that allow you to tell me what you want me to draw or to make the post office give me free postage so here is where you come in. This is what you do:

Mail me a self addressed stamped envelope to...
whoa there, you didn't really think I was going to post my address for all the wide wide world of web to see did'ja? Nosiree. Send me an email saying that you want to play MailCon and I'll email you the address. Then, you mail me a self addressed stamped envelope and I'll send it back with a sketch in it. The sketches will be drawn on typing paper or whatever else is lying around. If you want it on a special fancy paper then you need to send me the fancy special paper. If you want me to draw something specific, you'd better write it down on a note and put said note in the envelope. Remember, no mind powers. Also, be aware that the sketches will be folded to fit whatever kind of envelope you send but hey, it's free, who cares about folds or wrinkles?
Another fun part of this gimmick, err, I mean genius world changing experiment, is that I'll scan the sketches and post them here in bloggy town. The whole thing will become some sort of intronet phenomenon and you will be right there at the heart of it.
So, what are you waiting for? Start licking those stamps and envelopes now!

Your best pal ever,
Shannon Smith

p.s. Notice that at no point have I promised that any of these sketches would be good or interesting or actually look anything like what you are requesting. If you really want a good sketch, it's a good idea to put some money in the envelope.