Duality (sketch)

I probably should be working on completing some illustrations that I've already started, but when inspiration strikes, you just have to run with it.

I wish I could just sit down and devote time to all of these sketches and finish them, but I have commissions and other things piling up....which are problems, but very good problems to have.  I need to knock those out and get them completed, those right now are a priority. 

But in the meantime, feel free to check out my new Behance profile as well as my About.me page...or, buy a print or two.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get all of this stuff done.  Gotta keep that penc...err, stylus busy.

Without Wax,

-Charles

Soundwave, Superior (sketch)

Transformers will forever go down as one of my favorite if not the favorite cartoon that I used to watch when I was younger.  I had the die cast metal lunch box, countless coloring books, an insane plethora of toys...I was all about that Transformers life.  And if you have anything bad to say about Generation 1 Transformers, I cannot know you.  Say all you want about the others such as Beast Wars and the movies, but you never speak bad about Gen1.  

And by far my favorite Transformer was Soundwave.  While everyone else loved Optimus Prime and Megatron, Soundwave was that go to guy.  He was like getting 5 Transformers in one (so was Devestator, who was also one of my favorites).  I loved how he talked all logical and had no emotion whatsoever...it was always "Soundwave, superior, all others, inferior".  Thats cold man.  And he always had his cassettes with him like Ravage, Rumble, and Laserbeak (who are all pictured above).  And yeah, I'll admit, I thought it was kind of weird that a boombox could transform into a 50+ foot robot, but we're not here to debate the small details.  

I can't wait to finish this one, and I'll be sure to post progress shots as I go along.

Without Wax,

-Charles

Summer Heat & Sailor Moon

I always seem to update every other online space that I have first before updating my original Blogger blog...which is something that I definitely need to change.  I still find that this blog has a lot more information in it than my other spots like Tumblr, Facebook or even Google+, so this one definitely needs to remain a priority.  But since I've been gone, I've been doing a lot of sketching (and finalizing some illustrations).

The first one I did was definitely summer themed.  I think the whole idea for this one came from July 11, or 7/11...the day that 7 Eleven gives away free Slurpees.  Yeah...and with that said, this happened.

And for no apparent reason, I wanted to draw Sailor Moon (yes, I know...again...).  But this time without her fellow Sailor Scouts.  And I wanted her to look more imposing, than the bumbling way she was depicted in the cartoon.  Initially when I first sketched her out, I wanted to do my own take of her costume and give her like a sailor themed coat and all this jazz, but it looked very cumbersome and too busy, so I nixed it all and started all over.  And this is what finally turned out, from sketch to colors.

Both of these illustrations are available as 11" x 17" prints.  The Summer Heat one, I'm thinking of doing a limited print, mainly because I need to fill out my portfolio, but if people actually like it, I will offer it more.  And don't forget to check out either my new Square hosted online store, or my other "store" hosted on this very blog!

Gotta keep that pencil busy.

Without Wax,

-Charles

Squared: Illumistrations Online Store!!

Not too long ago, the payment service Square (who has those white...umm, squares, used for mobile payments and stuff) created this online portal for small businesses to sell their products online.  And me as a "small business owner", with an employee of one, I jumped in on the opportunity to have my prints sold through them!  They're the same quality of prints as before (because I'm still personally doing the shipping and handling), but they're handling the heavy storefront lifting for me.  It should be relatively pain free ordering through my new online market, and it definitely makes my flow a lot simpler.

Illumistrations' Online Store!!

And if you still prefer to use the older method that I had with Paypal, that option is still there.  Just click the link at the top of my page called "Commissions & Prints" and it will take you right there.  Buy a print or two (or three!  You deserve it.)!

Without Wax,

-Charles

Nicki Minaj

It's been a long time...I shouldn't have left you...

I can't believe that its been almost two months since I've posted something on here. If you've been following me on twitter, you would know that my Wacom tablet bit the big one, and I had to get it replaced.  I sent my tablet off to Wacom and was without it for about a month, only for it to return to me with a new problem instead.  So I had to send it off for almost another month, and now we're back!  I've been doing some random sketching low-tech wise, but I've been waiting for my tablet to come back...and it finally has!

And to celebrate (and knock off some digital rust), what better way than to sketch up and color Nicki Minaj!

This was the first time I drew her, so hopefully I did her justice.  And who knows, I @'ed her on Instagram with this same drawing, so maybe she'll see it....but I doubt it though.  Anyways, back to the backlog of other sketches and commissions and stuff...

Without Wax,

-Charles