The Rots®

The Rots @ DV8 (Part 2)

2012-02-07T16:57:00.000-05:00

I finished my drawing for the 10th anniversary exhibit at DV8 Gallery in Greensburg, and this is it (you can click on him to see him bigger). The exhibit opens this Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 pm. Here's a locator map to find it: http://bit.ly/zPRcuy. If you missed the sketch I posted earlier last week, here's the link to that.

And here's what DV8 looks like from the outside so you don't drive by it:
Actually, that's almost a total lie. They just changed the spilling coffee cup on the front to a standing-up frothy espresso cup just a couple weeks ago. But you get the idea.

The Rots @ DV8

2012-02-03T18:49:00.000-05:00

I've been asked to participate in the tenth anniversary exhibit at and for DV8 Espresso Bar and Gallery in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. They hosted The Rots' first exhibit back in 2007 (has it been that long?). Pictures from that show are on The Rots' site under "gallery" at the top of the page and then "shows" on the left. They're only exhibiting ten artists (for their tenth anniversary), and I'm honored to be one of them.

I'm drawing a new piece just for the show (which is hanging Sunday, so I need to get a move on), but the sketch itself is a few months old, I just never had a reason to finish it. Now I guess I do.

Here's the sketch. His name is Leonard.

Cupid Square Kat progress report #3

2012-02-01T16:31:00.000-05:00

Getting into the home stretch here with the Cupid Square Kat painting. I can't let it go too long, because I'm painting with acrylics, and they tend to dry up too quickly to linger.

This first image shows a newly painted diaper and bow. I thought the color of the bow really helped. He seemed a little drab before I got that part finished.

And then here he is with the heart and arrow finished. This is just the photo I took when the painting was still on the easel, so the colors are a little off. I'll take "official" photos as soon as I'm satisfied that he's actually finished, and then I'll post them here.

If you missed the first posts on his progress, you can see them here, here and here. You can click on any of the images to see them biggie-sized.

I'll try to get him on some stuff at Zazzle ASAP.

Cupid Square Kat progress report #2

2012-01-24T17:13:00.001-05:00

Let's get moving on this little guy, how about.

Started painting the background, and I still wasn't completely sure what colors I wanted to use. I didn't want to go with the standard red and white Valentine's day thing, but I knew the heart would have to be red, so whatever colors I decided to use would have to work with the red without overwhelming it.

Went with a bluish purply. I knew the wings needed to be an off-white color, so I went ahead and painted them in, too.

The next part wasn't so easy, and I hope I didn't totally blow it. For the cat, I decided to go with a pinkish color even though I understand (seriously, I do) that cats pretty much don't come in that color unless you've got some serious issues going on there. The problem was, he was starting to look like an internal organ.

I thought about it a while and decided it might still be O.K. if I toned the pink down a little. Maybe desaturate it. So that's what I did.

Then I added some more shading and highlights and started messing with his eyes.

And then a little more eye messing. I think I'm satisfied so far, but there's still a lot of details to go.

I'll post some more progress photos later this week. (You can click the images to see them bigger.)

Cupid Square Kat progress report #1

2012-01-20T16:32:00.000-05:00

After I sized the sketch of my Cupid Square Kat, the next thing I needed to do was get that little guy transferred to the board I'll be painting him on. But before I did that, I had to clean and prime and gesso the board to get it ready. So here's that blank canvas waiting for an idea.

And here's Cupid Square Kat drawn on it and ready to get a little color. You can click on the image to make it bigger if you can't see him.

Cupid Square Kat in the making

2012-01-17T16:25:00.000-05:00

I decided it was about time I followed up on the holiday Square Kat thing I started last Halloween and, of course, the next holiday coming up will be Valentine's Day. So here he is, my Valentine's Day Square Cat Cupid.

I'm noticing that my Square Kats seem to be following a pattern of being a little stabby. Hopefully they'll grow out of it.

Wasn't there a windmill in Frankenstein?

2012-01-06T18:30:00.000-05:00

Don't know. Can't remember. Not sure if I ever even saw the movie. I'm thinking I didn't. But I did see Frankenweenie, and there was a windmill in that one. I think. Maybe.

Anyway, I've been doing some drawings with colored pencils lately, and here's the one I finished today. I'm must have a soft spot for Frankenstein (Here, here and here). Such a misunderstood soul.

Sharky's Café

2011-12-21T19:21:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Sharky's Café, 3960 Rt 30, Latrobe PA.

Square Kat #2: He Who Shall Remain Nameless

2011-12-20T16:00:00.000-05:00

O.K. Having a little trouble finding a name for this Square Kat, but it will happen eventually. The first one was a little easier to figure out for some reason. Of course, I'm open to suggestions.

Leo's Pub and Grille

2011-12-16T19:42:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Leo's Pub & Grille, 202 N Diamond St, Mount Pleasant PA.

Ligonier Tavern

2011-12-06T22:00:00.000-05:00

My place mat @ Ligonier Tavern, 137 W Main St, Ligonier PA.

The Rots wormed their way into an art exhibit

2011-11-21T16:34:00.000-05:00

Somehow, somebody out there either has a sense of humor or has absolutely no idea what they're doing. I'd like to think it's the sense of humor thing.

Earlier this year I entered Orangatang into an legitimate art exhibit, and somehow he managed to get accepted into the show. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Council for the Arts holds a Regional Juried Art Exhibition each year at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Ligonier. This is their 16th year.

The image over there to the right shows Orangatang in situ at the opening, taken just to prove he was actually there. No Photoshopping or anything. Notice how I couldn't get even one person to look in his direction. They were too busy drinking. It was an open bar, after all.

Buster the Great

2011-11-16T17:28:00.001-05:00

Here's a new Square Kat for you. His name is Buster, named after an all-black cat my family had while I was growing up. Yes, he had an attitude. He would hide under the open stairs to the basement and wait for anybody who walked down to swat at their ankles through the stairs. And somehow we never cut his claws. In hindsight I suppose that was a mistake on our part.

Buster, to the relief of most everyone involved, isn't with us anymore.

Square Kat #1: Nacho

2011-10-23T17:22:00.000-05:00

I decided to paint these initial Square Kats digitally, post them on The Rots' Facebook page, and crowdsource some names. It looks like this first little guy is named "Nacho."

Halloween stuff as cheap as humanly possible

2011-10-22T15:42:00.000-05:00

Now through Halloween, get stuff from these Rots' Zazzle stores as cheap as it will ever be (they won't let me sell it any cheaper):

iFrank
Rita
Skulls
Vlad
Witchipoo

You'll find t-shirts and posters and postcards and binders and even Ked's shoes! There's something different in each store, so make sure to take a look around before you decide.

And I want to thank you sincerely for all of your support! I can't do this without you!

Square Kats

2011-09-28T16:10:00.000-05:00

I started playing around with some ideas for kitty kats, and these little guys were totally ready to slink out the end of my pencil. They were easy for me to love right away, which isn't easy for me to do. I'm usually pretty critical of my initial sketches for a project.

Here's the sketch of all the kats in a row:

The first thing I could see them on was across the chest of a t-shirt. Your grandma's. Wouldn't she look cute in that? In a Rotty Kat t-shirt? I wonder if she would notice they were Rots.

I'm thinking of all kinds of katty variations: on t-shirts without a background; on note cards with a background; a single kat on the back of an iPad case. Depending on how they turn out in color, I'm thinking these kitties could be exploited for quite a long time.

They're already ticked, so why not?

Sharky's Café

2011-09-09T20:23:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Sharky's Café, 3960 Rt 30, Latrobe PA.

Somebody else's sketchbook book

2011-09-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

Gris Grimly (one of my favorite illustrators) decided to publish a book totally full of sketches he's made over a 13-year period. (Which 13-year period, I really don't know.) It's called Gris Grimly's Atrum Secretum: 13 Years of Hidden Truths, and will be available on Amazon October 1.

The book is beautiful, inspiring and discouraging all at once. Some of what he considers sketches I wouldn't be able to do on my best day. They make me want to do better at the same time they're punching me in the face and screaming there's really no hope.

Except for a title page, one end page explaining about the book, and copyright info just inside the end paper, the book is all about the sketches. The only text in the book was written when the sketches were drawn, so pages aren't filled with insight and analysis or whatever filler usually invades books like this.

I bought my copy directly from Gris, so mine is a little different than the one available on Amazon. (Mine looks like the one above.) In mine, he drew an original sketch on one of the pages before he sent it out (image to the right) and included a signed and numbered sketch coupon "certificate" to authenticate the drawing as original.

Sorry, I've been neglecting you

2011-08-11T18:56:00.001-05:00

It's been a while, hasn't it?

I've been up to something, likely no good, and I've been keeping you out of the loop. I've been writing. Yes, and designing. And drawing pictures for a...a book.

I know. I know. But I've had you in my heart the whole time.

Especially when I animated the book trailer:

You thought I was joking, didn't you. I would never joke about something like this.

I also wouldn't joke about this:

I put the book project up on Kickstarter to raise money so I could publish it independently.

Please don't cry. Are you crying? There's no crying in baseball. Here, take a look for yourself...

I'll still be there for you when this is all over. Wait for me, will you?

P.S. Did you like the video?

Happy Birthday to The Rots!

2011-06-29T13:16:00.029-05:00

On June 29, 2006, I drew the first page of what later became "The Rots." The scan of that first sketchbook page is over there to the right. You can click on it to see it bigger if you want.

I know, it pretty much sucks. But that's why I drew it in a sketchbook and not on something expensive or important. It wasn't meant to be viewed by the general public. I was just getting my feet wet, and artwork like this was very new to me (see my fine art portfolio here).

The Rots have grown up since then (a lot), and in celebration of their fifth birthday I decided to paint Rodney as I thought he might look today (see below). Rodney was the very first Rot (he's in the upper left corner of the sketchbook page above), and he's changed a bit, hopefully for the better.

Over the past few weeks I've posted some photos of Rodney as I was painting him, so you can scroll down to see in-progress images or click here to see all the updates on the same page.

Rodney: Maybe he's finished, maybe he's not

2011-06-22T19:08:00.000-05:00

Did some more work on the Rodney painting, and I'm thinking he might be done, but I may go back in and tweak a little more if I see something that doesn't feel quite right.

I collaged in a few newspaper headline clippings which are probably a little hard to see in these photos, but I know they're there, so that works for me. I also gave him a little friend in the background.

Pufferbelly Restaurant

2011-06-20T18:49:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Pufferbelly Restaurant, 414 French St, Erie PA.

"Rodney" painting update

2011-06-16T15:58:00.002-05:00

For my latest trick, I'll post some magical paintings all in a row so it looks like it only took a tiny second of work between each one.

Ready?

Hold onto your butts...

Ta-da!

He isn't finished just yet. I'll post more of him a little later.

The Rots' Fifth-Year Anniversary

2011-06-02T18:48:00.002-05:00

On June 29, The Rots will be celebrating their fifth-year anniversary (or should that be birthday?). Woo-hoo and all that sort of thing. It was on that date back in 2006 when I drew the very first Rot ever:

Rodney, the very first Rot ever

Seeing as how he's five years old now (and all grown up), I thought it would be a stellar idea to paint him for the occasion. The problem is, The Rots have grown up quite a bit since Rodney was born, and I decided to give him a bit of an update.

I'm painting him on a 24"x30" board (birch), and decided to try to step outside my comfort zone a little. I'm adding some collaging into the mix and also using colors that I normally don't. First up, I sketched something close to the old version of Rodney on the board, just for me. Except for this photo, nobody will even know he's there. I ended up covering that sketch up in the next step.

After that, I completely covered the board with comic strip pages from our local newspaper (the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). Not only did that give me a texture of comics to paint over, but it also gave me a physical texture of wrinkles and gel medium-textured brush strokes to catch the paint, which worked out perfectly.

Next I worked on the background. My original plan was to paint the purple as an underpainting for an off-white sky, but I liked the color so much it pretty much stayed.

Then I sketched in the new idea I had with a little of the yellow I was using, fully intending to leave whatever yellow marks that didn't get covered up with further paint as-is (we'll see if I change my mind later).

After that I just started filling in the blanks. Tomorrow I'll finish his skin tones with some much darker shades before I move on to whatever part of the painting I decide to tackle next.

Ligonier Tavern

2011-05-30T18:16:00.000-05:00

My place mat @ Ligonier Tavern, 137 W Main St, Ligonier PA.

Vincent in the sketch phase

2011-05-20T15:55:00.022-05:00

To celebrate the upcoming 100th birthday of Vincent Price, I decided to Rot him. Here's the initial sketch, final color version in the works.

Happy Birthday, Vincent. Thank you for scaring the living bejesus out of me when I was young and vulnerable.

Alice & Ruthie (an oldie but a goodie)

2011-04-22T15:27:00.000-05:00

Alice & Ruthie

I don't think I've ever posted this image here on the blog so, even though this one goes back a couple of years I'm gonna do it.

The illustration was based on a story my mom used to tell about riding on the handlebars of her sister's bicycle.

Oh, and what happens when you brake.

I guess it wasn't pretty.

This would be those few seconds before that dreadful bicycle-braking incident when life was still all smiles and "weeeeee" for everyone involved.

Desperately Seeking Tim Burton

2011-03-30T20:31:00.000-05:00

Dear Mr. Burton,

I've found myself in a desperate rut, the likes of which you've managed to retrieve me from in the past, and I'm hoping you will be available again sometime soon.

January a year ago, I made a trek to the Museum of Modern Art, specifically to view your work on display there. I bought a membership just so I wouldn't have to stand in line with all the other saps who had to wait to get in.

The rooms that housed your exhibit were terribly crowded; I'm sure we were well beyond the building's fire code. Sardines, as it were. But I managed to see everything, just to make sure I didn't miss anything that might later turn out to be something I would have liked to have seen.

After I squeezed my way through all the rooms I took a breather. I bought some stuff. I ate some stuff and, in spite of the sardine thing, I decided I needed to get myself back in the middle of that exhibit.

So I did.

This time I knew exactly what I needed to see again, so I jumped out of the line that snaked around the rooms and headed straight for the drawings.

The drawings, as you know, were watercolor outlined in pen, so there was really nothing out of the ordinary there. Using the media in that way was nothing new, and had never been a source of inspiration for me. So that couldn't really have been the attraction.

Why was I still there? Why couldn't I take my eyes off these images? Why were these images so much better than what I conjured in my own sketchbooks?

I think what sucked me back into those rooms and set my sparks flying was that unrestrained childlike imagination. How does an artist allow himself to let everything fly out the window like that? The caricatures were well beyond caricatures. Arms and legs and tails and horns and whatever other body parts that could conceivably be conceived as a body part were attached to shapes that weren't really bodies until simulated body parts had been attached.

But you knew that.

Stripes and checkerboards and spirals and dipping horizons added to my acute sense of instability, and all I could do was stand in front of them and try to soak in as much as my little brain could soak in, in the hopes that some day that freedom would spew out in my own work.

On the train ride home I drew. Over the next few months I drew some more. I was inspired and ready to take on my own sketchbook demons and wrestle them into something I could proudly show the world.

Things seep away over time, however. It's been another year, and I seem to have lost that thing. That permission you had given me to create outrageousnous. Those weird images that had been crisscrossing around in my head. And, ultimately, the hope that somewhere down the line it would all be worth it.

Dear Tim (do you mind if I call you Tim?), please send me a sign. Something. Anything. Something to get me back on track. Something to help me find my monsters. I'm afraid right now they're lost, and I'm also afraid they're scared. And hungry. I know I am. I desperately need to bring them home.

Please help me bring them back home.

Signed,

Nora

P.S. Thank you kindly for allowing my family to give me your art book last Christmas and I'm eagerly awaiting your and Danny's CD box set, as my Alice in Wonderland soundtrack is quite possibly wearing thin.

One Last Goodbye

2011-03-18T16:10:00.001-05:00

Well, my skateboard's gone. He was a good little dude, but we always knew he'd have to leave someday.

So it's up to you guys now, and here's what you need to do:

Check out the Montana Skatepark Association's site to see what they're about.
Read about last year's On Deck charity auction and exhibit.
Watch for this year's skateboards to be uploaded to their site in April.
If you're anywhere near Missoula, Montana on May 6, take a look at their First Friday Art Walk.
While you're at Missoula's First Friday Art Walk, take a peek inside The Brink gallery where you'll find all the skateboards on display.
Find The Rots' board and take lots of photos.
Send those photos to me: nora@the-rots.com.
On May 21, bid for your favorite skateboard at the live auction.
Pat yourself on the back for supporting free, public skateparks and the arts.

That's it! Great job

Skateboard Reg may (may) be finished

2011-03-11T19:23:00.000-05:00

May have finished my skateboard painting up today, except for the varnish. I'll take a look at him again tomorrow and see what he says.

Reg grew himself a goatee

2011-03-10T14:34:00.002-05:00

Another productive day in the studio.

I got some work done on Reg's shirt and then added his goatee. Still need to do some tweaking on both and then work more on his shoes, but he's getting there.

Skateboard painting update

2011-03-07T20:14:00.000-05:00

Another day in the studio working on my deck for the Montana Skatepark Association's On Deck VI charity auction and exhibit.

Today I started with a little underpainting on Reg's pants.

And then I painting both his pants and hair (which turned out to be the same rusty color).

Here's a close-up of his hair.

On this next part you'll have to use your imagination until I can get back in the studio. The shirt and shoes are only underpainted at this point, and they just happen to be that same rusty color from his pants and hair. I know right now he looks B-O-R-I-N-G (like, "What were you thinking?" kind of boring), but I promise he'll be a little more colorful next time I post.

You can click on any of the images to see them biggie-sized.

Camul postcards good to go

2011-03-06T14:42:00.000-05:00

I've finally broke down and worked on some Camul merchandise.

First up: Postcards

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. That I did it for Michelle. Well, I'll have you know, I totally did.

So, Michelle, here you go.

Reg got himself some skin

2011-03-04T19:12:00.002-05:00

To-Do:
1. Run for three miles (36° outside-double bonus)
2. Eat brunch @ Ruthie's
3. Let Ruthie do the dishes
4. Work extra hard in the studio

5. Feel pretty good about myself

Another On Deck day

2011-03-02T17:29:00.000-05:00

Worked a bit on my board for the Montana Skatepark Association's "On Deck" charity auction and exhibit.

First, I painted a rough outline of the image on the board (above) and did some paint mixing. He says his name is Reg by the way (and pleased to meet you, thanks). I used Alizarin Crimson for the sketch, if you're keeping score.

Next came the underpainting (Cadmium Red and Cadmium Yellow).

Then the background painting. Not sure yet how finished this part is, so I'll paint Reg first and then decide what else I need to do with the blue (Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Utrecht Unbleached Titanium, Payne's Gray and Titanium White).

Probably add some clouds in the mix later on.

Uh. Oh. I guess I'm not as original as I thought.

2011-02-27T16:04:00.001-05:00

While I was online this morning, I did a little surfing around the gallery on the Montana Skatepark Association site from On Deck V (last year's), and I got an unexpected punch in the gut. One of the decks from last year was painted and doodled similarly to what I had planned on doing on mine.

Ouch.

This one isn't happening.

I sort of had to take a step back to square one, but not so much. I had an idea of what I wanted to do from the beginning, but then got sidetracked when I saw my sketchbook page with all the doodles. I get sidetracked easily. I could still use that very first idea as a backup, even though I hadn't done any sketches for it.

So I went back to the studio this afternoon, sanded the wood fill down from yesterday, and started coating the board with gesso. While the first coat was drying, I played with some new color mixtures for a background. When I first thought about this idea, I couldn't see it with any other background other than purple. Not sure why. I don't really use purple, but there you go.

The new mixtures are a combination of Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Payne's Gray (which is bluer and grayer than the swatch in the link shows), Utrecht Unbleached Titanium (different than Liquitex) and Titanium White.

I'll be painting the little guy on
the bottom left, with a replacement
foot from the sketch to the right.

While the second coat of gesso was drying I started playing with some sketches of that original idea. At first I was going to do the skeleton version (on the upper right), but I played around with the little guy on the bottom left, and now have decided to use him for my final painting.

Three coats of gesso, and
it's ready to paint.

One more coat of gesso, and I'm as far as I can go until it's dry.

On Deck skateboard progress report

2011-02-26T19:32:00.002-05:00

I was invited to participate in On Deck VI, a charity auction for the Montana Skateboard Association.

The organization sends out rejected skateboards to artists around the country (and even Canada) to do with as we please. We'll have a month to finish our ideas and get the boards back to Montana where images of the boards will be uploaded and the auction process will begin. On May 6, and for two weeks after, the boards will be viewed (in person) at The Brink Gallery. And then on Saturday, May 21, they'll be auctioned off live, with the proceeds going toward building and maintaining free, public skateparks across Montana.

I'm honored and excited to say the least.

FedEx dropped off my board today, and I was psyched to get started. So I did.

(I'll be painting the back.)

The first thing I had to do was get this puppy sanded. Boring, sorry. It took about an hour to get the thin finish on the board removed.

The next thing was filling in some holes. Since the boards won't be used for skateboarding anymore, some of the holes won't be necessary. I'm using the existing holes on the opposite end for the hanging hardware, so those holes won't get filled in.

While the wood filler was drying, I tested out a combination of paint and markers to see what would look best. I'm settling on gesso first, then a base coat of Liquitex Unbleached Titanium and sponging a combination of Cerulean Blue, Unbleached Titanium and Titanium White. Once that dries, I'll use Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens to draw an all-over doodle design, something like this:

I'm not doing a sketch for this one; I'm just drawing whatever comes to mind and whatever wants to fit in the area I'm working on. That's the way I drew the doodle above, and it seemed to work out pretty well.

I Rotted Our Studio

2011-02-26T17:15:00.000-05:00

You might have to click on the image to see it biggie-sized. (I was trying to be subtle.)

D's Six Pax & Dogz

2011-02-24T22:29:00.001-05:00

My napkin @ D's Six Pax & Dogz, 1118 S Braddock Ave, Pittsburgh PA.

"Camul" painting finished

2011-02-21T19:11:00.000-05:00

And there you go.

Camul may be on his last leg

2011-02-15T19:07:00.001-05:00

I had a marathon painting session this afternoon (O.K., it was only a few hours), and Camul may (may) be finished. Except for the varnish, of course. I'll look at him again after I haven't for a while, and I'll post him post varnish.

Free Valentines for all you procrastinators

2011-02-12T14:59:00.006-05:00

It's February 12. You do know that Valentine's Day is Monday, right? And you've already bought the card, right? And mailed it so it can get to where it's going on time, right?

Right?

Yeah. I didn't think so.

O.K. Fine.

I've uploaded some free Valentines for you to download and print. Here are four choices to pick from, all 4¼" wide x 5½" tall:

I've tested them, so they should be O.K., but if you have any problems with the download, just let me know.

As far as delivery goes, you're on your own. You'll probably have to hand deliver it now. Sorry about all that "face-to-face" stuff, but I can't do everything for you.

Another day of painting Camul

2011-02-05T14:36:00.000-05:00

This should give a better idea of the direction the painting is headed (compared to the underpainting post). The underpainted background is overpainted (is that a word?), and now the sky is blue/purple and the sand is yellow/tan. Hopefully it makes more sense now.

I noticed as I was painting that I'm not all that satisfied with how I gessoed the board. I think I laid the gesso on too thick, and all that prickly texture that I had in my other animal rots paintings isn't there. So the underpainting doesn't show through as much as I would have liked and the way I would have liked.

Here's a close-up of the sky in Jeeraffe (on the left) compared with a close-up of the sky in Camul. The gesso texture is definitely thicker than I want it.

I hope the end result still works because it's too late to do anything about it now short of starting over. And I won't be doing that.

Oopsy again. Never posted Orangatang

2011-02-04T16:53:00.003-05:00

This would be him.

Camul painting in progress

2011-02-02T19:20:00.000-05:00

The progression of Camul: Report #1

I decided to scan Camul in as I go, and I'm trying to line up the images into one file in Photoshop so I'll be able to put an animation together of the progress. I'll post that animation here when he's finished.

This first image is just the original sketch transferred to the birch wood where I'll be doing the final painting.

Not much to see here.
Just move along.

This second image probably looks a little odd, but it's just at the underpainting stage. If I gessoed the board the way I hope I did (and I'm hoping I did), there will be enough texture so when I start painting subsequent layers, parts of this underpainting will still be visible in the valleys of the gesso texture. At least, that's the plan.

When I decide to use an underpainting, I try to underpaint the complimentary color of what the final color of the area will be, as in, the final sky will be purple with a yellow underpainting, and the final sand will be yellow with a purple underpainting.

In this case, the two colors I'm using for the final painting (purple and yellow) are also complimentary colors to each other. I'm a little worried it might get boring with too much of a lack of color, so I might have to interject colors that really shouldn't be there. I'll deal with that dilemma when it happens.

iPhone cases on sale

2011-02-01T19:20:00.000-05:00

I've discounted both Valentine's Day iPhone cases in The Rots' store through Valentine's Day.

Cases for your iPhone 3

Cases for your iPhone 4

Both cases are the grungy, handwriting design.

And don't forget, free shipping on orders over $50. Use the code FREESHIPFORU when you check out.

Oops. Never posted Elefant

2011-01-31T19:51:00.001-05:00

And there you go.

Valentine's Day stuff

2011-01-31T19:41:00.000-05:00

So Valentine's Day is coming up in a couple of weeks, and it just happens that some of the stuff in The Rot's Love store have hearts on them. Imagine that. So guess what? I'm going to start putting that stuff on sale.

First up, iPad cases.

A red one with the spider

Another red one that's a little grungy

And yet another red one with some hand writing

All of these cases will be on sale for the lowest price Zazzle will let me, and tomorrow I'll add something else to the list.

And if that weren't enough, orders over $50 qualify for free shipping! Just enter the code FREESHIPFORU when you check out.

Obviously, The Rots love you.

Ruthie's Diner

2011-01-30T14:22:00.000-05:00

My place mat @ Ruthie's Diner, Rt 30 E, Ligonier, PA.

Dino's Sports Lounge

2011-01-28T21:09:00.001-05:00

My napkin @ Dino's Sports Lounge, 214 Rt 30 E, Latrobe PA.

New sketch for Afrikan Beasties series

2011-01-27T19:47:00.000-05:00

"Camul"

Happy Birthday, Edgar Allan Poe

2011-01-19T17:26:00.000-05:00

So Edgar turns 202 today. Or maybe he'll always be 40, as he was when he died in Baltimore in 1845.

Your choice.

Gris Grimly, one of my favorite artists, illustrated two volumes of Poe material: "Tales of Mystery and Madness," and "Tales of Death and Dementia." Tons of illustrations throughout, so it makes for some pretty good eye candy if that's you're intent when buying it (that was mine).

And, if you're keeping track, no Poe Toaster again this year. That's two years in a row after leaving cognac and roses on Poe's grave for 60 years. Maybe one of the Toaster impostors will take up the tradition permanently. That's what I'm hoping anyway.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 19

2011-01-18T19:13:00.000-05:00

Jan. 19 Woo hoo! It's here! The day we've been waiting for! Well, I've been waiting, I'm not sure about the rest of you guys, but this is pretty exciting from my standpoint.

Happy happy birthday to Edgar Allan Poe, who turns a youthful 202 today. But, I guess, if you die when you're 40, you're pretty much going to stay a bit youthful forever now, aren't you. Depending, of course, on your definition of "youthful"...

But I digress.

We've been celebrating Edgar's upcoming cake and candles with sales! Isn't that the American way? Each day this month, I've posted something new and on sale in The Rots' Edgar and Chloe store, and today's something on sale was a no-brainer.

Everything!

For the next 24 hours, absolutely everything in The Rots' Edgar and Chloe store will be priced as low as Zazzle will allow. If you've missed anything on sale earlier in the month, now's your chance to pick it up as cheap as it will ever be.

And did you notice? A full moon, respectfully arranged just for the occasion.

So raise your glass (or mug) of cognac, and toast the man who remains a youthful 40 forever, in his own zombie-ish and maggot-y sort of way.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 18

2011-01-17T19:32:00.000-05:00

Jan. 18 Only one more day! Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday will be this Wednesday, and all month we've been counting down the days with specials over in the Edgar and Chloe store with something new and on sale every day. Read about the idea here.

Today's new and on sale: iPad cases

Chloe in blue horizontal case

Chloe in blue vertical case

Chloe in red horizontal case

Chloe in red vertical case

Edgar and Chloe case

Just Edgar case

Just Chloe case

So seven to choose from, and all on sale for the lowest price Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post the final day's product(s) and these cases will revert to their regular prices.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 17

2011-01-16T14:56:00.000-05:00

Jan. 17 Getting ready for the big finale! Day 17, and I've been extra (extra) busy putting this one together. To celebrate the 202nd birthday of the American writer and poet, Edgar Allan Poe, I've been creating new Edgar designs and posting them in The Rots' Edgar and Chloe store.

Today's designs: iPhone cases

Lots of choices for you on this one. First off, if you have an iPhone 3G, here you go:

Just Chloe blue vertical cases

Just Chloe blue horizontal cases

Just Chloe red vertical cases

Just Chloe red horizontal cases

Edgar and Chloe cases

Just Edgar cases

Just Chloe cases

And second, if you've got yourself an iPhone 4, here are your choices:

Just Chloe blue vertical cases

Just Chloe blue horizontal cases

Just Chloe red vertical cases

Just Chloe red horizontal cases

Edgar and Chloe cases

Just Edgar cases

Just Chloe cases

That's a lot of cases! I hope you find one you can use. Every single iPhone case will be on sale until Monday evening, Jan. 17. At that point I'll post something different (but equally exciting) to the Edgar and Chloe store, and these cases will revert to their regular prices.

In case you're wondering about what the "19 Days of Edgar" would be, read about the idea here.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 16

2011-01-15T20:08:00.000-05:00

Jan. 16 Day 16 and three days until Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday. Each day this month I've posted something new and on sale in The Rots' Edgar and Chloe store, and I'm a little excited about today's post.

Skateboards. Yeah. Skateboards.

Blue ones with a ghostly Chloe

Blue ones

Red ones with a ghostly Chloe

Red ones

See? Pretty cool, huh.

Not only that, you can also choose your skateboard shape and size, so you aren't locked in to the ones I have pictured here. All skateboards in the store, no matter what style or size, will be on sale for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new, and all the skateboards will revert to their regular prices.

To see the full explanation of the "19 Days of Edgar" try this post.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 15

2011-01-14T19:10:00.000-05:00

Jan. 15 Only four days left until Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday. Are you stoked? Is your cognac ready? Are you a Ravens' fan? (Let's leave that conversation for a different day, shall we?)

Each day this month, and in celebration of Poe's upcoming birthday, I've been posting new items in The Rots' Edgar and Chloe store, all of which are on sale. Something new every day. I came up with the idea somewhere around writing this blog entry.

Today's something new: Ornaments

Edgar and Chloe round ornaments

Just Edgar oval ornaments

Just Chloe red oval ornaments

And a second version of just Chloe on a round ornament

As I said, these ornaments are on sale for the lowest price Zazzle will let me post them for the next 24 hours. After that, I'll be posting the next day's something new, and these little guys will revert to their regular prices.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 14

2011-01-13T19:39:00.000-05:00

Jan. 14 Only five days left until Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday, but we've been celebrating all month long. Over in The Rots' Edgar and Chloe store, you'll find something new and on sale every day until the big day. And then you won't. But never mind that now; that isn't happening until next week, so carpe diem!

Today's something: Aprons.

Edgar and Chloe aprons

Just Chloe aprons

You can choose from three different sizes, and if you like the Chloe-by-herself version, you can also choose from three different colors (the Edgar and Chloe ones didn't look so good on anything but white, so there you go). All the aprons will be on sale for the next 24 hours, after which time they will revert to their regular prices and I'll post something new and, as it turns out, also on sale.

I explain the whole idea of the "19 Days of Edgar" here.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 13

2011-01-12T19:15:00.000-05:00

Jan. 13 And here we are at lucky number 13. All month we are celebrating the 202nd birthday of Edgar Allan Poe coming up on January 19. The Rots' Zazzle store is getting loaded with stuff featuring the Rotty version of Edgar and his raven, Chloe. Read about the idea here.

Today's stuff: Bags

Edgar and Chloe bags

Just Chloe bags

And you're not limited to just the sizes and colors pictured here. Choose your own style, color and size on the order page. All the bags in the Edgar and Chloe store will be on sale for the next 24 hours. After that, bags will revert to their regular prices, and I'll upload something new in the store.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 12

2011-01-11T20:13:00.001-05:00

Jan. 12 And welcome to day 12. To celebrate the January 19th birthday of the American writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe, I've been posting new Zazzle designs with his Rotty image. Read about the whole idea here.

Today's designs: Totally customizable labels

Return address labels

Regular address labels

Shipping labels

You can customize all the labels with whatever information you like right on the Zazzle page.

All these labels will be on sale for the lowest price Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. After that, they revert to their regular price, and a new item will be posted for sale.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 11

2011-01-10T21:03:00.000-05:00

Jan. 11 So we've made it past the halfway point, and I guess we might as well see this thing to the end. Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday is next Wednesday, January 19, and all month I've been posting new Rots stuff on Zazzle. Something new and different each day, and totally on sale.

Today's new and different and totally on sale: Stationery

Edgar and Chloe stationery

Just Edgar stationery

Just Chloe stationery

And! The envelopes to send your stationery

And! The postage to put on the envelopes to send your stationery

Got you covered.

All this stuff will be on sale for the next 24 hours at the lowest price possible. Tomorrow evening I'll post something new, and the stuff listed above will revert to its regular price.

Read about the "19 Days of Edgar" here.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 10

2011-01-09T19:50:00.000-05:00

Jan. 10 And there you have it. Nine days down, nine days to go. Plus day 10 in between. In celebration of Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday coming up on January 19, I've decided to post something new every day to The Rots' Edgar and Chloe store on Zazzle, and put that something on sale for the day. Here's the idea as I had originally posted it.

Today's something: Mousepads

These mousepads will remain on sale at the lowest price Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow night around this time I'll post a new design (also on sale), and mousepads will revert to their regular price.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 9

2011-01-08T19:55:00.000-05:00

Jan. 9 Day 9 is now underway, and we're almost halfway there. Thanks again to everybody for supporting The Rots through this strenuous period. O.K. Strenuous for me, maybe not so much for you.

To catch up if you're just finding this blog...The 19 Days of Edgar celebrates the 19 days in January leading up to Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday by offering a different product every day at a discounted price. You can read the details here.

Today's stuff: Posters

Horizontal Edgar and Chloe poster

Vertical Edgar and Chloe poster

Poster of just Chloe doing her Twitter thing

All of these posters will be offered through Zazzle at the lowest price they will allow me to for the next 24 hours. After that, the price reverts back to its undiscounted state, and tomorrow around this time I'll post something new in the Edgar and Chloe store.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 8

2011-01-07T18:23:00.000-05:00

Jan. 8 Here's your next batch of Edgar stuff to keep you occupied until his birthday on January 19.

Binders (1", 1 1/2" and 2" deep)

Binders will be available for the lowest price that Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new to the Edgar and Chloe store, and these binders will revert to their regular prices.

You can read about the 19 Days of Edgar here.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 7

2011-01-06T19:41:00.000-05:00

Jan. 7 And welcome to day seven!

In celebration of the upcoming 202nd birthday of Edgar Allan Poe, The Rots have new stuff on sale daily in the Edgar and Chloe store.

Today's prize: Stickers. Three-inch stickers come in sheets of six, and 1½-inch stickers come in sheets of 20 for the same price.

Edgar and Chloe

and just Chloe

Zazzle's 20.11% off promotion still applies until midnight tonight, and that's in addition to the sale price already listed. And don't forget, free shipping on orders of $50 or more.

Both of these stickers will be available for the lowest price that Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new in the Edgar and Chloe store, and stickers will revert to their regular price.

You can read about the 19 Days of Edgar here.

Leo's Pub and Grille

2011-01-06T18:55:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Leo's Pub & Grille, 202 N Diamond St, Mount Pleasant PA.

The Art of Tim Burton

2011-01-06T15:58:00.010-05:00

Guess what I totally got for Christmas!

(Hint:)

(My family rocks!)

And as if my family doesn't rock enough, I actually received two (!) copies for Christmas! But those nice people at Steeles Publishing were great. They took back the extra copy even though it wasn't within their return time frame (of seven days!).

So I guess it's looking like Steeles Publishing rocks, too!

[Please check back in February to see what my replacement gift for the duplicate book turned out to be. Oh, yeah.]

I've managed to look through about half of the book so far, and it looks really, really sharp. I have to keep wiping the drool off the pages, but still. Lots of fold-outs of extra long pages when drawings come in a series that needs to stay together. Lots of sketches that weren't meant to be seen by human eyes. Lots and lots of inspiration. And drool.

(an example of one of those massive fold-outs)

One tiny problem might be the black linen cover which will definitely get dirty from all the fondling and which will definitely be impossible to keep clean. I made a dust jacket for mine out of an old sheet of black drawing paper that I decided I'm never going to draw on.

I'm a nerd, I know. But I'm a happy, happy nerd with an awesome book with massive fold-outs and drool warming my drawing desk. I've learned to deal with it.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 6

2011-01-05T19:36:00.001-05:00

Jan. 6 Well, so far, so good. We've made it to day six, and everybody's still insane. Celebrating Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday coming up on January 19, and each day there's something new and on sale in The Rots' Edgar and Chloe store.

Day six is pretty straight-forward: Magnets.

Square magnets: (one size of 2")

and round magnets (three sizes of 1¼" 2¼" and 3")

Zazzle is still offering an additional 20.11% off if you order by midnight tomorrow night and use the code 2011NEWYEARS when you order. Not only that, you'll get free shipping if you order $50 or more!

Magnets will be available for the lowest price that Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new in the Edgar and Chloe store, and magnets will revert to their regular price.

You can read about the 19 Days of Edgar here.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 5

2011-01-04T21:00:00.008-05:00

Jan. 5 Ooh hoo! And welcome to day 5! Just celebrating the 202nd birthday of Edgar Allan Poe with some great deals on Rotty Edgar stuff.

First off, thanks to everybody for your support. I wasn't sure if all the work that would be going into this project would be worth it, but you're proving that it is. Thank you thank you!

Second off, day five is postcard day!

Postcard #1: Edgar and Chloe

Postcard #2: Chloe

Also included and coming in at #3: Postcard postage to send said postcards (make sure you choose $0.28 in the "Choose rate" option if you're in the United States)

In case you haven't heard, Zazzle is also offering 20.11% off your order (that's over and above the discount The Rots are offering) when you use the code 2011NEWYEARS as you check out. This discount code will expire Thursday, January 6.

Postcards and postage will be available for the lowest price that Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new in the Edgar and Chloe store, and these products will revert to their regular price.

You can read about the 19 Days of Edgar here.

P.S. Did you know there will be a full moon this year on the 19th? Cool.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 4

2011-01-03T21:52:00.000-05:00

Jan. 4 The fourth day of the 19 Days of Edgar to celebrate Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday is here!

Any Edgar and Chloe greeting or note card, along with its matching envelope

and the postage to send your cards.

And remember, take an additional 20.11% off your order if you use the code 2011NEWYEARS when you check out. The 20.11% discount is in addition to the sale price.

Cards, envelopes and postage will be available at the lowest discounted price that Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new in the Edgar and Chloe store, and these products will revert to their regular price.

You can read about the "19 Days of Edgar" here.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 3

2011-01-02T21:10:00.000-05:00

Jan. 3 The third Edgar and Chloe product available for purchase to celebrate Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday is actually two separate mug designs, both on sale.

Edgar and Chloe on any mug you wish

and the pen and ink Chloe on any mug you wish

And remember, take an additional 20.11% off your order if you use the code 2011NEWYEARS when you check out. The 20.11% discount is in addition to the sale price.

Mugs will be available at the lowest discounted price that Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new in the Edgar and Chloe store, and these mugs will revert to their regular price.

You can read about the "19 Days of Edgar" here.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Day 2

2011-01-01T21:01:00.000-05:00

Jan. 2 The second Edgar and Chloe product available for purchase to celebrate Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday is any Edgar and Chloe shirt, any color. Take an additional 20.11% off your order if you use the code 2011NEWYEARS when you check out. The 20.11% discount is in addition to the sale price.

Shirts will be available at the lowest discounted price that Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new in the Edgar and Chloe store, and these shirts will revert to their regular price.

Edgar and Chloe Shirts:
http://www.zazzle.com/edgar_and_chloe_shirts-235370390904950394?rf=238975150560530933

You can read about the "19 Days of Edgar" here.

The "19 Days of Edgar" Has Begun!

2010-12-31T21:03:00.002-05:00

Jan. 1 The first Edgar and Chloe product available for purchase to celebrate Edgar Allan Poe's 202nd birthday is a 4¼" coaster with a cork backing and matte finish. The coaster is made of sandstone so the printing has that worn-in, antiquey kind of feel to it.

Coasters will be available at the lowest discounted price that Zazzle will allow for the next 24 hours. Tomorrow evening around this time I'll post something new in the Edgar and Chloe store, and these coasters will revert to their regular price.

Edgar and Chloe Coasters: http://www.zazzle.com/edgar_and_chloe_coasters-174398027097701228?rf=238975150560530933

You can read about the "19 Days of Edgar" here.

The Empty Keg

2010-12-31T18:37:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ The Empty Keg, 129 Erie St, Edinboro PA.

Edgar and Chloe: They're finished now, I swear

2010-12-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

O.K. Edgar's finished now, and this time I mean it. All that's left is the varnish, which I'll wait to do in a few days after I'm sure the paint is completely dry.

Edgar and Chloe will be participating in the "19 Days of Edgar" starting January 1 and running through the 19th. Read about the whole convoluted idea here. If you have any requests for what you would like to see Edgar and Chloe on, take a look at the complete list of possibilities over at Zazzle, and then let me know. Please tell me ASAP, as I'll be designing mostly in advance of the post dates to make sure I have all the kinks worked out before posting. The first selection will be available December 31, somewhere around 9 pm.

Must...go...design...

Rotty Gingybread Men

2010-12-26T16:47:00.000-05:00

Biting off they little heads,

Nibble on they tiny feet.

Santa Claus: Gingerbread Man Serial Killer

2010-12-20T20:07:00.033-05:00

Having been caught in the act by three unsuspecting children, Mr. Claus turned himself in to authorities early Christmas morning after a lengthy standoff. The children were immediately sequestered for psychological evaluation.

Edgar's coat, as I see it

2010-12-15T16:28:00.000-05:00

The latest installment of "Where's Edgar?":

He may be finished...or not. I'm not sure just yet. I'll have a look at him tomorrow and see what he has to say.

Edgar's vest has come to an end

2010-12-13T20:45:00.000-05:00

Worked some more on Edgar and Chloe this afternoon. I would consider Edgar's vest finished (the close-up is below), but his coat is only underpainted at this point. I'm satisfied with how everything's turning out so far.

And I had an idea.

This whole painting was meant as a celebration of Edgar's birthday on January 19th. So starting January 1st (and running through the 19th, of course), I'm going to celebrate the "19 days of Edgar" by creating a different product on Zazzle each day using this painting for each of the designs. I'll upload one design each evening and give everybody a heads up of each product's availability. After the notice, everyone has 24 hours to purchase that specific product at a reduced price. After 24 hours a new product will be released, and the price on the product from the day before will repost to its regular price.

That's it. That's my light bulb for today.

As you were.

Edgar's getting dressed now

2010-12-11T16:15:00.000-05:00

Worked a little more on the Edgar painting this afternoon. His shirt and tie are finished, but his vest is still in under-painting mode (it won't be green when I'm finished with it).

I do my painting in our dungeon so lighting isn't so great for taking photos. I have to use a flash which ends up reflecting off the paint, and I have to play with the lighting setup to minimize that whole issue.

The first image here shows the whole painting, bad lighting and all, and the second one is a close-up with more accurate color.

Edgar and his raven, Chloe

2010-12-10T19:20:00.001-05:00

Edgar painting in progress:

I think Chloe is finished, so all that's left now are the clothes.

D's Six Pax and Dogz

2010-11-17T17:45:00.000-05:00

My napkin (they use paper towels) @ D's Six Pax and Dogs, 1118 S Braddock Ave, Pittsburgh PA.

Radisson

2010-11-13T06:21:00.003-05:00

My post-it note pad @ the Radisson, 101 Radisson Dr, Pittsburgh PA.

Free bookmarks for your #AllHallowsRead givings

2010-10-30T12:04:00.003-05:00

Neil Gaiman has proposed a new tradition of giving scary books to someone you know for Halloween. Buy them new, buy them used or give one of your own. Regift if you must.

Of course, my version is a little more twisted: I borrowed a book from my local library and, after having read it myself, I renewed the borrow and loaned it to a friend. The book was Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

I loved the book, first of all (it was first suggested that I would by somebody else). My library's version was from 1967, so the cover actually was as bad as the link above (the new cover looks much, much better). But the page corners were bad, too. Frighteningly bad. The top corners were damaged from years and years of people folding them down to mark their spot. Over and over. Page after page.

Not good, guys. Maybe a little respect is in order.

Here's my work-around:

Download these bookmarks for free
Print them out
Rip them out along the dotted lines
Give them along with your All Hallow's Read scary book giftings

Did I mention they're free?

Edgar's got some hair

2010-10-22T18:24:00.001-05:00

Here's the latest update on the Edgar Allan Poe painting. Not a whole lot more to show, but it was an aggravatingly longish day trying to get it close to what I wanted. Just added some hair and a little of the Raven feathering. If you missed it, the first progress report would be on a previous blog post here.

Applebee's

2010-09-25T22:29:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Applebee's, 6570 Steubenville Pike, Pittsburgh PA.

Edgar Allan Poe painting in progress

2010-09-23T16:00:00.001-05:00

So I decided to use that birch wood board for Edgar. I've been taking photos as I go, but I've been neglecting to post them. I'm such a slacker.

The biggest problem I was having was the paint kept reflecting funny in the photos, so today I tried a different lighting setup. That made everything a little blurry, but at least the background shows up without all the shiny now.

I'm posting a few versions to see it better. First, the whole space, as is:

Second, just the painting:

And third, a close-up of Edgar's face, which took the bulk of my time today:

Spamming The Rots on Facebook?

2010-09-19T16:33:00.004-05:00

Who are these parasites? The Rots Facebook page keeps getting postings from people who want The Rots' "Likey" people to learn how to work from home. Like I do, but that's beside the point. I guess I should be flattered that they think enough people like the page that it's worth spamming. Ha! Be warned, you spamming zombies, first I flag, then I remove. You can't escape.

And speaking of Edgar Allan Poe...

2010-09-14T18:25:00.000-05:00

I was working on a PowerPoint about social networking for a conference this November around the same time I did the sketch of Poe with his raven. I thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if the two birds — The Raven and Tweety, the Twitter Bird — were to meet. Hee Hee.

Ligonier Tavern

2010-09-13T19:01:00.000-05:00

My place mat @ Ligonier Tavern, 137 W Main St, Ligonier PA.

And, my last place mat at Ligonier Tavern, now under the glass at the bar.

Rotty Edgar Allan Poe

2010-09-11T19:24:00.000-05:00

I sketched up a little Poe that I'm not sure yet how to finish. I could paint him in Painter for the anniversary of his death in October. Or, I have a birch board that is square and has been really hard to make a good composition on because of its squareness and, as it turns out, Edgar happens to be square...and his birthday isn't until January...Decisions, decisions.

Leo's Pub and Grille

2010-09-08T18:50:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Leo's Pub & Grille, 202 N Diamond St, Mount Pleasant PA.

Odosketch! My favorite new toy!

2010-09-06T16:28:00.003-05:00

"Jeremy"

Dino's Sports Lounge

2010-08-25T18:23:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Dino's Sports Lounge, 214 Rt 30 E, Latrobe PA.

New Rotty Orangatang sketch

2010-08-21T13:25:00.002-05:00

Here's the sketch for my latest painting in The Rots' Afrikan Beasties series (Working title. Don't get too caught up in it.). He's "Orangatang," but that title is up for grabs, too.

Sharky's Café

2010-08-04T20:04:00.000-05:00

My napkin @ Sharky's Café, 3960 Rt 30, Latrobe PA.

Apple Store

2010-08-02T19:48:00.001-05:00

Apple Store, 5508 Walnut St, Pittsburgh PA. (Yes, I'm shameless.)

Ligonier Tavern

2010-07-26T20:06:00.000-05:00

My place mat @ Ligonier Tavern, 137 W Main St, Ligonier PA.

My new phone drawing!

2010-07-19T17:43:00.000-05:00

Here's the first drawing I did on my new phone. Five seconds of work, tops.

Urban Saloon

2010-07-09T21:48:00.001-05:00

My tablecloth @ Urban Saloon, 2120 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia PA.