EK COSMONAUT 01 - MASTER PRINT

Here is a shot of the master print for the upcoming EK Cosmonaut resin model kit. This is the third and final figure in the 1/8th scale EK Cosmonaut Series (although he is #1....we released them in reverse order....I don't know why!). Amazingly sculpted by Gene Campbell, this figure has the same great level of, and attention to detail, as the previous EK kits sculpted by Gene and released by Industria Mechanika.

This guy should be ready for pre-order in early February, 2016 and will ship out soon after that. I'll post again with the firm dates once I get them from Industria Mechanika.

DYSTOPIC RESTOCK PRE-ORDER

A small batch (24 units) of 1/6th scale Dystopic kits have been added to the Industria Mechanika Shop for pre-order. If missed one of these kits before now is the time pick one up. Head over to the Industria Mechanika Shop to order. 

These kits will be shipped in early February 2016.

The 1/8th EK Cosmonaut kits are also in production. Figure #1 in the series should be ready for pre-order/release soon. The 2nd and 3rd figures in the series will also be restocked for a third run in the new year as well.

GOLEM GUARDIAN FEATURE

A nice feature on my work at Spanish language game art site Golem Guardian. Check it out here. Ariba!

THE SCALES

Here is another "EK" personal commission done for a client in Sweden. The piece itself is full of personal meaning for the client, and the composition was worked out so that the client's tattoo artist can interpret the design as a half sleeve tattoo in the future.

As with the other personal EK commissions, this one was delivered with a poster sized one off original signed giclee print and supporting documents.

Thanks to Rickard!

EK COSMONAUT 03 BACK IN STOCK

Industria Mechanika has restocked my 1/8th scale EK Cosmonaut 03 figure and is shipping orders immediately. If you missed out before you can get one here at the IMech shop.

Plus, the stock of the female EK Cosmonaut 02 figure is down to a few remaining kits, so if you want  one, now is the time to pick it up. Get it from the IMech shop here.

The third kit in this series, EK Cosmonaut 01, is currently in the master print stage, and will then be broken up and cast for production. I will keep you posted on release dates!

ANKI OVERDRIVE

ANKI Overdrive, a cool project I did some character design and illustration work for, was released on the weekend. ANKI Overdrive is a modern take on hobby slot car racing, but features cars that race around a modular track that doesn't have any grooves or slots, allowing for much greater freedom of movement. The game also features a "video game-like " aspect, that allows you arm your car with weapons and utilize a host of AI "Commanders", with their own abilities and personas, to drive the vehicles. You can also build your own driver to battle against these AI commanders (the design and illustration work for the "build your own driver" being done by my good friend Nigel Quarless). The control of the cars, and the weapons they have, is done through an app that runs on your phone or tablet. 

When I was kid my older brother had a large collection of slot racing cars and tracks, and I used to love to play with them....so in addition to being a fun project, this one also had a bit of a nostalgic vibe for me.

Anyways, you check more of the game out here, and the the physical cars and tracks are retailing on Amazon, at the Apple Store, Toys R Us, Target, etc. 

Hopefully I'll be able to post more of the work I did for ANKI Overdrive in the future!

MLOVEIZM INTERVIEW

I have a small interview at low brow artsite MLoveizM…..check it out here!

Thanks to Daniel Quinones.

BORN IN CONCRETE SHOP HIATUS

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am shutting down my webshop while I'm living and travelling over in Europe for the next year. Response to the shop was great and I spent sometime this weekend packing up the last orders that will be shipped out today. Thanks again to everyone that picked something up! 

My book is still available on Amazon and at other book retailers, and for those interested in the model kits based on my work, Industria Mechanika has the second figure in EK Cosmonaut Series available for pre-order now (shipping next month). Plus they will have the 2nd edition of the first figure back in stock next month, and the 1/6 scale Dystopic will be back in stock in the fall.

Thanks again!

EK COSMONAUT 02 PRE-ORDER

The second figure in the 3 kit EK Cosmonaut Series is now available for  pre-orders at Industria Mechanika's online shop. As with the last figure in the series, this one is a 1/8th scale, highly detailed resin model (with a few metal and acrylic pieces as well) that faithfully recreates my original painting.

Expertly modelled by Gene Campbell, this kit has had a lot of interest since it was announced so if you are interested in getting one it would be best to pre-order now.

Last month I posted the master print/sculpt that was printed by Desmoda at Ownage, but here I've included some of Gene's renders to show off his great work and attention to detail.

Kits are shipping at the end of July 2015. Go here to check it out at the IMech Shop!

FRANCE

This summer I'm packing up and moving my family to France, to live and travel around Europe for a year. I'm still going to be working while I'm over there, so those interested in freelance commissions can still contact me through my website, email, etc. Unfortunately I will be closing the shop on my website while I'm away, as lugging around books and prints won't be possible. Response to the shop has been great and thanks to everyone that ordered a signed book, prints, t-shirts, etc. I haven't restocked a lot of the items as I knew I was leaving the country, but there is some stock left, so if you want something out of there now is the time to order!

Au revoir! 

EK HERALD GRAPHIC

Here is an EK piece created for use as a single colour graphic on EK "Herald" t-shirts. This graphic was created some time ago, but now that these shirts have finally been released, I figure I should also finally post about the artwork!

This piece is unique in the series, with its single colour graphic treatment, as almost all the other images in the EK Series are fully rendered, fully coloured pieces (except a couple silkscreen pieces done many years ago). I prefer my t-shirt graphics to be simple, 1/2 colour designs….as I like the bold, clean feel, so I felt that this was the right approach for this piece.

These t's were originally created to accompany prints of my work that were being exhibited and sold through the ARTISHOX gallery in Belgium, and through their online store, ARTISHOPIX. Unfortunately, in late 2013 right before the t's went into production, the ARTISHOX gallery had to be closed due to the owner's personal/health issues. At this point I figured I would sell the t's off my own website, but due to a busy schedule, I ended up sitting on the design for a year. By early 2015 I had found some time to open a shop on my new website and now the t-shirts are up on there for sale.

Most of the first batch of t's have sold, but there are a few of most sizes still available. I won't be re-stocking them for some time, as I am moving to France for a year (I'll post about that in the near future), but well see if I can get some going before I get back. So if you want to grab one before they are gone, they are available at: borninconcrete.com/shop/ 

On a positive note, the owner of the ARTISHOX gallery has made a complete recovery, and is doing well, running a media company and is even in the early stages of opening a new gallery.

EK COSMONAUT 02 MASTER PRINT

Here is a sneak peak at the master sculpt/print for the next figure in the EK Cosmonaut Series. Expertly modelled by Gene Campbell and printed by Des at Ownage, this figure captures all the detail of the original painting.

In the final kit the visor will be clear, so the interior head will be visible.

These should be available from Industria Mechanika in late June/July, 2015.

I will post again when they are in the IMech shop!

THE JOURNEY

This one is a personal commission done recently for a client out in Toronto, Ontario. As a personal piece I won't go too much into the symbolism of the image, but it speaks to the clients respect for the pioneering spirit and the journey shared with one's partner.

This is one of several "EK" commissions  I've done for clients over the past year (I will post the others in the future I hope). These pieces are interesting to create as the original EK work was so personal to me, involving my own feelings, struggles etc., so weaving the ideas and feelings of others into the EK Series is a different experience. These pieces are also a lot of fun to do because it gives me the chance to dive back into the EK "world".

All these commissions include a full size signed archival giclee print, along with supporting documents and a Certificate of Authenticity.

If anyone is interested in have their own personal EK piece, feel free to contact me for availability and rates!

SPECTRUM 21

I have a couple pieces in the latest edition of the fantastic art annual Spectrum. I would have posted this sooner but my complementary copy of the book was lost in the mail, and even though the guys at Flesk Publications sent me another copy right away (thanks John and Keith!), I have been too busy to post about it until now.

With a new editor and publisher, this edition of Spectrum has some minor layout differences, and what seems to me, a slightly different composition of content….although I guess this might just reflect the opinion of the judging panel of this edition. Anyways, and as usual, it is full of amazing work and it is worth picking up a copy.

Unfortunately since I was so busy with freelance work over the past year I didn't have the chance to put together a submission for the next edition of Spectrum…not to mention that even if I did, I would still have to be selected by the judges…..no guarantees there! But no submission definitely guarantees that I won't be included. So lets hope I can get off my ass and get some personal work done sometime this year! Time will tell.

Thanks again to John and Keith at Flesk Publications. Spectrum 21 cover art by Rebecca Guay.

RANDOMS

Here is a cover illustration I did for an upcoming young reader novel called Randoms.  Published by Simon & Schuster and written by author David Liss (The Day of Atonement, A Conspiracy Of Paper, Black Panther, The Spider, etc.), Randoms is a fast paced sci-fi adventure story centred around an awkward, nerdy, good-hearted kid, Zeke Reynolds. 

Having not read a lot of young fiction I didn't know what to expect when I read the manuscript to prep myself for creating the cover illustration. But I was pleasantly surprised how well written and how enjoyable the book was. I was also surprised how mature some of the themes were, but these were handled well by Liss, and they never felt inappropriate for the intended age range for the book (10+).

The cover itself was a lot of fun to create. Things flowed well with Simon & Schuster art director Lizzy Bromley and after several option comps we settled quite quickly on this cover idea. The illustration is a full dust jacket wrap around, including interior flaps and features the 6 major characters of the book. I also had the opportunity to create the Randoms title logo.

As you can see in my original versions of the cover the logo and the line elements were white, but Lizzy had a great idea to change them to a hot, neon orange on the final for additional "pop.  

Randoms is set to be published in August, 2015. Pre-order, addition info. and editorial reviews at Amazon here.

Thanks to Lizzy Bromley at Simon & Schuster.

SHOP!

With increased interest in prints of my work over the last little while I've decided to open a shop on my website. A selection of prints, both limited edition high quality giclees and smaller open edition digital prints are available. I've also included the first of several t-shirt designs as well as signed copies of my book, Born In Concrete: The EK Series. 

The shop is currently open to the US and Canada, but international shipping options will be added soon.

Check it out here.

For those interested in non-signed copies of my book, please order through Amazon (the cheapest and quickest way), or order directly from Design Studio Press.

As for the Industria Mechanika resin model kits based on my work, please visit the Industria Mechanika Shop for availability and ordering.

DYSTOPIC / EK COSMONAUT 03 BACK FOR PREORDER

Industria Mechanika has added some Dystopic and EK Cosmonaut #03 kits for restock pre-orders on their website. This run of these kits should be shipping in May, 2015. If you missed these kits before now is your chance to pick one up! Check them out at the Industria Mechanika Shop here.

EK SERIES ARTBOOK - JAPANESE VERSION

The Japanese language edition of my book, Born In Concrete: The EK Series, has been published by Born Digital Inc. in conjunction with Design Studio Press.

The content of this edition is the same as the original English language version that was published by Design Studio Press back at the end of 2013, but the book has been reformatted down to a new size of 9"x 10.5" (as opposed to the 11"x 13"of the original), bound with a soft cover, and fully translated into Japanese. While the images maybe don't have the same impact at this new smaller size, the book looks great, with the Japanese text giving the book an exotic feel and the coated paper stock (both inside and on the cover) giving the images a softer more satin finish. It even has that little title/price card folded into the book like all Japanese books seem to have. So cool!

I'm a big fan of Japanese art books (mainly animation production books), and it was great to see my book interpreted in this fashion. The book is available from Born Digital here, of Amazon.jp here.

The original, English language version is available here.

And speaking of the original version of the book, due to it being featured (along with my Dystopic model kit) on the online show "Tested", it has spent the last 5 days as the #1 top seller on Amazon in the digital art category. Thanks to those that picked up a copy of the book….it is much appreciated!

Thanks to Scott Robertson and Tinti Dey at Design Studio Press and Born Digital Inc.

TESTED - ADAM SAVAGE'S ONE DAY BUILDS

My Dystopic model kit is featured on the latest episode of "Tested - One Day Builds", hosted by Adam Savage (Myth Busters). Check it out on You Tube here.

The Dystopic kit is currently sold out, but I think Industria Mechanika is planning on bringing it back for a fourth run next fall. Until then, my other 1/8th scale,  EK Cosmonaut kit is available and the next two will be released in the coming months.

Here are a few pics from the episode:

Thanks to Adam, Norm and the guys at Tested, and props to Gene Campbell and Industria Mechanika!