BIO
Jason Cheeseman-Meyer is an artist, illustrator and writer currently living in Arizona with his wife and two daughters. Formally educated at Oberlin College after a stint at Otis Art and Design, he continues his arts education with artists and illustrators around the country. Jason has been studying curvilinear perspective since 1993. He has brought his background in art, math, teaching, and of course comic books to bear on devising a practical system for drawing and teaching curvilinear perspective.

Name: Jason Cheeseman-Meyer
Latest IMPACT book: Vanishing Point: Perspective for Comics
Hometown: Planet Earth
Current residence: Phoenix, Arizona
Kids and/or pets? Two daughters, one cat and a fish tank
Favorite food: Pad Thai
Favorite TV show: Doctor Who
Favorite movie: Notorious
Favorite website(s): PhotoshopDisasters
Favorite comic(s): Top 10, The Middleman, Usagi Yojimbo, BPRD
First job ever: The Forgotten, a superhero/crime noir miniseries.
Best job ever: Always the same answer—the one I’m working on right now!

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
At age 3. I drifted away from it during college, but came back sharply after graduation.

Give us a taste of your latest project?
I have about five projects going at once! The taste is pure chaos!
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received?

“Keep going” is perhaps the best advice I’ve received for my career or any part of life.

Click here to visit Jason Cheeseman-Meyer’s website.

Click here to check out Vanishing Point: Perspective for Comics.

Vanishing Point: Perspective for Comics by Jason Cheeseman-Meyer

BIO
Doug Chiang has worked in film and television production since 1986, earning an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards and a Clio Award. As a film production designer, he has worked on The Polar Express, Beowulf and the 2009 Disney film A Christmas Carol. Chiang was design director for the Star Wars prequels Episode I and Episode II. He has written and illustrated several books, including Robota, which he created and co-wrote with novelist Orson Scott Card. Chiang is Executive Vice President of ImageMovers Digital, a Walt Disney company.

Doug Chiang in his studio

Name: Doug Chiang
Latest IMPACT book: Mechanika: Creating the Art of Science Fiction With Doug Chiang
Hometown: Westland, Michigan
Current residence: San Rafael, California
Kids and/or pets? Three kids: Jake, Ryan and Audrey; two goldfish
Favorite food: Dim sum
Favorite candy bar: Butterfinger
Favorite TV show: Any science program
Favorite movies: Disney’s Pinocchio, Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey
Do you collect anything (stamps, comics)? Die cast model cars
First job ever: Paperboy
Best job ever: Current

When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
When I was 15.

Give us a taste of your latest project?
A retelling of A Christmas Carol, told in a new medium that will be completely unlike any version that has come before.

Talk about a time you felt star struck in your line of work.
Never was star struck by movie stars, but meeting my two filmmaking heroes—Ralph McQuarrie (original Star Wars artist) and Ray Harryhausen (legendary stop motion filmmaker) come the closest. Ralph, because his painting originally inspired me to be an artist, and Ray because his animation inspired me to be a filmmaker.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received?
Know what you want and every day, do one thing to get you closer to it.

Click here to visit Doug Chiang’s Web site: Doug Chiang Studio.

Click here to check out Mechanika: Creating the Art of Science Fiction With Doug Chiang.

So, I’m sure you’ve all been finished with your holiday shopping for weeks, months even. But just in case, Buddy Scalera (Comic Artist’s Photo Reference: People and Poses, Women and Girls & Men and Boys) has provided some gift ideas for the artists in your life over at The Pulse. Check it out here.  

Mona

No question about it, 2008 has been a great year for DC and Marvel movies, and it’s not over yet. The Spirit is coming to a theater near you on Christmas day.

Judging from the trailer, The Spirit is going to be typical Frank Miller fare: over the top, but stylish and fun. Take a look and see for yourself:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CPyav6hQlI

If DC and Marvel’s 2008 offerings leave you wanting more, it looks like 2009 won’t disappoint. With Watchmen coming out March 6 and X-Men Origins: Wolverine out on May 1, the new year is off to a great start.

Roll out the red rug. Mr. Hugh Michael Jackman has been announced as the host of the 81st Academy Awards on February 22nd, 2009 at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. Contract negotiations are still pending for a statuette trophy makeover.

IMPACT Books designer Guy Kelly presents The Wolvaward:

In other news, after a brief leak on YouTube over the weekend, the official trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 2009) is now available online.

Check it: Wolverine trailer in hi-def

BIO
8fish is a jack-of-all-trades creative workshop that has been producing mind-blowing animation, design and illustration for more than ten years. The secret to 8fish’s success is a feisty team of incredibly talented and versatile artists who constantly challenge themselves and each other. Their clients include Nickelodeon, Writer’s Digest, Wendy’s, DirectTV, among many others.

Name: 8fish
Latest IMPACT book: Making Faces: Drawing Expressions for Comics and Cartoons
Nickname: Those guys at 8fish (said with enthusiasm)
Hometown: Sandy, Utah
Current residence: A 3,000 Sq. ft. creative studio packed with lots of goodies!
Kids and/or pets? Between all of us there is too many kids to count, including ourselves.
Favorite food: Were easy, it’s just whatever our in-house chef is cooking for the day.
Favorite candy bar: Anything with chocolate or granola!
Favorite TV show: We once spent every lunch hour watching episodes of The Office, which made us happy.
Favorite movie: If Pixar makes it, we like it!
Favorite website(s): We’re all fans of everyone else’s work, so this could be a long list, but here are a few of our own:
8fish.com
8fishanimation.com
bensimonsen.com
petersakievich.com
designkeep.com
monkeygrinder.biz
Favorite blog(s): Same thing here, but check out some of our own and find links to more:
bsills.blogspot.com
mbdayton.blogspot.com
blakeloosli.blogspot.com
crowsmack.blogspot.com
bronzeswallow.blogspot.com
Favorite comic(s): Danger Girl by J. Scott Campbell, it’s everything to everyone.
First job ever: Most of us started out doing sign painting, or some lowly designer job. Unless you want to count that time we got suckered into standing on top of a float during a Fourth of July parade waving to everyone while wearing a sparkly cowboy outfit.
Best job ever: Working at 8fish of course!

When did you know you wanted to be an illustrator?
When we found out that people will actual pay us to draw.

Give us a taste of your latest project?
We’ve been working on a reality television show called Maverik Kick Start, which premiered May 3rd, 2008. We also fill in the gaps with other stuff like working on our own intellectual properties for animated television shows along with storyboards, editorial and advertising illustrations for our clients.

Talk about a time you felt star struck in your line of work.
This happens every year down at the San Diego Comic-Con when you happen upon an artist you really respect and then after you worship them with praises you find out that they are just like you in many ways.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received?
Draw every day. Draw the stuff you are passionate about and keep improving and growing as an artist even if you don’t get paid for it.

Click here to visit 8fish online!

Click here to check out Making Faces: Drawing Expressions for Comics and Cartoons

Making Faces: Drawing Expressions for Comics and Cartoons by 8fish

If you want to learn how to draw, look no further than art instructor, Mark Willenbrink. He’ll help you achieve a successful drawing, even if you’ve never picked up a pencil. His teaching style is basic without being condescending. He is here to help you!

In his new video workshop, Mark helps you choose materials and shows you how to use them. He gives great advice on the tricky stuff, like using photo references, creating shapes, achieving a range of values, erasing/blending, and adding details using texture. He covers the techniques in a full demonstration, then shows you how to put in the finishing touches.

Click here to preview Drawing for the Absolute Beginner.

You can purchase the full-length video workshop at www.artistsnetwork.tv. Then, check out the accompanying book at www.artistsnetworkshop.com.

Buddy Scalera has hit the big time. In preparation for the New York Comic Con, Pulse News has run a great interview with the man himself about his work, comics, and most importantly CAPR: Men and Boys. 

Check out the whole thing here.

Congratulations to Mirana Reveier, our grand prize winner of a signed Doug Chiang print and a copy of his book Mechanika. Mirana is a freelance artist who majored in comic books and is a fan of Doug Chiang. You can see more of Mirana’s art at her website http://hikarikat.com/mirana.

We had such a great response; we decided to draw two more names for a free copy of Mechanika, so congratulations to Mack Sztaba and Bonnie Watson as well! 

Thanks to all who entered! If you would like your art added to our gallery, e-mail us at impactbooks@fwmedia.com. Be sure to include your name, the title of the piece and your website (if you have one).

Tiefling Warrior by Mirana Reveier

2008 has been a great year for comic fans. We had a record summer for Marvel and DC movies, starting with Iron Man, then on to Hellboy II, The Incredible Hulk, and ending with The Dark Knight as an amazing grand finale. As of this past Tuesday, all four movies are now available on DVD—what a great ending to the year.

So, aside from the DVDs, what else is available for the comic fans on your Christmas list? Here are some of my favorites:

Hulk Smash Hands. Who can resist large, green foam boxing gloves that roar and yell “Hulk! Smash!” and “You’re making me angry!” on impact? I have to admit I’ve already tried them out and thoroughly enjoyed punching my fiancé and yelling “Hulk Smash!” in the middle of Wal-Mart.

You might want to complete the ensemble with a Hulk Mask. Who can resist a mask with glowing eyes? And an adjustable strap for comfort to boot.

Big Baby Keychain. I was hoping to find a full-size replica of Hellboy’s new weapon of choice, but this little one is pretty cute.

Iron Man N.R.F 425 Blaster. Comes with 10 repulsor darts for air-powered, dart-blasting action!

Batman Costume. I don’t care what Edna ‘E’ Mode (The Incredibles) says. Capes are a must.

Well, I think that about rounds off my list. Admittedly, it leans heavily towards the immature, but I’d be pretty excited if I found any of these items under my Christmas tree!