November 29, 2010
Thinking there aren’t quite enough comic conventions? We couldn’t agree more!
Award-winning comic author Mark Millar decided that all of our conventions in the US weren’t cutting it. (Perhaps he grew tired of all that flying.) Millar’s goal is to expand the San Diego Comic-Con experience to the streets of London.
Kapow!, the new convention, is hosting the Stan Lee Awards in April 2011.
Check out the Kapow! video at Vimeo.
To follow the convention developments, see the official website.
November 24, 2010
It’s a great time to check out the IMPACT authors over at Artistsnetwork.tv. Thanksgiving specials give you 10% off everything — from single workshops, to subscriptions by medium, or full site— through next Monday (Cyber Monday). Great videos from Chris Seaman, J “NeonDragon” Peffer, Brian Miller, and Wolfe brothers!… Just enter coupon code HOLIDAY10 (all caps).
November 22, 2010
For all of us who are still excited about the latest installment of the Harry Potter series in theaters, it’s about time for us to get into the kitchen and create some of the magic we love.
The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook is a new release from Adams Media, a fellow imprint of F+W Media (Impact Book’s brother, of sorts). We’re very excited for their success, as this book is one of the top-100 of Amazon.com!
For those of you with a sweet tooth, or just a craving for magical foods, this is a great buy!
Out of 150 recipes, here are a few:
November 19, 2010
Over at the IMPACT Facebook page, we’re still waiting for the correct answer to the FB pop quiz question:
Facebook fans just got the hint: Madness.
For anyone here, we’ll give you the additional hint (actually, there are several hints within this post if you’re paying attention!):
The first IMPACT book was published in 2004. Pop on over to the Facebook page to post your answer!
November 17, 2010
We’ve heard of playing with your food, but this really takes it above and beyond…to a galaxy far, far away. Check out this Death Star watermelon:
And here’s a blog with some more delectable Star Wars food. And a You Tube video called “Crazy Food Art.” Might as well work with the materials you have, and can eat later…
November 16, 2010
As graffiti continues to grow as an art form, its impact can be seen and felt all around the world—even in some rather unexpected places, like Afghanistan. U.S. troops in the region have been using graffiti as a way of recording and sharing their experiences with the rest of the world. These images are just a couple examples of graffiti left behind by soldiers. Click here to see more.
For years, well-known graff writer and IMPACT author Scape Martinez has advocated for the medium as a voice for the voiceless, a platform for communicating to the masses, and a means of letting others know where you have been and where you are going.
“Graffiti art is a voice for ordinary people to make extraordinary statements…. It is that passion to experience all of life’s ups and downs and share those experiences with the world through your own unique prism…. It is a reflection of truth, even if that truth is simply stating that you exist. And with that end result, how can anyone question that it’s art?” says Martinez in his upcoming book Graff 2.
A follow-up the original Graff, Graff 2 delves deeper into the elements covered in the first book, helping readers learn how to expand and fine tune their graffiti techniques and styles including 3-D wildstyle, characters and objects, and letter manipulation. Martinez uses step-by-step demonstrations to instruct readers on use of easy-to-access materials like paper and pens to more complex, legally-sanctioned wall pieces including five full-scale demonstrations that show the creation of a wall piece from start to finish. Purchase your copy of Graff in the North Light Shop today, and look out for Graff 2 in Spring 2011.
November 15, 2010
Some of us still can’t get past the image of Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson in Titanic, though he’s had such a diverse career full of characters, but it seems we’re going to have to move on and catch up with the times.
Not only has he acted a variety of characters, adapting to them flawlessly, he is also producing films now. (Don’t ask us exactly when that started.)
DiCaprio has set his sights high, as he is rumored to be working on two films right now, Akira and Ninja Scroll.
If you haven’t heard of either of these titles, you’re really missing out!
Akira is a classic. It’s a black-and-white manga series by Katsuhiro Otomo, published in Young Magazine from 1982-1990. Its six volumes are a collection of post-apocalyptic terror, excitement and adventure.
Ninja Scroll, as it’s most known, is an animated movie from 1993.
(Read/watch both. Please.)
Both DiCaprio productions are to be live-action (real people) films and undoubtedly action-packed.
Now this is what we’re really excited about: Morgan Freeman is rumored to be Akira’s Colonel Shikishima. We sure hope so!
(We’ve also heard that Zac Efron may have a role in Akira, but we’ve also heard that he doesn’t. It’s hard to keep the facts straight.)
November 10, 2010
In Incredible Comic Book Women, artist Tom Nguyen gives you all the info you need to create cool babes with helpful tips for drawing a variety of attractive, sexy women, including various ethnic types, costumes and comic-book types. You’ll learn to draw specific attributes (eyes, hands, etc.) and how to place your characters in various settings to create a completed comic book page.
From the “kick-ass” guide to drawing hot babes, learn how to draw a quick female body sketch in 8 steps with this free demo.
Finished art
1. Sketch In the Figure
First we’ll scribble the general pose we’d like to portray. At this point it’s not much more than a stick figure, but this is just a starting point to help give you an idea of where you want her limbs and stuff. Still, you can see that I’ve already indicated an opposing tilt of the rib cage and hip masses. Make sure that the crotch is roughly halfway between the top of the head and the feet.
2. Draw the Major Curves
Draw some major curving lines of action from the head down to the feet. Base the bigger forms on this line to help with flow throughout the figure.
3. Create Upper-Body Divisions
Divide the upper body into four equal parts to help you place features like the nipples and
belly button.
4. Develop the Limbs
Go back to the limbs and enhance their Sshapes along the preliminary stick figure layout. These will now serve as the main line of action to overlay the flesh.
5. Flesh Out the Figure
Follow the divisions and guidelines from Step 4 to continue developing the form. For example, the head is encapsulated in the first notch at the top, the breasts are determined by the nipple placement, and so on. Add the opposing tilts of the shoulder and hip lines to help you flesh out the figure. Keep in mind that the supporting leg is under the side of the hip that is pushed up.
6. Develop the Details
Add more character to the facial features along the guidemarks established in the previous step. Add some semblance of heels and a loose rib structure, tighten up the hands, and add some animated flow to her hair.
7. Add the Clothing
Now that the forms are finished, add the bikini over the figure and tighten up the heels. Making sure the body placement is correct in the earlier stages of construction insures that the clothing will sit right on the body. Define the facial features and hair.
8. Finish and Add Color
Complete the final layer of tightening. Once the construction lines are erased, you have a nice finished babe staring right at you…and, unfortunately, not much else. You can see that I’ve jumped to color, which is a really good way to polish and finish your final linework. It’s easy to overdo your colors and ruin the simplicity of your linework.
If you like what you see here, get more kick-ass tips in Tom Nguyen’s book.
November 9, 2010
Featuring never before seen art from IMPACT author Angela R. Sasser, this calendar collects twelve angelic scenes from her first book, Angelic Visions. Purchase your calendar online today! Each individual image was traditionally painted using a variety of methods explored in the upcoming book, which features more than 20 step-by-step demonstrations on how to draw and paint angels and angelic scenes in luminous watercolor, pen+ink and colored pencil. Angelic Visions is available for pre-order in the North Light Shop.
November 8, 2010
Learn from the world’s best artists in the comfort of your home!
ArtistsNetwork.tv features painting advice and techniques from dozens of popular artists in a variety of media and skill levels. Watch what you want, anytime you want.
Starting on Friday, November 12, take advantage of our Fall FREE TRIAL Weekend at ArtistsNetwork.tv! You can view any and all of the video workshops for a full 4 days. Simply click on the link below to sign up for a 6-month subscription to ArtistsNetwork.tv, use your free trial code ATV4FREE, and you’ll receive a 4 DAY FREE TRIAL! Your credit card will not be charged until the end of your free trial period. So, if you cancel during your free trial, you won’t pay a thing.
FREE TRIAL Weekend – Starting November 12, 2010! Don’t Miss It!
