Aayla Secura

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Hurray for Aayla Secura!!! She combines beauty, brains, brawn and blue into one of the coolest Jedi to ever fight in the Clone Wars.

Am I the only one who wonders if she's really Smurfette?

I don't see her showing up in Star Wars continuity after Episode 3. The last time we see her she's being gunned down by like twenty Clone Troopers. But she's one character I wouldn't mind seeing resurrected. Certainly more deserving than some.

So, for now at least she's in Clone Wars rocking a french accent. Or at least a space french accent.

Princess "Slave" Leia

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When I was eight years old I saw Return of the Jedi in Billings Montana. It made a big impression on me. How could you not love Carrie Fisher in that outfit. Wow!

The metal bikini isn't exclusive to Jedi, not by a long shot. It's been a mainstay in sci-fi 4-EVAH, just check out any Frazzetta painting or Dejah Thoris the Princess of Mars or even old Flash Gordon comics. It's been around for a hundred years and here's hoping it will be around for a hundred more.

Nightmare Before Christmas' Sally

Happy Halloween
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I've had a crush on Sally ever since I first saw her on the silver screen back in '93. She hasn't aged a bit. Because she's some sort of undead Raggedy Anne reanimated construct with autumn leaves for blood. And those sorts of people don't age the way you and I do.


The PAINTING PROCESS of Sally




I started off with a sketchy pencil drawing that turned out pretty good. I thought it would make a nice watercolor illustration.



The only problem was the pencil drawing was in my sketch book. Not the best kind of paper for a watercolor illustration. Not to worry for we live in the 21st century!!! I scanned in the pencil sketch and printed it out on hot press watercolor paper using my old Epson 2200 printer.

In Photoshop I colorized the gray pencils into beautiful sepia tones. This will let allot of warm under tones pop threw the final painting. Also I think the archival inks of the printer blend with watercolor allot better than graphite. Depending on the effect your after.



And presto! The sketch is now ready to be painted. There was a time when I would have had to use transfer paper to trace the pencil sketch onto the watercolor paper. Let us be thankful those days are long gone.



Using my figma sakura brush pen, I lightly drew thin black lines onto Sally. This really solidifies the drawing and adds a little more dimension. Not sure how well that shows up in this photo. But believe you me, there is greater dimension... oh yes. ^_^



I started with her skin. It was the largest area of color. The rest of the colors would have to serve the blue skin. I tried a few different mixes of blue before I got it right. Cerulean and this light greenish stuff worked the best.



Having proper reference is a big help. Thank you Sally doll.
Now that the blue was in place... Alizarin Crimson for the hair. A little Cadmium Red on the top parts where the lighting would hit the strongest. Yellow Ochre mixed with this and that for the dress. And we are almost there.



Lastly I added some Cobalt Blues and even Ultra Marine blues for shadow and dark accents.

And I was done!!! Yay!!! Then I had to hall @$$ off to work so I wouldn't be late. Time just gets strange and flies all over the place when your painting. I got to work on time (more or less) and scanned in the final Sally Watercolor Illustration.

I just realized this is my first How To on this blog. Woot!!!

I was super happy to have done a watercolor with real watercolor! Now I just want to do another preeeety bad.

Until next time this has been Matthew Armstrong saying: "Happy painting and God bless."

Cave Story (Doukutsu Monogatari) by Pixel rules!!!

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It's Quote!!! The hero of Cave Story.

Cave Story has been around for a while now. But I just barely downloaded it on my Mac. I've been having a blast BLASTING threw it! Its like all my favorite old NES games: Metroid, Castlevania, Mario, and Blaster Master rolled into one. It has just as much great design, music and smooth gameplay as the classics ever had. But its not just a clone or throwback. Its filled to the brim with ingenuity, originality and charm. There is deep mystery, charming characters, and bit tune soundtrack that sticks to your heart. Maybe the most amazing thing about Cave Story is it was all lovingly crafted by one very gifted man, the legendary Pixel.

The game is FREE! you can download and try it for yourself on Mac or Pc HERE. There is also a Wii version. (can't wait to try that one)

One really cool thing is: My wife got me these super cool green headphones last Christmas. Green headphones just like Quotes!

check out the game trailer!

fluffy yellow chomper

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Samus and Baby Metroid (Other M)

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Her blood is red
Her suite is blue
I got Metroid Other M yesterday
and so should you

Her Lady-Troll-ness Melisandre Darqabrica

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Good location. Excellent view of troll court life.

Trolly theTroll and the trolldame

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a classic fairy tale of evil and much, much worser evil..

pinup times five

Jump Jet Jane

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Jump Jet Jane saving the day!!! Blasting the walking mountain fortresses with her Mega Atomic LAYZER!!!

Blade Master Bit'Tune

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Only Bit'Tune can stop the Doom'Gor'Bots and unite the shattered tribes Inter-Galactique.

It was fun to use some good ol' half tones on this one :)

The Mighty Monarch

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the Monarch has Brock Sampson right where he wants him]
Release the butterflies.
[Dead butterflies fall on Brock]
Okay, whose job was it to feed the butterflies?

Raven of Teen Titans

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"Azarath Metrion Synthos"

Raven is the best teen titan!

Clock-Tor-Rock

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Scribbling robots is just too much fun.

the Little Murmaider

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"The beasts of the sea,
will collect and submit.
Pray for her forgiveness,
and live as she permits."


Ursula was a creature half human and half Cthulu. And so, Ursula could not die. Ursula rose from the dead. Conquered the 7 seas with ease and the surface world with even more ease.

King Eric lead the last armies of the land dwellers in a final assault on Ursula. They where defeated.

Ariel witnessed the last breath of her husband. She set out on a quest to reforge her father's broken trident into a weapon mighty enough to end Ursula.

But to defeat Ursula meant that Ariel would have to become something possibly more and possibly worse. Instead of a dark goddess the world would have a Queen, not dark but beautiful and terrible as the dawn! Tempestuous as the sea, and stronger than the foundations of the earth! All shall love her and despair!

I have strange daydreams. Don't I.

Alice meets the Catapillar

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Caterpillar: Who are YOU?
Alice: This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. I -- I hardly know, sir, just at present -- at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.

I feel like this allot. Usually before lunch.

Nathonomicon's Birth Day Present

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Super N8 (Nate) - o - TRON's big big birthday happened recently. He's a game designer here at Disney and a long time friend. He created the character and designed the awesome video game DEAD HEAD FRED!!! Indeed his creative powers are formidable.
His wife contacted me for a commission... she had a great idea of N8 meeting all of the video game characters he's been involved with. Drawing all of them proved impossible 'cause N8 has had such a long and illustrious carer. So I chose what I hoped would be his top five.
After telling Becky "Your money is no good here." cause N8 is Nate... I proceeded to ink and watercolor piece the old fashioned way... with ink and watercolor. I finished it last night, found a frame and presented it to him today. I think he liked it :) Happy birthday friend!

Firestar and her amazing friends

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Ah Firestar... There was never a more lovely 80's cartoon character. The show's title said Spiderman and his amazing friends but we knew who the real star of the show was. Firestar that's who.

She-Ra wasn't bad though... Cheetara... Arcee... hmmm...

Look behind you Alice.

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"Alice: But I don't want to go among mad people.
The Cat: Oh, you can't help that. We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.
Alice: How do you know I'm mad?
The Cat: You must be. Or you wouldn't have come here.
Alice: And how do you know that you're mad?
The Cat: To begin with, a dog's not mad. You grant that?
Alice: I suppose so,
The Cat: Well, then, you see, a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad."

I have always loved loved loved Alice in Wonderland. (along with everyone else, no?) I have a few different versions of the books and am always looking for more in dusty used bookstores. I did a little research and found a list that told me at least 250+ other artists have illustrated Lewis Caroll's Masterpiece. Which felt a little daunting ... with so many artists having already done it, dose the world need any more. . . . yeeeah, probably couldn't hurt... so, then I felt I really wanted to be the two fifty first - ish plus artist. There are worse crowds to run with, no?




A detail of Alice... to better see the texture, bleedily watercolor and unerased Tuscan Red pencil work. Alice's dress has a lot of swirly ink work that didn't show up so well :-)

... then Buffy staked Edward. The End

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I think my abridged version of the Twilight Saga is a vast improvement.

Further Twilight improvment spoofy goodness:

TWILIGHT SUCKS! Emo Vampire Song

Buffy vs Edward: Twilight Remixed

Vampire Reunion

ICO

Sing "nonomori" - endless corridors
Say "nonomori" - hopeless warriors

F R A N K E N S T E I N

FRANKENSTEIN

Dr. Morvundor Von Ragnorokenstein always wanted his very own Frankenstein. So one dark and stormy night he made one. Sadly he was forced to use brass hockey pucks.

Here's the original sketch I drew it in the car while driving to the beach in sunny South Cali. I wonder why sunny South Cali inspires me to draw monsters? Maybe, monsters is my idea of fun??? hmmm...

Happy Halloween >;-D

Spider - Man Spider - Man

Can he swing
from a web

No he can't
He's a pig

I'm hoping for the Spidey Mickey crossover myself...

Puss in Steampunk Boots

Where the Wild Things Are with theTerrible Yellow Eyes

I painted this one for the Terrible Yellow Eyes Blog (http://www.terribleyelloweyes.com/) and because Maurice Benard Sendak (he whos shoes I am unworthy to tie) is one of the greatest artists to ever live. I still have my old Where the Wild Things book... it has a lot of my 3 year old self pencil doodle monsters!!!

The Last Star Fighter Girl

THE ADVENTURES
OF
A n d y
A n d r o m e d a

Helmi-TRONs are on the move

Helmi-TRONs are loose.

Feel the magic. Hear the roar.

Helmi-TRONs are loose.

Helmi-

Helmi-

Helmi-

Helmi-

TRONs

A very Happy Transformers Birthday to: Autobot Mike "Strafe" Armstrong

A very Happy Transformers Birthday to: Autobot Mike "Strafe" Armstrong. A.K.A. the best brother and pal a guy could have. Here is one of Mikes favorites Technobot Strafe!!! Continuing my never eneding quest to see what all my favorite Transformers (that havn't gotten the animated treatment) characters look like in animated form. See you at the party tonight bro!!!

HelmiTRONs are GO!!!

The art swap continues!!! I'm having way too much fun with these gals!!!

HelmiTRON series 2

So... this week at work Virginia started this art swap coolness... we all draw little little pieces of art and swap 'em. As a person who usually hoards his art originals in boxes in the basement... it's been new to me to give originals away. I've found I really love it... especially when I get work back from some of my favorite artists... who happen to be the same artists I work with. Woo Hoo!