Hello,

Its been a while since i’ve posted on my blog. i’ve been been in blog limbo.
Its been a crazy few months.

My job has taken over my life day by day…. which means i have less time for things i want to do.

I started prioritizing what’s important in my life.
i’ve been concentrating mostly on my job and also my side projects which in the upcoming weeks i will start unrevealing. Lots of big things!

One of the things i’ve been working on has been my own story for a webcomic. I have collaborated with my greatest friend in t

he world (Dan). He is the co-creator and the inker for the story.

The first issue was completed back in August were I launched in a small print run at the Toronto Fan Expo. I was very happy by peoples responses. So i decided to start shopping it around and see were it would take me.
Dan got us a deal to do a small feature in a Wizard like magazine in Portugal. The response have been incredible! The publisher told me and dan that ” This issue was the best selling issue they have sold until now” which made us very happy.n
So we got proposed a book deal to do a 64 page hardcover European trade. Which is super exciting for us. It is still not official right now, but i can say we will doing some negation for the deal very soon.

I would like to thank all the people who sent me great emails with all the kind words.
I will keep you posting on it.

over and out!

ps if you want to see the site here the link bangbangkillkill.com

Hello Peeps!

I have finally finished the WonderLand zombie cover!
The first concept I came up with wasn’t working for me any more, so I started doing a sketch in SketchBook Pro then I just ended up doing the whole thing in it.

Very different experience for me. I have ever done a final piece all digital. I’m not going to lie, I am really enjoying SketchBook Pro as a sketch program.

Once again I tried picking up Painter X and man it really doesn’t do it for me :S, The interface REALLY bugs me.  I think its the way you pick brushes. I unno ill try to give it a shot once again…

If anyone has any tips on using it let me know!

well enjoy!

Hello kind viewer!

How have you guys been?
Well it’s been a few weird weeks for me, getting all this work from left to right, not knowing were to start first, and also trying to learn a few new things like action script 3.

I have to tell you it isn’t an easy task for me to try to learn this. Being very visual it’s hard for me to get into this coding stuff. My brain works with pictures and not with letters, numbers and symbols. So it’s being a little bitch for me; but luckily for me Miss21 knows coding so she’s super!!!

In other news;
I’ll be doing 2 more tutorials in the upcoming weeks.
I’ve been get many requests on making brushes in Illustrator. So ill be doing a good detailed tutorial on how to do that. I will also be doing a more elaborate tutorial on how to make images using the pen tool.

If anyone would like to me to do any other tutorials plz e-mail me. I trying to come up with a list of tutorials that people would love to see done, So E-MAIL!

Be back soon!

So many people know where I stand when it comes to digital drawing/painting. If you don’t well I’ll tell you. I really don’t like drawing digitally. I know allot of people who do and I’m not hating. Why I dont like it…. well I just like the feeling having a piece of paper.  Drawing digitally, I really can’t walk away with anything.

I have tried a few different programs like Corel Painter and Adobe Photoshop. With Corel Painter, I like the different types of brushes Corel Painter has, but I don’t like the interface and the way you navigate.

Probably my biggest problem drawing digitally is that it just doesn’t feel like the real thing…

During one of my demos someone asked me if i sketch using any program, and I issued my problem of drawing on the computer, and someone recommend me to try out a product from Autodesk called Autodesk Sketchbook Pro. Autodesk is a great company. They are makers of the amazing programs like 3D MAX and AUTOCAD. So I tried the trial Autodesk Sketchbook Pro to see if they could change my mind.  I am always open to new things.

So I gave it a shot.

First impressions?
-Well the first time that I ran the program, really felt like I was drawing on paper.

The Good
- I like how the the art-board (the white page) takes over the screen.

- I don’t feel confined on a small box which I feel most of the time.

- Very nice interface; very simple, clean, and easy.  I think they took in consideration the screen being a big tool to sketch. All the tools are great, very customizable.

The Bad
-One thing that really started bugging me was about an hour after I started using it, you zoom in and out..  its great… you just need to use the space bar.  But I like having the option of using hot keys like in most programs: command + & command -(ctrl + and crt - on a pc) to zoom in and out. That’s partly the fact that I’m just so use to doing that in many other programs.

The Ugly
- Autodesk Sketchbook Pro is very limited on hot keys. Not having many hot key is a big no-no for me. Using hot keys enables you to work quicker.

 - Its limited on how many brushes it has. I know they’re trying to make it just a sketching tool but many people sketch differently.  Some use water colour others use pastels .

What i wish it had?
- More Hot keys

- Different types of art-board like Corel Painter

- More tools

Would you buy it and recommend it to people?
- I see myself using it from time to time.  If I’m traveling, doing a quick sketch for a client, do a few quick layouts, then I say yes.

- Do I recommend it?  Well every artist is different when it comes to this subject of drawing digitally.  I’d try the trial version of Autodesk Sketchbook Pro to see for yourself and see how it feels.

My rating of Autodesk Sketchbook Pro?
I give it 4 starts out of 5

If you would like to try out the trial they have a Mac and windows version that can be found here.

First sketch on Sketchbook Pro.

* small disclaimer I was not payed by Autodesk to do this review.

Happy valentines day!!! from Mr.Jay21
I want to wish everyone a super sexy valentines day!! especially Miss 21!!!

Hello all,

It was a great show last week, It was a small show but very good one. The piece I submitted was a little different from the usual stuff I do. It was inspired by a look from the 90’s.

A good friend came right off a plane from the Philippines and showed up at the show; With out any of us knowing. It was great! he showed up with very cool magazine for me from their. Lots of hot girls! and lots of BOBBIES!!!!

I had fun doing the sketch off. I got to do the “frankinfrog”.
I was clueless the first minute but I came up with something within the 3 mins and won the match. YAY!

Thank you for showing your support to all of us artists!
We need that kind of support sometimes to keep us making that great art everyone loves.

The top left one is the one I submitted.

Hello kiddies!

Just want to let you guys know that I will be part of art show this weekend. This show is something I haven’t done before.  All the artist in the show had to create a piece of art using and old record sleeve. The rule is the piece has to have something from the old record. Also after, there will be a sketch-off.  People have 3 mins to draw something random that will be shouted out by the attendees at the art show. This is something I love doing.  So if your around the neighborhood drop by! here is their link.
Address:
The Labyrinth book store
386 Bloor Street West
(2 blocks west from Spadina Subway Sttion)

Hello everyone,
Just wanted to tell all you guys and gals that I’m doing a workshop this week. This Workshop will be about my step by step on creating some of the things I do using Illustrator. This work shop will be on Wednesday and Thursday from 6:15 to 8:30( not sure when it will really end).
If your would like to see me do this please shoot me an e-mail and I can see if I can squeeze you in.

The address is:
The art centre
725 Bathurst Street,
Toronto, Onario,
M5S 2R5

See you there!!

Hello guys a gals!

Exciting news, My best friend Mr.Dan who is a comic writer/inker has a great story he’s been writing about zombies. It’s super cool. So he’s asked me to do the next cover. A double page spread!!! I haven’t been this excited for a long time.
So I tried to do something a little different from the other artists who has done the covers. I wanted to emphasize the zombies rather that the main characters.
Dan told me “It would be cool seeing allot of zombies in a city…” so ideas sparked and I came up with this!
Zombies walking to come to eat your brains!!!!

Heres the sketch and the pen version. the coloured version will come soon!

In other news, Dan is writing a new story, and yes you’ve guessed it Mr.Jay21 will be drawing this short story. The story will about zombies. I know, I know… Dan has a thing for zombies. Here’s one of the first sketches for the story. I’ll let u know as it unfolds!

Will be back soon.

p.s if your wondering why its flipped; Well its because the cover is the opposite way.

Hello my fellow readers!
Its been a while… yes I know! sorry! Now I can finally breath! wheeewww. I’ve been a busy bee working on alot of client work and also a few of my personal things as well. What personal things you may ask??  Well, I’ve been doing alot of painting.  Yes, I’m trying to get my new years resolution in order.  So I’ll be posting up some pics soon.

Also these 2 weeks are gonna be great for me cuz my mom has finally come down to visit me!  For those who are saying peeef… so who cares!  Well it does matter cuz I haven’t seen her in almost 3 years! So this week is been going great!  Alot of mums cooking! Ohh how I do miss it!!!  Its been from cookies to muffins to Portuguese food! sooooo good! even Miss 21 is loving it! yes I’m getting fat!

Ohh how I Love my mommy! hahaha well yea just wanted to get that out!

over and out!