Sunday, June 27, 2010

Chris Foreman & Jon Hughes: a dynamic duo of comicbook illustration

While I was at ApolloCon science fiction convention, I had the pleasure of meeting two wonderful artists (and, as far as I could tell, wonderful people) Chris Foreman and Jon Hughes .
Chris and Jon are highly skilled independent illustrators & colorists who specialize in duplicating comic book characters in their own particular drawing styles, but also do original character sketches.
I watched in awe as Chris created this fantastic sketch card scene in an hour:
Photobucket
Think about it: this magnificent piece of art would not exist if I hadn’t commissioned it!
Let that be a lesson to you: support worthy artists with your commission requests when possible, whatever the medium. Such collaboration creates unique art pieces that would not exist otherwise.
Also, I am the only person--- in all the world-- who has this.

During the time Chris was making his magic, I got the added bonus of conversing with Jon about his equally impressive art.
Photobucket
It would be in your best interest if you visit their deviant art pages, linked above.
Both of them are partners in art, and share an ebay store where you can buy some of their incredible images.

I’m planning/hoping to commission both of them for images of my Arcanum character: Cassie O’Brien—who often appears in my fiction books.
Both accept such unsolicited commission requests.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Challenge the way you think about storytelling

Photobucket

13 original short stories inspired by Kate Godfrey songs, featuring characters from The Arcanum universe I've created.
Like all my fiction, these are experimentation and exploration of storytelling.
In the spirit of the Artemis Eternal project, Burden Of The Torchbearer offers a consideration of Media related issues, expressed through the peculiar lives of not-so-ordinary people.
Click through to read back cover summary, introduction and chapter titles.
147 pages for $13 (limited time price)
*also available for $5 as PDF download.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Musical Sounds: Bassoforte

About 20 seconds into this video, I thought, “Dude, that’s Awesome! I gotta blog this!”

Sound designer and composer Diego Stocco has a talent for innovating and improvising music. One of his inventions is an ingenious musical instrument he calls Bassoforte--- achieved by splicing a piano keyboard with strings from an electric bass and guitar... and various things.
As the name says, the device literally combines Bass and Pianoforte... and plays quite nicely, producing a unique, interesting tune. Much of the music created by Diego has a very 'Steampunk' aesthetic-- in sound, instrument design & construction.

Diego Stocco - Bassoforte from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.


Listen to other samples of his imaginitive musical experimentation.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Kate Covington: in the realm of the fantastical

Singer/song-writer Kate Covington (katethegreat19) is among those rare artistic treasures one is fortunate and delighted to stumble across while wandering the internets.
She demonstrates an impressive proficiency in wide range of talents to create an intoxicating sound: not only is she skilled at arranging diverse musical instruments with lovely vocals, Kate also merges them with beautiful video montages consisting of fantasy anime images, while crafting original lyrics.
Not only does Kate compose these marvelous musical tapestries entirely by herself, but she does so with high caliber production values and a flare for mystical aesthetics.
Her musical style is gracefully infused with a profound spirituality and fantastic sense of the magical.



Kate Covington’s self-produced CD is imminent.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Center of Mass: Fragments

For some reason, the mechanism of re-using the same principal actors who complement each other so well in a series of unrelated films appeals to me. In forming Center Mass Studios, talented director Matthew A. Collins and co-producer Ryan Daly joins with talented actors Delfine Paolini and A.E Santaniello-- and does this quite brilliantly, in the short film Fragments . (also, The Crossing, A Parliament of Rooks, and All That Glitters.)
In Fragments, an eager young student becomes an apprentice to her elder mentor in a deliciously & marvelously surprising twist of fate.
Photobucket
Image credit: Center Mass

Applying the Artemis Eternal ethos of filmmaking, this crew believes that “without a good story, a film can never achieve greatness.”
Center Mass has proven themselves adept storytellers in the arena of cinema, well capable of creating interesting, independently‐produced high quality shorts.