Dark Horse Presents #18 Cover

Captain Midnight strikes! The masked avenger flies into the twenty-first century courtesy of writer Joshua Williamson (Xenoholics, Voodoo) and artist Victor Ibáñez (Rat Catcher). The thrills begin again at the stroke of midnight!
Also, the critically acclaimed Alabaster by Caitlín R. Kiernan and Steve Lieber continues in the pages of DHP!
* A new creator-owned comic from Ulises Farinas! Post-apocalyptic Pokémon!
* Resident Alien returns to the pages of DHP!
* An all-star lineup!
* EISNER AWARD WINNER!

Pre-Order Dark Horse Presents #18 Now @ TFAW.com

Creators
Writer: Carla Speed McNeil, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, Phil Stanford, Peter Hogan, Joshua Williamson, Colin Lorimer, Ulises Farinas, Erick Freitas
Artist: Carla Speed McNeil, Colin Lorimer, Ulises Farinas, Richard Corben, Steve Lieber, tony Akins, Patric Reynolds, Steve Parkhouse, Victor Ibáñez
Cover Artist: Steve Rude
Genre: Short Stories / Anthologies

Publication Date: November 21, 2012
Format: FC, 80 Pages
Price: $7.99
UPC: 7 61568 17843 2 01811

2012 SKETCHBOOK REVIEWS

Have you received your copy of the Steve Rude 2012 Sketchbook? 

If you have, please post your comments below.  Steve would love to hear from you and take suggestions for the 2013 book which we are already putting together.  We plan to once again offer a full color, high quality professional book.  For 2013 we will bring in more pages from Steve's sketchbook and including more painted work and step by step pieces.

STORE ORDERS
If you ordered in the store please post your comments below and in the store:
https://www.steverudeart.com/ReviewNew.asp?ProductCode=2012SKB

INDIEGOGO ORDERS
If you ordered from IndieGoGo you will still be allowed to post in the store, and also on IndieGoGo:
1st campaign: www.indiegogo.com/steverude2012
current campaign: www.indiegogo.com/rude2012

We are nearly finished shipping and I'll send out a notice when we're finished.  Thank you for your support and patience and I hope the wait was worth it.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT YET -- YOU DON'T HAVE IT -- USE THE LINK BELOW TO ORDER TODAY
store: http://www.steverudeart.com/2012_Sketchbook_p/2012skb.htm
indiegogo: www.indiegogo.com/rude2012

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO PAINTING CLASS...

Yes folks.  Do you remember my last report on my disastrous painting demo for the Linus Gallery in Pasadena?  How, in front of dozens of heavy shakers, moguls, and super-models, we witnessed the faux-pas of the Dude's public failure as he attempted to capture a likeness and couldn't?  Are we still feeling the long-distance pains of empathy as the Dude himself huffed and puffed but couldn't blow the house down? 

Well, assume the Lotus position my friends, as we have something new to report since that last moment of art community status deprivation.

Here's what happened...

Last Friday, on my way to my open studio, non-instructed painting class at the Scottsdale Art School, I decided it was time for something different. 

As you know, I've had my share of non-successful paintings over the years--some I'mstill trying to figure out what went wrong, or why I couldn't get that likeness down--but most of them have gone swimmingly. 

Recently, I've been looking at the work of various painters, mostly Chinese painters, who have really mastered the art of paint on canvas.  Naturally, to anyone who's mastered this ability far and beyond the capacities of the humble Dude, I wanted to figure out how they did it. 

Mostly, what I notice is how these guys design the figure into the background by "losing" certain parts of the body, hair, or whatever, into the background, and actually painting very little in great detail.  Heck, these guys barely indicate detail. And like a good magician, they're smart enough to show the viewer only what we really need to see.  Pretty clever, these Chinamen.  So armed with this new determination to try something different, I boldly went were few White men have dared to go.

After arriving way too early at class--maybe I should put my glasses on next time I look at the clock--I quickly set-up my palette and canvas, and with brush in hand, I loosely but accurately blocked in the figure, and then proceeded to...blur in all the shapes of color.  No hard edges--all of it blurred.  Everyone get what I'm saying?  

So when I stepped back to asses my new experiment and behold it's dawning truth--it looked good!  Well, I'll be spickle-spitted!  So I kept going.

Rather than bore those of you reading this who have gone off to play another round of Angy Birds, I'll just refer you to the step by step pics that Mrs Yayness has posted.  This will show the evolution of how it came to be, as nearly 5 hours later, I swooped in for the final touches.

Did I succeed?  Or do I still have a ways to go?  Should I try this experimental way for my next class painting?  According to Mr. Humility, I'd be a foo not to.

Currently working hard on the upcoming Nexus episode, and still cleaning the paint off his hands,

I remain,

Mr. Humility,
Steve Rude the Dude

STEP-BY-STEP OF THE DUDE's LATEST COMMISSION

THE NEXUS ORIGIN RE-DO  in watercolor!!

Yes, indeed, sons and daughters of European immigrants...the Main Man himself will now take you on a journey in which the likes of humanity has likely never seen--well, these days you see it all the time.  There probably isn't a web-site on earth that doesn't feature a step by steps of artist's working on their paintings or a thousand books that cover the same subject. 

Yet, even before the Al Gore invention of the internet, before the days when every joe, dik, and harry began publishing their own How-to books, before the advent of the pony express riders to deliver secret paint mixing formulas as they dodged the arrows of hostile natives--yes, friends--even before all of this was actually all-too common, we will now chronicle this process for posterity, and for the immediate good of you now reading this. 

Let us therefore begin this humble presentation of "HOW THE DUDE DOES A PAINTING."

Let's begin with step 1, shall we?

Here we see the Main Man's drawing board set-up, where we may now breathlessly behold:

1.  My sketchbook, where I've already prepared a thumbnail value study.  You can also see the Nexus cover for which I'm now re-doing, the watercolor board itself, for which I've already drawn in the various elements based on the original Nexus Origin issue cover ( first done in 1991 as oil on canvas).

2.  A close-up of the pencil drawing, done from my imagination and memory of 30 years of study.  With enough study it's actually easier to rely on the image in your head first than to start off by running right to a photo.  A accuracy check with a mirror or custom shot photograph is always recommended to aid this practice later on.

3.  Here we are, blocking in the first few elements of the picture in watercolor.

4.  Block-in continued.  I tried using a wax candle for the streaks running through Nexus.  I don't know how well it worked out, but I thought I'd try it here.

5.  I don't know if you can zoom in enough, but I actually washed out the whole head and placed it over to the left a little.  A pain in the buttox, yeah, but it had to be done.  So much for accurate figure placement. At this point I also did a pencil study from the mirror for Nexus'  face and hand.

6.  Several opaque touches with white gouache are added in at this point to make it look right, as we close in on the finish...closer, closer..and finally...

7.  Done!

Anyone exhausted yet? 

For the uninitiated, every work of art is a trial.  As in "trial and error."  Why?  I don't know, but it always is.    And always will be, I guess.

There you have it, friends, and curiosity seekers of artistic enlightenment.

Now, it's onto my next piece, for which I will no doubt repeat the same absurd process.  I wonder what kind of trial I'll be put through this time?

Until next we meet,

I remain, probably for a long time,

The humble Dude

Commissions are ordered through my store site: SteveRudeArt.com

THE TERROR OF COLORADO BLVD--RETURNS...

Well, my latest trip contained the best and worst of everything.  I speak of course, of my recent excursion to Pasadena where they all came to see the Dude do a live painting demonstration during the opening exhibit at the Linus fine-art gallery. 

 

With Gino at the steering wheel, we left early on Friday morning as we made the 7 hr. drive from Phoenix to CA to prepare for my demo that night.  We checked in to our hotel, reviewed the sights of some old familiar stomping grounds, said hello to Max the dik, and arrived at the already-hopping gallery by 6:00 p.m.

 

As the Dude took center stage before the easel, his palette of paints, and before the gorgeous model reclining on a burgundy ahrmwa, I took a few celebritory sips of champagne and shrimp as the crowd breathlessly awaited my next move.  Online announcements had circulated to all the proper venues, as well as to the other exceptional artist's who's work was on display that night, so anticipation was high.  Everyone was curious to see a real artist paint a masterpiece before their very eyes, and I certainly wasn't there to let them down.  Nervous?  Nah.

As I applied the first strokes of paint on canvas, they watched the Main Man, dressed not in his usual attire of artist's smock and paint-stained clothes, but in my finest suit, dress shirt, slacks, and shiny black wing tips, as they all watched me produce...an absolute failure.

 

Yes, friends.  Gone were the trumpets of triumph when I completed the final strokes that would've netted me the glowing reviews and cover of American Artist, while driving home with buckets of cash hanging from every oversized pocket.  No. 

 

Not only did the painting stink, but it gathered not a single bid from the Gucci-attired high-society masses who are there to purchase such things.  Yes, friends, despite the accolades from other friends, and attending artists on my "success"--for at least having been brave enough to attempt such thing--the Dude himself, went home in shame, never to carve the roast beast.

 

Thankfully, tomorrow was another day.

 

Upon arriving home, I took a wealth of notes on my abysmal failure and how to improve upon it for next time.  With a couple sweeps of my turpentine stained cloth, I swiftly obliterated the entire offending image from the previous night, and set about to make a new attempt of preserving what might still be left of my former reputation. 

 

Armed with the experience of just having painted directly from the model, and standing by with the several handy reference photo' having been taken earlier for just such a contingency, I will once again, try again.

 

HOW WILL IT TURN OUT?

 

As always, stay tuned.

 

Still stinging from the agony of defeat,

 

The humble Dude

 

ORIENTAL PARASOL PAINTING

ORIENTAL PARASOL PAINTING

Hi everyone,

First, I want to express my appreciation to the folks I met at the Phoenix Comic Con in May.  The diversity of people who came up to my booth was astonishing..and unusual.   Aside from a few patrons who wanted to know if I taught private lessons (check the website for my upcoming painting workshops), I was particularly enthralled by the two professional athletes from the Phoenix Suns basketball team, who happened to spy my Space Ghost cover for Back Issue magazine on display.  Highly intelligent and just plain high up, we talked art, philosophy, and discussed the old-fashioned virtues of Jonny Quest cartoons for a good hour. It would seem that everyone who is a fan of the Dude's has the strength and intelligence of ten Grinches. 

Yesterday was spent painting at the art school's Open Studio class with the live model. For this painting, I thought I'd try using--watercolor.  Yes, watercolor.   As everyone knows, watercolor has two particular qualities that we should all know about: 

1.  It's one of the hardest mediums to master.

2.  Every kid in grade school has painted with it.

Hmmm. 

Anyway, the painting turned out well that day, but with me and my math-impaired brain behind the brush, pulling off the entire thing in transparent watercolor seems all but impossible.  So out comes the white gouache and when I mix it with the watercolor, I can use it to then go over my screw-ups and correct my mistakes.  Ten points to the eagle-eye out there who can spot the areas where I've applied the gouache. 

Gouache is an interesting medium, and an even more interesting word.  When pronounced, it resembles the sound of a nation of conveslesants standing over the toilet during flu season.  Most people can't even spell it, let alone paint with it.  I somehow managed to memorize this word back in art school by realizing it contains the word "ache".  I'm sure there's a correlation.

And don't forget to sign up for the Dude's very first instructional masterclass: "30 years in 4 days" The Steve Rude Painting Workshop in September.  The cry of the loons at night are worth the price alone!

Talking in high volume,

Steve Rude the Dude

THE LATEST, THE GREATEST, IN THE LIFE OF A CREATIST...

On our last exciting installment of Dude's Daily Diatribe I reported that I had contacted DC to offer my services as artist. I also promised an update is that situation changed in any way. Well, the latest is...nothing's changed! DC has never formally responded to my offer, and, I suspect, with little expectations of any to come.

As I was informed by friends who monitor such things, it so happens that just after I had sent my letter to DC's top people, I received word that the company had plans to relaunch their books with new #1 issues for their entire pantheon of characters. I don't know if this had anything to do with my not hearing back from them, but it would seem logical to assume a connection of some sort. The timing of it all seems more than a bit serendipitous.

Meanwhile, the latest in the commission front is the piece I just finished of--John Carter of Mars. I can almost hear the Red Planet trumpets sounding off with that pronouncement. After all, I've never exactly had much visual association with any Burroughs characters, and since I've never read the books, I thought the challenge would be a worthy one. I received some paperback book cover reference as an aid, natch, and of course, I'd seen the green, four-armed guys and mohawked gorillas that Frazetta did for this cast. Any resemblance of the Dude piece and the work of F.F. is purely and deliberately--on purpose.

The mega editions of the Artist in Motion books are being ordered from all corners of this earth--so that's keeping me and Princess pretty content for now. And keep up the facebook comments and e-mails inquiries--they are read by the entire Dude household, the Sillies and two diks included!

Till my next installment,

I remain, from my new back-supporting chair vantage point,

The Dude / Mr. Humility

THE DUDE'S RETURN TO COMICS??

THE DUDE'S RETURN TO COMICS?? 
Read on..!

Devotee's of the Dude Daily Diatribes may find this of interest:

I've decided to finally make my long awaited return to comics.

This decision took place no less than a month ago, after I came to the following realization--

One-- I've had enough time away from the field to want to come back.  In the time that I've been gone, comics seem to have only gotten worse in terms of art and story, which is what made me back off in the first place.   I feel that any direct contributions I could make by re-entering the field might have a positive effect.  

Two--I needed the bread.  Commissions and other jobs are fine, but actually being an active member of the comics field seemed more prudent.  After talking it over with Gino, we decided it would be best to write the company I'd most like to do business with, and then see what transpired.  And who would that company be?

That company would be DC comics.

The books I would most like to contribute to?  Here they are in order of preference:

1.  SUPERGIRL

2.  SUPERMAN

3.  BIG BARDA and her FEMALE FURIES

4.  OMAC

One month ago, I began my contact with DC through an editor that I knew.  Having no success, I tried a second editor.  Then finally, one of the higher-up "exec" types.

So far, one editor has responded--with a turn down.  The two others I never heard back from.

Interesting world, isn't it?

If any changes take place over the next few weeks, I'll fill you in with an update.

In the meantime, keep ordering those commissions!  I have tried and failed to do "simple" watercolors for so I regret I must raise the price to starting June 1st.  These were supposed to be "quick" 11x14 watercolors and instead have been finished 15x20 paintings.

In the spirit of all great creators who've shown me the way,

I remain,

The humble Dude

Commission Link: http://www.steverudeart.com/Commissions_s/657.htm
Watercolor Commission Link: http://www.steverudeart.com/Watercolor_Commission_p/customwater.htm

GOLDEN AGE CAPTAIN AMERICA COMMISSION IN STAGES

---

Stage One

Stage one has always been inspiring to me, and I might be able to add a few things to this piece to justify doing it. Going into it, however, I had only the vaguest glimpse of procedural foresight to see how I might pull this off. And that's what your roughs are for... What the hell do I know about WW2? Besides next to nothing? Some guys really get off on this historical stuff. My dad, for one. But I'm not my dad. Kirby's great creation ,Stage One involved--I believe its called.

If I thought if I could get away with merely copying the original drawing line for line, well, I knew that was out. The soldiers, planes, artillery, poses of Cap and Bucky, and the multitude of extras would all have to be modified to appease the image in my head. I knew the research was going to be heavy--no getting around that. A few trips to the library, and few polite urgings with Gino to look online, and I had my basic materials that I would be needing. And need them I would.

Stage Two

The drawing came first, on some nice lifetime-enduring 2' x 3' watercolor board. Once I roughed in the drawing, I shrunk the whole thing down on my xerox machine, and did a few value roughs over these miniature copies.

In the late 50's. Dorne worked in transparent, colored permanent inks, which he applied over a value painting done first done in b & w washes. Alex Ross has made a career from working in this method, as well. I myself was a bit rusty with this technique, but it eventually came back to me as I toiled on. Halfway through the inking stage, I got the idea to ink in only the shadow areas and not put in the outlines all around the figures. Not sure why. But instead of then going right to color, again using the golden-age version as my guide, I decided to render everything first in a b & w ink wash, a procedure which I learned from artist Albert Dorne, the man who put together the Famous Artists School.

When I finally got to the color stage, I hauled out the colored inks and went to work, almost completely ignoring the original color scheme from the golden age reference. My own sensibilities seemed to take over at that point.

Stage Three

Once the color was applied, it was done. Was it easy? Hell, no! It was immensely taxing, and looking back, I should've charged twice what I asked for it, but this is the way things go as a commercial artist. Once you've agreed on a price, you apply yourself to the same standards whether they paid you 5 bucks or 5 million.

Hope everyone likes this special Dude recreation of the golden age

I look forward to your comments.

---

More step by step photos available on Facebook (you do NOT need an account to view)
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150437321850433.638476.57611645432

MARCH RAFFLE - WIN A COMMISSION

Thank you to everyone who has entered the raffle to date. There's only 2 weeks left to enter! As a special bonus, when we get to 4,000 fans, we will randomly pick 6 and whoever has a raffle ticket will win a Nexus print!

$5 buys you a raffle for a free 11"x14" marker commission sketch, character of your choice, subject to Steve's approval and our eternal thanks for your support and keeping Steve in art supplies!

Raffle runs through March 31st with a winner drawn April 1st (but this is no April fool!). Steve also said that if we can get up to 200 orders he'll add color! We're also considering videotaping Steve doing the sketch and add that with the winner's package.

Funds are being used for art supplies, models, photo reference, and the occasional Subway sandwich. Turkey, extra olives and bell peppers, hold the mayo.

Enter today: http://www.steverudeart.com/Drawing_for_Steve_Rude_Commission_p/marchraffle.htm

A Note of Thanks from the Dude

I want to thank everyone for writing in to comment so consistently on my latest pictures. Jaynelle prints your remarks for me on a regular basis, and I especially like when people go into detail about what strikes them about a particular piece. I've always received little feedback of this kind at conventions, so this a great way for me to hear your impressions. Also, I'd like to know what all you do for a living. Other than Ken Meyer jr., who is a fantastic and long undersung watercolorist, I don't know much about you other commentators. Do you all have exciting jobs like the Dude?

Keep sending in your comments. Thanks to Gino, our fan base is always expanding to include new thoughts.

The Dude

Dude Comment of the Month

Dude's Daily Diatribe:

Today, someone mentioned that Marvel intends to "kill off" one of the members of the Fantastic Four. Interesting. Normally, choosing the color of my socks generates more reflection. But one thought did occur to me; Is this the only way comic companies can hook your attention these days? Who ever had to die in 102 issues of the Stan and Jack run? Anyone? I guess when the well runs dry, companies must now resort to things other than pure, unrestrained imagination and someone "Must Die!".

Comments?

Steve Rude 2010 Sketchbook

"I wanted these books, more than anything else, to be fun."

You probably assume you're reading the latest quote from the Dude on why he devoted his last 3 decades as an artist in the comic-book field. No. Sorry. Stan Lee, reflecting on his days as Marvel's head writer during the 1960's, beat me to it.

Stan's philosophy may also explain why I've spent most of my time these days on Gallery work instead of the "so serious our faces crack" world of today's comics. Maybe when things lighten up and people get their perspective back I’ll think about returning.

Inside this year's sketchbook, we've tried a different approach than previous sketchbooks. Instead of knocking myself out with paragraph after paragraph, explaining my thinking behind each and every drawing contained in these 64 pages, I'll try and sneak out of it by simply inserting the original "fan request" that accompanied these commissions. That way, you'll get to see what I was up against before I began drawing them, and, perhaps even more enlightening, how I interpreted their request.

Why do I still do these commissions if I'm not working in comics anymore? Because I like doing them, mostly. Also, to keep my skills unblunted, to keep my hand in the industry I'll always be known for. Oh, and to keep " the Sillies" well-stocked with those overpriced "pull-ups" (I've made these diaper jokes for years now - I yearn for the day they don't need them anymore!)

Hope these drawings can bring some fun to your day!

In pause for the cause,

The humble Dude

Portrait in Blue

Yo, how it be workin'?

That's right. The Dude makes up his own 'hipster-ease'.

Say, who wants to hear about chronicles of my latest easel work? OK. I'll take that as a yes.

Right now, we've got the Gino in Blue painting in front of me. We've just begun to block it in and it's right in front of me on the easel. And now it's right in front of you on the monitor. Hears how it's done:

First the conception. A painting in all blue. Ok, we've got that down. I picture in my head a beautiful girl stretched out on the bed, gorgeous from the moment she wakes up, 'natch, and she's got the first morning light flooding into her room. Great. So I draw up a rough in my sketchbook and as soon as I'm happy, I take some model shots and proceed to draw it right onto the canvas. Not all painting are "drawn-in" first. When I've got an actual model in front of me, I just start blocking in with paint. It's easier, y'know? Of course you knew that.

But here's the goofy part. Once this washy block-in is done--all the blue tones applied and in their proper place--the painting is practically done. That's right. Done. Everything is just refinement. Incredulous. Bizarre. And true.

Questions?

Write in care of Mr. Humility.