WorkSpace Project: Chris Thorne | Proxart

Proxart is a website that focuses on Art, Culture and Community. They have a segment called The Workspace Project and they recently featured me. :)

WorkSpace Project: Chris Thorne | Proxart

Chris Thorne is a Santa Clarita-based visual artist. And like most artists, he has a day job. And also like most artists, he has a nerdy side. I mean, really, what artist doesn’t like Star Wars?

Finally Finished - Vader and his Two Masters

I started this a long time ago  See pencils here and here. Well I finally finished it.  I wanted to get it done for the Long Beach Comic Con and while I did.  It wasn't a piece that anybody saw much less commented on.  I am still glad I finished it.

I call it Vader and His Two Masters, Qui-Gonn and Emperor Palpitine.  All done with pen and ink on heavy bristol paper, measures about 6"x10"

I was interviewed by the Star Wars: Facebook'd group

SW:F'D Star Cover Artist: CHRIS THORNE

by Chris S W Simons on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 11:56am

Gardena, California. Population; 57,746. One of those folks just happens to be our current cover artist, Chris Thorne!

"Star Wars" has been a large influence on Chris since he was a child. "It just seems like a perfect movie," and Ralph McQuarrie's conceptual art for the film certinatly left an impression back then. The endless visual splendor of the "Star Wars" universe, including the Dark Horse comic series, "Star Wars: Legacy", continues to inspire Chris to this day!

Chris discovered his talent for drawing early on, when he made original pieces of art for Christmas. "I was…God, six or seven maybe?  I didn’t have a gift for my Mom and so I drew people and things on cardboard, colored them and cut them out, glued them onto paper, rolled them up and put them in a canister to be put under the tree."

 
These days, Chris is using blue non-photo pencils, India ink, and charcoal along with his markers, and pens. "I also use Bristol, Watercolor and Comic Illustration papers." His favorite style of artwork is the pointillist technique, stippling. The painstaking process of creating an image by making thousands of dots. "I did my wedding invitations in a stippled technique and my wife loved it."

There's no better escape than art for Chris. "There is no better feeling than how I feel at the end of a very satisfying session," he explains. "People need an outlet for the real world and they need art to escape." What better world of art to escape to than the "Star Wars" universe?

Speaking of which, we asked a few questions about that galaxy far, far away...

SW:F'D: What is your FAVORITE STAR WARS EPISODE?
CT: My Favorite is Ep.4 ANH.  It just seems like a perfect movie.  As I have gotten older, I appreciate Ep. 5 ESB, but ANH will always be my favorite, the one I watch when I just want to escape.  I love making fun of the whinny Luke, and his need for power converters, but that is because I love it so much.

SW:F'D: Who is your FAVORITE STAR WARS CHARACTER?
CT: It is pretty close between Han and Darth Vader, but I think I am gonna have to say Darth Vader.  He is just the coolest freaking bad guy ever.  He just steals every scene he is in.

SW:F'D: What do you think would win in a fight? A Dewback, or an Orray?
CT: I would have to say an Orray, I think they are more battle hardened and breed for that.  Dewbacks seem more docile.  But since Dewbacks are much bigger than Orrays maybe that would be enough to win a battle, maybe they would just sit on them.  Can I change my answer?  I want to see the Dewback kick the Orray’s butt.

SW:F'D: What do you think Blue Milk tastes like?
CT: I had some when I was a kid, it tastes like Pepto-Bismol actually, now that I think about it, it did seem pinker than I expected and…Damnit, I gotta find my friend Craig.  He freakin’ tricked me.

SW:F'D: Any final words?
CT: Han shot first and I want the original versions of the original trilogy on blu-ray.

you can find the Star Wars Facebook'd group here

You can find Chris Simons facebook page here

Latest ink on Tusken Raider

Latest inks on the Tusken Raider.  I will be getting rid of some of the black lines and I am really trying to make the hill in the background work.  I am not sure I am succeeding. What do you think?

Inking Stage - Tuskin Raider

Just wanted to show you an update on my new Tuskin Raider piece.  I have spoted some of the big black areas.  I still need to go in an do the wrapping on the head and I am not looking forward to that.  LOL.  Anyway, let me know what you think!

Work in Progress - Darth Vader

A work in progress, Darth Vader with his "angels", Darth Sidieous and Qui-Gon Jinn.

New Piece - Tusken Raider

This is a new piece, a Tusken Raider.  I really find sandpeople challenging to draw.  The wraps and fringe makes it difficult, but when it works, it always impressive.

The Rocketeer

 This is a piece I have been working on, on and off, for a while and it has been finished for a while too, I have just been too lazy to scan and post.  I wanted to to an ink piece for Dave Steven's, the Rocketeer for a while, I think it just lens itself to a older look.  The reference photo came from a cosplay photographer I found on Flickr named  djwudi/Michael Hanscom, I think this guy is a really good photographer.  I need to work on developing some backgrounds...  LOL

Comic-Con Art Show Announcement

Art Show at San Diego Comic-Con (Chris Thorne - Artist)

Start Time:	Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 8:00am
End Time:	Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 4:00pm
Location:	San Diego Convention Center (Sails Pavilion)

Description 

Chris Thorne - Artist will have multiple pieces of artwork on display during the Art Show at San Diego Comic-Con, which runs from Thursday the 22nd through Sunday the 25th. Comic-Con attendees & exhibitors are invited to take a moment out of the craziness that is SDCC to stop by Sails Pavilion and check it out!

There are approximately 200 artists exhibiting work during the Art Show and most of the work will be available for purchase via a silent auction or quick sale. I am pleased to be exhibiting amongst a group of high caliber artists. I will be visiting the display off and on throughout the exhibit and hope to see some of you there!

If you have friends who are coming to Comic-Con please feel free to pass on an invite to visit the Art Show!

For more information on Chris Thorne and my artwork, please visit http://www.christhorneart.info/ or http://sketchbookbychris.blogspot.com/

Watercolor Wolverine

I am really enjoying working with watercolors.  I have done a few flowers and a Clone Trooper, but this was interesting to do.  I just started putting colors down and figured I would ink out a figure after.  What do you think?  I think there are some spots with too much black but I think is has some feeling, some movement, some action. 

Sketch Card trading - Oran Parker

I got a note from another sketchcard artist named Oran Parker, (Check out his site http://www.oranparker.com/ ) who wanted to know if I would trade cards with him.  After checking out his stuff, I said Yes right away.  He requested Beta-Ray Bill, Abe Lincoln and Hawkman.  None of which I had any experience with, but I thought this would be a great deal.  I had a bunch of things going on travel-wise (see Korea blog-post) so I wasn't able to get to them finished right away.  I saw the cards he did (see his blog post about the trade) and I knew I was going to need to up my game.  Anyway.  I did one of Abe Lincoln "Vampire Slayer", A raging Bill, and Golden Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl.  I did the Lincoln on tan card stock to give it a vintage feel.  I wanted the Hawkman to still feel Golden-Agey so I tried to do it in that style.  I just wanted Bill to look as pissed off as I could.  I did an earlier one, that I will post later, but in the pencils stage, I creased it doing some erasing and so I had to start over again.  I actually did another Abe, but I didn't like the feeling, so I redid it and I think this one is much much better.  I hope he likes them!

Comicsforcures.com Cards Finished

Got my sketch cards finished for the comicsforcures.com benefit auction and I did 4 cards, a couple Star Wars, Tusken Raider and a pair of Stormtroopers, a Venom and a Hellboy.

3rd Annual
SKETCH CARD BENEFIT AUCTION
AND GALLERY SHOW
FOR AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
May 22nd, 2010

Comics 2 Games is hosting a SKETCH CARD GALLERY SHOW and Benefit Auction for American Cancer Society on April 3rd, 2010.
Proceeds will go to the AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.
Location: Comics 2 Games, 8470 US 42., Florence, KY 41042 phone: 859-647-7568.

Sponsors:
BLUELINEPRO.COM - COMICSXP.COM - SKETCHMAGAZINE.NET

Commander Cody in Watercolor

Watercolor sketch of Commander Cody from Star Wars - The Clone Wars.  I will be adding the ink work to it later.

Puffin - Final

This is the finished Puffin.  I ended up leaving the background alone and just inking the bird and the rocks.  I used a thinner pen than I usually do and I think it improved the look.  I is a bit more...subtle.  I like it. 

Puffin commission

Working on a commission.  I did the initial sketch in pencil and I was ready to start inking it up and it was suggested that maybe a watercolor version would be better.  Sort of like my previous Cad Bane watercolor that was inspired but David Petersen's (mouseguard) watercolor work.  So I painted it up and I will be inking it up later today.  Argh I am nervous.

Ink Work - Schoolhouse

This is a picture of a piece I am working on for a commission.  Heavy black inks and thin inkwork for the shading of the wood panels.

Doctor Doom Ink Sketch

Made a mistake and scanned it as a GIF instead of JPG and the scan makes it look all pixelated.  But this is a sketch I did last night.  I have been so impressed but the TWART guys and Chris Samnee in particular that I wanted to practice some of that style.  I am developing a real fondness for ink work.  I have an ink brush that is refillable and the brush is really good quality that I really enjoying doing brush work now.  Anyway, I thought Doctor Doom would be a good subject...

The Finished piece...really this time

I guess I forgot to upload the image last time I posted this.  LOL  Anyway.  This is the finished piece.  Besides getting his likeness, it was really important to me to include the window in the background.  He designed and made that stained glass window.  I was also worried about the tone of the skin, but when I started on the sweater, the skin was secondary.  I was really worried that the sweater was going to turn out crappy, but I think it came around rather nicely.

New Vader Piece Started - Pencils

Started a new Darth Vader Piece last night.  I should have been working on other projects, but something inspired me and I just "needed" to do this piece.  (I love that feeling.)  Anyway.  Thought I would share the process here so here are the pencils I did last night.  I am thinking of monochrome, maybe black, white and one or two greys.  I may add a couple of figures to the top of the image, we will see.

More Comicforcures.com Benefit Sketch Cards

 

  

Two more cards for the Comicsforcures.com Cancer benefit auction.  Tusken Raider with Micron Pen and Primacolor Markers.  And a pair of Stormtroopers, inspired by a photo taken by Ken "Elvis Trooper" Tarkenton.  I love his work.