Here's the study for Blair and Carole. This is a lot better than the final, but, y'know, pencil underdrawing...(can't have that in a real brushpen sketch!)

Blair's dissertation advisers got a book! If you look at Bob's eyes, they can be read as both looking at the statue (small and concentrated), or looking at me (big and skeptical). Do you see it? It's an optical illusion!

Ellis!

A different kind of brushpen piece.

More Brushpen Breakfast The Book sketches...this one for the estimable Jeff Ranjo. A Giant Robot citation, and a Pacific Rim teaser.

A drawing for Beata's bro Peter. He's a big Disney fan--and I'm a big Blaine Gibson fan (the guy who sculpted so many of the Disneyland audio-animatronic figures).

For my sister-in-law. The nieces (and nephew)!

My buddy Bry got a flat tire today on his way to work...at 4 a.m.

Beata's Brushpen Breakfast drawing. She loves the Magyar Stomp!

Did I show y'all the marker drawing I did for the Family Schmitz?

I've been beaver-busy making drawings--either commissioned ones like the above, or brushpen dedicatory sketches for each Brushpen Breakfast book I sell (and they have been selling--thank you!). But I have trouble managing the timing for the blog--I finish a drawing, scan it, and send it off to its new home--but I don't want to post it until the recipient gets a first look. So images like this one linger unseen while my backlog grows...until I remember to post them, that is.

p.s. I have lost all ability to draw myself.

My man Carlo bought a copy of BPB at House of Secrets, (Burbank's finest comics establishment)...

...and duly found himself (and baby Sofia!) subject of a dedicatory drawing!

I bought this card about four years ago...I knew I could do something fun with it, but wasn't sure what.

Then along came my cousin Mimi's 20th birthday...my 6'2" cousin who plays rugby for Long Beach State. And I had my punchline! When she opens the card, she'll see....

One of the coolest parts of going to ECCC was meeting other like-minded artists. Rick and I (Rick who? Why, the indispensible Rick Schmitz, of course) were fortunate to have our table plunked into a row of superstar talent--Bruce Timm, Aaron Lopresti, and this man, Andy Suriano. Andy is a terrific artist who works for Disney (and worked on those new Mickey Mouse shorts--wow!). Art of Fiction has put out a super-nice, hardbound sketchbook of Andy's stuff--and he's one of those rare artists who deserves the honor. He bought a BPB Book (thanks, Andy!), and I brushed a quick tribute inside (Andy is a superb channeler of that Jack Kirby magic).

Check out this post on Andy's site--it shows a few of his ECCC sketches. Such great stuff...I was so bowled over I went up to him Sunday and said dude, I need an Andy original. Me commissioning another artist is a rare thing--but I just had to get a drawing. I insisted on paying. He asked what I wanted, and I gave him a two word answer: Big Barda. Nothing else. And he comes back with this. Battle armor! Evil minion! War club!!

I think he knocked it clear outta the park. So cool!

Have you ever heard of the "Warriors" book series? A childrens book series where the protagonist are...warrior cats?!?

My friend's daughter is kinda obsessed. As her smash-face tabby is learning.