Good Weekend

Hey everyone,

don't have any new artwork to post this time, or anything that important to say.

But on the other side of that me and my friends recorded the March 2013 edition of Retro Retro Retro:
www.retroretroretro.com

And also I did a very special interview with Dave Wascavage of Troubled Moon Films
http://www.troubledmoonfilms.com/index.html

You can download/stream the interview by clicking the link below(right click to save mp3)
https://archive.org/download/DaveWascavageFinal/Dave%20Wascavage%20Final.mp3

The show went great, prob the best so far audio wise, and the interview with Dave was excellent!
He was such a great guy, and I definitely encourage anyone reading this to check out the Troubled Moon website, and maybe pick up a couple of his movies...they're pretty cheap!
I definitely recommend Suburban Sasquatch, and Fungicide! 
When I get a little more money rolling in here i'm def checking out more of his movies!

Other than that, the weekend was awesome, sat morning/afternoon is prob the best I have felt in a few years.
It was wonderful. The whole weekend was actually.(Thank you Danielle <3)

Now I have to go work on stuff for the art show at:
FotoEnvy
317 West Jefferson
Rockford IL
Friday April 5th 5-9pm
Sat April 6th 3-9pm

Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/Rockfordartcade?fref=ts

Friday night Steven and I met up with a few of the other artists involved with the show.
I can't wait...this will def be fun!

Still need to get this Deadpit, and MWR artwork done....I'll have more free time after this week....so hopefully by next weekend those projects will be finished.

Last week I bowled the best game I ever had on one of my favorite nes games:
Championship Bowling!

And a little Paperboy:
http://youtu.be/rAcK85klmeI

That's it I guess, I hope everyone had a good weekend as well, and check back soon...i'll have some more artwork to post!

-RavenJ!

Crying at work

Wow, this has not been the best of days.

Anyone who ever reads these blog posts know i'm all over the place when it comes to expressing my thoughts. I know what i'm thinking, but the words aren't there sometimes.

I'm sure it's the same problem everyone has.

So I had an argument with my girlfriend, which I don't want to give all details only because she has a side of the story, and it definitely wouldn't be fair of me to just give my side.

All I really want to say is that I'm still learning, and I will always try to see other peoples sides to things.

I am soo tired today. And I think she was too. She didn't agree, but I feel we both are stubborn, but I know we both care enough about other people opinions to give them a chance to express them....it just got out of control.

I'm typing this out because I was really sad after we got off the phone, not mad....sad.
And I actually cried at work.

I know this is really nothing in the big picture, and it's a first world problem. I've just had this policy of being as candid as I feel when it comes to posting.

To Danielle, i'm deeply sorry. I love you.

Ok, hopefully I can compose myself the rest of the night. I have a few things coming up...this weekend me and my friends will be recording the March episode of Retro Retro Retro.
Hopefully it will be up for download on Sunday.

The main topic of the show will be "Things that aren't around anymore". As in products or other misc things that aren't available. One of my examples is Bonkers candy! I miss it!
I guess listen in to hear what my co hosts have to say!
Also if anyone reading has anything they'd like to share just email me at:
retrotothethird@gmail.com
or text/call me...if you know me!

In April I will have some artwork in the art scene here in Rockford. I will be at
FotoEnvy
317 West Jefferson
Rockford IL
 it's an event put on by Rockford aRt.cade
http://www.facebook.com/Rockfordartcade?fref=ts
Friday April 5th 5-9pm
Sat April 6th 3-9pm

Hopefully this will go well. I have three projects i'm working on for the event, hopefully I'll fit in with the other artists.

Then there's Shimmer on April 13th., and hopefully Danielle and I will be going on vacation to Detroit on the 25th through the 29th. She's a photographer and really wants to shoot abandoned buildings. Hopefully we can find some good ones.
She's been aching to get out and shoot...so I feel bad that she hasn't been able to....damn mid west winter!

Other than that I have artwork i'm working on....the comic is still not finished, soo thats prob going to be delayed a month....but no later!
Ugh....i don't want to think anymore....so drained.

Here's some sketches....

Hope everyone one is doing well.
till next time
-RavenJ

March 3rd, 2013

Oh wow, it's been a whole month since I last posted a blog.

Alot has been going on since then.

First off, I met a wonderful chick named Danielle. So that's been going pretty good.

I was accepted to take part in the local art scene here in Rockford this year.

My comic is coming along, although I have to push it back a month...to all those who contributed....be patient!

Allright I guess i'll just start with this weekend.

Danielle and I went out to Schaumburg this saturday. We originally had planned to go a couple weeks ago...but the night before she was up all night sick, so I took care of her that night, and that saturday.

So this time she was ok...haha, so we went.
Originally we were going to check out an abandoned house she knew of(she's a photographer), to take pics.
But the house was too hard to get into, without bustin in.

After that we went to the art store....which I was really exited to go!
The Blick store is one of my favorite places on earth!
Picked up a few things...

 Screen Printing stuff

 Some new pens, compass, and erasers

A canvas(for the aRt.cade project), a new silk screen, and a couple foam boards.

Usually when I take friends to the art store...they are bored within a few minutes, luckily Danielle didn't mind, haha.

Then we went to the mall, didn't really find anything....but we did see these:

We had lunch at Portillo's which was really good....I only had it once....but this time it was special.

We came back and hung out with our friends, then called it a night.

Today I was very inspired to work on projects, so I worked a little on a Deadpit design, which hopefully will be finished this week.

Worked on a page of my comic, did my taxes(ugh), and scanned a bunch of inked drawings to color hopefully this week.

Ok, so this aRt.cade thing...here's the info:
http://www.facebook.com/events/357724437675419/

It will be an 8-bit inspired artwork exibit. I have already come up with three ideas.
One will be a Capcom inspired piece, A piece inspired by the game "Astyanax", and a piece inspired by the game "Air Fortress".

Soo this is on Friday April 5th. Soo if anybody in town wants to come out and check it out...hang out...well...DO IT!

What else...oh, i got this....I always wanted to do one of these so here's my attempt:

I may start over.....i think i need to do some sanding and such.

Also, i've decided to officially do commissions.
Here's the details:
 this is copied from my deviantart page:

Commission Prices:

Sketches:
these are typically either a pencil or ink sketch
$5-10 , depending how detailed the artwork needs to be.



Inked:
$10-20, again depending on detail


Inked and Colored(Digital)
Although I mostly color my artwork digitally, I can use marker or other mediums
$20-50, also depending on detail, or time spent on the artwork


I can also work with people if they have a budget.
But it will usually be a certain percentage upfront, and the rest when the job is completed.

Also, about the artwork.
I give the commissioner the choice to own the artwork, as in I will send the original art...and in the case of colored art, a print of the colored piece.And the commissioner has the right to be anonymous, or request that I don't share the artwork on any site that I display artwork, such as facebook, Deviant Art, or my personal website: www.unshure.com

I think that's all, if interested just send me a message and we can go from there!

So that's that.

I'll be busy with the comic, a cover for my buddy Brian's MWR yearbook...and other misc designs the next month. Also Danielle and I have a vacation planned for late April...which should rock!

Did a Retro3 show a couple weekends ago, and friday Shemp and I did a sidetracked episode.
You can find them here: 

www.retroretroretro.com 

I know I'm forgetting something...but whatever.....if I think of it...i'll post it.

I hope everyone out there is well.

Remember....i'm doing commissions! Tell your friends....if you love me!

Oh, I know...this!

Probably the best Valentine's Day present i've ever received!
Thank you Danielle :P

Ok, that's it.....take care everyone!
-RavenJ

Me, Billy Josh, and Steven.....y'know....hangin :P

BOOBS!!

Hey y'all!

First off, thank you to all who contributed to my comic project. It means alot to have support like you guys.
And to all that sent me messages wishing the project the best of luck, and weren't able to contribute...thank you as well.

I'll never hold it against anyone, especially if their best intentions were stated.

ANYWAY, here's the plan.

I'm pretty much done, I met the goal, however if anyone wants to still contribute anything further it will go to printing even more.
But I'll set the deadline for any more contributions to Valentines Day.

Soo again here are the rewards:

$20:
-The comic(Cell Phones and Cigarettes #2) signed if wanted
-An original page from the comic
-An original art piece of your choosing(anything you want, full color with all the bells and whistles....minus the bells and whistles)

$10:

-The comic(Cell Phones and Cigarettes #2) signed if wanted
-An original page from the comic

$5:

-The comic(Cell Phones and Cigarettes #2) signed if wanted

I will be sending the book off to be published at the end of February, so by mid/late March I should have them.

And by the end of March I will be sending out the packages.....the shipping was included in the contribution.

So thats that.

Last friday me and my friends Steven and Mark recorded three episodes of a possible youtube show called
"D-Pad, D-Bags".
Which we play classic beat em up games....with live commentary.
Sounds boring right? Well any given moment I break out into either a Creed or LFO song....
actually that's prob terrifying!
*UPDATE*
I have found out that there is already a podcast called...D Pad D Bags!
so we need to find a new name!

Aside from that me and Mark and Steven attended the "Triple Play Celebration" at Star Worlds Arcade in dekalb.
Where we met Walter Day(of Twin Galaxies) and Tim McVey(holds/held the high score in the classic arcade game Nibbler)

Check out the interviews Steven and I did here:
http://archive.org/download/StarWorldsTriplePlayCelebration2013/Retro3TimMcveyAndWalterDayInterview.mp3

And check out a video of me playing Tetris with Walter Day!

http://youtu.be/WVvqAJyd-Y8

Check out all the exploits at:
www.retroretroretro.com 

Soo, that was my weekend.

So earlier tonight my Aunt contacted me on facebook.
She mentioned she liked my art...and encouraged me to never stop! Which is such an awesome compliment.
She also mention something, something that I actually have been thinking alot about lately.

BOOBS!

Alot of my artwork is female based, mainly because who can blame me....females are the most intriguing...how do I say this.....most intriguing....I want to say "thing", but thats kinda vague...and almost a put down.
Anyway, I draw alot of females!

So this past friday I was drawing this:

As usual, her boobs are massive. And I stopped to think about that.
I thought about how maybe people may think that is all I like about women.
Of course boobs are awesome, but it's never been my main focus.
I don't want to get all pro-woman or anything, and this is purely my point of view, but there are a number of different things about different women that are attractive. A pretty face, a hair color(i've always been turned on by dark hair with blonde streaks....don't know why!), tone of certain parts of the body....and thats not to say that a thicker girl's curves can't be sexy as well.

It's all fascinating...haha

Anyway, my Aunt said I was a "boob guy" which I disagree with....based on what I just mentioned.
It just happens in my artwork alot....and it's something i'm aware of.

A short story about boobs....
an ex girlfriend who I thought was beautiful the way she was, decided to get breasts implants.
Which I was against.....only because I liked her the way she came...haha.
But I did support her, because it bugged her, and she said that she didn't feel like a woman.
I thought to myself..."you have a kootchie though".
And also later she said she did it because I always draw women with large boobs.
She flip-flopped her reasons alot.....on alot of things......but thats another story!

But thats' the thing i'm getting at, we can all improve ourselves in some ways.
And I do understand if someone has self esteem issues because of weight, boob size, or anything that we humanly think is wrong with ourselves!

Soo, getting back to this drawing...I decided to reduce them boobies....so much to the dismay of some of my home boys, here she is again......a little smaller!

What version do you guys like better?
leave me a comment, or email me, or text me....i'm not hard to find.

I'll try to get around to finishing the art this weekend.

I have a couple projects:
-Nikki Roxx shirt design
-Artwork for my boy Brian Kelley
-Deadpit artwork

wish me luck!

take care everyone, till next time...
-RavenJ!

January 14th, 2013

Hey Hey,

First off I want to thank everyone who has been checking out my site the past week,
and thank you to those who have contributed to my comic project.

And...thank you Ana, Leva, Brian, and Becca for helping get the word out!!!

As of right now I am only $30 bucks short, which I can probably cover myself, but i'd like to see how it all turns out.
If I make more than the budget, I will just print more comics!

I gave the specifics in my last blog, but here are the details again:

A contribution of the following will get the following rewards:

-$20
The comic book itself(Cell Phones and Cigarettes #2), signed
An actual page from the book, first come first serve
and an art commission...pretty much anything you would like me to draw you, full color(standard paper size though (8.5x11)

-$10
The comic book(signed)
and an art commission of your choosing

-$5
The comic book(signed)

Also, all will be free shipping.

So that's about it....if you can, or want to contribute, I would appreciate it!

Ok, enough business....

So this past weekend my friend Steven and I sat down and finalized our script for a video series we're going to start shooting in a couple months.
I'll post more about the project once we have more to show....but for right now....here are a couple pics:

And of course, I worked on some art....

The following are a few sketches and concept art for a character for a game I hope to develop later in the year

And the rest...

This next weekend I along with the crew from Retro Retro Retro will be recording our January podcast.

Then a week later I and Steven will be heading into Dekalb to Star Worlds for a special event....two words:
WALTER DAY!!

Take care everyone, till next time
Take care,
-RavenJ