Countdown to Big WoW Con Blog Series - Part I

Convention Banner, Lines n' Dymes

So this blog over the next 18 days will be my chronicling of the days leading up to Big WowCon in San Jose CA, on May 18,19 2013. I'm going to be showing some drawings and some behind the scenes stuff regarding my preparation, and hopefully some of you will be able to use some of what is in this blog series to help you prepare for a convention that you have to go to this year. This will be my third convention that I will attend, and I am really excited. Big WoW is slated to be one of the newest and biggest cons in California, and I wanted to make sure I jump on this bandwagon because when it goes live, I want to be able to say I was there. Nothing wrong with that, right!?

So anyway, to start off this post, I have a pic of my convention banner that I got for myself. Can you believe that this banner was only $80!? It was a great buy for my first convention banner. I know that I may be changing it soon considering that I will be going into pinups and illustration in the next few months, but this is great. Finally makes me feel really official as an artist.

Another thing that i will be debuting at the Big WoW Con is my newest sketchbook Lines & Dymes - Volume 1, which is a collection of lineart sketches, greytone, and full color pictures, and pinups of various female character artwork that I did. I lay it all out in here. The good and the bad. There is no sparing anything in here. Anyone that purchases this will see the growth and hopefully appreciate what is contained in it. There will be a limited run of this sketchbook of only 50 copies! After these are gone, that is IT!!! I'm doing the brown cover so that I can do a head sketch of a female character on the cover of the book. These books are 28 pgs. and will be sold for $20 a pop! So be sure to stop on over and grab one!

So this week I'm going to make sure I get to Kinkos and get these covers printed up and then following the next day, maybe get the pages redone, and printed up as well. I'm thinking of doing a video blog but we shall see. Anyway guys, that's what I got so far. Talk to you all tomorrow!

Talk to you later!

I'm going to be at Big Wow Con in San Jose!

Hey guys, just wanted to do an update on what's going on in my art world here. Just received an email, and I  was just approved to be in the Artist Alley in San Jose at the Big Wow Con at the San Jose Convention Center! The con happens on May 18-19th, and I can't be more excited!

This convention is like the little brother of WonderCon which abandoned the Bay Area to go to Los Angeles. But that's alright, because I can be here! I am going to have TONS of artwork available and taking commissions as well as promoting my webcomic, The Swaggernauts! Also there I will have my newest sketchbook and selling that as well. I may be giving away some goodies and things there as well to folks that really support me and what I am going to be doing there. I have a lot to look forward to, and am really excited to reconnect with some other artists that I met at WonderCon back in 2011. So it's gonna be a good time.

Come mid-April, I will be doing a commission list for those attending the convention that may be interested in getting a commission from me. Those commissions will be a limited number, and they will be available at the convention for pick up. I will be updating when we reach the official 30 day mark, and then counting down! I will be updating with more news and revealing things I will have at the convention. Until then guys, talk to you soon!

Ian Walker

New Swaggernauts, & Improvements

Hey everyone, it’s time for another week of artwork and of course, THE SWAGGERNAUTS! Be sure to go over and check out the new page that is up right now! Click the link below to check it out. You will also see a nice homage to something really cool this week as well. Hope you movie buffs pick up on it. 

Page 3 teaser of The Swaggernauts by Ian D.Walker
Live now at: http://www.theswaggernauts.com

I have been pretty inspired as of late to get my art going as well. Making money is really essential right now, and so the best way to do that is to show off more of my artwork, and do pics and get them sold.

I talked with a friend who saw my art sales site, and gave me some advice that I think I’m going to start following. Initially the work I had up there is for the collectors, and the ones able to shell out the cash to collect the artwork I draw. But I am finding that I do need to realize where we are in the economy and that original fan art is a luxury and not a necessity. But if I make it affordable, I will not have to feel like I’m making someone choose between feeding their kids or picking up my awesome Teen Titans Robin piece. So over the next few days, if you go to my site, you will notice subtle changes. I will be integrating the Facebook page with my blog site, making it easy to view my art work and easier to purchase it as well. Commission products will be available as well. So look for that really soon as well.

One thing I’m going to be making sure I do, is put up more of my sketches and artwork on a regular basis. I need to make sure I stay in you guys faces, and build up a presence! My first con will be in July, over in San Jose, and that gives me plenty of time to make sort of a name for myself, and become that professional that I know that I can become. You’re not going to see me take on lists of commissions on DA sites or any other site like that. I will just do everything through my blog here, the art store blog, or the Facebook page. I’m talkin streamlining it up!

Well with that said, I’m going to take off for now. I’m sure you guys all see my Instagram feed, so be sure to take the time to check out my pics, and follow my Instagram account. Make sure you follow @theswaggernauts as well. They need some love. They are on a strange planet after all. See you guys later!

The Swaggernauts Webcomic - February 1, 2013

Hey everyone, just wanted to send out an update about the Swaggernauts project. There is a lot of amazing progress going on right now, and I am proud to say that the webcomic is ready to go live, and we have a release date for the webcomic! The comic will be released on various websites to try and get it seen by as many people as possible. A special thanks to Dallas Hoisington who allowed me to have some space on his site to publish my webcomic. His stuff can be seen over at FreakAnimes.com.

Here take a look at a few pics of the process that I am doing for the comic book. The amazing work is being done by myself and my amazing colorist Steven Lisefski out in New Jersey. I can't wait to finish this incredible project with him. I'm having so much fun with this book and finally a huge accomplishment for me as a comic book artist as this is my very first official and full project.

I can't wait to see what you guys think of the comic and the first issue that you will see all online! Talk to you folks really soon!

2013 Life Changes

So right now where I am, it's 11:03 pm. I don't personally celebrate New Years, but I definitely appreciate the symbolism of new beginnings. That's something that I think everyone needs after a long period of reflection on past activities, decisions, both good and bad, and experiences. I'm reflecting on these things, and I have learned a lot. I can say that 2012 sucked really bad for me. A lot of personal things happened to my son and I, as well as a lot of set backs with my art and the goals I wanted to meet. But the difference now, is that now since it is just my son and I, I can examine these things and make appropriate changes. I can do the things that I have never done before. And unlike before, I'm not going to allow situations, or certain people, or life circumstances to hold me back from accomplishing my goals. So with that being said...

New Life Goals...

1. Lose Weight... (Goal weight of 190-200)
2. Pursue my art career VERY aggressively.
3. Reconnect with my art fans, and let you guys get to know me through my blog and artwork.
4. Learn 2 new languages; Spanish & American Sign Language.
5. Finish, and put out TWO of my indy titles this year. The first being The Swaggernauts.
6. Start and Finish Project 365.
7. Travel and make new and interesting friends.
8. Auxilary Pioneering for 3 months during the year (only certain people will know what this is)
9. Improve my artwork and become a better learner.
10. Become a student of the Bible again... (don't worry, I won't smash it in your face, or slam you all with religion all the time. :P)

If you notice, these are NOT resolutions. Those are meant to be broken. It's time to break the cycle of redundancy and mediocre and make real lifestyle changes. And that's what I'm going to do. I am looking forward to the rest of my life with my son and I. And it would be nice to add a new person to that, but now we are content with what we have and the opportunity to have a clean slate.

Now, you guys probably saw something about Project 365. Well, I will do a new blog on that tomorrow about that, and what that will entail. You will like it I am sure, and it's a great way to follow my work and journey of artistic improvement and discovery. Anyway, it's 11:15 pm now, and I'm gonna stop. Talk to you guys soon.


See You Next Year!!!
Ian D. Walker

Swaggernauts Kickstarter Campaign

Hey everyone! It's Ian Walker, here again with a great new Kickstarter campaign. As you all know, I am currently working on a few comic book projects. But the main one I am focusing on is called the Swaggernauts. I have been very tight lipped about it, but now is the time to let you all know what it is about! I put up a Kickstarter campaign to do a special 6 art prints to do for the new 2013 con season with the express purpose of getting the word out about this the Swaggernauts. I am hoping to get some kind of traction on this and reach the goals that I am looking for so that I can get this book seen by the masses next year. 2013 promises to be a good year for me, and what better way to kick this puppy off than to launch a promotional campaign about a book that I am really passionate about.

I understand that not many of you will be able to donate. All I am asking of each of you, is to simply get folks to take a look at the page, and spread the word about it. The more people know and are familiar with the Swaggernauts and anticipate it, the better this will be. I thank you all so much for taking the time to read this journal, and I hope to hear from you all soon!

The Swaggernauts Print Kickstarter Campaign

Been away for a minute, but I'm back! New Swaggernauts Print!

It's been a while since I have been on the interwebs. A lot of things are going on which I can't say is too good, but hopefully after the dust settles, it will be for the best. In my ongoing efforts to get Obsidian Studios up and going again, I am continuing the work on the Swaggernauts. This coming 2013, there will be promo blitz regarding this comic series, and a lot of things are in the works.

For the comic conventions we plan on doing this coming year, I am doing 6 themed Swaggernauts prints, a new sketchbook, and hopefully a new promo booklet from Obsidian Studios highlighting the projects that we will be coming out with, detailing some previews for these stories. The announcement for the next story will be coming out soon, so be on the lookout. For right now though, I want give you guys a small taste of the first print that I did. The first of the six Swaggernauts prints!

Enjoy!