New Book Available

My new book Roughhousing is now available in the shop!

$10.00

36 pages

full color

WonderCon!

Hey everyone!  I will be attending Wondercon this weekend in Anaheim.  I'll be in Artists Alley at Table 21 so stop by for a free business card  and hug.  

This image is from my new book "Roughhousing" which will be available this weekend.  I'll also have the original drawing for sale!

Demo

A digital painting demo I did for my students lats week.  Let me know what you think!

Coming soon...

Character Communicators

Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  Work has been especially crazy the past few weeks.  I've started teaching character design again at Woodbury University.  Teaching is fun and challenging, and it also affords me the chance to reflect and learn myself.

I discovered that in my first semester teaching a word kept coming to the fore front of my lectures and discussions with students.  The word is "communication" and as I thought about it more this semester I came to realize that character design is exactly that, Communication.  We are communicating who these characters are to our audience.  Not how handsome or how cute they are or how cool their costume or weapon is, not how well we can push and exploit shapes but WHO they are.  What are their dreams and aspirations, how would they treat the people around them?  That's what character design is.  The "design" only serves to communicate who the character is and that's it.  Design is often thought of as a form of communication.  It communicates purpose and intention, so if you really think about it we are not character designers we are character communicators.

Sorry for the long post.  Just thought I would share my thoughts as I discover these things teaching.  I am in no way claiming to be an expert or that my thoughts are the end all be all.  Character design is a very subjective topic and I think there is room for many ideas and theories behind it and they can all successfully coexist.  Also this is something, since making this connection, that I am WELL aware of I need to work on and will keep this in the fore front of my mind going forward.

Also here are a few drawings from recent @sketch_dailies topics on twitter.  give them a follow some rad stuff going on there.

Islander

The village witch doctor in training

Bad Omen

The elf queen has had a premonition.  First post of 2014.  Let me know what you think!

Swords-woman

Trying to push personality and posing.  Let me know what you think!

Some arts

I colored a couple of drawings I did at Starbucks a few weeks back.  The pig is from Cup O' Doodle last week.  As always let me know what you think.  And I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

CTN-X wish you were here!

CTN-X was this weekend and as always it didn't disappoint.  It was another incredibly humbling, and inspiring weekend.  I always feel like it recharges my artistic and creative batteries.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by to show their support.  I met and chatted with some of my favorite artists and picked up one of the best art book hauls yet!

If you missed out on going to CTN-X this year I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders until December 1st. It's just like you were there in person!  I've updated the store with some new items as well.

Justin Rodrigues Art Shop

Here's some art from the new book Portals which is still available.  "Paper Trail" is officially sold out almost exactly one year after I printed it.

New stuff for CTN-X 2013

Some of the new items I'll have at CTN-X this Friday.  New prints, a new book and a ton of new original sketches.  Stop by table T-29 if you go!  See you there!

CTN-X table T-29!

Hey Everyone!  I will be at CTN-X again this year at table T-29 located on the map above.  I will be selling my new book Portals and I will also have only 10 copies of last years book Paper Trail.  So if you missed out last year get there soon because they will probably go fast.  I will also have prints like the one below, and originals for sale.  And as always free business cards and hugs to anyone who stops by.  See you there!  

Portals...Now available!

Portals is now available for purchase through my online store!  Here is a sneak peek at one of the pages.  I'm starting to put up prints and my hope is to eventually add original art as well.  Go here to check it out!

Justin Rodrigues Art Store!

Also as you can see I've revamped my blog a bit and added some handy links over to the right hand side.  You can get to my Tumblr which I post semi daily sketches my art store and my portfolio from there.  CTN is coming soon so expect some more info in the next few weeks.

Ape Con 2013 and my new art book!

 Hey Everyone,  I'll be exhibiting this year at the Alternative Press Expo in San Francisco (my favorite city).  If you are going be sure to stop by Table 735.   I'll have copies of my new book Portals, as well as prints, originals and just a few more copies of my first art book Paper Trail.  

Here is the cover image.  If you can't make it to APE they will be available through my online store next Monday October 14th.  

Flower child

This is a sketch I recently decided to paint.  It will be available as a print at both APE con in October and CTN in November.  More information on what table I'll be at coming soon! 

In the meantime let me know what you think!

Dastardly...

Went to the @CSG gallery this past wednesday for some gesture drawing.  Man John Tucker is the best.  As always let me know what you think!

Portals...Coming soon!

A snippet from the cover of my new art book "portals".  It should be ready to go sometime in early October.  Stay tooned!

Clash of the Classics book and gallery show!

I had the awesome opportunity once again to do a piece for one of Tiki Machine's awesome collaborative books.  This year's book is titled "Clash of the Classics" and features great battles throughout literary history from quite a few amazing artists.  Here is my piece the Pan vs. the Hook.

To celebrate the release of the book there will be a gallery show in Anaheim CA, this weekend starting tomorrow.  You can get more details here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/207076146122643/

Myself and a bunch of other artists have framed our pieces and even some of the original development art to go along with it.  I'll be there tomorrow night signing copies of the book and enjoying the company.  If you're looking for something awesomely art related to do this weekend please stop by!

Cage Fight

I wanted to do a series of cage fighters from different regions of the world.  Here are a couple that I don't think I'll use.  I redesigned these ideas and the new versions will be available in my new book due out in October.  Let me know what you think!

Friends for life through thick and thin...

A quick study that turned into Talespin fan art.  Don't judge.  The backgrounds on that show are beautiful.

A roman warrior goddess

A dragon drinking coffee.